Working for an English teaching school can be a lucrative career for native English speakers around the world. Many of these English teaching schools are based in China, which is among the biggest market for English teachers. While most schools only offer teaching jobs, other schools provide more opportunities for their teachers outside of teaching. One of these schools offering these opportunities is ALO7.
Teaching online with ALO7
What is ALO7?
ALO7 is among the biggest English Language Teaching (ELT) providers based in China. It was established by Pengkai Pan, a holder of a Ph.D. holder from MIT’s Media Lab. Formerly known as Saybot Information Technology, Ltd, ALO7 counts Professor Nicholas Negroponte, founder of MIT’s Media Lab, as one of its initial angel investors.
Aside from providing English teaching services in China, the company is also an ELT product and solutions provider. It offers six other products in the market, including interactive courseware, a research-based assessment platform, and an online learning platform. The company connects teachers with students through its online tutoring platform.
The company currently has over 100 million registered users along with over 2,000 training school partners. It has partnered with some of the largest educational institutions in China as it aims to become the biggest online education platform in China.
As indicated earlier, ALO7 also offers other positions for qualified tutors. These positions include being a recruiter, trainer, presentation developer, curriculum developer, and writer. If you feel you are ideal for any of these roles, you can work hard and the company may offer these opportunities to you.
Intersed in travel? Why not consider teaching English in China?
What are the Requirements to Teach at ALO7?
If you want to work with ALO7, you have to meet the following requirements:
- Native English speaker from the United States, Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom. This means you have to show proof you were born and grew up in these countries. You need to present a valid government ID or official documents, such as a birth certificate or passport (highly preferred)
- Bachelor’s degree in any program or at least currently enrolled in a four-year university program.
- ESL certificate, such as TEFL or TESOL, is required by a Chinese government policy for online tutors. Having an ESL education degree is also acceptable.
- Teaching, mentoring, or tutoring experience is preferred.
- Basic computer skills and enjoys teaching using digital media.
- Enjoys teaching children
- Regular and stable free time during peak hours or between 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM BJT since the partner schools of the company are looking for long-term tutors
- A quiet, well-lit room with a kid-friendly background
- Wearing a light blue polo shirt or a dress shirt is also preferable when you’re teaching
Technical Requirements
The company also has the following technical requirements if you’re planning to work with them:
- Desktop or laptop with an integrated or external HD camera
- Headset with a microphone and stable input and output
- The desktop or laptop should also use Windows 7 and above or Mac OS 10.10x
- The processor of your desktop or laptop should be a 6th generation i3 or newer. It can also be an i3 processor with a 3GHz core and above or an i5 processor with a 1.8GHz core or an i7 processor
- RAM should be at least 4GB while the monitor of your desktop or laptop is at least 1024x768
- You should also have version 49 Google Chrome or above
- Your internet connection should have a 4Mbps upload and 8Mbps download speed with a Ping of less than 100
- Other software requirements include Zoom, Flash Player, Adobe Reader, WeChat, and the teaching software of the company
Once you have these professional and technical requirements covered, you can continue with your ALO7 application.
How Much does ALO7 Pay?
When it comes to pay, ALO7 can be considered in the middle of the field. Its base pay is $7.50 for a 25-minute class. This means tutors get a base pay of around $15 per hour or two 25-minute classes. The company also offers a higher base rate of around $20 for 50m minutes of classes for its Top School Program.
Bonuses and Incentives
ALO7 offers three types of incentives for its tutors. These incentives are associated with the type of class, the number of lessons the tutor delivers successfully, and teaching performance. Incentives can range from 5 percent up to 40 percent of your base rate. This means your pay can go up to around $10.50 for every 25-minute class.
How do you get Paid?
Payments are made through direct deposit using VEEM, which is accredited with BBB and the US Department of Treasury. US bank account holders will receive their pay free of charge if the transaction amount is at least $25. On the other hand, non-US bank account holders have a $50 minimum to receive their pay without any charges.
If you set up an international bank account to receive in US dollars, a $20 wiring fee is charged by Veem to your account. So, it’s advisable to set it to receive payments in other currencies aside from US dollars.
