Business French Course For Executives (Course Code UK-BFr)

Course overview – Available online or in-person

This is a course for company employees who need to learn or improve their French for the purposes of their role.

While we do offer this to employees who are paying for lessons for themselves, this course was constructed mainly to assist corporate training organisers such as Learning and Development Managers, HR Managers, Training Managers etc. to set up French language lessons for their employees.

A lot of our work is with clients around London and the South East of England, though we are experiencing growing demand for online and blended learning options throughout the UK and internationally. 

Where and when does the tuition take place?

Either on company premises, at your head offices, a company site or location, or other suitable place.

Or they can take place virtually using a suitable online platform. Our trainers are well-versed in all current virtual learning platforms so they can either suggest one or if you have a preference we should be able to accommodate.

In terms of face to face learning in the UK our most popular locations are:

• London
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Glasgow
• Bristol
• Edinburgh
• Leeds
• Liverpool
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne
• Sheffield
• Online classes also available

Course options available

• Individual Business French training
• Group Business French training
  

Whether tuition takes place in London, further afield, or entirely online, lessons can be fully-tailored and personalised according to the needs of each learner. Both in content, course aims and learning objectives, as well as scheduling.

In terms of scheduling, lessons can start as soon as required, can be any day and can be booked either during the working day or outside of working hours. There is no extra charge for sessions outside of working hours, even weekends.

Language levels catered for

This course is fully bespoke and can be pitched at any level from absolute beginner to proficiency. As a guide, our team would usually filter learners into one of the following levels based on an initial diagnostic analysis which we will conduct over the phone before the start of the course.

• A1 – Beginner or high-beginner (sometimes called false beginner)
• A2 – Elementary
• B1 – Intermediate
• B2 – Upper intermediate
• C1 – Advanced
• C2 – Proficiency

Please note: There will be variations between learners, even those at the same level, this is perfectly normal and our trainers are well-equipped to teach effectively in situations such as these. As long as students broadly fit into the above levels the group can learn effectively.

For individual 1:1 classes, this isn’t a consideration as the course content and tuition is entirely bespoke.

Individual (1:1) Business French Language Training – Online or In-Person (Course Code UK-BFr1)

This is highly-personalised, tailored training for individual members of staff who have either requested, or require French language skills for their job role.

Delivered on a 1:1, individual basis, this is the most effective course available for rapid improvement, as it can be personalised right down to individual needs and goals so the delegate can learn exactly what they need to learn.

100% of the trainer’s attention is focused on the learner for the entire duration of the lesson. With lots of opportunity for speaking and practice.

We only use a communicative approach when delivering our training. This ensures that employees are using and practicing their French, even at lower levels. The training sessions will be delivered in French where possible to aid real-life acquisition of the language.

How to get training set up

To get started you can either give our team a call on 03333 66 00 13 and we’ll be happy to talk through any initial thoughts or requirements you may have. Or make an enquiry via our contact page.

The first step is always an open discussion of your exact needs. Every client has unique requirements, so an early discussion and clarity on the details is a must. It may be that you have concrete needs and are ready for us to match you or your employee(s) with a suitable trainer. Or it may be that you are making initial enquiries at this point.

The process of getting started can take some time, especially if there are several stakeholders who need to approve the training along the way.

We’ve done this a lot and can fit in with your requirements, even if it’s a simple discussion of needs initially, we’d be happy to listen!

Conducting an initial diagnostic assessment of employees’ level of French and needs analysis

For the 1:1 lessons, the usual process would be to arrange a telephone call with the delegate or delegates being trained once the course is authorised. This is a short call with one of our experts, designed to understand more about their needs and level of French. As well as to set some goals and outcomes for the learning.

This can also be a good opportunity to arrange suitable times, days and locations for the training. Usually it is best to set up a first session during this call. Subsequent sessions can be booked in directly between teacher and the delegate.

Course content and materials

The course can be tailored to the needs of each individual. Some examples of popular content we have delivered in the past:

• Boost your speaking skills and confidence
• Technical vocabulary
• Industry specific training (e.g. French for lawyers)
• Business writing including email writing
• Presentation and negotiating skills

Recommended number of weeks course length and frequency of tuition

Each lesson can be either 1.5 or 2 hours long. As many lessons per week as is possible is the best way to make significant progress, though we understand that this isn’t always possible. 1 or 2 lessons per week is the average.

