TEFL Horizons
Virtual ELT Conference
“Online TEFLpreneurship”
Friday, December 12 - Sunday, December 14, 2025
The annual ELT training and networking event
for teachers who want to start or expand their own online English teaching business
TEFLpreneur = ESL/ EFL teacher + entrepreneur
Are you…
currently a freelance online English teacher?
interested in teaching English online but not sure where to start?
ready to replace or supplement your language school income by branching out on your own?
looking for ways to find more direct online students?
wondering how you can turn your teaching skills into a successful online business?
What to Expect at the Conference
3 Days of inspiration, motivation, and practical advice
Join us for a long weekend of live, interactive sessions that will open your eyes to the world of teflpreneurship.
Learn from training sessions on everything from how to reach new students through social media to finding and establishing your ideal niche. Get empowered to go solo!
See the conference lineup here.
Successful Freelancers from all different areas of ELT
Learn from 19 different presenters who are all accomplished TEFLpreneurs and established industry experts as they share their recipes for success in the freelance teaching world.
Have you ever thought about creating and selling your own materials? Did you know your niche could be as narrow as “English for mining industry professionals?” You’ll meet these successful teachers and more!
See the presenter bios here.
2 Different Ticket Options for Affordable (or Free!) Access
General Admission:
✅ Free
✅ Access to all live sessions (except the small group Q&A the following weekend)
🔴 no recording access
🔴 no access to additional resources
🔴 no access to conference community
Premium Access:
✅ $17 USD
✅ Access to all live sessions
✅ Access to all recordings for 1 month after the event
✅ Access to additional resources & special offers
✅ Access to conference platform/ discussion boards
Replay Videos & Additional Resources
With premium access tickets, you’ll get access to all of the replay videos for a full month after the live event. This is the best way to watch all sessions and review all of the information on your own time, even after the conference weekend has concluded.
You’ll also get access to special additional resources, plus the opportunity to engage with presenters and fellow participants inside the conference platform.
Participants from around the World
You’ll meet current and aspiring “teflpreneurs” and freelance teachers from all over the globe who are coming together for this international virtual event. Share stories and experiences in the session chats, or engage further by posting on the conference platform.
Network, connect, and build your confidence. Who knows… maybe you can team up with some of your new connections for future collaborations of your own!
Conference Schedule
Friday, December 12
Room A
10 - 11:15am Eastern US time
Shannon Felt
Conference Welcome & Opening Talk: “What Exactly Do You Need to Go Freelance?”
Many English language teachers want to take the leap into freelance teaching, because the benefits are clear. You can set your own schedule and your own rates. You can finally teach what you want to teach and develop your own methods, courses, and brand. By cutting out the language school “middle man,” you have the potential to earn a lot more money. But… how do you get started? Do you need specific tech tools? A marketing background? A massive social media following out of the gate? To kick off this year’s Online TEFLpreneurship conference, let’s talk about what you really need to get started as a freelancer. It may not be exactly what you think!
Room A
11:30am - 12:30pm Eastern US time
Alex Birmingham
"Where to Begin…? #thestruggleisreal #part2"
Starting a career as a new teacher or freelancer looking to build your own business is an exciting yet nerve-wracking journey. The road is full of challenges—money worries, self-doubt, and figuring out how to market yourself. The fear of failure can be paralysing, making every decision feel huge. But don't worry! You’re not alone. Many have had to face these same hurdles, and Alex is one of them. Listen in on what he has to say now that he’s been navigating the wild world of virtual teaching — his challenges these days are nothing like the ones he tackled last year. Is everything as Instagram-perfect as it looks, or has he tripped over a few digital hurdles along the way? Time to find out…
Room B
11:30am - 12:30pm Eastern US time
Sandy Millin
“What’s the Point of Doing DELTA?”
