Teaching Beyond Borders: Insights into the Motivations, Challenges and Recommendations for Enhancing BEED Graduates' Readiness for Online ESL Careers

The increasing demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) education has led many Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) graduates to pursue online ESL tutoring as an alternative career path. This study explores their motivations, challenges, and competencies in online ESL teaching and proposes recommendations to enhance their readiness for this profession. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study gathered quantitative data from BEED graduates engaged in online ESL tutoring, followed by qualitative interviews to gain deeper insights. Findings reveal that flexibility, skill development, and income potential are key motivators, while student behavior management, technological proficiency, time constraints, and cross-cultural communication are major challenges. Additionally, many BEED graduates face difficulties in adapting to varying student proficiency levels and struggle with workload management despite the flexibility of online teaching. The study highlights a misalignment between pre-service teacher training and the realities of online ESL instruction, emphasizing the need for enhanced digital literacy, differentiated instruction strategies, and simulated ESL teaching practice in BEED programs. Recommendations include curriculum integration of digital teaching tools, structured training on online platforms, and continuous professional development opportunities. Future research should examine long-term career trajectories and the effectiveness of pre-service training in online ESL education.