What are you doing?!

Newsletter No. 10

Paris, 20 February 2026

Hi Friend,

I've recently been working on more aspects of language teaching than usual, from actual teaching to helping schools look at what and how they do in terms of their core service, ie. teaching.

And this has prompted to ask myself, as well as others, a simple question – which I am now going to put to you too.

What are you doing?!

All right, I'll dial down on the clickbait and put it to you in a more nuanced form:

When did you last stop to reflect on what you do as a school?

We take the overall role of language schools for granted – but in the past decade, the world has changed immensely, while schools have remained largely the same.

So, instead of just doubling down on what you're already doing, hoping for the tide to turn, or following what others are doing, here are some questions for you to answer, to inform your next steps:

How are people learning languages today? How has this changed over the past decade or two?
What is, and what could be the actual added value of learning a language abroad, in your country, today?
How much of what students want happens:
- during language lessons?
- in your school but outside language lessons?
- during students' stay outside your school?
What are the best ways of facilitating all the above, and making the study abroad experience even better?

Here are some non-answers:

Whatever you say, I'm not going to buy that:

"people still want the same as 10 years ago"
"General English 20 will always work"
"we're teaching soft skills too".

Because it's just not enough for your clients.

You will need to innovate.

Want it or not, you'll need to rethink what you do.

And chances are, you'll have to change what you're doing.

But to know what you have to change, you'll really have to understand what people want.

And my advice?

Start it today.

Best wishes,

András

András Sztrókay
Founder and International Educational Consultant

Mobile/WhatsApp: +44 (0)7523 385655

WeChat: andras_sztrokay