English Language Market Report: Spain A report prepared for the UK’s English language sector Presented by: Jan Kingsley, Director, ASPEL

English Language Market Report: Spain

A report prepared for the UK’s English language sector

Presented by: Jan Kingsley, Director, ASPEL

Research sources

1. British Council / English UK

2. Web-based (see the report for lists of sites)

3. Two UK Language schools

4. Three in-depth interviews with specialist agents

5. Ten interactions with Corporate Learning Officers

6. Twelve interactions with teachers from a range of schools

7. Personal experience (TEFler in the 1970s; Business School lecturer since 2000)

Historical Factors

• Since the 1970s, Spain has been a very strong market for English language, both in Spain and

abroad

• Historically, the reasons have been:

Spain’s vibrant tourism sector Membership of the EU in 1986 (with the possibility to work

abroad) Lack of well-qualified teachers in the school system

Current Situation

• Some 40,000 students visit the UK each year to improve their English

• This is approximately 5% of the total numbers of students

• and approximately 50% of the Spanish students that take courses abroad

• The market is:

Maturing Hardening Diversifying Fragmenting

Key STEP Factors

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are needed to see this picture.

• Decentralisation to

Comunidades Autónomas

• Bologna Agreement

• Major investments in education

since 1999 (a 52% increase)

• From country to city

• Immigration, especially from Latin

America

• Culture change in families

• Increasing travel

• Overseas (Higher) education



• 2nd-highest users of Social

networks in Europe

• I computer per 4.6 children in

public sector schools (9.6 in

private sector)

• Over 80% of under-15s use

web

• 20-40% unemployment

• Austerity measures

• Depreciation of Eurof

• Regional investment in knowledge

industries

Government Strategies re: English-Language

+ > 300 Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas offer free classes and examinations

+ > 2,800 government-funded English Language Assistants

+ MoE - BC bi-lingual schools project now includes 122 schools

+ Comunidad Autónomas investing in bi/tri-lingual schools and CLIL (Content & Language-

Integrated Learning). Numbers of bi/tri-lingual schools vary between 30 in Cantabria to > 300 in

Madrid.

= Steady market decline over coming years in ‘General English’private / overseas sector

Market Segments



Category 1: 6-16 yr-olds






Category 3:Under/post graduatestudents



Category 4: (Trainee) Teachers



Category 6: Corporate clients



Category 5:Individual Professionals

Category 1: 6-16 yr-old segment

Trends / Issues Market in next 10 years Marketing & Relationships

• Summer camps in Spain• School trips• ESO Exam preparation

• Increase overall in Spanish

schools and within Spain• Decline in demand for

private provision

• Agents• Educational Fairs• CA Language Directors• School Language / CLIL

Coordinators






Trends / Issues Market Marketing / Relationships

• Bologna Agreement

(studies in other countries)• Web-’native’ generation

• Slow increase overall for

next 5 years, and then

accelerating decline• Countries other than UK

attractive

• Friend-orientated discounts• Pre & Post-programme

online support• Social media

Category 3: Under/Post Graduates


• Job search (placement)• Web-savvy• Short of cash; still mostly

funded by parents

• Fastest-increasing sector,

and likely to remain so for

next five years • In longer term, also expect

decline as students come up

through bilingual schools

and undertake degrees in

English and / or in other

countries

• Departmental Coordinators• Institutos de Formación

Profesional (EAP)• Social media• Virtual Worlds• Support for grants



Category 4: (Trainee) Teachers


• Lack of sufficiently-

qualified EFL / CLIL teachers

in state system• Substantial government /

CA funding for training &

exchanges• Formación Profesional

stream for non-graduate

language teachers

• Continued (slow) increase

over next ten years.• Will immigrant teachers fill

the resource gaps?

• Referrals scheme• Contact CA Language

Directors to offer regional or

customised services in Spain

or in UK• Pre & post programme

support• Support for grants and

funding



Category 5: Individual Professionals


• Many 30-40 yr-olds did not

learn English at school, and

are therefore willing to

invest in learning for

professional purposes

• Continued slow increase for

next five years

• Language Directors at

Business Schools• Business School

magazines• Professional networks• Guest speaking at

Institutos and other HE

centres, especially on Exec

Ed programmes



Category 6: Corporate Market

Trends / Issues Market in next 10 years Marketing & Relationships

• Increasing successful

internationalisation of

Spanish companies

(Iberdrola, Telefónica, Union

Fenosa ..)• Lack of language skills in

key executives• In or out-sourcing of

corporate programmes

• Companies will continue to

invest in language training

as they expand overseas

• Corporate Learning Officers

(invite to UK)• Attendance at HR

Conferences (* to Pilgrims)• Partner with Spanish EFL

schools and/or Business

Schools with corporate

clients• Chambers of Commerce /

Professional Associations



Gaps in the Market?

• Exam-driven programmes (for the Spanish ESO or Bachiller exams)QuickTime™ and a

decompressorare needed to see this picture.



• ‘Thrills ‘n Spills’ adventure holidays

• Web-based learning



• Language & Culture for the ‘silver’ generation

General Comments / Observations

• Spain has become and will continue to develop as a sophisticated market, requiring more targeted

marketing strategies and techniques on the part of UK schools.

• The General English market is likely to decline in the next 5 to 10 years

• Other markets will remain steady or increase slowly over the next 5 years and then begin an

accelerating decline.

•There are a number of markets (university, teacher-training, corporate sector) where demand is high

and likely to remain so; there are opportunities for quality providers

• Social Media Management is important and will become more so. Few UK schools manage this well

(if at all)

Questions?

Thank you to those who:• initiated and funded the project• agreed to be interviewed and responded to questionnaires• are here now!

The Comunidades Autónomas



Documents

English Language Market Report: Spain A report prepared for the UK’s English language sector Presented by: Jan Kingsley, Director, ASPEL