Learning English and employability

Tas Viglatzis
Business people stood together around a laptop in a office
Reading time: 4 minutes

English not only opens up career opportunities beyond national borders; it is a key requirement for many jobs. It’s also no longer a case of just learning English for employability, but mastering English for business – and that means an on-going commitment to learn.

My experience is consistent with this trend. If I had to estimate the value that being fluent in English has had on my career, I'd say it was my entire life’s earnings. Learning English has offered me educational options beyond the borders of my own country and enabled me to develop the skills to work for global companies that operate across national boundaries. I have been privileged to work in different countries in roles that have spanned functions, geographies and markets – and my ability to learn and evolve my English skills has been an underlying factor throughout.

Mastering English for employability
Reproducir
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree ÃÛÌÒapp can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

How I improved my English

I grew up in Greece, where – as is common in many European countries with languages that aren’t widely spoken – learning a second European language is part of the education system. As a result, my first encounter with English was through the Franklin approach, which focuses on grammar and writing rather than all the four core skills. This meant I could read and write very well, yet when I first arrived in the UK I couldn’t hold a simple conversation in the pub.

It’s a common problem with traditional educational approaches that don’t cover all the learning skills – something still evident in many countries globally. In Japan, for example, after years of focusing on reading and writing there’s now a strong desire to teach students to understand spoken English and speak fluently.

I was fortunate to complete my postgraduate studies in the UK. This was challenging because I had to raise my English to a much higher standard. I also had to improve my conversational English to enjoy a social life, which was a pretty powerful motivator. I surrounded myself with people who only spoke English, because hearing and using the language regularly are powerful tools in more easily understanding others, and making yourself understood.

Precision learning in the workplace

This approach, together with formal learning, eventually paid off for me. However, once I entered the workplace, I found that there were many new aspects of English to learn.

One of the main barriers to learning at different levels and applications of English – for university, for friendships, for work – is knowing precisely where you are at any stage of your learning journey, and knowing where you need to go next (and how best to get there). As I found, this is compounded when you enter the workplace where you also have new skills to learn in a second language, from IT to soft skills such as negotiation.

If I had been given a precise learning path to help me in my first job, or to get my second job and so on, then my end goals could have been reached more quickly and easily. Yes, I was highly motivated to learn, but what worked for me does not necessarily work for others – especially since professionals who learn English for work often have very little time.ÌýAnd with greater technology advances, we all now expect much faster results.

Crucially, whatever the learning methods and tools are, this points to two most challenging factors in English teaching and learning: making real progress and staying motivated.

In the past, progress in language learning has been measured in broad levels. Common scales, and the curriculum tied to them, are not always best designed to reflect the four skills or different applications, such as academic versus business.

These measures were increasingly being exposed as incomplete and no longer being fit for purpose. It is that need that led to the extensive global research and development into the Global Scale of English (GSE) – a precise, standardised measure of proficiency from 10 to 90 across the four skills.

The GSE extends the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR); its steps are much more granular and it provides a powerful, focused motivator for further learning throughout your career. It includes sets of learning objectives as "can do" statements at each level; because these are tailored to the learning environment – for example, for work – learning goals and measures of progress are more relevant and accurate. That, in turn, leads to greater engagement and increased motivation.

The future of language learning in the workplace

The key trends of personalisation and adaptive learning are driving the future of English language learning. Online methods and the use of big data analytics and tools continues to expand and increase in sophistication, enabling English language learning to become more specific to individual needs, learning styles and capabilities while offering improved measurement of impact and results. This is vital because language learners learn at different rates and in different ways.

Technology is also helping us support another trend: increasing demand by learners for specific interventions and focus on micro-skills and competencies. As our ability to understand individual needs improves we will become better equipped to provide solutions that concentrate on what’s important for English learners and their careers, such as interviewing in English, running an effective meeting or being able to better express thoughts in writing.

There is a big opportunity for English language learning to embrace those trends, which is why we’re so excited with what we’re doing with the GSE: it gives us the necessary framework to offer flexibility of learning and increased levels of personalisation to English language learners, while ensuring that our products and solutions complement each other. Crucially, it also allows us to measure and show our learners their actual progress.

Finally, it’s important to remember that we never stop learning. Even after living in the UK for 20 years, I still find new words and expressions that open up new possibilities – both in and out of the workplace.

Read our blog posts "Internships: how they improve language skills"Ìýand "How adult learners navigate English language learning".

Learn about the GSE

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • A group of children sat in a park high fiving each other

    Back to school: 5 team building activities to help break down boundaries

    Por Anna Roslaniec

    At the beginning of term adolescent learners are often shy, embarrassed and awkward. They are reluctant to speak English in front of their peers or show enthusiasm in class, often suffering from social pressure and lack of self-confidence. It can take weeks or months for students to get to know each other and form bonds. However, don’t despair if your teen learners are like this. There are plenty of team-building games and activities you can do to help students build relationships that will allow them to feel comfortable and relaxed in the classroom.

