VivaLing Review Summary

VivaLing recruits ‘Near-Native’ Speakers on $12-14 an hour to teach European adults and children 1v1 online. It hires multiple languages, has good teacher satisfaction, and a degree’s not essential, but you must have 2 years of experience, commit to 12 hours a week (over 4 days) and take 2+ weeks of unpaid training.

VivaLing Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Still competitive pay for the current industry
• Overwhelmingly positive teacher experiences/reviews
• Requires only a teaching certificate OR degree (not both)
• Accepts ‘Near-Native’ speakers from non-Native Speaking countries
• Hires teachers of multiple languages, not just English/ESL
• Good online community and support
• Teachers have the freedom to create their own materials from a provided curriculum

Cons:

• Pay cuts
• Must commit to 12 hours over 4 days a week, though bookings aren’t guaranteed
• Must possess two years of relevant experience to apply
• Competitive and highly selective hiring process
• Must complete up to 4 weeks of unpaid training after being hired
• Teachers must create their own materials to personalize each session

Is VivaLing Legit?

VivaLing Academy is a legitimate educational company, founded in 2014 in Singapore. VivaLing online teaching is delivered one-on-one with students mostly in Europe (both adults and children). The company delivers multiple languages, and hires teachers of English/ESL, Mandarin, Spanish, German or French.

How Much Does VivaLing Pay?

The VivaLing salary starts at US$12-14 per hour, though it used to be $20 and they actually pay by the minute. In January 20222, all teachers had their pay cut by at least $4 an hour, and then it was further reduced later in the year.

Some coaches with additional expertise, e.g. job interview training, may be offered a higher amount up to $30 an hour.

There is the potential to earn a raise of $1-$2 every 6 months based on performance, but you will likely need to participate in unpaid team building exercises to be considered for this.

How Does VivaLing Pay?

VivaLing offers PayPal as a payment option.

VivaLing Hours

VivaLing peak hours are 4-9pm Central European Time (CET). Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are the most popular days, with earlier hours available from 12 noon. Bookings can be inconsistent, however, and holiday periods are notably quieter.

The minimum number of VivaLing teaching hours you must commit to is 12 hours over 4 days (after-school CET and at weekends).

Be aware that though a VivaLing curriculum is provided, teachers are expected to personalize their lessons by developing their own materials, which will take additional unpaid time.

VivaLing Requirements

To become a VivaLing tutor, you must have:

• A Native/Near-Native level of English, Mandarin, Spanish, French, or German (you do not need to be from a Native Speaking country)
• A minimum of two years of experience working full time with children or adults
• A teaching certificate OR an educational degree in the language being taught (minimum of 120 hours)
• Comfort with educational technology and a high-quality computer (at least 2 GHz processor with 4 GB RAM) and an internet connection with a minimum speed of 1.2 Mbps (you can test your internet speed here)
• Availability of at least 12 hours a week over 4 days during after school hours in Europe (4-9pm CET) and weekends

VivaLing Application Process

There are five main steps to the VivaLing hiring process:

1. Submit a VivaLing teacher application
2. Send a teaching demo video
3. Pass an online interview
4. Complete VOLT (VivaLing Online Language Teaching) Training (2-4 weeks)
5. Complete Teaching Practice (2-4 weeks)

To apply for VivaLing jobs visit their website. Here you will have to submit a VivaLing teacher application by filling in the following information:

• First and last name
• Email address
• Mobile phone number
• Country of citizenship
• Current location – city and country
• Time zone
• Preferred language of communication
• What is your L1? (English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, Other)
• Download and upload your internet speed (test it here)
• Computer brand and model
• Number of full years of experience working with kids in a professional context
• Describe your professional experience working with kids
• Describe your professional experience teaching a second language to kids
• Number of full years of experience teaching adults in a professional context
• Describe your professional experience teaching adults in a professional context
• In which of the following contexts are you experienced in teaching adult learners? (Exam Preparation, Business, Conversation, General language practice)
• Number of full years of experience teaching online
• Describe your experience teaching or working online
• Provide the name and contact details of at least one referee from a previous job where you have worked with children and/or in teaching

You will receive a response whether you pass the initial screening or not, though it may take time depending on the number of applications they receive (there is currently high demand for non-China teaching jobs).

VivaLing Demo Video

Should your written application be accepted, you will be asked to send a recorded teaching demo conducted with a real child (this could be an existing student if you secure their parents/guardians’ permission beforehand). During this demo and the subsequent interview, VivaLing will be assessing your ‘character’ and skills in ‘child management, language teaching and online teaching’.

VivaLing Interview Process

You will need to pass two separate online VivaLing interviews on Zoom, should you be invited. Each lasts 55 minutes and follows a similar conversational format, with the interviewer examining your character, personality, pedagogy, capabilities as a teacher, passion for teaching, and capability in content/curriculum design. They want someone who will fit well into the culture of the company, and can excel at designing personalized lessons and curricula for its students, so you must demonstrate your experience in this area. At the end of the second interview, you will also discuss the pay, schedule and your availability.

You should receive the outcome of each interview within a couple of days. If selected, you will have to complete training lasting between 2-4 weeks, which is unpaid apart from the teaching practice, before you can begin teaching properly.

VivaLing Interview Questions

Here is a list of genuine VivaLing interview questions that have previously been asked:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why did you apply at Vivaling / What attracted you to Vivaling?
• Why do you want to teach online?
• Tell me about your relevant work experience (online teaching, teaching kids, curriculum/lesson development)
• What teaching methods are you experienced in? (e.g. CLT, CLIL)
• What are your classroom practices? (e.g. TPR, chants, gamification)
• What are your opinions about online teaching vs face-to-face teaching? (benefits, drawbacks, which do you prefer and why?)
• How do you approach designing lessons/curriculums for your students? (e.g. lesson structure, unit structure, curriculum structure)
• How do you think the online ESL industry must change in order to be more effective?
• What are your 5 year goals?
• What is your end goal?
• What are you hoping to achieve while working for VivaLing?
• Do you have any questions?

VivaLing Reviews

VivaLing teacher reviews online are largely positive, though more negative reports have emerged following the 2022 pay cuts. The VivaLing Glassdoor page currently gives the company an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5, with 85% willing to recommend them to a friend. Here are some recent examples from there, which praise the schedule flexibility and support received from colleagues, though there is criticism of the pay, lack of prepared teaching materials, unstable hours, and unpaid time:

Conclusion – Is VivaLing Worth It?

Despite pay cuts, VivaLing may still be an attractive proposition for some language teachers, with its freedom, supportive community, and degree of teacher satisfaction. The fact that you don’t have to be a Native Speaker with a degree will also broaden the company’s appeal, though you must have two years of relevant experience, be willing to undergo weeks of largely unpaid training, and be available to teach after-school European hours (and weekends) for 4 days/12 hours a week.

You can apply on the VivaLing website.

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