My experience teaching English to companies

Since 2017, most of my teaching has been for companies. Through international training providers such as Learnship, and since 2021 Speexx in Germany and ACA – Ateliers de conversation anglaise in Québec, I have taught Business English to managers, engineers, analysts, salespeople, assistants and technicians from many industries and countries. Before that, I spent many years in corporate finance in Canada, where my working life began in 1981. That double perspective, first as an employee who used English at work every day and later as a teacher who helps others do the same, shapes everything I do in corporate classes.

In this article I share what I have learned about teaching English to companies: what corporate learners really need, how I design a programme, the most common challenges and the results that companies and employees can expect. If you are an HR manager, a team leader or a professional whose company offers English training, this is for you.

How corporate English is different

A student who learns English for pleasure can take their time, explore topics and follow a general course book. A corporate learner has different conditions:

• Limited time. Classes compete with meetings, deadlines and travel. Every minute must be useful.
• Concrete goals. The learner needs to present a quarterly report, lead a call with the head office, negotiate with a supplier or pass an internal assessment.
• Real pressure. Mistakes in English at work can have consequences: a misunderstood instruction, a lost client, a poor impression in front of a director.
• Specialised vocabulary. Finance, logistics, engineering, pharmaceuticals, software or tourism each have their own terms.
• Mixed confidence. Many professionals are experts in their field but feel insecure in English, which affects how they participate.

Because of this, corporate English must be practical, personal and closely connected to the learner's job.

Step one: the needs analysis and CEFR assessment

Every corporate programme I teach begins with two things. The first is an initial language assessment based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), from A1/A2 (basic) through B1/B2 (intermediate) to C1/C2 (advanced). I assess speaking, listening, reading and writing separately, because professional profiles are rarely balanced. An engineer may read technical documents at C1 but speak at B1. A salesperson may speak fluently at B2 but write emails full of errors.

The second is a needs analysis. I ask questions such as:

• In which situations do you use English at work, and how often?
• Who are you communicating with: colleagues, clients, suppliers, management?
• Which situations make you feel most uncomfortable?
• What would success look like in six months?
• Are there specific events coming up, such as a presentation, an audit or a trip?

With this information, we define clear objectives. For example: "Lead the weekly team meeting in English without notes by June," or "Write client emails that need no corrections from the manager." Read CEFR levels explained to understand what each level means in practice.

What corporate learners practise most

My method in corporate classes

1. Use the learner's real materials

The most powerful materials are the ones from the learner's own job. Students bring an email they need to send, a presentation they are preparing, a report they must summarise or a meeting agenda. We work on that material together: improving structure, vocabulary and tone, and then practising aloud. Learners immediately see the value of the class, because they use the result the same day.

2. Speak from the first minute

Many professionals have studied grammar for years but have rarely practised speaking under realistic conditions. In my classes, we speak from the first minute: role-plays of meetings, simulated client calls, mini-presentations, discussions about industry news. Speaking time is the main ingredient of confidence.

3. Correct what matters most

Correcting every small mistake interrupts communication and destroys confidence. I focus on errors that affect understanding, that repeat frequently or that could create a poor impression at work. I note them during the activity and review them at the end, with clear explanations and new examples.

4. Build a personal phrase bank

Each learner builds a personal document of useful expressions for their situations: opening a meeting, asking for clarification, presenting a result, disagreeing politely. Over time, this becomes a powerful tool they can review before important events.

5. Work on pronunciation and fluency

Clear pronunciation changes how professionals are perceived. We work on word stress, intonation, the sounds that are difficult for each learner's first language and connected speech. The goal is not to remove an accent but to be understood easily.

6. Keep a steady rhythm

Regular sessions, usually once or twice a week, produce much better results than occasional intensive days. Between sessions, learners do short practice tasks connected to their work. Read the daily English habit.

One-to-one or group classes?

Both formats work, for different purposes.

• One-to-one coaching is ideal for managers, people preparing specific events and learners with very particular needs. Every minute is focused on one person.
• Small groups of two to six colleagues work well for teams that share situations, such as a sales team or a project team. They practise together the meetings and calls they actually have, and they build a shared vocabulary.

In groups, I make sure everyone speaks, not only the most confident person. Shy participants often surprise their colleagues once they have space and structure.

Common challenges, and how we solve them

"I don't have time"

This is the number one challenge. The solution is shorter, more focused sessions, flexible scheduling across time zones and practice that uses real work tasks, so that learning and working overlap. Read working across time zones.

"I understand, but I can't speak"

Very common among professionals with strong reading skills. We work on fluency gradually: short, structured speaking tasks that become longer and more spontaneous. See from fear to fluency.

