Language Learning Giant Busuu Signs Pearson Deal To Disrupt TEFL Market

busuu — the world’s largest social network for language learning at 40 million users — has signed a distribution partnership with Pearson English, a newly formed business unit of the world’s largest education company. The deal will be exclusive for the next 4 months, after which Pearson will be free to sign similar deals with other partners, should it choose to do so. However, it gives Busuu and edge over its competitors, give that the bulk of foreign language learning is to learn English. The partnership is described as strategic and Pearson is not taking any equity in Busuu.

The course launched this Summer will be free to busuu’s paying subscribers and at a nominal charge to its free members.

The deal gives busuu’s user base access to an affordable online test, gSET by Pearson English, which — in Plain English — is a globally recognised standard for learning English as a foreign language. In other words, if you are a TOEFL teacher right now, I’d consider looking into a new career, because this is a seriously disruptive move.

The market opportunity in digital language learning is huge and growing at a clip. Some estimates put the total market value at $60 billion — but $50 billion of that is in English. And only 5-10% of that market is taking place online. So you can see why Pearson – traditionally associated with textbooks and mostly offline learning – is so keen to strike online deals. Furthermore, much of bussu’s user-base is in emerging markets – and they all want to learn English, for the most part.

Pearson English’s Global Scale of English test lets language learners measure their current level of English on an on-going basis using a globally consistent numeric scale. Obviously busuu will also be able to see that data and apply it to its own operations.

The gSET by Pearson English is measured on Pearson English’s Global Scale of English, designed to be a global numeric standard for the measurement of English language proficiency. Pearson English is right now consolidating its existing businesses, including Wall Street English, GlobalEnglish and ELT, under one umbrella. It also has existing deals with New York-based Voxy, which has raised $14.8 million to date, and Grupo Multi, in Brazil.

In an exclusive interview with TechCrunch, president of Pearson English, Bhav Singh, told us that the shortage of native English language teachers in the world means there is a lot of opportunity online.

“I think the present, not the future of education is digital. Eventually we hope to hope to look at cross-selling Pearson products. But the feedback loop right now is most important. The world is moving to the personalisation of an audience of one,” he said.

CEO and Co-founder of busuu, Bernhard Niesner told us that with this Pearson test, for the first time, Busuu will be able to “measure and work out how to improve the course. We are working on adaptive learning, based on customisation. The vision is to cut down on the acquisition time to learn a language.”

Plus, of course, people in emerging markets don’t have to travel to go to a TOEFL test centre, when they could do the test on busuu.

4 Signs You Are Losing Your Writing Passion (& How To Get It Back)

Many of us have been through this at one time or another. Tired and worn down from writing the same boring content and making it interesting day in and day out, we suddenly find that we have to drag ourselves to the computer and force ourselves to go through the motions wondering what we should be doing with our lives instead.

Then it hits us. We realize we’ve lost the passion and terror engulfs us. The first time it happens is like waking up from a dream of falling off a building – only to realize that you’re not dreaming. You experience a few seconds of abstract terror followed by a deep sense of sudden loss.

I once read about a writer who lost limbs in a war compare it to what it feels like the first few years after that loss: “I would wake up, ready to take on the day only to see the wheelchair and remember that I have no legs. Losing my passion for writing is a lot like that.” Once you realize you are without it, you cannot help but feel a sense of longing.

Recommended Reading: 12 Signs That You Are A Writer At Heart (And 3 Signs You Are Not)

Personally, it felt a little bit like when I lost my father at 11 years old. Not the pain of a lost loved one. Just the pain of losing something so familiar, something I was so used to having. It felt like a hole in the middle of my chest that couldn’t be filled. I swore that once I got it back, I would never lose it again. Now, when I get so weary that I want to stop, I do.

See The Signs

The one redeeming feature about losing the writer’s passion is that you can see it coming a mile away, if you know what to look for. Here’s how to recognize these signs.

