ABC offers a tailor-made range of language courses, from intensive one-to-one courses at our training centre, to long-term company training schemes held on the client's premises.

We are able to offer ALL modern languages of interest in the commercial and technical fields, as well as offering training for relocation, examination revision and leisure purposes.

Our staff are all mature, fully-qualified tutors, the majority of whom are native speakers, able to provide practical training at all levels. We use the most up-to-date materials, designed specifically for the world of work, supplemented by authentic texts and practice in real-life situations. Course content is, of naturally, decided after consultation with the client as to his/her aims and with due consideration to the level of the participants.

COURSE OPTIONS                          

ABC offers total flexibility in course design

Part-time training sessions for individuals or groups at your premises or ours, at any time during the day, in the evenings, or on Saturday mornings. They can cover various aspects of the target language, ranging from dealing with telephone calls to handling foreign documentation or simply achieving 'survival' level for a projected visit. The number of hours taken each week, and the length of the course, naturally depend on the company's aims and the original level and ability of the participants.

Please note that we are able to arrange classes with very flexible schedules, for example for staff who travel a lot and find it difficult to keep to a pre-arranged timetable.

Intensive and semi-intensive courses are usually held at our premises, to enable clients to concentrate fully on the language-learning process. Courses can, naturally, focus on any area of the language that the client wishes to specify, and provide from three to six hours a day in the classroom, with an optional extra hour's contact time available if the tutor-accompanied lunch option is taken.

We adopt a 'total immersion' approach, using English only when it is essential for clear comprehension and to expedite the learning process. We use real-life situations and materials as much as possible and can provide staff with relevant commercial/technical experience to deal with any special problems. We try to teach techniques which will enable the client to manage by himself: reading for gist, developing listening capabilities and acquiring social skills.

By the end of a two-week course, a complete beginner should be able to hold a simple conversation, 'survive' in the country in question, and have a reasonable grasp of the most important vocabulary in their field. Of course, clients starting with greater knowledge will be able to reach a proportionately higher level.

These courses can be arranged for individuals or groups; we can take a maximum of ten participants in the same group, and to study together they would need to be of approximately the same standard and with the same objectives. Naturally, providing a course for a group is more cost-effective than for an individual, and we can offer very substantial discounts for group bookings. We are also very happy to negotiate special rates for on-going company training schemes.

ASSESSMENT & EXAMINATIONS

ABC has been in the forefront of implementing the European Language Portfolio in private and commercial language training. The portfolio is a portable, transferable record of all your language learning achievements, whether gained formally or informally. It applies to all languages, not only European, and is recognised throughout the EU and increasingly in other countries.

The ELP is particularly applicable to adult learners as it is flexible and personal, so you can gain credit for the practical achievements that matter to you, as you go along, rather than having to follow a fixed examination course without any idea of the progress you have made until the end. It also means that you can still have a valuable record of your skills even if you are not able to attend classes on a regular basis.

Of course, traditional examinations do have their place, and many clients like or need to achieve a recognised award at the end of their course. ABC is a London Chamber of Commerce Centre and offers the full range of their examinations, and as an OCR centre we also offer the CBLC suite of examinations. Most other recognised qualifications are available on request. If you would like to know more about the options available, please ask.

FOLLOW-UP

When a client finishes a course, s/he is given a full progress report with recommendations for future study and guidance for self-help. Each client is also given a Certificate stating the final level in terms of the Common European Framework.  

Most clients find it very useful to arrange follow-up lessons after an intensive course where they can bring their real-life experiences back into the classroom. This helps to consolidate what they have previously learned in theory and puts the language they have encountered into context. Even if there is no need for the client to pursue formal study to a high level over a long period, a few regular sessions, arranged to fit in with work patterns can be enormously beneficial and add real value to the original course. We offer preferential rates for follow-up classes.

EUROPEAN LANGUAGE COURSES - PRICES

These prices apply to all  European  languages, as well as others using standard Roman script. Please enquire for highly specialised courses or  other languages (e.g. Russian, Japanese, Mandarin) which do not use Roman script.

These are examples of our most commonly-requested timetables; most schedules can be accommodated - please tell us your requirements.

INTENSIVE COURSES

SEMI-INTENSIVE COURSES

PART-TIME COURSES

Weekend lessons by arrangement: please enquire                                                      

Above prices apply to classes held at ABC Languages, Cambridge.

NON-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE COURSES - PRICES

These prices apply to standard courses in  languages which do not use Roman script. Please ask for a quotation for specialist courses.

These are examples of our most commonly-requested timetables; most schedules can be accommodated - please tell us your requirements.

INTENSIVE COURSES

SEMI-INTENSIVE COURSES

PART-TIME COURSES

Weekend lessons by arrangement – please enquire

Don't forget that we offer a full range of foreign language services including translation, interpreting and cultural briefing.

For further details of all our language courses, please contact us.

Copyright © 2008 ABC Languages Ltd. All rights reserved.