Having an accredited TEFL certificate not only qualifies you to teach ESL abroad, but also online, which is a great way for you to supplement your income whether you are teaching abroad or living back home.
There are many benefits to teaching online. First, let's be honest. You don't have to wear pants. Must I go on? No, but I will. You don't have to commute: worrying about buses or being in the rain are no longer a concern. The schedule is flexible and arranged according to your needs. As you could be teaching students in all corners of the globe, you can choose to teach at any hour of the day.
This also means you get the opportunity to work with students from a variety of countries and cultures that you might not otherwise get the chance to interact with. Furthermore, many of the online companies do not require the teacher to do the lesson planning as they provide all of the prepared materials.
Of course there are some challenges of teaching online. Relying on technology, such as the speed of your internet connection, can be a headache. Some teachers are not comfortable using technology and struggle to learn how to use it properly. Likewise, rapport can be harder to create due to not being in the same physical location, which can hinder class management. Depending on the company you work with, your schedule could potentially change weekly which could bring up a few challenges as well.
Regardless of the potential challenges, know that teaching online is another avenue your ESL career could take you down. During your 4-week, onsite TEFL course in Costa Rica, we will share a long list of potential online companies that hire TEFL-certified teachers. Invest in a small whiteboard and maybe some puppets if you are teaching kids, and jump into teaching ESL online with companies like VIP Kid and Lingoda!
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