Professional English offers support for organizations working with international employees. We will work with your company with options including on-site workshops, courses, technical editing, program consulting, and international employee orientation. Our extensive experience with workplace ESL and business English allows us to create a highly customized experience for your employees to enhance workplace communication and boost professional development.
Choose one of our services to find out more.
What Training Professionals Say About Our Programs
“We needed cross-cultural training for our Ops and RadCon staff who interact regularly with international researchers. Professional English provided a valuable and engaging workshop that earned all ‘excellent’ and ‘outstanding’ ratings from our staff.”
— Bruce Ullman, Training and Performance Manager, Jefferson Lab
“Dr. Maureen Archer’s writing training and coaching programs have been very popular with our NATO officers. We expanded her programs over the years because of high demand. Dr. Archer is a very professional subject matter expert who provides valuable training of the highest quality.”
— John McGarrigle, Training Coordinator, NATO HQ SACT
On-Site Workshops
Our highly interactive workshops and courses are customized to address specific work-related needs. To customize this training, we ask for samples of current practices (such as writing samples), then modify our basic curriculum to incorporate these real-life examples into the training materials.
Strategies for Email Writing
Participants learn and practice techniques for creating clear and motivating email messages. Topics include writing a clear subject line, stating the message's purpose at the beginning, giving only details the reader needs, using the correct tone, and proofreading effectively.
Strategies for Workplace Communication
This workshop covers the basics of successful communication at work. Topics include verbal and non-verbal cues, active listening skills, controlling tone in speech and writing, politeness and persuasion techniques, as well as tips for writing motivating email messages.
International Cultures in the Workplace
Participants gain insights into other cultures’ value systems, social customs, business practices, body language, and communication styles. These insights aid in understanding and better communicating with international colleagues and business associates. Specific cultures can be highlighted at the request of the client.
Custom-Designed Communication Workshops
Professional English can design a workshop to address the specific needs of your organization. This workshop may include elements of the workshops listed above, as well as the following topics: technical writing, active listening skills, persuasive speaking and writing, strategies for supervisor-supervisee communication, and work-specific writing.
Strategies for Professional Writing
This workshop provides strategies for planning, writing, and editing professional, work-related documents. Special focus is given to clarifying a document’s purpose, organizing ideas effectively, and correcting common writing errors.
Specialized Writing Strategies Course
In 2010, NATO ACT requested that Professional English design and deliver a Strategies for Writing Course for their officers. This course consists of 15 hours of class time,1.5 hours of individual coaching per student, and follow-up coaching for all course graduates. This course has been successful both at HQ SACT in the US and at ACT SEE in Belgium. This course, with modifications, may be offered to your personnel.
Strategies for Successful Presentations
Topics for this hands-on workshop include overcoming anxiety, audience analysis, preparation strategies, PowerPoint slide advice, delivery techniques, body language, and answering challenging questions. During longer workshops, participants may be videotaped giving their presentations, which allows for self-critique and discussion.
Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation
Clear, concise and correct sentences are the focus of this workshop. Common grammar, punctuation, usage and spelling challenges are explained during this very interactive training.
Technical Editing
This service is for individuals and organizations to ensure they are producing professionally written documents. Our highly experienced editors will review and correct documents quickly and thoroughly.
Program Consulting
We provide expert guidance in the areas of program design, needs assessment, work-related communications analysis, curriculum development, instructional materials, and communication training manuals.
International Employee Orientation
(Offered in Southeastern Virginia Only)
Executives from overseas often feel overwhelmed when trying to adapt quickly to American lifestyles. Therefore, Professional English has designed a special 12-hour course for international employees who have little experience living and working in the U.S. By completing the course, employees gain the insights needed to work successfully with American customers and colleagues.
The content of the course may be customized to meet the specific needs of the organization and employees. Common topics include:
American Culture
Basic values and beliefs (why Americans think and act as they do)
Survival skills (driving, shopping, emergency situations, etc.)
Social norms (at the workplace, going to a restaurant, etc.)
Inappropriate statements and conversation topics
Business expectations (for greetings, meetings, supervisor/employee relations, etc.)
Comparing American social and business customs to other countries' customs
American Communication
Body language (conscious and subconscious physical signals)
Vocal quality insights (use of silence, volume and intonation changes, and pacing)
Idiomatic expressions and slang
Email and letter writing norms
Content and organization of presentations
Formal vs. informal styles (including the use of humor)
Direct vs. indirect communication (and politeness issues)
American dialects (pronunciation and vocabulary differences)