VOICE OF THE
WORKERS ISSUE 30 JULY 2014
Standing out from the rest
Contents Breakfast in America
02
A Genuine International Centre of Excellence
03
Language Learning for Jobs in the EU
05
Schools of English and language learning
06
Celebrating Diversity and Understanding
07
EDITOR’S NOTE JOSEF VELLA The teaching of English as a foreign language in Malta is a fully-fledged industry, benefitting its direct and indirect stakeholders. Throughout its fifty year history, the industry has grown from strength to strength, its product improved, and the scope of its services widened. It has also contributed to the provision of employment, not just of teachers and support staff at the schools themselves, but also in the organisation of events, venues, and ancillary support services. The Guardian newspaper valued the global TEFL market in Europe alone at around €15 billion. VOICE OF THE
WORKERS
The challenges are there. Competition is alive and kicking. However, concentrating on what we excel in, improving accessibility, as well as making the right investment, may make all the difference. No industry can sustain itself without constant monitoring and care. We need to ensure that the quality of our products and services are of excellent quality. We need to invest in a way that gives us the edge over our immediate competitors, and continues to build on the unique qualities Malta has to offer. We need to ensure that
our infrastructure is adequate in a way that, whilst maximising each visitor’s experience and developing knowledge of the English language, we need to ensure that the industry is also sustainable vis-a-vis local perception, safe entertainment, and building on our aggregate marketing strategy. EFL schools need to cooperate closely together, and also be in sync with the rest of the industry and other stakeholders. The Maltese EFL industry has to ensure that it builds on Malta’s image as a quality, fun, and safe 1