Corporate Courses: Trainers & Training Methodology
Cactus Language Trainers
Our trainers are crucial to the success of our courses. We work with a wide range of language trainers who will bring expertise, experience and excellence to your class.
Every Cactus trainer is a qualified, experienced native speaker, or they are completely bilingual (having studied or lived abroad). We will choose an appropriate trainer for you based upon the participants’ needs and level. We liaise closely with all our teachers, and as experienced teachers ourselves, feel we can provide the necessary academic support and guidance to make sure that the classes remain effective and targeted.
Read selected trainer profiles
Pedagogical Approach: Training Methodology
Lessons will generally follow an integrated skills approach. Classes will focus on functional/notional (‘can do’) areas, and then work on the language skills required to achieve competence in those areas. These will typically consist of a mix of structural, lexical and cultural items. A class focusing on being able to ask for information may, for example, include work on question forms, politeness, appropriate intonation, and phrases to attract attention.
In terms of course delivery, Cactus trainers follow an ‘Active Learning’ approach. Students are to be engaged in the target language, and that language has to be relevant to life outside the classroom. We believe that language only really means something when it is used in authentic and useful ways.
Cactus trainers will:
- Use the target language whenever possible when teaching
- Ask learners to create realistic and meaningful language
- Put new language and ideas into practice as soon as possible
- Use techniques to structure you into using the target language
- Include lots of listening to the target language
- Systematically teach the grammatical structures, vocabulary, and functional language necessary to achieve learning aims
- Work on pronunciation techniques – phonemes, intonation, stress patterns – to ensure you can be understood by others
- Ensure that all learning is relevant to your stated objectives
- Keep challenge and interest levels high at all times
Trainers will also systematically review and recycle new language to ensure it remains active and memorable.
Excellent teaching. Katrin really has the ideal personality for teaching and explains everything so well that it really sticks.
Sandra Garnham, Prinovis, German