Jun 17

Shifting Cultural Sensibilities in Language Use

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training, Language Training Courses No Comments »

Why is cross-cultural awareness important in language training and learning? Take the lingua franca of the international business world, for instance. Today, countries and organisations across the globe do business in a common language, English. Many European and Asian countries teach English as the second language to their children. After the dissolution of the former communist USSR, English became the favoured language of many former soviet republics aiming to become a part of the global society. Georgia, for instance, made a key linguistic switch: English mandatory for all students whereas Russian was optional.

Definition Language kdow i Shifting Cultural Sensibilities in Language Use

© istockphoto.com/Kdow

With all this investment in English language teaching, are learners across the globe speaking the same language? And are they speaking it the same way? You may learn the technical parts such as grammar and punctuation, but what about the nuances, about what words connote and not simply denote? Moreover, does your cultural identity determine the style and register in your usage of the world’s lingua franca?

It most certainly does. And therefore, for those in an international setting, an appreciation of what lies beneath the more obvious differences in cultures is vital in teaching and learning a language. In understanding culture, the obvious differences in customs, clothes, food, etc. are easier to see. However, it is the hidden differences like the mind-set, values, beliefs, attitudes, sensibilities, prejudices and preferences that also determine how we communicate, whichever be the language of our choice.

Let’s look at three examples to understand the differences in the use of English between Asian speakers of English such as the Japanese or Indians and those native English speakers:

1. Nouniness and Verbiness

Indians and Japanese tend to use more nouns which make the language heavy and cumbersome; native users of the language, on the other hand, use more verbs which make the language more direct and dynamic.
E.g. “The candidate submitted an application for the job.” vs. “The candidate applied for the job.”
“The police conducted an investigation into the murder.” vs. “The police investigated the murder.”

The nominalisation in the former examples, which makes the language wordy, is related to an attitude, even among many Indians who have acquired English through academic studies that using big words and complex sentences make language impressive. This results in verbosity.

The point a trainer needs to drive home is “Speak or write to express, not to impress.”

2. Use of Passive Voice

Native-users of English prefer the active voice whereas Asian users tend to use the passive voice more. This directly relates to how they communicate in their own language.

E.g. Native Japanese speakers who want to treat their colleagues to lunch will politely say: “Watasi ni harawasete kudasai”, which corresponds to “Allow the bill to be paid by me.” The English “Let me pay” or “I’ll pay” would sound a bit rude and abrupt. Japanese or Indians are more reserved and formal, and the impersonal or distanced nature of passive voice matches their sensibility better. The western attitude prefers brisker “who did what” style of the active voice.

The point for the trainer here is to impress upon the English learners to make active voice the voice of their choice in every day communication or in business English, barring exceptions in negotiating or persuading where tone and politeness need to be kept in mind.

3. Direct and Indirect Expressions

Japanese and Indians find it rather more difficult to say “no” directly. It can sound rude or “in your face”. They would rather imply a negative than say it out loud. This can cause misunderstanding as westerners sometimes might assume a deal is done and dusted, whereas there was never a “yes” implied.

E.g. “Kangaete mimashoo” or “Let me think about it” can often mean an “I’m sorry, no”; a “Ah, soo desu ne” or “Ah, that is so”, depending on the intonation could mean, that is not so; or even a “Wakarimasita” or “I understand” could simply indicate understanding and not necessarily agreement. An Indian may say “Haan ji” or “Theek hai”, which when literally translated means “yes”, rather than the more direct “No” or “I can’t” which makes them uncomfortable or embarrassed. It could sometimes even be simple face-saving. Westerner are often frustrated at this “miscommunication” and at times even question the honesty of the communicator.

Training becomes essential in creating cultural awareness in sensibilities that include the concept of “face”, and that meaning sometimes lies between the lines, in the intonation and body language. Asians, on the other hand, need to understand the more direct “cards on the table” style of, for instance, their American counterpart where no impoliteness is intended. Because our beliefs and values are reflected in our communication, we need to share more than just words when we switch languages; we need to share and empathise with the other’s sensibility, attitude and thinking.

