Helen Doron Connect Review – Summary

Helen Doron Connect hires Fluent English speakers on £8-£14/hr to teach children 1v1 (25min classes) or in groups (45mins). You must have EITHER a degree OR teaching certificate, and be able to offer 10 teaching slots a week (mostly European/Middle Eastern times), though teacher experiences of the company are mixed.

Helen Doron Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Teachers can apply for both online and face-to-face jobs in different branches of the company
• Considers Native AND Non-Native Speakers with a neutral accent
• Requires only a teaching certificate or degree (not both) to apply
• 1v1 or small group classes

Cons:

• Some franchise owners make teachers pay towards their training
• Must commit to 10 teaching slots a week
• Not suitable for those wanting to teach adult students – children only
• Franchise model creates variability in teacher experiences

Is Helen Doron Legit?

The Helen Doron Educational Group is a legitimate and longstanding teaching organization that is a recognized member of the International Franchise Association (IFA). It was founded in 1985 by British-Israeli linguist Helen Doron and has taught over 3 million children, winning several awards in the process.

The Helen Doron Group is comprised of several branches including:

• Helen Doron English: Facilitated in Helen Doron early English learning centres, for children between 3 months and 19 years
• Helen Doron Connect: Online ESL school for children
• Helen Doron Academy: Bilingual, full-day preschool, kindergarten, and elementary schools
• Helen Doron International: Immersive, all-English, full-day preschool, kindergarten, and elementary schools
• Helen Doron Spanish: Spanish lessons for children
• Helen Doron MathRiders: Mathematics lessons for children

There are over 1,200 Helen Doron locations spread across 40 countries, drawing on more than 5,000 teachers within the Helen Doron community.

This video provides a brief history of the company and its evolution:

What Is the Helen Doron Early English Method?

The Helen Doron method is aimed at children between the ages of 3 months and 19 years, and is based on repeated background exposure to English, especially through the use of songs and stories, supported by positive teacher reinforcement. It can be broken down as follows:

1. Repeated Background Hearing – Total language immersion means the child hears English songs and stories in the background, to absorb language naturally.
2. Positive Reinforcement – Builds confidence and inspiration to learn. There are no wrong answers, and teachers encourage children to speak their minds.
3. Carefully Planned Curricula – The curriculum is tailored to the needs of every age group, developmental stage, and English skill level.
4. Fun and Active Learning – Action-packed, exciting, and dynamic lessons make it effortless to absorb new material.
5. Activities and Games – Hands-on, interactive learning makes understanding concepts fun and easy.
6. Songs and Music – Fun lyrics reinforce language through rhymes, rhythm, and upbeat melodies, so students never forget their English.

What Is Helen Doron Connect?

Helen Doron online teaching is conducted through their Connect platform. Here, Helen Doron courses are delivered in 5 different ways depending on which plan parents sign up for:

1. 1v1 lessons with a fluent (Non-Native) teacher
2. 1v1 lessons with a Native teacher
3. Group lessons with a fluent (Non-Native) teacher
4. Group lessons with a Native teacher
5. Just Talk – students choose topics of interest from a list, e.g. Sports, Food, Hobbies, etc., to discuss with a teacher during a 30-minute conversational call

Helen Doron materials are provided via the virtual classroom and consist of ‘gamified lessons’ (demonstrated in the video below) with interactive activities that provide student incentives through virtual rewards. They are designed to utilize multiple learning styles and modalities, and balance collaboration, mirroring, and self-study in group and individual work.

How Much Does Helen Doron Pay?

The Helen Doron Connect salary ranges between £8-£14 an hour, providing:

• up to £7 per 25-minute class
• up to £14 per 45-minute class

In addition to the base pay rate, there are also bonuses available for good performance and attendance (you must complete the length of a course to qualify for the latter).

Helen Doron teacher salaries are paid every month via Payoneer.

Helen Doron Hours and Schedule

One-on-one lessons last 25 minutes, while group classes are 45 minutes long. Teachers are expected to spend extra time getting comfortable with the lesson materials beforehand, while there are also student reports and exam corrections (for some courses) to complete afterward.

A minimum commitment of 10 teaching slots is required each week, with no upper limit. When a student booking is accepted, you must be available at that ongoing time for the duration of the course (your attendance bonus depends on this).

Scheduling is otherwise flexible, though there are more students located in European and Middle Eastern time zones.

Helen Doron Requirements

Helen Doron teachers should meet the following requirements:

• A Native level of English in speaking, reading, and writing. Non-Native English speakers must have a neutral accent to pass the application stage.
• Bachelor’s Degree in any field OR a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA/equivalent.
• 1+ year of teaching experience preferred.
• Available during multiple time zones, especially in Europe and the Middle East.
• Computer proficient – comfortable and familiar with using a computer and internet applications.
• Access to a good quality computer or laptop with at least 1GB of RAM, a webcam, and a microphone.
• Stable and fast internet connection.
• Quiet teaching environment with good lighting and a neat background.
• Commitment, creativity, enthusiasm, a love of children and a desire to help them learn.
• Passionate about teaching children essential values and life lessons, encouraging them to become better people, and teaching more than just English.
• Comfortable singing and dancing, playing games, and having fun.

How to Become a Teacher for Helen Doron?

