Page 14 - ELG2301 Jan Issue 483

USA NEWS .

Navigating

effect
the Covid effect

Caroline Gear, executive director of
the International Language Institute of
Massachusetts (ILI) and former president
of EnglishUSA, explains how her school
survived the pandemic

e had limited experience in online learning prior
to the Covid pandemic, and it took unprecedented
commitment, especially on the part of our teachers,
W to create the classroom atmosphere and appropriate
materials and teaching styles needed to succeed. With continued
registration on many of our courses, we had a steady source of revenue
to help offset enrolment losses in our intensive English programme for
international students and our on-site workplace language learning
courses, which suffered when businesses began to close their doors.
We also received the strong backing of our many advocates, including
ongoing advice from our very accomplished all-volunteer board of ILI is a nonprofit language school located in Old School Commons
directors, as well as financial support from foundations, businesses and in downtown Northampton, Massachusetts, USA
individual donors. We qualified for a low-interest federal loan, two
rounds of federal pandemic response funding and federal payments to Why it’s over-17s only
offset expenses associated with employees – all because we kept our Many international students studying at ILI stay with area host families,
entire workforce employed during the pandemic. most of whom are not comfortable with the added responsibilities
Finally, our flexible long-term planning strategies guided us in shaping of looking after younger students in their home. There is certainly a
a ‘new normal’ as we moved to all remote learning and are now bringing market for junior classes, and we are discussing the potential of bringing
back in-person classes. Our plan projects that our adjusted business in juniors in collaboration with one of our university partners, so that
model – comprising both online and in-person learning opportunities students would live on campus in dorms.
– will underpin success for ILI students, the school and the local
communities we serve. Low teacher numbers
The teacher shortage is a regrettable fact across this country. During
And the future…? the pandemic, positions were cut and some teachers found other work,
At ILI, we saw an increase in international student enrolment in 2022 while others working remotely did not want to return to classrooms
and registration numbers for early 2023 are holding steady. That appears when in-person learning started again.
to be a trend across the US, although it is still anaemic compared to Fortunately, our situation isn’t as dire as at some schools. Our diverse
pre-pandemic numbers. Actually, enrolment began to decline before offerings provide opportunities for teachers to work in more than one
the pandemic, when changes in US visitation policies took hold. There programme, including our TESOL certificate course that provides newly
are some positive signs that US policies are once again trending toward trained teachers who could potentially work at ILI.
more ‘friendly’ in relation to international travel and visitation, and as
they take hold, the word that the US is open again may drive greater If you could change anything?
interest from international students. My magic wand would conjure up a holistic approach that would result
We are working hard on a daily basis to grow enrolment through in institutional and community awareness of the cultural and economic
contacts with agents, messaging with many friends in this business contributions that English learners of all ages and walks of life bring to
around the world, and improving our website to make it easier for this country. It would be anchored by collaboration with EnglishUSA,
prospective students to find us and initiate the registration process. the largest professional trade association of accredited intensive English
We can’t compete with countries that offer work opportunities for language programmes in the US.
full-time students enrolled in language courses, though we would love
to see changes in US policy that would include a work option, as well as
a clear path for potential students to immigrate to this country. Caroline is the executive director at the International
Language Institute of Massachusetts. She has been at the
Our school school since 1986 as a teacher, administrator and teacher
ILI’s mission focuses on building multicultural understanding and trainer. Caroline has lived and worked in Peru, Mexico
diverse communities through high-quality language instruction and and Spain. She served as president for EnglishUSA,
teacher training. To us, that means serving people in the communities of is the youth exchange officer for the Northampton
western Massachusetts as well as bringing international students to live International Rotary Club and is a board member of the Greenfield
and learn right here in Northampton. To increase the accessibility and Community College Foundation and the World Affairs Council of
relevance of our programmes, we offer online and in-person language Western Massachusetts.
classes and teacher training options.
14 January 2023