Frequently Asked Questions
- Language
A neutral North American, British or Australian accent is more preferred than another intonation. The language should be spoken at an idiomatic level.
- Education
A Bachelor’s Degree (BS/BA)
- Dedication
-Part time / contract.
-Working for minimum 5-12 hours per week.
-Usually, the contract is only for 6 months or 1 year.
-Conditions are subjected to the English education platform.
- Addition
-TEFL/TESOL/CELTA ESL certification.
-Experience in teaching English/ESL or a Bachelor’s Degree in education or language related course.
Check out https://letsteachenglish.us (MUHAMMAD PLEASE ADD LINK TO SCHOOL SEARCH TOOL) to see more details about the position.
- Language
A neutral North American, British or Australian accent is more preferred than another intonation. The language should be spoken at an idiomatic level.
- Education
A Bachelor’s Degree (BS/BA) or an Associate Degree.
- Dedication
-Full time / contract.
-Working for average 30-40 hours per week.
-Usually the contract is only for one year.
-Conditions are subjected to the English education platform.
- Addition
-Certification of TEFL/TESOL/CELTA, depending on location because some companies may not need it. Check out the job description for more details.
– Experience in teaching English/ESL or a Bachelor’s Degree in education or language related course.
Check out https://letsteachenglish.us (MUHAMMAD PLEASE ADD LINK TO SCHOOL SEARCH TOOL) to see more details about the position.
The necessary of certificate relies on the company that you choose and the level of the class that you are planning to teach. The majority of online schools are very compromise when it comes to certificate requirements. However, the certification of TESL/TESOL/CELTA will prove that you are able to deliver an English teaching accurately, especially if you do not have many previous teaching experiences. You must have a great communication skill and the ability of teaching English language with an attractive personality, particularly when you are teaching online through a small computer screen with no physical appearance. Your chance of getting hired would definitely increase if you have one of the following certificates:
- Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
- Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
- Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)
It is depending on the company that you choose and the level of the class that you are planning to teach. Many online schools are very compromise when it comes to certificate even though they prefer teachers who have a Bachelor’s Degree. Meanwhile, a large number of onsite English teaching positions demand for a Bachelor’s Degree as well as TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate or English teaching experiences for VISA purpose. China becomes extremely strict on the requirement of foreign teachers. The internship of onsite teaching abroad will give you a VISA to enter foreign countries if you are currently registered to an accredited college to get a Bachelor’s Degree.
Online TEFL Certificate Program is usually compromise when it comes to certificate requirements. However, it is strictly required for Offline TEFL Certificate Program, especially if you do not have a teaching experience for over two years.
The general name of teaching acronyms for English as a second or foreign language such as TEFL, TESOL, TESL, EFL, ESL and CELTA can be very perplexing sometimes, especially when they have been used frequently. The dissimilarities rely on where these terms originated. The term “English as a foreign language” is used in United Kingdom and Europe. Whereas the term “English as a second language” is used in United States and Canada.
- Cambridge CELTA
The Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) is the most accredited and systematized international teacher qualification. Some companies would ask for this certificate if they offer a high level of English class or college preparation courses.
- TEFL
TEFL also known as Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a non-standard teacher certificate program. There are many programs out there that offered both online and offline forms. The cost of online TEFL certificate program is very cheap and it is easy for you to complete the certificate online. However, it does not provide a teaching experience by observing and practicing a real-world classroom environment. An online certificate might be great if you just want to test your capability by spending $300 for an online program instead of paying $1000 for a regular TEFL program. The disadvantage of an online TEFL program is that the courses are less standard compare to a regular offline TEFL program. You need to read the job qualifications to make sure the program that you are going through can really get you a job.
- TESOL/TESL
TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) courses are not systematized and they are typically offered in universities.
English proficiency and comprehension are crucial, depending on the level of the class. Some classes need higher comprehension and knowledge in English such as teaching college preparation classes. They prefer teachers who can speak in native accents like United States, Canada, British, Australia or South Africa for the majority of the classroom settings.
Online teaching does not require a visa except regular teaching program. However, you should not be deterred by the requirement because most of the visas in China and Taiwan can be obtained if you achieve the qualification of the teacher’s country. You can contact us for more details about visa requirements!
