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Tutoring English Online with Verbling

Looking to set your own rates, design your own lessons and meet students from around the world? Meet Verbling.

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When people think of major tech companies started by university students, they’re likely to think of behemoths like Facebook, Google, Reddit and FedEx. Verbling, started in 2011 by students of Stanford University, can be added to any list of tech giants.

The language teaching platform, developed by friends Jake Jolis, Mikael Bernstein and Gustav Rydstedt, began as a language exchange. Through Verbling Friends, as it was originally called, you could meet up with a stranger and learn each other’s language. Over time, though, the company found significant investment. Now, it’s one of the biggest online teaching platforms around.

So, what’s it like for teachers finding work on Verbling? What are Verbling lessons like? What do teachers, using their laptop or desktop computer, need to teach English on the Verbling platform? Can you collect your earnings anytime, and how do other English tutors online rate the service?

Let’s find out!

Verbling: An Overview

A multilingual language learning platform, Verbling specialises in bringing eager students to experienced English teachers and tutors of other languages. Named as a tech startup to watch during its first year of service, Verbling has grown exponentially.

Part of that growth has been private investment, sure. Another integral source of revenue, though - and one that’ll be interesting to anyone with a TEFL certificate in Business English - is partnerships with big companies. Verbling Enterprise, founded in 2016, works with the likes of Volkswagen and Inditex, major players in international motoring and clothing respectively.

How does Verbling work? We’ll cover this in more depth, but for a quick guide: you need to download a Google Chrome extension to use the platform. Classes are an hour long, and you can use your own teaching materials, and even upload lesson plans!

What are the requirements to teach with Verbling?

So, what do teachers need to make Verbling work for them? Teachers online are flocking to their service, so it’s time to discuss what the requirements are for teachers on this particularly popular language learning platform.

The most important factor that sets Verbling apart from many other online English teaching platforms is experience. Verbling hires teachers with experience only, whether in English or other languages. If you want to teach English on Verbling, that’s the primary requirement you need to meet. Don’t fret if you’re not a veteran, there are plenty of places to teach English online without experience.

What else is there, though? Is it as simple as having experience and a strong internet connection to teach languages on this platform? Let’s dive in.

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor’s degree is not part of the teach English online requirements for Verbling. No degree? No problem, teacher!

TEFL certification

Do you need TEFL certification to teach languages on Verbling? Well, completion of a TEFL course will always put you in good stead for finding online English teaching work. Verbling is no different; though completion of a TEFL course isn’t a prerequisite, by their own admission, it helps considerably.

The industry standard for TEFL certification is 120 hours. That said, an Advanced TEFL teaching certificate may help with your application to work on Verbling. Having a specific teaching certificate in Teaching English Online and Business English will undoubtedly give your application a real boost.

Native/non-native

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a native speaker to teach on Verbling - previous experience teaching and personal availability are the more desirable traits. That said, you do have to prove fluency; you’re required to have C2 standard command of English (or other languages) to teach on the platform.

Download our teaching English online guide

Verbling Job description

So what do you actually do as a teacher on the Verbling platform? The beauty of Verbling is that, at its core, it’s extremely simple.

International students and language learners log on for Verbling lessons with teachers who teach a variety of languages. It’s that easy. Verbling teachers can set their own hourly rates of payment, take as many lessons as they want, and prepare their own teaching materials and lesson plans. These lesson plans can be uploaded for other teachers to study.

Teachers will need to download the Verbling extension on Google Chrome, but in return, you’ll find an online teaching service that’s extremely user-friendly and straightforward. It’s barely more complex than a typical video calling service, and that’s an advantage for a student and a teacher alike.You’ll be dealing with speakers of different proficiencies, and while Verbling began as a way for university students to learn a language online, you’ll meet learners of different ages and abilities. Turn up, teach for 60 minutes - it’s that simple.

How much can you earn teaching English with Verbling?

If you teach on the Verbling teaching platform, you set your hourly rates. Teachers typically charge between $14 and $30 (£11-£24). Let’s do some quick arithmetic - if you did 6 lessons per day at $20, you’ll earn $120. That’s $600 a week, before commission.

The commission Verbling takes is 15%. So, you set your rate at $20 per lesson, for example, and you keep 85% of that: $17. Verbling allows you to change your rates whenever you like, but be warned: too low and students might not take you seriously, too high and you might find it harder to attract international students and language learners.

When you work as a Verbling teacher, you can cash out your earnings anytime. Earnings are “unlocked” every Sunday or Monday, time zone depending.

The application process for Verbling

So how do you actually get started on the Verbling platform? How do you go from curiosity to signing up to your first lesson with a student? Well, don’t worry, aspiring Verbling teachers; connecting with language learners and turning them into English speakers is pretty uncomplicated.

How do I apply?

Like any online English teaching platform, the process for teachers getting started on Verbling is intended to be as streamlined as possible. It all starts with setting up an account, using your email address, Facebook account or Google log-in.

Then, set up a profile. So, give your name, gender and a teacher profile photo. 600x600 pixels is best, with good lighting and, of course, a smile! Then, you’ve got to provide the name of the language you want to give lessons on. Even if you teach other languages, you can only give one answer at first. After that, tell Verbling which languages you speak, and to what level.

