To be a teacher on italki, you don't need any specific qualifications except for being competent in the language you are teaching. The most important thing is being helpful and offering value to learners. If people studying the language feel like they're receive value from you and think you are helpful, then you are qualified. Having some experience teaching/tutoring the language will also likely boost your quality. The thing with italki's system is that since teachers can set their own price and students rate the teachers, as well as other factors, eventually all of the forces will come together to set the rate at what the market will bear depending on the teachers experience, ratings, qualifications, etc. Some students may not be able to pay as much money, but that's fine since they don't need as high quality of instruction. Those who do require high quality, experienced instruction must be willing to pay more. This is also why italki has set up the distinction between Professional Teachers and Personal Tutors. Professionals are typically people who have formal experience (and maybe training) teaching languages in the classroom. Tutors are those people who are experienced in the language and can answer questions about it and help someone with it, but not necessarily comfortable or competent or experienced in teaching the language in a formal setting. You might expect a Professional to get in front of the classroom and teach a group of students, you wouldn't expect the same thing from a tutor. Also, italki expects sessions booked with Professional Teachers to be teacher-directed (teacher comes with lesson plans, techniques, methodology), whereas sessions with Personal Tutors are student-centered (student comes with questions, problems, situations s/he needs help with). So please, instructors, set-up your profile accordingly. Eventually we expect the price to reflect these distinctions as well.

Continuing... To answer your other question, teaching methods and experience will vary depending whether the instructor is a Professional or a Tutor, as well as based on the student's needs. Queenie does give some good suggestions for how to answer questions or explain language concepts and what might take place in a lesson. I think over time, you will get a feel for what your students need, want, and expect and then you will adapt your teaching style accordingly. Don't be nervous--everyone can be qualified and competent in some aspect, as long as they remain confident in their abilities and willing to help. Good luck!

Oh! an interesting question!... I don't know will I become a good teacher, but I always try my best for this goal. Before I answer a question, I usually think about what's the level of the person who ask the question, because when I know about the level of that person, I will find an appropriate way to anwser the question. Second, try to explain by the simple way first, and then step by step make it more clearly Third, explain by example Fourth, explain by the same situation At last, to emphaside the main meaning. These are my experiences in teaching. Hope to hear more from you!.. Thank you!...