What motivates adults to learn English as a foreign language?

For adults worldwide, learning English isn’t just about picking up a new language. It’s a way to unlock educational opportunities, find fulfilling careers, and live new lives in different countries. Finding out what motivates learners is one of the main draws of TEFL teaching: you can help people in many different, very meaningful ways.

For example, as a TEFL teacher, you might meet an adult learner who wants to travel and make friends, or someone who’s thinking about studying in an English-speaking country. Whether you teach online to a massive audience of learners, or you seek out tutoring opportunities in person, there are vast opportunities for qualified, adaptable teachers.

Most motivations are rooted in ambitions like higher education, career progression, or the challenge of learning a language, though there’s no limit to the motivations. You’ll encounter extremely driven students, use a variety of teaching styles, and help people with real-life goals, in different working environments.

While we can’t cover every reason an adult learner picks up English, here are some of the most common motivations for adults to take TEFL lessons. 

Learning English for Academic Purposes

As a TEFL teacher, you’re bound to meet adult learners who are motivated by educational opportunities. This can mean anything from taking a distance learning course in English to moving to a university in an English-speaking country - in short, life-changing opportunities. Generally, you’ll find these students either online , in private language schools or, if you’re teaching students who have already moved, in university support programmes.

The work is extremely varied, with learners needing assistance at various parts of their educational journeys. So, you might help write personal statements and applications, provide guidance for essays and exams, or teach essential vocabulary for their thesis. It can be demanding work for TEFL teachers, but there’s real variety and enormous, worldwide demand.

The potential teaching audience in English-speaking countries is enormous. In 2023/24, the UK hosted 730,000 international students, while the USA had over 1.1 million foreign students in the same year. However, English-speaking countries are not the only ones that need these lessons. English language course options are offered in Sweden , Taiwan , China , Malaysia , and many other countries . Academic English is a global pursuit, and with such international demand, you can earn high salaries and network with top educational institutions.

Adults travelling to university have invested a great deal, from their tuition fees to the time and effort to settle in a new part of the world. They’re doing it to get a qualification at the end, so the need for English teachers is obvious: it’s your job to give them the language tools they need to get to graduation. 

Tip : Taking an Advanced TEFL course in English for Academic Purposes is ideal preparation for this style of teaching. It’s also worth researching Business English classes by watching YouTube videos by teachers like JForrest English , so you know what vocabulary you need to teach.

Learning English for professional advancement

One of the most common and potentially lucrative lesson types is Business English . Adults worldwide are looking for career advancement, whether you meet them at the start of their journey, writing a CV/resume , or later in their career, giving presentations, handling negotiations, writing reports or having meetings with international clients. 

Business English teaching jobs are mainly in private language schools, private tutoring, or contract work with companies. It’s best to apply for a language school job or advertise as a tutor online and through physical, low-cost advertising in financial districts.

In the online teaching space, companies like BusinessEnglish2Go and Cambly are full of Business English learners, and there’s a steady stream of demand from adults of different ages and backgrounds. If you’d rather teach in person, head to countries with high-performing economies or up-and-coming nations with large tourism sectors, like Croatia and Thailand .

These lessons can pay well if you can market yourself effectively. The range of adult learners is broad; you might offer cheaper tutoring to someone with decent proficiency applying for jobs, or an experienced professional with no English knowledge, so your rates can vary. Still, at the top end, you’ll find some of the best fees in TEFL teaching, especially if you find corporate clients needing group classes. Typically, specialised classes pay more overall, and if you receive endorsements and recommendations from big-name clients, it can take your career to new heights.

Tip: Demand for English lessons is highest in countries with strong economies and industrial centres. Try locations like Singapore , Hong Kong , Frankfurt ( Germany ), Turin ( Italy ), and Seoul ( South Korea ), as these places have established industries like manufacturing and technology.

Learning English to pass exams

Passing an exam can be life-changing for English learners. Whether for university applications, visa requirements , finding a job in an English-speaking country, or just for personal satisfaction, English proficiency exams like TOEFL and IELTS can create many opportunities for learners - and TEFL teachers. It’s common for various jobs and educational institutions to ask for a certain level of English proficiency; for example, you might see “B1 English required” on a job application. 

