|
|
|
UK feedback
|
|
|
Language schools in the UK have done well to diversify their student base, according to the results of this year's student Feedback survey, with Middle Eastern students particularly on the increase.
UK feedback at a glance
|
|
Total number of students: female 160, male 110 (unknown 17) 287
Average age in years: 24.7
Average length of programme in weeks: 15.9
Average number of students in class: 11.3
Average number of hours of language tuition per week: 22.3
% of students who found their course through an agent: 53.5
% of students who booked through an agent or adviser: 60
% of students who had been on another lang. programme: 21
% of students who would recommend their school: 96 |
| Respondents by world region of origin |
|
Top nationalities |
|
|
|
Asia (28%)
W Europe (21%)
C & L America (18%)
Middle East (15%)
C & E Europe (13%)
Africa (1%)
Unknown (4%)
|
|
1. Korean 12%
2. Chinese 11%
2. Japanese 7%
4. Libyan 6.5%
4. Argentinean 6.5%
6. Brazilian 6%
7. Turkish 5.5%
8. Colombian 5%
8. Swiss 5%
10. French 4%
|
| In my class there are... |
|
How will you use your English in the future? |
|
|
|
Too many students (14%)
Too many students of my language (19%)
Too many students from one other countries (14%)
None of these (51%)
Unknown (2%)
|
|
Coll. study in the UK (23%)
Coll. study in another country (9%)
College study at home (13%)
Current or future work (53)
For pleasure only (1%)
No reply (1%)
|
| How did you find your programme? |
|
Standard of the teaching |
|
|
|
1. It was recommended by an agent (53.5%)
3. II found it on the Internet (19%)
2. It was recommended by a friend/relative (26%)
4. No reply (1%)
5. I saw it advertised (0.5%)
|
|
Excellent (47%)
Good (44%)
Satisfactory (5%)
Poor (0.5%)
Unknown (3.5%)
|
| Standard of your academic programme |
|
What is your accomodation while in the UK? |
|
|
|
Excellent (18%)
Good (49%)
Satisfactory (21%)
Poor (2%)
Unsatisfactory (1%)
Unknown (9%)
|
|
Host family (55%)
Residential/single room (16%)
Residential/dormitory (6%)
Other (21%)
Unknown (2%)
|
| Standard of your social programme? |
|
Standard of your accommodation |
|
|
|
Excellent (20%)
Good (37%)
Satisfactory (27%)
Poor (8%)
Unsatisfactory (1%)
No reply (7%)
|
|
Excellent (24%)
Good (37%)
Satisfactory (22%)
Poor (6%)
Unsatisfactory (10%)
Unknown (1%)
|
Did you book your course through an agent or an educational adviser?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes (60%)
No (32%)
Unknown (8%)
|
|
|
Before looking for your course, did you know where you wanted to study?
|
|
|
|
Country
Yes (84%)
No (8%)
Unknown (8%)
City/town
Yes (60%)
No (32%)
Unknown (8%)
|
|
School
Yes (34%)
No (58%)
Unknown (8%)
|
Student nationality
A wide spread of nationalities took part in this year's Feedback survey on the UK, with strong representation from across most of the world regions. Students from the Middle East increased the most dramatically compared with last year's results when students from this world region made up just one per cent of the student body (see Language Travel Magazine, April 2006, pages 16-17). This year, 15 per cent of respondents came from the Middle East with strong representation from Libya and significant numbers from Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Overall, 40 different nationalities took part in our survey, a high number compared with New Zealand, for example, where 17 different nationalities took part in our last survey (see Language Travel Magazine, March 2007, pages 18-19) or Italy, which featured 24 different nationalities (see Language Travel Magazine, April 2007, pages 16-17).
Student motivation
With 53 per cent of respondents describing their occupation as student and 43 per cent saying that they currently used English for study purposes, it is perhaps surprising that 53 per cent said that they were learning English for future work purposes rather than for further studies at home, overseas or in the UK itself. However, 23 per cent of respondents gave more than one answer to this question revealing that many students have multiple reasons for learning a language. The average length of stay remained quite lengthy at 15.9 weeks, a slight drop on 16.2 weeks last year. The largest group of respondents – 32 per cent – were on programmes lasting between seven and 19 weeks. Students were more likely to be in their twenties than any other age bracket and no students were aged over the age of 50.
Student enrolment
Agent usage was quite high among students studying in the UK, with 53.5 per cent of students saying that they found their course through an agency and 60 per cent saying that they had actually booked their course through an agency. When it came to deciding which school to study at, the UK’s reputation for sports and quality university education proved decisive factors, as did price, staff friendliness and small class sizes.
Standard of the schools
Despite the wide range of nationalities represented in the survey, 20 per cent of students thought that there were too many students of their own nationality in their classroom while a further 14 per cent thought that there were too many of another nationality. Of those who thought there were too many students of their own nationality, 32 per cent were Korean, 27 per cent were Argentinean and 14 per cent were Chinese. With an overall average class size of 11.3, class sizes were thought to be too big by 14 per cent of students. However, 96 per cent of those who answered the question said that they would recommend their school to others.
Living in the UK
Fifty-five per cent of the students polled in our survey were living in host family accommodation during their stay in the UK, yet 44 per cent of students found integrating with the local people to be quite hard and a further 10 per cent found talking to the locals very hard. However, 38 per cent said it was quite easy to practise their language skills.
Thank you to the following schools for participating in our survey:
Aspect, Oxford; City College, Coventry; Eckersley School of English, Oxford; Embassy CES, Hove; Embassy CES, Oxford; English Language Centre, Brighton; English Language Centre, Bristol; Gloscat, Cheltenham; Hampstead School of English, London; Kaplan, London; Kingsway English Centre, Worcester; Language Studies International, Hove; Leeds English Language School, Leeds; Live Language, Glasgow; Manchester Academy of English, Manchester; Oxford English Centre, Oxford; Shane Global Language Centre, London; St Clare’s, Oxford; St Giles, Bloomsbury, London; St Giles, Highgate, London; Torbay Language Centre LAL, Paignton; Totnes School of English, Totnes; University of Sheffield ELTC, Sheffield; Wimbledon School of English, London.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