There are two lessons here for organisations and trainers:

i) Train employees in cross cultural awareness so the ‘hidden’ cultural differences like attitudes and values are understood and appreciated
ii) Note that sensibilities need to shift according to the language spoken, i.e. when using English, be more direct and precise, use the KISS principle of keeping your language short and simple, but without ever being rude or unprofessional; when using other languages, for example Asian ones, match your style to suit the more formal and indirect mindset of your audience or readership.

Our ability to communicate, negotiate and influence will be more effective and fulfilling if we truly learn to speak the same language, both verbal and non-verbal.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Apr 05

Do the French Have a Love/Hate Relationship with the English Language?

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training, Language Training Courses 2 Comments »

In a recent article published in the Daily Telegraph, well known journalist and novel writer Stephen Clark analyses the complex relationship between the French (and more precisely the Parisians) and the English language. According to Clarke, the common belief that the French are not able to speak English correctly or even understand it is false. On the contrary, the growing use of English words in the French language like ‘management’, ‘team building’ and ‘email’ proves that the French are in fact indirectly increasing their proficiency in “l’anglais”.

Dictionary English Christopher Ewing i Do the French Have a Love/Hate Relationship with the English Language?

© istockphoto.com/ Christopher Ewing

This opinion is going against the very perception many French have of themselves. While the French are often branded as arrogant or overconfident, they are much more modest when it comes to assessing their language skills. According to a survey conducted by the European poll institute Eurostat, only 10% of the French feel that they can speak a foreign language effectively. In 2009, France ranked 69 out of 109 countries on the TOEFL English test, another sign of the lack of English language skills among the French population.

How can we explain this absence of knowledge and proficiency? With their shared history, geographic proximity and the warm relationships maintained by France and the UK for centuries, it would make sense to think that cultural exchanges would have allowed the English language to enter France. This combined with the ever growing influence and use of English in international business can make us question how English has not pervaded French culture as much in other places.

Reasons for this absence of knowledge and proficiency in English could date back to when French was a dominant language of diplomacy from the 17th century through to the Second World War. French administrations also passed laws during the 1990’s to ensure that French was used in commercial and workplace communications as well as many social interactions. Any English words were translated into French, for example, and foreign TV shows and movies had to be dubbed in French rather than shown in English with subtitles like many other European cultures do. As a result, the French have historically had little contact with the English language in France and therefore few opportunities to learn the language outside of formal language classes.

Many people in France are starting to realise the many benefits that English language skills can offer. Earlier this year the French Education minister announced that they will start teaching English to young children in schools and further develop access to Business English courses for professionals. These are strategic and vital initiatives for French international companies who are competing on the international stage. Without a skilled workforce that can speak and write English properly, international companies are increasingly recognisnig that they risk losing many profitable business opportunities overseas.

All is not lost for the French. In his article Clarke reveals that France was ranked 17th out of 44 countries, ahead of its neighbours Italy and Spain. He also applauses the creativity of the French, especially their ability to play with English words which shows an increasing ability to use the language.

Through increasing the use of English in everyday French society and education, the French have a much better chance of increasing their English proficiency score as a nation. It may take some time however for these efforts to truly materialise and produce any tangible results so in the meantime French organisations can provide formal Business English courses to their employees to ensure that they are able to communicate and do business in English whenever the need arises. Whether or not the French love or hate the English language, they will need to learn to embrace English in some form to truly succeed in the global arena.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Oct 11

Benefits of Immersion Language Training

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training, Language Training Courses, Legal English Training Courses 1 Comment »

Immersion language courses (such as a Business English course in London) are those in which the delegate finds him/herself in a country where the target language is one if not the national language. The benefits of being in a position to experience and use the target language naturally in social and professional situations outside the training room is extremely beneficial to the learning process. As Mike Bostick states in his article ‘What is Immersion?’: ‘Language is acquired most effectively when it is learned in a meaningful social context.