  • A girl holding a pile of books smiling in a room with large sheves of books.

    How to bring Shakespeare to life in the classroom

    Por Anna Roslaniec

    The 23rd of April marks the birth (and death) of William Shakespeare: poet, playwright and pre-eminent dramatist. His poems and plays have been translated into 80 languages, even Esperanto and Klingon.

    It is remarkable how Shakespeare’s iconic body of work has withstood the test of time. More than four centuries on, his reflections on the human condition have lost none of their relevance. Contemporary artists and writers continue to draw on his language, imagery and drama for inspiration.

    But, despite the breadth and longevity of his appeal, getting students excited about Shakespeare is not always straightforward. The language is challenging, the characters may be unfamiliar and the plots can seem far removed from modern life.

    However, with the right methods and resources, there is plenty for teenagers and young adults to engage with. After all, love, desperation, jealousy and anger are feelings we can all relate to, regardless of the age group, culture or century we belong to!
    So, how can you bring classic Shakespearean dramas like Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth to life?

    There are many ways for your learners to connect with Shakespeare and get excited by his works. Here we’ll show you three classroom activities to do with your students and some indispensable resources to ensure that reading Shakespeare is as accessible and enjoyable as possible!

    Ìý

  • A group of young people sat at a table discussing with a woman stood up

    How to get teenagers to think critically

    Por Anna Roslaniec

    Critical thinking is a 21st century skill that has been around for thousands of years. There are records of Socrates using critical thinking skills in his teaching in 4th century BC Greece. In recent years though, critical thinking has again become more prominent in education.

    What is critical thinking?

    Critical thinking requires students to do more than remember and repeat information. Instead, it encourages them to analyze, examine, evaluate and use their problem-solving abilities through questioning, theorizing and rationalizing to have a deeper understanding of the world around them, both inside the classroom and beyond.

    Why is critical thinking so important?

    In the past, success in education was largely based on the ability to remember facts and figures. However, the skills which our students need today go further than memorization. With our rapidly evolving technology, the internet, and the bewildering amount of information online, it is essential that our students can use higher-order thinking skills to analyze and assess the information they are presented with.

    How can you incorporate critical thinking into your classes?

    Devising long-term goals

    We all know the importance of looking ahead and planning for the future. We can encourage this skill in our students and directly relate it to their learning.

    At the start of the course, take a moment to chat with each student individually and ask them to identify an objective for the first part of the year. You may like to brainstorm possible objectives as a class first, but it’s important for students to determine their own personal objectives, rather than imposing objectives on them.

    During the first half of the year you can talk to each student about their progress and ask them to assess to what extent they’re achieving their goals.

    The key point comes at the end of the semester when students evaluate their progress and set a new objective for the following one.

    Analyzing

    The ability to analyze options, risks and opinions will help your students in the future in many situations, including when they decide which course to take at university or which job to take.

    You can practice this skill by providing students with relatable situations and asking them to analyze and compare the options.

    For example:

    Imagine you are taking a trip with some friends this summer. You have a number of different options and want to discuss them before finalizing your plans. Talk to a partner about the different trips and decide which would be best:

    • Traveling around Europe by train for a month ($1,000)
    • A weekend hiking and camping in the countryside ($200)
    • A weekend break in a big city, with shopping, sightseeing and museum trips ($500)
    • A week-long trip to the beach in an all-inclusive resort ($650)

    Anticipating consequences

    Students also need to have an awareness of the consequences of their actions; this is a skill which is transferable to making business decisions, as well as being important in their everyday lives.

    To practice this skill, put students into small groups and give them the first part of a conditional sentence. One student completes the sentence and then the next student adds a consequence to that statement.

    For example:

    Student A: If I don’t study for my English exam, I won’t pass.

    Student B: If I don’t pass my English exam, my parents won’t let me go out this weekend.

    Student C: If I can’t go out this weekend, I’ll miss the big football match.

    Student D: My coach won’t let me play next year if I miss the big match.

    Rearranging the class menu

    By giving students more responsibility and having them feel invested in the development of the lesson, they will be much more motivated to participate in the class.

    Occasionally, let students discuss the content of the day’s class. Give them a list of tasks for the day, including how long each will take and allow them to discuss the order in which they’ll complete them. For larger classes, first have them do it in pairs or small groups and then vote as a whole class.

    Write on the board:

    • Class discussion (5 minutes)

    The following tasks can be done in the order you decide as a class. You have five minutes to discuss and arrange the tasks as you choose. Write them on the board in order when you’re ready.

    • Check homework (5 minutes)
    • Vocabulary review (10 minutes)
    • Vocabulary game (5 minutes)
    • Reading activity (15 minutes)
    • Grammar review game (5 minutes)
    • Speaking activity (10 minutes)

    Take this one step further by asking your students to rate each activity out of 10 at the end of the class. That way, you’ll easily see which tasks they enjoy, helping you plan more engaging lessons in the future.