How to Teach English Online and Get Paid

🎯 Course Goal

To equip learners with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to successfully start and grow an online English teaching career, either by joining platforms or freelancing independently.

👩‍🎓 Who can do it?

• Native or fluent English speakers

• Beginners with no teaching experience

• Teachers looking to transition to online work

• Freelancers seeking to monetize English skills

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Module 1: Introduction to Online English Teaching

Lesson 1.1: Why Teach English Online?

• Benefits: flexibility, global demand, scalable income

• Myths vs. reality (you don’t always need a degree)

Lesson 1.2: Who Can Teach?

• Native vs. fluent non-native teachers

• What qualifications matter (TEFL, TESOL, CELTA, degrees)

• Which skills matter more than certificates (communication, patience, creativity)

📌 Activity: Self-assessment quiz – Do you qualify to teach English online?

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Module 2: Setting Up Your Teaching Career

Lesson 2.1: Choosing Your Teaching Path

• Teaching via platforms (pros/cons)

• Freelancing independently (pros/cons)

Lesson 2.2: Understanding Your Students

• Types: Kids, teenagers, adults, professionals

• Specializations: conversational English, exam prep (IELTS/TOEFL), business English, travel English

📌 Exercise: Write your teaching niche statement (e.g., “I help business professionals improve spoken English for presentations”).

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Module 3: Essential Tools & Setup

Lesson 3.1: Technical Setup

• Internet, headset, microphone, webcam

• Choosing software: Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, platform classrooms

Lesson 3.2: Creating a Teaching Environment

• Lighting and background setup

• Free/paid teaching resources (flashcards, whiteboards, slides)

• Tools for interactive lessons (Jamboard, Canva, Quizlet, Kahoot)

📌 Exercise: Create your own simple lesson slide deck using Canva.

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Module 4: Getting Your First Students

Lesson 4.1: Teaching Platforms Overview

• Cambly, iTalki, Preply, AmazingTalker, VIPKid, Outschool

• Requirements, pay rates, and how to apply

Lesson 4.2: Freelance Route

• Building a profile on Fiverr/Upwork

• Marketing yourself on social media

• Creating content (TikTok/YouTube/Instagram)

📌 Activity: Choose one platform and prepare your application OR draft a freelance teacher profile.

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Module 5: Lesson Planning & Teaching Methods

Lesson 5.1: How to Structure a Lesson

• Warm-up → Core activity → Practice → Feedback → Wrap-up

• Adapting lessons for kids vs. adults

Lesson 5.2: Teaching Styles & Techniques

• TPR (Total Physical Response) for kids

• Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) for conversation

• Using storytelling and roleplay

Lesson 5.3: Teaching Specializations

• Exam prep strategies

• Business English scenarios

• Casual conversational English

📌 Exercise: Write a 15-minute trial lesson plan for a new student.

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Module 6: Pricing, Payments & Income Growth

Lesson 6.1: Setting Your Rates

• Beginner rates ($10–$15/hr) vs. advanced rates ($25–$50/hr)

• How to increase rates as you gain experience

Lesson 6.2: Getting Paid

• PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, Stripe

• Avoiding scams and late payments

Lesson 6.3: Scaling Your Income

• Teaching group classes

• Selling pre-recorded lessons/courses

• Creating passive income (eBooks, YouTube, online schools)

📌 Exercise: Set your hourly rate plan (starting rate + 6-month growth plan).

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Module 7: Building Long-Term Success

Lesson 7.1: Student Retention

• How to keep students coming back

• Creating personalized lesson plans

• Asking for reviews/testimonials

Lesson 7.2: Personal Branding as a Teacher

• How to stand out on platforms

• Using social media to attract students

• Storytelling and showcasing success

Lesson 7.3: Avoiding Burnout

• Setting boundaries (time zones, workload)

• Creating a balanced schedule

📌 Final Project: Create your full teaching business plan (niche, rates, lesson plan, student retention strategy).

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🎓 Course Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will:
✔ Understand the online English teaching industry
✔ Know which platforms to apply for and how to get accepted
✔ Be able to design engaging English lessons
✔ Confidently market themselves as online teachers
✔ Know how to set rates and manage payments
✔ Have a business plan to grow income sustainably

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💰 Bonus Module (Optional) – Advanced Earning Strategies

• Building your own teaching website

• Running paid group classes on Zoom

• Launching a digital course

• Partnering with schools/companies