The English teaching landscape may be dominated by Chinese companies like Yeko and BlingABC. These companies normally provide enough opportunities for teachers looking for a career in the English teaching industry. These companies normally have stringent requirements for their teachers. But some companies are not as strict as these China-based companies. One of these companies is the South Korean company called Classo. Keep on reading if you want to teach English online to Korean students.
Teaching English online with Classo
What is Classo?
Formerly known as Storivers, Classo is not just an English teaching company since it also provides lessons in other languages, including Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian, French, and Japanese.
It’s a good option for teachers who are looking for English teaching companies based outside of China. Moreover, native speakers of other languages offered by the company can also look forward to working with the company.
Another good thing about the company is that they aren’t too strict when it comes to their requirements for their teachers. While native speakers of the language they will teach in, non-native teachers are also accepted as long as they can demonstrate a high level of proficiency along with a suitable teaching experience.
Now, let’s dig deeper into the requirements and other details about this South Korean English teaching company.
What are the Requirements to Teach at Classo?
Unlike many English teaching schools, Classo isn’t quite strict when it comes to their requirements for their teachers. The following are the requirements the teachers have to meet so they can teach in Classo:
- Preferably native English speakers, but non-native speakers are accepted if they demonstrate a high level of proficiency in the language and has suitable teaching experience
- A formal teaching certificate is recommended but isn’t required
- A degree isn’t required
- Teaching experience is strongly recommended and is a requirement
Basing on these requirements, all you need to have is an excellent proficiency in the language you’re planning to teach and teaching experience to teach English at Classo. Similarly, you should have these requirements if you’re planning to teach the other languages offered by the company.
You don’t have to be a native speaker, but you have to demonstrate the proficiency to teach the language and you can look forward to teaching English with them. If you want to teach English online Korea, this may well be the best option for you to consider.
Technical Requirements
Similar to its personal and professional requirements, the technical requirements of Classo are also quite simple. All you need are the following:
- Computer with a functioning microphone and webcam
- Fast and reliable internet connection
- A quiet place where you can conduct classes
Unlike many other English teaching companies, Classo does not specify the processor, RAM, and other components of your computer to teach English.
Class Review
How Much does Classo Pay?
While most English teaching companies that accept non-native speakers offer low rates for its teachers, Classo appears to be an exception.
The company offers a pay rate of at least $9 USD for a 25-minute class. This is equivalent to around $18 USD per hour. The rate can go up to $10.50 per class or around $21 USD per hour depending on your experience and proficiency in the language you’re teaching, which in this case is English.
With these rates, Classo can be considered as among the highest-paying English teaching companies that hire non-native speakers as teachers.
Bonuses and Incentives
For the moment, Classo doesn’t seem to offer any bonuses and incentives for its teachers.
How do you get Paid?
Payments are made every 10th of each month. And these payments are made through direct deposit into the bank accounts of the teachers. This allows the teachers to save on fees normally imposed by online payment processors, like PayPal.
Classo Contracts and Taxes
Similar to other English online teaching companies, Classo also considers its teachers are independent contractors. With this, they are responsible for filing and paying their own taxes depending on applicable laws in their home countries.
The website of the company doesn’t mention anything about the length of the contract the company has with its teachers.
What’s the Recruiting Process Like?
While the company doesn’t provide much information about its recruiting process, it may be similar to the process followed by other English teaching companies. The only thing the company mentions is that you should send an email to the company if you want to apply to become a Classo teacher.
Tips for the Interview
Even though the company website only shows an email address where you can send your application, you may want to check out the following tips in acing an interview with the company.
- Make your email impressive by including all your qualifications as a teacher
- Show your creativity on the email since the company encourages its teachers to create their own teaching materials based on their interests
- Include all teaching credential and documents you may have in your email to impress the company
- When you get to the interview phase of the process, show how proficient you are in the English language
What is the Work Schedule Like?
The classes offered at Classo are one-on-one classes with the students. Each class lasts 25 minutes and you can teach anywhere and anytime as long as you have the necessary equipment.
While you can choose the time when you’ll teach, you should also consider the time the students are available for classes. Since the platform is based in South Korea, the time will be based on the South Korean time zone.
With this in mind, you should check if your available time coincides with the time these students are available for English classes. You will mainly teach English online to Korean students with this company.
Classo South Korea
The Classo Teaching Platform
Unlike many other teaching platforms, the Classo teaching platform is not strict when it comes to teacher requirements. Since the Ministry of Education of China requires English teachers to have a Bachelor’s degree, China-based companies already have a Bachelor’s degree as one of their requirements for its teachers.
Classo is based in South Korea, so a Bachelor’s degree is not a requirement. But the company does require teachers to have some sort of teaching experience. A formal teaching certificate isn’t also a requirement but is considered an asset for its teachers.
While the website of the company doesn’t specify the age group of their students, you can expect to teach young learners to young adults. Teaching young adults can be quite easy for any experienced teacher, but teaching young learners may be challenging since their attention span may be rather short.
With this in mind, you may want to prepare teaching aids and materials to keep them motivated. You may not want to rely mainly on the resources provided by the company. The company encourages its teachers to create their own teaching materials for their classes.
Classo uses a browser-based application for its virtual classroom. Skype is also used as a backup in case of emergencies. Due to this, it’s essential to have Skype installed on your computer.
Classo can be considered a breath of fresh air for teachers who don’t quite have all the requirements needed to teach in China-based English teaching companies. With the minimal requirements, they can start their teaching career with Classo even as they continue to work on getting a Bachelor’s degree and an ESL certificate in case they need it in the future.
The Takeaway on Teaching With Classo
The flexibility and minimal requirements of Classo make it an appealing option for people who want to start a career in the online English teaching industry even without all the requirements needed by many English teaching companies around the world.
FAQs
There are a number of common questions that people have about teaching for this company. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.
How can I ensure a good learning experience for my online students?
To provide a positive learning experience, establish clear communication with your students, prepare well-structured lessons, and use engaging and interactive teaching materials. It’s also important to be adaptable, patient, and supportive, and to provide timely feedback and assessment to track your students’ progress.
How can I create an interactive online learning environment?
Utilize various tools and resources to create an interactive online learning environment. Incorporate multimedia, interactive activities, and educational games into your lessons. Use video conferencing platforms that offer features like screen sharing, whiteboards, and breakout rooms for group activities.
How do I manage the technical aspects of teaching English online?
Ensure that you have a reliable internet connection, a functioning webcam and microphone, and a quiet and well-lit teaching environment. Familiarize yourself with the online platform you will be using, test it beforehand, and have a backup plan in case of technical issues.
How can I effectively assess my students’ progress online?
Use a combination of formative and summative assessments to evaluate your students’ progress. This can include quizzes, assignments, oral assessments, and feedback on their speaking and writing skills. You can also use online tools for grading and tracking student progress.
Have Your Say about Classo for Online English Teaching
What are your thoughts about this company? Is it a winner, or are you considering another option for teaching English online to Korean students? If you are considering teaching abroad in Korea, check out SMOE and TaLK programs. Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.
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