junio 2018 - International TEFL Academy Barcelona

The technical requirements:

1. A Laptop/Computer (or iPad) with a camera: You will need a computer with a camera in order to teach online. Be sure you have a camera, as you’ll need it to videoconference with your students.

2. Strong Internet Connection: Be sure you have a solid Internet connection, wherever you are. When I travel and teach online I often book Airbnb’s so I can teach from home, and I ask my hosts to check the Internet speed for me beforehand so I know its strong. You can check your speed for free at SpeedTest.net. The company you apply for will tell you what the minimum speed requirement is.

3. Headphones: You will be required to use headphones or a headset to teach.

To think about:

4. Props: Online teaching requires A LOT of TPR (Total Physical Response). With that being said, I like to have a lot of props to help me in case I have a shy student. I made my own alphabet flashcards, reward system, and purchased animal puppets. Flying Tiger is a great and cheap store for props in Barcelona.

5. Quiet Location: I recommend having a quiet room to teach from. The less distractions/noise, the better for your student and your class.

Lastly, be sure to take it seriously. Teaching online may be fun, but it’s a job. The students and families take it very seriously and have high expectations and you should too. This means, never miss a class if you are booked (However, emergencies happen, each company has their own cancelation policy), and don’t show up late. Since I live in Barcelona, I sometimes stay out late, and will make sure I don’t give myself an early schedule the next day.

Now, be sure you do your research on companies; they all have different requirements/obligations for teachers, contracts for hours, Internet speed requirements, etc. But, once you get started, you won’t regret it!

A few companies to check out:
–https://t.vipkid.com.cn/?_version=2
–https://www.dadaabc.com/teacher/job/
–http://51talk.ph/
–https://www.cambly.com/english?lang=en
–https://www.abc360.com/Teacher/Teacher/index
–https://teacher.landi.com/

Work from home:
No commute, need I say more?
Make your own schedule & No minimum hours:
Now, I will say there are so many different companies to choose from, each have different requirements and contracts. Some give you a set schedule and require you work a minimum amount of hours a week- each company is different. I specifically chose my company because they have no requirements; I make my own schedule and work as much (or less) as I want. My classes are each 25 minutes, and I get paid $10 a class.

Payment is in your local currency:
I was very happy to hear that my company was going to pay me in American dollars, directly deposited into my American bank account each month.

Can’t beat the working schedule:
While there are many companies to choose from, they almost all have one thing in common: you are teaching Chinese kids (maybe adults) in the China time zone. But, living in Barcelona, this works out great for me.. I can start teaching as early as 6am (technically 3am if you want), and the last class of the day is at 3:30pm. This means you’re working mornings and early afternoons, done by 4:00pm latest. I love this schedule, and having the rest of the day off to do whatever I want.

Now this one should be #1- TRAVEL:
With my flexible schedule, I am able to travel and teach online! I recently went to SE Asia for three months, which meant I was in the same time zone as my students. I was able to teach from my Airbnb in the morning, and go explore for the rest of the day! I was making money while traveling abroad, and on travel days, I just closed my schedule.

Minimal lesson planning:
Most online teaching companies provide you with all the material and slides to teach. You are able to review them ahead of time and prepare, but this means minimal lesson planning (which we all know can be dreadful sometimes). Once you’ve taught the same lesson a few times, you know it like the back of your hand.

Work from home:

Make your own schedule & No minimum hours:

Payment is in your local currency:

Can’t beat the working schedule:

Now this one should be #1- TRAVEL:

Minimal lesson planning:

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The technical requirements:

To think about:

Work from home:

Make your own schedule & No minimum hours:

Payment is in your local currency:

Can’t beat the working schedule:

Now this one should be #1- TRAVEL:

Minimal lesson planning:

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