Languages
Languages & solutions
Languages English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese and others on request.
Birdwell specializes in customized one-to-one and small group language courses for business people and individuals who need language skills for work, travel and other personal needs.
Birdwell has 25 years' experience in customized language training and provides:
- Corporate solutions
- Individual solutions
- General language training
- Business language training
- Face-to-face instruction
- Distance and online instruction
- Language needs assessment and testing
- Learning abroad
- Exam preparation
To make sure that every minute spent in language training counts, Birdwell has developed and publishes its own language learning materials designed to optimize students' speaking time as compared with traditional language classes.
While certain cost-cutting strategies and methods provide a basic ability to communicate in a foreign language, using the right instructors and learning strategies, coupled with the right organization, will ensure that the trainees become both competent and confident in their new language.
DIF / CIF / Plan de Formation
Birdwell training courses can be organized within the framework of any of these French legislative frameworks governing in-company training.
General language training
We create customized intensive or extensive courses, in our centre or in your company, depending on the needs, circumstances and time available to each learner. : 100% face-to-face, 100 % by distance learning or alternating the two (blended learning)
The languages, solutions and course lengths that we offer are therefore great in number and depend on the circumstances and objectives of each of our learners, recorded during the analysis of the language audit.
- Face-to-face instruction (one-to-one or in a small group)
People do not learn a language by being taught it. They learn by practicing it. In a typical classroom situation, even with small groups, student speaking time is outrageously low. Often, the person who speaks the most is... the teacher!
At Birdwell, we have solved this problem by making the students into the main actors of their learning
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Distance and on-line instruction
Telephone learning
Who doesn't use the phone to do business these days? Answer: more people than you think! Fear of not understanding or of not being understood drives many people to communicate by fax or email, buying time to think or call on colleagues for help. These are clearly time-greedy solutions when compared to a quick phone call.
By giving your staff confidence to deal in English over the phone, you could save your company hours in expensive labour costs. In just thirty minutes, twice a week, your staff will handle a whole range of professional situations by phone that will build confidence, develop vocabulary and boost their aural comprehension skills.
E-learning
Birdwell offers a complete range of e-learning solutions for distance learning of foreign languages tailored to different company needs. Rather than force you to adapt to a single e-learning platform, we suggest you choose the solution that best suits your needs from those we have selected. Connect to one of our platforms and improve your mastery of the language at your own pace and wherever you are!
- Birdwell Blended Learning (BBL)
Birdwell Blended Learning (BBL) refers to a mixing of different learning environments. It combines traditional face-to-face classroom methods with other approaches, often calling on computer-based activities.
The advantages of blended learning are:
- as compared with classroom learning :
- reduced training costs
- more flexible courses
- as compared with e-learning
- the trainer can supervise and guide the learner throughout his course
Whatever solution you choose, we will be delighted to guid you through your course.
Business language training
BIRDWELL offers several options tailored to your business needs.
- Professional workshops
Birdwell has been organizing professional workshops for several years designed to help participants in their dealings with suppliers, managers and colleagues, not to mention their customers from all backgrounds.
The workshops allow you to acquire and master the specific vocabulary related to a work situation and may take place in groups within your company.
We are happy to discuss your needs and to offer your staff workshops on such topics as :
- Welcoming visitors
- Presenting your department, projects and activities
- Technical basics numbers, dates, distances and quantities
- Organizing your trip abroad
- Successful communication
- Writing emails
- Presentation skills
- Face-to- face meetings
- Report writing techniques
- Working abroad
- Actively participating in a meeting
- Working on your accent
- Executive immersion
The small number of trainees from all countries makes it possible to really customize courses and enjoy more intense relations between trainees and trainers.
Several options are available for your staff: from face- to-face personal training to group training, or a combination of both.
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Specialized immersion
- Specialist English
You are operational in English, but want to improve in the specific field of your line of work. Our specialized immersion courses give you the opportunity to use specialized English in the following areas:
- Human Resources
- Finance and Accounting
- Marketing and Sales
- Information Technology
- Quality
- Purchasing
- Production
English immersion in France
If you are looking for an English immersion in France, we can offer you a choice of several locations in France at any time of the year.
Exam preparation
Birdwell can prepare you for the following exams:
Cambridge University diplomas
General English:
- Cambridge Key English Test (KET): An examination corresponding to the Council of Europe level A2. Learn more...
- Cambridge Preliminary English Test (PET): Cambridge intermediate level exam (Council of Europe level B1). Learn more...
- Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE): Cambridge upper intermediate level exam (Council of Europe level B2). Learn more...
- Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): Cambridge advanced level exam (Council of Europe level C1). Learn more...
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Cambridge superior level exam (Council of Europe level C2). Learn more...
Business English:
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Cambridge Business English Certificate (BEC): 3 levels (B1, B2, C1). This is a series of three Cambridge exams designed to test Business English. They are intended for candidates who intend to pursue a career in business. Learn more...
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Business Language Testing Service (BULATS): BULATS (Business Language Testing Service) is a test developed jointly by the University of Cambridge ESOL and three language institutes of international renown: Alliance Française, Goethe-Institute and the University of Salamanca. It allows schools, businesses, organizations or individuals to obtain a reasonably priced evaluation of their foreign language skills in the work context. BULATS assesses four languages: English, Spanish, German and French. Learn more…
- Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC): An examination recognized by recruitment agencies and companies internationally. TheTOEIC provides a single reference to determine the level of your employees particularly in the context of international mobility. The review assesses the level of communication skills in English in the international workplace. Learn more…
Learning abroad
To make that quantum leap forward, you can't beat spending time in the country where the language you are learning is spoken! If your period of residence is coupled with some top-quality executive language training, then you are onto a winner.
To get the most out of this potentially rewarding experience, there are a couple of points to bear in mind.
First, if your level is too low to hold a basic conversation, then you would be advised to take one of our intensive courses first, as you will need to have a sufficient command of the language to motivate you for your trip abroad.
Second, experience shows that one week is just enough. to realize how low your level is! A second week allows you to build on this awareness and make dramatic progress in speaking and understanding the language.
For over 10 years, Birdwell Institute has worked with language-training partners in other countries.
Also see our executive immersion and specialized immersion courses.
Our programs abroad are based in the UK, Germany and Italy Spain and the USA. In certain cases, these may be recognised for funding by training provisions in your own country.
Learn more !