Does anyone teach English (ESL) online from home?

[Coco6]

I have been doing this for 9 months and I love it. However, WFH can get very lonely!

Anyone else?

Just been re reading the thread! Do you teach one to one only op?

Please can I request a pm too re the company you use @Coco6 ?

I originally wanted to teach in a language school but never got up the courage to apply! I'm very enthusiastic but tend to over worry about my ability! I find the hardest thing is coming up with my own lesson plans though!!

@Coco6 this sounds like a really good opportunity! I'm sorry if you've been inundated but can I please also have the company details. Thank you!

Coco6, I don't know how to PM but I'd love to know the name of the company.

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask for a PM too thank you.

@Coco6 please could you send me the details of your company too? I am a qualified teacher but would like to leave at the end of the academic year and am looking for alternatives just to bring in enough to cover my share of the mortgage after I quit. Thanks

@Coco6 pretty please can you pm me the name too!

Me too!

Please would you send me the company name too? This sounds great!

Op, if it's not too much trouble, could you pm me too pls?

Could you PM me the company name too?

How does it work with choosing the hours you want the night before? Don’t they have children waiting and if nobody signs up to teach them, they’ll just be doing nothing?

Is it classes of children? How many? are they at school or home? How can you see what they’re all doing-are you looking at their writing? How can you ask them questions if you don’t know their names? What about behaviour or is there another adult in the room? What if one of them hurts themselves?! Or is it 1:1?

How are you paid-how do you sort tax etc?

Sorry-lots of questions!

You will have the name, age and previous feedback for the student available before you start each class.

Some teachers work on "standby" which means they are assigned classes at the last minute for a late booking or if another teacher has cancelled. I don't do this though. You are paid more for it and I think you have to be invited.

It's mainly 1:1 and they are normally at home. Sometimes I get 1:2 at the weekend. You can see them on the webcam and there are pictures/ sentences on the screen for them to read. They can write and draw on the screen too.

For the low level children it's really just repetition/ sounds/ pronunciation and making them feel comfortable while learning English.

Thanks for your answers @Coco6

No problem

I have done this for years for different companies. Although their are positives I have mixed feelings really on it.
A lot of the reviews are spot on online, it’s really not that well paid after tax (and I work for a reputable one). You have no rights , sick pay, pension etc. My company, although good, has introduced (and a lot of others too) a cost saving measure where if the student doesn’t show up you only receive a very small percentage of your hourly wage. For example I had 4 no shows last week which was a loss of 54 euros. This also meant I was sitting waiting for the student for 15 mins and basically that hour I factored in for work I wasn’t paid for ( as most busy parents paying for childcare that is insanely frustrating). In no real school have I turned up to a class and then not been paid. This is not unusual for online schools. Just giving the other side of the story as it seems people are seeing it as the holy grail and it really isn’t. I think for rights and very importantly pension it’s important to think of other work as it leaves people too vulnerable of this is the job they rely on.

*if this

*there not their

Also a few companies I work for tend to hire younger teachers as maybe they presume they are more tech savvy. I’m early 30’s so I worry if I’d be phased out in a few years. Companies like this are very flexible and that can be really useful but they can drop teachers really easily and there nothing the teacher can do about it as there are no rights.
Sorry to be negative , it does seem really attractive but I’ve had years of experience with it so can see the whole picture .

I also do this (although OP seems to have a higher rate with one of the same companies 😉) is that including your bonuses?

I work for two companies and have taught EFL in the classroom and online for quite a while. I also find it extremely lonely!!!!! Especially compared to a school environment. It’s not something I plan to do much longer and think it is something people either love or hate!

Just to follow on from hokey, a lot of people now make more money referring teachers then they do teaching. Lots of platforms give teachers a referral bonus for recruiting other teachers.
So be wary online of those recommending various platforms with their referral code on Facebook etc.

Before jumping in have a good look into other reviews, such as on glass door, often they're enticing you in just to get their bonus but what they're bringing you into is a platform bloated with teachers meaning you won't get many booked classes or if you do you are incredibly easy to replace as they have hundreds that can easily take your spot.

It's useful to hear all the different opinions.

Hmm. I'm 51 so the age thing would definitely go against me!!

@Thehokeypokeyiswhatitsallabout I have to admit I’m a bit like you with my feelings on online teaching. I have really noticed a race to the bottom regarding pay for teachers. It seems every time a new change is made it’s to the teacher’s detriment. Also, with the huge demand for teachers they continually drop standards-which can be seen in some of the lesson plans, which can be absolutely shocking - it’s no wonder the kids get bored!

I much prefer my second company as the classes are in groups (4-6 students) and the lesson plans are great. However they don’t have full time hours. I do extra hours with the company OP works for, who are super flexible which is great.

But as you say, no security, hours can be cancelled last minute, if you’re sick no pay and also any tech faults and it’s a problem. Most have a 6 strikes and you’re sacked policy.

However on the plus side on the whole it’s the same salary as teaching in a language school with a fraction of the work and no stress and no planning/marking/material making/reports etc.

I’d be happy to speak to anyone who was interested. I used to recruit for the OP’s company, but don’t anymore - so best to contact the OP regarding that one, but more than happy to chat about the other company I work for.

@Coco6 @Hatha could you both pm me some more info please?

Lol, I should probably add to my last post about the salary - it’s about the same as a language school - anyone who has worked in a language school will know pay is terrible! For those who haven’t, it’s essentially half of what a junior school teacher would earn 😢

Yes that’s exactly it, you are so expendable when you teach online like you really feel that they couldn’t care less, the reality is I’ve never met or seen my employers and that is a bit strange. You would never want to depend on this to pay the bills as you can literally be dropped very quickly and one second have a decent wage and then be left . It’s v unstable that way. So in some ways while it does seem easy and very convenient as it’s from home. Long term I’d have a back up plan or a more stable main job

Please can you PM me as well, OP? I have a Celta and an English degree. Have taught grammar and phonology in the past as well as voluntary work teaching English to immigrants.