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

terms of tutoring, defining a student’s level is necessary for two reasons. First, some students (as well as many parents) are eager to monitor the linear progress of their language abilities. (After all, hiring a tutor can be expensive, and most customers want to see results.) Second, some tutors are uncomfortable tutoring students with certain ability levels, and a mismatch can do more harm than you might expect since unhappy students may tell other students about their experiences.

      While not always necessary, keeping records of the “start and end” levels of every student has other benefits. For instance, students who progress exceptionally well can become walking advertisements, living proof that your services have value and produce results. With this in mind, you might want to devise entrance and exit assessments that can be compared to each other. Monthly or periodic assessments are also appreciated by students who are concerned about their progress and need help identifying the areas in which they need the most help.

      Your evaluation system should be generic, meaning that it shouldn’t incorporate the program content designed for a particular student. However, the system should be designed so that it evaluates measurable skills, such as reading comprehension and speaking ability. What you’ll need to do is define each assessment level.

      Perhaps the easiest way to define the levels is to use a premade assessment “test,” such as those featured in grammar textbooks and websites. Another option is to follow a formal system that uses a videotaped interview and a writing assignment assessed according to grammar levels described in a grammar text. The results are later compared to the results from an exit assessment.

      A simpler system, ideal for smaller, less formal tutorial services, is to have a student read and answer questions about a short newspaper article (newspapers are typically written at an 8th Grade or middle-school level, and are therefore somewhat advanced for the ESL learner). A student who cannot manage the vocabulary in the heading and lead paragraph might be deemed Beginner (or Level 2, or whatever terminology you have decided to use). A student who can understand the words but not the real meaning of the article might be an Intermediate student. And a student who can understand most of the vocabulary and can talk about the subject discussed in the article might be an Advanced student. Another option would be to interview the student, listening to his or her grammar level. You can start with easy questions, such as, “Tell me about your family.”

      Whichever system you use, the important thing is to ensure that the entrance results can be fairly compared to the exit results. The other thing to keep in mind is your target market. If your target market is the academic, bookish type, they will likely appreciate the kind of assessment system that resembles their destination — college or university. If your target market is looking for an alternative to the academic setting, they will probably be more comfortable with a less intimidating, more low-pressure type of assessment system.

      As an example, suppose your mandate and target market are similar to those of 123 Tutoring Services — custom-designed ESL programs for at-risk youth and students with physical challenges. Your assessment system is likely to be relatively informal, with an emphasis on speaking and listening. The content of both your entrance and exit assessments would likely be familiar topics that are easy to discuss. You would measure oral grammar skills, keeping in mind the student’s confidence level.

      When it comes to evaluating students, be warned: Students with limited English skills are sometimes sensitive (and even defensive) about being categorized as a beginner-level student. If your target market is not academic and therefore not interested in having a score to improve upon, you might want to devise a system that de-emphasizes traditional labels. However, if your students require or request more tangible evidence of improvement, you will need a system that features terms or figures indicating progression.

      Program and Service Options

      Now that you have created a big-picture vision of your ESL tutorial business, you need to flesh out the information on your programs and services by adding details about tutoring methods and materials, as well as service options and accessibility. The information should be written in a way that is easy for new staff and prospective students to understand.

      There are two main types of tutoring: content-based tutoring and student-led tutoring. In content-based tutoring, the tutor collects and organizes information and learning materials and delivers these to the student. During a session, the student receives instruction and, when applicable, is given homework assignments related to the lesson. The tutor may even provide the student with the material that will be covered in the next lesson, giving the learner time to prepare for the lesson ahead of time.

      In student-led tutoring the student is responsible for the content and direction of the lesson. During each session, the student raises questions (e.g., how to understand and use a tough grammar point, or how to politely bring up a problem with a homestay host) or topics for discussion (e.g., a recent news item or a confusing cultural difference that is causing him or her concern). The student may ask the tutor to help him or her read and understand a newspaper article, correct a collection of sentences using new vocabulary words, or simply assist with a homework assignment.

      Because content-based tutoring requires extra time and work in terms of preparing and organizing materials, you may want to charge more for programs that use this method. That said, while student-led tutoring is less demanding in terms of preparation, some instructors find it more difficult precisely because they cannot prepare for what they may be asked or are expected to know.

      Both content-based and student-led tutoring methods can be used for almost any type of program, with any level, type, or age of student. You may want to offer your students both options. Or, you could insist on using content-based instruction for certain types of programs, the most obvious being grammar or TOEFL lessons, and use student-led tutoring for lighter, less rule-oriented types of programs.

      When deciding on your tutoring methods and materials, you will need to consider your target market’s needs, desires, and expectations, while keeping in mind the nature of your facilities. If you are setting up a formal location, you will have more options, since some tutors could be available onsite while others are working at students’ homes.

      Program options for immigrant youth

      If your primary market is immigrant youth needing help with schoolwork, your programs might simply be assistance with homework assignments (student-led) and extra lessons in a student’s area of weakness (content-based). The program could be called Homework Help, and services could include transportation to and/or from the tutoring facility. You could also offer a home-tutoring option for parents who prefer to have their children close by.

      If your facility is large enough, you may want to give students the choice of working one-on-one with a tutor or, for a lower rate, being part of a small group. In such a setup, language-related books and other useful learning materials (e.g., maps, globes, picture dictionaries, computers that are connected to the Internet) could be made available to tutors and students.

      Catering to the school-age market means your tutors would work in the before-school and after-school periods, in the evenings, and on weekends. During seasonal breaks such as summer and winter holidays, your services could be available during the day. You could even develop special vacation programs, which would compete with other educational and adventure-related “camps” that children attend when they are not in school.

      Program options for young international students

      If your primary market is young international students who are enrolled in elementary or secondary school for a year or more, you could specialize in homework help. Often students have trouble keeping up with their classmates in subjects that involve a great deal of reading and writing. You could help them improve their writing by editing their school work and discussing the changes you made.

      An effective way to do this is to have them send you their written work via email. You can then use the triple-copy method of editing. First, you turn the submission into a Word document (if it is not already a Word document). Then, after copying and pasting