During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous companies shifted their operations online and have continued to do so even once the pandemic subsided. These companies also recognise the benefits of online courses, such as increased time efficiency and improved language skills among employees. The shift towards online communication in the business world also provides employees with opportunities to practice the language in real-life situations. In many cases, online courses are the only viable option, especially in instances of remote work or dispersed teams. As a result, online implementation not only facilitates learning in a group but also serves as a team-building opportunity.

However, some companies still prefer in-person courses when feasible. This is mainly because they guarantee employee attendance and provide a break from screen time. In some cases, a negative experience with online training may also drive the preference for in-person courses. When making a choice on the mode of delivery, we always take into consideration the client’s preferences and offer our professional advice. Ultimately, the most crucial factor is to provide companies with a language trainer who has the relevant expertise to effectively educate employees.

Our language coaches have the proper linguistic education and experience in language teaching. They are experienced instructors who make each individual the focus of the course. They have undergone a thorough onboarding process to ensure they are fully familiar with our teaching method. This includes receiving mentorship from our education team and participating in regular training sessions led by our internal or external lecturers.

At LanguageSitter, we also work with native speakers who may not have a formal linguistic education but bring significant added value, particularly in terms of cultural specificity and language nuances.

We carefully select a language trainer who will effectively address your language needs based on their knowledge, experience, and interests.

We are also flexible in terms of the course location and will adapt to your preferences. Even though our offices are located in Ljubljana, our LanguageSitters® are spread throughout Slovenia. This allows us to provide language training services in virtually any location. If the course is conducted in person and outside of Ljubljana, we factor in travel costs while setting the price, but we always strive to optimise them. For instance, we may hire language trainers from the local area or schedule the courses consecutively to minimise travel expenses. It is also in our interest to keep additional expenses to a minimum.

With complete beginners, notable progress can be achieved even after just 30 hours of an individual course, particularly if the individual is willing to also work on their language skills outside of the course. We typically recommend a 60-hour course for beginners to achieve a level of comprehension where they can understand basic messages and respond to them. We always tailor the course programme to meet the individual’s needs. Focusing on particular workplace scenarios can also facilitate remarkable progress within a relatively brief period. Additionally, we provide individuals with online resources to encourage independent language use.

To brush up on the knowledge, shorter courses of 10 or 20 hours are usually enough. Many clients also opt for a longer course duration, scheduling meetings with a language coach once a week. This enables them to get ready for the language challenges of the coming week and resolve language ambiguities in real-time.

The content of an individual or group course is customised to meet the specific needs and requirements of the individual or company. Given that each company, department, and individual has unique linguistic needs and requirements, we design a tailored programme for each client. We do not offer pre-packaged solutions for “business English” as it is too broad a term to be covered with a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we prefer to understand the specific needs and requirements of your workplace to deliver tailored training that addresses your unique context.

Typically, it takes approximately one week to properly organise everything once an offer is confirmed. For instance, assessing the knowledge and preparing a training proposal and offer for five employees takes a day, whereas preparing the same for 150 employees can take up to a week or two.
Upon confirming the offer, an additional week is typically required for preparation, including the planning of the programme and schedule, selection and preparation of a language trainer, and communication of the next steps to the client or participants. In summary, from the initial conversation to the start of courses, it typically takes two weeks, but we have also organised courses in as little as two days. In case of urgency, the LanguageSitter® team can expedite the process.

To provide an indicative offer, we require the number of participants, the intended course volume, and the preferred number of groups in case of multiple participants (with groups typically consisting of 3 to 8 people).

The final offer can be prepared after identifying the company’s requirements and assessing the participants’ prior knowledge. Afterwards, we will send you a training proposal that will detail the allocation of participants into groups, the course’s extent, and potential specificities.

Just like with group courses, it is crucial to recognise requirements and test prior knowledge. However, with individual courses, we take an even more tailored approach that concentrates solely on the needs and preferences of one person. Following the discussion with the employee, we summarise our findings and use them as a basis for providing a proposal for language education.

Slovenian is also part of our comprehensive list of languages offered at LanguageSitter®. Slovenian courses, both for individuals and groups, are gaining popularity. In most cases, clients aim to facilitate the integration of employees from abroad into a new living and working environment through language training, even if English is the primary language used in these companies.

