Cambly Kids

Cambly currently has two distinct platforms on offer: the standard Cambly service and the renowned Cambly Kids.
The standard Cambly service is aimed primarily at adult learners, with the intention of improving their English speaking by exposing them to native English speakers.  
The Cambly kids platform focuses more on children aged 4-15, with the same intention of teaching English to non-native speakers by exposing them to native English speakers.
Cambly Kids differs from Cambly in a few distinct ways:

– It is kids-only, meaning no student over the advertised age is able to sit in on the classes
– It is ‘web only’, meaning no app or mobile support
– It is by reservation only, meaning no ‘drop in’ classes are available
– Each class follows a strict 30-minute lesson plan in-keeping with a set curriculum
– The Cambly chat messages are delivered straight to the student’s registered parent or guardian, rather than directly to the student
– The pay rate is noticeably higher, at the rate of $0.20 per minute (equating to $12 per hour)

It is important to note that only recognised Cambly Kids tutors registered with the Cambly Kids platform are eligible for the higher pay rate. Any Cambly teachers currently tutoring children on the standard Cambly service are encouraged to transition to the Cambly Kids platform.

The registered tutors on Cambly Kids are expected to hold themselves to a higher standard of conduct, mainly due to their exposure to young children. Commitment, patience, flexibility and responsibility are just a few of the expected characteristics. The expectation is that registered Cambly Kids tutors will function as genial guides and not be domineering within the virtual classroom. You will be expected to keep order and ensure your students learn effectively, but through appropriate means.

Please note: Cambly Kids are not currently hiring.

Anyone can apply to become a Cambly Kids tutor simply by filling out the online tutor profile. You will also be encouraged to provide an intro video and a demo video, as is standard practice. The following steps provide all the necessary guidance:

1. Sign up an account here.
2. Go to the top right corner and click on your profile picture
3. Click on ‘Edit Profile' You will see an option titled ‘Edit Profile’
4. Click on the ‘Apply to become a kids tutor’ button
5. Complete your Kids tutor profile on the redirected page
6. Click the submit button to finish your application

Cambly Kids is dedicated to making sure that kids develop the skills necessary to build a great future for themselves; not just in the classroom, either. 
Through Cambly Kids, students will learn to speak English through conversation with native speakers. They focus on developing an environment that is both supportive and fun, encouraging students to pick up the language naturally – with little to no emphasis on memorising translations of stock phrases.
The Cambly Kids tutors have a passion for educating, which, alongside the benefit of being 100% native speakers, ensures that students are taught in the best possible environment.

The Program
The program starts by building what they call a ‘baseline of high frequency English words’, with a strong focus on simple grammatical constructions early on. 
They then work to establish a foundation level of fluency, gradually building towards introducing concepts like, spelling, grammar, phonics and punctuation.

Advanced Courses
Cambly Kids also offers advanced courses, in which students are gradually introduced to ‘advanced academic vocabulary’ – this focuses on more complex grammatical topics, along the lines of nominalization and the use of passive voice. 
Placement on a Cambly Kids course is determined by a combination of the child’s age and their English ability. A tutors recommendation will also be submitted. For example, a beginner student older than 8 will start with Cambly Kids’ Youth Introduction to English, which covers the equivalent of CEFR Pre-A1, A1, and A2 materials.

See below for a full breakdown of all available courses:

Introduction to English
This course is available for children who have very little to no experience speaking or working with English. 
This course is catered towards younger children who get enjoyment from singing songs, reciting nursery rhymes, and learning through picture-based activities. 
Students will cover the following topics:

1. Letters
2. Colours
3. Numbers
4. Animals

Students will be expected to proceed on to the Primary A course upon completion.

Primary A
This course is intended for children who already have a familiarity with the English alphabet, and are capable of responding in English to basic yes or no questions.
With an emphasis on phonics and ‘sight words’, a strong comprehension of English is not necessary but will be of help.
Students will cover the following topics:

1. Family members
2. Transportation
3. Around the house
4. Food and Drink

Primary B
This course is for children who can understand basic sentences related to topics familiar to them, like ‘family’ and ‘friends’. 
Basic English reading skills will be necessary at this level, as a portion of the course relies on reading exercises. 
The course covers topics such as:

1. Countries and cultures
2. Chronological order of events
3. Short stories
4. Giving Instructions

Youth Introduction to English
This course is for older students who have little to no experience studying English, as was touched on above.
Children aged 9-15 will find this course to be the most useful, as it assumes a baseline familiarity with English sounds.

