Teaching English via Skype - TEFL

Aldea2015

I have some serious health issues which have left me housebound for the past couple of years.

I'm looking at ways to try to improve my quality of life by trying to earn a little money from home - I can manage a couple of hours at my computer.

I wondered if anybody had taken a TEFL course and managed to relatively easily find regular work with conversation/lessons with non-native English speakers?

I know there is a little commitment involved in terms of completing and funding the course, but it seems a more interesting, longterm way to earn a little money than filling out online surveys (happy to be corrected though!)

Thanks for sharing any advice/stories

Wizzbang

You don't even need a TEFL qualification with some of these companies, like Dada ABC - just a degree. However, it did not work out for me because they insisted on a ridiculously high speed internet connection which even my fibre optic could not meet. There was no way I was paying £50+ per month for broadband just to try and earn some money with them. Plus, with no experience working for them- I can't comment on whether they were reliable with work and payment. Plus, you had to commit to a significant number of hours per week, at the same time (either early morning or late at night UK time because of the time difference between here and China).

It doesn't sound like it would suit you. A couple of hours per day is not much for any employer. (8-10 hrs max per week). You also mention you have serious health issues that have left you housebound. Have you thought about how earning will impact the benefits you claim?

Aldea2015

Wizzbang wrote: »

You don't even need a TEFL qualification with some of these companies, like Dada ABC - just a degree. However, it did not work out for me because they insisted on a ridiculously high speed internet connection which even my fibre optic could not meet. There was no way I was paying £50+ per month for broadband just to try and earn some money with them. Plus, with no experience working for them- I can't comment on whether they were reliable with work and payment. Plus, you had to commit to a significant number of hours per week, at the same time (either early morning or late at night UK time because of the time difference between here and China).

It doesn't sound like it would suit you. A couple of hours per day is not much for any employer. (8-10 hrs max per week). You also mention you have serious health issues that have left you housebound. Have you thought about how earning will impact the benefits you claim?

I'm aware of my earning rights on my current benefits - another reason on top of my health issues that I'm only looking for a few hours and something in front of a computer. There's a £150 difference between the cheapest flats available and maximum allocated housing benefit in my area which would eat a big chunk of my already stretched benefits so I need to find a little extra as a safety net and to give me some sort of quality of life.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I wondered if you could just make yourself available through agencies/sites and be in control of the number of hours you could do. Like you suggest, it doesn't sound quite like I thought it might be.

System

It's definitely a good way to earn extra money but a few questions.

Are you an English teacher?

Have you any experience teaching English?

Do you know English grammar?

Are you patient and understanding and able to explain things clearly and concisely?

Can you tell me what tense " I was playing football yesterday" falls under?

If the answer is no to these then you may start training. It is a way of making money but you need to meet certain credentials that an online course won't provide you with. Like knowledge of your own language.

I work online and in a foreign country and I had to do an online course, an in person course,I have a degree in teaching (physical education) and I still had to study a good year before I was confident teaching English.