Wonder what it’s like working for EF? Get the inside scoop from a real-life teacher in this Education First review!
After spending a year abroad in 2013, I knew that coming back to the US, I would miss the whole experience of meeting and interacting with people from around the world. So, teaching ESL online was a natural next step for me. Today, I find that my different experiences abroad have allowed me to connect with my students and provide reassurance for them, knowing how hard it can be to live in a new place or struggle to speak a second language.
Whether you have tons of travel experience or none, if you are a good communicator, have empathy, and love meeting new people, teaching ESL might be a great online job for you.
I’ve been teaching online with a company called EF Education First for over eight years, and I will fill you in on the good, the bad, and everything you need to know to get started teaching online with EF.
What is EF Education First?
EF Teach Online (where I work) is one division of the larger company, EF Education First. If EF seems familiar, you might have heard of their travel tours or excursions called EF Tours, where you can go on an adventure to places like Paris, Italy, Rome, London, Greece, and more with a tour guide.
Or, maybe you’ve heard the name EF English First, which offers language training centers worldwide. The founder of EF was Bertil Hult, and he started the company in 1965, so it’s very well-established. Today, EF is still in the Hult family and is run by CEO Eddie Hult. They currently have offices globally, including a campus in Cambridge, MA, in the US.
What Qualifications or Experience Do You Need to Teach Online?
To become an EF teacher, there are a few basic requirements. EF has online teachers from all over the world; however, since I am part of the US center, I will only be listing the requirements to join the US center. First, you need to be a resident of the US and a native English speaker (C2) level.
You are also required to have a Bachelor’s degree, but it can be from any academic degree program—it doesn’t need to be related to English or education.
Finally, you’ll also need a TEFL certificate of at least 40 hours. This stands for teaching English as a foreign language. If you don’t have a TEFL certificate, don’t let this keep you from applying. You can just Google “TEFL certificate” and earn one online in a few weeks or less. No previous teaching experience is required.
What are the Technical Requirements to Work for Education First?
You can click here for a list of the computer specifications. Here is the equipment you’ll need:
- Windows computer with Windows 10 or higher
- Webcam: 1080P webcam is needed (Logitech C920 recommended)
- Green screen
- Ring light
- Noise-canceling USB headset (Plantronics C320-M recommended)
Since you’re teaching online, having a strong internet connection is essential.
What is the Hiring Process Like?
I’ve been teaching with EF since early 2015, so things may have changed slightly; however, the entire process was simple and straightforward when I was interviewing.
The first step was to fill out an online application. After that, EF reached out to schedule an online interview. Before the interview, I had to fill out a pre-interview questionnaire with my availability and a short grammar assessment. Then, within a few days of the interview, I found out that I got the job.
How Much Money Can You Make?
For compensation, you’ll make between $12-$16 per hour as an EF teacher. You’ll start at $12 but can easily earn $16 if you meet a few simple requirements, such as teaching at least 40 hours per month and maintaining good ratings with your students. While the pay isn’t the highest, it can still be a great part-time income, especially since you can create your own schedule and choose your own hours.
Teachers are paid once a month through direct deposit. Each month, you will complete an invoice for the previous month by the 10th, and then your payment will go through on the 26th.
What are the Hours Like, and How Much Can You Work?
If you’ve ever worked for an ESL company, you might be used to working crazy times, either early in the morning or extremely late at night. Contrary to this, EF offers classes 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it highly flexible.
In full transparency, to get the highest pay of $16 an hour, you need to teach 25 peak hours per week, which are 6 AM to 10 AM. But, even if you have another job, you could teach 1-2 hours in the morning and easily meet your peak hours. There are no minimum or maximum hours, so you can teach as much or as little as fits your schedule.
What are the Students Like?
With EF, you will find yourself teaching students from all over the world. Most learners are anywhere from 18-75 years old. You might have a few young adults, but most are college graduates or older. You’ll have some students learning English for their careers and others wanting to practice conversation for travel or to study abroad and do a cultural exchange.
If you live in the US and teach in the morning or evening, you’ll find yourself teaching many Japanese or Chinese students. On the other hand, in the late morning, afternoon, or early evening, you’ll find many students from Europe, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa.
How Long are the Classes?
