9
Biggest Mistakes in Language Training (and how to avoid them)
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Been there, seen that. Having been in the language training business for over 45 years, we’ve seen companies make the same mistakes over and over again when it comes to implementing a language training program. We don’t want you to make the same mistakes. So let’s look at how NOT to do it.
There are many ways to get it wrong. We’ve seen too many English language initiatives go off the rails. Here are nine of the most common mistakes‌
No aim, no blame. A common mistake is to start a language training program without clear goals. Do you want to improve your sales team’s ability to negotiate? Empower your scientists to publish international papers? Get your economists to read the financial press? Teach your customer service reps to treat people like VIPs?
These are all different goals that fall under the same ‘English training’ heading, but each one would lead to very different programs and each one would have its own metrics to track success. 1
Action Start with goals first – it’s the only way to stay on track.
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Staying under the radar. Strategic initiatives succeed when they come with top-level endorsement, however too many companies keep their language training under the management radar and off the boardroom agenda. That’s a mistake. 2
Action Position your English training program as a strategic initiative, not a low-level tactical exercise. If the leadership team wants the stated outcomes, they’ll value your approach and give it their full support.
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Assuming everyone is at the same starting line. Many of your learners may already have some English skills. Some will be almost fluent, only needing a bit of practice. Others will be starting from the very beginning. But most language programs assume that everyone is starting from zero. That means the more advanced people become bored and frustrated.
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Action Start your learning programs with assessments of each learner’s current skills. Taking someone from proficiency level 3 to 5 is very different from taking someone from 1 to 4. Find out where everyone is today.
Teaching everyone the same skills. A common mistake is to start a language training program without clear goals. A salesperson may need to improve writing and speaking skills. A senior executive may need to negotiate and present confidently. A factory head may need to focus on reading technical papers. An engineer may need to learn specialist vocabulary.
Unfortunately, many English development programs teach the same skills to everyone. This ‘one size fits all’ approach actually suits nobody. Action
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Your learners need to know they’re building relevant skills. Make your programs flexible enough to focus the training where it’s needed for each learner.
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Taking motivation for granted. Motivation is the secret ingredient of all learning – especially language learning. But too many companies ignore the motivational aspect, expecting the learners to set their own targets and monitor their own progress. This only works for the most motivated learners – maybe the top one percent.
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Build motivation, reward and recognition into your English training programs – you’ll get there much faster.
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A pick & mix approach. Pick & mix is great for selecting sweets but it’s a dangerous strategy when it comes to training. If you let your people choose their own local language school or give local offices a budget and hope they get it right… chances are very high that they won’t. Results in English training vary widely. The same amount of time spent in one program can deliver half the results of another.
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Think about your language training strategically and centrally. Deliver a uniformly high-quality learning experience instead of dozens of mediocre courses.
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Throwing software at the problem. Simply buying software licenses and sending the CDs to everyone whose skills you want to improve is the fastest route to frustration. Software and technology can play a role in any English language program but software alone never taught anyone anything. D
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Action Choose the best technology platform you can find but don’t leave everything to technology. Make sure real teachers are incorporated to help deliver the learning experience. Ideally they should be available whenever and wherever the learner needs them (that’s where technology can help).
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Pay and pray. With any other investment, businesses would set performance targets and track progress. But with English learning, far too many companies and public sector departments leave the progress to chance.
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You need to track the participation and the actual progress of each learner so you can determine the success and return on investment of the entire program.
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Going it alone. The biggest mistake of all is trying to approach it alone English language training, without expert training and support. Over $35 billion a year is spent in this way and the return on investment (if anyone measures it) is far below what companies would achieve by turning to the specialists. It’s expensive. It’s inflexible. And it’s far less effective.
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In order to get it right first time around you need to focus on doing what you do best, and bring in the experts to accelerate your peoples English skills.
Starting to see what Strategic English looks like? The mistakes summarised here may seem obvious to you. But most companies still make most of them – which seriously inhibits their progress. The alternative to this un-measured, poorly managed process is something we call Strategic English. It’s all about targeting your English language investment to your specific needs –- then actively managing and tracking success instead of leaving it to chance. (That’s exactly what we do for hundreds of fast-growing international companies.)
Strategic English means treating English language development as a key driver of success – then managing and measuring it accordingly. As an HR professional or executive leader responsible for the success of your people… It’s time to get Strategic. lish Eng lish Eng
About EF Corporate Solutions EF is the pioneer of – and world leader in – the task-based approach to English language learning for large organizations. Our unique combination of great teachers, breakthrough technology and fanatical service adds more value to your business, and does it faster than any other method.
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Further reading:
STRATEGIC ENGLISH How English language skills can power your global business AN EXECUTIVE BRIEFING FROM EF
Selling in English The seven big mistakes in English Language learning for sales organisations. A mini-eBook from EF
Strategic English How English language skills can power your global business An EF Executive Briefing
Selling In English The seven big mistakes in English language learning for sales organizations
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Competing Across Borders: How cultural and communication barriers affect business An independent, global survey into how language skills impact the competitiveness of multinational companies.
The EF English Live™ e-brochure All about our cloud school