How to do a language audit in a company...?

[strider]

Hi everyone,

After 4 years teaching in a Lycée, I'm going to change my job. I'll be working for a big engineering company who need an in-house trainer. It's a great opportunity for me and I'm looking forward to starting.

However the first thing I want to do when I get there is carry out a Language Audit, to find who needs what in terms of training. I have some ideas but I have never done this before. What should I do? How should I go about it?

I have a language test in mind, but I would like to use the audit as an opportunity to get the know the people in the company and find out what they want from their training.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

John

[joshua2004]

well, when I start with a new student, the audit I do is essentially the lessons and activies I do in the class as usual and then depending on how well they are performing, I adjust the lesson or change the lesson entirely, to meet their level. so I would suggest taking a look at how you will be teacing them and then use mini lessons to asses. That way you will know how ready they are for you and what you have to provide for them.

[Link_H]

I recently got a job for a large international bank. I am responsible for starting an English program for the country. I am not doing an English audit now, but my collegue in Thailand did one. He used the BULATS and HR got a lot of good information out of it.

I have just met with various heads of business throughout the bank to ascertain their needs and now I am rolling out some courses. Your organization should provide you with some materials to read or some training that tells you how to do a training needs identification and a training needs analysis. Realistically though, I am not going into such detail. I need to deliver some courses so I am starting out offering some low-level writing courses, not exactly EFL per se, but with an EFL component. Teaching the writing process can improve writing whether English competence increases or not, and businesses are interested in practical solutions, not starting a university.

My line manager was reassigned soon after I joined. He was going to introduce me to heads of business. He ended up emailing them. I asked a co-worker to draw up a chart of the corporate structure. He did with the names, and I used that to make appointments through email with heads of business. They introduced me to other people. I had dozens of conversations to identify needs. Look at what you have to teach and make suggestions when you meet with heads of business. Ask for specific details about the numbers of people who need each course, how many people they have working under them at each rank that need a particular kind of training, how English language problems hinder business, etc. Collect it all and keep good track of it. While you are having your discussion, you can mention the English language audit idea. Just choose your test. The heads of business won't know what you need to do. But do find out what kinds of questions they have about English language.

For example, in my organization, some heads of business think the English on the assessment used by HR is too difficult and prevents assistant managers from becoming executives. But the results of the Thailand English audit were that English language competence did not have a significant effect on the results of these tests.

Make sure you have your philosophy for training down before you go to these meetings. Training is to remedy a performance gap. It should address a lack of knowledge or skills needed for business. Training is not for motivation, fun, or for training's sake. It is not a reward, at least not from the trainer's perspective.

Btw, what is your email address. It would be great to have another trainer doing the same thing I am to correspond with. There is no English teacher's room in my local organization.

[strider]

Hello Link_H,

Thanks for your detailed response!

Funnily enough, the test I had in mind as BULATS - I've already had some training on this in my present post.

Like you, I will meet with the heads of departments and find out what their needs are. I think it will be important also to find how how much time is available - ie - can this employee spend an hour, two hours a week? In office hours or at lunchtime? etc.

I think it will be useful also to build up a picture of who speaks what. So, an engineer may be fluent in French and Spanish, but he needs English.

Perhaps also discovering what they liked and disliked in their previous language training experiences will be useful - at least to avoid the same mistakes!

As I said in my original post, I will be starting this job soon. When I do, I'll send you a Private Message with my e-mail address.

Thanks again,

John (strider)

[emile]

Hello Strider,

I am in the middle of using BULATS to test over 1000 employees at a bank, so I could certainly give you some useful feedback on it.

The bank tried the TOEIC test last year, but weren't happy with the results and they are happy with BULATS so far. The basics are this:

BULATS can be delivered as a computer-based test, which is very convenient. It takes about an hour to complete, but sometimes more.

BULATS can also test proficiency in Spanish, French and German.

BULATS speaking and writing tests are also available.

The ALTE level descriptors given on the BULATS site or on ALTE.org are just part of the information available. Try this link and you'll see that the richness of the research done on the ALTE descriptors by the CEF:

http://www.culture2.coe.int/portfolio/d ... 136txt.pdf


Contact me at [email protected] if you need more info.


Emile

[strider]

Hi emile,

I'd like to know more about your experience with Bulats, but I think that might be getting a bit off-topic so I'll start a new thread. I think it could be useful to share experiences and ideas about Bulats.

I look forward to your comments!