Teaching at DadaABC: job requirements, application process, reviews

If the thought of working and earning money through teaching English online has always appealed to you but sounded a tad fishy, then it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief. DadaABC (or DaDa) is considered one of the leading online education platforms on the ESL market today and is an excellent choice when attempting to start your fruitful online ESL journey. Based in Shanghai, China and established in 2013, this ever-growing online education company provides one-on-one lessons to young learners around China. 

Having collaborated with big names such as National Geographic and Pearson (to name a few), DadaABC aims to provide a world-class curriculum to its thousands of students, while providing high-quality teachers in an engaging one-on-one and online setting. 

With minimal requirements, but big pay rewards, DadaABC is the perfect opportunity for prospective applicants looking to work from the comfort of their home while working for a company that allows them to grow. 

Ready to get started? Here are a few crucial aspects to know before applying:

Job Requirements 

As previously mentioned, DadaABC is one of the leading online education platforms on the ESL market right now. But compared to their competitors (like iTutorGroup), they don’t require much from prospective applicants. However, DadaABC does have a few standard requirements you will need to meet before applying: 

• Be a native English speaker 
• TEFL/TESOL certificate (or equivalent) 

Dada is one of the few companies that offer positions to teachers outside of the US and Canada. As long as you’re a native English speaker, you’re more than welcome to apply. While having teaching experience (especially teaching kids) will help you stand out, it’s not a stringent requirement, making it the perfect position to help you gain experience. Along with various documentation, including your resume, you will need to provide DadaABC with a criminal background check. Unlike many other major online ESL companies, it appears that DadaABC doesn’t require you to have a bachelor’s degree when applying. However, it’s important to remember that your teaching experience and qualifications all contribute to your salary. 

To ensure that your virtual classroom runs smoothly, you will need to meet their technical specifications as well. A reliable computer/laptop (HD webcam preferred), a headset with microphone, and a stable internet connection with a download and upload speed of 10Mbps are all you need to start teaching with DadaABC.  

Apply to DaDa

Job Overview 

Dada provides prospective online English teachers with the chance to work from the comfort of their living room while earning an extra income. It's also the perfect position for anyone seeking a work-life balance that suits their lifestyle, as DadaABC provides a flexible schedule.  Unlike many other well-known online ESL companies who are location specific, Dada is a great company to work for if you're a digital nomad eager to travel the world. All you need is a stable internet connection and laptop.

You’ll need to be passionate about teaching young learners, as this company primarily caters to Chinese students aged 4 - 16 years old. All classes are one-on-one, which is perfect for anyone who shies away from teaching group classes. 

How much can you earn with DadaABC 

Dada offers a pay rate that’s well worth the effort, especially for nationalities that don’t include the US and Canada. While your eventual salary is dependent on many factors, you can expect to earn between $15- $25 when teaching with DadaABC. Prospective teachers start with the minimal base rate, but they do have the opportunity to improve this as they continue along their application journey. Teaching experience, performance during your training and demo lesson, are all factors that contribute to how much you earn. 

DadaABC prides itself in creating an environment where their teachers can grow and thrive. They do this through their salary increase system, which allows teachers who perform well to improve their base rate over time. Another great way to boost your per hour rate is through their incentive system. 

Here are just a few incentives you can earn while working with DadaABC: 

• Trial Class - If you can successfully convert a potential student during a trial class, you will earn an additional $7. 
• Step Bonus - Through the recently implemented step system, Dada teachers will receive an additional hourly bonus based on the number of hours they work. For example, if you manage to teach 15 hours, you’ll receive an extra $3 an hour. So if your base rate is $13, you’ll be earning $16 per hour according to the step scheme. The step scheme is a great way to help encourage you to teach as much as you can. Therefore, the more you work, the more money you make. 

• Stable Students - Students who have more than 15 lessons with you are referred to as stable students. For this, you are awarded a bonus, which ranges between $1- $2, depending on how many regular students you have. 
• Referral Bonus - If a potential applicant successfully becomes a Dada teacher, you’ll receive an additional $100. 

If you’re willing to work more hours and perform well enough to have students keep booking your classes, then you're likely to earn a good salary with DadaABC. An additional bonus? When it comes to student cancellations, DadaABC has an advantage over its competitors. Dada English teachers can expect to receive 30% of their base pay if a student cancels a lesson (most companies don't offer this). You can expect to be paid on the 15th of each month via a direct bank transfer or PayPal. 

