Learning or improving one’s English has become a necessity for many professionals and companies looking to expand to other horizons and enhance their competitiveness.
However, choosing the right partner for your English classes is crucial to ensure this effort is both effective and beneficial. A poor choice can not only affect learners' motivation and skill development but also lead to unnecessary expenses.
In this article, we will explore common mistakes to avoid and the essential criteria for choosing the right partner.
Selecting an English training partner that doesn’t meet your expectations can lead to significant issues. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Some organizations use outdated methods that do not consider advances in language teaching and neuroscience. They also fail to customize their training programs, resulting in monotonous, unengaging, and ineffective courses.
Additionally, it’s crucial to distinguish between general courses and those specifically tailored to your company’s needs. Generalist training may rely on irrelevant examples, such as "John is playing alone in the garden after Cindy has refused to go with him."
In contrast, English courses designed for businesses focus on practical skills and contexts directly applicable, such as using the "present perfect" in relevant professional situations.
Opting for customized courses ensures that the vocabulary and scenarios covered are directly related to the daily challenges and needs of your employees.
Courses that do not encourage interaction between the learner and their trainer limit opportunities for real-time communication.
A trainer who lacks the necessary qualifications and experience in corporate English training can compromise the quality of the courses.
A lack of adaptability to the specific needs of learners can hinder the achievement of set objectives.
Spending a significant amount on courses that fail to deliver the expected results can result in a financial loss with no return on investment for your HR department.
Without a clear evaluation method, it can be difficult to measure the effectiveness of the courses and justify the costs incurred.
To avoid these mistakes and ensure effective English training, here are the key criteria to consider:
It is crucial to adapt to each learner’s learning preferences to facilitate rapid and sustainable skill development.
When teaching methods align with the learner’s cognitive style, they:
• absorb knowledge more naturally
• require less effort to learn the language
• progress more quickly
Why? Because learners are more receptive and motivated when they work in an environment that respects their cognitive style. This leads to stronger and more lasting skill acquisition. Speak’Pro is the only method that leverages these preferences through its unique and exclusive analysis, MyLEA.
The partner must be able to adapt course content to:
• your company’s specific needs
• the individual goals of the learners
This customization occurs on several essential levels:
The partner must accurately assess each employee’s current level to offer content that is both accessible and challenging, ensuring effective progress.
The program should be designed based on the linguistic level your employee needs to achieve. This allows you to control the duration and cost of the English courses.
Every company can define the linguistic proficiency level required to achieve its strategic goals and delegate to its language partner the task of reaching that level.
Additionally, the role of your language partner goes beyond just delivering courses. They should coordinate the entire training program for all relevant staff. This includes responsibility for:
• assessing the participants' professional expectations and current language levels
• recommending the most suitable learning paths, whether individualized or collective
The language partner should also:
• measure each learners' progress
• provide an evaluation of the collective level
• identify gaps to reach the set objectives
• organize regular progress reviews
Finally, they must provide a detailed report at the end of the English courses. This allows you to verify that the training objectives have been met and to recommend any necessary corrective actions.
Course content should be relevant to your industry. This means incorporating the specific vocabulary and real-life situations that your employees encounter in their daily work.
This contextualization enhances the effectiveness of learning by making the acquired skills directly applicable. The learner is also encouraged to engage in what is known as flipped learning. They bring up themes, topics, or projects to work on with their trainer, allowing them to immediately apply their newly acquired language skills.
English courses should also be customized according to each employee’s role. They must consider specific responsibilities, and the language skills needed to excel in their day-to-day tasks. This targeted approach ensures relevant and immediately useful training.
The ability to customize schedules and course formats to accommodate learners’ constraints is also important. The language training partner should be able to offer all formats, as a single format cannot suit everyone.
From in-person to fully remote, everyone should find an option that suits them, ensuring that learning remains a pleasure rather than a burden.
Look for modern teaching methods that integrate digital tools and interactive approaches. For example, the Speak’Pro method uses a digital platform combined with face-to-face English courses. This maximizes engagement and effectiveness while promoting linguistic immersion.
Ensure that the training offers:
• plenty of opportunities for oral and written practice
• practical exercises tailored to the professional context
Verify that the trainers are certified and have significant experience in corporate language training. They should be able to demonstrate their expertise through past successes.
Choose a partner that offers regular assessments to:
• track learners’ progress
• adjust the English courses if necessary
• change or rotate trainers to offer a variety of personalities, accents, and teaching styles
The partner should deliver regular, specific, and detailed feedback to help learners continuously improve their skills. These recommendations should be clear and actionable to support ongoing progress.
Moreover, your partner should offer reports demonstrating learner engagement. These reports allow you to monitor their progress and assess the relevance of the training. These elements are essential to:
• measure the return on investment of the English courses
• ensure that your objectives are met
• validate the positive impact on the company
Check reviews and testimonials from other companies that have used the partner’s services. A good reputation often reflects high-quality training.
Request references to verify past client successes and learner satisfaction.
Choosing the right partner for your English courses is crucial to ensure successful training and avoid costly mistakes.
By opting for the Speak’Pro method, you are guaranteed:
• complete adaptation to your employees' needs
• rapid and lasting skill development
• optimized return on investment for your training budget
Contact us today to discover how Speak’Pro can transform your language skills and add value to your organization.