Get paid to help kids read!
✔ GET STARTED!
Log on to Literably.com/scorersignup, where you’ll be asked to score six one-minute recordings as a trial run. Take note: You’re required to type out a student’s errors phonetically— Literably provides you with a chart for guidance on how to do just that. For example, you’d write “skeeril” for a mispronunciation of the word “squirrel.” The top tip for doing well? Take your time! “Read all the instructions carefully, and work slowly and methodically,” urges Borek. “A lot of people rush through and don’t get accepted because they don’t spell things phonetically—it’s the biggest stumbling block to getting hired!”
✔ SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS!
Hired? Great! Now max out your earnings by getting faster and more accurate: “The best transcriptionists print out the phonetic chart and keep it nearby to use as a quick reference,” says Borek. The site also provides a guide to shortcuts and other tips and tricks that’ll help you succeed: “Put some effort into learning the shortcuts we have on the site—after a while, it becomes automatic!”
✔ INVEST IN THIS ITEM!
MUST-HAVE It’s smart to get headphones! “A lot of students who are not confident tend to whisper,” says Borek. Headphones let you make out their words more easily, so you’re not wasting time trying to hear what they are saying.
✔ BECOME A SUPERSTAR!
You’ll snag more opportunities to work by logging in to the site at high-demand times, says Borek. “If you want a lot of work, sign on between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.—if you wait until the evening, many recordings may have already been transcribed and graded!” Also smart: If you’re unsure how to grade a certain recording, you can mark it as “unscorable,” says Borek. And to be a standout transcriptionist, take a few extra steps, too: “Follow up to ask how it should have been graded, and also reach out any time you’re confused about a certain recording.” It’ll help build your skills for future transcribing!
Schools nationwide are signing up for a service that helps teachers monitor and track kids’ reading levels—it’s called Literably, and they are hiring folks right now to transcribe recordings of students reading and score how well they do! “You can work as much or as little as you want, and the average pay is 40 cents per audio minute,” says company co-founder Tyler Borek. Interested? Read on!