The Application Process

The DadaABC application process is incredibly easy. Depending on how quickly you can complete the training - you’ll be teaching and earning money in no time. 

The process will look something like this: 

1. Submit Application 
2. DadaABC interview 
3. Internet and hardware connection test 
4. System training 
5. TPR Training 
6. Watching Videos of qualified teachers 
7. Demo Class 
8. Contract

While it may appear to be a lengthy process, most teachers have reported that it takes approximately one to two weeks to complete the application process from start to finish. 

Submit Application

If you feel that you’re the right candidate for the job, head to the website and complete the online application form. You’ll need to provide your name, nationality, experience, a professional or friendly photo, and resume. Ensure that your resume is updated and that it showcases any relevant information related to this position. 

Interview 

Once you’ve passed the initial screening, you should receive an invitation to schedule an interview via the DadaABC teacher login page. The interview is approximately 15 minutes and is conducted with a Dada recruiter via Skype. It’s an incredibly crucial portion of the application process, as it determines your salary and whether you should move on to the next step. Some tips: try to highlight why you’d make a great DadaABC teacher and how your knowledge and qualifications can benefit the company. 

Training 

Once you’ve passed your interview, you’ll be required to undergo various forms of training. But first, you'll need to pass the internet and hardware connection test. This test is done to ensure that your internet connection is running at an optimal level and that you'll have no hiccups while in your virtual classroom.  If you’ve passed this, your recruiter will guide you through the functions of Dada's online teaching platform and teacher portal. 

The TPR training is the next step on your training journey. During this process, you’ll learn some tips and tricks to improve your engagement with students. During this stage, the recruiter will also evaluate your teaching skills and style. 

If the recruiter is satisfied with your progress, you’ll then watch a series of videos featuring teachers from Dada. This portion of the training is self-study and should take three hours to complete, but this is all dependent on how quickly you grasp the material. Once you’ve finished watching these videos, it’s time for your demo class! 

Demo Class

Conducting a demo lesson is always a nerve-wracking experience, but if you’ve paid attention and thoroughly prepared, passing this stage should be a breeze. Your scheduled demo lesson will be conducted with a live DadaABC student and will be 30 minutes. Along with your initial interview, your performance during this demo lesson will determine your final salary. Don’t forget to smile, praise your student, use props and TPR, and have fun! 

Contract

If you’ve passed the demo class - congratulations! You’ll now be asked to sign a contract with DadaABC. The minimum contract period is six months, and their maximum is 12 months. However, they do encourage teachers to choose a 12-month contract with DadaABC. Before signing, read through your contract, and if you’re satisfied, sign and send it through to your designated DadaABC recruiter. contract

Teaching Hours 

Working with DadaABC provides teachers with a flexible schedule. If you’re someone who loves to travel or enjoys teaching from the comfort of your home - then this is the perfect job for you. You will need to commit to a minimum of 10 hours per month. However, you will need to teach a minimum of 2 days per week, for two hours each day. There is no maximum number of hours you’re able to teach (thanks to their incentive system, this is good news). Classes are offered from Monday - Sunday, but you’ll need to sign up for classes and provide a schedule based on time slots given to your supervisor. It’s always great to teach as many hours as you can, but make sure you’re not over-committing as this could lead to penalties.

Because this is a Chinese-based company, your schedule is based on Beijing Time. Offering stability is a major factor, and Dada prides itself in providing students with a regular teacher. Therefore, if you’d like to adjust your schedule, you will need to do so 30 days in advance.  

Your schedule and time slots could look something like this: 

• Monday to Friday: 6pm-9pm
• Weekends: 9am-12pm, 2pm-4pm, 6pm-9pm

Platform and Curriculum

Platform 

Lessons are conducted via the Dada online teaching platform - DadaClass. The Dada teaching platform is simple and easy to navigate and provides teachers with plenty of teaching tools to create a more engaging classroom. These tools include a writing tool and a rewards system. The lesson material is automatically displayed at the start of the class, and you're encouraged to engage students further by using flashcards and various props. 

Class Structure 

While many online ESL companies appear to be introducing group classes, Dada still believes that providing one-on-one online classrooms are the ideal setting to help students learn and practice English comfortably. The class length is 30 minutes, while trial classes are 15 minutes. Some teachers have reported that there is only a two-minute break between classes, which can be draining if you have back-to-back lessons. 

