"How do you build a sentence in English, Jacqui?" was a question that stopped me in my tracks on Day Two of English Training. And it shouldn't have, but I'd been hired before being qualified and was stumbling around in the dark holding onto this senseless, baseless assumption that I could teach my language simple because I could speak it.

Please, please don't fall into that trap! While you might have studied English grammar in school - and if so you did more than me! - a TESOL qualification will give you so much more. Classroom dynamics, lesson planning, assessment guidelines and more.

In this lecture I discuss the pitfalls of training without a qualification (erm... working for less than peanuts for a fly-by-night operator is one example!), and the advantages I found in having one. Also - where to go to get qualified.

When you go solo you're entering a wide world without a language school to act as a buffer between you and your client. You are the face of your business, and it pays to decide early on what that face is going to be, what it's going to look like. This is our Step Two to becoming a successful ESL solopreneur.

In this lecture I outline my process for making this transformation (from language school teacher to solo trainer), how I defined my points of difference (USPs) and how these became the basis for my marketing plan.

In this text lecture you play the lead: this lecture contains an important task for you to complete. Have a read to find out more!

None of us live, work or operate in a void and even when we are working solo we still are part of complex networks of peers and clients, suppliers and partners.

My success as a trainer has been based on building and maintaining positive working relationships and strong networks with a variety of people and organisations. Who and how? Watch the lecture and let's talk about it afterwards. I encourage some vibrant discussion on this one as we'll all be located in different countries and regions, so through discussion we can explore what networks you can establish.

As an ESL solopreneur your website is often a client's first contact with you, so it goes without saying that you've got to make it look good. I'm pretty proud of the website I put together, in terms of content and style (the latter of which I thank Apple and RapidWeaver for!) and this is what I go through in this lecture. Ref. my website's style, I had a recent client sign up and tell me she chose me over her local (chain) language school because of the predominance of Macs on the site! Should I be sad she didn't mention the content? Not at all - the style pulled her in, the content kept her reading.

But let's not concentrate on this point on how we create the website (that's a topic which could encompass its very own course!), rather let's concentrate on what we need in our websites. My website's worked extremely well for me, and while it's been through some style permutations the core content has remained the same.

So let's go through what has worked well for me, and in a discussion we can explore what can work for you!

This text lecture provides you with some useful tips for your website, tips which have certainly helped me! Feel free to contact me for further information, or if I can help you in some specific way.

Depending on where you're located, the pool of ESL trainers may be small and in small communities, people tend to talk and word spreads quickly.

In this lecture I talk about the importance of maintaining your reputation (and how to do it!) as well as maintaining your brand. This applies not only to your website but also to related marketing collateral.

This lecture is my opportunity to go over the elements we've covered in this course, and to say thank you for working with me.

Every student has a story and a learning journey, and I'd love to know yours. Let me know where you're training now, and where you want to go? What networking have you done, and what networking opportunities are available that you know of? And importantly - how can I help you more?

Looking forward to staying in touch.

~ Jacqueline

If you're a newly-qualified ESL Trainer then you may be interested in this follow-up course I prepared for people just like you: English Made Easy - Language Hacks for ESL Trainers.

It's in response to the numerous questions I've had from trainers over the years about how to actually, practically introduce grammar to students. While a TESOL qualification gives us the piece of paper and a certain amount of practice, it's always advisable to have some more tips and tricks up your sleeves.

Which is where this course comes into it.

If you are interested, please send me a message and I'll give you a special code which will give you a 50 percent discount - my way of saying thank you!

This informal lecture seeks to answer specific questions I've received since launching the course about the daily business - what I do and how I do it. I hope this information is useful to you, and I look forward to hearing from you about it and sharing ideas and experiences!