As a freelance teacher, it’s a balancing act deciding what to spend your hard-earned money on. Developing your business? Professional development? But which development? And is it worth spending money on expensive advanced teaching qualifications? Will it actually help your business or your learners? In this talk, Sandy breaks down what Cambridge DELTA is, what teachers can learn from it, and how doing diploma-level studies can benefit your learners. She’ll also briefly summarise Trinity DipTESOL, another common diploma-level qualification, and talk about the difference between the two qualifications to help you decide which might be best for you.
Room A
1 - 2pm Eastern US time
Tyson Seburn
“Disruption Complements Usualisation in LGBTQ+ Inclusive Materials”
Our materials and pedagogy can either keep things cosy within the norm or give them a well-deserved shake. This session explores how a disruptive, inclusive approach—in conversation with usualisation—supports learners in forming deeper intersectional insights and feeling confident enough to question “the way things are.” Join Tyson to break down what disruption can look like in practice using LGBTQ+ representation specifically, why it matters for language learning and beyond, and how to feel more comfortable in the messy discomfort that inclusive pedagogy serves. From there, you’ll learn how to embrace it to create lively, critical, learner-empowering wins.
Room B
1 - 2pm Eastern US time
Erin Sebelius
“Why You Should Consider Volunteering as an ESOL Teacher (yes, volunteering!)”
Some say serving others is simply the right thing to do. Others encourage it as a way for us each to do our own small part to bring about the world we wish to live in. And some tout the personal or professional growth, leadership development, and new opportunities that volunteering can bring. Whatever your impetus or inspiration, and from wherever you are located, you could help meet the great need in the US for volunteer instructors to teach the thousands of adult immigrants who want to learn English but cannot afford to pay for classes. In this session, we’ll discuss the landscape of free English instruction in the US, the benefits to both instructors and students, and how you can find the perfect volunteer role for you.
Room A
2:30 - 3:30pm Eastern US time
Karen Taylor
“The Color Vowel Approach: A ‘Must’ for All TEFLpreneurs”
Working for yourself means working *on* your business and *in* your business. Color Vowel® helps you with both! Learn how this simple but powerful method will boost your learners’ speaking success and make you fall in love with teaching all over again. Then find out how Color Vowel® licensing options give you the extra edge you need for effective client marketing, recruitment, and retention.
Room B
2:30 - 3:30pm Eastern US time
Nina Hanáková
“Unlocking Your Potential as a Female Languagepreneur: an Interview with a Mentor”
The challenges new freelance teachers face often go beyond the logistical - they can be personal and emotional. In this pre-recorded session, Shannon interviews Nina (founder of Nina English), a seasoned freelancer with 21 years of experience in teaching and mentoring female language entrepreneurs. Listen in to learn about Nina’s journey of creating a thriving community for female language teachers, including the organic evolution from teaching to mentorship. She also offers insight into the unique struggles faced by women freelancing in ELT, such as building and maintaining confidence, uncertainty around pricing and marketing, and the emotional aspects of going solo. In the process, Nina shares her best tips for new language entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of visibility, consistency, and authentic self-promotion.
Saturday, December 13
Room A
10 - 11am Eastern US time
Jelena Petkov
“Teach. Inspire. Be Well. Stay Sane.”
As teachers, we often focus so much on our students (their motivation, emotions, goals, satisfaction) that we rarely think about ourselves. It can be easy to lose sight of our own motivation, emotions, goals, and satisfaction. That’s why so many of us eventually lose our mojo or even burn out. In this session, Jelena will share strategies to help keep you passionate and inspired. She’ll share tips for deciding who you want to teach (choosing your ideal students), staying emotionally regulated and managing stress, protecting your needs and your teacher identity, and maintaining strong boundaries and building resilience. When a teacher is present and well, she’s truly teaching and her classroom thrives; when she isn’t, she’s just struggling to survive.
Room B
10 - 11am Eastern US time
“Fluency MC” - Jason levine
“Motivating Students with Rhythm and Rhyme”
Music and song lyrics develop accuracy and fluency across all four skills. This workshop will focus on the unique role songs play in language learning by exploring issues surrounding memory and motivation. Join Jason Levine, better known as Fluency MC, to learn how to select songs, plan activities, and create materials that meet your students’ needs.