Happy meeting Neustockimages i Benefits of Immersion Language Training

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

Fritz and Wagner state that ‘Language is not only a cognitive phenomenon, the product of the individual’s brain; it is also fundamentally a social phenomenon acquired and used interactively in a variety of contexts for myriad practical purposes’. The delegate is focused on specific language and forms in the training room during the day and then has the opportunity to practise his language skills in the evening and at the weekend. Examples of different possible social situations could be an evening in a pub, going to a sports club, the theatre or the cinema. Professional situations might also be organised. A visit to the local law courts could be a feature of a legal English immersion course or an organised guided tour of an accountancy firm might find its place on a financial English training programme. If the delegate stays in a host family, then the opportunities for social interaction obviously increase.

The mental efforts involved in manipulating one’s own linguistic resources in order to interact socially aide the memorization of structures and vocabulary. Being able to use the training room language in real social and professional situations can also give a big boost to the delegate’s level of motivation. In addition, associating the target language with a culture at first hand can also add an extra motivational factor.

If we were to take note of Stephen Krashen’s theories on second language acquisition, the higher the delegate’s level of language before the immersion course, the more beneficial this course would probably be. This is because the American Linguistic, Krashen, believed that language is best acquired when the delegate receives a lot of comprehensible input. ‘Comprehensible input is language input that can be understood by listeners despite them not understanding all the words and structures in it’.

This roughly tuned input needs to be slightly above the delegate’s productive level (i + 1, where i is the delegate’s current level of language). The delegate on an immersion training course is faced with an enormous amount of comprehensible input and should therefore be able to acquire language more easily. Krashen distinguishes between acquired language (the language which is subconsciously acquired and which is readily available for spontaneous conversation) and learned language (what we use to monitor or check the acquired language as we use it). Acquiring and learning both of these sorts of language is more possible on an immersion course where the language of the training room is complimented by social language.

In addition to the increased linguistic opportunities available to a delegate on an immersion course, one important practical advantage should not be neglected. Immersion nearly always takes place in a country that is foreign to the delegate. He/she is therefore definitely ‘out of the office’. Consequently, the chances of first language interference and professional interruptions, which both hinder the learning process, decrease significantly. The delegate is also away from his/her family, which also implies that he/she can pay full attention to practising and learning the target language.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 14

What is Financial English?

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training, Financial English Training Courses 1 Comment »

English is the international language of business and used increasingly around the world, especially within the finance sector. So how did English become the language of international finance?

British colonialism led to the spread of the English language throughout Asia and Africa where it became the language of education and governance. As the British colonies became independent, English remained the language of trade between the 54 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. English continued to become more widespread as the United States’ economic influence increased during the Second World War. English remained the most commonly spoken language and quickly became the de facto lingua franca of business as American companies such as IBM and GM grew and became truly multinational.

Business and financial services such as banking and accountancy around the world use English as the primary language of communication. International standards for finance such as the International Accounting Standards (IAS) and International Financial Reporting (IFRS) are all recorded in English while many terms and expressions related to banking and accounting have been coined in English.

Business Meeting 13 track5 i1 What is Financial English?

© istockphoto.com/ Track 5

In addition to the many international standards in English, important international bodies have also been set up and use English as the language for communication. One of these is ACCA(The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), one of the largest and fastest-growing global professional accountancy bodies with 296,000 students and 115,000 members in 170 countries. Its aim is to enable people to become highly qualified so that they can pursue their international careers in accountancy, finance and management.

Anyone who wants to understand the financial standards and regulations or participate in these important international bodies must ‘possess first-rate English language skills and the ability to converse with other accounting and finance professionals’ (University of Cambridge). Being able to communicate with finance professionals in today’s international business environment requires not only excellent skills in business English but the ability to use Financial English.