If the courses are scheduled during the workday, we recommend also taking into account the cost of employees’ time spent attending the course. As this is usually not negligible, it is important for employers to find the most efficient language course for their employees. We are confident that with thorough preparation and a fully personalised programme, we can optimise the duration and scope of the course. Before making a final decision, consider reviewing our references or—better yet—asking someone you trust for their experience working with us.

Our quick response and comprehensive organisation of the course not only ensure a smooth process but also save valuable time for our clients’ representatives in charge of language education. It may seem that only the selected language trainer is responsible for the course, but behind them is an entire education team responsible for the content and possible real-time adjustments.

When selecting the right language coach for you, we take into consideration multiple factors such as your language needs, preferences, current language skills, location, and schedule. Based on the information provided, our education department will carefully select the most appropriate language coach for you. We will inform you about our selection before the course starts, and prior to your first meeting, the language coach will also send you a welcome message.

In general, the optimal frequency of meetings is 2 times per week, with each session lasting for an hour and a half (90 minutes). This schedule is especially recommended for individuals who are already in (fairly) regular contact with the target language and are looking for a fast and efficient way to improve.

We suggest more frequent meetings for those who urgently require knowledge but are new to learning the language. For individuals who already possess a strong understanding and regularly use the language, or wish to consistently improve over an extended period, we recommend scheduling meetings once a week.

After the meetings, the language coach will also provide you with engaging content in a foreign language, enabling you to stay in contact with the language outside the course.

Our courses are offered both online and in-person throughout Slovenia. If the course entails any travel costs, we will inform you in advance. Although our offices are located in Ljubljana, we always strive to find a LanguageSitter from your area. We are flexible when it comes to location: the course can be held at your home, workplace, or a café of your choice.

Of course! With individual courses, we can work around your schedule and set the date and time that suit you best. Finding the right language coach at the times of your choice is our priority. However, we recommend considering other time options that work well for both you and the language coach we think would best fit your needs. If the selected LanguageSitter is not available at your desired time, we will work with you to explore alternative options.

While it is true that our prices may be higher compared to other providers, we believe that our tailored approach to meeting your specific needs and utilising your own materials makes our method extremely effective. As a result, you will require fewer lessons and spend less time learning the language, making it more cost-effective in the long term.

In our experience, a noticeable improvement typically requires a continuous 3-month course, which is approximately equivalent to a 30-hour package. The effectiveness of the course also depends on your current language level, language exposure, your additional engagement outside of the course, the language you are learning, and other factors. During this time, beginners can learn the basics of the language and start communicating in simple everyday situations, while more advanced learners can make significant progress in specific areas they wish to improve.

Upon confirmation of the offer, we need roughly one week to organise everything. During this time, we will carefully choose a language coach, arrange a schedule that works for all parties involved, and prepare a well-planned programme. To summarise, the time frame from our initial conversation to the start of the course typically spans about seven days. However, in the event of time constraints, we will make every effort to expedite the preparation process.

It is believed that achieving independent use of a foreign language requires between 400 and 600 hours of study, with a minimum of half of these hours dedicated to independent learning, which must take place (almost) every day. The level of a basic user, who can understand and respond to basic speech in the target language using simple sentences, can be achieved within 90 hours of consistent work.

Below, we have listed the key factors that have an impact on the speed of language learning:

Past experience with language learning. Learning foreign languages becomes increasingly easier and faster with each new language learned, especially if the new language belongs to the same language family.
Language selection. Becoming fluent in languages from vastly different language families or those using unfamiliar sounds and vocabulary not written in the Latin script will require a more substantial time investment.
Your personal standards for language proficiency. Language serves as a tool for communication, and in order to effectively communicate, one must have a conversation partner. Therefore, the main criterion for language proficiency should be the ability to effectively understand and be understood by one’s conversation partner. Despite the mistakes.
Time dedicated to learning a language. In addition to taking a course, it is important to actively practice and immerse oneself in the language outside of the course. Limiting language learning only to a language school can impede progress and significantly slow down the learning process, as opposed to incorporating the language into daily life. We will gladly help you find ways to achieve that.
Exposure to language. The more opportunities you have to actively practice the language, the quicker the learning process will be.
Course selection. Maximise language progress by combining self-study with expert guidance, especially if independent learning is a new challenge for you. In group courses, the progress is determined by the group’s overall pace. Individual courses ensure faster progress as your progress is not slowed down by the number of participants.

Significant improvement was usually observed after just 30 hours, though basic users are advised to enrol in a 60-hour course for optimal results. Reach out to us for a comprehensive course proposal.