Adaptable teachers with an analytical and creative mind will enjoy teaching exam preparation classes. Though the exams don’t change very much, each learner will have their own roadblocks; you’ll have to work with the same materials and ideas in various ways, and the demand is huge.

Exam preparation breaks down the fundamentals of language learning (speaking, writing, reading and listening) and uses much of the theoretical knowledge from a TEFL certification course . There’s steady global demand for exam prep classes, usually in private tutoring, online platforms and, sometimes, through volunteering. Since it’s a specialised area of TEFL, you can reasonably charge more as a tutor, or justify higher salaries with language schools and similar employers.

Tip: Language centres are usually the best option for teaching exam preparation. Private language businesses are most often found in cities, especially capital cities. There’s demand in English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries and a large online audience for exam prep classes on companies and platforms .

Learning English as a refugee/asylum seeker

For refugees and asylum seekers who have arrived in English-speaking countries, even the basics can be daunting. Tasks like paying bills, finding work, enrolling at school, buying everyday essentials and booking medical appointments require an understanding of English. 

This is another area where there’s real scope to be creative and offer different lessons. Some of your students will need the basics, while others might need training to apply for jobs or enter university. Alongside careers and education, it’s worth considering English for specific activities to help adult learners follow their passions in a new land. 

In English-speaking countries, refugees and asylum seekers who don’t speak the language are at a distinct disadvantage, but as a TEFL teacher, you can change that. There might not be a better motivation to learn English than integrating into a new country and carrying out essential tasks, so your learners will be highly motivated and receptive to your ideas. 

You can find work with refugees and asylum seekers through online charities , while in-person opportunities are more readily found in major metropolitan areas, usually through advocacy groups , local councils, or language schools. Some of these organisations and authorities will pay teachers a salary; others will ask for volunteers.

Read our guide to teaching asylum seekers/refugees to find organisations and learn more.

Tip: If you’re particularly skilled at trauma-informed teaching and have demonstrable experience of showing cultural sensitivity at work, you’ll excel at teaching English to refugees and asylum seekers. 

Other motivations

TEFL teachers, especially those working in private language schools or in the online sphere, will find an endless stream of adult learners with different reasons to learn English, including (but not limited to) romantic relationships, making friends, travel, and intellectual curiosity.

Falling in love is a major driver for English learning, and it also creates opportunities for teachers! These students could ask you to teach basic, conversational English, or you’ll have students who want to learn as much as possible, so being adaptable is crucial.

You’ll meet plenty of learners with basic English proficiency who have moved for work. These kinds of learners are looking to build conversational confidence and understand regional differences in English. Look online for one-to-one tutoring opportunities, and focus on building confidence through speaking exercises.

Travel is a major driver for English language learners. While AI-led apps like Duolingo provide some fundamentals, face-to-face tutoring builds proficiency and confidence far more quickly. Try starting with different types of customer interactions, then build towards informal conversations.

Finally, some students may be motivated to learn English because they love languages and want to test themselves. These students, usually found online or in private language schools, can be demanding, but they’re typically passionate and keenly interested in English.

Every English learner is different - and that’s what makes TEFL exciting

Every adult learner has their own unique story, and it’s the same for TEFL teachers. You might’ve started teaching to travel the world, to test yourself intellectually, to enjoy the flexibility of an online career, a combination of all three, or a totally different reason. By teaching adults, you can meet all sorts of people with disparate motivations, use a range of teaching styles, and test yourself in different environments.

Successful teachers have a vested interest in their learners, and what they want to achieve. The variety is so compelling: your next student might want to practice lines for an audition, write a cover letter for a job application, or chat politely in a bar or airport. The audience for TEFL teachers is gigantic, and as long as English continues to be such a key international language, that demand will never cease. You can be a huge part in someone’s success by giving them the language tools they need to succeed.

No matter where you are in the world, you’ll find motivated adults who need to learn English for a specific reason. Be ready for anything, approachable and genuinely interested in your learners, and you’ll make a lasting impact.

Eager to start your TEFL teaching journey? Start with a widely-accredited, widely-recognised and high-quality 120-hour Online TEFL course .