A block of at least 20-40 hours of training should be considered initially. This would be around 10 – 20 weeks assuming 1 x 2 hour lesson per week. The course can be completed in fewer weeks if the student takes more lessons per week. This will enable sufficient learning time to start the process of improvement and progress. Courses can be taken intensively, with the sessions used up over the course of a couple of weeks. Or more extensively, with courses running for several weeks or months.

This again depends on the needs and considerations of all parties involved. There is no one size fits all solution here and we aim to be flexible. Our team can go through the options if you need more clarity on this.

Learners should expect to move from one level to the next after around 40-50 hours training, provided that they are able to undertake at least the same amount of time self-study outside of their lessons.

This is the most flexible way to learn, lessons can be cancelled, re-scheduled, or weeks skipped, as long as the teacher is given at least 48 hours notice.

Lesson invoicing and payment

We will invoice your company for the agreed block of training once lessons have begun.

Group Business French Language Training Online or In-Person (Course Code UK-BFr2)

This course is delivered by one of our French trainers at your company premises or online via an online platform of choice.

Designed so that employees who all need to learn French and are at roughly the same level can join in a single class. A very cost effective way for your people to learn effectively.

These lessons have proven incredibly popular, not only for companies who need their employees to learn for business purposes, but also as an add-on, extra-curricular activity, as French is one of the most popular languages to learn.

So that each learner is able to engage, interact and make progress, classes should be kept as small as possible with an absolute maximum upper limit of 8-10 people. For online learning we would recommend no more than 6 people.

How to get group lessons set up

To make further enquiries about this course please give our team a call on 03333 66 00 13 or send us a message via our contact page. We will be happy to discuss your options, take you through the process, and answer any questions you may have.

Ascertaining each learner’s level of French

For group training, the most effective way to gauge each learner’s level of French is to ask them. This can be done internally or our team can do the outreach. This will generally be effective for 80-90% of cases.

In cases where learners don’t know their level or aren’t sure we can organise a telephone diagnostic to ascertain their level.

Learners can then be filtered down into groups based on their language level as appropriate. There is quite a lot of leeway between levels so there will naturally be people in the group who are naturally stronger/weaker than others and this is to be expected.

Course content and materials

Though it isn’t feasible to tailor to the exact needs of each learner in group sessions, a surprisingly high level of tailoring is still possible, especially if groups are kept small.

Teachers will generally use their own materials. It is also possible for the group to purchase their own textbooks to work through during the classes. This is a more structured approach and while not absolutely necessary some learners prefer this.

Industry-specific vocabulary can be introduced in the sessions for instance, even at fairly low levels. Or for example, if all learners need to write emails in French, this can be planned in advance.

The teacher will always look to plan a course that fits both the needs of the business and the employees learning French.

Some examples of popular courses we’ve run in the past include:

• French for specific purposes (E.g. Lawyers, Bankers)
• Business writing
• Refresher French: for those who learnt at school
• Speaking and confidence builder
• Bespoke courses (e.g. report writing, giving a presentation, negation skills)

Recommended number of weeks course length and frequency for group lessons

Group training needs to take into account the speed of all learners as well as the individual attention each learner is able to receive compared to 1:1 lessons.

With this in mind, we would recommend an initial course booking of 30-40 hours (around 20-25 weeks assuming a single, 1.5 lesson per week). With a view to reviewing and extending following the initial block.

1 or 2 classes per week is best here. The more learning the better but we understand that time constraints often mean that learners are studying either during working hours or in their free time. As long as lessons take place consistently in consecutive weeks there will be progress.

To move between levels with group training you would be looking at around 50 – 60 hours in total. This assumes learners are able to use their French outside of class, or at least match the training time with an equal amount of time self-studying.

Weeks can be skipped or lessons cancelled or rearranged with 48 hours notice at no cost. Any lessons that are cancelled or moved can be added to the end of the course.

Lesson invoicing and payment

Our industry standard process is to invoice for each agreed block of training once underway. Monthly payment options are also available. We aim to be as flexible as possible.

It can be a lengthy process researching language training providers and setting up lessons. Our experienced team will be happy to guide you through the process.