1.

Tell me about yourself

Regardless of position or industry, this is the most common and universal interview question. Recruiters or
interviewers ask this question to know more about your personality and interest and how it relates to your role
as an online English teacher.
The best way to answer this question is to highlight skills, experiences, and interests that are relevant to
teaching English online. You can mention your previous teaching background, goals as a teacher, or love of
kids. Make sure to frame your answer in a way that shows you are qualified for the position.

2. What makes you qualified to become an ESL teacher?

Most schools and platforms prefer candidates with certain qualifications or certifications such as a TESOL
certificate or a teaching license. This is proof that you are a competent teacher. During the interview,
mentioning these qualifications or achievements will showcase your credibility as an online English teacher.
For those who do not have a teaching certificate or license, platforms like 51Talk also open their doors to
professionals without a teaching background. Moreover, 51Talk offers training sessions and seminars to
improve the teaching quality of their teachers. So, anyone can get the opportunity to teach online even
without a teaching background.

3. Have you taught students of a different nationality before?

When interviewers ask this question, they want to know not only your experience in teaching foreign students
but also how flexible you are as a person. Regardless of whether you have taught foreign students before or
not, answer this question in a way that shows your flexibility and agreeableness.
You can talk about being interested in learning new cultures, experiencing different things, or challenging
yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone. This also assures your interviewers that you would have no
problem adapting to certain cultures and customs and communicating with foreign students.

4. Why do you want to be an ESL teacher?

This is a common interview question that you can answer incorrectly if you are unprepared for it or prepare
badly for it. Although most people apply as an online English teacher to get a job or for the high teaching
fees, you may want to avoid those kinds of answers. Instead, make sure your answer highlights interests or
skills that are relevant to teaching. For example, you can share about your passion for teaching or love of
kids. You can also tell about how you enjoy helping or empowering people to reach their goals.

5. How do you explain an elevator to a child?

This kind of question challenges you to think on your feet and tests your ability to simplify and communicate
complex ideas. After all, most platforms teach young children with no background in the English language.
So, you have to use simple words and grammar that young children will understand.
It also helps to use gestures when answering this question. During a lesson, gestures and facial expressions
will help students understand what you are saying. So, using them during the interview will give a full picture
of how you will teach your future students.

6. Do you know how to sing a nursery rhyme or children’s song?

Since most platforms teach young children and offer curriculums designed for children, you will likely need
to sing along with your students during lessons. During the interview, part of your ESL interview questions
will likely involve singing a nursery rhyme or children’s song that you know, so it’s good to know a few.
The key to singing is to be confident and enthusiastic. The interviewer will look at how you can make the
song enjoyable and engaging to encourage students to participate.

7. How do you establish rapport with your students?

This question looks at how you build a good relationship with your students, especially during your first
meeting. You can answer the question by sharing how you bonded with your previous students. For those
with no teaching experience, you can talk about how you approach or talk to young children such as your
family members. Overall, your answer should show how you will relate to, engage, or empathize with your
future students.

8. What challenges will you encounter when teaching children?

This is one of the trickiest ESL teacher questions to answer because your answer could imply a weakness in
your teaching ability. For example, talking about not being able to discipline unruly students can make it
seem that you can’t manage your students. Instead, talk about practical lesson challenges such as not being
able to provide enough teaching aids to help your student understand lessons. You may answer with
behavioral challenges, but be sure to turn your answer into a success story.

9. How do you handle unruly students?

It’s normal for online English teachers to encounter unruly students, so interviewers will be looking at how
you handle them. Instead of answering how to punish or discipline your student, you can talk about how you
can engage your student better to make them interested in the lesson. You can also talk about helping unruly
students overcome their challenges during lessons to motivate them to learn and participate.

10. How do you keep your students engaged during lessons?

Another challenge that most online English teachers encounter is motivating disinterested students to
participate or listen during lessons. When teaching English online, you need to get your students to
participate to help them learn, absorb, and apply the lessons.
You can share the different engagement techniques that you will use such as asking them about their interests
and relating them to the lesson. You can also describe how you can create fun and creative lessons to
motivate students to participate.

11. How do you check if your students understand the lesson content?
This ESL teacher question looks at how you go the distance to make sure that your student understands the
lessons. After all, students need to understand the lesson and learn something each session. One way to
answer this is using concept check questions (CCQs) or instruction check questions (ICQs). Then, you can
give scenarios of when to use this as well as sample questions.

