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What do you want to get out of the training? What are your objectives? What are your long term plans and goals? These are questions that you need to answer before determining what kind of language training would be beneficial for you. Figuring out what your employees need is crucial in determining the content and best method of training.
Of course everyone has the same overall goal – to learn English – but many have specific goals that can be the focus of the lessons. Business is such a broad topic that narrowing it down can be quite a difficult task. Learning vocabulary related to telecommunications won’t be helpful for a company that sells medical supplies. Specialization and complete understanding of what a company is all about is important to achieve success.
Course content should cover a variety of things. Basics in grammar, vocabulary, idioms and expressions, practical application, and review of learning should be fundamental aspects in a lesson. Activities and exercises that stimulate the students instead of putting them to sleep is always a challenge – making everyone happy all the time is sometimes a difficult task – but appropriate content that connects and flows together, paired with an excellent teacher is a recipe for success.
Read these blogs about how TalktoCanada.com takes advantage of the online classroom and uses it to its full potential:
http://www.talktocanada.com/2010/03/how-to-be-creative-in-the-virtual-classroom/
Posts Tagged ‘demonstrations’
Part I Goals – What every corporation should know about Language Training
Thursday, June 24th, 20104 Part Series – What every corporation should know about Language Training
Sunday, June 20th, 2010Corporate language training is becoming increasingly popular nowadays. As companies 
begin to expand into different countries and markets, they realize the importance of having functional English skills to conduct meetings, communicate both orally and through writing, and for social events as well.
It is unrealistic to assume that employees will take it upon themselves and enroll in an English course – outside of working hours, and out of their own pocket no less. As it is also a misconception to believe that everyone in business has a functional level of English.
There are many language training providers out there – face to face – telephone training – and e-learning. All offer a different approach and cater to different groups in different ways. As a company, you need to decide what your goals are and how you are best able to achieve them.
In this 4 part series I will go over the different aspects of corporate language training to help you understand the different aspects and importance of selecting the appropriate corporate language training providers for your employees.
Have a look at these previous blogs to get an idea about how TalktoCanada.com can meet your corporate training needs:
http://www.talktocanada.com/2010/05/getting-to-know-talktocanada-com-how-do-we-teach-english-online/
http://www.talktocanada.com/2009/11/how-talktocanada-com-makes-online-english-learning-personal/
Top 3 qualities that I look for in teachers who want to teach English online
Friday, January 22nd, 2010When hiring teachers for TalktoCanada.com, I look for the obvious things (basic requirements such as being a Canadian, having some kind of teaching experience, knows something about technology and computers) but I also look for things that don’t show up on “paper”.
Coolness factor
Are you cool? Do you have stories that will keep your students interested? Is your personality one that is approachable and fun? The coolness factor is one of the most important qualities that I look for in teachers. I can tell a little bit from a resume (experiences outlined etc) but during the interview I am usually able to tell who is cool and has the perfect personality for this job.. and who just won’t make the cut.
Flexibility — can you touch your toes? (just kidding)
Flexibility in the sense of understanding that this is NOT a 9-5 job. This is a job that sometimes requires you to work at “crazy hours” (in the middle of the night), or have classes that are spread out throughout the day… if you can work with that… then I can work with you! Don’t ask to have 9-5 hours because it’s just not going to happen…so save us both the trouble and look somewhere else.
Open to learning (don’t worry no heavy textbooks involved)
But yes, some training and ongoing learning is involved with this job. Every job needs some kind of training program that helps develop and fine tune your skills. It takes a while to become a star online teacher — and it also takes quite a bit of training.
Selecting teachers is a REALLY difficult task — but I love talking with applicants and learning about their experiences and how they can apply them to online learning. So far I have been quite successful, and have excellent teachers on board, that besides the general requirements meet these top 3 qualities and then some.
A Day in the Life of a TalktoCanada.com Manager — Marc Anderson – General Manager
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Marc Anderson
- General Manager
- Working at TTC since early 2006
What is a typical day for you at TalktoCanada.com?
Good question, not getting very much sleep..just kidding. I would say that a typical day starts with answering a lot of emails, keeping up on prospects and than talking with my other managers either on telephone or on Skype. After the usual stuff is done, I probably spend the rest of my time on the phone or in meetings with current and potential clients. Some of my time is spent supervising projects and making sure they are delivered in the way that the client requested which can sometimes get difficult depending on the highly specialized nature of the course materials. The rest of my time, is probably spent reading, which can include the latest business book or visiting several of my favourite websites including entrepreneur.com, searchenginewatch.com, msnbc.com and checking up on our industry competitors. My day doesn’t end at a specific time or start at the same time everyday, having to deal in so many countries around the world, some days I have to wake up while I am sleeping for a meeting or at supper time. You have to give up the 9-5 hours if you expect to be successful in this type of job.