There are 4 main stages to the Helen Doron application process:

1. Submit personal and technical information – complete a registration form, agree to Terms and Conditions, run an internet speed test, and upload relevant certificates and documentation
2. Pass a grammar test
3. Provide a demo lesson and introduction video answering interview questions
4. Complete onboarding and teacher training

Depending on which branch of the organization you are interested in, you can apply for Helen Doron jobs through the following links:

• Helen Doron Connect (Online) – also sometimes advertised on Indeed
• Helen Doron English jobs
• Helen Doron MathRiders

For those with significant financial resources, there is also the option of purchasing a Helen Doron franchise.

Helen Doron Interview Questions

These are some of the interview questions that candidates have previously had to answer:

• Why do you want to work with us?
• Why did you apply for this job position?
• What are your experiences with the English language? Have you ever taught English?
• Do you have any experience in teaching children? Do you like them?
• How can you help the students as a caring and educational teacher?
• What benefits can you bring as an educator?
• Can you tell me how would you teach ‘vehicles’ in English for kids?
• How would you deal with bad behaviour?

Helen Doron Reviews – What Is It Like Working for Helen Doron?

Helen Doron’s average rating on Glassdoor is 3.4 out of 5, with 61% willing to recommend them (at the time of writing). Recent experiences talk positively about the students and teaching method, though there are complaints about the pay and lack of benefits, with conflicting views of the schedule and management (which inevitably vary between franchises):

• Advantages:
  • “it was really nice there
  • Flexibility of schedules to work, nothing else
  • Good teachers. Nice students. Small class sizes
  • Amazing method teaching English to children. Great materials. Well prepared after teachers training International qualification
  • Very good method for kids
  • nice kids; courses can be helpful
  • The opportunity to work with kids
  • Great to help the little minds use and learn English, energetic, and fun. Trainings are also fun and useful, especially if you’re creative.
  • great team, environment and manager
  • Prepared classes and a lot of teacher education
  • Cool boss, amazing kids, overall fun environment to work in”
• Disadvantages:
  • “little pay for so much work, clearly taking advange [sic] of foreigns, they dont even appreciate the teachers. Everyhing [sic] is just about money.
  • no training on a very involved curriculum – stressful workplace environment – unprofessional owner
  • Teaching hours are afternoon. Energy consuming. High standards of teaching performance
  • salary; non-paid sick leaves; non-paid vacation for 1 week;
  • Low pay, forcing kids to watch TV, forcing freelance employees to pay for learning how to do their program. Absolutely uncontrolled management and borderline illegal ‘freelance’ job
  • Not much opportunity for development in Serbia
  • the salary might not be enough
  • People usually quit after a year because of the salary and the work environment”

Indeed currently gives Helen Doron an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5. Only 3 teacher experiences have been shared here in the last year, and while they complement the pedagogy, resources, and monthly bonus, there is criticism of the long hours, length of the contract and cost of resigning:

• “Except long working hours, working for this company was really good. It was a creative, dynamic work space with great interpersonal relationships. The most enjoyable part of the job was working with Chinese children off [sic] different ages, learning from them and seeing progress in their knowledge. Pros: monthly bonus; Cons: Long hours” (4*)
• “I really love my job and working for Helen Doron. They have great resources for teachers and the pedagogical theories behind what we do are very sound.” (5*)
• “Helen Doron is a great place in terms of education quality, but the situation of teachers in Turkey is never taken into consideration. You attend 6-7 lessons a day, and each of them requires you to be active for 45 minutes, including lesson preparation. They are not classes that involve jumping, sitting, running, always moving, grab your book and go. Your battery is already running out in the 3rd or 4th lesson. School becomes your whole life. You never make money worth the time and effort you put in. Since you received Helen Doron training, you have to sign a 2-year contract and if you want to quit your job, you have to pay this penalty, which is in euros and much more than your salary, and this training certificate is of no use to you other than HD. They handle their own business and also make you work in the system until you die for 2 years and if you can’t stand it, they make you pay that money. Such a terrible system. My advice to those who are going to get a job is to reduce the duration of this training contract to 1 year and make an agreement where the number of lessons per day will be a maximum of 5. The education system is the best I have seen at a young age. Pros: education system; Cons: If you leave before the contract ends, you pay the training fee in euros, minimum 800 euros.” (2*)

This last point regarding the cost of Helen Doron English teacher training is a theme that recurs in reviews of the company elsewhere, with teacher Amanda Martin having spent €500 on hers, a figure corroborated by another reviewer on Glassdoor. This can vary between franchises, who will sometimes split or cover the cost entirely, contrasting experiences that are illustrated in this Helen Doron Reddit thread.

For online teachers, here are a couple of Helen Doron Connect reviews specifically, which complain about an unresponsive application process, though there is praise for the lesson format and helpful staff should you get passed this:

Conclusion – Is Helen Doron Worth It for Online Teachers?

While Helen Doron is a long-established brand, it is a relative newcomer to online teaching. The vast majority of reviews written to date reflect the contrasting experiences of working in its many international learning centres, and thus applying for a Connect position does carry an element of uncertainty with it. Those wanting to adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude or who are more interested in teaching adults should consider our list of alternative online teaching jobs.