Job Discussion Forums

rotemmay · Joined: 26 Apr 2011 Posts: 26 Location: US and Israel

Hi all,
I'm wondering if anybody here either teaches or tutors or has taught or tutored ESL students online or over the phone with focusing mainly on improving their conversational skills. I know there are several companies out there that offer such services and teachers mainly focus on conversation. I also know they don't pay anything near what an actual overseas ESL job pays, but they might be a way to earn additional income and, for someone like me, to get a foot in the door with doing some ESL teaching on the way to getting a certificate (I've applied for a CELTA program for the summer, so we'll see if I get in).

Can you tell me a little bit about your experience, whether you did or did not like it, whether you had experience teaching ESL before and whether you felt that did or did not make a difference (since I don't have a certificate or experience in that - I do, though, have quite a bit of experience teaching college English courses to native English speakers for American universities, so I'm not completely without qualifications Very Happy

)?

I'm just trying to get a sense of what this kind of job might entail and whether it would be something I would enjoy and be good at.

Rotem

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

I did some online tutoring for one of the many companies that offer such services. Its a lot harder than you think! I actually found it harder than my regular classes and they needed quite a lot of prep. What would take 40 minutes in a class of 8 students takes 5 mins on a Skype lesson.

I worked for a company that didnt offer materials or regular hours, which suited me at that time, but it did mean I had to work hard to prepare...and if I did a half-assed job...I lost the student after one lesson. Its not easy IMO

djunamod · Joined: 09 Jun 2011 Posts: 11

Interesting. I've actually been teaching online for 4 years, but not ESL - English composition/literature courses for American college students. But I know that you're right that preparation for teaching online can take a lot more time than preparation on-ground.

Djuna