The Philippines is fast becoming the world’s low-cost English language teacher – with rapid increases in overseas students coming to learn English or study in English-speaking universities. There might be other countries that people think about as a classic place to learn English, such as the UK, the US or Australia.
But there is one key reason that they are switching to the Philippines. It’s much cheaper. And in the competitive market for language students, it means the Philippines is attracting people from countries such as Iran, Libya, Brazil and Russia. “We have very competitive rates compared with other countries,” says English teacher, Jesy King, citing her school’s fees of $500 (?313) for a 60-hour class – about a third of the price of an equivalent course in the US or Canada.
Another major advantage is the accent. Filipinos speak with a clear American accent – partly because the Philippines was a US colony for five decades, and partly because so many people here have spent time working in call centres that cater to a US market.
I – Word Understanding
Switch – a sudden change from one thing to another
Citing – saying an opinion or idea
US colony – controlled by the US
II – Have your say
1.Major uses of English in the Philippines:
● Medium of instruction from preschool to university
● Philippine laws and court decisions
● Call Centers train their staff to sound like native Americans
2.Philippine English:
● A lot of people speak Taglish – combination of Tagalog and English
● Wrong spelling or English/Tagalog combinations sometimes become confusing and sometimes amusing or funny.
● Sounds mostly confused p vs f; b vs v
3.Global English:
● There are 1.55 billion English learners and 10.2 million English teachers
● Disney has become a major provider of English teaching lessons in China
● Universities are increasingly using English as a medium for teaching
094 The Philippines: The world’s budget English teacher
