Teaching English online vs. a classroom: The ultimate showdown. ☆ What do you get when you put together a laptop, headset, bright smile, and the ABC's? An awesome online ESL teacher who is ready to jet off and live the dream life abroad. WHAT?! I can teach online and live anywhere? UM YES. Do you want to live in Europe and frolic through Paris between classes? Do you want to live in China and meet some of your students in person? Do you want to live in South America where you can pick up Spanish in your free time? Pack your backpack and country hop for a while while teaching online. The possibilities and benefits of teaching English online are endless.
Fulfill your dreams by traveling and teaching ESL online!
English speakers worldwide have been leaving the comforts of their home to teach abroad. It’s a great way to travel, see the world, and get some real life experience. There are various benefits of teaching English in a classroom, but now that online teaching is becoming more popular, it’s worth considering this as another way to live abroad. “Are online teaching jobs legitimate?” you ask. YES! They are for real.
With almost about a billion—YES BILLION—people learning English around the world, the ease of this beautiful thing called the internet gives you access to ESL teaching jobs at your fingertips. If you’ve got the proper qualifications which are typically a TEFL and a degree then you are already heading in the right direction. (No TEFL? No problem! Check out International TEFL Academy to get started.)
As an international English teacher, you can live anywhere in the whole entire world and be able to fund your life. However, before you get too excited and start applying for every agency out there, let’s take a step back and look over some of the pros and cons of teaching ESL online vs. in a classroom.
What are the benefits of teaching English online?
You’ve got FREEEEDOM
The whole world awaits you! Discover more about your journey teaching abroad.
As a freelancer you can do whatcha wanna when ya wanna—well, for the most part. Teaching online is a great way to earn a salary and chase that #digitalnomad dream that you see popping up all over Instagram. You can usually set your own hours, balance multiple jobs, and relax in a hammock during your three hour lunch breaks if that’s what you wish. You aren’t tied down to a desk and can have a lot more “me” time.
You can be your own boss
While some online teaching jobs have a minimum scheduling requirement, others give you full leisure to work as you please. Who knows, if you get enough experience and truly want to be on your own, you can ditch the agencies and create your own online teaching classroom and curriculum through Skype or Zoom. It’s really up to you!
You can live ANYWHERE in the world
Teaching ESL online vs. in a classroom means that you can pop all over the world at your own pace. Whether you want to travel extensively, post up abroad in your fave city, live and volunteer on a farm, or move back in with your parents, you’ve got full control. The only thing that you really need to take into consideration are time zones and access to reliable WIFI. Other than that, you’re freeeee! If you want to move abroad and teach online you can do it. Even if plans change and you found a dirt cheap flight to Greece or you figure that you want to go back home, it’s really all in your hands.
Go ahead! Spin the globe and choose where you’re going next!
You don’t have to work full time
Teaching online can be your side gig. Depending on where you live, you may make more money teaching English online vs. classroom teaching. Not just that, but in some countries you could work half the hours as a regular classroom job and still make more money while saving cash for more adventures! If that’s the case, you will also have more free time to volunteer, take language classes, and write that novel while enjoying a more relaxing lifestyle. Don’t assume this will always be the case as it all depends on the cost of living in your destination(s) of choice.
You can rock that “just rolled out of bed look” like a pro
You may have some classes at the crack of dawn, but a bit of coffee and a splash of cold water on your face may be your new go-to look. You’ve got your favorite teaching shirt, a little corner area with a bright light, and you can ditch the commutes to the office. You will never have to worry about getting stuck in traffic again!
Even better than working from home? Working from your BED!
You don’t have to deal with classroom politics
“But I don’t understand anything,” said every ESL teacher ever. While there are many benefits of teaching English in a classroom, schools abroad can be hit or miss and you usually may not know until after you’ve begun. Although you may love the little kiddos and be totally excited to decorate your classroom, there’s also parts of teaching abroad that make no sense. But guess what? That’s part of it and you learn to adapt. If you are teaching online, you won’t have to deal with in person classroom politics that can turn you into a pro at the subtle eye-roll.
You can forget about that Sunday night blues
You know that sad feeling on a Sunday evening when you’re like….”Oh, I work tomorrow.” #cryface. Well, that doesn’t have to be the case for an online ESL teacher. You may opt for a structured routine or you may want something a little more loose where you can plan for leniency. Regardless, you won’t have to worry about the “norm” of feeling that you have a regular 9-5 and are controlled by your desk. Hello yoga and coffee on slow Monday mornings.
You can make a difference!
Although you aren’t in a “regular” classroom, you still have the power to make an impact. Whether you are singing the ABCs to little kiddos on their parents’ laps or having conversational lessons with adults, you’re still their teacher and have the responsibility of being the best that you can be. Do it and love it and know that the flipped classroom is where it’s at these days! If you’re EXTRA good, you may get invited to meet your students in person and can prep for even more exciting adventures abroad.
Meet some of your students in person to maximize your teaching abroad experience!
The downsides of teaching English online
There’s gotta be a catch to teaching English online vs. classroom teaching, right? Now that you’ve heard about some super great benefits of teaching English online, let’s be real: teaching online isn’t always too good to be true. It takes a lot more independence and motivation, makes moving abroad is a bit more tedious, and you may have to deal with tricky students who aren’t able to navigate the online classroom. So while it is a great job, here are a few things to be aware of if you decide you want to teach English online.
You may have to deal with odd hours
Are you on the west coast in the States while teaching kids in China? Check your time zones and make your coffee, extra coffee, and then throw a shot of espresso into the mix. There are downsides to teaching students who live super far from you as the time zones can be a little wacko. You’ll have to mentally prep yourself if you are dealing with crazy shifts.
