Business language courses: why choose in-person classes?
Learning a foreign language in the workplace is often of strategic importance, promoting economic growth or facilitating intercultural communication with your international teams, customers or suppliers.
With the proliferation of language apps and digital learning, the relevance of in-person courses can be called into question. However, this approach still stands out for its effectiveness.
In this article, we will analyse the benefits of in-person language classes:
- Encouraging interaction.
- Improving the learner's self-confidence.
- Keeping learners motivated throughout the course.
- Creating an immersive bubble.
- Facilitating trust with their language trainer.
In-person language courses to encourage interaction
Unlike apps and other 100% e-learning solutions, in-person language courses promote engaging interactions with the language trainer: a powerful learning driver.
Why? Because the teacher interacts directly with the learner, giving them the vocabulary and grammatical elements they need to improve their oral expression immediately.
This approach is far more engaging than apps, where the learner is alone in front of a screen or video, with no instant human support. Thanks to the direct input of their language trainer:
- The learner progresses quickly.
- They strengthen their memorization process.
- They strengthen their long-term understanding.
In-person courses to build self-confidence
Speaking is a fundamental part of learning a foreign language, and even more so during in-company language courses. Employees tend to speak the foreign language more than they write it. It is therefore essential that they develop the self-confidence needed to express themselves easily in the target language.
Thanks to the face-to-face courses, the employee will learn to communicate smoothly and confidently with the support of their dedicated language trainer. Neither they nor their trainer will be dependent on a stable Internet connection, eliminating the risk of annoying interruptions during the lesson.
What's more, the employee will have the opportunity to observe and imitate the trainer's facial expressions, gestures and intonations, enriching their understanding of the language at a para-verbal level. They will then learn much more than just grammar and vocabulary during their language lessons.
In-person courses as a motivator
Learning a foreign language is a demanding process which requires constant motivation. In-person courses offer a valuable advantage in this respect. The trainer can instill renewed motivation as:
- They will be able to detect moments of discouragement.
- They will provide the direct educational and human support needed to motivate the employee.
- It rmeans the learner will work between sessions, to prepare and to attend the course, as their language trainer will be travelling to attend the class.
This human link can boost the learner's motivation, encouraging them to persevere and achieve their linguistic goal despite the challenges linked to learning a foreign language.
In-person courses to create an immersive learning bubble
The environment in which a language lesson takes place has a profound impact on the learning process. Getting out of one’s usual office environment and into a new location allows them to immerse themself in an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. This language immersion bubble:
- Creates a space entirely dedicated to the acquisition of language skills.
- Encourages concentration by minimising distractions.
This accelerates the learning curve during one-to-one lessons.
In-person courses to build trust
One of the key elements in learning a foreign language for work is the creation of a solid relationship of trust between the employee and their trainer. This trust encourages:
- Openness to communication.
- Learners to leave their linguistic comfort zone.
In-person language courses offer a dedicated space for establishing this relationship. Face-to-face interaction allows the trainer to perceive the nuances of non-verbal communication, identifying hesitations and the specific needs of the learner. Unlike online courses, where the interaction can seem impersonal, the trainer is then able to provide targeted and personalised support, adapted to the pace and needs of each learner.
The complementary nature of classroom-based learning and digital learning
Alongside the undeniable advantages of face-to-face courses, it is important to recognise the complementary role of Digital Learning in the language learning process. These innovative tools can enhance the effectiveness of language lessons with an instructor by encouraging language immersion.
In fact, digital solutions offer maximum flexibility to practise between lessons with the trainer, wherever and whenever the employee wishes. This encourages regular and sustained practice in order to:
- Consolidate the knowledge acquired during the lessons with the trainer.
- Offer complementary interactive exercises and teaching aids, such as podcasts, videos and learner communities.
Integrating digital learning in a relevant way will make it possible to create a hybrid approach, combining the advantages of face-to-face learning with the flexibility of digital learning to create a particularly effective learning experience for employees wishing to make rapid progress in a foreign language.
In summary
In-person language courses remain an effective way to learn a new language. They help build trust, reinforce oral skills, create an immersive learning environment, enable face-to-face interaction and fuel motivation.
As technological advances continue to transform our teaching methods, it is crucial to recognise the unique and irreplaceable benefits of face-to-face language learning.
For those who aspire to master a foreign language successfully, choosing a face-to-face course with a trainer remains a wise and strategic decision.
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