The course will cover topics such as:

1. Greetings
2. Colours
3. Family members
4. Asking questions

Completion of the course will enable the student to progress to Secondary A.

Students will advance to either Secondary A or Secondary B depending on their tutor’s evaluation.

Secondary A
This course is for students who can discuss basic topics like: hobbies, likes and dislikes, and daily activities, all in English. 
The focus of the course is on reading and summarizing short passages – as well as discussing opinions on abstract topics.
The course will cover topics such as:

1. Travel
2. Types of clothing
3. Irregular verbs
4. Types of pronouns

Secondary B
This class is for students who can already hold a good conversation in English, as well as a strong English reading level.
This course develops the skills established in Secondary A, with a particular focus on the following topics:

1. Feelings and experiences
2. Health and wellness
3. Technology
4. Conditional constructions

Secondary C
This course is for students who can hold conversations in English on a wide range of topics that relate to their personal experiences. 
The following topics will be the main focus:

1. Ancient history
2. Symbols and symbolism
3. Presenting an argument
4. Geography and climate

Cambly Kids gives you a chance to review each lesson before teaching it.
Just follow these steps:

– Check the student profile page (click on their username via your Reservation tab) before starting the lesson
– Click on ‘Enrolled Courses' – you will see the student’s available lessons. The lessons that are greyed out will have been completed previously. Upcoming lessons are in colour. 
– Click on the first color lesson, and you will see the slides for the next lesson.

A child’s level is chosen by their parents at the initial Cambly Kids registration.
You can tell Cambly Kids that the level is not meeting the needs of the student by submitting a support ticket.
A support ticket will require the child's account ID, as well as an indication of the level you think appropriate. The following chart that will help you in the process:

Getting set up as a tutor with Cambly Kids is almost identical to getting set up on the standard Cambly.
It is, of course, very important to remember that Cambly Kids will require you to market yourself towards children. This is a very different experience from marketing yourself towards adults, and comes with a different set of responsibilities. 
Your introductory video and profile picture should still be professional, but Cambly Kids encourages their tutors to express more of their personality. A profile picture is a great place to show off a puppet or a prop. 
Children require a different learning environment from adults, so don’t be afraid to utilise bright colours and tools, as well as keeping your lighting appropriate. 

There are a few important things to consider, specifically:

1. Background
2. Lighting
3. Props
4. Rewards System

Look below to see these discussed in more depth.

1. Background
You need to walk a tight line with teaching kids – the background must be fun, but not too distracting. Consider using bright colours, bright wrapping paper or wallpaper, or even commissioning a professional background.
Changing your background, perhaps to keep it relevant to a holiday, a season or even the days’ topic, is a great idea for keeping the kids engaged. Some tutors like to change their backgrounds to go along with a holiday or theme. Cambly Kids encourages their tutors to exercise their creativity in this department.
Cambly Kids have provided us with some examples: 
The first is an example of how their tutor ‘Crystal’ has set up her classroom. The following images could help you develop your own ideas.

Cambly Kids encourages tutors to make their teaching space unique, distinct from other tutors. Even when working with very limited space, Cambly Kids tutor ‘Marie Gale’ demonstrates how to make the most of your own space.

2. Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of teaching with Cambly Kids – particularly because it allows your students to see your face. LED lights are regarded as being the better choice, due to their resistance to ‘flickering’ when seen through a webcam. 
Cambly Kids also recommends you not rely on your room light to provide sufficient lighting. It will not be up to the task. Your teacher ratings are determined by the professionalism of the videos you submit, and lighting is one of the key aspects students pick up on.
Cambly provides the following guidance on correctly placing your light sources:
‘Aim to have 1 light at your eye level facing you at your 12 o’clock. If you can, place a second light at your 10 o’clock and a third at your 2 o’clock to eliminate any shadows on your face.’

3. Props
Props are a vital tool for teaching online, and Cambly Kids really wants to see you using them in your lessons. Emphasis should be on keeping the props colourful, engaging, and preferably interactive. This will allow you to keep the attention of your class.
Cambly Kids doesn’t expect you to spend lots of money on your props. You can buy some good props for a very small price tag. Online teachers the world over use toy microphones, white boards, flash cards and hand clappers on a daily basis – nothing fancy.

