Mentoring and Growing with 51Talk: Teacher Aileen

Since it was established in 2011, 51Talk has gone a long way from being a startup brand to becoming the leading online English education platform in the Philippines and China. As it celebrates its 10th anniversary this July, 51Talk has a lot to look back on its humble beginnings, and the same goes for the likes of Teacher Aileen, who have been teaching on the platform since its early days.

Having been with 51Talk for nine years now, Teacher Aileen still vividly remembers when she decided to pursue online English teaching full-time. It was in 2012, and she was working for a BPO company when she realized she wanted a career that would allow her to earn at home and utilize her time better.

Because she already had experience teaching English to foreign learners, particularly Koreans, Teacher Aileen knew she could easily transition into the role again, hence why she sent out applications to online EFL platforms, including 51Talk.

“The next day after I submitted my application, 51Talk immediately got back to me,” recalled Teacher Aileen. “My interview and onboarding process didn’t take long, and before I knew it, I was already conducting my classes as a 51Talk teacher. A few weeks into the role, and I found the experience very engaging because my students’ personalities were different and it was my first time conducting lessons to Chinese learners.”

Another thing Teacher Aileen recalls is how different the teaching setup was during her early years on the platform. Back then, most of her students were adults. She recalled some of the lessons were specifically designed for those who needed to learn English for their professions. She added that teachers used to conduct classes through video messaging platforms before 51Talk officially transitioned to using the AirClass platform.

“We had to record our lessons using and send them online. We also had to manually type down everything during classes—from students’ mispronounced words, grammatical mistakes, down to our suggestions. Now, we have the applications and tools that make teaching online easier and more convenient,” Teacher Aileen shared.

However, 51Talk’s booking system has always been the same, which worked out perfectly for Teacher Aileen since it allowed her to schedule her classes at her convenience, and attend to her other responsibilities at home and her church community. She also finds the same satisfaction in her teaching career, which has become a source of joy and inspiration for her.

“My experience at 51Talk has made me a much better online English teacher. For the past nine years, I’ve met and encountered students of different personalities. Through this, and by constantly attending 51Talk’s free training workshops, I was able to learn the ropes of online English teaching, and also acquire the knowledge and skills needed for this role,” Teacher Aileen explained.t of the editor.

She humbly added that she still has a lot to learn as a mentor. Finding approaches that work on them might not be easy, but Teacher Aileen knows the moment her teaching style is working when students come back and regularly book classes with her. The best feeling, however, is when she sees they’re making improvements in their English language skills.

“Teaching isn’t just a career for me. It has given me purpose to make a positive impact on my students’ lives,” she said. “If 51Talk is counting more years in the EFL industry, then I would like to count with them too,” Teacher Aileen ended.