Today, more people than ever before are learning English by Skype. As technology progresses and the demand for English tuition rises, many are opting to study online with native English teachers.
This shift away from traditional classroom education is being fuelled by students’ desire to save time, cut costs and gain access to native English by Skype. E-learning empowers ESL students and provides study opportunities that are often unavailable in their local area.
In the globalised world, a good grasp of English can open many doors. English is the international language of business and travel, but also provides the means to acquire a vast wealth of firsthand information via television, publications and the internet. While studying English by Skype is a relatively new approach, it fits in neatly with this concept of English as a global language. What could be more global and inclusive than the World Wide Web? There will always be a pressing need for native English tuition in non-English speaking countries and distance learning will continue to play an ever-greater role in its provision.
In the future, learning English by Skype is likely to be the only realistic way for many students to gain access to native English tuition. The fact is that demand for native ESL training in non-English speaking countries – especially in developing regions like Asia and South America – is far greater than the capacity of native English tutors on the ground. There are simply not enough locally-based native English teachers to go around. Private language schools often hire native speakers and provide them with visa support. This makes tutors reliant on the schools, which then enjoy a monopoly on native English tuition in the local area. This leads to higher lesson prices, larger class sizes and less choice for the student.
The internet is a means of global communication and provides access to services and information regardless of geographical location, time zones and other limiting factors. The number of people learning English by Skype is increasing in line with rising demand for native English tuition. Distance learning has several key advantages over older classroom models:
Alex Jude is the Founder & CEO of Online Teachers UK. He holds a BA hons degree in Linguistics from The University of Manchester and is a life-long English teacher. Following graduation, he spent 2002-2012 living and teaching in Russia, where he lectured in General Linguistics and Translation Studies. Alex is a fluent Russian speaker and worked with the BBC at the World Cup in 2018. In his spare time, he enjoys camping/bushcraft, playing guitar and watching rugby league.