Fast and reliable internet connection is a must! Either wired internet connection or a high-speed WiFi Internet. 10+ Mbps for both downloading and uploading is required, which you can test via http://www.speedtest.net.
The answer is YES. Being a native speaker definitely plays an important role in communicating with students. The most popular native accents are North American and British. However, non-native English speakers with natural articulation and a good level of English comprehension are usually able to do teaching jobs without any problems as well. You will be accepted as an English teacher although you are a non-native speaker, but you still need to improve your skills with appropriate pronunciation, intonation and perfect literary level.
A brief introductory video recording (up to 1-2 minutes) will help you to stand out in the interview and makes it easier for SDM to identify the best placement for you and put you in the right position as soon as possible.
Basic questions to make an introductory video:
-Where are you from?
-What is your nationality?
-Where are you currently located?
-What is your personal life, education and career background?
-Do you have a teaching experience?
-Do you have any teaching preferences?
-What age do you prefer to teach English? (ex: children, teen, college preparation, adults, etc.)
-Are you able to teach a fixed schedule or your regular schedule? (ex: early in the morning or late evening to synchronize with Chinese time zone.)
Experience related to Teaching and Education are usually not necessary, but it gives you an advantage to earn a higher salary in a shorter time.
There are two type of positions in teaching English, such as:
-Online teaching is a part-time contract for 6 months or one year.
-Offline teaching is a full-time employee in the educational institutes.
Rates per hour of online teaching can range from $15 to $25 or higher with bonuses. Salary is a special measure based on performance, contribution of session hours and experience which also rely on the arrangement of educational institutions. Some institutions provide unlimited classes for you to teach. As a result, you can earn more income by booking extra hours according to your availability. We highly suggest you to ask the HR of the educational institution to know more about their policies during the interview.
Online teaching is highly flexible in a matter of hours. Many educational institutions require teachers to have a minimal commitment during peak hours in China because most students are online at that time and there is a high demand for classes as well as assistance.
Peak Hours (Chinese Time Zone):
-Weekdays (Monday to Sunday) = 16:00 pm to 21:00 pm
-Weekends (Saturday to Sunday) = 08:00 am to 15:00 pm and 16:00 pm to 21:00 pm
China Hours 08:00-15:00 = US Hours 20:00-03:00 (EDT) and 17:00-24:00 (PDT)
China Hours 16:00-21:00 = US Hours 04:00-09:00 (EDT) and 01:00-06:00 (PDT)
Note: There is only ONE time zone (UTC+8) and NO daylight hours in China.
- Some schools ask you to submit a self-introductory video for about one minute before the formal interview.
- Followed by two rounds of formal interviews.
- Video review through Skype or any similar application.
- After going through a successful video review, the school will request for a video of demonstration. You can send it either with a self-recorded video or a video interview through Skype or other similar applications.
- If you pass the interview, then you need to sign a contract but it is usually a simple paperwork to hire a part-time employee. Some teachers have minimal one year commitment and some do not have it.
- You will receive online training materials related to teaching procedures and instructions for teaching classes for the school.
- After the training, the school will arrange several trials for the actual classes based on your available hours to assess the performance.
- Once you complete all of the processes, you are ready to be a part of English teaching team!
- Facebook Support Group English Teaching Resources and Jobs
- Facebook Let’s Teach English page English/ESL Teaching Resources and Recruitment
We have been connecting with so many ESL teachers who are interested in Online English Teaching or Teaching English Abroad with our partners in China, Taiwan and other countries all over the world.
Community Support
Facebook Support Group English Teaching Resources and Jobs
Facebook Let’s Teach English page Let’s Teach English English/ESL Teaching Resources and Recruitment
About Let’s Teach English
At Let’s Teach English, we had been connecting many ESL teachers like you who are interesting Online English Teaching or Teaching English Abroad with our teaching partners in China, Taiwan, and all over the world.
We take our work seriously when choosing which teaching platform to work with. The quality of the teaching platforms are our first priority in order to provide an environment where teachers can excel and enjoy teaching experience.