The 21st Century Language Trainer
The Future of Private Sector Foreign Language Training in Poland
Steve Jones
Who am I?
September
1994
“While looking towards the future, bear in mind both what
will change and what will remain the same”
Product Life-Cycle
1989 2010
1989 2010
1994 - I arrived in Poland
1989 2010
1999 - I opened a language school
1989 2010
2009 - Everyone has opened a language school
What happened?
The party’s packed and the beer’s running out!
• Better (more) state education
• Declining interest in exam courses
• A faster world with more technology
• Financial worries
Other Factors
A brief technological history of EFL in Poland
1994
2000
2007
Tools of the trade
The resources of the 21st Century Language Trainer
Remember the party?
How to be different?
Differentiation
Terminology
Teacher or Trainer?
Teacher
Trainer
Remember the party?
How (not) to compete?
8 x 45 = 16 zl per 90 minute class
5 in a group = 80 zl income per 90 minute
class
RENT?SALARIES?
HUH?
How to be different?
The road ahead
2 aspects
• What changes
• What remains the same
Change driven by technology
e-learning
kype
Multi-media bonanzas
How Groupon works
• Discount a minimum of 50%
• Groupon takes 50% of the remaining 50%
• The service provider takes 50% too (=25% of the original price of the product)
The service provider gets 1,5 zl per student per 45 minute class
Remember the party?
How to be different?
“Price is the last bastion of the mediocre
and the desperate”
What stays the same?
Universal truths
here we go ...
• Poles need to learn foreign languages
• People learn languages in order to SPEAK
• Ability in a foreign language improves career options and enhances life quality
• Humans enjoy interacting with other humans
• Language learners like a competent and personable trainer to guide them
Universal Truths
Universal Truths
Laptops Wi-Fi
ProjectorsInternet
Authentic YouTube
The 21st Century Language Trainer will...
• Be a trainer
• Help learners develop practical communication skills
• Interact with learners face to face
• Be competent with a little “je ne sais quoi”
• Use elements of technology
• Be less focused on course books and more interested in authentic material
But where will we work?
Big players?
How to be different?
Specialization?
Franchising?
Product
INNOVATION
