In recent years, teaching English online has evolved from a niche opportunity into the New Normal. As studying, working, and socialising online have become increasingly commonplace, the acceptance and popularity of online classes have skyrocketed. For aspiring ESL teachers, this presents a fantastic opportunity: the freedom to work remotely, teaching students across the world from anywhere you choose.
Whether you want to work from the comfort of your own home or take your career on the road and travel the world, teaching English online offers flexibility unlike any other. Our TEFL Connect team has years of experience in online teaching, and we’ve learned that the key to success is all about organisation. Here are our top tips for structuring and managing your online English classes effectively.
Getting Started with Teaching English Online: Prepare and Gather Your Resources
The transition to teaching online is a gradual process, and the first step is to gather the materials and resources you’ll need to deliver engaging, interactive classes. Unlike a physical classroom, your digital tools will make or break the experience for your students.
To keep your online classes dynamic, think outside the box and utilise different teaching tools. It’s a good idea to prepare a set of classes for each level in advance and have specific materials on hand to address common problem areas, such as prepositions or difficult grammar points. These can be a great time filler during classes and help ensure that your lessons are productive.
Organise Your Teaching Tools
Create a Dedicated Email for Your Teaching Materials
It’s wise to create a specific work email using Gmail to manage your teaching-related communication. This way, you can send notes and receive homework without getting work mixed up with personal emails. If you prefer to use your existing “English teacher” email, at the very least, set up folders to keep track of the materials you’re sharing with each student or group. A clear, organised inbox will help you feel in control and make it easier to find things when you need them.
Google Drive: Your Teaching Hub
Google Drive is an invaluable tool for organising your materials in one place. With everything saved automatically and accessible from anywhere, you’ll never have to worry about losing your documents. You can also easily share documents with your students, allowing them to access their corrections and new vocabulary after each lesson. Having shared resources means your students stay engaged outside of class time, enhancing their learning experience.
Get Your Online Folders in Order
To keep everything easily accessible, set up Google Drive folders to organise your materials by level. Label them clearly—it may seem simple now, but as you accumulate more resources, you’ll be glad you took the time to organise effectively.
Create individual folders for each student or group you teach. This makes it easy to access and share relevant documents before or during class, avoiding the frustration of searching for resources in the middle of a lesson. A good system might include organising materials by the month or week of the class, so you can track exactly what you’ve covered.
Send Materials Before Class
One effective strategy is to send your lesson materials to students ahead of class. This reduces wasted time sharing links and documents during lessons and minimizes technical issues. You can use email or cloud storage services like Google Drive to share materials efficiently.
For more detailed strategies on sharing materials, check out this guide on 5 Ways for Teachers and Students to Share Links in Class. This resource covers practical methods such as email, Microsoft Teams, and QR codes, making it easier to manage your classes.
Decide how far in advance you’d like to send materials—whether it’s a day before or just an hour before—and set a reminder to stay consistent.
Be Prepared: Have Everything Open and Ready
Before the start of each class, have all the documents, videos, and audios you’ll need open and ready. Whether it’s a Google Doc for your “whiteboard” or other resources, being prepared means less time wasted during class and ensures smoother sessions which is essential for teaching English online. Remember to close unrelated tabs and remove anything personal from your desktop to avoid distractions.
Choosing the Right Online Platform for Teaching English
If you’re running your own classes without an academy, choose an online platform that works best for you. There are several options available—Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet being the most popular. For a detailed comparison of these platforms, see our post on Best Online Platforms for Teaching English.
Let AI Enhance Your Online English Teaching ExperienceÂ
o save time and make your lessons even more effective, consider using AI tools to fast-track your planning process. AI can help you generate lesson content quickly, customise activities to suit each student’s needs, and provide extra practice exercises. For more insights on how AI can transform your teaching, check out this article on How AI is Transforming Education: Benefits and Applications. Incorporating AI can make your planning more efficient, giving you more time to focus on delivering engaging and interactive classes.
Taking the Leap: Turning Preparation into Action
Once you’ve organised your materials, integrated AI tools, and selected your teaching platforms, it’s time to put everything into action. With just a bit of planning, you’ll notice a world of difference in the flow and success of your classes. As you continue, keep an eye out for new platforms and resources to enhance your teaching.
At TEFL Connect, we aim to equip you with everything you need to thrive as a digital nomad ESL teacher. Our TEFL courses provide all the practical knowledge and theoretical background you need to step into the world of teaching English online—whether you want to work from home or use it as a springboard to explore the world. Want to know more about our teacher training programmes and how you can kick-start your journey? Get in touch with us today!
