We offer a variety of programmes across a range of languages. Language Training can be onsite or online and supported by Open/Distance Learning. We blend delivery to suit the needs of our clients.
Our auditing and training needs analyses (TNAs) ensure that skills development (professional [Continuous Professional Development] or otherwise) is focused, appropriate and cost-effective. To help with the identification of targets as part of a structured language strategy, our initial questionnaire (hard copy or electronic format) is freely available on request.
For organisations looking to launch an in-company resource bank we offer consultancy (advice and recommendations: concept to policy) and turn-key solutions (materials) tailored to identified needs and budget.
Location; mission; management (internal/tethered to out-sourcing); materials; methodology (incl. references and retrieval systems); open/secure or with free/controlled access; staffing.
The cost-effectiveness of an in-house ‘language centre’ may outweigh all other considerations. Such a resource or centre – be it a building, a unit, a filing cabinet or just a box – needs to be somewhere, needs to have a clear role, needs to be staffed/managed/supervised, whether by company personnel or by outside contractors, needs to be stocked and needs to reflect a clear methodology.
As with our foreign language tuition, our English Portfolio is tailored to the specific requirements of course delegates (see also FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES and SUMMER SCHOOL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ABROAD). We offer the following options:
Our programmes can be led by budget (‘I have £ … to spend’), target (‘I need to be able to …’) or hourage (‘I want … hours of tuition’). Please refer to our section on FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES to understand our philosophy.
Rosina Kettle-Williams MA is an Honours graduate in French & Spanish from St. Andrew’s University where she won a Stevenson scholarship to study for an extra year at the University of Granada, Spain. Having completed her Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of York, Rosina went on to establish in the early 80s our Summer School for young People from Abroad in order to satisfy the demand for high quality English language provision for young people wishing to improve their English in England. We offer two summer programmes: the Junior and the IELTS examination preparation programmes, each of which runs for four weeks.
STRUCTURE
MORNING (0930-1300 hours) formal English classes in small groups of approximately 12 students.
AFTERNOON (1400-1700 hours) sessions of sporting/cultural activities and project work.
Each year we adopt a new theme. The morning classes and afternoon project work are based around this theme. At the end of four weeks the students make a formal presentation of their project work to an invited audience. The students have two full-day excursions per week (Wednesdays and Saturdays). All the afternoon activities and full-day excursions are accompanied and supervised by team leaders. All the administrative staff are qualified linguists and the teaching staff are suitably qualified native teachers. The programme is delivered primarily in the training suite at St. John’s Catholic Cathedral in the very centre of Portsmouth.
ACCOMMODATION
With local host families all of whom have been personally vetted by the Course Director.
COURSE DATES
Full
details available on request. Students can opt to attend for one, two, three or four weeks.
COURSE COSTS INCLUDE
Click here for our current presentation and costs
STRUCTURE
MORNING (1000-1300 hours) group and individual open/distance learning supported by structured programming and complemented by tutorials and surgery. Tasks include conducting formal interviews, tests, preparation of copy for publication, project preparation.
AFTERNOON (1430-1730 hours) formal English classes in small groups geared to exam preparation.
At the end of four weeks the students make a formal presentation of their project work to an invited audience. The full four-week programme includes two full-day weekend excursions. All the administrative staff are qualified linguists and the teaching staff are suitably qualified native teachers. The programme is delivered primarily in the training suite at St. John’s Catholic Cathedral in the very centre of Portsmouth.
ACCOMMODATION
With local host families all of whom have been personally vetted by the Course Director.
COURSE DATES
Full
details available on request. Students can opt to attend for one, two, three or four weeks. The opportunity exists to sit the IELTS test at the end of the full four-week programme.
COURSE COSTS INCLUDE
The programmes forming our Foreign Language Portfolio, tailored to the specific requirements of course delegates, are geared to match the individuals’ learning patterns. We adopt a multi-focal approach to our training whether of an individual (private/personal or corporate) or group nature, in company or off-site:
This approach is complemented by additional communications (e.g., newsletter offering snippets, guidelines, information etc. geared to course delegates). In addressing the training circle, our programmes can be led by budget (‘I have £ … to spend’), target (‘I need to be able to …’) or hourage (‘I want … hours of tuition’).
All training is carefully blended to ensure clients’ satisfaction and geared to clear, identifiable standards taking full account of our clients’ targets (i.e. competences, levels, registers etc.).
Our fees include all the aspects above as well as appraisal/reporting and the option of a BCT (Business Culture Training) ingredient.