You may have to be patient at the start
Depending on the agency you work for, you may or may not know what your workflow may be right away. In the beginning stages of teaching English online, keep it as a side gig and don’t rely on it as your one and only source of income. It may be slow to start, but once you’ve got clients, you can hook them with your brilliance and shine in the classroom.
You likely won’t be provided with benefits
The benefits of teaching English in a classroom is that you may have added perks such as housing, a visa, and health insurance. If you teach ESL online, you likely will have to figure out those things on your own. It’s definitely doable, but more responsibility falls directly on you. Before you decide you will land in a country for a long period of time, research visa requirements so that you know exactly what you’re up against. If a visa stresses you out, search countries that provide freelance visas. Yes, this is a thing! Or you can find alternative routes to obtain a visa by volunteering abroad or taking a class that offers a student visa in that country.
Don’t rush your adventure. Take it slow and remember to breathe.
You may miss out on classroom culture abroad
You check Instagram and your friends are all posting pics of their adorable kids painting pictures in class. You won’t admit it, but you get a tad envious that they are working hands on with their students. You may WANT to work in a classroom abroad and have that in-person connection. But, if this is the case, see if you can get a part-time in person gig or volunteer in your free time. Just because you teach online doesn’t mean you have to lose all human connection.
You don’t always know how much you’ll get paid
As a freelance online ESL teacher, whether you work for an agency or create your own classroom curriculum, you’re risking the security of knowing how much you will get paid each month. Maybe one month is $2,000 so you get all excited, plan a few mini vacays, and then the following month’s income is a scrappy $500. You likely will have an idea of your income, but it’s a bit riskier. You may not always have a lot of students signing in if there are holidays or school year transitions. Many students take online classes for the same reason that you teach them: they are convenient. So before you quit your job and decide to teach English online, ease into the transition and see if it’s something that can pay the bills and fund your life.
You may not be able to live like royalty
It is all about cost of living to income ratios. If you make about $20 per hour which is typical for some of the top Chinese online agencies, you will not be able to live Tokyo like a queen. On the other hand, you can live in parts of South America, eastern Europe, or southeast Asia and be able to save loads. If you are scrambling to move abroad ASAP but want to be sure to save, check out the cost of living in your dream destination and see if it’s suitable for your lifestyle. Keep in mind, $20 per hour may seem like a lot if you’re a fresh grad, however, teaching online does not always mean you are working 40 hours a week. Also, remember your taxes! Wherever you live, you will need to be aware of tax laws, report to your home country, and maybe look into hiring someone to help you. Freelancing can be a bit of a nuisance come time to pay the government.
Learn how to save money abroad so you are never unprepared for any extra costs!
You will need to learn to deal with internet glitches
There is no doubt that at some point there will be a power outage, internet slip up, or audio issue on your computer. You may have seen that your AIRBNB has amazing internet to only find out that it was a scam. This is part of teaching online. You will have to prep yourself for those unwanted computer snafus and have a backup plan in place. Online teachers should try to have an additional source of WIFI, perhaps a hotspot on their phone, and a backup tablet or laptop if necessary. Before you start your job, make sure you understand the contract for when these things happen and know how to deal with it accordingly.
You gotta force yourself to not be a hermit
GET OUT OF BED. Do not fall into the routine of teaching from bed and only getting up for a sip of water or bathroom break. Working from home is awesome, but you’ve gotta get out. Besides your teaching schedule, you can do whatever you want. Become part of nomad groups, ESL teaching groups, play sports, and go to the paint class that you never had time for. GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE. There are loads of resources for meetups and activities. Go make friends even if you do feel that you can’t force a smile any longer.
Evaluate all of the pros and cons to online teaching. There are definitely benefits of teaching English online and in a classroom. But the perks of teaching online allow you the freedom to choose where you live and never feel tied down to routine. It takes a LOT of energy and discipline to turn on that camera even when you aren’t feeling it, but it’s worth it.
Can I conquer it all and do a bit of both!?
The freedom you will experience from teaching abroad is one of the best perks!
If you find it hard to decide on teaching English online vs. in a classroom you may feel a bit frantic. Fortunately, you can likely do both! Depending on your country of choice, there’s a good chance you can get the best of BOTH worlds. Hooray! Here are some ideas.
- Secure a full-time ESL job in a classroom. This may provide your visa, health insurance, and *sometimes* housing. In the evening or on weekends, teach online at your leisure for some extra cash to save for that next big adventure or pay down student loans.
- Secure a part-time in class ESL job. This may not always provide you with the benefits of a full-time job, but you will be able to work in a classroom atmosphere. On your downtime, teach online at home to supplement your income.
- Teach online as your primary income and tutor on the side in person. These can be jobs for individuals, at a language center, or as a volunteer.
Overall, you’ve got the world in your hands. Want to go to Hong Kong next week? Ok, grab your computer and go! You can zoom off to any destination of your dreams as long as you’ve got WIFI available. It’s okay to wonder “are online teaching jobs legitimate” as it can really seem too good to be true. However, many people abroad make their income primarily from this kind of work and love it! So are you ready to ditch the routine life and earn money from the comfort of your computer?
What part of the world will you see next?
Sign me up! Where do I start?
- Get TEFL certified.
- Spruce up your resume and emphasize any experience, formal or informal, about working with kids or adults in a learning environment.
- Apply for online ESL agencies!
Here are some tips for applying for online ESL jobs through the top ranked agencies.
Regardless of whether you teach abroad in a classroom or if you go for the online gig, do it right! Go into class—or turn on your computer—and love it, have fun with your students, and don’t just opt for the job that seems easier. Both options are challenging, but both can get you passport stamps, expat experience, and an opportunity to help those who want to speak English!
Get Matched with 5 Teaching Jobs Abroad Hiring Now for FREE
Look for the Perfect Teaching Program Abroad Now
Start Your Search