The Second Income That Fits Anyone’s Busy Schedule (And Why So Few People Know About It)
By The Gloss
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEFL Institute of Ireland
From a cabin in West Cork to a desk in Dublin, Irish women are earning extra by teaching English online, before work, after work and from anywhere with good Wi-Fi …
“The most rewarding job I have ever had”
Rhea Boyden lives in West Cork, at the foot of a mountain and close to the sea, with a vegetable garden and a tuxedo cat called Zeus. Twice a week, she’s at her desk by 7am, teaching English to professionals in Berlin. “The lessons start at 7.30am which is great because I am an early riser.”
When Rhea lost her remote job in 2022, she took a 30-hour Teaching English Online course and wrote to a Berlin language school she had worked for years earlier, asking for a reference. Instead, they offered her work.
“I was so surprised because I had left the school nine years previously,” she says. “Needless to say, I was delighted.”
The online classroom wasn’t daunting for long. “I was a little nervous initially with the technology, but I got the hang of it very quickly,” she says. “I have good internet here despite living very rurally.” She teaches small groups over Teams, Webex and Zoom before her part-time day job, and adds private students “when it suits us both”. “Having the 30-hour online TEFL course as well as the 120-hour TEFL course has given me the confidence to do this.”
The laptop travels too. On a trip to Gran Canaria, “I packed my laptop and was easily able to deliver my lessons from our accommodation there.” She has even flown to Berlin to meet her online students in person. “The flexibility is great.”
Her advice? “I wholeheartedly recommend the TEFL Institute of Ireland to anyone who is living rurally in Ireland and looking for a way to supplement their income,” she says. “The TEFL courses are delivered remotely so you can get the qualifications you need pretty swiftly and embark on a satisfying career helping people communicate better.” And she has no plans to stop: “I don’t plan on quitting any time soon because it is the most rewarding and satisfying job I have ever had.”
“Start in the evenings”
Niamh O’Connor began teaching English while travelling in Southeast Asia in 2020. “I did it originally as a way to support my travels but it became a necessity when Covid began,” she says. She stayed on in Thailand, teaching in a primary school in Phuket by day and online in the evenings. “It gives me so much joy to speak to so many people from different backgrounds and to watch their confidence grow as they learn.”
Now home in Dublin, she teaches online from 9am to midday, then walks to her part-time job at an after-school club. “My jobs for the day can now be finished by 7pm which leaves the rest of the evening to cook, relax, socialise or even pick up a few extra online teaching hours.”
On Preply she sets her own rate, starting at $10usd an hour and rising to $20usd a lesson as her experience grew. Her tip for beginners: “I would recommend beginning to teach online over the weekends or in the evenings after a daytime job.”
Online teaching fits around your life: pick early mornings, evenings or weekends, and teach from home or anywhere with good Wi-Fi. Work through platforms and schools or with your own private students, and start part-time while you build experience. With a laptop, a reliable connection and a TEFL qualification, you’re ready to go.”
Try it for free, and win a full qualification
Curious? The TEFL Institute of Ireland is giving the first 50 The Gloss readers its 30-hour Teaching English Online course for free. Enrol at tefl.ie/course/teaching-english-online-tefl-course with the code GLOSS50. To be in with a chance to WIN a full 120-hour TEFL course: enter now by commenting on @Theglossmag’s Instagram post and follow @tefl.ie.
