How can I find a job teaching English online?

You have been teaching abroad for many years and you realize that you can supplement your income by teaching online. You have just returned to your home country and there are no ESL jobs available in the area so you decide to turn to the internet.  You have always wanted the flexibility to work from home and you have heard that English teaching online is a good way to do that.  Whatever your scenario, your question is-- Where do you go to find that job?  Facebook and LinkedIn are both good places to start, but I have found some other sites that cater to the online teacher and/or freelancer. The following are some places online where I tend to go to when looking for a position:

1.  Dave's ESL Cafe  This is one of the most popular sites on the internet for people who are searching for their next job or looking for information.  Not only does the site have job links, it also has a very active forum where teachers can get their questions asked.  When I am teaching abroad and/or online, this is one site I always go to.  I even go there when I'm not looking for employment just to see what is out there.

2. TEFL.com  This site has been around for almost as long as Dave's and is also very popular among job seekers.  You can upload your profile and put your CV out there for employers to look at.  Periodically, online jobs are advertised.  Again, this is a great resource for job hunters for face-to-face and online EFL/ESL teaching jobs.

3.  ESLEmployment.com  This is the site where I usually advertise for positions for my company as they have an 'online' section.  This site probably has the most comprehensive links for online teaching jobs.

4.  ESL Teachers Board  I go to this site when I'm looking for contacts, either teachers, students or schools.  They have a comprehensive list of schools and students/teachers advertise on this site for services.  If you are wanting to invest in a language school or find a partner/agent, this is also a good site to look at.

The following are sites for freelancers, but I am finding a lot of online English teaching companies are starting to advertise for teachers on these sites:

5.  Elance  As I just said, this site is for freelancers in many different fields.  I had to set up a profile and then I had to write short proposals to be considered for the many different jobs that are out there.  I usually use the search function and type in esl, efl, tesol and I get several jobs to apply for.

6.  Odesk  This site is similar to Elance in many ways.  I have been interviewed by several companies on both sites looking for ESL instructors.  My first impression was that Odesk had lower rates than ELance, but no longer think that, at least for online teachers.

There are several other sites out there for live online language teachers to find steady employment.  Do you have any suggestions?

I'm back online!

So, it has been a year since I posted anything on this blog or online journal talking about live online language training.  I got sidetracked about a year ago and left the online world to experience the life of a corporate trainer.  For the first time in 20 some years, I had to actually work for 8-10 hours with little flexibility.  About two weeks ago, after I had been with the company for a little over year, I started to rethink what I really wanted and realized that I wanted to return to live online language training.  Here are some reasons why I love this type of training and why I returned:

1. I can train from anywhere.  If I choose to take a trip, I just have to make sure that I have internet and the time to do my work.  I just love the flexibility.
2. Live online language training is still new to many people and I have so many ideas that I want to get started.  I've dreamt up a curriculum project which I will introduce on a later journal entry.  This is bringing out the creative side in me.
3. The market is now ready for live online language training.  When I first started this journey or adventure there was a lot of resistance among language teachers and students.  Now, people have a greater understanding of this type of training.
4. I love meeting people from around the world and encouraging them in English.  I also want to be close to my family, so live online language training allows me to enjoy the best of both worlds.
5. There are so many websites that can be used in training and it is so fun to google tidbits with my students.
6. I love introducing language teachers to this type of training and watching them grow and learn how to be an effective live online trainer.
7. Bottom line is that I just love working online and the world that is there!  So I'm back and am hoping to blog everyday!  The first thing I'm going to look at is how the industry has changed in the past eight years since I first thought of the possibilities that a web camera can do in live online language training.

Another gem

If you are not willing to learn

No one can help you

If you are determined to learn

No one can stop you.

-unknown

We are hiring!

Virtual Teachers Agency LLC is currently looking for teachers to fill the following positions:

*Native English Teachers to teach up to six hours a day in Adobe Connect Pro.  Curriculum provided.  Program to launch this coming fall (either September or October) with training in August.  Hours would be between 10 AM to 4 PM EST seven days a week..  Rate of pay:  $15-$20/hour based on experience.

*3D English teachers to teach groups in a 3D environment.  Hours and rate of pay are still be determined.  We are currently increasing our pool of teachers interested in this project and will hire as needed.  We are in the demo phase.

*Native English teachers to teach business English groups in Adobe connect pro on a weekly basis.  Hours would be between 10 PM-1 AM EST.  Rate of pay:  $15-$20/hour based on experience.  Currently preparing for this as we are in the pilot phase, but not sure when this project will begin full speed.

