Language Courses - not everyone needs the same thing!
- ↓ Warm-up "I haven't spoken English for ages!"
- ↓ "I agree with you, but…"
Honesty at work - is it possible to say what you really think in a polite way? - ↓ Arguing in a foreign language - can it be done?
- ↓ Awkward scenarios - dealing with sensitive situations in a foreign language
- ↓ The British/American Press - 'Elvis discovered on Mars!'
- ↓ Surprise Surprise!
- ↓ Colloquial Language - "don't put all your eggs in one basket"
- ↓ Persuasive Language - "our special offer ends today so sign up quickly!"
- ↓ Emailing - practice makes perfect - sometimes
- ↓ Telephoning - to call or not to call, that is the question!
We know that there is usually a standard list of courses and registration details,
but we design courses for each individual/company.
Here are just a few examples of courses we have done/are doing. The price per hour (that's a 60 minute hour)
is fixed at € 65,00 (are you not a company? Please write to us
about prices for private individuals),
regardless of whether it is a one-to-one course or a group of 8. Please note that photocopying/book costs
are not included in the hourly rate. Travel rates are also incurred for clients out of the Freiburg centre.
Warm-up "I haven't spoken English for ages!"
This course is for those needing to 'get back into the swing of things' after a break of speaking English. The warm-up course encourages participants to speak whilst playing games, oragami, improvisation role play, etc. This creative approach is especially good for clients who are nervous about speaking again. The games divert attention away from the language and laughing helps more than one would imagine!
"I agree with you, but…"
Honesty at work - is it possible to say what you really think in a polite way?
There are many situations in the work day where we either lose patience and get upset or hold back our true emotions and say nothing. This behaviour has a direct impact on performance, working conditions and the success of the individual and the entire company.
We are going to play with extremes in communication styles: in-your-face brutal honesty, indirect 'round the houses', passive aggressive, timid, resistant, etc.
Will we find the perfect communication style? There isn't one! But we will have lots of fun trying.
Arguing in a foreign language - can it be done?
'Conflict management is the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly, fairly, and efficiently. It is important that there are people in each team who understand conflicts and know how to resolve them in English'.
The theory is wonderful. Reality is a different matter.
It's hard enough staying reasonable and fair in your own language, when you're steaming with rage, so what chance is there of communicating reasonably and calmly in a foreign language? Let's find out. We are going to push all your buttons and see how you react. Maybe we will discover the key to perfect communication (but we seriously doubt it).
Awkward scenarios - dealing with sensitive situations in a foreign language
How do you confront a colleague about personal hygiene issues? How do you deal with a colleague who is always late because of dramatic (and totally unbelievable) reasons? How do you fire someone you really like?
We certainly don't have all the answers but using discussion and role-play we get to experience the complicated emotions that go hand in hand with such unpleasant situations. Be prepared to see a different side of your colleagues as we jump in at the deep end!
The British/American Press - 'Elvis discovered on Mars!'
Who reads The Sun? Who reads the Guardian? What is a tabloid/broadsheet newspaper? Surely no one believes what they read in The Sun? Surely the Guardian is just for left-wing activists and vegans? How does the British/US press compare to the German? Bring your own articles and we will bring ours…
Surprise Surprise!
A conversation and discussion class on a variety of subjects. We won't tell you in advance which themes we will be covering, so anyone who doesn't like surprises, this course is not for you! This course will help to build confidence in your ability to speak off the cuff – because just like when speaking in the real world, you can never be totally prepared …
Colloquial Language - "don't put all your eggs in one basket"
In this lesson you will learn more about idioms and slang used in business and everyday life. Perfect if you work with or need to talk to native speakers and perfect if you've ever wondered what "the ball is in your court" or "give me a ballpark figure" means.
Persuasive Language - "our special offer ends today so sign up quickly!"
The art of convincing someone to change their mind, buy your product or use your company. And indeed it is an art. What makes us buy something? What puts us off buying something? Does charm really work? What makes a brilliant sales person and why are so many people so unsuccessful?
We will try to sell you something and see what it is that is convincing and what makes you want to run a mile in the opposite direction?
Can we turn you into the perfect sales executive? Probably not, but we will have a lot of fun trying.
Emailing - practice makes perfect - sometimes
Do you spend a lot of time writing emails but spend far too long rewriting and rereading them? Are you unsure whether what you have written is a professional email or an embarrassingly bad one that a child could have written? Anyone writing in a second language knows how you feel! Bring some typical emails to the course so we can see what we are up against and try to help you feel more confident by looking at the grammar and the style of writing.
Telephoning - to call or not to call, that is the question!
How stressed are you when the phone rings and your colleagues are listening to you speaking English? Our experience tells us that most of you would prefer to throw the phone out of the window than to answer it. But don't worry, help is at hand! We will confront 'Phone Phobia' head on with your best and worse case scenarios. You'll need a sense of humour for this course.
