Craving English Review Summary

Craving English is a small, Latin American ESL company with classes of 1-6 adult or child students. They hire Native Speakers with TEFL certification who must commit to 10+ CST hours a week, the pay is ok, but the time zone complements Asian teaching hours and they offer free Spanish lessons to teachers.

Craving English Pros and Cons

Pros:

• CST lessons can complement Asian classes at other times of the day
• No degree/diploma required
• Has both adult and child students
• Free Spanish lessons for teachers
• Responsive and proactive CEO/Founder

Cons:

• Native Speakers only
• Mediocre pay
• Must have TEFL/TESOL certification and at least one year of teaching experience
• Must commit to at least 10 hours per week (down from 15)
• Selective hiring policy to keep the company small
• Few reviews from existing or former teachers about their experience working there

Is Craving English Legit?

Craving English is a legitimate online language school based in San José, Costa Rica. Founded in 2019, they are a small, tight-knit ESL company serving the Latin American market (most of their students are from Costa Rica itself). Craving English teaching is conducted online via Zoom with individuals or groups of 2-6 students. Lessons are provided and are predominantly conversation-based with mostly adult students, though there are children too.

Craving English Salary / Pay

The Craving English pay rate varies depending upon the length of the class and whether it is with an individual or group of students, but it ranges between US$12-17 per hour. Here is the breakdown:

Monthly bonuses are apparently available, though the specific details aren’t openly advertised by the company.

Craving English payments to teachers are made via PayPal.

An additional perk of being a Craving English teacher is that you can receive Spanish lessons from them for free.

Craving English Hours

Craving English teaching hours are between 7am-10.30pm (Central Standard Time), Monday to Friday, and 9am-2pm on Saturdays (there are no hours on a Sunday). Primetime/peak hours are between 4-9.30pm on weekdays. The fact that Craving English operates on Central Standard Time will be attractive to teachers looking to fill out their schedule and complement Asian classes held at other times of the day.

There is a minimum hours requirement and this appears to have changed twice over the last 3 months (at the time of writing). On March 15 an applicant posted on Facebook that Craving English had asked them to commit to at least 15 hours a week, then on May 14 and June 20 respectively, the company’s Founder, Adriana Castro, posted the requirement as being 12 hours and 10 hours. This reduction does make the company more appealing to teachers put off by the greater time commitment, and indicates that the company are keen to attract more applicants by relaxing their criteria.

Craving English provides lesson plans and materials, so there shouldn’t be a lot of additional (unpaid) preparation time.

The Craving English contract is for 1 month initially but is renewable (subject to performance), and the company wants teachers looking for long-term jobs.

Craving English Requirements

• Native English Speaker
• At least 1 year of teaching experience
• TEFL/TESOL certificate
• Willing to work CST (Central Standard Time) hours
• Be fun, energetic, and responsible with a strong love for teaching

Craving English Hiring Process

Craving English jobs are recruited for every month. To start a Craving English application, either send your resume to [email protected] or submit the following details on the company’s website:

• First and last name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Where you were born
• Where you currently live
• What time zone you’re in
• What certifications you have
• Your teaching experience
• Why you want to teach with Craving English

If your application passes their initial screening, you should receive an email from Craving English requesting a video introduction from you with the following instructions:

• Please make sure that Craving English have access to the video via the privacy settings
• Please play your favorite song in the background and wear your favorite color during the video
• Please answer the following questions:
  • What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?
  • What is challenging about being a teacher?
  • What do you think is challenging about learning a new language?
  • Can you tell us about a time you made a mistake with a student?
  • What is your perspective on error correction in the classroom?
  • What could you do if a student seems nervous or untalkative?
  • Is company culture important to you? Why or why not?
  • What do you want to know more about Craving English?

Craving English Demo

If your application passes their initial screening, you will be invited to attend a 30-minute Craving English mock class as part of the interview process. Unfortunately, the company isn’t open about what this entails, though they emphasize a focus on practical classes with a conversational approach, so be prepared to deliver a conversation-based lesson where you will be expected to demonstrate strategies that encourage the student to talk. They’re looking for fun and energetic teachers, so bring lots of positive energy. Also prepare to answer Craving English interview questions concerning your educational and professional background, teaching experience and methodologies, and CST availability.

Craving English Reviews

Unfortunately, being a relatively small and young ESL company, there aren’t many reviews available from current or past Craving English teachers. What little that has been shared can mainly be read on Facebook, where the initial communication with the CEO is praised, though she reportedly admits that they’re not hiring too many teachers because she wants to keep the company small. This selectiveness is perhaps why some applicants have had their interviews canceled or received no response:

In another group thread:

Conclusion – Is Craving English Worth It?

Considering the prevalence of Chinese-based ESL companies, it’s nice to have options in different time zones that can provide supplementary classes at other times of the day. This is the main appeal of Craving English (though there is the minor perk of free Spanish classes), and while the salary isn’t the highest around for Native Speakers (especially those teaching children), it’s more than some companies pay if you want adult students. If interested, it’s relatively quick and easy to apply so might be worth chancing it, though don’t bank on them as your main option due to their selective recruitment policy and the fact that very little is known about what it’s like to work there.

If anyone has any first-hand experience of Craving English that they’re willing to share to help fill these gaps, then please get in touch.

You can apply to Craving English here or by emailing your resume to [email protected].

A full list of other online teaching companies can be found here.