*Native English teachers to teach general business English one-to-one using WebEx.  Rate of pay would be about $15.00 an hour.  Curriculum will be provided and the hours would be between 5 AM to 9 AM EST.  No openings right now, but am hoping to increase my pool of applicants to hire as needed.  Program has been running for over two years and has proven to be quite successful.

*Native English teachers to teach ESP and Cambridge test prep courses in WebEx.  Hours would be between 10 PM-1 AM EST.  Rate of pay:  $15-$20/hour based on experience.  Currently preparing for this, but not sure when this project will begin.  

If you are interested or know of experienced English teachers who could fill these positions, please have them send their CV to info virtualteachersagency.com

Please tell us how you found out about these opening!

Teachers

One of my favorite quotes about teaching!

The mediocre teacher tells.

The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates.

The great teacher inspires.

William Arthur Ward

What type of teacher are you?

Virtual Classroom Tools: Headset & Microphone

When I first started working with language teachers on the use of virtual classroom technology, one question that I was asked quite often is why a headset is necessary, especially if the computer has a really great internal microphone.  Here are some of the answers:

When one is only talking on Skype using the computer internal microphone might work if the teacher is in a very quiet office with no interruption.  Skype has a really good noise cancellation system.  However, in most virtual classrooms, when one is not using a headset, there is a chance that there will be an echo unless you are muted all the time.  It is very distracting to hear yourself as you are talking or a few seconds later.  I have personally done several presentations with people new to virtual classroom technology and as I was speaking, I would hear myself through the person's internal speaker.  If the person would have been wearing a headset, I would not have been distracted.  I did get used to it, but it was distracting and difficult to concentrate.

Another reason a headset and microphone is suggested when teaching in a virtual classroom is because of privacy.  If someone walks in, he/she can hear everything that is being said.  I don't know about you, but if I were a student, I wouldn't want to broadcast my efforts at learning a language with everyone in the room--only with my teacher.

A final reason that a headset and microphone is suggested in a virtual classroom is that it is more professional!  It gives the student a perception that you truly know what you are doing in the classroom as you have all of the tools.  Additionally, as an employer, I wouldn't hire someone who does not invest in this specific tool.

Virtual Classroom Tools: A case for web cameras!

As a teacher trainer in the use of virtual classroom technology, I ran into the question about web cameras a lot and I learned that there are basically two schools of thought on this issue.  Some live online trainers believe that it is necessary and some do not. I believe in the former and  I will systematically describe why I believe web cameras are important and let you decide for yourself.

First, the people who find web cameras necessary believe that a web camera allows the students and teachers to connect as real people.  When there is a group of students and there is no web camera, the teacher does not really know who he/she is teaching and the students wonder about the teacher.  If there is a web camera, it makes it more human somehow.  I have a small dog and sometimes have activity around my house and so I usually introduce my dog to the class during the first lesson and put him up to the camera.  When I started teaching live online, he eventually started jumping into my lap to see why I was having so much fun so I started introducing him to my classes.  My students have all gotten a kick out of it and there is an instant connection, especially if the student(s) is an animal lover.  They always ask about him in subsequent lessons.

Another reason some teachers are pro web camera is because the students really want to use the web camera.  Some students want to be able to see the teacher speaking as it helps them, as visual learners, make out what the teacher is saying (or so they say).  When I first started teaching live online, I had two students who could not get their web camera working and told the language school that they would not continue until it started working and so I had a technical expert work with them to get them into a virtual classroom that would take their web camera.  They really wanted to see that all the tools within the virtual classroom were being used.

A  final reason for the use of web cameras in the classroom is that it usually helps the students stay on task.  If their teacher is seeing them, they will pay attention a little more whereas if there is no web camera, the student could realistically walk away and come back a little later, especially if it is a larger group.

So, to summarize, online training can be isolating and the use of a web camera can make the students and teachers feel like they are still in the same room.  Many students like the web camera and feel it is important in the case of pronunciation and web cameras help with accountability, especially in large groups.

Virtual Classroom Tools: The chat

The first tool in this series of Virtual Classroom Tools is the one that every online teaching situation should utilize:  the chat function.  The chat can be used very successfully by the teacher in several ways.  The following is how I have used the chat effectively:

1.  The chat is a great way to provide feedback to the student(s) without interrupting the conversation.  The teacher should not write down what the student has said wrong, but what the student could have said.  For example, the student says, 'Yesterday, we discussed about trains and today I want to discuss about cars.'  In the chat, the live online teacher can write, 'Yesterday, we discussed trains and today I want to discuss cars.'  Later, the live online teacher can send this list to the student for them to keep and read through before the next lesson.

