How to make a living teaching English online on Preply

Ever wanted to be your own boss while teaching the world English? Preply is a leading platform for teaching languages online. Language Tutors who join Preply essentially become small business owners. You set your hourly rate and availability, and Preply will ensure plenty of language students are ready to learn with you. 

But Preply has become much more than a matching platform in recent years. In this article, we’ll explore how to make a living teaching English online on Preply and offer tips for creating a winning tutor profile. 

So, if you’re ready to make a living teaching English from the comfort of your home, read on to learn more. 

Why teach English on Preply?

Preply is an excellent place to begin or develop your English teaching career for several reasons. From professional development opportunities to cutting-edge classroom tools, we’ll explore what sets Preply apart from other online teaching platforms. 

👉🏻Not a teacher yet? Read our article How to become an English teacher

Never stop growing with free professional development 

Developing your knowledge and teaching skills helps you gain confidence teaching new kinds of language learners, charge more for your lessons, and continue advancing professionally. Preply believes that all tutors should have these chances to learn and grow. 

That’s why Preply has an entire team dedicated to professional development. Preply language tutors get to take advantage of all the following free learning opportunities:  

• Weekly training webinars covering hundreds of topics
• Countless self-study courses 
• One of the world’s biggest yearly conferences for language tutors
• A thriving community for tutors to share tips and advice

Feel empowered with teaching tools, materials, and resources

Preply is constantly working on new tools and resources to help teachers deliver an exceptional learning experience. Preply tutors get to: 

• Make use of a full English language curriculum with lesson plans and conversation starters for every level 
• Save time creating personalized lessons with their AI-powered teaching assistant 
• Enjoy the virtual classroom and whiteboard designed especially for teaching languages online

Focus on teaching English while Preply covers the rest 

Preply handles the tricky parts of running a tutoring business so you can focus entirely on teaching. Some of the things Preply take care of include:

• Marketing efforts to bring hundreds of thousands of language learners to Preply 
• Safe and simple payments guaranteed – get paid for teaching with minimum hassle
• Non-stop technical support for language learners and tutors 

Create your tutor profile and start teaching English immediately

To start connecting with language learners on Preply, you need to create a tutor profile to introduce yourself and outline your teaching experience. Here are some tips to help you craft each element of your tutor profile and achieve a result students will love. 

Tip 1: Your tutor profile photo 

Your photo is the first time prospective English students will see your face, so it’s important to put on a smile and make an excellent impression. You’ll also need to follow a few photo guidelines to ensure your photo is improved. Make sure that: 

• Your face and eyes are fully visible (except for religious reasons)
• Your photo is centered and upright
• Your photo is in color, with high resolution, and without filters
• Your photo has neutral lighting and background

Tip 2: Your tutor profile headline

Your headline is a short line of text that summarizes your teaching skills and experience. It will play a significant role in convincing English students to choose you as their teacher, so make sure yours is unique and attention-grabbing. 

The ideal length for a headline is between 50 and 75 characters, and it should seek to answer one, or a combination, of the following questions:

• What’s my speciality? 
• Why should English students trust me? 
• What makes me different from other English teachers?

Tip 3: Your tutor profile description

Your description should encourage English students to learn with you by offering a more comprehensive explanation of your experience, teaching style, and personality. Here are some topics and features of a well-written tutor profile description to help you craft yours: 

• Mention your teaching qualifications and experience 
• Explain the type(s) of English students you focus on  
• Explain what your lessons will be like for students 
• Include details about your personality and hobbies
• Keep your content engaging and authentic
• Write your description in one language only
• Keep your personal information private

Tip 4: Your tutor introduction video 

Your video should cover similar information to your description, while allowing English students to hear your accent and get a better feel for your personality. You can use Preply’s new feature to generate your video script based on your description, but you may want to make some edits too. 

When preparing your script, keep in mind that the best tutor videos are typically between 1 and 1.5 minutes long, and include the following:

Introduce yourself (15–20 seconds)

• What is your first name? 
• Where are you from? 
• Where are you located now?
• What do you teach?
• What languages do you speak?

Focus on your teaching skills (30–50 seconds)

• What relevant teaching qualifications, experience, and skills do you have?
• What can English students expect in your lessons?
• Do you have a preferred teaching method?
• What activities and materials do you use during your English lessons?
• What do you specialize in (e.g. business English, exam preparation, teaching beginners)? 

Ending (15–25 seconds)

Encourage prospective English students to book a lesson with you, thank them for watching your video, and wrap up with a motivational message.

Ready to start teaching English with Preply?

Preply is an excellent site for connecting with English students, making a living from teaching, and ensuring you never stop growing your knowledge and skills as a tutor. After reading this article, you’re ready to get started by creating your profile!. 

Sign up to Preply today, create your profile, and start teaching English immediately.

As an Oxford TEFL CELTA graduate, you will be able to take advantage of our comprehensive careers service and find out more about how you can teach English online using Preply.