Now, let’s talk about the classes and the job profile. At EF, there are two types of classes: private lessons and group lessons. Typically, you will start off teaching group classes and then move on to private lessons when you have some experience. Group lessons are 45 minutes long and often have between 2-8 students.
Private lessons are one-on-one and are either 20 minutes or 40 minutes. When you first start out, teaching group lessons can be a great way to get new students. If you teach a group class and a student likes you and your teaching style, they can then book a private lesson with you.
After each group and private lesson, you will be asked to complete a small report of how the student did, called an ACR (after-class report). Since the lessons are booked either as a half-hour or hour lesson, I always have time to stretch my legs or refill my coffee between classes, even after I finish the ACR.
Do You Need to Create Your Own Materials?
EF has prepared lessons that you can use. When a student books a class with you, they will do one of two things. They will choose a topic from the EF lesson material or a “Custom Request.”
In my experience, when a student chooses a custom request, 90% of the time, they will write free talk or free conversation, meaning they just want to chat with you. Once in a while, a student will request something else. In that case, you can either prepare something yourself, or if you feel unable to teach that topic, you can easily sub out the class.
One time, I had a woman who brought her journal entries to class, and she read them aloud. We practiced pronunciation and reviewed her grammar. Looking back, it was one of my most memorable moments as a teacher.
When you first start, you might need to take a few minutes to review the materials, but generally, you won’t need to do a lot of planning.
What Happens if I Need to Cancel a Class?
EF is not the type of company that is overbearing or micromanaging. If you’re used to strict cancellation policies, you will find EF much more accommodating.
Each month, you get 10 cancellations. You can use these however you need to if you’re sick, have other plans, have tech issues, etc. Most months, you probably won’t need to use all 10. If you have an emergency and need to cancel more than 10 classes, just contact EF and let them know as soon as possible.
What Skills Do You Need to Succeed as an Online Teacher?
To have an amazing experience as a teacher, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. First, do whatever you can to make your students feel at ease; this is your first priority. Sometimes their nerves will get the best of them, and it’s your job to make them feel comfortable whenever they join your class.
Taking English classes might be outside their comfort zones, so start each class by asking open-ended questions to get to know all your students, discover their varying needs, and focus on improving the mindset of students. Doing this will not only help your students in their language learning but will enhance their confidence in every area of their lives.
You also need to be flexible and patient and always have contingency plans when there are tech problems or if the lesson is above or below the student’s level.
What are the Biggest Pros of EF?
Flexibility is one of the things I love most about EF and is the most beneficial aspect. You can teach whenever you want to, 24/7, regardless of where you live in the world. Some companies have a minimum number of hours you’re required to teach each week or month, but EF doesn’t.
You will undoubtedly make a lot of new friends and be exposed to many different cultures. I have students I teach regularly and have developed strong personal relationships with. For example, I have a student I’ve been teaching weekly for over six years. Sometimes, when you’re teaching, you have so much fun that you actually forget that it’s a job.
It’s an amazing feeling to watch your students progress and reach their goals, get promotions, have new experiences, etc.
Another benefit is communication. If you need to cancel a class at the last minute, contacting the EF team is easy. You can either fill out a case online through the EF website or call the helpline to talk directly with staff members.
An additional highlight is that occasionally, there are growth opportunities like webinars to help you enhance your skills as a teacher.
What are the Biggest Cons of EF?
Hands down, the worst single thing is the pay. It’s really one of the only things I would change. Also, remember that as an independent contractor, you will need to put aside money for taxes since this will not be taken out of your paycheck each month.
As with any client-facing job, you will have difficult students from time to time. Sometimes, you’ll need to put your pride aside and just nod and listen. However, if a student has crossed the line, you can always contact the company since you should never have to tolerate abusive behavior. Fortunately, this has never happened to me.
Sometimes, you have students who put in lots of effort, but regardless of the amount of communication, they still aren’t improving. Of course, situations like this can be extremely frustrating because the outcome is not always a direct result of how much effort is put in.
Education First Review Wrap-Up
If you’re looking for a well-established teaching company that will give you lots of flexibility in your schedule in a low-stress teaching environment, EF could be a fantastic job for you. To be a part of a student’s life and watch their future success can be so rewarding. I’ve had an overall positive experience with EF and enjoy being part of the EF family. If you want to get started, you can click here to start your online application.
Does helping individuals practice their conversational English skills sound fun? Be sure to also check Cambly for flexible gigs.
