Main Topic: Consuming Global English

Hosts: Michael Turton, James Stanworth , Clyde Warden

A visit to nearly any Asian country will find English for sale. This market is big, with every child going to cram schools (buxiban), kindergarten, or taking private lessons. In this show, Michael Turton joins TAM to discuss how the market has changed over the past twenty years as well as the major characteristics of the market. 

This topic has an accompanying research show ( show 23 ) for marketing researchers. It includes details on research methodologies and findings mentioned in this show. To view the supplement and other research related shows, register and/or sign in. This research included a big project that used ZMET methodology to examine English learners' underlying psychological metaphors about learning English. We uncovered very clear motivators for studying English, and the results are not what you expect!

From an export economy to a service economy, Taiwan's English market has undergone massive change. One example is the TOFEL exam, used to entering schools in the USA. In just the past few years, the number of Taiwan language learners taking the local exam (GEPT) was over ten times more than those taking the TOFEL, and the revenue for the GEPT is more than double that of the TOFEL (6.2 compared to 3.1 million USD in 2003-2005). In the local market, English is about winning, about exams, and buxibans cater to this market--including math, social science, and the big one: Chinese. While the big English chains make it look like English is so huge in Asia, actually it is one small part of what cram schools do. There are even cram schools for things like flower arrangement, music lessons, and car repair!

Michael has a very detailed Website on teaching English in Taiwan! http://michaelTurton.com

The cram schools (Buxiban) cater for an extremely test results driven market, it does not emphasize the practicality of the language.

Photos:

• 1) buxibans often market to specific segments, as here junior high classes and elementary classes. 1) buxibans often market to specific segments, as here junior high classes and elementary classes.
• 2) The marketing message is about getting to the top of the class. 2) The marketing message is about getting to the top of the class.
• 3) Customers' (Children) names are listed along with their class rank. 3) Customers' (Children) names are listed along with their class rank.
• 4) The school, the class number, and the student name (and the class rank). 4) The school, the class number, and the student name (and the class rank).
• 5) Flags are a common marketing communicator in Taiwan and Japan (here announcing the class topics). 5) Flags are a common marketing communicator in Taiwan and Japan (here announcing the class topics).
• 6) Big chains dominate the English buxiban landscape (Global Village). 6) Big chains dominate the English buxiban landscape (Global Village).
• 7) With declining birth rates, some chains are targeting up market segments. 7) With declining birth rates, some chains are targeting up market segments.
• 8) Lots of glass to attract business clients. 8) Lots of glass to attract business clients.
• 9) Just inside though, the main targets are clear-exam prep. 9) Just inside though, the main targets are clear-exam prep.
• 10) A kids specific chain is Sesame Street. 10) A kids specific chain is Sesame Street.
• 11) A corner location makes after school drops and pickups easier. 11) A corner location makes after school drops and pickups easier.
• 12) Right in the same building is another buxiban for math as well as an an chen ban (takes care of small kids after school like day care). 12) Right in the same building is another buxiban for math as well as an an chen ban (takes care of small kids after school like day care).
• 13) Overlapping marketing messages, the banner telling of this school's student who won 8th place in an international math contest. 13) Overlapping marketing messages, the banner telling of this school's student who won 8th place in an international math contest.
• 14) Buxibans tend to group near schools, here one right next to the Sesame Streent. 14) Buxibans tend to group near schools, here one right next to the Sesame Streent.
• 15) Day care centers are also buxibans, often hiring native speakers to teach English to preschoolers. 15) Day care centers are also buxibans, often hiring native speakers to teach English to preschoolers.
• 16) These are private kindergartens, not part of the official government system. 16) These are private kindergartens, not part of the official government system.
• 17) Many day care centers advertise their special teaching methodologies. 17) Many day care centers advertise their special teaching methodologies.
• 18) Here a banner announces new classes to be opened. 18) Here a banner announces new classes to be opened.
• 19) A parent's life in Taiwan is about 50% picking up and dropping off the kids. 19) A parent's life in Taiwan is about 50% picking up and dropping off the kids.
• 20) Foreigners are mostly employed in the English teaching market. 20) Foreigners are mostly employed in the English teaching market.
• 21) Smaller scale business still outnumber the chains. 21) Smaller scale business still outnumber the chains.
• 22) Here a buxiban has a very similar name to the next door school. 22) Here a buxiban has a very similar name to the next door school.
• 23) The hwa character has an additional radical on the left. 23) The hwa character has an additional radical on the left.
• 24) Most likely these are run by the same owner, just a small name change. 24) Most likely these are run by the same owner, just a small name change.
• 25) This buxiban is reported as being higher priced. 25) This buxiban is reported as being higher priced.
• 26) The servicescape reinforces the school title as professional. 26) The servicescape reinforces the school title as professional.
• 27) Right next door. 27) Right next door.
• 28) A few traditional prints completes the upscale appearance. 28) A few traditional prints completes the upscale appearance.
• 29) These look like extracts from qing ming shang he tu. 29) These look like extracts from qing ming shang he tu.
• 30) The new trend in advertising is LED screens. 30) The new trend in advertising is LED screens.
• 31) Class topic are listed (note, they align exactly with official school classes). 31) Class topic are listed (note, they align exactly with official school classes).
• 32) The screen rotate marketing messages. 32) The screen rotate marketing messages.
• 33) Contact numbers, Websites, and other information are shown. 33) Contact numbers, Websites, and other information are shown.
• 34) Small classes for math students. 34) Small classes for math students.
• 35) 70% of customers get over 85 on their monthly school exams (these are the exams used for ranking). 35) 70% of customers get over 85 on their monthly school exams (these are the exams used for ranking).
• 36) A client obtained 100 on the monthly math exam at school. 36) A client obtained 100 on the monthly math exam at school.
• 37) Specific customers are listed and their class ranking (at the normal public school)shown; her both first in their class. 37) Specific customers are listed and their class ranking (at the normal public school)shown; her both first in their class.
• 38) Advertising for the chains often emphasize winning. 38) Advertising for the chains often emphasize winning.
• 39) Here Columbia promises you can win a computer. 39) Here Columbia promises you can win a computer.
• 40) Gram's famous conquer English slogan. 40) Gram's famous conquer English slogan.
•  

ConsumerCam:

Show Links:

• Top Services in Taiwan Go Global
  
• Buxiban Defined
  

Bottom Line:

• In the 1980’s the chain stored Buxiban were few, in the 90’s the chains were booming.
• In the 1990’s it was the perfect competition of the market, the tuition fees and the remuneration was standardized.
• The insistence by the govenernment provided a strong backdrop for the rise of English education.
• The Buxiban is very test & exam orientated and the students’ test results are displayed on LCD screens for display.
• The demand for English has saturated in the 21Centry, factors such as a decreasing in population, coupled with an increased university graduates that open private tuitions and work for less.
• The test driven Buxiban is still in high gear, but the voluntary work to improve the practicability of English has declined.
• The idea of language in everyday use is not important for people; the shift of economic foundation (to China) might be a possibility.
• The foreign cartoons in Taiwan are translated into ways (slang) that people understand; the result is a possible lost in translation.
• When the foreigners visit Taiwan the places that they frequent are mostly westernized (Pubs, Metropolitan cities), this creates a false impression of the English in use.

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