4. Rewards System
Keeping students engaged and motivated can be a difficult task. It is made much easier if you can inject a bit of fun into the lesson. Some cost-effective suggestions follow below:

a) Whiteboards
Whiteboards give you an opportunity to present information in a far more creative way. You can even use them to keep track of student performance, and give them a ‘ladder’ to work their way up.

b) Reward Stickers 
Reward stickers are some of the oldest systems of positive reinforcement that teaching has – and they work. Stickers can be given for participation, answering questions correctly, or even asking questions of their own. 

c) Magnetic Reward ‘Stickers’
Reward stickers eventually go into the bin, and the environment won’t benefit from that. Magnetic ones will provide a far more eco-friendly approach to the process, and the system by which you give them can remain unchanged. 

With your classroom set up to your own personal specification, you are ready to begin taking reservations. 
There are a few important questions to ask before you take your first lesson, and we’ve collected some of the most frequently asked questions below. 

1 – What times should I indicate as ‘open’ on my schedule?
Cambly Kids is international, which means tutors have real flexibility. There are, however, some key times where tutors are more likely to have classes reserved. Peak times are between 8 UTC – 15 UTC, with weekends particularly in demand.
Cambly Kids does not take responsibility for assigning classes to tutors. Reservations are made directly by parents. Having an open schedule during peak hours will significantly increase your chances of having consistent lessons reserved – 20 hours a week is Cambly Kids’ recommendation, as parents prioritise consistent availability for their children.

2 – What if a student is absent during their reserved class?
Cambly Kids takes responsibility for reminding students to attend their classes, so individual tutors are not required to do so. Tutors are expected to wait only 10 minutes of the reserved class, which will ensure you are paid $2.00 for the 10 minutes.

3 – What if a student cancels?
Cambly Kids will pay tutors a late cancellation fee if their student cancels a class 8 hours before the scheduled class time. Tutors are expected to find another student to fill that time slot if they want to work, and will not be eligible for the no-show credit.

4 – What if a student arrives past the lesson start time?
If a student is late then tutors are encouraged by Cambly Kids to adjust their end-time to reflect the later start. If this is impossible then tutors are able to end the lesson at the agreed upon time; for instance, in the case of back-to-back reservations.
Cambly Kids tutors are paid for the number of minutes spent talking to the student, so consistently late students will be depriving you of income should you be forced to still finish at the agreed upon end-time.

5 – What if I need to cancel a reserved class?
The amount of allowable missed reservations is based on the number of completed reservations over the last 10 days, and Cambly Kids’ system will automatically allow some smaller absences or periods of lateness.
If you have successfully finished more than 60 reservations in the previous 10 days, the system will forgive you for up to 3 missed reservations. If you miss a fourth reservation in this period, the system will automatically convert your calendar to regular Cambly reservation spots for 7 days. In this instance, new Cambly Kids students will not be able to book any reservations with you at all. 

Cambly Kids would prefer their tutors to not cancel reserved classes within a 12 hour window of the class. Similarly, lateness will not be appreciated, as it could run the risk of making the children late for other classes. Frequent lateness or missed reservations will result in the tutor being removed from the Cambly Kids program. 

Camly Kids has a Tutor Support Team specifically aimed at helping tutors with extenuating circumstances which result in them missing multiple reservations. Submitting a ticket to the team will enable you to open a dialogue with Cambly Kids, and inform them of your circumstances.

6 – What if I need to hide or ban a student?
When a tutor decides to ban a student on Cambly Kids, they ask that the tutor contacts the child’s parents before banning them from future classes. It can cause great emotional distress to a young child when their tutor disappears and they don’t know why. They may think their tutor is missing, and this will be a cause of anxiety. 

Tutors are encouraged to contact parents through the Cambly Kids messaging system, and to explain why their child will not be admitted to future classes. Hiding or banning students is not looked on fondly by Cambly Kids, and should only be done with parental input.

Creating a Child-Friendly Profile Account
You should always keep in mind that marketing yourself to children is a different process than marketing yourself to adults.
You will still need to keep your profile professional, but Cambly Kids encourages you to be a bit more relaxed – feel free to demonstrate a bit of your personality. 
Using your profile picture to show off a puppet or a colourful background should help you stand out.

