Do you want to teach learners across the globe from your online classroom? To build a worldwide teaching business, it’s helpful to know what families in other places are looking for.

That’s why we’re sharing some paths to success to reach learners in several markets on Outschool — East Asia (specifically South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong), the United Kingdom, and Australia.

East Asia

Outschool findings show that learners from this part of the world tend to want English language classes on subjects like writing or book clubs. They also value courses on topics that meet specific interests — drawing or making friends, for instance — where they can practice their English with native English speakers in a fun setting. These don’t need to be English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, but educators should clearly communicate in class titles or descriptions (add “ESL friendly”) that international learners are welcome.

Here’s some general tips to reach learners in this market:

• Schedule your classes at after-school times, either in the late afternoon or early evening. This is a time period when learners want to take classes on Outschool and often don’t have enough classes to choose from. For example, if you’re on the East Coast of the United States and teach a class at 5 a.m., that’s 6 p.m. in South Korea. Perfect! Learners may also take classes before school.
• Add a video to your profile, if you don’t already have one. Parents in East Asia have varying levels of English fluency, so video can give them a glimpse of an educator’s personality. Ideally, you’ll show them you’re a warm and enthusiastic teacher!
• Create class videos. Consider including a brief section that shows you teaching the class (without showing any Outschool learners) to help families see what your class looks like. You may also want to add text to highlight what learners will accomplish by the end of the course.
• Highlight any credentials or degrees you have, particularly if you have ESL or TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification.
• Describe the level of English necessary to take a class. For example: “Most learners in this class are intermediate speakers.”
• Provide progress reports every couple of weeks. Families may be used to receiving reports like this from other types of school experiences. These can be simple, saying something like: “Your daughter did a great job telling a story to the class this week.”

In South Korea, families tend to spend a lot of disposable income on education and place a high value on learning English. Top class subjects for learners from this country include writing, book clubs, public speaking, science, chess and other games, critical thinking, tutoring, and ESL classes.

Once students are out of school in July, summer camps are popular, and Outschool promotes camps with sections available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. KST. Learners still take other courses in the summer, but camps offer a more intensive English experience.

Due to recent events in Taiwan, families’ enthusiasm for online learning has been growing. Learners in Taiwan have similar class preferences to those of students in South Korea. Summer vacation starts in Taiwan in July as well, and families there embrace summer camps.

Learners in Hong Kong have similar interests but take more reading classes, including those that focus on reading comprehension and book clubs. Learners likely have more exposure to English in their homes since English is one of two official languages in Hong Kong. Other popular topics are writing, drawing, science, singing, animals, Disney themes, and tutoring, especially 1-on-1 classes for those ages 11 and older.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom (made up of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland), home education is growing in popularity. To succeed in teaching these learners, it’s helpful to know the way each country organizes and speaks about its curriculum. For instance, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the sixth form is the last, and optional, two years of secondary school, when students are typically ages 16 to 18. Another example is that Year 2 is equivalent to 1st grade in the U.S.

Families there may educate their children at home for a variety of reasons, including a desire to pursue unschooling, or passion-driven education, or to meet the needs of learners considered neurodiverse or gifted. Families may also turn to Outschool for after-school classes.

There’s an opportunity for educators who understand this market to teach more classes, particularly from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. GMT. Plus, there are more interested learners than classes available on subjects like gaming, Dungeons & Dragons, Minecraft, chess, and making friends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. GMT. Reading, writing, and drawing are also popular topics for UK learners.

Australia

Educators who teach Outschool learners in Australia are also likely to be teaching homeschool or after-school classes. Here too, it’s key to have knowledge about the country’s education system for tutoring or academic subjects.

Popular topics for Australian learners include reading, writing, gaming, and drawing as well as current events and geography. Families are looking for more classes on writing, Dungeons & Dragons, Minecraft, and public speaking from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.

Staying current on market trends

To remain up to date on what types of classes parents from outside of the U.S. and Canada are searching for, check out the Insights page (updated every two weeks) on this topic. You’ll also find this information in Outschool’s biweekly email newsletter, Marketplace Insights.

If you’re in the United Kingdom or Australia, join Outschool educators from those areas of the world in the UK Outschool Educators or Australian Outschool Educators groups on Facebook.