What is the toughest challenge you have faced since starting with TalktoCanada.com in 2006?
I would have to say beyond a doubt, getting our first client was the toughest challenge. With such a new service by a very unknown company it’s hard to convince individuals and companies of your worth. Naturally the vast majority of those people interested in our services were skeptical and without my selling skills being full developed it took a while to get off the ground.
What would you say is your biggest triumph?
This would probably tie into the previous question. Getting our first client was the most exhilarating experience you could possibly have in a new business. A client was willing to give us the chance and I will never forget the name of this company for the rest of my life.
What is the best part of your job?
Meeting with clients around the world. I majored in accounting in university and seriously contemplated being an accountant but than thought if I am going to be in an office, I would rather do something more exciting. I haven’t looked back since and I love my job and would trade it for any other business job.
The Virtual World meets the Real World…
Monday, January 11th, 2010Working online does have its obvious advantages — setting my own schedule, not having to commute, meeting people from all over the world etc… but it does have some disadvantages in that sometimes you feel stuck in a virtual world and wonder if you are just a video and a voice behind a screen helping students learn English online.
I’ve always tried to add a “human” element to my teaching – by making things real, personalized and cater to each of my student’s individual needs, and I think it has proven useful. My long time students feel more like friends than like clients – we are able to share ideas and feelings freely learn about each other and all the while learning English. Recently, I received a mysterious package in the mail, upon opening it I was overwhelmed with surprise – it was a package from one of my students with a few food items which we had discussed in class one day. Of course presents from “real life” students are common – you almost expect them at all of the major holidays or at the end of a course – but in the “virtual world” the etiquette is obviously different and more confused.
I like how both worlds tend to mesh together, whether on purpose or not. The “human element” is always there no matter how virtual things are. We need that “human element” to feel connected, and TalktoCanada.com is able to offer that to its students, by making the lessons about them rather than about a set curriculum. This does not only apply to individual students – but also corporate clients, and it shows through their improvements as well as in their continuing study with TalktoCanada.com.
I like my “virtual world” and I like how I have made it into a comfortable environment where anybody can join, no matter where they are or what they are studying, the “door” is always open.
How TalktoCanada.com makes online English learning personal
Thursday, November 12th, 2009Usually when you buy a product or service you have an idea in your head of what you want and aren’t 100% convinced or satisfied until you get exactly what you want. This rings true not only for that new shirt that you bought, but as well as for online English learning.
TalktoCanada.com is a unique service in that it works with you in creating an educational plan that suits your needs and wants. We don’t try to push you into a cookie cutter solution. Each lesson varies and changes based on your needs, interests, and abilities.
Many of my students have different needs each week, and our lessons vary from just chatting about their weekly activities, to current events to helping edit different documents. Students like to be in control of what they are learning – so giving them a
choice and lots of options is always very important. It can’t just be black and white – we have to offer them a rainbow.
So many of my students are surprised that I take that extra time to help them, and come up with lessons that are current and related to them or that I don’t mind if something changes all of a sudden.
The key – as mentioned in previous blogs is to be flexible, and create an open dialogue with your students to ensure that they are happy with their learning and if anything is missing to let you know so that you can include it in your teaching.
The other method of how TalktoCanada.com makes your English learning personal is by assigning you the same teacher throughout your time with TalktoCanada.com. I’ve had many individual students comment that they find it really beneficial to stay with the same teacher throughout their learning. Some students continue taking English lessons for over a year – they include it into part of their weekly routine and just keep it up as they would any other extra curricular class. There are so many benefits to sticking with the same teacher – apart from the obvious of not having to re introduce yourself each class – your assigned teacher knows what you need to work on, and is able to continuously work on those areas – eventually mastering them.
TalktoCanada.com’s teachers are also really approachable, friendly people. We are helpful, and there for our students for whatever they need, whenever they need it. It takes a special type of person to meet these demands and TalktoCanada.com teachers excel at it.
Check out our testimonials page to see for yourself what our students have to say.
Traditional VS Virtual Teaching – Which one is for me?
Thursday, November 5th, 2009There are many differences between working in a traditional classroom and a virtual classroom. Having ample experience in both — I believe the virtual classroom is by far the better option for English learners for many different reasons.