Making your Lesson Entertaining
Enduring a dull lecture is no one’s idea of fun, especially when said lecture is being given in a language which isn’t your own.
Cambly Kids encourages you to make your lessons entertaining – whether this be through the reward systems discussed above or through engaging props and backgrounds (also discussed above), keeping your students engaged is a priority. 

These Best Practices Videos are a great place to start when thinking about ways to make your lessons entertaining.

Top three strategies for teaching English to children:

1. Making it entertaining and engaging

– Playing games is a great way to keep your students engaged, and being creative is guaranteed to keep them entertained 
– If you should choose to focus on using art in your class, then you’re guaranteed to see results 

2. Include physical activities

– Taking your class outside is a great way to keep them engaged – of course, teaching online with Cambly Kids will require you to think outside the box in this regard. Perhaps set homework that requires them to exercise outdoors.
– Encouraging your students to have a break during the lesson, particularly if they’re very young, has been demonstrated to help their engagement
 – Playing games can also be physical, so a lot of the activities you look to include in the ‘making it engaging and entertaining’ section are transferable.

3. Keep a relaxed environment

– Children rarely learn well under pressure, and with Cambly Kids you will be expected to create a low-pressure environment for them to learn in
– Not correcting every small mistake is a great way to create a relaxed environment, and using a soothing tone of voice can prevent students becoming upset when they inevitable do make a mistake
– Keep in mind that Cambly Kids doesn’t expect you to give a grade to everything. Try to measure development in less stressful ways

Cambly Kids encourages their tutors to communicate with the parents and students outside of the lesson.
A short message of feedback after a class is appreciated, and shows parents you were focussed on the development of their child throughout the lesson.
Cambly Kids provides us with the following template to consider:

‘Hello! Great job in class today! You did really well with [lesson activity] and with your pronunciation of [lesson vocabulary]. Amazing! Make sure to keep practicing your pronunciation of [other lesson vocabulary]. You'll get it in no time! See you in the next class. :)'

Parents prioritise tutors who have regularly open schedules. 
Cambly Kids recommends keeping open at least 20 hours a week, all of the same times. This should result in regular students.
Cambly Kids reports their peak times as being between 9:00 and 15:00 UTC, so you should keep this in mind when designing your schedule.

Keeping your webcam positioned appropriately throughout the duration of your class is an essential aspect of being a tutor with Cambly Kids. Keeping your webcam appropriately
positioned can allow you to maintain direct eye contact with your students, which is important for their development. 
Avoiding objects which reflect light, are too small for the camera, or which obscure your face is a good idea. 
Here is a nice tutorial which will teach you how to get the most benefit out of your webcam. 
Removing lampshades and switching your bulbs to LED are guaranteed methods for improving your light quality. 
If you are still struggling with lighting then this video has some great tips.

Proceed to ‘Settings’ on the Tutor Profile page and scroll down to Spoken Languages, and set your regional accent. This will enable your profile to be shown when parents filter by regional accent, a feature which will otherwise exclude you.

‘Kids are kids, no matter where they’re from’
Whether you’re teaching kids from your neighbourhood or kids from the other side of the world, any student you encounter with Cambly Kids is likely to require the same gentle approach.

‘Be enthusiastic and have fun’
Your mood and energy will be a big part of what keeps your students coming back for more lessons. The more fun you’re having, the more likely they are to enjoy the environment you create.

‘Keeping students engaged’
We’ve given several pointers on how to keep your students engaged, and real tutors can’t stress the importance of this aspect enough. Keeping them engaged and entertained is essential.

‘Communicate with parents’
Having an open dialogue with parents is an essential step in the process of being a Cambly Kids tutor. They have the final say on who educates their children, after all.

‘Don’t be afraid to learn’
Many Cambly Kids tutors are surprised by how much they get from the lessons too, and encourage would-be tutors to keep an open mind when it comes to new experiences.

‘Keep a positive attitude’
Some days are going to be harder than others, but keeping a positive attitude will ensure that you get the regular bookings you need.

Working with a foreign language is no easy thing, and your students can get easily distracted – or even refuse to engage.
Helpful tips from real tutors on dealing with problematic students are available in this interactive chart.

Tutor Response Flow Chart

Children are unique and each have their own histories and backgrounds – consequently, what works for one cannot be assumed to work for all.