"I'm afraid of making mistakes in front of colleagues"

Corporate culture can make people afraid of looking incompetent. A respectful, relaxed class environment is essential. Mistakes are information, not failures. Many learners tell me that the class is the first place where they feel safe speaking English.

"My level is stuck"

Intermediate plateaus are normal. Breaking them requires new challenges: more complex tasks, richer vocabulary, feedback on recurring errors and more authentic listening. Read common mistakes when studying English.

What companies gain

Companies invest in English training because communication problems are expensive. Misunderstandings delay projects, poor emails damage client relationships and talented employees who cannot communicate in English remain underused. The benefits I have seen include:

• Employees who participate actively in international meetings instead of staying silent.
• Clearer emails and reports that need fewer corrections.
• Faster collaboration with colleagues and partners in other countries.
• Greater confidence in client presentations and negotiations.
• Internal promotions of people who were previously limited by language.
• Higher motivation and loyalty: employees value companies that invest in their growth.

Measuring progress

Corporate training should show results. I measure progress in several ways: comparison with the initial CEFR assessment, observation of performance in simulated work situations, the learner's own self-assessment and, when possible, feedback from managers. The most meaningful indicator, however, is what learners can do now that they could not do before: "I led the meeting." "I presented to the board." "The client understood my proposal immediately."

The value of a teacher who has worked in companies

My years in corporate finance give me a practical understanding of business: budgets, credit, reports, deadlines, hierarchies and the pressure of results. I hold a Diploma in Finance and Credit Administration from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, and a TEFL certification for teaching English as a foreign language. When a learner needs to explain a cash-flow forecast or negotiate payment terms, I understand the content as well as the language. That makes classes more realistic and more useful.

Teaching companies across cultures

Working with companies in Europe, North America and Latin America has taught me that communication styles vary. Some cultures are direct; others are indirect. Some value punctuality to the minute; others prioritise relationships. Part of corporate English training is helping learners adapt their communication to international colleagues. Read cultural etiquette in six countries.

What a typical corporate session looks like

People often ask me what actually happens in a sixty-minute corporate class. Every session is different, because it follows the learner's needs, but a typical structure looks like this:

1. Warm-up (5 minutes): a short conversation about the learner's week, a recent meeting or industry news. It activates English and gives me information about current challenges.
2. Focus task (20 minutes): work on a real situation, for example improving an email to a client, preparing the opening of a presentation or reviewing vocabulary for a negotiation.
3. Practice (20 minutes): a role-play or simulation of the situation, as realistic as possible. If the learner has a call with a supplier next week, we rehearse that call.
4. Feedback (10 minutes): the most important corrections, new expressions for the phrase bank and pronunciation points.
5. Next steps (5 minutes): a short task to apply before the next session, connected to real work.

This structure keeps classes dynamic and ensures that every session ends with something the learner can use immediately.

Advice for HR and training managers

If you are choosing an English programme for your company, consider these points:

• Start with assessment: a programme without an initial CEFR assessment cannot show measurable progress.
• Prioritise relevance: ask whether classes will use employees' real situations and materials.
• Check the teacher's background: qualifications such as TEFL matter, and so does experience in business environments.
• Agree on objectives with managers: learners progress faster when their goals are connected to their roles.
• Protect class time: sessions that are constantly cancelled for meetings lose their effect.
• Measure and celebrate progress: share results and recognise employees who improve.

A good English programme is not a perk; it is an investment in communication, collaboration and talent retention.

Why I love teaching professionals

After more than fifteen years of teaching and more than forty years of professional life, corporate classes remain some of my favourite. Professionals bring real stakes and real stories to every session. When a learner tells me that a meeting went well, that a client praised their proposal or that they were promoted to a role with international responsibilities, I feel that our work together has made a tangible difference. That is the reward of teaching English to companies: seeing communication turn into opportunity.

Frequently asked questions

Do you teach English to companies and teams?

Yes. I have taught Business English to corporate learners since 2017, through international training providers and directly, in one-to-one and small-group formats.

How do you start a corporate English programme?

With an initial CEFR assessment of speaking, listening, reading and writing, plus a needs analysis of the situations each learner faces at work.

Can classes focus on our industry's vocabulary?

Yes. Classes use the learners' real materials and the vocabulary of their sector, whether finance, technology, logistics, tourism or another field.

How often should employees have classes?

Once or twice a week usually works best, with short practice tasks between sessions connected to real work.

Are classes online?

Yes. All classes are live and online by video call, scheduled to fit the team's time zone.