Apply to become a home teacher with Homelingua
Homelingua: 'English in a Teacher's home'
courses in the UK
Welcome to Homelingua. We are an established provider of one-to-one English language courses taught in the home of the teacher.
Homelingua is part of the company ETAL (England Travel and Learning). ETAL is an educational tour operator started in 1994, offering a range of language study and cultural homestay programmes in the UK for individuals and groups. Homelingua courses are accredited by the British Council, an indication of the quality of courses delivered by our teachers and of our dedication to providing an excellent service to our customers.
On our courses the student stays in your home and has a programme of one-to-one language tuition and joins in family life for the duration of the course. Most of our students stay for between one to three weeks.
Homelingua has a network of over 200 home tutors in the South East, Oxford, Bath, Cheltenham, Stratford-upon-Avon, the Midlands, Cumbria and Edinburgh.
As a home teacher registered with Homelingua, you will be part of an organisation that is dedicated to providing a language study experience that the customer will enjoy and remember for years to come.
I would say to anyone considering becoming a home teacher that it
is a lifestyle more than a job. It brings great rewards and friendships
but requires patience and enthusiasm. I have taken enormous pleasure
from meeting the hundreds of teachers and students that have joined
our organisation over the years and I look forward to hearing from
you if you decide to enter the world of home tuition.
Kelvin Fowler
Managing Director
About Home Tuition
What are the benefits of home tuition for the teacher?
- Flexible work in the comfort of your own home. You can choose when you want to have a student and enjoy the convenience of working in your own home
- Independence of being self employed, but with the support of an experienced organisation behind you
- No office or school politics and minimum level of administration
- Great job satisfaction. Home tuition is hard work, but our teachers will vouch for the reward they feel after working closely with their student
What kind of people are we looking for?
From our experience our most successful teachers have
- A passion for English language teaching
- A recognised EFL qualification
- A strong feeling of empathy towards other people
- Patience and a willingness to share their home and time with the visiting student
What do I need to provide my student?
The requirements vary depending on the course you are providing, but as a general rule you will need to provide
- Accommodation and meals
- One-to-one English language tuition
- A warm welcome and integration into the day to day life of your family
- Picking up and dropping off to and from the nearest station convenient for the student
The Application Process
Please complete and return the application form and required documents. We will send you a letter confirming the receipt of your application form. If your application looks suitable we will arrange a visit to meet you and to look around your accommodation. This meeting also gives you the chance to ask about our programmes. If you are successful, we will add you to our database of active home tutors and contact you when we have a suitable student.
Teacher Comments
Roger Walker took is a retired management consultant from Surrey:
'After commuting to the city for the best part of my life for my job, I now enjoy working from home as a home tutor. I can honestly say I don't regret the decision I made and have never looked back. My wife and I enjoy meeting people from different countries and it is very much a team effort when we are hosting.'
Margaret Williams has two grown up children and lives alone in north London:
'I have taught EFL in language schools in London and Sydney and found that, as in any job, you get caught up with the politics of the place. Home tuition gives you distance from this sort of thing but support on the end of the phone when you need it.'
Sophie McGee lives on the south coast of England with her husband and two young daughters who have just started school. She has been hosting for three years:
'Teaching from home gives me the flexibility I need with a young family. It would be impossible to do this with a regular office job. I have always loved meeting people and my children share my enthusiasm and excitement of having guests to stay.'
Questions and Answers
These points should answer most of your questions. However, if you still have questions that you would like to ask, please do not hesitate to contact us.
What is the objective of home tuition courses?
Homelingua courses are aimed at giving the student opportunity to develop English conversation skills in a short period of time and to experience day to day British life through staying in the home of their teacher. One-to-one study is a more intensive and effective way to learn a foreign language than group study as lessons can be tailor-made to the student's needs, level and interests. The student studies at their own pace and not at a pace determined by the group.
What administration is involved?
You should:
- Return student's comment form, weekly schedule and lesson reports to Homelingua at the end of the stay. In addition return progress report for Business and Junior students only
- Annual recording of a 50-minute lesson to be sent with lesson plan for monitoring purposes Accommodation and Facilities
Accommodation and Facilities
You will need to provide comfortable accommodation in a home environment. Both flats and houses are suitable, but there must be a dedicated guest room in either case. You should be able to provide:
- A guest room with bed, drawer and wardrobe space, desk, chair, sufficient heating and lighting.
- A study area suitable for conducting lessons with table, chairs and tape recorder. Ideally teachers should also prepare a small whiteboard, although this is not essential
- Use of clean bathroom/shower facilities. Bathrooms without a separate shower should have a showerhead over the bath for washing hair
- Bed linen and towels for the duration of the stay, changed on a weekly basis
- A weekly clothes wash
What qualifications do I need?
There are two internationally recognized TEFL qualifications: Cambridge CELTA or DELTA or the Trinity College CERT TESOL or Dip TESOL. A PGCE in TEFL is also acceptable. However, we will consider applicants who are not qualified but who have EFL teaching experience.
What types of student join your courses?
About 10% of our students are aged 15-18 and another 5% are business students. Most are adults aged between 20 and 40 with an elementary or lower intermediate level of English. The majority of our students come from Japan although we have increasing numbers from Spain, Russia, France and Italy.
How many hours a week do I have to teach?
The teacher usually teaches between 17 and 21 hours a week. The most intensive course is 25 hours a week. In addition the home tutor is expected to provide two excursions or activities with the student per week.
Can I do other work?
Yes, you can do other work but this should be minimal: One or two afternoons in the week.
When do I teach?
English lessons should be given weekday mornings. The home tutor must be available at these times. If the home tutor has young children, suitable child care must be organised so that there are no disruptions during lessons. If the student has opted for activities, these should be in the afternoons. In some circumstances lessons can fit around prior commitments.
Does Homelingua provide materials?
Homelingua provides core materials for the course but home tutors are expected to build up their own library of resources including original and supplementary materials.
What happens outside of lesson time?
Home tutors usually take the student on two excursions or additional activities (supermarket, pub, etc) per week to make them feel welcome and relaxed in their home during the stay. It is the home tutor's responsibility to ensure that their student use their independent time (outside of lessons) to the full, by helping with information about sightseeing trips, public transport etc.
How much and when is the home tuition teacher paid?
Remuneration for a 20 lesson (17 hours teaching time) tuition programme with 6 night's accommodation is from £324 (£340 for London) per week. Payment is sent by cheque on the Wednesday after the student's departure.
An additional supplement is paid for teachers in the central London area and for an en-suite bathroom if requested by the student.
Which are the most popular locations?
We recruit teachers primarily in the South East, London, Bath, Cheltenham and the Cotswolds, Oxford, Cambridge, Cumbria and Stratford upon Avon.
When do students usually arrive/depart?
Students usually arrive on Sundays and leave on Saturdays. Some students will have a taxi service from the airport, others use public transport and the home tutor is required to meet them at the nearest station. Home tutors are not required to meet their student at the airport.
How often can I expect a student?
We cannot guarantee a regular supply of students during the year. The number of students that we offer to you will depend on your availability, location and other circumstances. The busiest months are May-September.
What happens next?
Complete and send us the application form enclosing copies of the photographs and certificates required. If your application is suitable, we will contact you for a home visit.