2.  The chat is a great way to provide clarification to lower level students.  If the student is saying a word and it is difficult to make out, the teacher can ask the student to write the word in the chat so that he/she can help them pronounce the word better.  The teacher can also do the same.  Since, listening is quite difficult for our students, the teacher can write words or phrases in the chat for the students to follow.  This allows the student to be comfortable.  One has to be careful not to write too much because the student can become dependent on the chat, however.

3.  When teaching writing, the chat can be used to have the student write a short email in the chat and then you can go over the writing through this tool.

4.  The chat can also be used in pairwork situations allowing students to do an exercise together and then presenting it to the rest of the class.

Regardless of how you use this tool, the chat can be easily copied and pasted and sent to the students' emails for future use.  One virtual classroom, Adobe Connect Pro, even allows teachers to email the chat from within the virtual classroom, which is quite convenient.

Effective lessons in a virtual classroom?

When one starts to consider teaching live online, the decision as to how one will effectively teach has to be made.  Is Skype enough?  Is live online teaching really only good for conversation lessons or can one do more?  How does one present teaching material to students who aren't in the same classroom?  How can one engage the students in the virtual classroom?  These are all great questions and I will try to answer each question systematically.

Is Skype enough?
For the most part, this question really depends on the learner and the specific goals that the learner has.  If the learner only wants to practice speaking and does not want to engage in other areas of language learning, I would say YES, Skype is enough.  There are a lot of learners out there that just need and want conversation and so this venue would be good enough.

Is live online teaching really only good for conversation lessons or can one do more?
If a teacher is using a virtual classroom, the lessons can be richer than just straight conversation because of the tools that are available in the classroom.  I will go into detail about these tools in future posts and I already briefly mentioned these tools in the post Skype vs. the virtual classroom. If a teacher utilizes the tools correctly, the teacher can teach grammar, writing, pronunciation as well as other areas effectively.

How does one present teaching material to students who aren't in the same classroom?  The tools that are available in the classroom allows the students and teachers to be engaged in the material so one does not need to consider paper or books if the teacher is able to use the tools correctly.  Screensharing, Whiteboarding, Webtouring are just some of the tools available to the live online language teacher.

How does one engage the students in the virtual classroom?  Personally, I have found the best way to get the students engaged is to use the whiteboard as a tool for them to speak and actually use the language.  The chat function serves as a great feedback tool.

If you haven't already figured out, each of these questions point to the effective use of virtual classroom tools.  In subsequent posts, I will be systematically introducing the different tools in various virtual classrooms and how the effective live online language teacher can use these tools for language teaching.  Check back soon!

Business English Lesson in the Virtual Classroom

One great thing about using technology in language learning is that authentic material can be utilized with great success.  One such activity is for students who are studying English in order to improve their effectiveness at work.  When I started teaching live online, I was also a Business English trainer in many companies in Finland and I found that many of the ideas that I was learning for effective teaching in the virtual classroom could also be utilized in the face-to-face classroom.  One of my goals when teaching business English is helping the students be able to effectively explain what they do in a matter of minutes or in the time it takes an elevator to reach its destination.  Many of my students, online and face to face, work in industries and do jobs that I just don't understand.  Their task, in my class, is to be able to effectively communicate that to me.  If they are successful at selling a product, explaining what they do or whatever to me, then they will, no doubt, be successful with potential clients or even current international clients.  One such activity that I have utilized quite successfully is using the students' company websites.  Many of the websites are multilingual and are many times written in English as well as the students' native tongue.  What I do is have the student screen share and bring up their company website in their native tongue.  We then go through the website systematically as the student introduces the company and/or products to me.  I then come up with a lot of questions so that the student(s) can learn to handle questions extemporaneously.  I have found, through the years, that this lesson is quite helpful to the student as they are learning vocabulary that they really need for their particular industry.  In addition, they are learning to explain things in a way that a native speaker of English would understand.  If you haven't tried this with your business English student, I would encourage you to.  Tell the student in advance so they can study the English portion of their website in order to write down key vocabulary that they can use.  You can also refer to the English website before the lesson to ensure you understand what the student is presenting.