With the country’s new education policy, online tutoring companies in China can no longer employ foreign tutors based outside of China for core curriculum subjects like math, science, and English.
In short, the policy was created to help lower family living expenses and prevent student burnout by banning tutoring on weekends, summer, winter, and stat holidays.
But while China is cutting back on tutoring, the US is stepping it up.
In the US, about $200 billion was approved to fund public schools nationwide. That’s about 12 times the amount schools would normally receive in federal funds.
The aim of the fund is to address learning loss among K-12 students caused by the pandemic.
Studies show the transformational results online tutoring can bring about in a short period of time, which is why schools and districts across the US are opting into online learning programs and hiring extra tutors.
Now is the best time to look into online tutoring platforms like Skooli and schools in the US, which are hiring tutors and licensed educators to help students overcome learning loss.
In this article, we cover…
- 5 online tutoring companies hiring English tutors
- Taking a closer look at the impact on some online tutoring companies
- How to get a state-approved teaching license to apply for US teaching jobs in as short as 9 months
- Changing course to teach English abroad
- Getting a teaching license to teach in your country
5 non-Chinese ESL companies to teach English online with
There are currently hundreds of available online teaching jobs to teach English and a variety of other subjects, to students that live all around the world.
You can find these opportunities posted on the Teach Away job board.
Not familiar yet with the job board?
All you have to do is create your teacher profile and you’re ready to start browsing. You’ll find opportunities like some of the amazing companies mentioned below.
1. Skooli
Working with Skooli at a glance:
- Hiring fluent English-speaking tutors with a bachelor’s degree in English or a related field.
- Teach English online to a range of students at the middle school, high school and university level, mainly located in the U.S.
- Candidates with diverse education backgrounds can tutor a variety of other subjects like math, science and business.
- Competitive pay based on qualifications and teaching experience.
- Skooli is a leading one-to-one online tutoring platform with students from all over the world.
They’re looking for people who want to take their passion for education and combine it with either a full or part-time work-from-home teaching gig.
Looking for a rewarding work-from-home job that offers flexible working hours and a highly competitive salary?
Join Skooli’s fast-growing team of online teachers.
Learn more about teaching English online with Skooli today.
2. Preply
Working with Preply at a glance:
- Hiring fluent English speakers who hold a high school diploma, a teaching credential/license, and at least 2 years of teaching experience.
- Teaching English online one-on-one with students at all levels, up to university.
- Receive payment right after class and withdraw anytime.
- You choose what you charge!
Preply is an online one-to-one tutoring platform with students across the globe.
Preply provides you with tutor support, a tutoring platform, and the freedom to set your schedule, price ($!) and working location.
Preply also offers its tutors immediate payment after every class and the freedom to withdraw payment at any time. Companies typically pay tutors at the end of the month or on specific pay dates.
With Preply, you can grow your online language tutoring business by connecting with over 200,000 students worldwide. Take advantage of Preply’s resources and work as many or as few hours as you want.
Perfect for anyone who’s looking to make extra money on the side, or teach online remote full-time.
Learn more about teaching English online with Preply today.
3. Proximity Learning
Working with Proximity Learning at a glance:
- Hiring fluent English speakers with a bachelor’s degree, a U.S. teaching license issued by a state Department of Education, and at least 2 years of teaching experience depending on the role.
- Teachers are live streaming to students attending class in person.
- It’s preferred but not required that applicants live in Austin, Texas.
- Teaching a variety of subjects at all levels, to groups of students mainly located in the U.S.
- Competitive salary.
Proximity Learning is an online learning platform, accredited by the National Virtual Teachers Association.
Students attend class in person with a facilitator who coordinates Proximity’s live-streaming virtual teachers.
Proximity Learning conducts classes in over 30 topic areas in over 200 schools across 20 states.
Interested in a full or part-time virtual teaching opportunity?
Learn more about teaching with Proximity Learning today.
4. Stones2Milestones
Working with Stones2Milestones at a glance:
- Hiring fluent English speakers with teaching experience.
- Teach English to kids under the age of 12, based in India.
- Teach English online to a group or in a 1-to-1 setting.
- Competitive salary.
Their fREADom program, an English reading program, is described as an English learning ecosystem that consists of an app, a live online group class, a live 1-to-1 class, a blog, and a YouTube channel. The program was named after Stones2Milestones’ core belief that one can achieve true freedom with the ability to read.
Stones2Milestones has several accreditations, including a best solution award from EdTechReview and the #1 spot for best new apps from the Apple App Store.
Learn more about teaching with Stones2Milestones today.
5. BlaBla EdTech
Working with BlaBla EdTech at a glance:
- Hiring fluent English speakers with ESL teaching experience.
- Teach young adults (ages 12 to 35) in China and worldwide.
