TEFL Success: Freelance English Teaching

Freelance English teaching can be a rewarding career choice that allows for independence, flexibility, and the chance to be your own boss. But freelance English teaching also comes with its share of challenges; this article will guide you through it all and offer valuable insights and advice - including what constitutes a freelance English teacher in practice. Let's first understand who qualifies as such an educator.

What are Freelance English Teachers?

Freelance English teachers are independent professionals unaffiliated with any particular company or institution, offering classes both online and in person to individuals or groups, often specializing in areas like Business English, exam prep, conversational English, or ESL tutoring. As opposed to being employed by one company, they set their own schedule, rates, and select the students they work with—much like teachers employed by companies do.

How to Become a Freelance English Teacher？

To start your freelance teaching career, obtaining a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification or equivalent will likely be required. This internationally-recognized certification equips you with all of the skills necessary for effective English teaching.

Once certified, one can decide between using an ESL (English as a Second Language) marketplace like italki or Preply for ESL tutoring or tutoring privately. Each option offers its own set of advantages: an ESL marketplace can provide steady students, payment processing services, and platforms for teaching; however, they do take a commission off your earnings. In contrast, private tutoring allows all earnings to remain with you despite additional effort regarding marketing and logistics.

Challenges of Being a Freelance English Teacher

As a freelance English teacher, you face many unique challenges. These include managing your schedule, handling logistical matters such as payments and recruitment of students, as well as creating your own teaching materials for ESL tutoring sessions.

Marketing yourself effectively to attract students is one of the greatest challenges teachers face, necessitating an in-depth knowledge of basic sales and marketing principles, including knowing how to present your services in an appealing manner, set yourself apart from other teachers, and form lasting relationships with your students.

Potential Income for Freelance English Teachers

Income for freelance English teachers varies significantly as rates are set on an individual basis. Marketplaces will take a commission out of any earnings generated through them; running your own business may offer higher earning potential while demanding greater effort in terms of marketing and logistics. It's essential that rates match up with how much work will go into it to achieve optimal success in ESL tutoring.

Types of Freelance English Teachers

Freelance English teachers can generally be divided into two groups: those who primarily operate through marketplaces and those who provide tutoring privately.

Freelance Teachers who Rely on Marketplaces:

ESL marketplaces such as italki and Preply provide an ESL marketplace where teachers and students can connect. They handle student recruitment and payments, freeing teachers up to focus on teaching while they take a cut of your earnings in exchange. However, these marketplaces take a commission off your earnings too.

Independent teachers who tutor privately:

These educators run their own business, managing all aspects of it from marketing and student recruitment to payment collection and material creation. While this requires more effort, this approach also offers greater freedom and may result in higher earnings potential.

Advice from Experienced Freelance English Teachers

Experienced freelance English teachers advise newcomers to the profession to be patient and confident in themselves and their abilities. Establishing a student base may take time and dedication, but is certainly possible with hard work and persistence. Make an effort to understand your students' needs so that your lessons are tailored accordingly. Stay organized with both time and finances while continuously updating your knowledge base and skillset.

At its heart, being a freelance English teacher can be an immensely fulfilling career that offers both flexibility and independence. Though challenging at times, success lies within your ability to deliver effective lessons while marketing yourself professionally and creating strong relationships with students.