Interview with John Daly, CEO of Atlantic Language Galway: “Living in the culture of the language you are learning brings huge added value”

JOHN DALY, CEO, ATLANTIC LANGUAGE GALWAY

Why would a student choose your school?

At Atlantic Language we have developed a reputation for teaching excellence over almost 30 years. We have welcomed thousands of students to our school from over 80 countries. Students choose us not only because they want the best English language and professional training courses they can find but also because they are looking for a positve and enriching cultural experience. Many of our past students have met their husbands or wives while studying with us – there are Atlantic families all over the world! We make it our priority to ensure that students at Atlantic feel ‘at home’ with us, enjoying a wonderful stay in Ireland while also benefitting from our academic expertise.

In your opinion, what are the main benefits for a student to study abroad?

While the pandemic has taught us the benefits and possibilities of remote teaching, it’s very hard to replace the immediacy and effectiveness of an immersive language learning experience. Living in the culture of the language you are learning brings huge added value. Having the opportunity to use English in real-life, every day situations helps to reinforce the lessons learned in the classroom. Studying abroad offers students a chance to expand their perspectives and knowledge of the world. We appreciate today more than ever how important it is to understand how other cultures live and think. It’s fair to say that studying abroad can make a vital contribution to positive international relations!

How do you see the future of language tourism?

Language tourism has suffered a huge setback over the past year due to the pandemic. COVID exposed the dependence of language tourism on the travel industry. The free movement of students from one country to the next has always been central to the success of the language tourism sector. However the pandemic has taught us how important it is to diversify our teaching methods. Even when language students start to travel again, remote or online teaching will remain an important facet of the contemporary language school and I see increasing opportunities going forward for hybrid or blended learning which will allow students to combine on-site with remote classes. The classrooms of the future will allow off-site students to dial in from overseas, sharing the learning experience with students who are physically present. We have learned the huge benefits of technology and must adjust our teaching model to reflect them.

What types of courses do you think will be most in demand in the future?

There will always be a demand for General English courses as we will always have students who need to learn basic English language skills. However as English becomes embedded as the global lingua franca there is increased demand for courses which help students to apply their English language skills in particular professional situations. So, I think that English for Special Purposes will be very important for future learners.