PayPal is another method where ALO7 tutors can receive their pay. This secondary payment method is used if you earned less than the minimum amount for a free transaction through Vem. But you should take note that PayPal charges a 2-percent fee for every transaction.
ALO7 tutors will receive their pay on the 15th of the following month. This means your earnings for January is deposited into your account on February 15.
ALO7 Contracts and Taxes
Since ALO7 tutors are considered independent contractors, they are responsible for reporting and paying their taxes. The company does not deduct taxes from the pay of its tutors.
US citizens should take note that the company automatically reports incomes of more than $600 to the US IRS through IRS Form 1099.
On the other hand, non-US taxpayers should fill out Form W8BEN. The form confirms they aren’t US taxpayers.
Teaching English online with ALO7
What’s the Recruiting Process Like?
Tutors go through several steps before they are ready to teach with ALO7. The steps are as follows:
- Application – You’ll have to submit your resume and voice record through the website of the company. A PDF format of the resume is preferred.
- Interview and Mock Class – At this point, you should book an online interview with a recruiter. Expect to conduct a mock class during the interview.
- Self-Study and Online Quiz – After passing the interview, you’ll have to watch videos and take an online quiz after watching them. If you fail the quiz, you have to go through the study materials again before retaking the quiz.
- Contract Signing and Submission of Documents – Once you pass the quiz, you’ll have to sign an Independent Contractor Agreement. After submitting the agreement and required documents, you’ll be an official ALO7 tutor.
- Readiness Check and Experience Session – At this point in the process, ALO7 will have to check your computer to make sure it meets the company’s technical requirements. You’ll also have an experience session so you’re prepared to conduct a class.
- Ready to Teach – After completing the readiness check and experience session, you’ll start working as an ALO7 tutor.
Tips for the Interview
The interview questions at ALO7 are similar to the questions of other English teaching companies. With this in mind, you can prepare for it when it comes. Here are some tips to remember in your interview with ALO7:
- Since one of the requirements of the company is a quiet and well-lighted teaching area, you can start on the right foot by preparing it for the initial interview.
You can also add a kid-friendly background to impress the interviewer. - Wearing a light blue shirt can also help since it shows you’re ready to teach with the company.
- Ask any questions you may have about the company and the work
- During the mock class, you should smile and use props. Make it a kid-friendly class.
What is the Work Schedule Like?
The work schedule is based on the Beijing Time Zone. ALO7 has peak tutoring hours and non-peak tutoring hours. The schedules are as follows:
- Peak hours: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Beijing Time
- Non-peak hours: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Beijing Time from Monday to Friday for the Public School Program and 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Beijing Time on Saturday and Sunday
Tutors are advised to be available for at least 12 classes or six hours during the Peak Tutoring hours.
Want to teach in person in the capital city? Find out more here: Teach English in Beijing.
The ALO7 Teaching Platform
The teaching platform of ALO7 connects English speaking tutors with Chinese students from three to fifteen years old. The classes can be one-on-one, one-on-three, or even group sessions. The curriculum used by ALO7 combines educational standards from China, Europe, and North America,
While the tutors aren’t expected to provide their own teaching materials, it doesn’t hurt to prepare props for your lessons. But you should review the lesson materials before giving a class.
The pay at ALO7 may not be the highest, but tutors can expect a good teaching platform and ample support from its community. Moreover, English teachers looking for stability can consider ALO7 since the company puts a premium on tutors who stay with them for the long haul.
The students of ALO7 are generally eager to learn, which is something English teachers look forward to. Additionally, the courseware and lesson plans of the company are considered among the best in the industry.
Teaching ESL with ALO 7
The Takeaway on ALO7
ALO7 is a good option for English teachers looking for a stable online teaching job since the company prefers tutors who stay with them for a long time.
Have your Say about AlO 7
What are your thoughts about this company for teaching ESL online? Is it the right option for you, or are you considering another company? If you are looking for other options, consider SkimTalk and Open English. Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.
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