In today’s dynamic digital world, English has become the global language and is used widely and officially in a large number of countries. Although learning English can be challenging and time consuming, proficiency in the language will provide access to an incredible amount of information and knowledge on the internet, as well as better job and employment opportunities in countries and markets around the world. The latest research from the British Council predicts that the number of people actively learning English worldwide is set to exceed 1.9 billion by 2020.
But different countries approach teaching English differently, each with its own concerns, constraints and solutions. In some cases, an international spotlight such as the Olympics or the World Cup becomes a platform for adult learning initiatives. In others, economic pressure encourages countries to use English as a catalyst for internationalisation and growth.
The importance of learning English as a second language goes hand-in-hand with the growing business of teaching English to students whose first language is not English. Today, it is a mushrooming growth business in countries all over the world. One of the world’s leading companies that specialises in this business is Education First (EF).
Founded in Sweden in 1965 by a young entrepreneur named Bertil Hult, its concept was straightforward — take local high school students to England to learn English. It was a simple business idea — on-site language and cultural studies — but one with an enormous future.
From that first step, EF has grown into an international education organisation focusing on language, academics and cultural experiences. Today, it helps people from a wide range of age groups and nationalities learn a new language or travel abroad, with over 400 offices and schools in 55 countries.
EF is collaborating with well-known universities like Harvard Graduate School of Education. The organisation also collaborates with Apple to explore technology and education. Last month, EF hosted its second “Language Education Innovation Forum 2015” at its main campus in Boston, US, offering a platform for delegates and participants from around the world to increase collaboration and facilitate free exchange of ideas to revolutionise how language is taught and learned.
“The motivation behind the forum is to help people take opportunities from learning language and apply it to daily life,” said Franck Brandin, EF academic relationship director. “Language may divide cultures, but it also has the power to create bridges that bring people together and promote harmony — a real need that demands better solutions for language learning.”
The two-day forum featured well-known speakers and educators including Dr Pasi Sahlberg, visiting professor of Practice in Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Dr Yujin Yaguchi, professor and director of the Center for International Exchange, University of Tokyo; Dr Dora Alexopoulou, senior research associate, EF Research Unit at the University of Cambridge; Dr Alexey Korenev, senior lecturer at Moscow State University; Dr Paola Uccelli, associate professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Dr Denise Martins de Abreu-e-Lima, president of Language Without Borders, Ministry of Education of Brazil; Dr Enio Ohmaye, Chief Experience Officer, EF Learning Lab; and Dr Christopher McCormick, EF senior vice president for Academic Affairs.
“We understand that learning a foreign language has changed significantly in the last decade, so it is imperative that the instruction techniques, the incorporation of technology, and the delivery methods respond to the changes in the students’ needs,” said Dr McCormick in his opening speech. “We believe that foreign language learning touches lives on a broader scale by making connections, bringing people together and facilitating understanding that creates opportunities for people. The barriers to language learning are multidimensional. That is why innovation is at the heart of EF.”
A visit to the EF Boston school revealed how EF has created and implements an inviting learning environment campus, effective teaching styles and methods, and choices of language learning programmes that cater to the varying needs of today’s young learners. The school sits on a beautiful 40 rai campus in the neighbourhood of Brighton, about 20 minutes from the Boston city centre.
“Immersion is the best way to learn a language,” said Jon Cell, EF Boston’s school director. “Because you are able to improve your language skills through day-to-day living, not just when you are studying with a book. You are practising your English skills when you go to the store, when you take the subway, when you eat at a restaurant.
“At EF, we use a ‘blended learning’ teaching style that incorporates media, PowerPoint presentations and iPads, as well as traditional classroom methods that work together cohesively to enhance a student’s fluency.
“We use a method called ‘task-based learning’ which uses a lot of active communication and student participation to bring together students from different backgrounds to focus work on completing specific tasks. They acquire and practise language skills while working together. This might be different from what the student might be used to in their home country, especially if they are used to passive classes where the teacher just stands in front of the class and lectures,” he said.
Last year the school welcomed students from over 90 countries — about one-third from Europe and the Middle East, one-third from Latin America and one-third from Asia.
Below From left, Mallika Worakijthamrong, country manager of EF Thailand; Jon Cell, EF Boston school director; and Dr Watanaporn Ra-Ngubtook, senior adviser on education standards, Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education.
Below right Dr Christopher McCormick, EF senior vice-president for Academic Affairs.
“We have about 50 teachers, 30 classrooms, cafeteria, lounges, study rooms and dormitory rooms for about 250 students. Other students live in their own apartments or with American host families in the Boston area. They don’t just learn English, they also learn about cultures from all over the world.”
Last year over 3,000 students attended the EF Boston school (although not all at the same time); around 30 of them were Thai students. Thai students tend to favour long-term courses to maximise their language improvement.
Most students here enrol in either a long-term programme that follows a standard academic calendar like a university (students start in September, January or April and study for six, nine or 11 months); or a flexible programme that allows students to start any Monday of the year and study anywhere from two weeks to one calendar year.
The “University Preparation” programme attracts huge numbers of students from Asia. It is a long-term programme (six to nine months) that helps students prepare for attending an American university — from test preparation to writing college application essays to interview techniques to study and writing skills.
The TOEFL preparation programme prepares students for the most universally accepted language test for second language learners. Advanced students often prefer the “Business English” programme, which allows them, in addition to English classes, to take a series of elective classes such as Entrepreneurship, Harvard Business School case studies, and marketing.
“During certain weeks we offer a ‘Teacher Training’ course, in which qualified and experienced working educators from around the world learn the latest effective teaching methodologies for teaching English,” Cell said.
“The EF Boston campus is active and busy all year round,” he added. “Being so close to the city centre, its location is very convenient. Students like being able to live and study in the same building. Boston has a reputation for being one of the most academic cities in the world — there are almost 100 universities nearby. Our students can say that they studied in Boston for the rest of their lives.”
EF also publishes an annual English Proficiency Index (www.ef.com/epi), a measurement that ranks countries on their English skills. The index is calculated through exams administered by EF. The latest edition places Thailand in the “very low” proficiency category. Though the report noted that Thailand improved by more than seven points in the past seven years, the country is in the bottom 25%, ranking 48th out of the 63 surveyed countries.
EF does not currently operate a school in Thailand, but has an office on the 25th floor of The Emporium Tower to provide educational information, assistance and collaboration with EF schools worldwide. Email mallika.w@ef.com or call 02-664-9968-9, 091-841-5555.
A proud Olympic supporter
EF has been selected as the official supplier of language training services for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For this task, EF said that plans call for it to teach English to 100,000 staff members for the Rio Games, as well as to nearly 700,000 candidates for the Olympic volunteer programme, contractors and schoolchildren in Rio State. This is the fourth Olympics for EF, after the 1988 Seoul Summer Games, the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, and the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
