Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, so much has changed in the way people across the world work, with millions discovering the benefits of being able to work remotely. Many Irish people are now keen to seize job opportunities that will allow them to continue to earn money from the comfort of their own home – something that TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification offers.
Traditionally, people studied for a TEFL qualification with an eye on travelling the world, something that isn’t possible right now. But did you know that the TEFL Institute of Ireland has partnerships with online platforms where, as a teacher, you could earn up to €25 per hour? And of course, when travel restrictions are lifted, you can teach English abroad through the Institute’s many other partnerships.
Estimates suggest that approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide study English. It is, by a long distance, the world’s most commonly studied language and approximately 375 million people speak it as their second language. As global connectivity grows exponentially, so too does the world’s appetite for learning our language. The advantages of speaking English have become even more apparent during Coronavirus and demand for native English speakers has risen by 80 per cent since March!
English teacher Kate Popova from Cork started her own small business teaching English through Skype and highly recommends it as a career:
“I decided to teach English abroad in 2014. My first destination was sunny Malta, where I taught at a school in Malta’s busiest region, Sliema. As time went on I built relationships with students who, once they had finished their schooling, asked me to continue giving them lessons via Skype. At the time, teaching English online wasn’t that big and at first it seemed strange to me but I did end up teaching several students online.
“Eventually I realised I could earn a much bigger salary doing Skype lessons full-time. That was my a-ha moment! Since then, I’ve worked with numerous online employers and I have gone on to start my own small online teaching business.
“Through the years, I have taught all ages and all nationalities. At the moment, I am mainly focusing on teaching adults with a particular focus on Exam English (IELTS and TOEIC exams). With COVID-19 the online teaching market has never been so buzzing. It is a great chance for students to buckle down and really focus on improving their English.
“Online teaching is fantastic because you can be anywhere in the world and make money – it is freedom. Salaries vary from company to company. What happens with most is that you build your way up to a bigger pay scale. The more lessons you give, the more your “rating” goes up and so on and so forth. This is why it is so important to deliver the best lessons possible – you will be rewarded.
“Don’t let life pass you by without enjoying it. In my opinion, it is very difficult to have a boring day at work when you are an online teacher. You always leave work with at least one exciting, funny, or interesting story to tell!”
If you’d like to try teaching English as a foreign language, the TEFL Institute of Ireland offers the chance for people from the ages of 17 upwards to become fully qualified with a reputable and trusted accredited provider. With so many providers offering different options, making the right choice can seem hard but the TEFL Institute has over 20 years experience and will make the process as simple as possible.
The TEFL Institute of Ireland is the only Irish-based provider to offer the Government Regulated 180-Hour Level 5 TEFL course – RQF: 601/5234/5, which is the equivalent of a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) course.
Visit www.tefl.ie or call 01 5563038 to find out more.