Room A
11:30am - 12:30pm Eastern US time
Rachael Roberts
“Attracting Better-Fit Clients with Smarter Social Content”
Many freelance language professionals put huge amounts of energy into social media, but still feel as if they’re posting into the void. In this practical session, Rachael brings together insights from her work with hundreds of teachers, trainers, and coaches to explore why content often fails to connect - and what to do instead. Drawing on real examples, she shares the six most common content mistakes she sees in the ELT world, including unclear positioning, overly broad messaging, and posting without a clear purpose. You’ll learn how to create content that genuinely resonates with the people you want to work with, gently filters out those who aren’t a good fit, and builds trust over time so that prospective clients feel confident taking the next step. Expect a down-to-earth session full of practical advice, strategic insights, and a few lightbulb moments to help you refine your own approach.
Room B
11.30am - 12.30pm Eastern US time
Olga Kiriushina
“So You Want to Start a YouTube Channel…”
You don’t need fancy equipment and an over-the-top personality to create a YouTube channel with the goal of teaching English. You don’t even have to be a native English speaker. You do, however, need to become a sort of jack-of-all-trades in a way. Olga, the creator of YouTube channel Fluent English with Lady Giraffe, will teach you what the process of creating an educational video looks like, how long it takes (you’re in for a big surprise!), the basics of how the almighty YouTube algorithm works, what kind of skills you’re expected to acquire, what challenges you’re going to face when you decide to upload your first videos, and what being a small content creator feels like.
** This is a pre-recorded session **
Room A
1-2pm Eastern US time
Joshua Yardley
“Putting the PBL in PossiBLe: Tackling the Challenges of Project-Based Learning”
Joshua has been designing project-based learning (PBL) courses for over 10 years in a variety of contexts. He will share lessons he learned from designing projects at a technical college in Saudi Arabia to a middle school in Ohio, as well as how he is trying to simplify the process for other teachers. We will review the fundamentals of PBL, including benefits and examples, before exploring the challenges of PBL and how to address them. We will also go over resources that you can use to get started with PBL and elevate your teaching by creating memorable learning experiences.
Room B
1-2pm Eastern US time
Kirsten Smith
“Reinventing Niche Teaching:
Sustainable, Innovative Models for a Changing ESL Landscape”
If you attended last year’s conference, you may remember that Kirsten built her teaching business around an extremely specific niche. While her business was humming along with one to one sessions, Kirsten started to feel like she needed a more flexible, sustainable business model - for her clients and for herself. So she made a dramatic shift in her business towards asynchronous offers. And this lead to a major epiphany. While her initial goal was simply to save time and resources, she realized she had actually accomplished something even more impactful: her students were becoming more motivated, proactive learners. In this session, Kirsten shares how she overcame the challenges of niche teaching, how she restructured her business into a more asynchronous model, and the tools and strategies she uses to encourage active, self-guided learning.
** This is a pre-recorded session **
Room A
2:30 - 3:30pm Eastern US time
Karin Bates
“Bring Success into Your Freelancing Work with Confidence”
Looking for professional materials that will work in person or online, with small groups or 1:1? Join Karin to discover how you can teach with Intercambio’s Confidence and Connections curriculum. It’s designed to work well for students who want to learn authentic English and for teachers who want and need a curriculum backed by sound English language teaching principles but that is also easy to teach from. The name “Confidence and Connections” says it all: this curriculum builds skills, increases learner confidence, and inspires life-changing connections for all participants. Karin will share a little about the history of Intercambio, what "relationship-based ESOL” is, and how the Confidence and Connections curriculum can help teachers break into freelancing with confidence.
