English Language Acquisition and the Internet: Access and choice in the digital age

Abstract only Today there are more than 1 billion people learning English as a second language worldwide. With demand for ESL tuition increasing year-on-year, there is a chronic global shortage of native English teachers on the ground. This is pushing up class sizes and lesson prices while leaving learners with less choice. The emergence of Skype schools, social language networks, and new online resources represents a big change within the ESL industry and a challenge to its traditional structure. This article takes a closer look at the reasons behind this recent shift towards eLearning and considers who studies online, how and what motivates them to do so.