How to teach English online with TEFL

Step by step

• Complete a 120-hour TEFL certificate.
• Choose a niche: children, business English, conversation or exam preparation (IELTS).
• Set up your space: quiet room, good light, headset, webcam, fast connection.
• Record a short, friendly introduction video.
• Apply to two or three platforms and set a competitive trial-lesson price.
• Ask early students for reviews and raise your rate as your timetable fills.

Companies versus marketplaces

Companies give you students and a fixed rate but often have stricter rules (sometimes a degree or native-speaker preference). Marketplaces let you set your own price and accept many non-native teachers, but you have to market yourself.

Platforms that accept fluent non-native teachers include Preply, italki, Engoo, Native Camp, 51Talk and AmazingTalker; check each one's current requirements.

What you can earn

Published hourly rates range from a few dollars on some company platforms to well over US$20 for experienced marketplace tutors with a specialism. Building a base of regular students matters more than the starting rate.

Which course helps most

The 120-hour TEFL Certificate covers what platforms ask for. Adding Young Learners helps you teach children in Asia, the biggest online market, and Business English helps you teach professionals.

Two ways to teach English online

Online English teaching has two main models. Companies match you with students, set the lesson materials and pay a fixed hourly rate; requirements can be stricter. Marketplaces let you build a profile, set your own price and find your own students; they are open to more teachers but you need to market yourself.

Many teachers start with a company to gain experience, then move to a marketplace or their own private students to earn more.

Who you can teach online

• Children and teenagers, mostly in Asia, often in the early morning or evening of your time zone.
• Adults learning conversational English for travel, work or migration.
• Professionals learning business English: meetings, presentations, emails.
• Exam candidates preparing for IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge exams.
• Small groups through schools that run virtual classes.

Technical set-up checklist

• A laptop or desktop computer less than five years old
• Wired or strong Wi-Fi broadband; many platforms test speed
• Noise-cancelling headset with microphone
• HD webcam at eye level and soft light in front of you
• A tidy, quiet background; props or a small whiteboard for children
• A backup plan: phone hotspot and charged devices

How to plan a great online lesson

Keep the structure clear: a warm-up, a short presentation of the target language, guided practice, freer practice and a quick review. Use screen sharing, a digital whiteboard and images. Talk less than your student, check understanding with short questions and give feedback at the end. These are exactly the lesson-planning and communicative methods taught in a TEFL course.

Building income

• Specialise: a clear niche (children, business, IELTS) attracts students.
• Offer packages of lessons rather than single sessions.
• Collect reviews early and ask happy students for referrals.
• Teach at peak times for your target learners' time zone.
• Raise your rate gradually as your timetable fills.

How London College of Teachers prepares you

LCT's courses are studied online and are designed for both classroom and online contexts. The 120-hour TEFL Certificate covers what platforms ask for, and Young Learners or Business English helps you target the largest online markets. Certificates are issued on the blockchain, so platforms can verify them quickly.

Time zones and peak hours

Demand peaks when learners are free. Children in East Asia often study in their early evening, which is morning in Europe and early afternoon in India. Adult professionals book early mornings, lunchtimes and evenings in their own time zone. Plan your availability around the market you target.

Getting paid

Platforms pay through bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer or similar services, usually weekly or monthly. Check fees and minimum payout amounts, and keep records for tax in your country.

Common mistakes new online teachers make

• Talking too much instead of getting the student talking
• Setting a price too low for too long
• Not specialising, so profiles look the same as everyone else's
• Poor audio, which matters more than video quality
• No lesson plan or clear outcome for each lesson

Online teaching FAQ in brief

• Hours: as many as you like; start with 5–10 a week.
• Contracts: usually freelance, with no minimum hours on marketplaces.
• Materials: companies provide them; on marketplaces you create or license your own.
• Students: children, adults, professionals and exam candidates.