Start & Run an ESL Teaching Business. T. Nicole Pankratz - Bodner

is common, so students who study abroad often seek extra help in their quest to master the English language. Some even prefer to work exclusively with a tutor instead of attending classes in a school. Adult international students often have budgets that allow for after-school help. And school-aged international students often receive money from their parents to hire a tutor.

      Immigrants often hire tutors to help prepare their children for post-secondary education. Some even hire tutors for their own educational and social pursuits.

      Programs

      Most adult international students hope to find North American friends whom they can confide in and share experiences with. However, it is sometimes difficult for international students to befriend local people. In place of friends and the opportunity for “free English practice,” some students opt for a conversation tutor — someone who will patiently listen to them speak, correct their mistakes, and teach them conversation techniques, everyday expressions, and even a bit of slang, in a nonthreatening, noncompetitive environment.

      Other adult students need a tutor to help them study for rigorous exams, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or to review difficult material from their daily classes. Some businesspeople hire tutors to help them with specific skills (e.g., pronunciation) or to help them understand and process North American business practices.

      School-aged students attending North American schools need tutors to help them keep up with their English-speaking classmates. Sometimes the tutor’s role is to help them with their homework.

      Locations and schedules

      Tutors and students can meet in a variety of places, including the student’s home, the tutor’s home, a coffee shop or cafeteria, or a tutorial center. Tutors are usually expected to work flexible hours, including the after-school period, evenings, and weekends.

      Tutorial fees

      Tutorial fees normally range from $15 USD to $40 USD an hour, depending on lesson content, and preparation time and travel time required by the tutor, if applicable. Some tutoring organizations also have registration fees.

      To explore more detailed information on ESL tutorial services, please see Part 2 of this book.

      Starting a School

      ESL schools welcome students from around the globe and come in a variety of sizes — some cater to as few as five students, while others serve more than 1,000. Most private ESL schools feature a wide range of conversation-based academic courses, accommodation services, and, in some cases, extracurricular activities.

      Students

      Most students come to North America to put into practice what they have learned in school in their home country. This is especially true for students who come from countries with a homogeneous population, such as South Korea and Japan, where few foreign-born people live. In such circumstances, being able to speak English gives people a competitive edge in the job market. With little opportunity to practice speaking English in their home country, they head to North America to learn English in an English environment. Most private-institute owners understand that what students want more than anything is the opportunity to speak English inside and outside the classroom. Schools that do not offer student-centered, conversation-based programs do not last long.

      Many students come to North America with the intention of attending local colleges and universities. In order to get accepted, however, they must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the TOEFL is used as an academic measurement tool in approximately 200 countries. Preparing for the test is challenging. Most private ESL schools offer TOEFL and other academic-preparation classes as electives.

      Many students come to North America to prepare for another important test — the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). Also created by ETS, the TOEIC is used to measure a person’s potential English ability in the international business world. In many countries, employers require applicants to list their TOEIC scores on their résumé.

      Ever-increasing numbers of students are interested in business classes, as well as business internship programs, where students both attend classes and work for North American companies.

      Programs and courses

      Most ESL schools feature full-time and part-time programs. A typical full-time student will attend 25 to 30 hours of classes a week. A typical part-time student will attend 15 to 18 hours of classes a week.

      While many schools offer a wide range of programs — general, academic, business — almost all schools offer classes that help students develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.

      “English only” policy

      Schools that allow students to speak their native language onsite quickly develop a bad reputation among the international-student population. In general, students want to be forced to break the habit of resorting to their own language to communicate effectively. Many schools have strict “English only” policies whereby students may lose school computer privileges or even be expelled if they are caught using their native language. Schools that do not have strict policies are often the object of ridicule in ESL chat rooms and weblogs. Some students choose not to attend schools that do not enforce an “English only” rule.

      Types of locations

      Most international schools are located in large urban centers. In the United States, cities such as Los Angeles, Austin, New York, and Chicago attract thousands of international students each year. Students who choose to study in Canada most often opt for Toronto or Vancouver. Most international students come from large cities in their home country and are therefore more comfortable in busy urban centers that have an exciting nightlife, shopping malls, public transportation, and easy access to an international airport.

      However, the trend toward small towns is growing. Many students — especially those who have been studying in cities for several months — are discovering that small towns offer a cleaner, safer, and friendlier environment in which to learn English. In small towns, there are fewer opportunities to meet people who speak Hindi, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese. Students are, therefore, forced to use English more often.

      It can be a hard sell getting students to accept the idea of going to a small town. But it is possible, if you can find out what the larger centers are lacking and capitalize on it. Vancouver-based students, for instance, complain that there are too many opportunities to use their native language outside of school. They also complain about not being able to make Canadian friends and about being homesick. All three complaints are related, and so is the solution. If students live in a small town where no one speaks their native tongue, they are forced to use English to communicate and, in turn, pick up the language faster. And by being more communicative and confident in their skills, they are more likely to make connections with native English speakers (who sometimes do not have the patience for or interest in befriending people who can barely speak the language and frequently ask for information to be repeated). In the end, the students are more likely to make English-speaking friends and, presumably, have less reason to be homesick.

      Small-town schools that market the English-only, family-focused environment of both the school and the community are able to win over students who want a change from the city scene. Also, some parents of younger students are interested in sending their children to smaller, safer communities.

      Peak seasons

      Many ESL schools offer vacation study programs for school-age children during the summer months. Most often, the programs are four weeks in length and involve both classroom study and outdoor activities.

      Many international college and university students