After that, teachers, it’s time for the serious stuff: your CV and teaching certificate. If you want to be a ‘verified’ Verbling language teacher, you’ll need to provide a scan of your teaching certificate, or no dice. Along with this, you’ve got to provide a quick teaching biography: where you’ve taught, for how long, who you gave lessons to, your style of teaching, and a reason why you want to teach on Verbling.

Then, to teach on Verbling, you’ve got to provide your personal availability. This is crucial for finding students who want to learn English online, and letting students find you. A photo of your ID (a passport or driving licence will do), an internet connection test (speed.io or speedtest.net will do the trick!) and a signature for the Verbling terms and conditions will pretty much complete your application.

Verbling introduction video

Another key part of becoming a Verbling teacher is your introduction video. Like on other platforms, teachers just need to provide 2-3 minutes introducing yourself, your style of teaching, and why Verbling students should pick you for their next language lesson. Teachers must also use their introductory video as a teaching moment; a phrase or greeting will do the trick.

Obviously, teachers need to make sure the video and audio are high quality, with good lighting and no distracting sights or noises. Avoid using any effects or animations, and make sure you enunciate clearly. Once you’re done, upload it with the name “Verbling Teacher *your name* Introduction Video” to YouTube. There are loads of Verbling Introduction videos already on YouTube for inspiration! Verbling has loads of great video tips for teachers, too.

Interview process

What about nailing your interview? Well, the good news is you don’t actually have to do an interview for Verbling at all!

What to consider before you start

So, what should a prospective Verbling teacher be thinking about before getting started on the language learning platform and teaching their first lesson to wannabe English speakers?

Tech
Time
Experience

Tech

Like any job where you teach English online, you really need to think about what technology you’re using to teach students. Verbling isn’t available on mobile devices, so you’ll need a laptop or desktop computer, a camera and a microphone, the Google Chrome browsing platform, and a strong internet connection just as much as you’ll need a teaching certificate.

All lessons with Verbling students are completed with Verbling video, the company’s own video call technology. That’s super handy - no subscriptions to Skype or Zoom needed for a lesson with a student!

Time

You know what kind of teach English online salary you’re looking at on Verbling - you set your own rates per lesson. So really, it comes down to how much time you can spend teaching the English language online. Do you have enough spare hours to make it worth it as a part-time job? Or, given you need a teaching certificate and teaching experience, is it more likely that Verbling will become your full-time job?

Have a real think before signing up. Like any other platform, Verbling is what you make it: that's true for both the student and the teacher.

Teaching experience and lesson planning

Again, teaching experience at a decent level is a prerequisite for teaching any student on Verbling. If you want to be a tutor on this platform, it’s very important. So is the ability to lesson plan, and let students know what and how you intend to teach them.

If you have teaching experience but haven’t spent much time as a tutor doing lesson planning, this may be a steep learning curve. If you’ve designed a lot of classes, but haven’t taught much, again - there’s a lot to learn. You've got to tailor each lesson to each student, which can be time-consuming.

Verbling: Pros and cons

Any language learning platform is going to have its pros and cons, its advantages and disadvantages. Verbling, a company which hopes to emulate other college dorm-born tech companies, is no different. So what are they?

Pros

Quality of teachers: To teach on Verbling, you need to have actual experience of being a tutor and giving lessons to students. This means that you’ll be rubbing shoulders with a higher calibre of teacher than other platforms.
Set your own hourly rate: While there are pitfalls to setting your own prices, this language teaching platform will allow you to set your own lesson rates, and only takes 15% commission. Not bad at all.
Flexibility: There are no minimum or maximum number of lessons you can teach per week. It’s up to you
Ease of use: Go on the internet, sign into Verbling, use the video platform and teach students. It is no more complicated than that.

Cons

Preparing your own lessons: While being in charge of what you teach can be seen as a pro, it’s also time-consuming. Planning and creating your own materials for a each lesson might cut into teaching time and, therefore, affect what you can cash in.
Competition: There are a lot of teachers teaching a lot of languages. Making yourself stand out can be hard at first.
Other platforms: If the Verbling video platform comes up against technical issues, you can’t use an alternative for a lesson. This can mean lost income that isn’t your fault.

Verbling Reviews

What are tutors using the Verbling platform saying online? Are they into what Verbling is offering, or do they recommend you look elsewhere?

On Glassdoor, Verbling fares pretty well, with a score of 3.8 out of 5. For reference, that’s a high score for a language teaching platform. Why do tutors like it? Teachers list flexible hours and help finding students, as well as ease of use, are major positives. However, there isn’t a lot of love for the lesson commission Verbling takes from tutors, or the lack of paid holidays.

Meanwhile, Indeed has fewer reviews in general, but the score is considerable: 4.6 out of 5! The platform’s support staff and flexibility are heralded on Indeed, with no major negatives to be seen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Verbling a good company?

While it’s not our place to say whether Verbling is a “good” company, it certainly ranks well on employment sites including Glassdoor and Indeed.

Q. How much commission does Verbling take?

Verbling takes a 15% commission from tutors for classes.

Q. What do you need to teach on Verbling?

To teach on Verbling, you need teaching experience and some form of teaching certificate.

Q. How much can you earn on Verbling?

You can set your own rates on Verbling, so you can earn whatever students are willing to pay you for language lessons!