Teaching English to Chinese Kids online - THE FACTS!
If you're anything like me...then when you first hear about the concept of teaching kids online you probably have more than a few questions on how that works. Based on my experience i've compiled a list of Q & A's for you to peruse.
(Disclaimer: I am a self contractor that works for the companies mentioned in this blog. I have no authority to speak on behalf of those companies and all the views expressed in this post are my own.)
Do I have to speak Chinese?
No. I do not speak a lick of Chinese - and neither do most of my online colleagues - however you will pick up some basics as you teach- these kids LOVE to share!
Is it a scam? Will I actually get paid?
No. It's not a scam. There is a WHOLE WORLD of online teaching opportunities awaiting those that look. Each of them employ thousands (not joking, it's heaps) of teachers. All of these teachers attest to the ups and downs of the online teaching world, and they all get paid. Legitimately!
Do I need any teaching experience? Do I need a degree?
I currently work for two companies - one that requires both of the above - one that requires neither! There are at least two companies that allow Australians to teach and don't require degrees. There are HEAPS that will employ you if you have a degree (Or are close to finishing one) and NO it doesn't necessarily have to be in Education!
Most companies will require you to hold some kind of TESOL or TEFL certification. No word of a lie - many (not all) teachers hop onto Groupon search for Tefl/TESOL certificates, pay between $20-$30 aud. and complete a 120 certification in a day. IT'S THAT EASY!
Ok, so how much WILL I get paid?
Well that varies from company to company - Most pay comes in USD so I will use that because the exchange rate varies (as you know). However currently because of the Aussie dollar situation, those living in Australia get a pretty good deal out of being paid USD.
As I said above I work for two companies - the one that requires a degree pays $13-$19USD dollars a class (40min) which works out to about $33-$41 Aud. an hour!
The one that doesn't need a degree does pay a little less. Anywhere from $24-$33 aud. an hour. You get paid between 55Y and 75Y a class - (25min). Yuan is the Chinese unit of currency. Pretty good for unskilled labor that you can do in your PJ's!
Because this is foreign income you will need to take care of your own tax requirements. My goal is to stay under the ever increasing tax free threshold and not worry about it - however many do this full time as a main source of income - you'll need to take paying your own tax into consideration.
What is the time commitment like?
All companies have a minimum required hours that you need to work, and this varies from company to company. Both the companies I work for have a minimum requirement of 3- 3.5 hours a week! Which is NOTHING! The more you work the more you earn though!
So, when do you do it? Is it a day job?
Most companies hours operate around Beijing peak time which is 6pm-9pmBJT. What's great about living in Australia is that we are two hours in front! Making the peak hours of operation 8pm-11pm EST. If you have kids like me then it's A DREAM! Put the kids to bed, go to work!
There are teachers in the US that get up at 4am to do this... we are SO lucky!
When the Chinese kids are on school vacation (they currently are) there are opportunities to extend those hours according to your availability.
Ok, What do I need to get started?
What's involved?
I sit down to my computer or phone (depending on who i'm working for) in front of my background with a few props by my side. One company I teach 1 to 1 for 25min. There are slides I go through that are interactive and you and the kids can draw, drag, circle and play with them. The other company I can teach 4 or 6 kids at a time max (sometimes only 1 or 2 show up!) for 40min.
Do I have to write reports?
Not in the traditional sense. You will be required to give feedback on how the student did. This usually involves some kind of star rating or drop down menu choice and a quick comment.
Will I get bookings?
For newbies the term 'bookings' is kind of foreign. But in the online ESL world 'Bookings' are GOLDEN! Some companies book for you (they assign you lessons) and some companies require you to market yourself and parents choose you. I have experience with both and will go into detail on my initial experience with each in the near future STAY TUNED!
Well done for getting this far! If you are interested in knowing more, or have any questions, leave me a comment and i'll get in touch! Happy to update this post with any questions you have that I can answer too so let me know!
Happy Teaching x
Useful Links:
SayABC Click Here
Palfish Click Here
P.S. Every company offers a referral bonus - If you're interested in getting started and would like my help with the process drop me a line!
Palfish referral code: 58910752
SayABC referral code: EG63VF
(Disclaimer: I am a self contractor that works for the companies mentioned in this blog. I have no authority to speak on behalf of those companies and all the views expressed in this post are my own.)
Do I have to speak Chinese?
No. I do not speak a lick of Chinese - and neither do most of my online colleagues - however you will pick up some basics as you teach- these kids LOVE to share!
Is it a scam? Will I actually get paid?