Someone with excellent Financial English skills will understand the many terms and abbreviations used in the financial sector. Some examples include: ROI (return on investment), EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) and GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles).

There are also a number of themes which professionals working in finance need to understand such as financial reporting, insurance, investment banking, ethics and professionalism, accounting software, assets and company valuations, and acquisitions and mergers. All of these areas contain lexical fields that need to be mastered by any professional in a finance role.

In addition to these lexical fields, Financial English also encompasses the language required to perform everyday financial tasks. Financial professionals need to possess the linguistic skills to:

  • Prepare and deliver presentations
  • Take part in discussions
  • Participate in and conduct meetings
  • Give their opinions and suggest alternatives
  • Present an argument and handle questions
  • Write financial reports and formal letters

The ability to speak Financial English is no longer a nice to have but it’s a must have for any finance professional working in today’s global world. Whether it’s understanding the specific terminology or international standards, taking part in important financial discussions or writing vital financial reports, finance professionals must have an excellent level of Financial English to succeed in a domain where precision is fundamental. Click here to find out what the content of a Financial English course contains.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jul 08

Learning the Local Language is Rated Biggest Challenge for International Assignees

English Language Training, Language Training Courses 1 Comment »

According to the Expat Explorer report commissioned by HSBC Bank International, 58% of the 3,100 expats questioned said that learning the local language is one of the biggest challenges faced by international assignees.

Being relocated to another country gives international assignees a number of wonderful cultural and linguistic opportunities to learn the local customs, traditions and language.  While this can be exciting and stimulating it can also be very challenging. One of the biggest challenges of adapting to a new culture and communicating effectively with local counterparts is the language barrier between expats and local employees and residents.

Learning the local language can be extremely difficult depending on how unfamiliar it is. According to the Expat Explorer survey, expats living in English-speaking countries tend to have less trouble with language barriers than in other countries where languages other than English are spoken. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are the first four countries where expats feel learning the local language is easier. This is not too surprising as the English language is the predominant language for international business and communication and a higher number of people can speak and understand it making their adjustment to an English speaking country easier.

Airplane Maurits Vink i Learning the Local Language is Rated Biggest Challenge for International Assignees

© istockphoto.com/ Maurits Vink

For those expatriates who relocate to another country where English is not spoken, the best way to make learning the local language less difficult is to be fully immersed in the culture. Being immersed in everyday social situations where the local language is spoken such as doing the shopping, going to the cinema, taking public transport or watching TV at home can help international assignees learn the language more than they may realise.

To be prepared for the first few months of the international assignment, however, it’s important to first have a basic understanding of the local language such as key expressions and greetings or the ability to read the alphabet if it’s in a different script. By taking language training courses to learn some of the key elements of the language before the international assignment, expatriates will find learning the local language much easier and will experience a much smoother adjustment period.

Mastering the local language when on an international assignment can improve your success immensely. Knowing how to communicate with local employees will not only increase your ability to build relationships but it will save you time that may otherwise be wasted as a result of linguistic barriers and misunderstandings. Intensive and extensive language training courses, no matter the language, will give you the edge to succeed and make learning the local language a pleasure rather than a barrier.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 29

Learning Legal English in England

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training, Legal English Training Courses 1 Comment »

When searching for a legal English course, it is wise to consider the advantages of following a training course in a country, such as England, where the target language is spoken as a first language by the vast majority of the population.

First, a legal English course in England offers the delegate the advantage of travelling away from his/her place of work. There are therefore fewer possibilities of professional interruptions from the learning process, allowing the delegate to concentrate fully on the course content. The trainee benefits enormously from being able to focus fully on the tasks at hand.

Second, the delegate is completely immersed in the target language. English is not just the language inside but also outside the training room and can be further practised in social situations organised or suggested by the training organisation. Natural practice of the language is essential in increasing confidence and fluency. There is nothing like a social evening in an English pub to encourage conversation.

