Earning money from home can be difficult if you don’t have any particularly marketable skills. There is one skill that all native English-speaking adults can sell, however, and that is teaching English online! If you have any interest in using your gift of gab to help you make extra money, read on to see how you can teach others to speak, read, and write ESL (English as a Second Language).
5 Sites to Make Extra Money Teaching English as a Second Language, or ESL
The following sites are the most popular ones to help you set up your business as an online English language teacher:
1. Italki
With over 1.5 million students registered, this site is growing. Join the 3,000 teachers already helping teach 100 languages. You only need a computer, headset, and reliable internet connection to start teaching. Teachers are paid in “credits” that can be exchanged for cash, minus the 15% fee taken by the Italki company. Most teachers that can market their online courses do the best.
What can you earn?
Italki teachers that teach English earn between $8 and $47 an hour. The platform separates out tutors from those with professional teaching certificates, so expect to get the lower end of the price per hour if you don’t teach for a living.
Sign up with italki by clicking here to start teaching English online.
2. Skimatalk
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Another online marketplace for English teachers, this site only requires their teachers to be native English speakers with the ability to uphold their professionalism standards. Experience as a teacher is preferred, but not required. When you sign up, you will be required to take a few simple online tests to prove your English speaking and writing skills.
What can you earn?
Skimatalk claims that their top teachers make extra money at a rate of around $1,000 a month. Lessons are 25 minutes each, however, so you could teach several students in one day. You need to be good at marketing yourself and your lessons.
Sign up with Skimatalk by clicking here to start your ESL business online.
3. CafeTalk
This eclectic marketplace offers more than just language lessons, so you’ll need to work harder to stand out. (Tutors are able to provide teaching in the arts, business, and even fortune telling!) The company is based in Asia, so many of the students will be, too.
What can you earn?
This platform uses tokens or credit for payment. However, tutor fees start off at 60% of the lesson price and increases depending lesson sales. The highest-performing tutors can get 85% of the total lesson fee. Lessons cost around 2500 points. Points cost about $18 USD for 1500 points. At the commission structure of 60%, a new tutor can make extra money. Expect around $18 for each 50 minute lesson. (But you can set your own prices and lesson lengths.)
Sign up with CafeTalk by clicking here to start teaching English today.
4. EnglishKey
This online platform frequently hires English speakers to do online teaching. Teachers do not need to have experience or know a second language. Teachers who have Spanish or Portuguese fluency are needed for special positions, however. The platform is most used by students in Latin America, but teachers all over use the teaching modules. You will be expected to work a minimum of 10 hours a week and a various times of day. You must provide a newer computer (4-years or less), headset, internet, and webcam.
What can you earn?
Since this is not a marketplace, the wages will vary by position hired for.
Check available jobs and apply to EnglishKey by clicking here.
5. Rosetta Stone
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One of the most trusted names in language learning, Rosetta stone offers online support for their students and customers in over a dozen languages – including English! Jobs at Rosetta aren’t available all the time, but when they do open up, the benefits are better than many other companies who hire tutors.
What can you earn?
The average language coach earns $15-21 dollars an hour.
Check back frequently for new language coaching openings at their site by clicking here.
If you don’t find a job that works for you for the above companies, you can always try advertising your services on Craigslist or Facebook groups. There are many learning communities who are looking for online English tutoring, but don’t want to pay the commissions and fees associated with some of the marketplace sites. Let friends and family know that you offer ESL online services. You may be surprised at the number of new clients you get just by asking around!