Communicating With Migrants Doesn’t Have To Feel Difficult
Learn to adapt your conversation style to be more easily understood, with or without interpreters.
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Sound Familiar?
When conversations feel harder than they should
If you work for a local authority, you already know that everyday conversations become more difficult if the person has a low English level. You’re trying to explain housing, benefits, safeguarding or school admissions, but the person in front of you is learning English and adjusting to a completely new country.
You slow down a little. You choose your words more carefully. But you’re still not sure if they’ve understood. Sometimes they nod politely. Sometimes they return with the same questions. Sometimes the conversation goes round in circles, and both of you leave feeling unsure of what was agreed.
On your side, there’s the constant worry:
“Am I speaking too fast? Too simply? Am I being clear? If I slow down more, will they feel patronised?”
What Your Client May Be Experiencing
To them, your speech may sound like a stream of noise. This causes feelings of anxiety and overwhelm which can seriously reduce their ability to focus on what you say. If they are confused they may be ashamed to admit it, or not know how to ask the right questions. They may walk away more confused than you realise.
When this happens, nobody gets what they need – not you, and not them.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
There is a way to make these conversations easier for both you and the people you support.
Clear communication isn’t about speaking louder or oversimplifying. It’s about understanding how English sounds to someone who is still learning it, and adjusting your approach in a way that feels natural and respectful.
That’s exactly what this workshop teaches.
And Here’s The Good News!
There’s a proven way to make these conversations clearer for both you and your clients.
Drawing on 25 years of experience, we show you a new way to speak. Even when you speak very slowly, you won’t sound patronising. You will also learn to phrase ideas more simply and replace colloquial language with words which are globally understood.
And the best part?
These skills are practical and you can use them straight away. Your client will understand you more easily, and so will interpreters.
This fun and interactive workshop gives you the tools to create conversations that feel calmer, clearer and far more human.
What Your Conversations Will Feel Like After The Workshop
Your new insights into how it feels to try and understand a foreign language will inform the way you speak.
You’ll see your clients visibly relax, and you will feel more relaxed too. Migrants will ask more questions, instead of nodding politely. Conversations will feel more interactive and your rapport will improve.
Instead of hoping someone has understood, you’ll be able to see it – in their body language and responses. You’ll spend less time doubting yourself and more time helping people move forward.
How To SPEAK TO LEARNERSof English As A Foreign Language
Master the skill of speaking in a way that migrants find easier to understand.
What you’ll learn in this two-hour workshop
By the end of the workshop, will be able to adapt your communication style with confidence and skill. You will feel calmer and more confident during appointments with asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants.
What English sounds like to a beginner, through a short foreign-language listening exercise
See how your speech looks on a soundwave recorder. Are you leaving enough gaps?
The seven communication mistakes that can seem patronising, and what to do instead.
The everyday words and phrases which cause confusion for learners of English.
How to speak to beginners in a way that is very slow but dignified.
How to speed up for those with better English while still sounding crisp and clear.
Hi, I’m Shelley Purchon
Founding Director of English Unlocked
For 25 years I taught English to people from all over the world, including asylum seekers and other migrants. Time and again my students told me they could understand me easily, but not the receptionists, librarians and other public sector staff they met in daily life.
Those staff were not unkind or unprofessional. They had simply never been shown how English sounds to someone who is learning it, or how small adjustments in the way they speak can make a huge difference.
I started sharing the simple techniques that the best language teachers use every day and staff found them transformative. What began as a single workshop has now become a training programme used by public sector staff across the UK.
My approach is fun and interactive. The skills I teach are rooted in the real experience of supporting people who are new to the country and the language. These are skills that make conversations clearer, calmer and more human for everyone involved.
What Others Say
5 Star Feedback
This Workshop Is For You If…
- Resettlement teams
- Leaving Care teams
- UASC support workers
- Social workers
- Employability advisors
- Housing and homelessness staff
- Foster carers
- Caseworkers and casework coordinators
A Real Example From Previous Clients
Safeguarding is hard to explain to those who grew up outside the UK. It’s abstract, unfamiliar and in some languages it has no equivalent. If translated literally, it sounds innocuous. Without a clear explanation of safeguarding, people can fail to pay attention to this important concept and may not take your safeguarding concerns seriously.
In our workshops, we show staff how to avoid terminology like “safeguarding concerns” and instead break safeguarding down into simple, concrete language. Small changes in phrasing can make a noticeable difference. If a client genuinely understands safeguarding they are likely to ask questions and enter into a two-way conversation. Instead of switching off, they leave the conversation feeling informed and included. It’s a clear example of how the right communication approach can improve both trust and outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to some of our most commonly asked questions below
How long is the training?
All our workshops are 2 hours long.
Can you hold this training in-house?
Yes. We can deliver the workshop online or in-house. Depending on your location, in-person training may incur a small additional cost.
Who delivers the training?
This workshop is usually delivered by our founding director, Shelley Purchon.
Is this just for groups?
No. We also deliver training to individuals. Tickets for these mixed-group sessions are purchased through Eventbrite — email us to ask which workshops we have coming up, or to request that we schedule an Eventbrite workshop. Prices start at £60 per person.
Can you help us solve a specific communication problem?
Yes. Bespoke workshops include a consultation beforehand and can be tailored to your team’s needs.
Past examples include:
- how to explain grooming to Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
- How to explain safeguarding to new service users
- How to explain housing legislation to people at risk of homelessness
- How to explain data protection over the phone
Is there any follow-up?
Yes. Bespoke workshops include a consultation before and after the workshop.
Can we book this for mixed teams with different roles?
Yes. Many organisations book this for mixed groups – the skills are useful for all front-facing staff. If that’s your situation we recommend booking a workshop specially designed for mixed groups, rather than a bespoke one.
Do you offer a discount for third sector organisations?
Yes. Please mention this when you book.
We use interpreters. Do we still need this workshop?
Interpreters are essential for certain conversations, especially if the topic is legal, medical or financial. But booking an interpreter isn’t always justified, and even with an interpreter, meanings can get missed. This workshop complements – not replaces – interpreter use. To learn about our training on ‘How to Work Effectively with Interpreters’, check our website.
We already have cultural competency training. How is this different?
This workshop focuses specifically on language, not culture. It teaches you practical communication techniques you can use immediately, alongside any broader cultural awareness training you already have.
Is the workshop accessible for staff with different learning styles?
Yes. The session is interactive, visual and practical, with plenty of examples, opportunities to try techniques and space to ask questions.