Third, being on a legal English course in England enables the delegate to visit the local law courts and/or a practising law firm. This type of activity permits the delegate to see legal English being used naturally.

Fourth, by deciding upon England, training organisations should be in a better position to offer the delegate a high-quality course. As the trainer on a legal course should be a practising legal professional as well as a qualified English language trainer (guaranteed by the better training organisations), it is easier for training organisations to find the perfect trainer to match the delegate’s level of English, specific requirements and objectives from the higher number of trainers available in England. .

Business People 8 Sean Locke i1 Learning Legal English in England

© istockphoto.com/ Sean Locke

This provision of quality, however, also depends on the delegate doing research and choosing an organisation with a good reputation and credentials. The training organisation should be able to respond to the delegate’s requirements in terms of course content and organisation. The delegate’s language level and objectives should be analysed, for example, before the appropriate trainer is assigned. As far as course organisation is concerned, an example of the kind of flexibility a delegate should expect is that offered by the Culture and Communication Skills Consultancy Communicaid.

All of the above advantages can be possible in a variety of locations in England. Whether the delegate feels more comfortable in a large city or a small town, these advantages remain the same. In addition, travel to England is relatively easy by plane or cross-channel rail and the country is manageable in terms of size. This means that a legal delegate who wishes to attend a training course in the north of the country, for example, is only a few hours away from London in the south.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 28

Legal English Course in London

English Language Training, Legal English Training Courses No Comments »

When choosing a Legal English course, look no further than London. England’s capital city provides a lot of advantages which can only improve the chances that your legal English course is a success.

London is easily accessible from any country in the world. In addition to having four international airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted), the Eurostar rail connection takes you into the centre of London (St Pancras), comfortably and quickly. The underground network and good bus and taxi systems mean that you do not need to worry about not having your car during the stay.

Business People 9 Jacob Wackerhausen i Legal English Course in London

© istockphoto.com/ Jacob Wackerhausen

London offers not just an ideal place to train, but also the possibility of immersing yourself in the target language (English). Out of the training room, you are in contact with English as you pursue the social activities or go on the visits of your choice. Being cut off from your everyday language and daily work tasks enables you to focus solely on the task in hand – the improvement of your legal English. Instead of being an addition to the working week, the legal English course will become your principal activity and will therefore benefit from your undivided attention and energy.

London is the UK’s centre of government, law, commerce and finance. London is also a bustling city which offers an excellent range of bars, restaurants and clubs in addition to being the centre for British theatres and museums. A legal English course in this city provides visits to the law courts and law firms so that you can observe English being used in a legal setting. London is famous for its specialised bookshops and so any publications which might further your professional expertise are readily available.

When choosing your legal English training centre in London, take care to check the credentials of the courses offered. Communicaid’s legal English courses are fully accredited for Continuing Professional Education/Development points by The Law Society of England and Wales and the French Bar Association. References are also essential. Which organisations has the training organisation already worked with? A reputable organisation should cite these on their website.

Flexibility is also key as training organisations need to be able to adapt to the availabilities of their professional trainees as much as possible. Are the legal training courses at the heart of what the training organisation offers, or are they added on as an after-thought in order to capture more of the English language training market? Communicaid, for example, does not limit its choice of programmes to ‘Legal English’ – a catch-all term for a vast area. It offers programmes for legal secretaries, for lawyers, for drafting contracts in English, for those people who work in the fields of intellectual property, corporate finance, construction law and food and drugs administration.

In addition to the above legal English courses, they also design programmes focusing on specific skill areas such as negotiating, advising and advocacy. The training organisation with a professional focus will also guarantee the provision of professional dually-qualified trainers: having one qualification in the legal profession and another as an English language trainer.

In summary, London is an excellent destination for your legal English training requirements.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 21

Legal English Courses for Legal Secretaries and Paralegals

English Language Training, Legal English Training Courses 1 Comment »

It is logical that the international language of business is also used as the international language of law. English, and more correctly, Legal English is now the established language of international law and contract drafting. Lawyers across the world working in private practises, large multinationals and international institutions are now required to possess competency in Legal English.

