Due to the double reduction policy in China, Whale English is NO LONGER in operation. Consider signing up below to hear about other companies to apply to:
- Who are Whales English?
- Hiring Requirements
- Whales English Hiring Process
- Whales English Pay
- Whales English Class Type
- Whales English Hours
- How to Pass the Mock Class
- Whales English Reviews
- Whales English vs VIPKid
- Final Thoughts
- Teach the same students for an extended period of time
- Different types of classes depending on your preference
- Average to higher base rate and bonus opportunities
- Hire native English teachers from outside of the US & Canada
Who are Whales English?
Whales English are an online teaching company based in China with a focus on teaching English to Chinese children.
From their website:
We want true teachers! For us, inspiration to teach our provided curriculum comes in many forms. We trust the wealth of experience and qualifications our teachers bring to the table! We see our curriculum as a tool to inspire our educators to differentiate their methodology for each class so students reach their full learning potential!
Our courses are 25-30 weeks long, which offers both students and teachers alike stability and the chance to form a lasting bond and connection. Receiving competitive pay, Whales English teachers can progress in their careers while being fully supported by a dedicated technical team and a designated contact person.
From their website
What makes Whales English Different?
They focus on 4 main areas to stand out from their competitors.
1. Personal Support
No more sending tickets! You will be paired with a staff member who will individually support you! There is also a strong FaceBook group for support.
2. Professional Development
They have partnered with National Geographic and Oxford University press for teaching development as well they have further career opportunities.
3. Competitive Payment
The average Whales English teacher earns $1500 / month in addition there are bonuses and incentives. Your booked classes will increase after your 1st month.
4. Job Security
You will enjoy a fixed schedule and fixed income which allows increased security and an opportunity to really grow and develop with your students.
Whales English Hiring Requirements
- Bachelors Degree (or higher) – must be completed
- Teaching Certificate (TESOL / TEFL / CELTA) (Get this one for $19)
- 1+ years of teaching-related experience
- Native English Speaker (US/Canada/UK/Ireland/Australia/New Zealand)
- A love of teaching children!
- A commitment to 8+ hours/week (4 on the weekend)
Whales English Hiring Process
1. Apply
Your first stage in the application is to apply. Click the Apply Now button above to start your application!
*You will need first decide if you are interested in the 1v2 or 1v10 program OR both! If you aren’t sure, just indicate both and you can change this later.
**You can live anywhere in the world, but you must be from the countries listed above in the hiring requirements. You will be able to put your current address and time zone as well.
***Also, make sure you use your full name, this will be used for the background check.
This is what the application form looks like:
2. Mock Class
After you pass the application, you will move onto the next stage, the Mock Class! Congratulations – Whales English is interested in YOU.
You will receive the demo materials as well as an invitation to book a Mock class webinar and a Mock class. The webinar is not required, but highly recommended!
Mock Class Considerations:
1. Avoid rescheduling and cancelling: Try your best to show up when you schedule. Multiple cancellations could result in a rejection of your application. Plan first, schedule later!
2. Get comfortable with zoom: Your Mock class will take place on Zoom. If you are not comfortable with this video application, create a free account and get comfortable with the tools. Practice the annotation tools (ie: drawing, typing, etc..).
3. Thoroughly go through their material: They give you everything you need. Be sure to go through the material carefully and thoroughly.
3. Background Check
If you are on the background check stage – congratulations on passing your Mock Class! There are two phases to the background check:
1. In-House Background Check
For the in-house background check, this is conducted by Whales English and is not an official security background check, but rather a validation of your information that you provided in the application. You will need to provide:
- valid passport
- copy of highest degree
- TESOL/ TEFL / CELTA Certificate
- short written self introduction
- any supporting documents (name change, teaching license, etc…)
2. Sterling Background Check
After passing the in-house background check, all teachers will be required to undergo the Sterling background check. This is a 3rd party process and you will download and sign a form that will be sent off to Sterling for verification.
4. Contract / Service Agreement
Congratulations, you are on the final stage and you have been invited into the Whales English team! Sign your contract and start teaching!
Whales English Pay
$18 – $26 / 50 minute class
Your pay is a combination of the base pay and the performance-based incentives. It is a good idea to open as many peak hours as you can which will increase your bookings and ultimately increase your pay. As you can see, their base pay on the lower end is higher than a lot of companies like VIPKid and Gogokid.
When will I be paid?
