Teaching English can help people around the world achieve a variety of aims. Add teaching online to the mix and you provide the additional element of more flexibility for your students. Regardless of what niche you go into, these are some of the ways you can assist others as an English teacher.
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More work opportunities
With English as the global language of business, a basic knowledge of it is advantageous so that you can be a competitive candidate in the working world. As an online English teacher, this is where you come in.
Not only can you help people to develop their fluency and listening comprehension, but you can also create targeted lessons that focus on helpful vocabulary for business contexts. These could include common business phrasal verbs and idioms, as well as communication-focused lessons with roleplay activities designed around situations your students may encounter at work.
In addition, online lessons mean that your students have more flexibility in terms of fitting lessons around their responsibilities. Instead of having to use up their entire lunch break to head to a language school, or rush back home from work, they can attend classes from the comfort of their office.
Relatedly, for online English teachers still trying to figure out which country they’d like their own offices to be in as they travel, teach and grow their business, take a look at the teaching english in taiwan: things to know | the tefl org blog for some ideas.
Access to higher education
Knowing English can allow people across the world to branch out and apply for that degree they find so interesting, without having to worry about the language being a barrier. With this in mind, English teachers play a crucial role in terms of helping people chase their academic dreams.
Universities will typically have an English language exam requirement for applicants who are not mother-tongue speakers, so your first step will be identifying which exam that is and walking your student through the format.
Once they understand what is expected of them on exam day, you can focus on more targeted exercises that will finesse their skills. These often include structuring and writing a coherent essay with a wide range of vocabulary, identifying distractors in listening papers, and being able to skim-read and identify keywords in texts on various topics.
It is now possible to take many of the various English exams remotely, so online English lessons also lend themselves to students getting in some practice by doing mock papers with you.
Explore the world
Learning English doesn’t always have to be coupled with needing it for something specific. You will no doubt encounter students that simply want to improve their conversational skills so that they can communicate and connect with people around the world while travelling.
Conversational competency in English is no less important than business or academic; your students may need to talk about a range of topics during their time abroad, from explaining a medical problem in a pharmacy to making a reservation at a restaurant.
Your online English lessons can therefore be the space in which you prepare them for as many possible scenarios as possible, teaching them the vocabulary that they will need when away from the familiarity of their home country.
While there’s nothing wrong with encouraging the use of translation apps in emergencies, nothing beats the confidence of knowing you have a solid enough foundation in the English language to express yourself in almost any situation. Check out londonlifestylemag.com for more info on how languages can enrich your time abroad.
Access to entertainment
Much like learning English solely for travel purposes, learning English is also a great way to foster your passions by being able to access more books and TV series in the original language, and be part of the discussions around that.
English is widely considered to be the lingua franca of the internet. This is significant because it means that you’re more likely to encounter reviews, forums and relevant websites related to your interests in that language.
While these could be useful learning tools that could allow you to expand your vocabulary, that is only the case if you already have a decent grasp of the English language. Without that, the bombardment of new terms that you need to stop every two seconds to Google and even the use of slang could become frustrating.
English teachers can provide the solution in this particular case by helping build your understanding of the basics first. From there, you could even request to have article or video-talk focused lessons in which you unpack those new expressions together.
Help migrants
One of the most important ways that teaching English online can help is by supporting migrants who need to learn English to settle in and continue moving forward with their lives. Online lessons in particular ensure that migrants have access to this assistance, regardless of where they’re based.
As an English teacher, you can help in multiple ways. Your lessons can be exam-focused to tick the necessary bureaucratic boxes, but also lexically driven so that your students can navigate everyday situations and build connections with their new community.
Moreover, many resources and information as a whole when it comes to bureaucratic processes can be found online or on social media in English. This means that not knowing the language could lead to migrants not having access to all of the necessary information that they need.
If you’re unsure as to how to go about joining the efforts supporting migrants through English lessons, look into organisations such as RefuNet which help connect online teachers with refugees.
Cutting costs
Irrespective of who your students are, one shared benefit of online English lessons is that you can save some money. How much you save will naturally take different forms, depending on what the costs are that you’re cutting, be it a bus ticket or childcare.
Through these cuts, online lessons make learning English all the more accessible. Not having the money to fork out for a babysitter or not being able to afford the suggested course book no longer have to be obstacles to achieving your goals with English.
Online resources are generally more convenient to use for this type of lesson format, so there should be no hidden costs. Moreover, online English teachers will no doubt be used to the distractions and interruptions that their learners can face. So, instead of a chatty toddler being detrimental to your educational aspirations, they can just be part of the process.
Overall, online English teachers play an integral role in how they can help people around the world. No two people will share the exact same responsibilities, availability, or goals. Nonetheless, what they can share is the same teacher to help get them to where they’d like to be and ensure that English is only ever a tool for them and never a barrier.
