Sample Form: Host Family Application

January 25, 2011

Selecting host or billet families for a program that welcomes international students is an in-depth process. To help you with the process, here’s a sample form that I developed.

Feel free to use it as a template or modify it to suit your needs.

Sample Form for Prospective Host _ Billet Families

Here’s what the form looks like (posted on Scribd.com):

View this document on Scribd

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

1 Comment | ESL, language program administration, marketing, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Be positive in all your marketing materials – avoid negative words

January 24, 2011

There’s a theory that says if you project negativity, you will get negativity in return. So if you fill your marketing materials with rules and regulations about what students must not do and what the program will not provide, chances are you will not attract very many students.

Review your marketing materials looking for negative words – “no”, “not”, “never”, “can’t”, “won’t”, “shouldn’t”, “don’t”, etc. Then, change the sentences to give them a positive spin. For example, “Classes are no larger than 15 students” can be changed to, “Your class will have a maximum of 15 students.”

Another classic example: “Don’t hesitate to contact us” can be changed to a positive statement, starting with a strong action verb: “Contact us today to reserve your place in our course!”

Precisely because our schools often have strict policies and procedures, we find ourselves mentioning what can’t be done and what is not allowed. We need to remember that marketing materials are not the same as application and registration forms, policies, procedures or waivers. It’s important that every document serve its purpose. Marketing materials are meant to generate interest and make students want to take part in your courses. Tell your students what you will provide, what they will experience and what they can expect. Focus on a having a positive, simple, upbeat tone, filled with action verbs.

Fill your marketing material with positive, energetic words and you are likely to generate positive feelings in your prospects. That could lead to an energetic, “Yes, sign me up!”

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This post is adapted from “Idea # 12: Be positive in all your marketing materials – avoid negative words” in 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Do You Have What it Takes to Save Your Language Program?

January 22, 2011

Over the past several months, I’ve heard a lot about language programs closing or being cut. This is troubling not only because I’m a strong believer in second and additional language education, but also because it means that highly trained and committed professionals are losing their jobs.

So what does it take to save a language program that’s at risk of closure?

Time

If your program is scheduled to be cut at the end of the semester or even within the next two years, the best thing you can do is buy yourself some time. You will need it to build your campaign and garner support.

A campaign to save your language program

This is a bit tricky. You don’t want to be so zealous that you turn people against you. Your campaign needs to be well-crafted and thought out thoroughly. You’ll need the help of other people. Develop the plan together and monitor it as you go. Include things like letters of support from parents, alumni, local politicians or other champions.

Support

No matter how much you may love your program, you won’t be able to save it alone. You may find support in unexpected places and no support from people whom you think should back you. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Leave behind the whiners or those who are too burnt out to care. Build those relationships. Ask their opinions and advice. Include them in your activities.

Energy

Above all else, you will need unrelenting energy and a “can-do” attitude.  You’ll need to stay positive (but not nauseatingly so) as you lead the charge.

A focus on the future

This isn’t just about closing your program today. This is also about the effect it will have on an entire generation of students and possibly even the generation after that. You’re working for them. You’re doing this so that they continue to gain all the benefits of studying a second language that you know will make them more intellectually and culturally robust.

There is a ripple effect that happens when second language programs are cut from schools and universities. It’s worth the fight.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Do You Have What it Takes to Save Your Language Program? | language program administration, languages, leadership, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

A Formula for Pricing Educational and Training Programs

January 21, 2011

Many people ask me how to price their programs. There are a number of ways to approach this. One simple, straightforward formula for pricing educational programs:

Work out your costs. Double the total. That’s the price you charge for your program.

This is just one method used by “big institutions”. It ensures that you really have covered all your costs (including the ones that you sometimes forget to factor in such as insurance, etc.) Surpluses go back into your organization for future programming and capacity building.

When you calculate your costs, here is a partial checklist of items to consider:

Instructor salary – How much are you paying your instructor per hour? Remember to add in benefits, vacation pay and any prep time you pay.

