So you want to start offering private English lessons while living abroad; that’s great! It can be very fulfilling work while offering a valuable service to your newly adopted community. But before you dive in head-first there are a things that you should spend some time thinking about. Clarifying the type of education you will offer will make things easier for you all-around, from building lessons to bringing on new students and advertising your services. I don’t propose to offer all the answers in this post, as your own personal preferences play a huge role. Instead I pose some important questions to ask yourself. While there is much to consider, today we bring you 7 Considerations Before Offering Private English Lessons.
- Define Your Audience
Who is your ideal student? Will you teach to adults or children and at what level? Teaching all things to all students runs the risk of spreading yourself too thin. It may be wise to imagine the best audience for your services and concentrate your efforts in that direction. - Focus Your Services
What kind of lessons will you offer and what type of English? Will you cater to students preparing for tests, or businessmen looking to improve language skills? Will your lessons teach grammar, reading and writing? Will they be more conversational and what will be required for beginner level students? - Find Your Classroom
Where will you provide your services? Will you conduct classes from your own home or from the students home? If you want teach from a coffee shop or a cooperative workspace how will the costs and environment impact your lessons? - Schedule Appropriately
What is the daily schedule of your ideal student? Are they enrolled in school or do they follow a typical work schedule? What are your own hours availability, not only for offering classes but for building your lesson plans and preparation. - Cost and Payment
How much will you charge for your services and when will you require payment? Will you offer a discount for multiple students or for multiple classes purchased at once? It’s important to remain competitive with other offerings in the area, but it must also be profitable for you. What reason should someone pick your services over someone else’s offerings? - Curriculum
Will you follow a text book? Will lessons be based entirely on the proficiency and preferences of your student? How will you determine the ways in which your student learns best and create lessons that cater to their unique abilities. - Advertising
Where will you enroll your intended audience? First consider the locations and schedules of the type of person you’d like to reach. Are there public bulletin boards, or local publications that you can post in? What about local networking events?
Make some conscious decisions in advance and save yourself trouble and confusion down the road. Present the best possible version of yourself and your services through professionalism and clarity.
West Coast to Far East 