Room B
2:30 - 3:30pm Eastern US time
David Deubelbeiss
“The Seven Deadly Sins of TEFLpreneurship”
It’s not easy “going it alone” and being at the helm of your own educational ship. Besides having to do so much, there are many hazards out there on the high seas of learning and teaching. This session will review seven “sins” that TEFLpreneurs need to avoid or temper to maximize their own success as freelancers or consultants. The presentation will draw on David’s 30+ years of edupreneurship and will allow time for plenty of questions. You’ll also learn more about the ELT Buzz Lesson Library and how to access materials.
Sunday, December 14
Room A
10 - 11am Eastern US time
Ana Jereb
“The Teaching Life You Don’t Need to Recover From”
Running your own teaching business feels like freedom… and it's such a great feeling! But what happens when worry, anxiety and fear show up? Whether it’s the fear of not earning enough, not doing enough or that everyone else knows something you don’t… it happens to so many of us and it's not a great feeling. This workshop is an invitation to a better way. Not an easier one, mind you, but a fuller, calmer, more sustainable one. Join Ana to explore three radical mindset pivots that can transform how you live and work: letting go of control and learning to trust the process, acting from your values instead of fear, and building a sense of community instead of isolation. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of what “enough” looks like for you, simple practices to reduce the mental noise of running a business, and the courage to approach your teaching life as something to be lived and enjoyed fully.
Room B
10 - 11am Eastern US time
Emily Bryson
“Powerful Visual Thinking Strategies for TEFLpreneurial Success”
As TEFLpreneurs, having a clear idea of goals and how we plan to achieve them is crucial. Visual Thinking can help entrepreneurs to map out their dreams, define what ‘success’ means to them, and reflect on their wins so far. This session will share tried and tested ways to do this. Using innovative visual metaphors and super-simple doodles, participants will be guided to explore their current eco-system and make a visual plan for their future. These powerful strategies focus on the communicative aspects of hand-drawn visuals; no drawing skills are required, just a desire to visualise success and use it to succeed!
Room A
11:30am - 12:30pm Eastern US time
Tim Bolen
“Losing Your Fear of Content Creation”
Does the idea of creating social media content to grow your English teaching business intimidate or scare you? Do you think you need to have a million different skills to build a following on social media? Do you think that building a social media presence is IMPOSSIBLE for you and always will be? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, join Tim (@yourenglishcheerleader), an ESL content creator who grew his social media following from 0 to almost 400k in three years, for a fun, uplifting session where he’ll explain how he built his following and tell you everything he would have liked to know when he started out on Instagram with zero followers and a dream back in July of 2022. Learn what you need to get started with content creation (which is a lot less than you think!), how to build a loyal following of people who actually care about YOU and trust your expertise enough to become paying customers, and what you should avoid to stay sane throughout the process. If you’re looking for a more optimistic, hopeful perspective on content creation, this session is for you!
Room B
11:30am - 12:30pm Eastern US time
Boelo Van Der Pool
“Dyslexia... Problem or Opportunity? (Hint: it's the latter!)”
OMG. Another student with dyslexia. What should you do? Ignore him? Send him somewhere else? NO!!! Teach him! Treasure him! Make this your opportunity to gain new and more students. Get into a niche market that represents 10-15% of the population. In this workshop, Boelo will guide you through looking at what dyslexia is and what you can do to offer dyslexia-friendly language classes. And how you can make this an opportunity.
Room A
1 - 2:30pm Eastern US time
Shannon Felt
Closing Talk: “How to Succeed as an Online TEFLpreneur”
You’ve heard from the experts about the different aspects of the online ELT industry and all of the options out there for generating online income as a freelancer. You’re feeling inspired to get started! In this final session, we’ll go through the essential steps of taking the leap into freelancing, building your online teaching business, and the best ways to set yourself up for success as a TEFLpreneur.
Conference Tickets
🎟️
General Admission Ticket
✅ Access to all live sessions (except the small group Q&A the following weekend)
🔴 no recording access
🔴 no access to additional resources
🔴 no access to conference community
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Premium Access ticket
✅ Access to all live sessions
✅ Access to all recordings for 1 month after the event (through January 12th, 2026)
✅ Access to additional resources & special offers
✅ Access to conference community/ discussion board
Early bird discount! Get premium access tickets for only $10 with the coupon code EARLY at checkout.
