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Canada Feedback
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This issue’s survey reveals a higher proportion of Western Europeans studying in Canada, but agent usage was down on the previous year.
Ireland feedback at a glance
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Total number of students: (female 124, male 100, unknown 10) 234
Average age in years: 23.9
Average length of programme in weeks: 10.8
Average number of students in class: 10.7
Average number of hours of language tuition per week: 20.9
% of students who found their course through an agent: 44
% of students who booked through an agent or adviser: 50
% of students who had been on another lang. programme: 33
% of students who would recommend their school: 83
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| Respondents by world region of origin |
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Top nationalities |
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Asia (49%)
Latin America (20%)
W Europe (18%)
Middle East (4%)
C&E Europe (3%)
North America (2%)
Unknown (4%)
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1. Korean 21%
2. Japanese 17%
3. Mexican 8%
4. Chinese 6%
4. Brazilian 6%
6. Italian 5%
7. Spanish 7%
8. Saudi Arabian 3%
8. Swiss 3%
8. French 3%
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| In my class there are... |
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How will you use your Engish in the future? |
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Too many students (15%)
Too many students of my language (15%)
Too many students from one other countries (14%)
None of these (52%)
Unknown (4%)
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Coll. study in Canada (26%)
Coll. study elsewhere (12%)
College study at home (14%)
Current or future work (40%)
For pleasure only (8%)
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| How did you find your programme? |
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Standard of the teaching |
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1. It was recommended by an agent (44%)
2. It was recommended by a friend/relative (31%)3.
3. I found it on the Internet(18%)
4. I saw it advertised (5%)
Unknown (2%)
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Excellent (52%)
Good (38%)
Satisfactory (8%)
Poor (0.4%)
Unsatisfactory (0%)
Unknown (1.6%)
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| Standard of your academic programme |
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What is your accomodation while in Ireland? |
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Excellent (21%)
Good (47%)
Satisfactory (24%)
Poor (0%)
Unsatisfactory (2%)
Unknown (3%)
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Host family (58%)
Residential/single room (21%)
Residential/dormitory (5%)
Other (14%)
Unknown (2%)
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| Standard of your social programme? |
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Standard of your accommodation |
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Excellent (21%)
Good (42%)
Satisfactory (25%)
Poor (5%)
Unsatisfactory (2%)
Unknown (5%)
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Excellent (24%)
Good (42%)
Satisfactory (21%)
Poor (5%)
Unsatisfactory (2%)
Unknown (6%)
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Did you book your course through an agent or an educational adviser?
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Yes (50%)
No (42%)
Unknown (8%)
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Before looking for your course, did you know where you wanted to study?
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Country
Yes (81%)
No (15%)
Unknown (%)
City/town
Yes (63%)
No (31%)
Unknown (6%)
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School
Yes (40%)
No (53%)
Unknown (7%)
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Student nationality
Western European nationalities were well represented at the Canadian language schools that took part in this issue’s Feedback survey; they accounted for 18 per cent of students, down slightly on the 24 per cent recorded last year (see Language Travel Magazine, December 2006, pages 16-17). This year’s top European nationality, Italian, which was in sixth place with five per cent, did not even make it into the top 10 last year. Other significant European nationalities were Spanish and French, whose market share had only changed by one percentage point each, and Swiss, which had dropped from seven per cent to three per cent this year. The top of the nationality league table was made up of Asian and Latin American nationalities as usual. Korea and Japan swapped positions this year, with Korea nudging ahead of Japan to take the top spot. There was no change in Mexico’s position, in third place, although its share of the market had slipped from 13 per cent to eight per cent. The proportion of Chinese students remained the same as last year, while Saudi Arabian students made up three per cent of respondents.
Student motivation
Despite the fact that the proportion of students from Asia and Latin America – two nationality groups that often undertake long-term studies – had dropped slightly compared with last year, the proportion of students learning English for their further studies in Canada had increased this year, from 15 per cent in last year’s survey to 26 per cent. Interestingly, 38 per cent of all Western European students studying English were doing so to go on to further studies in Canada. This year only 14 per cent of students, compared with 20 per cent last year, were learning English for their college studies at home. The main motivator for learning English was still for current or future work, although only 40 per cent of students gave this response, compared with 48 per cent in 2006.
Student enrolment
Although Canadian schools enjoy a high rate of agency recommendation and bookings, this has been in decline in recent years. When we asked students how they first found out about their school, 44 per cent indicated that it had been recommended to them by an agent, compared with 51 per cent last year and 56 per cent the previous year (see Language Travel Magazine, December 2005, pages 16-17). Similarly, the proportion that had actually booked through an agent slipped from 61 per cent last year to 50 per cent this year but when asked why students had chosen a particular school, agency endorsement was the most frequent reason given by respondents.
Standard of the schools
The number of students per class ranged from three to 20, and 15 per cent of respondents, who were in classes of between nine and 20 students, indicated that they thought their class size was too big. Fifteen per cent of respondents said there were too many students of their own nationality, 68 per cent of whom were Korean. When asked if they would recommend their school to others, 83 per cent said they would while nine per cent said they would not.
Living in Canada
Sixty-one per cent of respondents found Canada to be more expensive than their home countries while only seven per cent found it cheaper. Colombian, Saudi Arabian and Brazilian students were among those who thought the cost of living was higher.
Thank you to the following schools for participating in our survey: Acadia University, Wolfville, NS; Access International English Language Center, Toronto, OT; Canadian International Student Services, Toronto, OT; Carleton University, Ottawa, OT; CLC Centra Linguista Canada, Montreal, QB; College Platon, Montreal, QB; Georgian College, Barrie, OT; Global Community College, Calgary, AL; Hansa Language School, Toronto, OT; Heartland International English School, Winnipeg, MB; IH Vancouver, Vancouver, BC; International Languages Schools of Canada, Vancouver, BC; KTC Language Institute, Vancouver, BC; Language Studies Canada, Montreal, QB; Language Studies Canada, Toronto, OT; Omnicom School of Languages, Toronto, OT; Pacific Language Institute; Vancouver, BC; Seneca College, Toronto, OT; Vancouver Community College, Vancouver, BC; Zoni Language Center, Vancouver, BC.
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Contact any advertiser in the this issue now
The following language schools, associations and accommodation providers advertised in the latest edition of Language Travel Magazine. If you would like more information on any of these advertisers, tick the relevant boxes, fill out your details and send.
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