Teach English online to adults

There are many companies that allow you to teach English online to adults from all over the world. Here is a list of popular companies and freelance options.

Teach English Online to Adults: How To

If you are looking to teach adults, the number one suggestion I have for you is to find a niche.

How? There are two ways you can approach this.

Focus on what students want and choose something you can deliver upon.
Or, you can focus on what you are really good at and market yourself hard. Put in some legwork and draw on your reserves of patience, and wait for students to come to you.

The former might seem like a better tactic, but I actually think both are very valid.

#1: Teach What They Need

The first tactic might get you a student base faster, but you might burn out or you may find yourself beaten by others who have more background in that specific niche.

#2: Teach What You Know

#2: The second tactic will take longer and won’t earn you lots of money right away, but you will likely never burn out discussing your personal, unique passions, and you may end up dominating that field and therefore be able to eventually charge higher rates.

Ask “What Are Your Goals?“

Adult students who are willing to invest in their education usually want to learn English to achieve a specific goal. For example, they may want to progress in their business, apply to graduate school abroad, or take the IELTS exam.

So, an English tutor who brings some verb worksheets and chats with them in English just won’t cut it. (A notable exception to this is the Cambly platform, which focuses on conversational English. But, even there, you will develop a stronger student base if you differentiate yourself.)

Therefore, consider taking the time to identify what makes you unique.

Look Inwards before Teaching Outwards

Just like the process for preparing for any job interview, ask yourself “what sets me apart from other teachers?” Are you a retired mechanic that knows about cars? If so, put that in your profile and market yourself as teaching “English for Engineers”. Did you invest $100,000 into an arts MA in visual studies (*cough* *cough* me)? Consider marketing yourself as a tutor that specializes in helping foreign students apply to humanities doctorate programs.

Once you figure out what makes you special, apply to every company in order of pay.

Below, are a few common employers that hire online English teachers and tutors for adults and professionals. I have separated them by companies that hire you directly and platforms where you work for yourself.

Companies that hire ESL Teachers for Adults

English First
Learnlight
SkimaTalk
Cambly
Tutoring
Open English

Top Freelance Tutoring Platforms

Some English tutors prefer to advertise on an ESL platform and market themselves directly to students. The benefit of these sites is that you can set your own rates and potentially earn much more money.

Also, these platforms are a good option for non-native speakers. They do not discriminate against non-native speakers of English because students choose their teachers. Some students prefer a native speaker of their first language. They might want to ask questions in their native language or feel intimidated by a full English immersion experience.

Preply
Italki

The Bottom Line: Adults often see English as instrumental to achieving a long-standing goal of theirs. Highlight your unique skills or bone up on some certifications (there are many free and short programs online) so you can stand out from the crowd.

You can also always compare companies across this comprehensive chart I made to help you.

Comparison Chart

That’s it and, as always, happy teaching.

Or…check out these related posts, too.