subject: New, Shorter Language Courses for Entrepreneurs and Professionals [print this page] New, Shorter Language Courses for Entrepreneurs and Professionals
In non-English-speaking countries, the popularity of learning to speak the English language has been increasing recently. School-going children in South Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan are now encouraged to study the English language as part of their academic syllabus. This is a far cry from a decade ago when there were few recognised institutes offering English language training. However, the quality of English taught in these institutes is often insufficient to help students use the language confidently. This is the main reason why most of the new schools popping up across the United Kingdom, United States of America and other English-speaking countries, cater for students from non-English-speaking countries.
To date, a large number of enrolments has been from students keen to pursue their higher education in universities where English is the language of instruction. While studying abroad, most students hope that, in addition to securing an internationally accepted degree, they will learn to speak and write English fluently. However, the trend seems to have been changing over the past couple of years. Although students remain the main target audience for English language schools, business people and entrepreneurs have emerged as a sizeable group among those seeking admission to these schools.
In a rapidly globalising business environment, a common language for communication and commerce has become essential. For long, China and other non-English-speaking countries have preferred to let their technology and manufacturing output do the talking. Meanwhile, they have been facing stiff competition from smaller countries that do not have to contend with the language barrier. This could be a key reason why China-based companies and other South Asian multinational giants are spending time and money on training their professionals in European languages, especially English, German, French and Spanish.
Many companies are even sending their managers and other senior officials to the United Kingdom for short, specialised English language courses. Customised course curriculums for professionals focus on helping them to read, write and understand English. For those wishing to enrol on an English course London not only offers them the chance to learn the language, but also the opportunity to use it in their day-to-day life. The increasing numbers of professionals and entrepreneurs enrolling to learn English in London indicates how fluency in the language has become an essential skill for modern international trade and commerce.
