On-Line Teaching

In my blog entry entitled “Career Opportunities for the Stay at Home Mom”, I listed on-line teaching as an option.  Shortly after I posted it, I received private messages from friends who wanted to know more about it.  What is it exactly?  How is it done? What are the requirements? For those who are interested to give this career path a try, there are two ways to do it. Either you teach from home or you can choose to go to a regular place of work. This article hopes to be able to explain how the process is done. 

Filipinos are known worldwide for possessing very good communication skills. Filipino teachers are highly in demand in countries such as Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and Korea.  Our neighboring countries in Asia are aware of that.  And for that reason, they come to the Philippines to learn the English Language.  More and more schools offer English as a Second Language (ESL) course. Notice how many Korean Nationals live in Manila, Baguio City and Cebu City.  They take advantage of the cool weather in Baguio, and the relatively inexpensive rates that schools around the country offer for their language courses. Others however, prefer learning in the comforts of their homes.  Professionals who have very busy schedules but who are determined to learn the English language make themselves available as early as five in the morning and as late as eleven in the evening.

My online-teaching days =)

Business minded groups and individuals have realized the growing market of learners and have established schools where teaching is done online using mediums like Skype or any programs that allow web chat and file sharing.  There is a class schedule to follow. The teacher calls the student through web phone and the lesson for the day begins. They normally last for 50 to 60 minutes per session.  Lessons and homework are sent via file sharing or email. The use of visual aids is highly encouraged especially for students who are beginners. A web camera is also very important as it allows the student to see the hand gestures and the facial expressions of the teacher.  These are two very essential tools for communication. What is equally important is for the teacher to see the student’s facial expressions to assess for comprehension.

This growing demand has opened doors for job seekers who have a passion for teaching.  The basic requirement is for the applicant to possess strong oral and written communication skills. Some on-line-teaching schools require experience in teaching, others do not.  They offer extensive training in teaching methodologies and approaches especially for second language learning. A four-year degree is a plus; however a big consideration is given to applicants based on the results of written exams and interviews.

 For those who want to teach from home you need a quiet area, a good and reliable internet connection and a computer of course. I recently checked out Philippine Jobs for this kind of work and I have seen a lot of job openings. So what are you waiting for? If you have what it takes, visit employment sites for a listing of available jobs in this field.