Former tour manager and Global English TESOL graduate Sharon Kivity explains how she re-invented herself during lockdown and now teaches English online.
We asked Sharon how she got started, her strategy for attracting new students and for any tips for those thinking of doing the same thing…
What first led you to get interested in teaching English? How did this combine with your work in tourism?
Inspired by an early passion for languages, I did French and Italian at University and funded my studies by escorting group tours round Europe as a tour manager, and by teaching English, both!
To shine as a tour manager, you need to be good with people. You need to enthuse and inspire them, about history, culture, food etc. It’s an educational experience but you want it to be memorable and create meaning and structure - as you do with students. You also need empathy and patience. So, when I did my Global English TESOL course in 2016, I realised I had transferable skills.
What happened post COVID?
2020 was going to be one of my busiest years, with tours worldwide but with everything cancelled, I decided to turn this around. I started offering free online lessons to Italians (most of my tours are in Italy). It was very intense, but it was also hugely enjoyable at a difficult time for everybody. And I was delighted that most of my students decided to stay with me after the free period had elapsed.
Tell me about your exciting new venture.
Marketing myself online was a challenge, especially as I don’t use Instagram and Twitter etc. But the experience of teaching during lockdown led to paying students and I am now going ‘official’, launching my own website to get more students.
Lessons will still be customised - that’s very important to me and my students - but during and since my course with Global English TESOL, I have built up a wealth of materials and I have also learned how to adapt a generic lesson plan to different proficiency levels and different established needs.
What's been the most challenging aspect of starting out on your own?
To leave tourism behind was hard and it’s challenging to reinvent yourself in your older years, especially when you have to get to grips with technology. But everyone has been really encouraging and I am very excited! A lot of older people might find themselves in a similar position, so online TESOL could be a really good option. Younger people, too could benefit if their careers have been jeopardised by the pandemic.
How do you intend to get new students, promote yourself as a teacher?
Through my new website I am offering a free trial lesson to encourage students to transition into paid lessons. I’ve also offered a free booklet on a confusing aspect of grammar. To download it, you need to join my email list to get a short series of brief communications from me (but not bombardment!). This should gradually build up my student base. But the main thing is word of mouth through former and current students and some international links through both family and tourism. I have asked everyone to help promote me through their own contacts, Facebook etc. These are simple first steps. I will re-assess and develop new strategies as needed.
What would you advise others considering this for themselves?
Be yourself! If you are comfortable with generating blogs, videos etc, great! If not, just take small, manageable steps, as I am.
Really listen to student needs and address their challenges. One of my students works in steel gadget procurement; I wasn’t even sure what this was and felt quite daunted! But, we clarified that she wanted to improve her work-related English with a view to getting a new job. It was surprisingly easy for me to find relevant vocabulary and even videos about the subject, as well as doing interviews, role plays and so on. All it needed was to listen to her, not to try to become an expert in her field.
In conclusion, if you feel comfortable with yourself, and you respond to your students’ needs, they will feel comfortable with you.
Thank you, Sharon. We wish you every success.
How do you start your own online English teaching business?
Sharon’s story maps neatly onto the steps most successful independent online teachers follow. Here they are in order:
- Get qualified first. An accredited TESOL certificate gives you the methodology, the materials know-how and the credibility to charge for lessons – Sharon took her Global English TESOL course in 2016, well before she needed it.
- Choose a niche you already know. Sharon taught Italians because her tours ran in Italy. A shared background, language or industry makes you instantly more attractive than a generalist.
- Get your first students with a low-risk offer. Free or discounted introductory lessons build experience, confidence and goodwill fast – and, as Sharon found, most students stay on as paying clients if the lessons are good.
- Set up a simple website with a booking route. Offer a free trial lesson and a genuinely useful freebie (Sharon uses a grammar booklet) in exchange for joining your email list.
- Grow by word of mouth. Ask current and former students, friends and professional contacts to recommend you. It remains the cheapest and most effective marketing there is.
- Reassess and adjust. Take small, manageable steps, review what’s working, and develop new strategies as you go. If you’re in the UK, remember to register as self-employed with HMRC once you start charging.
For a deeper dive into the mindset shift this route requires, read how to set up as an independent English teacher, and for the full picture of routes, platforms and getting started, see our guide to teaching English online, freelancing and working for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a website to start an online English teaching business?
Not on day one. Sharon began with free lessons and word of mouth, and only launched her website once she had paying students. A website becomes valuable when you want to look professional, take bookings and grow an email list – but your first students usually come from people and communities you already know.
What equipment do I need to teach English online?
A dependable computer, stable internet, a headset with microphone, a webcam and a quiet, well-lit space. Add a video platform and an organised bank of teaching materials – Sharon credits the wealth of materials built up during her TESOL course with letting her customise lessons to each student’s needs.
How much can I earn teaching English online?
Independent teachers set their own rates and keep everything they charge, which is why building your own student base usually out-earns platform work over time. Rates grow with experience, reviews and a specialism – Sharon’s customised, needs-based lessons for professionals are a good example of an offer that commands more than generic conversation practice.
Where next?
- See Sharon’s website
- See the recommended 120 hour TESOL course to qualify to teach English online
- Already TESOL qualified? See our 20 hour teaching English online course
- Discover how to give successful online English trial lessons that convert
- Skip the materials-building phase with our Teaching English Online Starter Pack of ready-to-teach lessons