While legal English courses such as English for Lawyers and Drafting Contracts in English are now widely available for lawyers, training specifically targeted at legal support staff is less commonly recognised. Legal secretaries and paralegals play a vital role in the successful running of any law firm or legal department.

Business Woman 13 nicole waring i Legal English Courses for Legal Secretaries and Paralegals

© istockphoto.com/ Nicole Waring

We all know what a legal secretary is, but what exactly are paralegals? Also known as legal assistants, they support solicitors in their legal tasks. As the Law Society stated in the findings of its research and policy planning study n° 23, ‘…Paralegal staff, properly qualified, enable solicitors to concentrate on the more complex cases and they also increase the productivity of the firm’

As far as finding a suitable training course is concerned, properly trained paralegals and legal secretaries in legal English will help increase the efficiency of the profession they work in and, logically, the confidence of the company’s clients

Legal secretaries and paralegals need to have the skills and technical knowledge to be able to carry out their daily tasks efficiently. These competences can best be acquired on a specialised legal English course.

The content of such a course provides the delegate with essential background knowledge about the different legal systems and the specific terminology associated with them. Punctuation and certain grammatical points can be different in legal writing from everyday business and general language. Therefore, comprehending and being able to interpret legal documents in English is a skill to be learned. Drafting texts such as contracts and legal letters is also important.

Although there are certain fundamentals that all legal secretaries and paralegals should know, law is a vast area and the delegate should look for a training course that adapts as much as possible to his/her specific field of work: tax, intellectual property, real estate, corporate finance, to name a few. It is important that the delegate feels that the time spent on a training course is well spent. This concern diminishes if the training organisation approaches the course in a specific way. The delegate’s level of English and specific needs should be diagnosed before a tailored programme is drawn up. The training organisation should also guarantee that its trainers are dual qualified: legal professionals and English language trainers.

Even though the training course focuses on a specific professional area, it must not be forgotten that the course is in English and the delegate will be learning to carry out specific legal tasks in this language. It is therefore logical to look into the range of legal English courses in the UK, England or even London. In this way, the delegate can be immersed in the English language outside as well as inside the training room. Confidence in the language, clear pronunciation, fluency and ability to understand English spoken at a natural speed are skills which improve by following a course in an English language speaking country. Another advantage of following a legal English course in the UK is that as a paralegal you can experience the legal terminology being used in a natural environment through visits to a Court or to a law firm.

There are a lot of courses for paralegals and legal secretaries in the UK, but there are not many specially designed by organisations to improve the delegate’s linguistic skills at the same time. One such organisation, however, is Communicaid, whose Legal Englishcourses are available in its main training centre in London or in any other place of the delegate’s choice at any time of the year.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Jun 18

Learning Business English in London

Business English Training Courses, English Language Training No Comments »

English is the accepted language for international trade and commerce and London is one of the main centres of global and European business; it therefore seems logical that attending a Business English course in London is an excellent choice. Among the many advantages that England’s capital offers somebody searching for a Business English course are: the facilities and atmosphere offered by this bubbly city, the immersion factor, the wide choice of training centres and courses on offer and the accessibility of the city itself.

London is considered ‘the place to be’ when it comes to business in Europe. The figures speak for themselves: ‘London is Europe’s financial capital, with nearly 2,000 UK headquartered companies listed on the London markets producing an aggregate market capitalisation of nearly £1.4 trillion ($2.5 trillion).

St Pauls Deejpilot i Learning Business English in London

© istockphoto.com/ Deejpilot

This atmosphere is surely what anybody working in the business would want to experience. Not only is London a great business city, it also offers a wonderful range of entertainment, all of which inevitably helps the delegate on a business English course to learn the language better. London has four world heritage sites, over 200 museums and galleries, ten national trust and ten English Heritage sites, 108 theatres and music halls, five world class symphony orchestras and two opera houses.

