Earn from Home: Teaching English Online

I’ve been seeing a lot of ads online offering various opportunities to earn from home but have never attempted to check any of them out because I’m quite wary of internet scams. However, last October, I found out that Mommy Mitch of When Silence Speaks started working as an online English teacher at ABC360. After chatting with her, I was keen on giving it a try. And since I’ve already updated my resume, I decided to apply to two other companies as well – 51Talk and RareJob. The application process and job requirements of all three companies were basically the same. For those who are considering teaching English online, here’s a rundown of their requirements and salary range.

What does an online teacher do?

Teach, of course. πŸ™‚ As an online English teacher, you will conduct one-on-one lessons thru Skype, QQ, or other similar platforms. All three companies provide all the lesson materials that will be used in each class. You just need to download and review the materials before conducting the class. During class, you go through the materials and ensure that the student understands the lesson. Class duration varies in each company.

TE duration

What are the requirements for teaching English online?

For all three companies, a good command of English is imperative. You must be able to work with minimal supervision and be able to manage your working schedule. They do not usually require any previous experience teaching online but having online teaching and BPO experience gives you an edge. You also do not need to have a degree in college. Those who are working their way through college may find this a good opportunity to earn while studying.

Aside from being proficient in English, you must also have a decent and reliable home office. This doesn’t have to be really fancy. Mine is just a desk tucked in the corner of our bedroom. I also think that having any sort of degree in English could be useful too so you have a better understanding of the materials that you’d be teaching. My friend told me about the most affordable online colleges list by Education Reference Desk which you could take part in without having to travel, which is great if you have children. This is not essential but it could help you in the long run. Such certifications can improve the chances of getting short-listed during a job application. Certifications and degrees are not essential for an online job, but having high-speed internet connectivity is a matter of necessity. You should therefore try to contact one of your local fiber optic internet providers to get your internet speed sorted. Additionally, you’ll need the following:

  • a dual core processor or above
  • Windows 7 or above
  • at least 2GB of RAM
  • a headset with noise cancelling feature
  • an HD webcam

TE requirements

How much do I earn?

Personally, I don’t earn that much because I only work around 2 to 4 hours per day. But if you will work for 8 hours a day for 5 days a week, you can earn around 20– 25 thousand pesos a month. I’ve seen advertisements that claim 70-80K a month but I hardly think that is possible unless you’re working 24/7 or have been working for them for several years. Still, the much more reasonable range of 20-25K a month is already decent enough to cover basic living expenses. Consider also that you save on transportation, food, and clothing expenses when you work from home.

Your salary will also depend on your booked classes. When you start, you may not have as many bookings yet. If you have exceptional teaching skills, you’ll soon have students regularly booking your classes. Peak hours are during the afternoon and evening, so if you want to have more classes booked, open slots from 5pm – 12mn.

TW salary range

The Salary Range above is the starting salary for new teachers and does not include incentives. On an average, incentives amount to 1K – 5K/month depending on your performance. Again, your salary will depend on the number of classes booked.

What is the application process?

Generally, there will be an online English proficiency test that you will have to pass. After passing this test, you will be scheduled for an interview both through phone and Skype. After passing the interview and the technical requirements, you will then have to conduct a demo lesson.

TE application

For more information about the requirements and application process, you may check their websites:

Which one did I choose?

Among those three companies, I opted to work for ABC360 which is where Mommy Mitch works and which also offered me the highest basic hourly rate. I’ve been working for them since October and have been having a great time. As I mentioned though, I don’t earn much because I only work a few hours each day but I greatly enjoy my time talking with my students. Teaching English online has become my way of de-stressing after running the household all day. πŸ™‚ If you also intend to apply at ABC360, kindly put 5407 in the referral tab. I’d get a referral bonus if you do and would be grateful for that! πŸ™‚

You can read more about my experience at ABC360 in my next post. πŸ™‚

ABC360 with kids

Comments

  1. How are the students naman Mommy? I’ve tried tutoring English for Koreans face to face once before and it was so freaking hard that it discouraged me from teaching after that even if the pay was really good, but I do want to try again and perhaps this time do it online. πŸ˜›

    • Hi, Ane! Most of my students are already professionals. Some are college students. They’re very easy to teach. They can already express themselves well but still have thick accents. I do enjoy talking with them. Once in a while though, I encounter new students who are beginners and are quite difficult to understand. Some teachers say they have encountered rude students but I never have. πŸ˜€

    • Hi Ane. I’ve also tried teaching Koreans before. yes the pay was also good. The language center where I taught required their teachers to talk in either British and American accent. (Eh mahina ako manggaya ng accent, hehehe, kaya ako medyo nahirapan). We even have training during weekends. Online teaching might be easier than face-to-face. I want to give it a try. πŸ™‚

  2. I love ABC360 and my students but had to leave the job na kasi di ko na kaya magpuyat haha!

    If ever I will go back to teaching online, solid ABC360 pa din ako.

    Nakakamiss din lalo mga reg students ko na naging ka-close ko na.

  3. Hi Mommy Mitch!

    Would like to ask if its necessary to have a Windows OS for ABC360. Or kung pwede Mac? Thank you!