Your profile picture is the same for Cambly and Cambly Kids. It is best to use a picture that is professional but kid-friendly, such as:

Do I have to teach the whole 30-minute class?
Yes, Cambly Kids expects their tutors to teach the full reservation. Cambly Kids encourages their tutors to book breaks between lessons so as not to become fatigued with back-to-back classes.

What happens if I complete the set material but still come in under time?
If you achieve the lesson objectives early then Cambly Kids has a whole host of ideas to encourage you to keep the students entertained until the reservation ends – you can play games, engage in a free conversation, or even read books.

If a lesson ends early can the student use the remaining minutes later?
If a lesson ends early for any reason the student will not have access to the remaining minutes. If the issue was caused by you, the Cambly Kids tutor, through a connection issue or emergency then Student Support should be contacted.

A student's level is too low or too high
Submit a ticket to the utor Support, including the student’s Account ID and the curriculum level you would like to move them to, and the problem will be resolved. Confirm this change with parents first, as they will likely want to consent to any changes to their child’s education.

What if my student is almost native level?
Some students are more advanced than the most advanced curriculum. In this case, it’s best to contact the parents to see how they would like to deal with this issue. Discuss the following options with them:

– Moving the student to the Classic Cambly classes
– Finding free online reading materials or lessons to use with their child
– Teach some materials and/or lesson plans that the parents submit
– Engage in free talk with your student to develop their abilities further

My student is a beginner and below the lowest CK curriculum
If your student has absolutely no experience with English then you can try the following:

– Whiteboards to draw letters, numbers, etc
– Flashcards for alphabets, numbers, animals, etc.
– Props such as plastic letters, numbers, veggies, fruit, etc.
– Songs like itsy, bitsy spider, the alphabet song, etc.

I don’t want to teach young children on Cambly Kids
Cambly Kids is a platform for teaching children, therefore the expectation is that tutors will be comfortable teaching children. 

Can I hide/ban a kid if they are not a good fit?
There is a process by which a Cambly Kids tutor can ban or hide a child who is not a good fit for the class. However, it must be done with the full participation of the parent and used only as a last resort. 
Cambly Kids do not look favourably on the system being abused.

What if the child won’t participate, is unruly or is disrespectful?
Cambly Kids students are children, therefore a lack of participation is not unexpected.
It is up to the tutor to use different strategies and methods to encourage a student who may be struggling to participate.

What if one of my students is upset for reasons beyond our influence?
If it happens during your lesson, we encourage you to find creative ways to comfort them, cheer them up and help them calm down. Cambly Kids encourages their tutors to try to comfort their students when necessary; but if they really cannot continue with the lesson, then the parents should be informed and Student Support contacted.

What if I am teaching a class with multiple students?
The majority of Cambly Kids classes are taken one-on-one. However, assuming all children are on the same level of ability then there is no issue with having multiple children in a class.
You have the ability to message a parent and request future lessons be one-on-one if you feel like it negatively affects your teaching abilities.

What if the parents give me other materials or lesson plans that they want me to use or teach to their child?
As long as you are happy to do so, then Cambly Kids has no objection. However, if it makes you uncomfortable then inform the parent, and it will then be up to them to decide if they want you to continue teaching their child.
The parent continues to answer for their child or makes repeated attempts to get involved with the lesson
Cambly Kids recognises that over-excited parents can sometimes try to exert their influence over the lesson. In this case, they have provided the following things you can say:

Great job Mom/Dad! Now, ____, what’s your answer? ____,
I heard Mommy/Daddy, now I would like to hear from you.
Two stars (instead of one) for answering the question yourself!

Cambly Kids also recommends you message the parent the following stock message:

Hello Mom/Dad! I can see how eager you are for your child to learn English and I feel honored that you have trusted me with teaching them. I really appreciate you wanting to assist your child during the lessons! However, for your child to get the most out of their classes, it would be best if you allowed them to focus on me during the lessons and answer the questions for themselves. That way, I can see if they are learning the material and if I need to review anything before the next lesson. Thanks so much!

I am concerned that a child is being abused or is harming themselves

Cambly Kids doesn’t take responsibility for recommending a course of action should you develop these concerns, citing their lack of qualification in this area. 
Cambly’s policy is simply to comply and support any legal or law enforcement investigations should one develop.

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