At the end of a day’s training in London, the delegate is able to immerse him/herself in the atmosphere of this lively city and listen to English spoken in its natural environment. It is recognised by the majority of delegates on Business English training courses that English spoken by ‘native speakers’ is more difficult to understand than the variety of English spoken by people who use English as a second or even third language. The speed of delivery, the consequent pronunciation changes in fast connected speech and the inclusion of idiomatic expressions, slang and phrasal verbs, for example, can make native speakers notoriously difficult to comprehend. A Business delegate can avoid this problem and hope that his next interlocutor is not English, or he can ‘take the bull by the horns’ and expose him/herself to everyday English, spoken naturally in London.

Deciding on which Business English course in London to choose might present the potential delegate with a lot of problems as the choice of training centres and courses is so wide. It is precisely for this reason, however, that the delegate has more chance of finding a course which mirrors exactly what he/she is looking for. The delegate needs to be careful and do his/her research thoroughly. There is, however, another way. Instead of tying to find a course that responds to his/her demands, maybe it would be better for the delegate to check out other kinds of organisation such as the Culture and Communication Skills Consultancy, Communicaid, which designs the programme of study to respond to the objectives, needs and level of the delegate.

London also offers regular opportunities to take an English business exam as there are a lot of accredited examination centres in this city. Cambridge and LCCI are two of the most popular.
London remains one of the most accessible cities in the world. It is relatively cheap and easy to travel to thanks to its four London airports and Eurostar station. For anybody in Europe, London is no more than a few hours away.

© Communicaid Group Ltd 2010

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Jun 17

Learning Legal English in France

English Language Training, Legal English Training Courses No Comments »

Following a legal English course in France is a training option which should be seriously considered by companies in France. Why send your employees to an English-speaking country such as England or the USA when they can be trained in the comfort of their own offices? Finding a legal English course in France has never been easier now that training companies such as Communicaid offer such flexibility that courses can be adapted to the logistical requirements of the delegate.

Chinese businesspeople 5 Izusek i Learning Legal English in France

© istockphoto.com/ Izusek

The English language teaching industry is becoming increasingly flexible as a service-provider. It was previously only possible to learn English in certain training centres and these were usually situated in larger towns. After that, immersions became very popular with companies providing the budgets and the time to send their employees to the target language country.

Now, there exists the added possibility of receiving the trainer in your own office, wherever you are in France. This is the ideal choice for professionals who are unable to leave their workplace unattended for long periods of time in order to follow a course. It also brings the trainer into direct contact with the reality of the delegate’s professional situation, therefore providing the trainer with obvious opportunities to adapt the legal English course content to precisely what the delegate requires. Authentic legal materials are at hand and the real-life working environment allows the trainer to experience and ‘feel’ the delegate’s needs.

It is also possible to gain an internationally-recognised legal English qualification in France. The University of Cambridge ILEC (International Legal English Certificate) can be taken in about 13 different examination centres in France ranging from Paris to Marseilles. The TOLES (Test of Legal English skills) can now be taken in Paris with Communicaid.

The quality of a legal English course, whether in France or England, depends essentially on the trainer and such factors as his/her knowledge of the subject matter, experience in the legal profession and ability to transfer knowledge effectively and efficiently. The immersion factor is not so important as the delegate is most probably particularly interested in specific terminology and skills directly related to legal English and not in the additional ‘benefits’ of an immersion course (everyday English terms, idioms, pronunciation differences, slang, cultural experiences, etc). An effective trainer is a mobile trainer who is not necessarily attached to a training room in a certain city. He/she can be flown from London to Paris, for example, to deliver courses on agreed-upon dates.

As pressure on workers’ time increases, French companies will be very interested in the possibility of their employees following an legal English training course in France, delivered by a qualified, experienced legal professional. The increased flexibility of the service provided by the language training industry has brought the training closer to both the delegate’s office and his/her needs and objectives.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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