8 BUSINESS LANGUAGE SKILLS

Business Plus ! offers courses orientated towards day-to-day business affairs, the emphasis being on communication, written and oral.
The 8 options are in modules of 10 to 30 hours covering the following :

• the most requested business skills (presentations, meetings, negotiations, administrative duties)
• more language related skills outside of “the business environment”
• Or together, we can adapt a programme directly for your specific needs. Here’s a description of our 8 options reserved for in-company programmes:

• Language skills for Business Meetings
• Language skills for negotiation
• The Language of Presentations
• Language Skills for the Office (secretarial)
• Discovering a language
• Mastering the Target Language
• Economic and Social Belgium
• The Language of Human Resources

The 3 options (presentation, meeting, negotiations) offer solid and rapid training prior to having to speak in public, especially when you need to preside or actively participate in a meeting, conduct an interview or negotiate…

Our consultants offer dynamic coaching with a view to:

- increasing communication ease
- reinforcing the impact of what is being said
- taking advantage of a rehearsal with feedback and individualised focus

1. Language skills for Business Meetings

This module will give you the necessary linguistic skills to chair a meeting or to actively participate in one.

The aim here is to teach you an adequate and efficient vocabulary covering all the different phases of a business meeting from its initial preparation to decision–making. The participants are placed in real situations where they use idiomatic expressions and the appropriate terms. The permanent interaction and especially the role plays help them to prepare for the real thing.

This programme is geared towards professionals and businessmen.

It is set up in sessions of 90 minutes and covers, among others, the following points:

• The different types of meetings
• How to break in on the conversation
• Understanding the other participants
• How to avoid silences?
• How to ask questions?
• How to prepare oneself for questions and possible objections?

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: intermediate to advanced
Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs.

Overview 8 skills

2. Language skills for negotiation

The aim of this module is for you to acquire the language skills necessary to carry out negotiations effectively. It is based on simulations. The object of negotiation is to develop strategies through dialogue. It is necessary to know how to avoid confusion and especially conflicts. The aim, of course, is to obtain the expected results while maintaining a cordial atmosphere.

This course is geared towards professionals and businessmen. That is why we have set it up as a workshop, as it allows us to make the connection between your personal experience and, at the same time, work on eliminating the usual language errors.

This course, given by professionals in their field, is set up in sessions of 1 and a half hours and covers, among other things, the following points:

• How to define the objectives of a negotiation
• How to define his position
• How to listen to others
• How to manage conflicts
• How to deal in a business situation
• How to conclude negotiations

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: intermediate to advanced
Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs

Overview 8 skills

3. The Language of Presentations

This module is designed for the participant to acquire presentation and public speaking skills, from preparation to conclusion by improving target vocabulary and use of visual aid techniques. Also, correct and appropriate use of idioms and expressions, improvement of pronunciation and intonation in real life situations, will help you to achieve your specific aims, whether you are trying to sell an idea or to inform.

The course is aimed at professional and business people. For this reason, the module is constructed as a workshop allowing for personal and practical individual needs.

The course, given by professionals is set up in sessions of 1 and a half hours, which cover, among other things, the following points :

• What are the key elements of the plan
• How to use your voice
• How to plan a paper or report
• How to structure the report
• How to use body language
• How to lead effectively
• How to ask questions

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: intermediate to advanced
Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs

Overview 8 skills

4. The language of administration

This module covers the language skills needed to effectively carry out office and administrative work/duties.
Role plays, case studies, professional documents normally used by the student....this course is based on actual real work situations faced on a daily basis. These exercises enhance oral as well as written communication

This course is aimed at secretaries and others who wish to develop skills that can help them in their day-to day work.
An intensive course is also available to anyone, specifically for telephone manner, e-mail or business letters etc.

The course is set up in sessions of 1 and a half hours and is given by professionals and covers, among other things, the following points:

• How to work effectively on reception
• How to speak over the phone
• How to organise a business trip
• How to write a letter (offer, invoice, business letter....)
• How to write reports, summaries and memos

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: lower intermediate to advanced.
Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs

Overview 8 skills

5. Discovering a language (15 to 30 hours)

This module allows you to discover or review the essential basis of the target language. By the end of the programme, the basic vocabulary and simple language structures learned in class, will give you enough confidence to begin to speak about specific subjects with ease.
Right from the beginning the course is based on daily work situations and incorporates vocabulary and expressions adapted to business.
This intensive course has a flexible timetable and is a real spring-board for the student who wishes to learn a foreign language.

All THEMA courses are given by professionals. This is a 15-hour course (each session is 1h30 long) and covers, among others, the following points:

• How to introduce yourself
• How to present your company
• How to talk about your work and your leisure time
• How to receive and transmit information
• How to ask for directions
• Managing simple administrative/business contacts
• Telephone manner

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: Beginner to pre-intermediate
Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs

Overview 8 skills

6. Mastering the Target Language (15 or 30 hours)

This module enables you to practice and strengthen the target language. The aim here is to acquire additional communication ease when faced with various general or professional situations.

To increase your use of nuances in order to convince, persuade and inform, THEMA can offer the right course for you. These courses are given by experienced native-speakers.

Our teachers will motivate and encourage you to use nuanced vocabulary, idioms and precise language structures through material adapted to your profession.

Learning a language within a social or professional context enables you to quickly discern related cultural and social behaviour.

More specifically for expats in Brussels, a course designed to focus on day-to-day and professional life in Belgium allows the student not only to learn the language but also to become familiar with the institutions, and administrative steps which will accelerate integration.

This 15-hour course (sessions of 1 ½ hours) is given by professionals.

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: intermediate or advanced
Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs.

Overview 8 skills

7. Economic and Social Belgium

This module is geared towards learning a language within its cultural context. This method is the basis of language learning today. Why is THEMA different? THEMA is original in that the courses are focused on Brussels and Belgium.

Our aim is to teach you interactively, using subjects that will prompt discussion.
The objective remains the same whether you want to give an opinion or simply express your feelings: knowledge and correct use of nuances and appropriate structures.

This is the best possible way to increase your vocabulary beyond the level of professional jargon.

The courses are given by language teachers specialised in the chosen theme.
The reference material includes level-orientated grammar as well as up-to-date documents concerning political and current cultural events in Belgium.

• to master the target language
• to increase their understanding of their day-to-day life and work environment.
• to be up-to-date in current events in Brussels and Belgium.

Once we have determined your language level, we will ask you to fill in a questionnaire to help us correctly determine your expectations and needs.

Overview 8 skills

8. The Language of Human Resources

This module is geared towards increasing the impact of what you want to convey in specific subjects related to human resources.

This is a 15 hour course (sessions of 1 ½ hours) given by professionals. Some of the following points covered are:

• What is recruitment procedure?
• Conducting an interview.
• Negotiating a contract.
• How you relate to employees.
• Various presentations.
• Partnership negotiation.
• Conducting international and intercultural meetings.
• Interactions at Board of Directors level.
• How to run a personnel meeting.

WHO IS IT FOR?
Levels: intermediate or advanced.

Option "à la carte"

Thema also offers personalised business courses addressing specific needs.
For example, the module can be more explicitly adapted (e-mails, presentation, interview techniques). Or you can emphasise a course, which focuses on job related vocabulary.

We then tailor a programme related to your expressed demands.
Prices are determined by the structure needs and aims of the course.

Overview 8 skills

BUSINESS PLUS: Recapitulation