Making a living teaching online

[Dappy777]

Does anyone know if it is possible to make a living teaching English online? I mean teaching English as a foreign language. I have just completed the basic TEFL Academy certificate online, and I have an MA in literature. I know there are platforms that you can sign up to, which put you in touch with Chinese and Indian students, but can it ever be more than a side hussle? Or is it just 'beer money'?

A bit of neither.

It doesn't pay well, companies have a habit of disappearing. Teaching online is soul destroying and much more draining than you'd think.

Why not move abroad and teach face to face? (I presume you're in the UK).

Online teaching is entirely different to classroom, did they cover anything about that on your TEFL course?

I had to teach online during COVID, and could adapt easily, but it is a horrendous way to work in my opinion. I'm 25 years in and now have just one 1-2-1 online class who is private and pays through the nose, but my heart always sinks 15 minutes before class and it tires me out - and I'm sprightly and frankly brilliant at my job!!

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am in the UK. Could I just ask why it exhausts you. What is it about online teaching that you don't like?

I can't really move abroad (ageing parent who needs me). I was hoping to earn some money from home. I have done the basic online TEFL Academy course, but I guess I'd have to do a CELTA if I wanted to teach at a further education college here in the UK. Do you teach abroad?