‼️ Expires on Monday, December 8th!
Conference speakers
Karin Bates
Karin has over 30 years of experience teaching English to speakers of other languages of all ages and in multiple settings. Karin joined Intercambio Uniting Communities in January 2022 after most recently working for five years at a non-profit teaching English and adult basic education to immigrants and refugees.
As the TESOL Specialist, Karin is responsible for the training and ongoing development of teachers in The Intercambio Way, both locally and nationally, along with supporting the development of curriculum and materials. Karin received her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in 1995 from the University of Colorado at Denver. Additionally, Karin received her Adult Basic Education Authorization (ABEA) from the Colorado Department of Education in 2019.
Karin has experienced living overseas in the U.K., the People’s Republic of China, and Paris, France. She enjoys her monthly book club, binge watching series, and spending time with her two young adult children.
About Intercambio: Intercambio Uniting Communities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Over the past 23 years, the organization has grown from a few volunteers visiting adult English language learners in their homes to thousands of participants throughout the country using their curriculum released in 2019: Confidence and Connections. Learn more about Intercambio here.
Alex Birmingham
Alex has always had a genuine passion for both teaching and foreign languages. When these two interests come together, they create a vibrant language instructor with over 10 years of experience, leading Alex to become a teacher trainer. He has a knack for motivating and inspiring others to chase their dreams while making the most of their time and energy. As a lifelong learner, Alex believes that education is a continuous journey, and he’s dedicated to constantly improving his own skills along the way. You can find him on Instagram @englishville.online.
Tim Bolen
Tim is an online ESL teacher and content creator originally from Long Island, New York, but he grew up and currently resides in southeast Pennsylvania. In 2022, Tim launched Your English Cheerleader, an Instagram page where he teaches advanced English vocabulary and grammar, and earlier this year, he turned his following into a full-fledged ESL teaching business that allows him to work one-on-one with advanced learners to help them improve their vocabulary and fluency.
Prior to starting his Instagram page, Tim worked as a high school Spanish and French teacher in Philadelphia, and fine-tuning his Spanish and French is one of his favorite hobbies in his free time, along with gaming and writing. You can find more about his work here.
Emily Bryson
Emily Bryson is an experienced ELT professional. She has written various print and digital materials, including National Geographic Learning’s Voices & Impact series, 50 Ways to Teach Life Skills and Pathways to Success: Visual Tools for Goal-Setting, Self-Evaluation and Progression. She is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and the use of visual tools and graphic facilitation strategies to make learning more engaging, accessible and fun. She is a resident blogger for Ellii learning and frequently delivers teacher development sessions for a variety of ELT organisations. Her training courses with a visual twist have been described as ‘the nicest corner of the internet’ and her sketchnotes are extremely popular on socials.
You can find out more about her at EmilyBrysonELT.com and follow her on Instagram, Facebook & YouTube @EmilyBrysonELT or via Linkedin.
David Deubelbeiss
David Deubelbeiss B.Ed, M.Ed (TESOL) is an internationally recognized professor, teacher trainer, edupreneur and curriculum developer. A well-known lecturer and consultant, he’s the author and creator of many publications and digital platforms. He's taught the whole gambit of students, from Grade 4, to new immigrants, to graduate students and pre-service teachers. David has worked with schools and organizations across the globe and built many ed-tech platforms including EFL Classroom, EnglishCentral and currently, ELT Buzz. Find him on his large LinkedIn Group – ELT Professionals.
David espouses the simple educational philosophy of “When one teaches, two learn.”
Shannon Felt
Shannon Felt is the founder of TEFL Horizons and has been an English language teacher and teacher trainer for over ten years. She holds a Cambridge CELTA and DELTA and is also a certified CELTA trainer.
