Beyond English Review Summary

Beyond English is an ESL school in Chile that hires Native-level English Speakers with intermediate Spanish skills to teach adults or children in 1v1/small groups online. Pay is $14-$17/hr, and you must have classroom experience, a Bachelor’s, TEFL, and the right to work in the US or Chile (but teach from anywhere).

Beyond English Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Can teach from anywhere
• Short application form
• Socially-conscious enterprise
• Variety of teaching – both adults and children, one-on-one and small groups
• Supportive team

Cons:

• Lots of requirements to meet, i.e. Right to work in USA/Chile, Native-level English, intermediate Spanish, classroom experience, a degree and TEFL certificate
• Mediocre pay (especially for the requirements)
• Ongoing unpaid training
• Few reports from online teachers at the company

Is Beyond English Legit?

Beyond English (also known simply as ‘BE’) is a legitimate English language school that was founded in 2014 and is based in Santiago de Chile. Initially location-based, they now run live online classes, and hire Native-level Speakers from around the world. Their legitimacy is demonstrated by following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and being Benefit-Corporation Certified for their social impact in expanding equal-access educational opportunities for students in limited-resource schools.

What Is Beyond English Language Learning?

Beyond English ESL classes are delivered live, both in-person (for Santiago-based teachers) and online (for remote international teachers). They can be with adults or children (4-14 years), either one-on-one or with groups of up to 5 learners, and are conversation-centred and SMART goal-oriented. Feedback is provided to students after each class.

The company uses an accredited curriculum based on international standards that cover CEFR levels A1 to C1. Beyond English resources are provided but should be personalized to the students, with teachers expected to develop engaging lesson plans that are shared with colleagues.

Here is one of BE’s teachers in action:

Does Beyond English Pay Well?

The starting Beyond English salary is US$14-$17 an hour, which is fairly standard for the online ESL industry at this time.

Beyond English Hours and Schedule

Beyond English teachers may work from anywhere in the world with high-speed internet access. They decide their own schedule availability, so long as they participate in the company’s onboarding and ongoing training, and stay connected with teammates via virtual meetups.

Here is a typical day for remote BE teacher Aly:

Beyond English Requirements

The requirements to become a Beyond English teacher are:

• Native-level English speaker
• Intermediate Spanish level/knowledge
• The right to work in the USA or Chile (but may teach from anywhere in the world)
• A Bachelor’s degree
• TEFL Certification
• Letter of Recommendation
• Classroom experience
• Excellent intercultural and communication skills
• Computer or laptop with webcam and microphone
• High-speed internet connection

Beyond English Teacher Application Process

Complete this Beyond English application form by submitting the following details:

• First and last name(s)
• Preferred email address
• Country of residence
• How would you rate your Spanish?
  • None yet
  • Basic
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Native speaker
• Nationality
• Where did you receive your TEFL/TESOL certificate?
• Application Materials (name your files in this format: [first name]_[last name]_[application material]. E.g., a resume could read: Juan_O’Connor_Resume)
  • Resume (Add File)
  • Cover Letter (Add File)
  • University Diploma or Transcripts (Add File)
  • TEFL Certificate (Add File)
  • Letter of Recommendation (Add File)
• Prepare a video pitch answering ONE of the following questions (preferably in Spanish):
  • 1) What makes you happy?
  • 2) Describe your ideal environment for professional growth
  • 3) Describe a teacher who inspired you and why.
  • Video Pitch (Add File)

Should this application form expire, consult the latest guidelines on the Beyond English website.

The Beyond English interview is relatively standard, with discussions centered around your qualifications, past and hyperthetical scenarios, and a mock lesson. Here are some Beyond English interview questions that have previously been asked:

• Why do you want to be an ESL teacher with Beyond English?
• What classroom management experience do you have?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• What makes you happy?
• Pitch a community project idea that you would like to carry out in your time as a teaching fellow. (In Spanish)

Beyond English Reviews – Is Beyond English a Good Company to Work For?

The Beyond English Glassdoor page gives the company an overall score of 3.9 out of 5, with 67% willing to recommend them (at the time of writing).

The majority of these reviews are from teachers who have worked on the ground for BE, and so I have omitted comments which are irrelevant to online teachers (e.g. about commuting between students in Santiago).

Overall there are more positive than negative views, with lots of praise for the mix of child and adult students, supportive and hard-working team, two-way feedback, collaboration and leadership within the company, but criticism concerning the pay, unpaid training, higher proportion of private sector teaching, lack of advancement, long days and burnout.

• Advantages:
  • “Got to teach both children and adults
  • Experience from this job has been invaluable – the company gave me a tight-knit group of friends and coworkers, and I remain friends with many of my former students
  • Paid very well compared to all other teaching options I found in Santiago.
  • My team was supportive, creative, and incredibly hardworking.
  • Though it was a lot of work, I reflect very fondly on my BE experience, and wish all the best for this team and their mission.
  • Best of all, the company gives feedback regularly and accepts feedback from workers – things can’t always be changed immediately, but this practice is important and it helped me get better at giving and receiving feedback.
  • Founder and CEO Courtney Yarsley clearly cares about this company and its mission. She took the time to foster leadership qualities in me, and it was really remarkable to have this kind of contact with a CEO. I am grateful for my time and BE and definitely recommend looking into this company!
  • A lot of comradery among the teachers
  • Most of the students are pretty great
  • A team of hardworking, driven, and friendly individuals.
  • Constant collaboration and class support.
  • I worked for Beyond English for the past year and I loved it! They are an awesome company to work for! I really enjoyed the people I worked with along with the company’s philosophy and message. The experience that I have gained at BE has helped me improve myself as a teacher and helped me grow as a person. The company is extremely helpful with whatever questions and/or doubts you have. I highly recommend this company to work for!!!
  • I really enjoyed my time at Beyond English. Friendly co-workers, amazing students, great work-life balance, what more could you ask for?
  • Supportive environment… company making changes to better teachers’ work environment”
• Disadvantages:
  • “Days can be very long
  • If you are paying off student loans, it can be hard to save money – consider the fact that Chilean salaries are low compared to the U.S. and many European countries
  • Training is unpaid
  • The pay is enough to pay your bills but not enough to save, travel, enjoy your life, or be ok if you have an emergency
  • Terrible work-life balance, with a lot of teachers experiencing burn out
  • Very misleading about the amount of time you will spend in an actual classroom. You’ll mostly be in the private sector teaching 1 on 1 classes with adults.
  • Sometimes the days can be long, but that is with any job.
  • It is a small company, so there isn’t much room for advancement.
  • Low salary given cost of living, unpaid training”

Conclusion – Is Beyond English Worth It for Online Teachers?

Beyond English will appeal to a narrower demographic due to their list of requirements. Should you possess the requisite language skills, qualifications and experience, and the pay is adequate for the country you live in, then this supportive company may provide you with potentially-rewarding work with a social conscience, though their online provision is still nascient and relatively untested.

You can apply for Beyond English jobs or explore our full list of online teaching companies.