Every year, droves of foreigners hope to impart what they know best, their ability to speak English, to eager students. English as a Second Language (ESL) has become a staple in Nanjing, and a myriad of schools have surfaced all over.
Public and private schools alike continue to enlist teachers from the West to fulfill the needs of a growing Chinese population. As the community shifts from classroom to online, novice and veteran educators are now entering a new era of education.
The pandemic effectively shut Nanjing down for nearly 2 months, moreover, ESL schools found themselves in an unlikely situation. Encumbered by the virus, students and educators alike were met with a challenge and left with a burning question; how and when would classes resume?
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Befuddled by unfavourable conditions, many expats found themselves debating their futures as instructors. Amidst such a burden, ESL schools rose to the challenge to empower their educators to deliver English language training via online portals. This is really a true testament to the Chinese spirit of getting things done fast.
Admirable efforts were made to ensure that teachers across the city could continue to instill the knowledge that was built upon prior to the new year. Now, the only question that remains is whether this method will supplant the traditional ways of education. The foreseeable future of education in Nanjing appears a bit turbulent due to challenges the city faces when reconvening daily life. For example, a resurgence or second wave of the virus could affix teachers to their household, makeshift classrooms.
A notable case of this rapid transition can be examined through First Leap, a popular contender in the ESL arena. Within a matter of weeks, the school launched and bolstered a new way for teachers to continue work. This rapid response went into effect for all centres across the entirety of Nanjing and was further enhanced through additional training for teachers.
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From Pukou to Xianlin, students and teachers have been reconnected through the power of the digital age. This undoubtedly has restored faith for parents who wish to see their children grow and prosper.
A Portal Forward
Classrooms, despite being confined to one’s living space (for the time being), could pave the way for emergency responses to crises in the ESL community. If disaster strikes again, education shall not falter because the foundation for these portals now exist. A bevvy of features in the portal aid the learning process. It further provides flexibility that cannot be offered within a traditional classroom, and allows the teacher, parent and student to build an even stronger rapport.
Although the concept of online teaching is far from novel, the swift move to meet a blatant demand is remarkable. Moving forward, ESL schools are now fully capable of handling such scenarios should they arise again. Parents can rest assured that their children will not only stay safe, but will continue to learn English.
