10 Steps to a Successful ESL Tutoring Business

This is the ESL Tutoring Business book I've been working on for eight years!

This book was written for anyone who wants to privately tutor English Language Learners and earn a living doing so. It is for those ESL teachers and tutors who are offering, or would like to offer, private lessons to individuals or small groups.

It is especially for those ESL tutors and teachers, or potential tutors, who are open to the idea that a private tutoring practice will be infinitely more successful when it is run as a business.

Please don't be deterred by the idea of running your ESL tutoring practice as a business. I've made every effort possible to clearly and succinctly describe in this book the simple policies, procedures, and practices you can implement to have a successful tutoring business that will enable you to earn a living doing what you love for a very long time.

Please note that this book is not a grammar book or a textbook for use to teach English. It is a book about successfully setting up and running a private ESL tutoring business.

Click here to get more information about this digital book.

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Happy 2015 and Chapter One of ESL Tutoring Book

Happy New Year and Many Blessings to YOU for 2015!

Big apologies for not getting my “10 Steps to a Successful ESL Tutoring Business” book out to you yet. (Those of you who get my newsletter learned a little about why it’s taking me so long to complete!)

My book should be out within the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can download Chapter One of "10 Steps to a Successful ESL Tutoring Business."

You can also sign up to receive 3 free videos on this page.

They’ll cover:

(1) how to run a successful first meeting with a potential new student, 

(2) how to do a Student Needs Assessment, and 

(3) how to reduce cancellations and no-shows.

Very best to you in the coming year,

Debra

10 Steps to a Successful ESL Tutoring Business

The title above is the working title for my upcoming book.  I can't believe it's finally almost ready!

It's a little embarrassing, but it looks like I've been working on this book forever.  I first mentioned it in this blog back in 2008!  See E-book on Staring an ESL Business.  Can you believe it?!

Before I finalize the book, I want to make sure that I've covered every possible question ESL tutors and teachers might have about starting and running their own ESL tutoring business.

Here's a question for you. Yes, you!

What are your top two questions about starting and running your own ESL tutoring business?  

Please leave your questions below in the comments box, or you can send them directly to me using my contact page.


Thank you, and Happy Teaching!

Debra


P.S.  Yes, I'm really serious - go ahead and click on this contact link or leave your questions in the comment section below.  What do you need to know?

Verb Tense Cheat Sheets

I've just sent out Volume 2 to subscribers of my ezine, ESL Teaching Tips.  Volume 2 has "Cheat Sheets" for all verb tenses. Teachers and tutors can use them as reminders for themselves and also as handouts for their more advanced students.

If you haven't yet signed up for my ezine, you can do so on my ESL Teaching Tips sign-up page.

When you sign up, you'll get a free ebook with 27 worksheets for the Simple Present Tense.

Hurricane Sandy and the S.F. Giants

One of my ESL students writes one essay a week for writing practice for our class. This was a busy week and he had much to write about: Halloween, Hurricane Sandy, and the San Francisco Giants World Series celebration.

He had an interesting observation. He was surprised that in light of the devastation experienced on the East Coast due to Hurricane Sandy, the City of San Francisco proceeded with their parade and celebration for the Giants, this year's winners of the World Series.

He commented that in his home county, Japan, people would show restraint. A large celebration would not occur if something as catastrophic as Hurricane Sandy had occurred.

What are your thoughts are. Should San Francisco have canceled or postponed their celebration? Or was it alright for them to go ahead?

"Beat Around the Shrubbery"

I just finished watching an episode of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. As you may know, Poirot is a fictitious detective. Much to his dismay, many people mistake him for French because of his accent, but he is actually Belgian.

Poirot's English is very good, but he does use an "unnatural" order to his words at times. He also makes mistakes with his use of expressions and idioms.

In tonight's episode, there were two "errors." He said, "It is dried and cut," and "Let's not beat around the shrubbery."

The correct order for the first error is "cut and dried." When something is "cut and dried," that means it is clear and obvious.

"Beat around the shrubbery" should be "beat around the bush." To beat around the bush means to avoid the subject or approach the subject indirectly.

These mistakes are amusing when they come from Hercule Poirot who is a fastidious perfectionist about everything else. I love him!

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Cambridge Offers CELTA Courses Online

In September, 2011, Cambridge started offering CELTA courses online. Sort of.

The practicum component of the course must still be done at the center offering the certification.

If you opt for the online CELTA course, you can earn the same certificate as if you did the course entirely at a center. There is no difference to the award you will receive.

The online option allows a student to take longer to obtain the certificate and to work at his or her own pace. According to the Cambridge site, "courses run over a minimum of 10 weeks and a maximum of an academic year."

The online materials achieve the same objectives as face-to-face instruction, according to Cambridge.

Unfortunately, as of this date, there are no centers offering online CELTA in the United States.

If you need a completely online TESOL certificate, then you will need to consider a different type of certificate. See TEFL or CELTA: Which is Best? for further discussion.

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