12. How do you maintain your professional development?

As a teacher, how do you improve your teaching quality? You can share that you read books, watch online
tutorials, take online courses or workshops, and more. Be ready to share what you have learned recently and
what else you would like to learn in the future.
If you have no access to training sessions or workshops, 51Talk offers their teachers various opportunities to
learn more and improve their teaching quality, from TESOL certification to seminars. This way, 51Talk
teachers will continue to grow in their profession.

13. Do you have any questions?

Did you know that the most common answer to this question is “no”? This is a question that most applicants
don’t maximize. Use this opportunity to learn more about the company and other responsibilities that you
might have as an online English teacher. Make sure that your questions relate to the role, company, and
industry. Asking questions also shows that you’re attentive during the interview and would genuinely like to
learn more about the role.

1. Can you explain how the online teaching platform works?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the company’s services and how they work. It also allows you
to show that you have experience using their platform, which can be beneficial if you’re applying for an online
teaching position.

Example: “51Talk has a unique system where students are matched with teachers based on their language level
and learning style. The student then completes lessons at their own pace, while the teacher monitors their progress
and provides feedback as needed. This system makes it easy for me to provide individualized attention to each
student.”
2. Why do you want to teach English online?

This question is a great way to show your passion for teaching and how you can apply it to the role. If you have
experience teaching online, be sure to highlight what made that experience so special.

Example: “I love working with students of all ages and backgrounds. I find it especially rewarding when I can help
someone overcome their fear of speaking in public or learn a new language. Teaching English online allows me to
reach more people than ever before, which makes me feel like I’m making a real difference in the world.”

3. Do you have any experience with educating children?

This question is asked to determine if you have experience working with a younger audience. If you do, the
interviewer will want to know how your previous experiences can help you succeed in this role.

Example: “I worked as an after-school tutor for two years at my local elementary school. I taught students who
were struggling with their english language skills and helped them develop confidence in speaking and writing. This
experience has given me valuable insight into what it takes to be successful when teaching children.”

4. What is your philosophy when it comes to education?

This question is an opportunity to show your interviewer that you have a passion for teaching and learning. You can
discuss what inspires you about education, how you approach new challenges in the classroom or how you help
students develop their skills and knowledge.

Example: “I believe that education is one of the most important things we do as human beings. It’s our
responsibility to teach each other, learn from each other and grow together. I love being able to share my
knowledge with others and see them discover new things. In my last position, I had a student who was struggling
with math. We worked on it together until he understood it, and by the end of the year, he was getting A’s.”

5. How would you handle a student that has trouble staying on task?

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle challenging situations and the strategies you use to
solve them. Use examples from your experience that show you have a plan for handling these types of issues and are
able to work with students to find solutions.

Example: “I had a student once who would often get distracted during lessons. I started by asking him what was
distracting him, and he told me it was his phone. We talked about why it’s important to stay focused on our lesson
and set up some rules for when he could check his phone. He ended up being one of my best students after that.”

6. Tell me about a time where you had difficulty motivating one of your students, what did you do?

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle challenges and develop strategies to overcome
them. When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide specific examples of how you helped your students
improve their motivation or study habits.
Example: “I once had a student who was very motivated at the beginning of our lessons but would often lose focus
during the middle of our sessions. I noticed that he would get distracted by his phone when we were reviewing
vocabulary words, so I started using more visuals in my lessons to keep him engaged. This strategy worked well for
us and allowed me to continue teaching effectively while also helping him learn new concepts.”

7. What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s important to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses.
When answering this question, think of two or three things you’re good at and two or three things you need to
improve on.

Example: “I’m very organized and detail-oriented, which helps me stay focused when teaching students. I also
have experience with technology, so I feel comfortable using the online classroom software that 51Talk uses. My
weakness is my accent. Although I speak English fluently, I sometimes mispronounce words because of my accent.
I’ve been practicing speaking more clearly, though, and I hope to continue improving.”

8. Are you available during peak hours (9pm-12am)?

This question is a way for the interviewer to assess your availability and commitment level. If you are not available
during these hours, it’s important to explain why in your answer.

Example: “I am available during peak hours, however I do have a full-time job that requires me to work from 5pm
until 11pm. This means that I would only be able to teach one class per day if hired. However, I am willing to make
up any missed classes on weekends or after my shift ends.”

9. Do you consider yourself an easy going person?

This question is often asked to determine if you can work well with others. Employers want to know that you’re a
team player and will be able to get along with your coworkers. When answering this question, it’s important to show
that you are friendly and willing to help others.

Example: “I consider myself an easy going person. I’m always looking for ways to make my coworkers’ days
better. For example, when I see someone struggling with something, I offer to help them out. This helps me build
relationships with my coworkers and makes the workplace more enjoyable.”