No. It's not a scam. There is a WHOLE WORLD of online teaching opportunities awaiting those that look. Each of them employ thousands (not joking, it's heaps) of teachers. All of these teachers attest to the ups and downs of the online teaching world, and they all get paid. Legitimately!
Do I need any teaching experience? Do I need a degree?
I currently work for two companies - one that requires both of the above - one that requires neither! There are at least two companies that allow Australians to teach and don't require degrees. There are HEAPS that will employ you if you have a degree (Or are close to finishing one) and NO it doesn't necessarily have to be in Education!
Most companies will require you to hold some kind of TESOL or TEFL certification. No word of a lie - many (not all) teachers hop onto Groupon search for Tefl/TESOL certificates, pay between $20-$30 aud. and complete a 120 certification in a day. IT'S THAT EASY!
Ok, so how much WILL I get paid?
Well that varies from company to company - Most pay comes in USD so I will use that because the exchange rate varies (as you know). However currently because of the Aussie dollar situation, those living in Australia get a pretty good deal out of being paid USD.
As I said above I work for two companies - the one that requires a degree pays $13-$19USD dollars a class (40min) which works out to about $33-$41 Aud. an hour!
The one that doesn't need a degree does pay a little less. Anywhere from $24-$33 aud. an hour. You get paid between 55Y and 75Y a class - (25min). Yuan is the Chinese unit of currency. Pretty good for unskilled labor that you can do in your PJ's!
Because this is foreign income you will need to take care of your own tax requirements. My goal is to stay under the ever increasing tax free threshold and not worry about it - however many do this full time as a main source of income - you'll need to take paying your own tax into consideration.
What is the time commitment like?
All companies have a minimum required hours that you need to work, and this varies from company to company. Both the companies I work for have a minimum requirement of 3- 3.5 hours a week! Which is NOTHING! The more you work the more you earn though!
So, when do you do it? Is it a day job?
Most companies hours operate around Beijing peak time which is 6pm-9pmBJT. What's great about living in Australia is that we are two hours in front! Making the peak hours of operation 8pm-11pm EST. If you have kids like me then it's A DREAM! Put the kids to bed, go to work!
There are teachers in the US that get up at 4am to do this... we are SO lucky!
When the Chinese kids are on school vacation (they currently are) there are opportunities to extend those hours according to your availability.
Ok, What do I need to get started?
- You need to be a Native English speaker - I assume you're here reading cause you're an Aussie, but English needs to be your FIRST language.
- Most companies have some kind of tech requirements. Praise be i'm an Apple lover and anything over 2011 is accepted. Every company is different so check out their internet sites to see if you meet the specs.
- Stable internet is also a must. One company I can teach on my phone using wifi (I know right! how amazing is that?!) The other requires a laptop or desktop to run their portal and you must use an Ethernet cord.
- Props/Background/lighting: Because you are two dimentional you need to have an interesting background, be in a well lit, quiet space to teach, and use props to help with lessons. My laminator has had a good work out the last couple of months. The kids toys and books come in handy too. It hasn't taken long for me to get enough of the basics that I don't need to make more. (I'll do a more detailed post on this point in the future).
- TPR! This is a new term for me that I have come to know VERY WELL! It stands for Total Physical Response. It basically means use gestures to get your point across. Google TPR to get some good ideas!
- Enthusiasm! You don't need to prepare lesson material - it is all done for you! You DO need to be engaging for the kids. If you love kids, and you can speak English then this gig is FOR YOU!
What's involved?
I sit down to my computer or phone (depending on who i'm working for) in front of my background with a few props by my side. One company I teach 1 to 1 for 25min. There are slides I go through that are interactive and you and the kids can draw, drag, circle and play with them. The other company I can teach 4 or 6 kids at a time max (sometimes only 1 or 2 show up!) for 40min.
Do I have to write reports?
Not in the traditional sense. You will be required to give feedback on how the student did. This usually involves some kind of star rating or drop down menu choice and a quick comment.
Will I get bookings?
For newbies the term 'bookings' is kind of foreign. But in the online ESL world 'Bookings' are GOLDEN! Some companies book for you (they assign you lessons) and some companies require you to market yourself and parents choose you. I have experience with both and will go into detail on my initial experience with each in the near future STAY TUNED!
Well done for getting this far! If you are interested in knowing more, or have any questions, leave me a comment and i'll get in touch! Happy to update this post with any questions you have that I can answer too so let me know!
Happy Teaching x
Useful Links:
SayABC Click Here
Palfish Click Here
P.S. Every company offers a referral bonus - If you're interested in getting started and would like my help with the process drop me a line!
Palfish referral code: 58910752
SayABC referral code: EG63VF
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