Language Training

Flexibly, interactively

We specialise in German, French, Italian, Spanish, English as a Foreign Language (EFL). And we apply the same stringent quality standards to all 60+ languages which we give you access to, including Arabic, Mandarin Chinese and African. See our languages here.

In today’s high-tech world, communication skills are what sets people apart.
But in your line of business, do you also need this in a different language?

Think of it this way – most of us have customers, clients, tenants, employees, buyers or group companies who are non-British.
Who don’t all speak English well.

So via language training, when you tap into their emotions and use their language with them, you make them feel more comfortable.
Which means more likely to buy, want or safely use your service or product. Or simply talk more openly with you or your people.

How does it all work?

Short or long, beginners or high-level, groups or individuals.
Face-to-face or online by video webcam.
All our learning solutions are flexible in duration, at times to suit you, delivered naturally and interactively.
All of course include cultural etiquette. Which means how to get on better with the country’s people and local trends.

The language OF the customer is the language FOR the customer.

For companies aiming at specific skill levels, such as given by the European CEFR framework, British GCSEs or NVQs, we will train people to the ability required.
For instance, in a European language, reaching A1 (which is ‘survival’) level typically in 30 hours, or B1 (‘lower intermediate’, GCSE) in up to 70. Self-study must also be completed to achieve these results.

Similarly, our English (EFL) learning solutions are available for temporary or seconded professionals and families from other countries who need to integrate closely into UK life.

Even more motivational is the fact that language learning delays the onset of dementia by up to 6 years. See LinkedIn article for recent evidence and research here.

Some typical learning solutions that we provide for you are:

understand simple meetings and asides
discuss your company-specific facts and concepts
sessions by Skype, Zoom or similar when contact is restricted
talk with colleague/s in multi-country workforces
use emails productively
make and take phone calls to/from colleagues
help foreigners or families integrate socially into the UK
agree or negotiate volumes and quantities
set up new distributors in-country
prepare for language qualifications
…and everything in between !

Language Training FAQs

What languages do you offer?

More than 60, most are shown below.
Two layouts: first by leading letter, then by region,

By leading letter:

Albanian Amharic Arabic Azerbaijani
Bengali Bosnian Bulgarian Burmese
Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese) Croatian Czech
Danish Dutch
English Estonian
Farsi (Persian) Finnish
French
German Greek Gujurati
Hebrew Hindi Hungarian
Indonesian Irish Italian
Japanese
Korean Kurdish
Latvian Lithuanian
Macedonian Malay Mandarin (Chinese)
Norwegian
Oromo
Polish Portuguese (European and South American versions) Punjabi
Romani Romanian Russian
Serbian Slovakian Slovenian Somali Spanish (European and South American versions) Swahili Swedish
Tagalog Tamil Thai Turkish Tigrinya
Ukranian Urdu
Vietnamese
Welsh
Yoruba
Zaqawa

By region:

Western Europe:  Dutch English French German Irish Welsh
Northern Europe:  Danish Finnish  Norwegian Swedish
Eastern Europe: Estonian  Latvian Lithuanian  Russian Ukranian
Balkans:  Albanian  Bosnian  Bulgarian  Croatian Macedonian  Serbian
Central Europe:  Czech  Hungarian Polish Romani Romanian Slovakian Slovenian
Southern Europe: Greek  Italian Portuguese (European version) Spanish
South Americas: Portuguese (South American version) Spanish (South American version)
Africa: Oromo Somali  Swahili  Yoruba
India:  Bengali  Gujurati  Hindi  Punjabi  Tamil Urdu
East Asia (Far East): Cantonese Japanese Korean Mandarin (Chinese)
West Asia (Middle East): Arabic Amharic Azerbaijani Farsi (Persian) Hebrew Kurdish Tigrinya  Turkish  Zaqawa
South East Asia: Burmese Indonesian Malay Tagalog Thai  Vietnamese

Who does the teaching?

One or more selected from approximately 500 commercially experienced language trainers, local to the site of the required language training. They are native speakers or bilingual / trilingual as standard. On average we have been working with each teacher for around 7 years. They are professionally qualified, thoroughly vetted and carefully recruited.

What quality control do you benefit from?

We and most of our teachers are members of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Linguists therefore we benefit from their recruitment and vetting controls.

We are self-accredited via documented internal procedures to the international quality requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

Among other quality controls, all teaching is monitored with progress and performance reported to you.

How much does it cost?

For language training we charge by the hour and the shortest chargeable block is 30 minutes. We have two different price bands for different languages, based on the rarity of the language from within the 60+ languages we do. We will discuss with you the type of language learning you are interested in to determine the expected duration and whether an intial level assessment is necessary.

There is NO minimum or maximum commitment to a fixed number of hours. Our charges are invoiced to you in arrears at the end of any one month for that month. Which means the exact number of hours’ contact time you completed with your teacher in that month.

Therefore, how much it costs is quite variable and tends to be on a case-by-case basis.

Send your enquiry for language learning via our Contact page so we can give you a fixed price.

How long does it take and what formats do you offer?

We offer both one-to-one and group format (groups of no more than 10 participants). These are available as regular slots per week, minimum 2 hours, maximum 20 hours, and everything in between. Our shortest learning solution is 10 hours, longest is up to 500 hours (open-ended).
All can be stopped whenever you want.

To help your progress and continuity, MS Teams or Zoom-type technology (webcam plus laptop) is used for our online one-to-one learning solutions.

The skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing are all available, in any combination or individually.

What levels can people do?

Beginners to advanced level. General or specific needs are discussed with you and built into the learning solution. Where required, the European CEFR framework is followed, or UK equivalent levels such as GCSEs or NVQs.

Cultural content relevant to the region, country or subject is included for all levels.

Where is the teaching delivered?

In England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland – via teachers local to the venue concerned. So that participants don’t have lengthy travel time or high travel costs. We deliver either on-site at the customer’s premises for groups and one-to-one learning solutions, or also in hotels or the customer’s home for some one-to-ones.

What subjects do you specialise in?

All business sectors and subjects are catered for. Please enquire about our learning solutions for specific purposes, social or commercial, and for your specific sector.

What materials are used in the teaching courses?

A mixture of tutors’ own and commercially available material, which ensures all learning solutions are constantly personalised to participants’ needs. The how-to-communicate method is the favoured approach, based simply on speaking and listening. Grammar is also featured as naturally as possible – mostly without you even realising it!
CDs and DVDs are used for guided practising, as well as MS Teams or Zoom-type webcam technology for boosting progress.

What language do you use for the teaching itself?

Language training is delivered either in English or in the target language concerned.
This means for lower levels the target language is not used 100% of the time, which means quicker learning and higher motivation.
And for higher levels the target language is used constantly, for exactly the same two reasons.

Can language examinations be taken?

Yes, when you require a qualification, there is usually a choice between a range of foreign qualifications and one UK vocational series. Our learning solution for you is then geared specifically to prepare for the chosen qualification. Exams are taken at specific external centres independent of SEL Business Languages Ltd.

Please note that external qualifications only extend to a limited number of languages.