- Create online English learning videos and host English audio chat rooms.
- Get paid by the total number of published videos.
BlaBla EdTech is an online English language learning company based in Shanghai.
Different from traditional tutoring companies, BlaBla teachers create video content for students to learn at their own pace. Content is typically geared toward Gen Z, so imagine TikTok for learning English.
Teachers also host real-time audio chat rooms to teach conversational English for students to have a chance to practice it.
If you have a knack for video content creation + a passion for teaching English, this might be the one for you!
Learn more about teaching with BlaBla EdTech today.
More non-China based online tutoring companies to consider:
What’s currently happening with online tutoring companies that mainly operate in China?
- Under the new private tutoring regulations, any business offering tutoring in school curriculum core subjects will have to be registered as a non-profit organization. Some existing institutions are already registered as non-profit organizations, while some will have to get re-approved.
- VIPKid is rumoured to be preparing alternative courses such as English taught by Chinese tutors or licensed foreign teachers in China.
- Chinese-based VIPKid announced that the company would stop selling online classes taught by foreign-based tutors to comply with the new measures. Overseas-based teachers will no longer be permitted to conduct any training activity in China. VIPKid has more than 65,000 tutors from North America, according to its official website.
- VIPKid’s international business for students living outside of China is not affected.
- VIPKid has also been piloting several education programs outside of China, including a U.S. literacy online tutoring platform called BookNook. Geared toward K-8 schools, remote reading tutors work with students who are struggling with reading.
- Chinese-based GoGoKid announced a suspension of all classes offered to Chinese students, starting Aug. 5.
- Chinese online education platform 51Talk will comply with the new regulations, as it continues a large scale of layoffs.
Open more doors for career opportunities with a state-approved US teaching license
As an English tutor, you may already have a TEFL certificate or its equivalent.
Have you considered becoming a licensed teacher in the US?
With your teaching experience, qualifications, and a new license to teach in the US, you’ll have more opportunities open to you.
There’s a teacher shortage throughout the U.S. in all subjects and at all levels, from coast to coast, which would make this a good time to contribute your wealth of knowledge. Hawai’i is on the search for emergency hires.
If you have a passion for teaching and see an opportunity for you here, Teach Away’s Teacher Certification Program could help you get in the door.
Obtaining a teaching license can be done in as few as nine months and at your own pace.
Now could be a good time to look into teaching English abroad
Are you considering teaching English abroad? With some careful planning, right now is a good time to start looking at opportunities for the year ahead.
Whether you have a teaching license or not, there are opportunities for both.
For TEFL certified teachers interested in teaching abroad
If you’re wondering where to start, check out our in-depth look at the top 5 countries hiring ESL teachers as travel restrictions ease. It’s a good starting point that could lead you in the right direction.
For TEFL certified and licensed teachers interested in teaching abroad
Do you have a teaching license and are curious about how to teach abroad? Many hiring schools overseas will be on the lookout for teachers who hold certification from a US state or Canadian province and certified teachers from countries like the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
How to use your UK teaching license to teach abroad
If you are qualified to teach in the UK, your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) would count as your teaching license abroad. There are many ways you can obtain your QTS – the most common approach is completing a bachelor’s degree in education or a PGCE course.
How to use your North American teaching license to teach abroad
If you hold a US teaching license, this means you have received an official document, stamped or signed by your state, province or home country, that recognizes you as a qualified teacher.
Recommended reading:
To qualify for any licensed teaching jobs through Teach Away, you will need to hold an active teaching license/credential from one of the above.
Find new opportunities around the world for licensed teachers on Teach Away’s job board.
If teaching overseas isn’t an option, consider getting a teaching license to teach in your country
Maybe teaching overseas isn’t quite your calling right now, and you wish to stay local. If you’d like to take your English-teaching career to new horizons, now could be the right time to start exploring options to teach other areas in your country.
How to get a teaching license in Canada
Each province has its own set of requirements, but the standards are similar from province to province. In Ontario, teachers must have completion of grade 12, at least three years of post-secondary education, and completion of a four-semester teacher education program.
How to get a teaching license in South Africa
There are two routes to becoming a teacher in South Africa.
- Qualify with a four-year bachelor’s degree in education, or;
- Qualify with a three or four-year bachelor’s degree and a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
Both routes are acceptable. When you qualify you’ll be required to register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE).
While private tutoring in China is undergoing big changes and limiting opportunities for English teachers, there are limitless teaching opportunities to be found with Teach Away.
Whether your calling is taking you to continue teaching English online to students in a different part of the world, or leading you on a path to new teaching ventures, there will always be a need for good teachers.
Check out our job board!
We update it frequently with new online teaching jobs.
Or, take a look at getting a teaching license and apply for a US teaching job on Teach Away’s US job board.