Curriculum 

DadaABC provides a comprehensive curriculum and holds partnerships with major institutions such as Pearson, National Geographic, PTE Young Learners, Highlights and Penguin Random House. This allows them to deliver a curriculum that targets all levels and suits each student’s individual needs. Each lesson includes target vocabulary, reading and a few exciting activities. Minimal preparation is required, allowing the teacher to focus on making the class as engaging and fun as possible. 

Cancellation Policy

If you find yourself needing to cancel a lesson, Dada allows teachers to cancel up to eight classes per month without penalties, as long as notice is given 24 hours in advance. However; after this, you will be required to pay a penalty fee for cancelling classes. Teachers are only excused from medical emergencies if they can produce a doctor's note. If you're unable to, you'll find yourself having to pay a hefty fine. 

Pros and Cons

Pros 

• They have an incredibly inclusive hiring policy with minimal requirements. Nationalities outside of the US and Canada are welcome to apply. 
• DadaABC pay is one of the best, and teachers have a chance to earn more while working part-time through their incentive system.
• They offer a well-developed curriculum that requires minimal preparation. 
• DadaABC has a supportive online community of teachers who are all ready to share their experiences with you. 

Cons 

• Some teachers have reported that the response time by technical support staff is not the best, making technical issues a hassle to get fixed. 
• You have 1-2 minutes between classes to prepare for your next lesson, which can make it difficult to relax between classes. 
• If the feedback is not completed within 24 hours, you may not receive payment for that particular lesson and will also receive a deduction in your final salary. 

Should I teach with DadaABC? 

Teaching with Dada is a great way to earn extra income while creating a schedule that suits your needs. It’s also an excellent opportunity for native English speakers who are passionate about teaching young learners and are looking for a well paying online teaching company. You will need to have some form of texperience, but minimal requirements and world-class coursework, make this one of the top online ESL companies amongst prospective ESL teachers, so make sure your resume stands out when applying! 

Depending on how quickly you progress, you can start teaching within a matter of days. If you're ready to start teaching with DadaABC, make sure you brush up your resume and begin your registration process here. 

Q&A

Do I need to live in North America to teach with Dada? 

As long as you’re a native English speaker and have a stable internet connection, you can work from anywhere in the world. 

Do I need a bachelor’s degree? 

As of writing this, it doesn’t appear that you need a bachelor’s degree to teach with Dada. 

What’s the maximum hours I can teach with DadaABC?

There is no maximum number of hours you can teach with Dada. The more hours you work, the more money you make. However, you will need to teach a minimum of 10 hours a month.

How long is a contract with Dada?

You can choose between a six or 12-month contract  

DadaABC Review

If you're eager to know what others have to say about this company, here are just a few Dada reviews

• When I first applied with DaDa in 2018 I really enjoyed working there. Since then, they have restructured their payment scheme and it is not as consistent as before. For example, at the beginning I signed a contract for my working hours and even if I did not have a lesson I still got paid 1/2 my hourly salary. Now though, you are only paid for lessons taught. The students are great and I enjoy that I get an incentive for keeping stable students. I do enjoy the flexibility to change my schedule more now versus signing a contract and having to fulfill it for "X" number of months; however, when lessons are cancelled they are more apprehensive to provide remuneration for these classes. Additionally, with that being said it is difficult to utilize this as a main source of income because even though I have "formal" working hours I do not always have lessons in those blocks.
• Easy work. Ability to be remote. Fun interacting with the kids, but monetary penalties for unexpected time off requests
• Company is open to comments, opinions, suggestions and response to requests for assistance is pretty quick considering the time difference. Pay is on time, but I guess the location of others and their payment method might cause some delays. (only my opinion). Pay is good if students show up to class. They announce upcoming holidays so you can add some extra hours beforehand to try and make up for the cancelled classes during the holiday .During the lessons, if anything goes wrong with courseware or internet connection problems , just click on the help button and IT will be on it quite quickly. Most children are awesome and parents helpful. It's a fun and fulfilling job for me. I love teaching at Dada, but it's hard during these times. It's hard for the whole world. This messy virus has really lowered the number of students. I am sure all companies are trying to save money here and there to make up for those losses. I have less kids at the moment, but I am sure with time it will pick up again. I need to remember to save for taxes!!! But that is my responsibility .Children are switched to other teachers without prior notifications, so we can't say goodbye or find out why they switched or were switched. I would like to be told why, so I can improve in that area and not lose another student.