Foreign Language Training
Politismos offers courses open to the general public in language and cultural awareness and tailor-made training to individuals and small groups in the Hull, Beverley and surrounding area.
For courses open to the general public, please go to EFL or Foreign Language links.
Reasons for learning a language or about a culture are many and varied. Maybe you are going abroad on holiday or business. Maybe there is the prospect of working or buying a house abroad. Perhaps you just wish to expand your horizons. Equally many and varied, unfortunately, are the reasons why many people give up. It may be inconvenience of time or place of the class, a loss of motivation, unrealistic expectations or other things in busy lives just having to take precedence.
Politismos aims to make sure this does not happen by
- Using skilled, motivating and motivated trainers/tutors
- Providing training programmes designed to your language/cultural needs and requirements
- Providing training programmes of a manageable length at a time and place that suit you
- Setting achievable goals
In other words training and learning takes place at your convenience, at a time you want it and where you are at that time. If you are away on holiday or on business, that can be allowed for in the programme. All initial training programmes begin with a brief no-charge consultation at your convenience. This is to help us find out your needs and requirements and to set realisable goals for the time you are able to commit to training and learning in order to reach your overall objective. A training/learning programme will then be created and agreed on. Your expectations will, therefore, not be unrealistic and are much more likely to be met.
Which language or culture?
Politismos can help you with most major languages and cultures. Learning a language implies gaining an insight into the culture of the region or regions where it is spoken. Similarly, to become aware of the culture of a region is difficult without learning something about the languages spoken there. So much of a culture is transmitted through word. Language and culture are, therefore, inextricably mixed. In accordance with your requirements and objectives your training programme will, however, probably emphasise one or the other.
Where and when?
Most training programmes will comprise a mix of face-to-face "taught" classes and private study and practice. Programmes with a cultural bias will probably require less private study and practice of language skills. If you really only have time, however, to attend and learn during the contact hours, progress can still be made, if at a slower pace, and, as a consequence, your expectations and goals must be realistic. Individual study and practice can, of course, be done at times of your own choosing, bearing in mind that little and often is better than a lot occasionally.
A training programme will typically last ten to twelve weeks. The number of contact hours weekly is agreed in that programme. These would normally be two-hour sessions, although other arrangements can be made.
The "classroom" will, generally speaking, be a room in your home or possibly it may be your office. Occasionally, where appropriate, it could even be a café or restaurant or some other public place. A comfortable chair for everybody is an absolute minimum, probably with a table. Obviously the availability of flipchart, whiteboard, TV, DVD player, computer, internet access etc can all enhance the experience, but these are optional.
Where appropriate, either on a regular basis or as need dictates, it may also be possible to arrange telephone classes or even contact time via the internet.
Tutors and trainers
The director of Politismos is Howard Jopp with over 20 years experience in teaching and training EFL, French, German and Italian. Half of this time has been spent abroad in Asia, North Africa and Europe with the last ten years spent in Hull in further and higher education as well as doing freelance work teaching clients privately in the local area and abroad in France and Finland.
Trainers employed by Politismos are locally-based and come from a variety of backgrounds. The majority will already be involved in education locally. Some may be native speakers of English while others may be native speakers of the language you are learning. Some may also possess particular skills and knowledge, e.g. business experience, apart from language. Whoever becomes your tutor/trainer, you can be sure they will be capable of meeting your needs and keeping you motivated.
Tutors will also make themselves available, within reason, for answering queries by email or telephone.
Programme design
The programme is designed on the basis of a needs analysis during an initial no-charge consultation and with the input of both the trainer/tutor and learners. Areas taken into account, amongst others, are your current language competence, the time you wish to commit, your reasons for learning and your desired goals and objectives.
The programme includes the core time of agreed contact hours and an agreed amount of time for private study and practice. Typically this may be a ten-week programme of five hours a week, of which two are contact hours.
Programme content and activities
It is difficult even to generalise here as everybody's needs are different, as are the languages and cultures and the emphasis given to one or the other. Naturally a programme with a cultural bias would require more reading and discussion. Language courses will require more oral practice and time spent practising and improving various skills such as speaking and listening, reading and writing, as well as vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation exercises.
Learning materials
There will usually be a commercially-produced book to be purchased to be used as a core text and, in the case of language study, a dictionary and possibly a grammar book will also be recommended. Other materials used by the tutors may be original material produced by themselves, other books on the subject, newspaper articles, websites, listening materials, films, TV programmes etc
Individual or group?
You decide. Do the programme on your own or find some friends, family or colleagues to do it with you. An individual programme certainly gives more flexibility, more individual contact time with the tutor and can be tailor-made for your requirements. On the other hand learning as part of a group reduces the cost, provides a more supportive environment and makes more interactive activities possible. A certain amount of flexibility is lost, however, and the objectives of the programme are slightly less specific to your needs.
Cost
The cost depends on location, the trainer, the number in the group, the language/culture in question and the number of contact hours in the programme. Contact us to get an approximate idea of what a programme for you might cost.
