Education trends matter for language schools

Education trends in Italy and in the world are “apparently” less relevant to the language school sector, especially when they are brand new. However, with time they usually affect what language schools do and most importantly, they can bring along fantastic new opportunities as well. This is why education trends matter for language schools!

Education trends bring golden opportunities

 If you are well-informed about education trends and keep an open mind towards them, you could be the first one to detect golden opportunities for your ELT courses. As a result, you will immediately gain a significant advantage over your competitors. In other words, trends in education can be a business opportunity for your language school and that’s why they matter.

Language Schools here in Italy are in an increasingly competitive market that has been affected badly by the pandemic. With the addition of online learning and the accelerated increase of online schools, your competitors are not just in your town but literally everywhere in the world. For this reason, it’s crucial to think outside the box and to keep abreast of all the latest education trends. By doing so, you are more likely to stand out in an aggressive sector.

What are these “education trends”?

Generally speaking, they might be purely educational, for example, a new approach or a skill that lends itself well to be introduced and practised in the ELT classroom like:

• The Flipped Classroom
• Hybrid teaching
• Oracy (to teach speaking)
• Digital Literacy and digital skills
• Global Skills

On the other hand, these trends might also be driven by educational related factors like:

• The educational system (for example the INVALSI standardised tests )
• Politics (for instance “Scuola Alternanza Lavoro”)
• Economic situation ( “Fondi PON” and “Piano Scuola Estate” are the most recent examples).

All of these trends always bring along huge opportunities that a language school or freelancer should seize to thrive in the ELT sector.

Why do education trends matter?

In December 2019 I wrote an article on LinkedIn called “Language Schools and the Purple Cow” after reading the amazing book “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable” by marketing guru Seth Godin.

Back then I was trying to give a heads-up on how an ELT school or freelancer could become a “purple cow” in its sector. Eighteen months later, after several weeks of lockdowns and teaching in the new normal, the need to differentiate and offer unique courses is more important than ever before.

“The key to success is to find a way to stand out: to be the purple cow in a field of monochrome Holsteins”. Seth Godin

Language school students don’t need more grammar they need to develop skills like oracy skills or global skills to work in a fast-changing world. They also desperately need digital literacy and language coaching to mention just a few.

What’s next for me?

In conclusion, if you are a language school or an ELT freelancer, I’d suggest that you start re-thinking your courses based on what is trending in education. In order to be informed about the latest education trends make sure you keep an eye on this space. Soon I will be sharing education trends and suggesting ideas on how they can bring golden opportunities for your language school. Stay tuned!