Every organisation is different — and that’s why we adapt every programme to your team’s rhythm, level and goals. During the intake interview, we’ll identify your learning objectives and determine your entry levels. Our lessons go beyond grammar or vocabulary, and also cover communication and cultural awareness.
Whether you’re conversing with colleagues, clients or international partners, you’ll learn how to convey your message persuasively and appropriately in English. Think of the difference between formal and informal English, for instance, or how to conclude an email in the right tone of voice.
With an in-company English course from UvA Talen, you can count on:
Whether you want to give better presentations, write more clearly or come over as more professional in English, we can provide a course that immediately works in your practice.
The in-company English course is intended for organisations that work internationally or regularly use English in their communication. Teams that are in daily contact with foreign clients or colleagues, for example, or organisations where international growth means that English is the main language.
We work with companies in a wide range of sectors, from consultancy and aviation to SMEs, supermarket chains and government. For example, we train management teams that give international presentations, employees who need to send business emails, and HR departments that communicate with expats.
This course is also popular as part of international staff onboarding programmes, or as refresher training for teams that want to take their English to a higher, more professional level.
We start with an exploratory meeting at which we discuss your wishes, objectives and plans. Based on this, you’ll receive a proposal with a programme, duration and quote. This is followed by the intake phase, when we determine the participants’ levels and divide them into groups if necessary.
The classes can be held at your premises, online, or a mix of the two. During the course, we’ll keep you updated on progress and fine-tune where necessary. At the end of the course, you’ll receive an overview of the results and a follow-up offer if appropriate. We can take care of everything: from communicating with participants to evaluations and reports for HR or Learning & Development.
Our in-company courses are designed for small groups of two to ten participants. This leaves plenty of room for personal feedback and active practice. We can also accommodate larger groups, for example by dividing the team into subgroups by level. The teaching format is always interactive: lots of practice with role-play, cases and conversations from your own work situation.
The course can start at any level, from intermediate to near-native. During the intake, we determine the entry level and create a programme that’s tailored to the participants’ goals. Every participant is taught at a pace that’s appropriate for his or her experience, with plenty of room for personal questions and feedback.
Do you have colleagues who already have a solid basis, but want to work on specific skills? That’s also possible at UvA Talen. Our teachers can provide specific courses on Business English, Writing for Business or Presenting in English. All of these specific courses are also available in-company.
The course material is not included in the price of the course. Whether you opt for classroom learning or an online course, you always have the option of purchasing the books through us. You will receive the books at the first lesson or by post. If you prefer, you can order the books yourself.
When you communicate in English, it quickly becomes clear that literally translating Dutch doesn’t always go down well. Whereas Dutch people like clarity and getting straight to the point, in English this often comes over as a bit curt or blunt. That’s why we won’t only teach you what to say, but also how to say it. You’ll discover how little words and phrases such as ‘perhaps’, ‘would you mind’, and ‘I’m afraid’ can make a world of difference. You’ll learn to strike the right tone; polite, but still assured. Even if your native language is Spanish or Turkish, differences in communication style will always come into play.
This is a valuable skill, certainly in an international working environment. After all, you can often achieve more with a bit less “Dutch directness” and a dash of “English politeness”: in meetings, in emails and at networking events.
The teacher was skilled and created a pleasant, interactive atmosphere in class. The communication with UvA Talen was professional and efficient and my language skills have improved significantly. I'm very satisfied with the result.
