The English training market has grown from next-to-nothing to a thriving industry today - considered a model of private education in China. As the first of its kind involving foreign funds, English training institutions have introduced state-of-the-art managerial modes, funding structures, and technology. This groundwork partially explains the boost of the country’s private education industry.

China’s educational training industry, English training in particular, has become a target market for funds from around the country since 2006 when New Oriental was listed in New York Stock Exchange and Global IELTS was financed with US$30 million by SAIF Partners. Overnight, English training emerged as a blue-chip industry, attracting increased influx of investment which promoted fast growth and expansion of training institutions and intensified market competition as well.

More capital flowed in, but it favored existing, mature enterprises of a certain scale, like timely rain nourishing a market with consumers who had become more rational. The “rain” helped smooth the bottlenecking underdeveloped market that was plagued by insufficient funding, which in turn limited available training forces. For SMEs (small-to-medium enterprises) with less visibility, less distinguishing features, and improper positioning, competition and mergers consistently cause growth pains, which could inspire a new brand full of vigor and vitality. This echoed the appeal to “accelerate business via benign competition” from the voice represented by merchandise of Global IELTS and Wall Street English.

In an era of computers, websites, and digital video, greater numbers of people prefer to learn English through reading, listening, watching, and chatting with native speakers online or with smart phones - anywhere, anytime. Improved information flow has indeed changed methods of language learning, and a tidal wave of English learning has swept across China. The combination of contrasting learners and an amorphous social environment has brought more challenges to English training institutions, while fueling them with innovative inspiration and motivation.

To better serve those busy white-collar learners, some trainers even offer online teaching resources including online lectures, an online social community and an online library that are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help enhance what they have learned in the traditional “face-to-face” classroom. Therefore, learners can pick up the English practice anytime and anywhere at their convenience even in the lobby at the airport or during lunch.

One-on-one online oral training is also ideal for those who are too shy to talk, especially when actually faced with an “intimidating” foreigner, so an online tutor residing abroad is preferable.

Some experts predict that the educational training market could top 300 billion yuan in the next 10 years while the number of training institutions could increase by 25 percent annually. The English training market looks promising, but fiercely competitive.

The future of English training will continue booming along with China’s internationalization and high demand from Chinese students to study abroad. Consequently, institutions specializing in English training will continue receiving more financial support. Nevertheless, the formula for success usually lies in some combination of traditional classroom instruction enhanced by new technology.