Are you an ESL teacher looking to teach conversational English online? There’s a newer company called Twenix that is hiring teachers from many different countries and you don’t need to be a native English speaker or be a certified teacher to work for them. You’ll be teaching English to business professionals online and with Twenix it’s really easy to get started teaching!
I tried out teaching with Twenix and this post is going to tell you my Twenix online teaching review. I’ll give you an intro to the company and the students, tell you what a class is like, and give you some tips for how to apply for a job.
Note: this post is sponsored by Twenix who wanted me to teach on their platform and create a post to tell potential teachers what it’s actually like to teach with them because they are hiring and want to find great teachers! All my opinions are my own.
What is Twenix?
So what is Twenix all about? Let’s start with the name. Twenix comes from the word twenty-six because the classes are twenty-six minutes long. Get it? Twenty-six? Twenix? That makes the length of the class easy to remember at least.
Twenix is a newer company that is based in Spain and is growing fast. I was impressed with how streamlined and clear their platform and processes were.
Who are Twenix students?
Twenix is for adult English learners who are business professionals who want to improve their English. Usually, students are taking classes as part of their job. Most learners have an intermediate or advanced level of English, though they do have some lower-level students too. Currently, learners are in Spain or Italy.
You’ll be teaching English to business professionals online, so no need to compete with Paw Patrol to get a five-year-old’s attention as you would if you were teaching kids.
What is the format?
The 26-minute classes are conversation classes that are structured around Microcourses that cover both business and general English topics. Students choose a Microcourse that has five regular lessons and one checkpoint lesson. Students are able to choose topics that interest them and are relevant.
The platform gives you questions to guide your lesson and you just talk to the student about the topic. It’s that simple! Other than familiarizing yourself with the topic and questions, there’s no need to prepare slides or review grammar topics that you’ve forgotten how to teach (like the past perfect continuous…).
The focus is on student talk time, which is perfect for adult learners because most adults in Europe have taken lots of grammar-based English classes in school but don’t have the opportunity to actually speak English one-on-one.
Who can be a Twenix teacher?
Teachers, or Tweachers as they call them, are native and near-native English speakers who want to help adult learners learn English. You don’t need to be a certified teacher or have classroom experience to work to become a Tweacher. Twenix looks for people who are enthusiastic, can communicate effectively, and have tutored or have a business background. They do not need to be native English speakers. A good Twenix teacher is professional, on time, keeps the conversation flowing, and motivates their students to speak and learn.
Teachers are contractors, not employees, so you can be from any country that supports Wise or Payoneer for payment.
And it goes without saying that you need access to a computer, a quiet space, and fast internet to be a Tweacher.
If you don’t have a teaching background but you have good English language skills and can lead a conversational English class, you should apply!
How easy is it to get started with Twenix?
This is hands-down the best part about Twenix. Of all the companies I’ve taught with, Twenix is the easiest in terms of learning the platform, the curriculum and just being able to jump into teaching.
One of Twenix’s slogans is “Teach from Day One” and this is a good way of putting it. Once my application was approved I spent less than two hours with on-boarding and learning the platform and the expectations. Now I’m an experienced teacher, so if you are new it will probably take you a bit longer, but it was definitely faster than other companies.
Another part that is easy is the teaching schedule. Teachers open the 30-minute slots that they are available to teach in and Twenix does the work of getting you the students. You don’t need to worry about marketing yourself or spend hours making a video so you’ll be a popular teacher and get bookings.
What’s the Twenix Teaching Schedule Like?
Since students are based in Spain and Italy the most popular hours are daytime hours in the European Central Time zone. Keep in mind that both of these countries tend to stay up later than in North America. For example, I taught a dad in Spain at 11:30 pm his time because it was when his children were finally in bed!
There are also some seasonal peaks that you should be aware of. August and January are very low-demand months because students are on vacation (gotta love the sacred European vacation periods!) Peak season is October to December and March to July. During peak time it’s very easy to get bookings and you can pretty much teach as many hours as you want.
Another great perk is if you have a slot booked and can no longer teach you have the option to put it up for grabs for another teacher to take and not be penalized for not being able to teach it.
What is the Twenix Teacher Pay?
I know, I know, this is what potential teachers want to know right away. The pay rate at Twenix varies because of a number of factors. First, the base pay goes by which country you are geographically based in and the cost of living there. Someone in Europe might be looking at 13-15 Euros an hour or $13-16 in the U.S. In Argentina, you might make 7-11 Euros an hour.
There are opportunities for raises based on how many classes you teach (see chart below). There are also seasonal bonuses for peak weeks and months that can increase the pay up to 20%.
So what are the pros and cons of teaching with Twenix?
Pros
Twenix is great for teachers who are looking for an easy way to do what they love (teach!) without a lot of prep-work or marketing. It’s also great for those who want to start teaching and making money right away.
Unlike many companies, non-native speakers and those with no teaching certifications are welcome to apply. Joining Twenix would be a great way to get your feet wet in the world of ESL.
I love cute kids but let’s be honest, teaching adults requires a lot less energy than teaching children and you don’t have to worry about dressing up or preparing rewards, so this is a huge plus.
Cons
You are teaching business English, which could be a pro or a con. The topics at Twenix are about things like motivation, applying to jobs, and getting along with your colleagues, so if that doesn’t interest you then Twenix may not be for you.
The seasonal peaks in class demand mean that this is a job that would be better as a side hustle and not full-time income.
Students can choose to take a class with video or audio only. As a language teacher, I feel it’s better for teaching to be able to see the student and vice-versa. On the other hand, I can understand that it could be more convenient or less stressful for students to do audio only.
For native English speakers in more economically developed countries, the pay rate is not great, especially for those with ESL certifications. However, you don’t need to do any lesson prep or grade any homework, you’re just focusing on teaching. Also, the ability to set your own hours and work from anywhere may make up for the lower salary.
Bottom line: If you are looking for a company that doesn’t require certifications, hires non-native speakers, and simplifies the online teaching experience, Twenix is for you!
How to Apply
If you know you want to work with Twenix or you aren’t sure but want more information, you should apply.
The good news is it’s a short application form that will only take five minutes. You’ll need to upload your resumé and respond to some multiple-choice questions about your teaching style and experience. Remember that even if you don’t have classroom experience you should highlight things like coaching, mentoring or tutoring.
You should know that the big hiring window is from September to November, but they do hire teachers at other times depending on demand. Applications submitted during this time will usually get a response back within a week. Don’t forget to check your spam folder.
If you apply at a different time of year you may get an email saying that Twenix is not currently hiring but you’ll be contacted when they are hiring again.
If you pass this stage you’ll get an email saying that Twenix wants to learn more about you and they’ll also state what your base pay will be. You’ll be asked to record two very short videos where you’ll be “teaching” a hypothetical student and giving them feedback. Don’t stress too much about the videos, Twenix gives you a detailed brief with guidance about how to complete the task, so make sure you read it carefully. Twenix wants to see your on-camera presence, hear you speak English, and see how you can help a student learn by extending the questions and correcting errors. Just be yourself, look at the camera, and speak clearly in a supportive way.
If you pass this part you are in and will just have to complete a short on-boarding course before you can open slots and start teaching!
I hope this Twenix online teaching review has been helpful. If you want to start teaching with Twenix click here to apply.
