CHINA. Teaching English has become a popular option for those looking to travel abroad. The need to communicate across cultures is growing stronger by the minute, new platforms are being developed day by day to speak to this need.

In China, one of these is YuYanCloud, a start-up service that links English speaking tutors with Chinese students who want to learn English.

In an exclusive interview, ROOSTERGNN spoke to Santiago Ospina, CEO of YuyanCloud, to learn more about what it takes to become a tutor and why learning languages is essential.

What makes learning a language in a classroom difficult?

Santiago Ospina: Anyone can learn a language in a classroom, however one will never master and perfect a language in a classroom. Class schedules do not account for a student’s available time, there are limited class sections and personalized attention is limited in classrooms because the number of students is often so large.

How different is YuYanCloud from other computer-assisted language opportunities such as Rosetta Stone?

With YuYanCloud our students attend one-on-one video training courses with native speakers using our cloud-based training platform.

Other online language services do not utilize native speaking tutors nor allow students to customize their own schedules. Every class administered by a YuYanCloud tutor is unique and flows at a pass suitable for that particular student.

What kind of tools and opportunities does YuYanCloud offer to students learning a language?  

We offer a cloud-based language training platform, where any person interested in learning a language can join. Once the student creates their account, he/she can choose their own class schedule, then immediately begin attending their one-on-one classes with their native speaking tutor.

What languages does YuYanCloud offer at the moment, and what languages can be expected to be available?  

We currently offer English. Soon we will be offering Spanish, Portuguese as well as Mandarin.

What kind of work is expected for students using YuYanCloud?

Thats the beauty and convenience YuYanCloud offers, students are able to choose and organize their own schedules based on their available time. This method allows students to perfect the language at their own pace.

How does YuYanCloud find its “friendly and passionate tutors?”

We have a team of YuYanCloud employees who market to interested individuals at universities throughout the United States. These interested individuals can apply to become a tutor through our website and we will then conduct an extensive interview process with them. We hire tutors on the basis of experience, passion, knowledge and willingness to interact with new people from foreign cultures.

How can one get involved as a tutor? What is the pay?

Potential Tutors can apply by sending a request in the “Work With Us” page, which they can find the link in the bottom of any page within YuYanCloud, afterwards they will be contacted by us and they will have a small interview.

Tutors have to be native English Speakers and a passion for meeting new people. As for their salary we plan to offer different types of classes, which will pay differently according to the difficulty of the class, but the base salary is $8.50 and tutors can increase that base salary up with given time.

For any tutors based outside of China, they are required to have a PayPal account, and we pay them every month. If we do get some tutors based in China we give them the option to be paid by depositing to their bank accounts or through PayPal.

What is the meaning or vision behind the name YuYanCloud?  

YuYanCloud has the vision of a world where everyone can communicate, not only in their mother tongue but in any language that anyone is interested in learning. “YuYan” means “language” in Mandarin, we want to provide a well established cloud-based platform where all people can benefit from our goal of mastering and perfecting languages!