Through TEFL Horizons, Shannon hosts the TEFL Horizons podcast and YouTube channel, and offers regular professional development webinars for teachers. She also trains teachers through her Online English Teacher certification course and helps current and prospective online teachers build their own freelance businesses in the Online TEFLpreneur program.
Shannon thoroughly enjoys the location-independence that comes with being a TEFLpreneur from her current home base in Asheville, NC. When she’s not teaching or training, you can often find her reading on a patio, planning her next travel adventure, or hanging out with her dog, Gigi.
Nina Hanáková
Nina is a business mentor and consultant helping women languagepreneurs build thriving, relationship-driven businesses. Under her brand, Nina English, she built a successful language school and developed innovative teaching methodologies, group courses, and masterminds. With 20+ years as an ELT freelancer, she helps teachers master pricing, marketing, and sustainable business practices. She also organizes a yearly Language Teachers Festival in her hometown of Brno, Czech Republic.
Ana Jereb
Ana Jereb is a teacher trainer and wellbeing coach for language teachers. She’s been working in ELT for nearly two decades -- teaching, training, mentoring, and helping teachers rediscover what makes their work meaningful. Through her platform, Art of ELT, Ana supports educators and teacher-entrepreneurs in creating sustainable, fulfilling, and healthy professional lives that don’t rely on burnout as the only possible outcome.
Her work brings together pedagogy, psychology, and practical wellbeing. She believes that great teaching and thriving businesses grow from the same roots: clarity, self-trust, and human connection. Ana’s workshops and coaching programs focus on helping teachers build systems that support their values, protect their energy, and make space for joy, creativity, and balance both inside and outside the classroom.
Olga Kiriushina
Olga is a language learning enthusiast who loves sharing study tips with her fellow English learners. She created her YouTube channel, Fluent English with Lady Giraffe, in 2021, and it now has over 17 thousand subscribers and well over half a million views. Olga is especially passionate about reading in foreign languages, dictionaries, and studying vocabulary and grammar.
Jason Levine
Jason R Levine is an English teacher, trainer, and materials writer from the United States currently living in Paris, France. He has led student workshops and teacher training programs in twenty-two countries around the world based on the songs and videos he creates as Fluency MC.
Jason has published with Oxford University Press, Editions Didier, and Black Cat and works as an English Specialist with the U.S. Department of State. “Stick, Stuck, Stuck,” his music video to practice irregular verbs, has more than 50 million views across social media.
Sandy Millin
Sandy is a freelance teacher trainer, methodology writer and ELT consultant. Since 2021, she has run her own business, Take Your Time DELTA, where she provides Cambridge DELTA Module 1 and Module 3 courses, currently working with nearly 100 trainees. She also spent two years working as a trainer on Trinity DipTESOL courses for Oxford TEFL.
She is passionate about helping teachers to develop professionally in a manageable, realistic way which has no negative impacts on their wellbeing or health.
Sandy is proud to be an IATEFL Ambassador. She blogs at sandymillin.wordpress.com.
Jelena Petkov
Jelena Petkov is an English language teacher who specialises in preparing students for Cambridge English Exams. She holds a university degree in English language and literature, a Cambridge CELTA, and an Arizona State University certification on creating and implementing online courses.
Creating her teacher Instagram account, @CambridgeEnglish.Ellen, 5 years ago became a significant milestone in her 18-year-long teaching journey. Suddenly, her classroom went global, welcoming learners from all over the world. Through her online courses, e-books, webinars, and newsletter, she’s helped countless high-flyers boost their English and ace Cambridge exams. To date, she’s personally worked with over 1,000 students, both in person and online.
Jelena lives in Novi Sad, Serbia, where she runs her own language school, English with Ellen. Find out more at englishwithellen.education.
Rachael Roberts
Rachael Roberts is a business coach, trainer, and long-time ELT professional who helps freelance language teachers, trainers, and consultants build thriving, sustainable businesses - without burning out. After more than 30 years in the ELT world as a teacher, trainer, senior academic manager and materials writer, she saw how many talented freelancers were undervaluing their expertise or struggling to attract the right clients.
