Language Training
The corporate English and skills training and development business sector is a growing industry, especially in Asia. Companies hire English Language Training (ELT) providers to help improve the Business English skills and/or general cross-cultural business soft skills of their executives and employees. In addition, a vast number of the Chinese workers seek to increase their English fluency to achieve greater income earning potential and better career opportunities.
The key to any ELT program offered is a clear understanding of the language learning needs and competencies of the target group, an understanding of the company’s objectives for conducting the training and then creating a program that is relevant and applicable to their daily work. The outcome is that participants can apply what they’ve learned immediately and clients can see immediate results and a clear ROI.
A well-defined training program can:
- Improve return-on-investment;
- Help achieve business goals;
- Reduce time spent by senior staff checking and monitoring quality, and
- Increase employee job satisfaction and performance.
Flexible Course Design and Delivery
All programs, whether course, workshops, blended or online, must allow for flexibility and therefore, can be tailor-made to a company’s requirements and objectives. This creates a relevant, dynamic and enjoyable learning experience.
Learning Methods
The preferred approach to ELT is applied and practical. The most important element of any program is relevancy. Any program must help staff apply what they learn into their workplace, therefore, putting ideas learned into practice.
Programs include trainer presentation, but the focus is on a hands-on practical interaction between the participants and the trainer. Programs consist of a mix of learning methods including discussion and analysis tasks, pair and group controlled exercises, simulations, case studies, role-plays and feedback/error-correction from the trainer. Multi-media such as listening activities, video-based activities and recordings are also common training tools.
Training Products
The main training products offered by the English Language Training consultancy are:
- Business English Training – on-going programs or workshops – generic, customized or fully tailored business English programs for any target group which covers spoken and written language skills for the workplace;
- English for Frontline and Customer Service Staff – combining language skills with a company’s customer-service standards;
- Executive 1:1 Coaching – personal coaching based on individual needs focused on key language and communication skills necessary to succeed in multinational environments;
- Key Skills Professional Development Programs – combining elements from both a language perspective and skills dynamic, these workshops aim to polish the communication skills of executives so as to communicate more effectively, professionally and accurately across a whole range of business situations;
- Writing Coach/Blended Training – program blends classroom-based active learning with distance coaching and tutorials to develop the writing skills of participants, supported by a ‘moodle’ platform.
- Language Benchmark Testing – various testing/benchmarking services either off-the-shelf (BULATS – Business Language Testing Service) or customized to an organization’s language requirements and targeting general staff, managerial grade and graduate recruits;
- Intensive Retreats – offer executives from all industries and backgrounds the chance to completely immerse themselves in an English-speaking environment through constant training and social interaction for a fixed time period. Key elements include communication skills workshops, team building activities, social events, discussions and debates, business and dining etiquette sessions, communicating across cultures sessions and English language enhancement sessions; and
- Soft-Skills Training – these skills seminars focus on training that requires changes in behavior and thinking through an action learning method – the ability to develop a specific person or group’s skills by focusing on their current real challenges using customized materials. These engaging and interactive seminars target executive and middle management to develop and strengthen key communication skills. Participants are equipped with the insights, skills, tools and confidence to powerfully connect with their audience.