Lingua Empresa Methodology: Professional Linguistic Competence - PLC

The concept of Professional Linguistic Competence is at the core of Lingua Empresa. The so called Professional Linguistic Competences (or PLCs) are the tasks that workers performed at work and for which the use of a foreign language is required. It means that language training is therefore designed according to the workers’ specific and real tasks.

To show an example, the list with the 25 PLCs identified by Lingua Empresa includes titles such as “Deliver professional oral presentations”, “Direct business meetings”, “Deal with agreements and negotiate with customers and suppliers”,… Each professional has PLCs associated to its job that are put into practice when working. PLCs list in English available here – PLCs list in Spanish available here.

Lingua Empresa model develops in three different stages. Such stages are flexible to enable companies to adapt the model to their needs and possibilities.

STAGE 1 - THINKING AND DIAGNOSIS

 

From a business perspective, reflection on the organization’s foreign language use and needs, and individual diagnosis by the workers.

Objectives

Lingua Empresa starts from the idea that language training in companies must be according to their business strategy. As well as, Lingua Empresa considers that any action will be more effective if it responds to an accurate diagnosis.

• At this stage,...
• * LINGUA EMPRESA helps companies to think and reflect to design a linguistic strategy that must be based on their business plan, priority markets, foreign languages required,…
• * LINGUA EMPRESA helps companies to analyze workers’ linguistic needs for each job according to the Professional Linguistic Competences (or PLCs).

Involved Agents

CONSULTANT’s role (internal or external) will be crucial for the COMPANY when defining its linguistic strategy and diagnosing the use of foreign languages by its WORKERS.

STAGE 2 - TRAINING PROGRAMME

 

Detailed design of the training activities for each language course.

Objectives

The planning of the language training will be finally materialized as an agreement between the company and the language provider with clear objectives in terms of improving specific PLCs that comes from the real and specific tasks developed in each job and by each worker.

• At this stage,...
• * LINGUA EMPRESA allows companies to overcome general language training, focusing it on the PLCs required by the workers.
• * LINGUA EMPRESA helps companies and language providers to plan a linguistic training formed of specific courses organized by PLCs.
• * LINGUA EMPRESA allows companies and language providers to organize groups of students according to both, their linguistic level and the use of foreign languages that they develop at work.
• * LINGUA EMPRESA advises linguistic trainers on the design of the training courses’ content with teaching and learning material (activities and didactic resources) that is according to the model.

Involved Agents

A CONSULTANT (internal or external) will organize the language courses considering linguistic levels and will set a basic roadmap taking into account the PLCs selected.

The LINGUISTIC TRAINERS will develop the specific training programmes for the course contents determined by the CONSULTANT. A training programme is the teachers’ tool for planning, where he/she reflects its thinking and working plan for the course, the company and the students.

STAGE 3 - TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT

 

Training in the company and monitoring of both, the training objectives and the language courses.

Objectives

The previous planning eases the teaching, monitoring and assessment of the training activities that are based on clear objectives.

• At this stage,...
• * LINGUA EMPRESA guides trainers in the selection and/or creation of didactic material to be use when developing the language courses.
• * LINGUA EMPRESA makes easier the monitoring of the training between companies and trainers.
• * LINGUA EMPRESA provides access to an online platform free of charge where trainers and trainees can complete and reinforce the face to face training.
• * LINGUA EMPRESA allows companies to assess the level of achievement reached according to the objectives originally set

Involved Agents

TRAINERS will put their training programmes, designed by themselves, into practice, showing WORKERS the clear connection that exists between the activities developed in class and their professional performance, and both of them will be able to enhance their teaching/learning with online activities and exercises.

Finally, COMPANY and CONSULTANT can monitor the implementation of the training programmes and to check the achieving of the objectives.