1. When Research Becomes a Chore

Research for the true writer is more interesting than it is work. We develop a process where we can enjoy the journey from point A to point J. Each step is familiar, painless and gets us closer to our objective – writing. Every step of the research usually holds some benefit for us.

One example is my research computer, which is not the computer that I write with. It has a comic’s page that I must go through to get to my search engine. On this page is a weather app, a dictionary Word of the Day, and a new Calvin and Hobbes Comic daily strip

When I get to the point that I skip the comics or just bypass my entire process altogether, I check myself as it’s a sure sign that I’m no longer enjoying that process… or what I do.

2. Snapping at your Editors (Never a good idea)

I’m one of those lucky writers that have an editor as a partner in our freelance writing company. This means that everything I write through our company is edited by one of the best. I also have an editor in one of my ‘outside of the company’ jobs. She is also among the best in her profession.

The moment one of them asks me what is wrong with my attitude or takes offense at something I’ve said, I know that I’m in trouble. I love to be edited because it makes me look good. When I start taking offense at their help, it means I don’t want to put in the work. It means I’m no longer having any fun.

Read Also: Confessions Of A Web Editor – An Inside Look

3. What Happened to your Deadline Demon?

A friend of mine, who was once a client, paid me the very high compliment of calling me the Deadline Demon. I never ever miss a deadline. I’m almost always way ahead of schedule. I make sure that if something was to happen and I could not write for up to a week, I could still come in under deadline.

When I suddenly have to write all night long and just barely make my deadlines, I am in trouble of losing my passion and I check myself at that moment. If I forget a deadline and barely make it, I recognize that for what it is: a huge sign that I’m tired and I’m in danger of starting down that road again.

Read Also: How To Better Handle Writing Deadlines

4. Getting Easily Distracted

When I start catching myself spending more time in my email, Skype chat, or surfing the World Wide Web for no reason other than to avoid work, I know I’m in trouble. It’s a quiet process that sneaks up on you. One day, you are fine and productive, two days later, you find yourself two days behind schedule and filling out a form for a foolish website application you don’t want just because you’re bored.

Read Also: 7 Tools To Eliminate Distractions & Help You Focus On Work

When boredom sets in, how far are you from the point of no return? The writing passion is what keeps us writing. The ability to take a boring subject and turn it into something that people want to read is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, it’s time to recharge your batteries.

How To Turn This Around

At some point, you have to recognize the signs of writer’s fatigue and make a change. When you have worked for so many days in a row that you cannot remember the last time you had any time to devote to your family, friends, or other interests, it may be time to recharge

Writer’s fatigue is the first step to losing the ability to enjoy a passion that you were born with. Here are a few things you can do to get turn things around.

1. Step Away

Take a day off whether you can afford it or not. Most of the time, with bills mounting or deadlines looming, you cannot take a day off at that moment, but you can schedule a day off in the near future and then do everything you have to do to make it happen.

When that day comes, do not shirk it off and work. Force yourself to spend the day away from work and (this is important) with the people that make you happy.

Read Also: The Pursuit Of Happiness (& How To Be Truly Happy)

2. Revisit Your Creative Side

Write for yourself. If you like creative writing, do that. If you enjoy poetry, create a new form. Enter a contest and write up your submission. Even if you don’t win, the fun is in the creation.

There are numerous website writing groups that you can join that have contests. There are also writing groups that love to read new fiction or collaborate on projects. The point is to write something for yourself that changes your perspective and is not work-related.

Read Also: 8 Quick-Fixes To Boost Your Creativity Instantly

3. Retrace the Steps that Led you to Freelancing

Take stock of your decision to become a freelance writer. From experience, I can tell you that our reasons for doing what we do are very compelling. In my case, it was this or work for a living and I would rather do this. Remember all the reasons you do what you do. Write and you will find that motivating force that drove you here in the first place.

Once you remember why you love your job so much, it’s easier to keep your passion, even under the worst of client projects. When I see my stepson dragging his tired ass home from his roofing job, I count my blessings and get back to work.

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