platforms, on-demand resources and practice activities to improve pronunciation, writing skills, scenario-specific business communication and vocabulary, interactive videos, and gamified learning environments that keep language learners engaged and motivate them to succeed. When these resources are successfully integrated with
customised instructor-led training, the result is a student-centred learning experience that optimises an organisation’s cost and time, and has measurable benefits. Companies that provide a blended language learning programme for their international assignees and approved family members utilise from 10 per cent to 30 per cent more of their approved instructional hours on average than companies that provide only instructor-led or self-paced online training as stand-alone programmes. Higher utilisation rates lead to more accelerated language-
proficiency attainment, better feedback, and overall higher levels of satisfaction. The addition of virtual instructor-led training and self-paced
online language programmes effectively extends the training reach of organisations while optimising cost and time. Small-group virtual training classes allow for increased
diversity of participants. Employees from different countries, company locations and divisions can participate together in a virtual group class in a convenient and cost-effective way that is not possible within the traditional face-to-face instruction. Self-paced e-learning programmes are on-demand tools that help encourage employees to continue learning outside the traditional workday.
Engaging employees To be best-in-class training programmes, blended language
learning approaches need to ref lect the way adult business professionals learn best in general. They also need to consider the way a distinct and growing sector of the workforce prefers to learn in particular. Gen Y will make up 75 per cent of the workforce by the
middle of the next decade. Yes, everyone is looking at you, Millennials! In addition, 78 per cent of those same employees say they feel more motivated and engaged when they can access learning content on a mobile device, for instance. How do adult business professionals learn best? The
answer is, in a lot of different ways. A multi-modality learning approach that combines opportunities for formal (face-to-face and virtual instructor-led), informal (social and collaborative), and technology-based (online and mobile) learning is key. The best way to engage today’s
workforce in a blended learning programme is to make sure there is equal emphasis on the importance of these synchronous and asynchronous learning approaches. Gamified learning is also finding a firm
toehold in corporate training environments. Gamification employs game mechanics to motivate participation, engagement, and loyalty through intrinsic reward systems that allow employees to earn points, attain levels, purchase real and virtual goods, and participate in competitions and challenges with fellow team members and employees. A gamified structure is more
common than not in most recently- developed language apps and e-learning programmes, and an obvious and ideal
way to spark higher levels of utilisation and engagement in a comprehensive blended language learning programme. Research on gamification in corporate learning demonstrates that high levels of engagement lead to increased productivity, profits, quality and employee retention. Lastly, today’s workers want learning to be relevant to their day-to-
day responsibilities and useful in developing broader workplace abilities. It sounds obvious. However, for blended language learning
to be effective, it needs to be designed to align with strategic business objectives. It’s not just about developing second- language proficiency, but equally about closing skills gaps, achieving job-specific performance metrics, and inf luencing desired workplace habits and behaviours positively.
A better way When blended language programmes are built in such a way that
they contribute directly to a company’s learning and development imperatives, employees move away from the concept of Beginning Mandarin or Business English Writing merely as courses to be completed. They view them as part of a continuous learning process with active participation by the entire organisation. The variety of tools and resources provided by the blended
learning approach is particularly well suited to international assignees working in a global business environment, living in a culture and target language that is not their own, and making daily use of a vast array of technologies and techniques – mobile, virtual, video, collaborative – to perform critical workplace responsibilities. During the course of an international assignment, expatriate
employees will be bombarded by the target language through various mediums and from every possible direction, both traditional and technological. It makes sense to bring this same diversity of tools to help them learn their target language and increase their value to their organisations. Integrated blended language learning is an optimal approach for
multinational corporations and international assignees. Don’t take on the Rubik’s Cube-like challenge of learning a foreign language with one hand tied behind your back. There is a better way.
For further information, contact Global LT: Telephone 1 (888) 645-5881 Email
info@Global-LT.com Website
www.Global-LT.com
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