Struggling to Be Understood by Learners of English?

Practical communication training for professionals who need to be clearly understood first time.

You explain something carefully. You repeat it. You simplify it again.

And still, the person in front of you looks unsure.

When someone’s English is limited, conversations can feel slow, stressful and uncertain. You may leave wondering whether they truly understood.

This workshop teaches you a different way of speaking — one that reduces confusion without sounding patronising.

It’s Not Just About ‘Simplifying’

Many professionals think the answer is to use easier words.

But effective communication with learners of English involves:

Managing pace
Reducing information overload
Allowing processing time
Checking understanding properly
Structuring information clearly

Without these skills, even clear speech can overwhelm.

"I have been really struck by the difference this training has made in my communication with clients. When speaking to people face to face I have noticed a real sense of relief and relaxation in them."

Alice Tichborne, Immigration Solicitor, Tower Hamlets Law Centre

How to Speak to Learners of English

This practical workshop gives you tools you can use immediately in real world settings.

It is designed for busy professionals who want conversations to feel clearer, calmer and more effective.

After This Training, You Will:

Feel more confident communicating across language differences
Reduce repetition and misunderstanding
Slow down without sounding unnatural
Check understanding without asking ‘Do you understand?’
Adapt your communication under pressure

Participants often report that conversations become more interactive, less stressful and more productive.

What will you learn?

You will learn:

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 how to avoid them.
The everyday words and phrases which cause confusion for learners of English.
How to be understood by beginners / how to speak quickly but clearly for those with better English.
How to explain something complex from your field of work.

Small changes. Significant impact.

Who This Is For

This workshop is for professionals who regularly work with people whose first language is not English, including:

Healthcare staff
International business executives
Local authority teams
Small business owners
Housing and support workers
VCSE organisations
Employability teams
Reception and frontline staff

If you often repeat yourself or leave conversations unsure whether you were understood, this training will help.

Practical Details

2 hour interactive workshop
Face to face or online
Up to 20 participants
Real world scenarios and practical exercises
Tickets for shared sessions available

Why This Matters

Clear communication reduces stress for you and increases dignity for the person in front of you.

In some settings, it also protects safety.

Small adjustments in how you speak can make a measurable difference.

Ready to Communicate with Greater Clarity?

Book a workshop for your team or get in touch to discuss your setting.

Can you tell?

How skilled is your interpreter, can you tell? And how can you make their job go smoothly? Interpreters are an invaluable resource and they can do a better job if you learn how to work with them.

Are you sure?

Are you sure you know what you’re saying when you use machine translation? Google Translate does amazing things IF you learn to use it with the caution it deserves.