Connections in the Workplace
People often ask us, who is your most popular kind of student? Why do they want to learn another language? The answer to this question is a hard one to nail down. Many of our students are learning another language to prepare for upcoming travel, connect with family, or join our growing multicultural community. Yet more and more we are seeing another type of student – those looking to connect with others at their workplace.
We’ve had small, local business owners jump into our Spanish classes to learn to communicate more effectively with some of their employees. They not only seek to learn the language, but also cultural norms around communication, family, and work. Others are preparing for work trips across the Pacific, seeking to understand the basics of Japanese and Mandarin and customs before embarking on their journeys. These small class settings allow for people to ask questions specific to their needs to make sure they are fully prepared for their work situations.
Increasingly, local employers are also investing in their employees. Several have requested classes to aid their employees in speaking with colleagues, customers, clients, and patients. To meet this demand, we’re starting a new course called Everyday English. This multi-level course is designed to help people communicate in English with greater fluency. Taught by our experienced ESOL teacher, Lindsey Bakos, students will have the opportunity to practice their language skills in an engaging and friendly environment. It will take place at our outdoor classroom during the month of July on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:15-6:15pm – at the end of the workday to help meet our community’s needs.
Please join us for small, interactive language classes this summer! If you have any questions about our courses, please give us a call at 541-728-3022 or send us an email at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com.