You will be paid by the 15th of each month for the previous month’s teaching. (ie: October classes will be paid on November 15th).
How will I be paid?
You have a choice to be paid through Bank Transfer or Payoneer. Both options allow you to be paid in US dollars. The exchange to your local currency will be your responsibility.
Do I have to pay taxes?
As a Whales English teacher, you are an independent contractor which means that Whales English does not subtract your taxes. You are responsible for claiming taxes based on your location and countries tax laws. Our online teacher tax guide might be helpful if you are new to filing your online teaching income.
Class Types
Whales English has two types of classes. Classes with one teacher and two students, and classes with one teacher and up to ten students.
Here is a breakdown of the two types of classes:
- 1v2 classes:
- 25 or 50-minute classes
- 1 teacher, 2 students (ages 3 – 18)
- 1v10 classes
- 25 or 50-minute classes
- 1 teacher, up to 10 students (ages 5 – 12)
Both class types have trial classes and regular classes. It is recommended that you indicate interest in the 1v2 classes as this class type is in high demand.
All classes require no communication with parents, very little preparation and will be based on their own curriculum which is provided to you in advance. Therefore, you have no lesson planning or creating!
Whales English Hours
Whales English has the following hours:
- Monday – Friday: 6:55 pm – 9:00 am BJT
- Weekends – 9:10 am – 12:20 pm Beijing Time & 6:55 om – 9:00 pm BJT
Here is a breakdown of what this looks like in other time zones. Keep in mind, this is for standard time which runs from March – November. If your country has Daylight savings time, you will need to adjust the time accordingly. Keep in mind that China does not have Daylight savings time so their times remain the same!
How to Pass the Whales English Mock Class
The Whales English Mock class is your chance to show them what you’re made of! Bring out all the stops and make this your best effort for a demo that you can. Put your efforts into preparation, teaching skills, and classroom environment.
You will be teaching a 10 minute lesson to an adult acting as a child for your Mock class so be sure to keep that in mind and just go for it!
1. Lesson extension – this is important in your Mock class and will be something that your interviewer will be looking for. Make sure you are using extension questions to elicit further conversation from your student. You could even bring in outside photos/video to screen share on zoom.
2. Total Physical Response – or, TPR, as it is often known as is the ability to engage your student using body language and add to the lesson with appropriate gestures. Do be sure to use a good amount of TPR in your Mock lesson to help the student understand.
3. Props – make sure you are using visual aids and props in your Whales English mock class. They are looking for a variety of props like 2D cutouts, but also 3D realia and puppets, a whiteboard, etc..
Head here for my props and favourite teaching resources!
4. Error Correction – make sure you are correcting and listening for all of the student’s errors in the lesson. Positively correct them and have them repeat in a clear and complete sentence.
5. Modeling / Support – provide support to your student if they need it. Use scaffolding techniques to model what you want them to do and make sure that you are ensuring success from them before moving on to the next slide.
Whales English Reviews
You are going to find mixed reviews for all companies when searching the internet, so it is a good idea to read a variety of reviews to find common themes and take the good with the bad!
Indeed Review Score: 3.0 / 5 (15 reviews)
Glassdoor Review Score: 3.5 / 5.0
Whales English vs VIPKid
Many VIPKid teachers have heard about Whales English and wonder if they are worth exploring as a VIPKid alternative or secondary company to work for.
Here are the major differences between Whales English and VIPKid:
- Pay: Whales English pays a slightly higher base rate than VIPKid
- Class type: Whales is 2 or more students in a class, whereas VIPKid is 1:1
- Scheduling: Whales requires 8 hours/week. VIPKid has no minimum requirement
- Flexibility: VIPKid is more flexible but Whales offers a fixed schedule and fixed income
- Platform: Whales English has a more interactive platform than VIPKid
- Cancellation policy: about the same
VIPKid is a great starting company to get hired with, but Whales English offers some added benefits that VIPKid does not. It is always a good idea to diversify your income and have multiple company platforms as options to teach with.
Final Thoughts
Whales English is a growing company and offering competitive pay for their teachers. They are interested in committed teachers and offering consistent classes with regular students to their faithful teachers.
Apply if you are:
- needing a change from your current company
- a teacher from outside of the US/Canada
- wanting a regular and consistently booked schedule
- enjoy teaching lots of varied content and curriculum
- like being a part of a smaller company where you are known and appreciated
Do you want to join the Whales English team?