Management and administrative support – How much of your time as a manager is put into each course? Ask your coordinators or admin staff to calculate how much time they spend prepping for and working on a given course. Multiply that by their hourly wage. That’s your cost for admin support for the course.

Rent – If you lease a space or pay rent, work out how much your space will cost you for each hour of your course. Take the square footage of your classroom and then add in all public areas accessed by students and staff during the course including the reception area, bathrooms and lunch room. What do those spaces cost you per hour? Multiply that by the number of hours in your course. That’s an approximate cost for your rent.

Utilities – What do you pay for phone, Internet, heat, hot water, etc.? If you work in a large institution it may not be easy to work out these numbers. Figure out an estimate though. You’re still paying for these things, even if it is only indirectly.

Insurance – What insurance do you cover for your premises (fire, theft, etc.) and for your staff (liability, workers’ compensation, etc.) – Although the amount may be small, allot a portion of these costs to each course. Without them, you can’t run your programs.

In my experience, the first time managers figure out their real costs to run a course, they are surprised. They want to go back and check the numbers. “That can’t be right…” they say. In most cases, the number is right. As educators, we often underestimate our real costs to run programs. Become aware of your actual costs. When you double them to arrive at a price for your programs, you are becoming fiscally responsible by making sure there’s money left in the pot to keep your programs and your organization sustainable over the long term. You’ll have some extra in case of emergencies (and there are always emergencies), to subsidize a course you believe in strongly and enough to stay afloat when the economy tanks.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

You can’t please everyone: How language schools can target their market

January 6, 2011

One mistake I see language school directors or literacy program leaders make is believing that their courses are for everyone. This is fairly common among enthusiastic entrepreneurs who are so jazzed about their product or service that they assume everyone else will be, too. The problem gets worse when what you’re promoting is something that people need – like better literacy or communication skills.

Trust me about one thing. Your market isn’t the whole world. And if it is, you’re in trouble because the competition will claw your eyes out trying to get a piece of the same market.

Ask yourself three questions:

  1. How do you deliver your courses (over what time frame, using what materials and methods)? Courses offered at a local community centre have a different target market than online courses. Intensive week-long courses target a different population than programs lasting for an entire academic year. The method you use will work for some and not for others. No matter how much you may believe in the communicative method, for example, there will be students who hate that method and feel more comfortable reciting verb conjugations aloud and learning vocabulary by rote. Don’t worry about pleasing everyone. Worry about clearly articulating what you do and how you do it. That way, people who appreciate how you approach learning and teaching will be more likely to sign up with you. Spending your time trying to “convert” others to agree with your method takes much more energy, and gives you much less return, than focusing on those whose philosophy already aligns with your own.
  2. What concrete outcomes can your students expect from your courses? The word “concrete” is critical here. Now is not the time for vague promises or saying that learners will “improve”. How will they improve? What will change? Give examples. Do not confuse this with over promising. Be clear and realistic when you articulate your objectives. The changes a student can likely expect in a month are not as great as if he or she continues on at the same school with progressively challenging courses, delivered in the same way, over a year. Incorporating regular assessments that demonstrate a student’s progress and growth are also part of your marketing. Ultimately, if people take a course, they want to see change in a particular direction. Be clear in stating what students can expect from your courses, then deliver it. Document their progress to show them how far they’ve come. If anything, it is better to under-promise and over-deliver.
  3. Why would students register with your school? This is a simple question, but don’t let that fool you. It is critical. Really, why would they register at your school and not some other school? What makes you so special? What sets you apart? Do you have a great downtown location? Do all your teachers have a minimum qualification? Do you have specialized courses? You can have all these things, but really, students will register with you when they get results and enjoy the learning process. The learning environment needs to be safe, enjoyable, inspiring and challenging. The balance you strike among these things is what makes you unique.

Your target market is likely much more specific than you think it is. The more you focus on who your prospective students really are, the easier it will be go out and recruit them.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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