I’ve found that students in traditional classrooms are sometimes shy when speaking a new language. They easily get embarrassed, and because we are “Face to Face” sometimes they feel awkward and unsure of themselves. Now, this is not to say that the traditional classroom is not beneficial to language learning, it’s just a different type of learning – and different dynamics are experienced. Some students need to have a teacher present to show them what to do. Some students are not comfortable with technology and get flustered with the online e-learning environment. And some students simply cannot afford or don’t have access to the tools necessary to take advantage of e-learning. I can’t imagine e-learning working in the some of the rural towns where I’ve taught English. Internet access is limited at best with maybe a cyber café available “downtown” – but no real feasible access to e-learning opportunities.
Now in comparison, as mentioned above – from my experiences – online learning delivers more results, but it is not for everyone. Some of my students make English learning a part of their regular schedule – taking 1 or 2 classes a week – and arranging their schedule around that. Other students are more of a “drop in” type learner who email me whenever they want a lesson. The key is to be flexible. Because I work from home – technically I am always available. Many students prefer online learning to traditional learning because of the flexibility. They want to be able to schedule a class whenever their schedule allows for it (usually our students are pretty busy people).
Also, I find that teaching online although it is “real” it’s not “face to face real” so students can really open up to you, make mistakes without feeling silly, and give their 110% into everything. You work with them directly and because with online learning you need to be more focused – you can really work on the areas that need the most attention.
There is a lot of flexibility in learning online as well – I always have something prepared ahead of time… but a lot of the time we just start talking and not even look at what I had prepared. Or there is “breaking news” that we can talk about à or even they have something that they want to do last minute (editing or practicing a presentation) and being online and connected allows for that flexibility. I often use Google images to quickly show pictures of different things – as well as YouTube videos. It’s such an advantage to have the internet at your fingertips as there is so much information available online that it’s a waste not to take advantage of it. Of course along with being super flexible you also need to have really strong multitasking skills. Sometimes I seriously feel like Gumby!
A lot of my students are individuals who really just want to practice confidence building and learning how to casually speak with a native speaker. I really enjoy just conversing about current events, thoughts, common idioms and expressions, opinions and feelings over the course of our classes. ALL of my students whether they have been with me for over a year, or just under a month – have always demonstrated improvements in the areas that they focus on.
Not to mention, the friendships that develop over the course of a few classes. Sometimes people just need someone to talk to, and as a teacher and a friend I’m there to listen to their rants (and correct their grammar and expressions) and work with real situations that they face instead of “by the book” things that may or may not happen in real life.
Now that I’ve experienced the results first hand – I think that all English learners – if they have the opportunity and resources – should take advantage of learning English online from native English speakers.
There are just so many benefits that are available from online learning that a traditional classroom just can’t compete with.
Online Teacher Training using Online Meeting Program WebEx Meeting Centre
Sunday, October 25th, 2009
As the Programs Manager with TalktoCanada.com, I need to train new teachers, and upgrade current teachers on all of our innovative teaching methods. We are currently using WebEx as our online classroom and try to take advantage of its potential while teaching.
Teaching English online is a fairly new concept, and to keep the students active and involved in the class it takes a lot more effort than just sitting in front of your computer. All of our teachers use a web cam while teaching – so they are “on” all the time. WebEx allows for both the teachers and the students to interact and see each other in real time. Sometimes teachers get creative and show “real life” things in the camera (for example: a lesson about fruits and vegetables – they show the different fruits and vegetables in the camera – just to make it more interactive.)
Being located in Uruguay – WebEx has allowed me to complete my tasks as if I were located in Canada. I can meet online with teachers – go through training, have live demonstrations and interactive feedback. It’s funny when the teachers ask me – so where are you located? And I say, “Uruguay – you know in South America?” They are completely blown away — more than 10 000 km apart yet the connection is perfect, almost as if we were neighbours! We have a lot of teachers who are also located internationally – but you would never know it when we are on WebEx.
Over 10 000 km distance between Canada and Uruguay but with WebEx you would never know it!
WebEx also helps me create training videos and information videos for our teachers and send them streaming links for them to view at their own pace. Trying to arrange a mass training that accommodates everyone’s schedules is quite a difficult task – being in different time zones, some teachers having a day job. WebEx just makes things easier with recorded trainings.
WebEx has a lot to offer – and it’s a great tool that has helped make the staff training aspect of my job run without many hitches. It offers so much and allows for a lot of creativity which in this line of work is essential.
