Starting a language school?

[Tokyo09]

Hey all,

Ive spoken with some friends in Japan who started up an ESL school there several many years ago. They gave me aspirations to travel the world and set up an ESL franchise but im sure there are some serious challenges along the way that I havent heard about.

So now, I live in NYC and frequently see language schools claiming they have 20,000 students a year. At anywhere between 500$ US to 1500$ per semester thats some serious money! Im getting my MA in TESOL and wanted to know if any of you have experience with this, good or bad.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

[fiber]

Hi
I am at the moment doing a TEFL course and hoping to open my own school in Spain when i have finished.I think that you have to see were you live and if there is a need for an english school if so advertise and see how much response you get.I seem to be getting quit alot and hope to start of with small classes and then if i can expand.So good luck and go for it you will never know if you dont try.

[Tokyo09]

Im in the mist of my Masters in TESOL and will be moving to Japan next year to start this ESL school. I want to make it as good as possible and not fall into the trap of alot of the english schools ive seen in the US where as long as students pay they can sleep or slack off.

In terms of name recognition, does it pay to work with Berlitz or one of the other brand name ESL methods? Ive been taking classes in curriculum development and dont see any issue with writing my own. I dont know if many students are familiar with the different approaches unless they have really researched.

[Eriselda Balliu]

Some months ago, I started a small language school in Albania and things seem to be going well. Now it's just the beginning, but inshallah in some other months I'll be very satisfied. So, I would advice you to give it a try, as I see it a profitable project.

Good luck!

[lingosyss]

Hello friend!

It is really not going to be a profitable business until you have learned

Vedic System of English Language Management

You might have got a good command over the language of English but, I am sure you still or I must say your honourable trainers, can not answer the following questions:
1 Can you teach your students, how to read an English word, without memorizing its pronunciation?

2. Can you teach your students, how to decide a correct pronunciation of a letter or word of English?

3. Can you teach your students, how to learn English without bothering about the confusing rules of grammar or without "Tenses"?

4. Can you teach your students, how to spell a word correctly even if, it doesn't know it?

5. Can you teach your students, how to learn English Just by using one's own body and not the unpractical, non-scientific and unwanted study of "Grammar."?

6. Can you teach the definition and the usage of the words like: Articles, Pronouns, Modal etc.?

I am sure my friend, your answer is NO but this is the truth that none is going to explain all above and rest other facts of mine. I don't want to make you disappointed, there is only one person in the world who can answer all queries about English language and, it's ME (pramod)

I have invented Vedic System of English Language Management and, I suggest you to learn it before you start teaching.

Please do contact me for further enquiries

Friendly yours
Pramod

[I'm With Stupid]

^ Aye, and if that's the results of your system, you might want to tweak it a bit, because your grammar and punctuation is all over the place. I suspect that since he's doing an MA in the subject, he might have a pretty decent grasp of how to teach English.

Anyway, in response to the OP, I have a friend who's started an English school near Fukuoka. He did it with 2 other English teachers after they lost their jobs when Nova went under. They didn't go the franchise route though (is Berlitz a franchise?), they just started an entirely new company and it seems to be going fairly well, although obviously I'm not involved in the company.

I can't offer any advice from experience, but my thoughts would be that you should make sure you have a decent amount of experience in Japan before opening a school (I assume you've taught there in the past?). Work out how things work over there. Make sure all of the legal and financial stuff is water-tight. Build up contacts you can use when your business opens. Your promotional material will be in Japanese, for example. Do you have a business plan in mind? Are you going to aim at a particular niche market, or will you be offering lessons to a broad range of people? This example probably wouldn't apply in Japan, but in Vietnam, people have reported a lot of success offering English lessons to the immigrant and expat community, mainly teaching the children of Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean people working in Vietnam (obviously they have more money on average).

Whatever you decide, good luck. Where abouts in Japan will you be living btw?

[Tdol]

If you're thinking of going down the franchise route in Japan, check out the organisations very carefully first:
English Teaching Franchises - Speaking Out - UsingEnglish.com
English Teaching Franchises 2 - Speaking Out - UsingEnglish.com
There are some decidedly dodgy operations offering franchises.

[dOlier]

Originally Posted by lingosyss

I don't want to make you disappointed, there is only one person in the world who can answer all queries about English language and, it's ME (pramod)

I have invented Vedic System of English Language Management and, I suggest you to learn it before you start teaching.

Please do contact me for further enquiries

Friendly yours
Pramod

???
So how did al the other non-native speakers learn English ?

[Mark Martin]

Originally Posted by dOlier

???
So how did al the other non-native speakers learn English ?

He was just stroking his ego.

Basically, most of the teachers use conventional learning methods that imply 'memorizing grammar', 'memorizing words' and so on. Most of us know this is simply not the most effective way to learn English. So, his system is nothing new.

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by dOlier

???
So how did al the other non-native speakers learn English ?

If you want to learn English properly, you can get some more info and a very cute photo of the great man himself here
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