HOW TO GET YOUR TONGUE ROUND FOREIGN WORDS
Improved communications over recent years have expanded markets to encompass the entire globe with the world becoming one single market-place. Although the full force of these developments has yet to be appreciated, one problem stands out sharply in general lack of preparedness: Britain’s continued and marked shortfall in foreign language and language-related competences.
LET THE BUYER UNDERSTAND
International marketing traditions in the West owe much to the balmy days of internal markets drawing upon home nation, Empire/Commonwealth and other areas of colonialism where the dominant power had imposed control with its own tongue as home language. To ignore the forces of the international markets of today, not to respond in the terms and languages best understood by foreign buyers, is as fruitless as selling to a British home market in German, Japanese, French etc. How is it that the competition has learned a lesson which so many whose mother tongue is English refuse to acknowledge? We live in a multilingual society for which we must all be prepared and to which we must all respond.
THE FIRST STEP
In addressing the challenge, companies should understand that, if not already international, they must become so … or perish. Business planning must now include corporate language policies designed to make good the identified skills shortfall. This shortfall can then be translated into a training programme which can be gauged, monitored, assessed and reviewed as appropriate.
WHAT LANGUAGES?
For companies operating across the EU, attention in order of priority should focus upon German, French and then Spanish. Outside this list Arabic, Japanese and Chinese loom large. Other considerations are that French is spoken in Canada, Africa etc., Spanish across Latin America (excl. Brazil) and that German remains the second language of Russia.
MAGIC PILL
There is no magic pill for learning a language. Nothing can be learned overnight. To learn French as well as your mother tongue, could take just as long. So, what’s the answer?
The answer is: learn the tools for the job. Learn French, German or Spanish for a specific purpose (Languages for Specific Purposes: LSP): that purpose may be to answer the telephone, to socialise, to negotiate, to compose letters, even to decipher them, or simply to negotiate your way across a foreign land.
OUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES
People learn at different rates, often in different ways. Programmes will be dictated further by the time available, starting point, dedication, discipline, target, timescale and budget. The best advice at this point is to bring the problem to professional consultants like ourselves.
Our role is to identify and match the appropriate methodology with content and even the budget for the individual person, department, division or company. We offer a skills audit and a training needs analysis geared to designing courses to meet specific needs across the whole spectrum of language and language-related provision. The dedicated package saves time, money and heartache ensuring focus and cost-effectiveness.
Our approach covers varied permutations of the following points:
For many businesses, business people and others, the foreign language and language-related training we provide will be a new, but nonetheless essential consideration on which our clients’ future prosperity could well depend.
We offer a range of cost-effective opportunities across Spain (SIS) and the Spanish-speaking world (SILA) for those looking to learn Spanish where it is spoken.
Individual and group programmes addressing established professional standards and geared to the time course delegates have available are tailored to business, professional, educational or more recreational and cultural needs.
All programmes are supported by pre- and post-programming including open/distance learning.
Accommodation: en famille, hotel, residence or studio apartment.
Please refer to our sister website dedicated to Spanish in Spain: www.spanishinspain.tv
Opportunities also exist for learning other languages where they are spoken: Chinese in China, French in France, German in Germany, Italian in Italy, Japanese in Japan, Russian in Russia, Swedish in Sweden.
“Thank you for sending the translation, and for delivering it so well within the promised timescale’… It has been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Chilworth Technology Ltd
“Wonderful and thank you so much – this has proven a very smooth process”
The Walt Disney Company
“You really seem to be one of the few where personal care and the personal touch are more important than just making money. Parents are sometimes a little nervous when they send their children abroad and I was no exception. But the way you, your teachers and your organisation handled matters, looked after our son and motivated him to learn was simply exceptional.”
Dietmar Kuck, Switzerland
“This is absolutely brilliant, I was hoping to get something fast but not that fast!!! Thank you very very much! You cannot imagine how this will help me, I really appreciate this, my regards to your team.”
North Downs Dairy
“Thank you for sending the translation, and for delivering it so well within the promised timescale’… It has been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Chilworth Technology Ltd
“Wonderful and thank you so much – this has proven a very smooth process”
The Walt Disney Company
“You really seem to be one of the few where personal care and the personal touch are more important than just making money. Parents are sometimes a little nervous when they send their children abroad and I was no exception. But the way you, your teachers and your organisation handled matters, looked after our son and motivated him to learn was simply exceptional.”
Dietmar Kuck, Switzerland
“This is absolutely brilliant, I was hoping to get something fast but not that fast!!! Thank you very very much! You cannot imagine how this will help me, I really appreciate this, my regards to your team.”
North Downs Dairy