Teaching English without a degree

Teaching English is a prospective career for proficient users of the English language, especially in countries where English is not the primary language. That is, when advanced English learners finish their language courses, they think of teaching English and earn an income from their knowledge. However, the problem is that most of them abstain from pursuing a career as an English teacher or tutor because they believe they need a university degree in the English language to start teaching. While having a degree gives you an edge in finding a job as an English tutor or teacher, it is not a must. There are multiple ways to teach English without a degree, and this article aims to show you how. You can teach English without a degree as:

• Freelance English teachers 

• Private English tutors

• English teachers at language schools

• Online tutors on English teaching platforms like Ostado

Teaching English as a freelancer without a degree

Teaching English as a freelancer is a great idea for those who cannot teach English full-time or those who want flexible working hours. For example, if you are a university student and you have a good command of the English language, you can find freelance positions to teach English and earn some money from your English skills. Moreover, freelance English teaching is suitable for those who already have a full-time job but also have a knack for teaching English.  

Freelance English teaching is a good starting point to build a professional background in teaching English. You can use the position to familiarize yourself with the challenges of teaching a foreign language and prepare yourself for better job opportunities. Of course, the good news is that with the right skills and qualifications, even freelance teaching positions can yield good incomes. 

We have explained all about freelance tutoring in another article. Click on How to Start Freelance Tutoring? Online Tutoring Jobs to learn more.

• Tutoring private English courses with no degree in English

Thanks to its financial benefits and relative convenience, private English tutoring is highly sought after. As a private English tutor, you run individual classes for each of your learners and help them gain English proficiency. Similar to freelancing, private tutoring has flexible hours, but the pay is usually higher depending on your background experience in tutoring English private courses. However, for private tutoring, you need more extensive knowledge of the English language. 

• Teaching at language schools without a degree

Most language schools tend to choose their future teachers among their top students as they are already familiar with the teaching methodology obtained in those language schools. Language schools usually offer Teacher Training Courses (TTC) that explain the fundamentals of teaching the English language. You can join these courses, and as your training ends, you can start teaching English, given that you acquire good scores and meet other requirements of the language school. In other words, a TTC degree can substitute for a university degree in English. However, we should note that the TTC degree issued by one language school might not be accepted in another, and you might have to participate in another TTC program to teach in that school. TTC degrees give English students a chance to start teaching when their learning process ends.

• Teaching English on online tutoring platforms without a teaching degree

In recent years, particularly from the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching English online has been a marketable profession. Thanks to the many digital and online tools and features, learning a language online is just as productive as in-person English classes. Moreover, it is much easier for learners to join online classes remotely and learn the English language from the comfort of their own homes. Therefore, the demand for online English teachers and tutors has increased significantly among English learners. The students usually google online classes, and they choose the best online tutoring platforms with highly experienced teachers who offer the best tutoring service for reasonable tuition fees.

Ostado is one of the best online language teaching platforms with teachers and students from all around the world. Our tutoring platform is popular among international students in different countries, especially the United States and Canada. After a short but detailed interview, Ostado lists your profile among other professional English tutors. Ostado has made it possible for you to introduce yourself and advertise your service under your profile for free. If you have the qualifications of an English tutor, you can join Ostado now and become a tutor. 

Alternative certificates to teach English without a university degree

There are several certificates that prove your teaching abilities besides a university degree. The most common certificate is the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. The TEFL degree is for teachers who want to teach English in countries where English is not the primary language. Another degree which is sometimes used interchangeably with the TEFL degree is Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The TESOL certificate is a better alternative if you want to teach English to non-native English speakers in countries where English is the primary language.

There are also two popular certificates issued by Cambridge University. Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) and Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DELTA). Both certificates are internationally creditable, and you can use them as a substitute for a university degree in English. You can participate in preparation courses to obtain these certificates. The following table summarizes the degrees and their specifications:

Click to find more information about other teaching certificates and their purposes. 

What qualifications do I need to teach English with no degree? 

An English teacher must possess many qualities and skills to lead a successful career as an English teacher especially if you do not have a teaching certificate. Generally, as English teachers, you should know that learning a language is a time-consuming process, and so is language teaching. You should identify with your students and try to address the problems they face during the learning period. Therefore, you should show patience and empathy to make your classes productive.

If you are interested to learn more about general qualities and skills for ESL tutors click on ESL tutor skills | A comprehensive guide on hard skills and soft skills. 

Aside from the general qualities of an English teacher, there are some professional factors to observe if you want to teach English without a degree. The first important task is to create an impressive resume. Since you do not have a teaching degree, your resume should be strong and extensive to make up for the lack of a degree. Click to learn How to prepare a CV for a tutoring job.

The second important factor is being familiar with teaching methods, skills, and techniques. You should study books and articles on language teaching to develop a theoretical angle on teaching a foreign language. Your studies should prepare you to teach English at different proficiency levels and to different age groups. Furthermore, you should also raise cultural awareness to be able to communicate with learners from different backgrounds effectively. Here is a list of the best books you can read to expand your knowledge about how to teach the English language.

Where should I begin to teach English without a degree?

If you want to teach English without a degree, you should promote yourself as an able English teacher. At the beginning of your journey in finding a career in English teaching, you can do volunteer teaching in language schools. Some English schools also use novice teachers as backups for their primary teaching personnel so that when one of them cannot attend the class, you can substitute them for that session. Another option for the beginning of your teaching experience is to practice school English lessons with students who cannot understand English grammar concepts or have other difficulties in learning a foreign language. 

In addition to the above items, you should join and follow English teachers’ networks and communities on professional social apps, especially LinkedIn, to stay updated with the newsfeed about the education and teaching domain.

• Establish your business as an English teacher

If you are already adept at teaching English, but you have no teaching degrees, you can start a small private business as a teacher. However, to succeed as an independent teacher, you should be able to promote your service widely and venously. You can use social media to advertise your teaching methods and skills and share testimonials (if any) from your previous experiences. The immense benefit of running your own teaching business is that you can enjoy 100% of the profit. On the other hand, it takes tremendous effort, time, and money to find a steady market for your teaching business. This is especially challenging if you are a novice teacher with limited resources. 

Luckily, you do not need to spend lots of time and money to promote your English tutoring services on your own. Ostado has done the marketing part for you, and you can start teaching English on Ostado even if you do not have an MA or BA degree in the English language. All you need to do is introduce yourself and share your creative ideas about teaching English courses to attract clients and students.  

Tutoring English Lessons without a degree; final remarks

Any advanced user of the English language can teach English even if they do not have a teaching degree. However, you should develop teaching skills and gain knowledge of teaching methodologies to succeed as a teacher. You should also create an impressive resume that highlights your teaching capabilities. The best way to start teaching English is to use online tutoring platforms. These platforms are extremely popular among English learners, and you can easily find a job on teaching platforms like Ostado.

FAQs

Is there a demand for online English teachers?

Yes! There are many job opportunities for online English tutors, especially in the US, Canada, and other student-friendly countries.  

Is it possible to teach English online without TEFL certification?

Yes, with adequate knowledge of the English language and familiarity with teaching methods, you can teach English online without TEFL.

Can I teach English online without qualifications?

Naturally, you cannot teach English if you do not meet the necessary qualifications.