Can I Use TEFL Certification to Teach Online?
Let’s talk about one of the most common questions that prospective English teachers have about TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) courses.
That question is: Can I use TEFL certification, typically intended for teaching English abroad, for online English teaching?
Here’s what you need to know about TEFL certification and its utility for landing online work as a digital ESL (English as a second language) teacher.
What valuable skills do students gain from a TEFL certification course?
Before getting into using TEFL certification to teach English online, let’s talk about the value that a solid TEFL course offers.
The reason recruiters and school administrators place so much stock in TEFL certification as a teaching credential, and why many require it in a candidate, is that it equips you with valuable teaching skills that most of us don’t get in high school or college (excluding, perhaps, education majors).
The skills you gain from TEFL course, ranging from abstract to practical, include, but are not limited to:
- Lesson-planning
- Catering to various learning styles
- Time management
- Classroom management
- Academic learning theories
- Cultural sensitivity
For a more fulsome examination of the skills you’ll acquire from a high-quality TEFL certification program, we’ve devoted a whole blog post to the topic in What to Expect From a TEFL Course.
Can You Use TEFL Certification to Teach Online?
Absolutely. Here are the baseline credentials that most, but not all, online ESL platforms require in a candidate:
- Native English speaker (conventionally defined as Americans, Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Irish, Kiwis, and South Africans)
- Stable, fast internet connection
- Webcam
- TEFL certification
Keep in mind that these are not universal requirements. Some platforms might not require TEFL certification, for instance. A small minority require a university degree. Still others are open to non-native speakers.
It’s always advisable, therefore, to read the stated qualifications carefully before taking the time to apply to an online ESL platform and go through the (often time-consuming) interview process.
Related: do you need a degree to teach online?
Great news! All of the major ESL platforms listed in the upcoming section hire teachers without college degrees.
Demand for online English teachers is high, so these companies are interested in recruiting teachers that might not meet all the criteria of in-person learning institutes.
So, if you’re currently in college, as many of our RVF International Program Participants are when we first make contact, teaching English online is a great opportunity to get valuable teaching experience under your belt right away – even if you haven’t yet earned your degree.
That way, once you break into the in-person ESL field, you’ll already be a step ahead of the competition.
What are the top ESL platforms for teaching English online?
There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of online ESL platforms out there on the web, with new ones popping up seemingly on a weekly basis.
But quantity does not equal quality. Not all of these platforms are legitimate. Many pay teachers sub-bar wages. Some are outright scams and don’t pay teachers at all.
Accordingly, here are a few industry leaders that have been around for years and have established solid reputations for themselves:
Most of these platforms pay in the range of $10-25/hr, catering mainly to Chinese and other Asian students. The clientele is generally a mix of school-age children (often prepping for standardized English tests) and adult professionals with an interest in English for career benefit.
What are the major differences between teaching English online and teaching English in person?
Online education (sometimes called “distance learning” or other similar terms) exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 lockdowns. With its widespread adoption came intense interest regarding the relative benefits and drawbacks of this mode of learning.
Here’s what we know about the relative pros and cons when comparing online and in-person education.
Online learning advantages vs in-person learning:
- No lesson planning. Most of the online ESL platforms provide teachers with their own curricula, liberating teachers from the task of coming up with their own lesson plans (which can sometimes be time-consuming)
- Location independence. Lots of teachers have made a career for themselves teaching English online, which frees them up to fully embody the digital nomad lifestyle.
- Set your own schedule. Most of the online ESL platforms allow maximum scheduling flexibility to their teachers. The only major caveat here is that the platforms that cater to East Asian clientele mainly must require teacher availability during peak hours, which for North Americans is often in the middle of the night/early morning.
- Pants are optional. Your students (ideally) will never see your lower half. You could have the legs of a horse like a mythical century for all they ever know. While looking professional is important from the waist up, what you look like outside of the camera frame is much less relevant to your success.
- No commute. Forget the long drives to work, navigating through traffic, and possibly battling a headache as a result. Just log on and get to teaching.
Online learning disadvantages vs in-person learning:
- Lack of ability to “make it your own." The downside of relying on pre-crafted lesson plans is that you don’t get to insert as much of your unique teaching style into the curriculum
- Odd schedule. As mentioned previously, online ESL platforms with Asian clientele often have peak hours in the late evening/early morning. You might also be expected to teach on weekends.
- Lack of interpersonal interaction. Depending on your personality, if you’re a natural extrovert, you might thrive on interpersonal interaction. Unfortunately, the screen is always in between you and your students when you teach online.
- High turnover. One of the reasons positions of this sort are always available and the teacher requirements are lax is that these companies experience high turnover rates, likely due to a combination of the factors explored above.
TEFL certification and online teaching: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Let’s wrap things up here with a few answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) pertaining to online teaching and TEFL certification.
Do online ESL platforms require TEFL certification?
It depends on the platform. Some require TEFL certification and some do not. TEFL-certified teachers make more money teaching English online, typically, than teachers who have yet to earn certification.
Is teaching English online possible for non-native English speakers?
Again, it depends on the platform. While some platforms (Magic Ears and VIPKid, for example) only hire native English speakers (with work eligibility in the US and Canada), others (PalFish and Cambly, for instance) are open to all qualified teachers regardless of native speaker status.
How fast should my internet connection be to teach English online?
The generally accepted minimum speed for online ESL work is 10 megabits per second (Mbps). Use this tool to test your internet speed anywhere, anytime.
How much money do online English teachers earn?
Depending on the platform and the teacher’s individual credentials, most native English-speaking online ESL teachers earn $10-25/hr.
How do online English teachers in America get paid?
Most platforms make regularly scheduled payments on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis directly into their teachers' US bank accounts. Some may use payment services like Payoneer or PayPal.
Contact TEFL. Set. Go! to learn more about TEFL certification
Getting TEFL certified is one of the best ways to accelerate your English-teaching career, whether you’re brand-new to the industry or you’ve been teaching for a while.
To learn more about the benefits of TEFL certification, contact us and share your questions, thoughts, and concerns.