What does it cost?
We don't charge a single RMB to post your teacher profile. Think of it as a bunch of interviews that you don't have to attend. But we do charge a fee when you obtain a client from our website.
Why should I use LinguaTutor.com?
Because you are in control here.
Since we also charge a small fee to students, you will only normally be contacted by genuine language students who are willing to pay for classes. No more language-class freeloaders. If they don't want to pay for your contact info, then they probably don't want to pay for your class.
We use standard profiles so students will know a bit about you before they contact you. This means students that contact you will already be interested in your expertise. No more introductory classes that don't pan out because you weren't exactly what the student had in mind. Just as important, the entire site can be viewed in Chinese so students don't have to stumble through mountains of English text to find you.
By using our site you're also less likely to get hassled by strange people. Unlike other sites, we do not have a "language exchange" section that is open to the public. No more wondering “Where did that person get my e-mail address?”
Lastly, other sites keep your information posted online unless you delete it. At LinguaTutor.com you can turn your profile on and off whenever you want. Going on vacation? Have enough students? Just want to lay low for a while? No problem. Turn off your profile and it disappears until you turn it on again.
How do I use this site?
Post your profile (click here), and say hello to us when we call to verify your contact information. Then, check your e-mail often, and if you've made your phone number available, answer calls from interested students.
Keep your profile current by updating your profile at least once a week so potential students know you're still looking for new students. You don't need to change anything on your profile to update, just click the update button and you can put yourself back at the top of the list. Once you've found enough students, remember to come back here and tell us you're no longer looking for students. It's that easy!
Don't forget, if you find that you're getting too many students, consider raising your listed hourly rates instead of turning away new students. After all, if you are popular and have good teaching skills then you deserve a raise.
What are the requirements to post a profile?
First, you need to be in Shanghai or China right now and plan on staying for at least two months. Why? Because you can't teach in Shanghai unless you're...uh...in Shanghai. And because the shortest commitment that most students expect is two months.
You need to be fluent in the language you want to teach. It helps if you are a native speaker. But if you're not, you should have enough expertise to answer any question a student may ask.
You also need a way for students to contact you. An e-mail address that you check often is essential, and a mobile phone number or home phone number would be great. We understand that you might not want to be disturbed by phone calls, so you can hide your phone numbers from students. Always remember to check your e-mail frequently and quickly respond to interested students.
Lastly, you need to be able to work as a language teacher or private tutor in Shanghai. If you need a license to teach French professionally or if you need a stamp to teach Japanese, then you should get this sorted out before you start to teach. It's impossible for us to check your legal status, especially if you're a foreigner. So we leave this responsibility to you.
What is in my profile?
Everything that a student may want to know without actually meeting you. Most important are your language expertise, qualifications, and location. We ask for your age and gender because students will want to know. It helps them screen out teachers they are not interested in, which means fewer hassles for you. This is also why we recommend you include a good photo.
We ask you to indicate a range of hourly rates, because maybe you want to charge depending on the type of class, or maybe you're open to negotiation. If you have a single fixed rate just enter the same number twice.
Lastly, we ask whether you are currently seeking students. If you're not looking for students anymore, please come back and change this so students will stop contacting you.
I have a good photo but it doesn't look anything like the ones I've seen on this site, what should I do?
Crop it to 120 pixels high by 100 pixels wide and save it as a JPEG.
If you don't know how to do that, as long as your photo meets the file size restriction, upload it with your profile anyway. If it's the wrong height or width we will resize it for you. If it's a group photo we'll ask you which face is yours when we call to verify you. However, your profile will probably become active faster if you upload the right kind of photo.
I want to include a photo but I don't want a certain somebody to see it, what can I do?
Easy. On your teacher profile, just unselect the option "Make my photo freely available to all students". Now only students that actually buy your contact information get to see your photo.
How easy is it to teach private students?
It's simple. And it's better than teaching at a school because you are your own boss. However, some key things you may want to get sorted out before you take students are class location, teaching hours, and payment.
Have a class location in mind. It could be your home, a coffee shop, anywhere that's suitable for the kind of class you teach. It may be possible for the class to be at the student's home or office, but it's nice to have another location ready.
Most language tutors with full time job can manage about 6-10 hours a week of private classes. Some teachers have nothing but private students, and can work up to 20-25 hrs a week ! A two-hour class length is customary.
Confirm your hourly rate as soon as possible.
I haven't gotten any students yet. What's up?
We've noticed that teachers who frequently get contacted by students tend to do several things:
• List competitive hourly rates (compare yourself to similarly qualified teachers in your area)
• Refresh their profiles at least once every two weeks or so
• Type comments that differentiate their teaching abilities and experience from those of everyone else
• Offer photographs (even a hidden photo will greatly improve your chances)
For the long term, you could also consider upgrading your qualifications. Many of the school and business users of this site look for teachers with some kind of TESL or TEFL certificate. So, if you're looking for fulltime work at a buxiban (cram school) or you want to teach business English, getting a recognized TEFL or TESL certificate might benefit you. Also, many English learners in Shanghai are studying for a TOEFL test. So, naturally, being certified to prepare students for TOEFL would help you gain these students. In addition, if you have another kind of English teaching certification, such as TOEIC, IELTS, CELTA, or TESOL, don't forget to mention this in the comment part of your teacher profile.
Lastly, don't get discouraged if all this seems too daunting. There will always be a demand for casual conversation English classes and talented English teachers in Shanghai, and we have confidence that every qualified teacher who uses our service will eventually have students and a good income.
How should I set my hourly rate?
Imagine a dedicated student that travels to your home and is generally fun to teach. That is your lowest hourly rate. Now, imagine a forty-five minute Metro and bus commute to the home of a difficult student. That's your highest hourly rate. The exception is if you specialize in group classes, then you'll probably want to clarify what your high rate means in your teacher comment. Also, students shouldn't always assume that your lowest rate will apply to them, so don't be afraid to negotiate (this is China after all!).
Another thing you can do is look at teachers in your neighborhood who are similar to you and note their hourly rates. This can give you some insight into the teaching market in your region of Shanghai.
What else do you do with my information?
Nothing. Your information stays in our database and that's as far as it goes. We only offer it to students who want to contact you. We don't use your personal information for anything other than helping you find students.
Why do I sometimes see funny text on your site?
Those are probably misunderstood Chinese characters.
If you wish to view Chinese characters, you must switch your browser to Chinese simple encoding. This setting is under the View...Encoding... menu of your browser.
If that doesn't work, make sure you have at least one Simple Chinese font installed. If not, don't worry. Chinese is not essential to use LinguaTutor.com in English mode.