Through her flagship programme, Designed to Flourish, Rachael supports freelancers in clarifying their niche, developing compelling offers, and creating ethical, strategic marketing that feels authentic and doable. She is known for her practical approach and ability to turn complexity into clear, manageable steps.
Erin Sebelius
Erin Sebelius has been learning and teaching languages for over 40 years. She has mainly taught English as a new language but was also somehow convinced to teach introductory Spanish and German to middle school students for a few years. For the past twenty years, she’s directed the ESOL program at Literacy Together, a nonprofit literacy provider in Asheville, NC (USA).
Tyson Seburn
Tyson Seburn (MA EdTech & TESOL, University of Manchester) is an EMI/EAP lecturer at the University of Toronto and tutors for Trinity DipTESOL. His interests focus on Queer and racialised ELT experiences. He is the author of Academic Reading Circles (2015) and How to Write Inclusive Materials (2021). You can find out more at seburnt.substack.com.
Kirsten Smith
Kirsten spent most of her career as a geologist/metallurgist in the mining industry, both in Australia and as an expat in South East Asia. As a senior processing engineer, she was not only responsible for developing innovative design choices for multi-million dollar processes, but in training and developing staff to follow in her footsteps.
As her career progressed, she felt less inspired by the high conflict world of the board room and more satisfied with watching others grow and embrace challenges head on. So when the time came to change course, she knew exactly which direction to go.
She has worked tirelessly in building her own English communication business online through 1-1 online programs, asynchronous learning programs, and online courses. It is her aspiration to empower more non-native English speaking mining industry professionals and to open the doors to the careers and opportunities they dream of. On a more personal level, becoming a TEFLpreneur also supports her own family’s move from Malaysia to Cairo to pursue their dream career and study opportunities.
Karen Taylor
Karen Taylor is the founder and director of English Language Training Solutions, home of the Color Vowel Chart. She holds an MA in TESOL from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a BA in English Literature from Georgetown University.
A former Fulbright TEFL Specialist, Karen served as TESOL Practitioner in Residence at American University for nine years before setting out as a "Teacher Trainer-preneur." Her company has reached thousands of teachers around the world who today use words like "game changing" and "mind blowing" to describe the impact of their Color Vowel journey on their classroom teaching and their private English coaching practice.
Boelo van der Pool
Boelo (pronounced "Bulo") has been active in the language teaching industry since 1994. He's been a school owner, language coach, course developer, teacher trainer, and international researcher. Being dyslexic himself, Boelo has spent the past five years developing dyslexia-friendly language teaching strategies that have already helped over 200 students in Spain and Latin America improve their English skills.
He now works to help language schools and teachers worldwide to successfully gain new clients among the 10-15% of the population with a dyslexic brain. Find out more about his work at boelovanderpool.com.
Joshua Yardley
Joshua has worked in ELT for 20 years, living in Germany, Mexico, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and across the United States. In that time, he has served as a freelance teacher, academic director, teacher trainer, program director, school administrator, public school ESL teacher and materials writer. He is now based in Washington state, and he dabbles in the intersection of educational creativity and educational technology, exploring how to make dynamic and memorable learning experiences. He is launching an online learning platform early next year to share new and creative course materials, including his own collection of PBL courses. Follow his instagram for updates: @edulab.pub
Conference FAQs
💬 The conference dates are December 12 - 14… do I need to be available live for the whole event?
That’s up to you! The conference live sessions are from 10am - 3:30pm Eastern time (3pm - 8:30pm UK time) on each of those three days. Just keep in mind that general admission tickets grant you access only to the live sessions, so you’ll need to be sure and attend any presentations you want to see while they’re live (check the conference schedule for session times). With premium access tickets, you get access to the live sessions AND all session recordings through Monday, January 12th. So if you know there are sessions you want to see but you won’t be available live, just purchase a premium access ticket and then you can watch any recordings you want, on demand, for a month.