10. How long have you been working in the education field?

This question is a great way for employers to learn more about your background and experience. If you have been
working in the education field for quite some time, it’s important to highlight any specific accomplishments or skills
that make you an ideal candidate. If this is your first job in the education field, explain how you are passionate about
helping students succeed.

Example: “I’ve worked as a teacher at my local high school for five years now. I love being able to help students
develop their foreign language skills so they can go on to study abroad. In my last position, I was also responsible
for creating lesson plans and grading assignments. This helped me become familiar with the online teaching
methods used by 51Talk.”

11. Provide an example of a lesson plan that you created.

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your teaching style and how you plan lessons. Use
examples from previous jobs or include information on the lesson plans you create for your current job.

Example: “At my last job, I created a weekly lesson plan that included daily objectives, homework assignments and
activities. I also included tips for parents on how they can help their children with language learning at home. This
helped me stay organized and ensured that students were prepared for each class.”

12. What kind of internet connection do you have at home?

This question is a way for the interviewer to understand your technical skills and how you might handle working
with students who have different internet connection speeds.

Example: “I have a fiber optic internet connection at home, which allows me to stream videos without any
buffering or lag time. I also have a reliable wireless router that can support up to 10 devices connected at once.
This means I can work with multiple students in my home office at one time.”

13. What is your biggest challenge when it comes to teaching english online?

This question is a great way to show your interviewer that you are aware of the challenges of teaching online and
how you overcome them. Your answer should include an example of a challenge you faced, what you did about it
and the result.

Example: “The biggest challenge when teaching english online is making sure students understand my accent. I
have found that using visual aids like videos or images can help me get my point across more clearly. For example,
if I am talking about colors, I will use pictures of objects in different colors so they can see what I mean.”

14. Do you have any previous teaching experience?

This question is a great way to learn about your potential employer’s expectations for the role. If you have teaching
experience, it can be beneficial to share what you learned from that experience and how it will help you succeed in
this position.

Example: “I’ve had several positions where I was responsible for educating others. In my last job as an assistant
manager at a local restaurant, I trained new employees on proper food handling techniques and customer service
skills. This helped me develop my communication and presentation skills, which are important when working with
students.”

15. What makes you qualified to be an ESL teacher?

This question is a great way for employers to learn more about your background and qualifications. They want to
know what makes you qualified to teach their students, so it’s important to highlight any relevant experience or
education that shows you’re prepared for the job.

Example: “I have been teaching English as a second language for five years now, and I’ve worked with many
different age groups and skill levels. I’m passionate about helping others learn new languages, and I feel like my
skills make me an excellent candidate for this position.”

16. What age group do you prefer to work with?

This question is a way for the interviewer to understand your teaching style and preferences. It’s important to be
honest about what age group you prefer, but also explain why you enjoy working with that age group.

Example: “I have worked with students of all ages, however I find that my favorite age group to work with are
teenagers. They’re eager to learn and they’re always excited to practice their english skills. I love seeing them get
more confident in speaking english as we go through our lessons.”

17. How do you think your skills as a teacher will translate over to online learning?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you have experience teaching online and how it has
helped develop your skills as a teacher.

Example: “I think my skills as a teacher will translate over to online learning because I am used to having one-on-
one interactions with students, which is what online learning requires. In my previous position, I had a lot of
success using video conferencing software to teach foreign language classes. This allowed me to interact with
students in real time while also providing them with visual cues for pronunciation and grammar rules.”

18. Have you ever worked remotely before?

This question is a great way to learn more about the candidate’s experience with working remotely. If you are hiring
for a remote position, it can be helpful to know if your potential employees have worked in this type of environment
before and how they feel about it.

Example: “I’ve never worked remotely before, but I am excited to try it out. I think that having the freedom to work
from home would be a great benefit to me as an employee because it would allow me to spend more time with my
family while still getting work done.”

19. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s often asked to see if you’re planning on staying with the
company for long-term. It can also be used to determine your career goals. When answering this question, think
about what you want to accomplish in the next five years. Try to make sure that these goals align with the job
description.
Example: “I hope to have my teaching certification by then. I would like to work at 51Talk until I get my
certification, as I feel this school has given me so much already. After getting my certification, I’d love to teach
abroad.”

20. Describe your personality.

This question is a great way to learn more about the candidate’s personality and how they interact with others. It also
helps employers determine if you’ll fit in well with their team. When answering this question, it can be helpful to
describe your positive traits and what makes you unique.

Example: “I am an outgoing person who loves meeting new people. I’m always willing to help someone out or lend
a hand when needed. I think my friendly demeanor makes me a great communicator and listener. I enjoy learning
about other cultures and making friends from all over the world.”