Courtesy a Forgotten Strategy

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A sometimes forgotten strategy among English language teachers. 

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Are Online TESL Companies Hindering Business Students?

 

Are Online ESL Teaching Companies Hindering Business English Students?

Yes, it is likely some are. I've had the privilege and pleasure of working with several high-end online companies over the past eleven years. I've personally heard what business English learners like and don't like. And I've observed a pattern of mistakes within these companies. Below are five of my own observations how online English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching companies may be missing the mark. 

Reason 1. Focusing on Numbers Instead of People

To participate in the global business environment, people seek to develop their business English language skills. Many of the people doing so are people with little time to attend offsite classes, so they turn to online ESL teaching companies for help.

In order to capitalize on this massive market, online English tutorial companies offer a wide range of services from grammar, vocabulary-building, pronunciation, test prep, job-interview, conversation, and business English classes.

Though mass marketing results in enrolling large numbers of customers, these companies fall short of providing their ESL students with appropriate enrollment counseling. That means these companies simply enroll students and put them in classes without professionally determining, apart from learning English, what the learner actually needs to achieve their goals. This results in students being mismatched with lesson materials and or programs outside their range of skills. 

These companies condition learners to equate finishing a program of English language courses with English language proficiency.

Sadly, when these ESL learners attempt to use English in real settings they aren't much better than when they enrolled. Why? Because they've been completing courses instead of acquiring the language. These companies condition learners to equate finishing a program of English language courses with English language proficiency. 

Even worse, some ESL customers pay for job-interview preparation classes and after, discover that they're unprepared to function within the actual interview. The same could be said for test-prep classes such as IELTS, TOEFL, or TOEIC. Online English tutoring companies may be forgetting the idea: It's not about completing test tasks—it's about acquiring English well enough to navigate the tasks with confidence. 

Reason 2. Poorly Trained Online ESL Teachers 

Business English language learners are far-too-often left to untrained and inexperienced ESL teachers. These teachers are hired to address overwhelming customer numbers. However, poorly trained ESL teachers may talk the ears off of business ESL customers; they may miss teachable moments, fail to provide adequate feedback, or simply teach materials instead of teaching people. 

Ill-prepared teachers in these ESL teaching companies may have little concept of what they're doing other than teaching English within the boundaries of their traditional English-teaching paradigms. The resulting frustration is disappointing to ESL customers and damages the credibility of ESL teachers in general. 

[I]nstead of training teachers how to use the materials or operate the technology, train teachers how to teach!

Some companies compensate for this deficiency by creating 'more' and 'better' materials or invest in improved technological 'bells and whistles.' All the while, they're missing the point—instead of training teachers how to use the materials or operate the technology, train teachers how to teach! Neither materials nor technology can replace an experienced, skilled teacher who can utilize materials and technology to enhance English language learner acquisition. 

Reason 3. Over-Emphasis on 'Happy' Customers

Reporting accurate levels is not meant to hurt, but to help ESL learners know where they stand. Perhaps for the sake of having satisfied customers, some companies fail to apply accurate English proficiency standards. This can lead to ESL customers receiving unwarranted passes to the next course level. The ESL clients of these companies are inaccurately leveled—perhaps in an attempt to produce satisfied customers. Their business models might suggest it's better to inform learners that their English levels are higher than what they actually are. 

Isn't a truly satisfied English language-learning customer one who can use English proficiently within their target environment?

But has the customer really been helped? Isn't a truly satisfied English language-learning customer one who can use English proficiently within their target environment? Instead, the ESL student is left to a system that focuses on numbers more than individuals. It is a system that isn't run by professional teachers but by businesspeople. When that happens, something (or someone) gets lost. 

Indeed, the student may gain more knowledge of English in the online classroom setting, but does that equal acquisition? The online ESL tutorial company makes money from the transaction, but is it real help for the customer? The company benefits, but do the learners? That's where things get blurry. 

In my opinion, that's a terrible business strategy for an education company. When customers can use English proficiently in their target English environment, that's good business. The satisfied ESL customer becomes a living testimonial to the effectiveness of the ESL program. 

Reason 4. Learners Left to Themselves

One real question for online English tutorial companies to ask is: Are our students any better off than when they started? In many cases, the answer would certainly be 'yes.' There are a number of adult business English learners out there that I've personally met who were helped tremendously by online ESL learning companies.

They are enrolled and re-enrolled by customer service agents into programs without a professional to guide them.

On the other hand, I can say a resounding 'no' because a number of English learners are left to spin their wheels without knowing the appropriate developmental path to take. They are enrolled and re-enrolled by customer service agents into programs without a professional to guide them.

Do patients tell doctors what to do? Do litigants tell lawyers how to practice law? Do taxpayers tell tax accountants how to prepare their tax forms? Of course not. So why are students being allowed to fend for themselves without a professional counseling about how to go about accomplishing their English language learning goals?

Reason 5. Just Business as Usual

Teaching ESL has become a lucrative business for entrepreneurs capitalizing on the opportunities. You can't blame them for that. But, instead of treating clients as people needing skills development, some online ESL tutoring companies aim solely on the profit margin.

Schools, academies, online language companies, book publishers, lecturers on ESL lecture circuits, symposiums, teacher training, TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, DELTA certificates and more; English proficiency tests, etc. all earn from people wanting to improve their circumstances. But one must wonder if the question is ever given serious thought: Are our customers really benefitting from our service?

Though somewhat off-topic, various offline ESL teacher placement companies advertise for ESL teachers by promoting English teaching as a way to travel the world. They advertise teaching English not to help people, not to become a more professional teacher, but to enjoy life at the expense of others. This is a sample of the mindset among some ESL-oriented companies.

Business ethics dictate that people be provided the service they seek by trained professionals. But while many companies and lateral businesses earn, how about the people they're supposed to be helping?

Tying It All Together

So are online ESL teaching companies hindering business English learners? From the reasons given above, yes, it is likely there are a few. 

Managers can use this as a kind of report card on how well they're doing with questions such as: 

1. Are we focusing on numbers instead of people? 

2. Are our teachers trained to teach, or are they simply trained to use materials and technology? 

3. Are we over-emphasizing 'happy' customers over truly satisfied customers? 

4. Do we provide professional guidance, or are our customers left to fend for themselves?

5. Are we seeking to improve our service, or is this just business as usual?  

Companies and teachers have a responsibility to treat people fairly. Let's not forget that ESL learners are people with hopes, dreams, goals, and ambitions. What we do as English language teaching professionals can either help or hinder people from them. 

I've been in this career field for twenty years. I've witnessed a lot of good things, but also things that make me shake my head—things that lead to unnecessary expense on the part of ESL learners, and things that bring about grief for them . . . and me.

What are your experiences as an online ESL teacher or online ESL student? Share your thoughts in the comments. A healthy dialogue on this subject is welcome. 

____________________

Author: Jerry S. 

Author Bio: Jerry is a marketplace English language trainer of 21 years, with a wide range of experience and education ranging from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields, who writes articles, blogs, devotions, e-books, academic papers, and more. 

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