What Is Language Tutor?
Language tutor is an exciting new way of learning languages. Instead of sitting in front of a book and listening to someone else read out loud.
Language tutors use technology to teach people to speak foreign languages. A language tutor works by helping international students learn their native tongue through video lessons.
They then record themselves speaking the native language and send these recordings to their regular students, who listen to them at their own pace.
There are two types of language tutors: those who offer private tuition and those who offer group classes.
- Private tutoring is usually done online, via Skype or over the phone.
- Group classes are offered in person or using video conferencing software.
The rise of social media, there has been a boom in teaching languages tutoring industry. It’s now easier than ever before for people to teach other people to speak their native tongue.
How to Get Started As a Language Teacher?
The best place to learn how to become a language tutor would be to start out working part time with a company offering adult education services.
This gives you an opportunity to build a portfolio of work, perfecting your style of delivery whilst earning money.
But remember, no matter whether you decide to go down the route of private tuition or group conversations about language lessons, one thing remains constant – hard work pays off.
Here are some tips
1. Start with your passion for languages and teaching others
You should have a strong passion for your chosen popular languages or subject such as English speakers, Spanish or French. You also need to be confident that you can help others achieve their goals. If not, don’t get started on this venture.
2. Create effective online courses
If you want to become a successful teacher online, it helps if you know how to create effective courses. There are many free tools available which will allow you to do just this.
These include course creation platforms like Canvas where you can upload quality audio files with subtitles so that active language learners can follow along while they watch the videos.
3. Set up your website
Once you’ve created your first course, you’ll probably want to set up your own website. This allows you to share all your work with potential clients.
It may take several hours to complete, but once you’re finished, it could prove very worthwhile. The more professional looking your site looks, the better chance you stand of attracting high quality clientele.
4. Promote yourself
Once you’ve got everything ready, it’s time to promote your services. Start writing blog posts about what you love most about the subjects you specialise in.
Share links to articles written by experts in the field. Write guest blogs for sites like Medium and LinkedIn.
5. Learn from peers
Another great way to gain previous teaching experience is to attend local meet ups and events run by fellow professional teachers.
These might be hosted by schools or community centres. They are often held regularly throughout the week and last anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
6. Be honest
Your reputation depends on you being trustworthy. So always keep promises made when promoting your business.
Your word means something and should never be taken lightly. Always make sure anyone you sign-up knows exactly what you offer and what level of service they can expect. Once you establish trust, they’ll come back again and again.
What qualifications do I need to be a language tutor?
Becoming an online language tutoring can be a lucrative and rewarding career. If you have an interest in languages and a love of learning, consider becoming a language enthusiast.
There are several ways to become a language tutor. First, go to school for a university degree in the language you want to teach.
You could major in target language or education. You can also earn a degree in TESL, which stands for Teaching English as a Second Language.
In some situations, you might offer your services as a tutor on a part-time monthly basis.
You don’t have any formal education requirements to become a modern language teacher. However you should have some previous experience with spoken range of languages.
Most level of experience teachers can get into this field without having studied linguistics, as it doesn’t make much difference when they start off doing so if they’re good enough.
They will also often study on-the-job during work preferred hours – so long as your employer allows that sort of flexibility.
While most jobs require a bachelor’s degree in English studies or another related subject, many languages tutors have no academic training.
The only requirement to becoming a language instructor is really just enthusiasm and motivation.
If you have either of those things, then you’ll find plenty of opportunities to earn money from the comfort of your home.
How to find Language Tutoring Jobs?
Nowadays finding a job isn’t easy but it certainly possible. There are lots of different methods available for getting employment.
1. Some companies advertise vacancies directly on popular websites, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Others recruit through colleges or universities looking for volunteers.
2. But one of the easiest places to look for a language tutor position is through Google. Just type ‘language tutor’ plus your location in the search bar and see what comes up.
3. Other options include contacting schools and asking whether they know of anyone needing help to improve their skills.
Or ask friends and family members who may know someone else who needs teaching.
Many people choose to become language instructors because of its flexible nature. They like being able to set their own schedules and working anywhere makes life more convenient.
4. Another great way to find a language tutoring job would be by joining online platform discussion groups where language learners discuss various topics.
This includes forums dedicated to ESL, EFL and TEFL. These types of sites attract thousands of users each day.
5. One last option is to use paid classified ads sites such as Craigslist.com or gumtree.co.uk.
Can I tutor without a degree?
Yes, there are courses designed specifically to prepare potential students for careers as language teachers.
The first thing you need to do is complete at least 3 years of college level coursework in a foreign language before applying for a full-time job.
With these qualifications under your belt, you’d be better placed than others to apply for suitable positions.
Many employers prefer candidates that hold degree level in business administration, psychology or other similar subjects.
Other applicants might already possess an educational degree in a relevant field which means fewer tuition fees. If not, however, taking a few classes could give them an edge over competitors.
How much should I charge?
There isn’t an exact amount of how much you should charge per hour. It depends entirely upon which area of expertise you want to focus on.
For example, if you decide to teach children aged between 6 and 12, then you might expect to charge around $10 per private students every week.
However, if you wanted to cover all ages and abilities, then you might charge upwards of $20/hour.
Some language experts work part time while holding down regular 9–6 office jobs. So this can affect the hours they’re able to offer clients.
But regardless of what services you provide, remember that learning new languages takes dedication and teaching practice.
If you don’t put enough effort into communicating with your pupils, then chances are you won’t make any actual progress. As a result, you will not get very far financially speaking.
Why should you teach a language online?
There’s an increasing demand for qualified teachers in language all over the world.
As technology improves, we’ve come across new ways to learn languages, which has led to a surge in interest among young adults wanting to master a second tongue.
Online learning platforms allow you to access content 24/7 whenever you want. That means you can fit online lessons around your busy schedule instead of spending endless teaching hours sitting down studying grammar books.
Not only does this save you time, but you also get to study wherever suits best – even if you’re not near a computer screen.
You don’t need expensive equipment or any specialised knowledge to sign up with an internet based platform; simply register yourself on a website and start making some cash.
Of course, having extensive teaching experience in the field will always make you stand out amongst applicants, so consider volunteering your services while completing your language teaching qualification.
Conclusion
As a paid tutor, you will have a lot of freedom what you want to do, and you’ll be able to make money. Since the job is flexible and the pay is good, it is an ideal job for many college individual students.
It is also a great option for stay at home parents who want to make some extra money and still be home with their children.
There are various advanced students you will tutor, and you can choose your own hours.
If you are looking for a rewarding career opportunity while maintaining flexible work hours, becoming a language teacher would be a brilliant choice.