Teaching English Online vs Abroad

For Shakespeare, it was “To be or not to be? That is the question.” For all of us in the TEFL world, the question is always “Do I teach online or abroad?”. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of teaching English online vs teaching English abroad and we’ll let you decide what the best choice is! Let us know what you think and we’ll suggest the right course package for you. 

Teaching English Online 

Whether you are looking to earn extra cash, change your career, or have always wanted to teach English but don’t have any jobs available locally, teaching ESL online is the number one route for thousands of teachers around the world! 

Most people will go down the employee route first, where you’ll get a standard rate per hour. This means that the online company will help build your student database. You’ll need this when starting out as it’s hard to get off your feet without reviews or experience. You can also Freelance on online platforms, meaning you’ll be able to charge what you want and pay the company a percentage for marketing. This will be your next step when you are ready, as you won’t be guaranteed students this way, but will earn more per student. The final move for some is to go completely independent. Most will not go this far, but once you do, you’ll get 100% profits.

Pros 

• • Flexibility: Work when you want. The great thing about online teaching is that you set your own schedule and open yourself to as many hours as you want! Be sure to look at your target audience and peak times for learning to make sure you get the students booked in. 

• Virtual Office: Teaching English online means that you can work anywhere you like! We’ve all gotten used to working from home during the pandemic and that doesn’t need to stop. Be sure to have a nice plain background when giving your lessons. You can also travel the world to your heart’s content and not be tied down to any 1 area! 

• Small Class Sizes: Teaching online, as a majority, is one-to-one teaching or perhaps a group of up to 5 students. This makes the classroom a lot more manageable and you’ll be able to get a seriously interactive class from it. 
• Short Classes: Due to sitting in front of the screen, online classes are normally shorter than classroom times, with some only being 20-30 minutes. You definitely won’t run out of stuff to do and there’ll be no improvising during class time. 

Cons

• Instability: With the exception of working as an employee, you are not guaranteed the same income each week or month. You may get cancellations from time to time, and until you have a nice pattern of money coming in, shouldn’t rely on a certain amount. 

• Working Alone: Like in any industry, when you work online, it can get lonely at times. Be sure to join teaching online groups and make a routine for yourself to away from the laptop. 
• Set-up Cost: For online work, you’ll need to have stable WiFi, a laptop with a camera and mic, and perhaps some Realia on hand for your classes. If you have these already, you’re sorted! 

Teaching English Abroad

Teaching English abroad is a route that a lot of teachers choose. You may be looking for a short stint during your summer holidays as a teacher, you may be looking to change your career, or you might simply be looking to get your passport to travel without saving so much. Whatever the reason may be, teaching English abroad is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

Pros

• In Demand: The great thing about TEFL is that nearly every country in the world will have an open vacancy right now. TEFL teachers are extremely high in demand. There are more and more people every day wanting to learn English. 

• Your Passport: We like to say that your TEFL certificate is your passport to the world. What we mean by that is teachers are so in demand that once you are a qualified teacher, employers worldwide will help you to get to your new destination.

• Guaranteed Income: TEFL teachers abroad sign teaching contracts. This means you can be assured each month that you will get paid. You’ll have a minimum amount of hours in your contract and some are even simply salaries. If you get offered a job and they don’t offer you something along these lines, then you aren’t looking hard enough. 
• Worldly Experience: The absolute top pro that we will talk about is the amazing experience you’ll have and the unforgettable memories you’ll make. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! 

Cons

• Preparation: Anyone who has lived abroad will know that there are always little things you’ll need to do that you didn’t have on your list before leaving. The preparation can be irritating, and even stressful at times. Don’t give up! It is worth it! If you choose to go with an internship, this will become a whole lot easier. 
• Home Sickness: Moving abroad has its ups and downs. Homesickness is tough! You are experiencing another culture and are away from your family. Don’t forget to make friends along the way! 

So? What choice do you want to make? which do you think is better? Teaching English online or abroad? What will you do? The world is your oyster!