Guide For Working At Whales English
This is a complete guide for those of you that want to work at Whales English. If you’ve not already done so use this link to sign up for Whales English.
See the full job requirements and school details of Whales English.
A Summary of Whales English‘s Teaching Position
Whales English is an online ESL teaching company based in China focusing on the English learners between the ages of 5 to 15 with a registered student population of over 16,000 and still expanding. Approximately over 10,000 different classes with almost 800 native English-speaking teachers.
The lesson will be delivered on Zoom
Lesson materials will be provided. However, you’re required to familiarize yourself with the lesson material ahead of the class. Necessary props or supplementary material is encouraged.
It’s 50 minutes per lesson.
You will have usually 1-3 students and 2 on average
No direct communication between teachers and parents is needed. Your Trial Support (TS) will serve as a liaison for your trial classes and your Class Support (CS) will serve as a liaison for your regular classes.
Non-Teaching Positions – We have other available non-teaching positions open to launched teachers, such as content developers, course evaluators, and teacher trainers. We welcome teachers to apply for these positions. Details will be given upon requests from the interested teachers.
The schedule – Mornings, evenings and weekends time slots for you to choose from. By opening more peak time slots from 19:00-21:00 every day, you would probably get a higher booking rate. (Beijing Time/GMT+8)
Weekdays: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Weekends: 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Whales English Job Qualifications
Interview Process at Whales English
1. Sign Up at Teacher Portal and Submit the Application
Materials to prepare for the application – Latest resume, profile photo, teaching certificate(s), personal introduction video (max 3mins), passport copy.
It’s pretty straightforward on Whales English’s teacher application process. First, you need to create an account on Whales English’s portal. Fill out the form and proceed to the interview step.
Click “Apply” on the upper right corner.
Whales English Interview Process Overview
Resume Screening
Video Conference Interview
The interview will consist of some common interview questionnaire.
If you passed the interview successfully, then you’ll be invited to the mock class. Mock teaching material will be provided.
1st Mock Class
30-min one-on-one interview
You will be evaluated based on the following criteria
Preparation – familiarity with technology and lesson material
Teaching skill – Zoom annotation, TPR, modeling, reward system, pace, and teaching script, etc.
You’ll be invited to the next round, 2nd mock class if you successfully pass the first stage of the mock class.
No need to panic if you done relatively well but didn’t pass the mock interview, the recruiter might give you a second chance.
2nd Mock Class
Contract Signing
Offer made
Submitting documents
Launch and Start Teaching!
2. How to Book an Interview?
Once the application is approved and the candidate will able to book an interview.
How soon can I expect the reply after submitting my application form?
If your application is found qualified, you’ll hear from our Teacher Recruitment Team within 48 hours upon receiving your application form. If not, we appreciate your interest and encourage you to pursue other job opportunities.
3. Interview Preparation
How is the interview conducted?
All interviews are conducted via Zoom, a free video conference platform. You may join the meeting room using the provided meeting ID without signing up. The meeting ID will be provided upon your confirmation of the interview time.
What to expect from Whales English interview?
For the first interview, prior research on the position is encouraged to be done.
For the mock class, you’re expected to demonstrate your teaching skills and abilities by using the teaching materials provided. Lesson materials will be included in the mock invitation.
Whales English Technical Requirements
Operating system- Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10. MAC OS 10.8x
CPU- Intel Core i3 above CPU
Memory-at least 4GB RAM
Network- Wired DSL Internet Connection – at least 20 Mbps
Flash-Version- download the latest version
Software- Microsoft PowerPoint or Keynote, Adobe Acrobat, Zoom
Once you passed the interview, then you’ll be invited to the mock class/interview.
5. Mock Class
1st Mock Class
30-min one-on-one interview
You will be evaluated based on the following criteria
Preparation – familiarity with technology and lesson material
Teaching skill – Zoom annotation, TPR, modeling, reward system, pace, and teaching script, etc.
You’ll be invited to the next round, 2nd mock class if you successfully pass the first stage of the mock class.
No need to panic if you done relatively well but didn’t pass the mock interview, the recruiter might give you a second chance.
2nd Mock Class
6. Congrats! Sign the Contract and Be Ready to Teach your First Trial Class at Whales English
What is a trial class? Will I be paid?
Trial Class is intended for new students who haven’t signed up for our regular classes yet. You will still get a base pay and a trial conversion bonus2. And most of the launched teachers will be assigned trial classes first before getting any regular classes.
See the full job requirements and school reviews of Whales English.
Related Interview Guides
Whales English Salary
The base rate of $18-30 per 50-minute class, plus performance-based bonuses. Average of $20-25 per 50-min class. See the salary detail.
How do I qualify for a pay raise?
A pay raise evaluation will be conducted every 6 months. Your overall performance review and the number of opened time slots will be taken into consideration when conducting the evaluation. If the result is to be found satisfactory, you’ll be qualified for a pay raise.
Payment Method
How much can I earn?
Your salary will be a combination of the base pay and the performance-based incentives. You’re encouraged to open more peak hours to increase the booking rate thus to gain more income (as much as USD 3,000 and even more!!).
When and how will I be paid?
Payment is submitted monthly by the 15th of every month for the previous month’s paycheck through bank transfer or Payoneer as per your preference (the registration link of your Payoneer account will be sent to you from our Payment Team after you get launched). The arrival date depends greatly on your banking institution. In case of holidays/ weekends/ other factors, payment may be delayed by a few days.
Do I need to pay tax?
You’re considered a legal independent contractor and you’re responsible for your own taxes in accordance with your individual tax jurisdictions or state laws.
Do I get paid in US Dollars?
You are paid in US dollars through Payoneer or bank transfer which enables you to exchange US dollars to your local currency.
FAQ Whales English
Do I need to plan for the lesson?
Lesson materials will be provided. However, you’re required to familiarize yourself with the lesson material ahead of the class. Necessary props or supplementary material is encouraged.
How does the scheduling work?
Students book lessons according to your available hours. You can find your scheduled lessons on your teacher portal. Make sure you have opened as many as possible peak time slots which will facilitate the scheduling process.
What is the cancellation policy?
Rules and regulations about the cancellation policy can be found both in your Service Agreement and under your teacher portal. For detailed information, you may reach to Teacher Support Team (TS&CS).
What if I want to resign?
Resignation is not encouraged. Unexpected resignation is not allowed. You’re required to notify us at least 30 days in advance of your intention to resign.
How long is the contract? Can I take some time off?
The first contract lasts 6 months. Limited time off in one contract period is allowed but with sufficient prior notice required.
The Class Curriculum
S. Common Core aligned lesson material, built from the ground up by our in-house team
