Freetalk English Summary

Freetalk English is an ESL school from Vietnam that teaches adults and children in 30-minute 1v1 online classes. They hire any nationality with or without qualifications, though pay rates vary accordingly (starting at ₱145 up to $16), and you must be able to teach at least 2 evening hours (local time) 3 times a week.

Freetalk English Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Well-established company that’s been operating since 2015
• No nationality or qualification requirements
• Teaching materials provided
• Can teach adults and children

Cons:

• Not continuously hiring – recruits when needed
• Pay is only 85% of rate for first 30 teaching hours
• You must be able to teach in the evening Vietnam time and can’t refuse classes during peak times
• Teachers record and upload classes for evaluation or face penalties and termination
• Unpaid admin time tracking class recordings, tests, and student reports in spreadsheets
• Not many shared experiences

What Is Freetalk English Vietnam?

Freetalk English.vn is an ESL company that was founded in 2015 in Vietnam as part of Fungroup Joint Stock Company.

Since then, they have taught over 30,000 students, appealing to both young learners and adults through their English for Children (aged 6+) and English for Working People programs. This latter course delivers language classes in the context of work-based/business scenarios, such as emails, meetings, reports, and phone calls, through 27 Freetalk English topics and 500 specialized vocabularies.

Teaching materials and lesson plans are provided for Freetalk English lessons, often drawn from Oxford University Press’ well-known English File series, which many ESL teachers will be familiar with. The company adopts a Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach, focused on developing grammar and vocabulary through continuous sound reflection in a bilingual environment.

Freetalk online teaching is conducted one-on-one through CloudClass, Skype, or Google Meet (depending on the student, who is not obliged to have their webcam on). Here is a recorded demo of a class with a Freetalk English student:

Freetalk English Salary Information

The Freetalk English teacher salary on offer depends upon your nationality, qualifications, and demo performance, falling between these ranges:

• Native English Speakers = USD$15-16 per hour
• Non-Native English Speakers = USD$7-12 per hour
• Filipinos = ₱145-170 per hour

It is important to note that new teachers will only receive 85% of their contracted rate for the first 30 hours of teaching they deliver (a form of probation).

Freetalk English pays between the 16th and 18th of the month via PayPal or BPI (for teachers in the Philippines), with the company covering transfer fees.

Freetalk English Hours and Schedule

Freetalk English online classes last 30 minutes, mostly scheduled between 7pm and 11pm (Indochina Time). Teachers deliver a minimum of 2 hours, 3 times a week, and cannot refuse classes during peak hours.

While some prep time is saved from the provision of teaching materials, there are multiple admin responsibilities that require recording into spreadsheets, including student reports (demonstrated in the video below), monthly student tests, and video uploads for evaluation (there are fines, and ultimately termination, for failing to do so).

Contracts are for 3 months and are renewable, subject to performance.

Freetalk English Requirements

The requirements to become a Freetalk English teacher are as follows:

• Any nationality
• Preferably over 22/23 years of age (not always specified)
• A clear accent with good energy (a neutral accent is advantageous)
• At least 3-12 months of teaching experience with adults and children
• Able to teach a minimum of 2 hours, 3 times a week, between 19:00-23:00 ICT (occasionally requires an earlier time)
• Be kind, nice, responsible, and professional
• Dedicated and motivated
• A professional work environment with good lighting
• Stable internet connection

A Bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate (TESOL, TEFL, or CELTA) are not mandatory to apply, though it will affect the pay rate you are offered if you do not have them.

Freetalk English Recruitment Process

To apply for Freetalk English jobs, simply send your CV to their recruitment team via:

• Skype – live:.cid.1c9ffacbe9c3073b
• Email – [email protected] or [email protected]

Should you pass initial candidate screening, you will be invited to conduct a demo class. Student information, class materials, and instructions will be emailed beforehand, and you are expected to:

• Send materials to the student
• Have comprehensible explanations and guidance for the student
• Have a constructive lesson involving:
  1. Warm-up
  2. Introduction
  3. Leading slide
  4. Constantly correct student’s grammar
  5. Vocabulary and pronunciation
  6. Practice space
  7. Wrap-up and homework reminder at the end

Freetalk English Reviews – What Is It Like Working for Freetalk English?

There are not many Freetalk English company reviews that are shared online. While there is a page on Glassdoor it is for a similarly-named but different company from China. It is also unclear as to which ‘Freetalk English’ the Indeed page is for, so take these views (from over 2 years ago) with a grain of salt:

• “The salary is always on time and by and large accurately reflects the amount of work I undertake. Even though they made a mistake in the last month prior to my resignation I work, they compensated me in the following pay which is great. On top of that, for my position KPI is not heavily imposed on us, which is a relief because at that time I was still a student and even more the all of the mangers in my team are super nice and friendly. The only thing I would like to change is to lift the fixed schedule of working for six days a week, and instead allow employees to choose their shift more flexibly.”
• “I enjoyed the time I worked for Freetalk English because of the flexible schedule, friendly and helpful staff. The new lesson plan needs to improve a little bit more but otherwise, I had a very fun time working there.”

Some insights can be gleaned from social media. One teacher shared their recruitment experience in this Facebook group, where they criticized the unprofessionalism of their recruiter, the mediocre platform, and the lower pay rate they were offered:

Another Freetalk English teacher, within the comments on YouTube, quit due to the absence of a pay rise, whilst warning about discrepancies in how hours are calculated:

Conclusion – Is Freetalk English Worth It for Teachers?

Freetalk English is appealing to teachers who are often overlooked due to their nationality or lack of qualifications. However, bear in mind that these factors will affect the rate of pay you are offered here. The required hours during Vietnamese evenings will also not suit those wanting greater flexibility over their time. For alternative options, check out our full list of online teaching jobs.