💬 I’m not in Eastern US time. What time is the conference in my country/ city?
You can use this time zone converter to check the local time where you are, or simply Google a different time zone converter if you prefer.
💬 Will I get a certificate of attendance?
No. Due to the number of participants, I am not able to offer personalized certificates of attendance. And honestly, this conference is all about Online TEFLpreneurship - in other words, going freelance and working for yourself! So the big takeaway from this event is what you’ll learn about starting your OWN teaching business - not a piece of paper to show an employer.
💬 How do I get the Zoom links for the conference sessions?
If you purchase a premium access ticket, you’ll gain access to the conference platform, hosted on Teachable. You’ll be able to log in to this platform at any time. There, you’ll find the Zoom links for each session (the day they go live) as well as the recordings afterwards, plus any additional special resources.
If you signed up with general admission OR premium access, you’ll receive an email at the start of each day of the conference with the Zoom links for the live sessions. This Google doc will also be updated with the live links once the conference begins.
💬 Can I get a refund for my premium access ticket if my schedule changes and I can’t attend live or watch the replays in time?
No. Due to the virtual nature of this event, refunds are not available. That’s also why all of the recorded sessions will be available for a full month after the live event ends - so you have plenty of time to watch the replays before your premium access expires.
💬 Is this worth my time and money?
This conference is designed to help you take the leap into freelance online teaching. So if you’re ready to take your online teaching career to the next level, then the answer is yes!
Are you hoping to get inspired by teachers just like you who built thriving online businesses? Do you want to learn more about becoming a successful freelance online English teacher - including how to market your lessons, find more students, earn a higher income, design your own courses, and create your own ELT resources? If the answer is yes, then I think you’ll absolutely love this conference.
💬 I’m not sure I’m interested in freelancing or starting my own online teaching business. Should I still attend?
If you’re curious about it, why not? Perhaps start with free general admission so you can see some of the live sessions, risk-free. If you want to learn more or go deeper, you can always upgrade to premium access later.
💬 With a free general admission ticket, can I still watch the replays/ get access to the recordings?
No. With general admission, you can choose which sessions to attend live, but you will not have access to the replays afterwards.
💬 But there are two live sessions happening in each time slot! So with general admission, I’ll have to miss one…?
Yes, unfortunately that means you’ll need to choose which of the two sessions to see live. The best way to enjoy all the sessions is to upgrade to a premium access ticket.
💬 Why is there a charge for premium access? Can’t the replays be available for free?
Charging a small amount for premium access helps to cover the significant time and effort it takes to organize and run this event. Most 3-day, international events in our industry have a significantly higher ticket price. I did my best to make this event as accessible as possible, while still offering the highest possible value.
💬 What if I sign up with general admission and then decide later that I want access to the recordings?
No problem! Just return to the ticket page and purchase a premium access ticket. You’ll instantly unlock access to the conference platform, which includes the recordings. You’ll have access to these from the time you purchase premium access until Monday, January 12th.
💬 Why do the premium access replays expire after a month?
This conference is intended to be a live event, not a self-study course. If you’re looking for ongoing, on-demand training about how to go freelance, then you’re a great candidate for my Online TEFLpreneur program!
💬 Will I be on camera?
No need to dress up; you will not be on camera for the conference sessions. 😁 The sessions will be “webinar style,” meaning you’ll be able to see and hear the presenter but you won’t be able to turn on your camera or mic.
💬 Will I be able to interact live with the presenters and the other participants?
If you attend the live presentations, then yes! You’ll be able to interact and ask questions in the Zoom chat.
With a premium access ticket, you’ll also be able to engage with presenters and participants by posting on the conference platform.
💬 How is this conference different from TEFL Horizons’ usual webinar series?
This is a full weekend virtual event that’s bringing teachers and industry experts from around the world together! You’ll hear from a whole variety of successful TEFLpreneurs; not just me.