Small ESL News Story.
Teaching English as a foreign language, or ESL teaching, has been a growing business for many years now. As most none-English speaking countries put an ever-increasing importance on learning the language, the demand for native English teachers has risen. A substantial percentage of native English speakers who have gone abroad to find work, have found themselves teaching English. ESL teaching is not reserved for those who leave their native countries however, many thousands of people, at home and abroad, earn an income teaching English online.
China made English a core subject in 2001, meaning China’s many millions of school children had to begin learning the language. With the increase in internet connectivity and internet speeds, a whole bunch of different companies have created platforms to link China’s children to native English speakers. Thousands of people signed up to fill those roles, teaching English in extracurricular online classes. Many of the biggest Online ESL companies provided classes solely in the Chinese market, but not anymore.
In 2021 China’s government brought in a few new laws limiting the amount of screentime for school children. This included a law that limited the amount of time children could spend playing online games. It also included a law banning students from being taught by teachers based outside of China. There are many official and unofficial reasons that have been suggested online to why this law has been brought in. Officially it reduces the aforementioned screen time, it stops those who can afford the lessons having an advantage over those who can’t, and it means children have more free time. Unofficially, accusations of China wanting to eradicate any and all western influences have been shared.
Whatever the truth might be, it means that the biggest online ESL teaching market has now been shut down, putting thousands of people out of a job. Those left unemployed will now look to fill the remaining online teaching roles left out there, making it much more difficult for a newcomer to find a job.
New online ESL companies are popping up all the time, and continue to do so. As long as this keeps happening, it might not be all doom and gloom for those wanting to become an online ESL teacher.
Jake Garrett 