If you have little ones at home, one of the most challenging yet fulfilling endeavours you may be in charge of right now is teaching them their language skills. It may be a joy for you to see them gradually develop their abilities to express themselves and say their thoughts about the world around them.
But such a journey doesn’t have to be limited to within your household, especially if you have the time to make some extra income while parenting. You’ll also be able to find iterations of that sense of fulfilment if you utilise your budding language instruction skills as a mom to teach English as a foreign language to students of other backgrounds.
Just like the discipline of teaching your kids, teaching English to foreign students involves a grasp of structured learning, consistency, and motivation. It’s important that you’re ready for your role as an educator to others on top of your role as a parent. And in addition to competently and confidently using the English language yourself, you also need to be well aware of the best strategies for making language learning engaging for people of different backgrounds and wavelengths.
Want to explore an extra income stream by working as an English teacher at home? Here’s a guide on how to best prepare yourself while being able to keep up with your responsibilities to your family:
1. Get Trained in TEFL Methods
First, know that you’ll be able to secure more lucrative and consistent opportunities if you invest in the right credentials. Teaching English as a Foreign Language or TEFL certification courses will be of great help in your teaching journey, and the good thing is that there are many courses available online and in-person.
These programmes are designed to provide essential knowledge on lesson planning, grammar instruction, pronunciation training, and language acquisition techniques. Credentials from respectable institutions will make you a more appealing freelance teacher or candidate for hiring at a company that specialises in English instruction, tutoring, or corporate training. And while full certification is not mandatory for all TEFL opportunities, greater knowledge of TEFL strategies and appraisal from a credible organisation can significantly enhance your effectiveness in teaching and open a number of doors for you.
2. Build an Arsenal of Teaching Materials
A TEFL course may give you a good starting point in aspects like teaching methodologies, but at some point, you will also need to make your TEFL practice your own. One way you’ll end up doing so is by gathering materials that fit your teaching style, the age range and backgrounds of your students, and other factors that may be relevant to their learning experience, such as contemporary culture and current events.
Explore the many free and paid resources available to you that are designed for teaching English at home, such as eBooks, phonics activities, and educational videos. Don’t hesitate to download or even print out lesson plans, worksheets, flashcards, or even storybooks and interactive apps that can help you add both structure and relatability to your at-home English teaching routine.
3. Create a Support Network
Remember that you do not have to be alone in your journey as a language educator and parent juggling both work and family responsibilities. It’s a good idea to join online forums focused on TEFL education or local parenting groups of fellow work-from-home parents for invaluable support, which can make it much easier for you to take on the challenges of being both a mom and a language teacher. Platforms such as Facebook groups, TEFL discussion forums, and homeschooling networks allow you to share experiences and seek advice from people who are in the same situation as you.
4. Make English a Daily Habit
If English will be part of your livelihood as a working mom, consistency in your usage of it will be key towards keeping your skills sharp. Even at home, and especially if your own little ones are learning English as well, you can incorporate the language into daily conversations, storytelling, and playtime by following a routine similar to this:
- During your morning routine, you and your kids can name household objects and actions in English.
- During mealtime, discuss what you are eating using descriptive words.
- When it’s time to read your kids bedtime stories, make English books part of your rotation and encourage your children to repeat words or phrases.
What you learn in your everyday life as a mom may be of great value to your TEFL students—especially those who are also young.
5. Use Fun and Interactive Methods, Especially for Younger Learners
Children are more likely to engage with English when learning feels like play. Nursery rhymes and songs can help your younger learners develop rhythm and pronunciation. Meanwhile, simple games like Simon Says, I Spy, or role-playing scenarios (e.g., playing shopkeeper and customer) can boost vocabulary and confidence. It’s also an option to let your younger students create drawings, collages, or DIY projects while introducing new vocabulary words.
Fun and relatability can still extend to your older learners, for example high school students or professionals from other countries. Find ways to connect with them through pop culture references or common experiences that you may share as adults.
6. Encourage Speaking with Confidence
One of the biggest challenges in language learning for learners of all ages is overcoming hesitation. As an English teacher, make it a point to create a supportive atmosphere where mistakes are seen as part of learning. Praise a learner’s efforts to use the language, and gently correct errors without discouragement.
You can also reframe how you ask questions to encourage a student to freely express themselves in English. For example, instead of “Did you have fun?,” try “What was the best part of your day?” to encourage longer responses.
7. Be Patient and Adapt to Each Learner Needs
Every TEFL student will learn at their own pace, and the best teachers know how to be patient and adjust their approaches based on interests and abilities. If the student enjoys music, for example, you might want to incorporate more songs into your lessons; if they are fans of sports like football, you can include references to the game or their favourite clubs in your lesson plans.
Regardless of who you will be teaching, your foray into TEFL will require dedication, creativity, and encouragement—although perhaps those are already things that you know how to consciously practise as a mom. Equip yourself with the right teaching techniques, materials, and credentials to make language learning a fruitful experience for your learners, and you may be surprised at how much you’ll enjoy teaching English as a means of earning extra income and putting yourself out there career-wise.
