Resource Centre
Welcome to our resource centre, full of information, articles and blogs on language training around the world.
August 6, 2019
Binary code consists of just two simple digits – a 0 and a 1 – but these two digits can be used to encode everything we see and read on our computer, tablet or smartphone. Read on to find out more about how binary code works and how to interpret it.
July 30, 2019
Chinese is spoken by 16% of the world’s population, and Mandarin is the most common form of spoken Chinese, accounting for around 70% of Chinese speakers. Check out these fascinating facts if you are interested in learning more about Chinese language and culture
July 23, 2019
The English language has evolved into more than a language, it is a method through which people can connect worldwide and advances in science, industry and technology have added a wealth of complexity to modern English. Discover how the Industrial Revolution and subsequent revolutionary advances have contributed towards the dominance of English in the modern world.
July 16, 2019
Last week, Vera explored the history of Dutch. In this article, she will give some of her best tips for marking learning Dutch a breeze.
July 9, 2019
Dutch has been a popular language to get language courses for this year, so one of our teachers, Vera dives a little deeper into learning the language of one of our European neighbours.
July 2, 2019
Having just completed an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) mini course for a factory in the UK, one of our teachers has some observations which may surprise teachers and training providers of regular courses.
This is the full case-study of his experience.
June 25, 2019
Every business has the potential to operate across a language barrier as it grows. Sometimes you get to communicate using a common language (such as English), even if it is not native to all the speakers involved in the exchange. However, there are times when business development opportunities take us out of our comfort zone and require us to tap into a new set of skills.
June 11, 2019
One of Simon & Simon’s teachers writes beautifully about all the reasons why someone might want to learn Indonesian and visit the archipelago.
June 4, 2019
May 28, 2019
May 21, 2019
May 9, 2019
April 30, 2019
April 23, 2019
Traditional teaching styles have fuelled the myth about Italian being a challenging language. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
April 16, 2019
April 2, 2019
As James Joyce once said, “a man’s mistakes are his portals of discovery”. It is a fact that we learn from our mistakes, it should therefore follow that mistakes take a significant role in the language learning classroom. Every language trainer has a preferred method of error correction, but it’s always good to mix things up and try something new – take a look at my recommendations.
March 26, 2019
What’s a language without words? Nothing. That’s why becoming a superior vocabulary learner is vital if you want to get to grips with your second (third, fourth etc.) language. It’s estimated that in order to be able to get by in a language, you need a ‘survival kit’ of at least 120 words; allowing you to be able to ask for and understand directions, order food, make basic travel arrangements etc. With this in mind, we’ve put together a few handy tips to help you learn new vocabulary in any new language.
March 19, 2019
American and British English clearly differ when it comes to the accent and pronunciation; however, there’s more to it than just that. Our resident New Yorker breaks down just a few of the words she still isn’t quite able to add to her daily vernacular. Let’s take a look!
March 12, 2019
Invest in language training and see your ROI shine though in so many different ways – from building a team with exceptional decision-making skills to attracting employees wanting to work in a language-learning culture. And once your colleagues have a second language under their belts, they might become more adept at picking up additional languages, too.
March 5, 2019
“Will I learn more quickly in a 1-to-1 or in a group setting?” – this is a question that we’re always asked here at Simon and Simon. Although both lesson formats have their advantages, a few factors may help you make the right choice when booking your language course. We take a closer look at them in this article.
February 26, 2019
Pronunciation is a notoriously tricky part of language teaching and learning no matter how experienced a trainer is. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a rookie right out of a teaching qualification, tackling pronunciation can be a daunting and overwhelming task. However, once you take the leap, you’ll see that ‘little and often’ really does make a difference when it comes to pronunciation.
February 19, 2019
As trainers to business people, we recognise that this busy, multi-tasking lifestyle full of distractions and competing priorities is the reality for most of our learners. And so how can we command our students’ attention for learning and make sure their training goals are achieved?
February 12, 2019
Talent mobility is a critical factor when globally oriented organisations are recruiting for the future. Employers need to develop a skilled team to deliver on their objectives, while also thinking ahead to where the business might grow in the longer term and how they can staff their overseas plans.
February 5, 2019
Thomas Carruthers, American politician, once said:
“A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary”
And we agree.
January 29, 2019
Creating a connection: aligning learning and development with your business’s goals.
January 22, 2019
Legal doublets are everywhere, but in everyday English communication they are less frequent. Read more to discover where confusion can arise.
January 15, 2019
When dealing with customer enquiries, we all know that timing and responsiveness is key; regardless of whether you’re using your second language or not. However, the content of your message as well as the way you interact with your customers are equally important to ensure you have an engaged client who is more likely to close a deal.
January 8, 2019
As the dust begins to settle on 2018, you may be giving serious thought to your plans for the year ahead. If setting new year’s resolutions helps to keep your longer-term goals on track, we have a great suggestion for your list: learning a language (or polishing up your existing skills).
December 18, 2018
In this article, we take a quick world tour to see what – and how – our global friends might be celebrating this festive season. As a leading professional language training provider, we thrive on multiculturalism and diversity and love nothing more than learning about different cultures around the world.
December 11, 2018
In a world of digital resources, why does classroom-based training remain key? We take a look at just a handful of the compelling reasons to keep language training in the real world!
December 4, 2018
With the year 2019 (how sci-fi does that sound?!) just around the corner, we thought it prescient to look back at 2018 in the way we know best…linguistically!
November 27, 2018
When it comes to business, communicative skills are priceless. Not only do they allow you to express yourself accurately, naturally and convincingly; they enable you to really tune in to what your clients, colleagues and prospects are saying and respond in the best possible way.
November 20, 2018
Here’s an interesting statistic for you: it is estimated that 20% of British entrepreneurs are dyslexic, compared to only 4% of the general public. Not only does this prove that being dyslexic is no barrier to success; it also highlights how important it is to consider the needs of dyslexic learners through our business language training.
November 15, 2018
What are they? Who are they? Am I one? Are they cool? Are they all hipsters? Why is everybody talking about them? These are just some of the questions you’ve probably asked yourself about this thing called the ‘millennial’ in the last few years.
November 8, 2018
Writers, thinkers, leaders, creators and artists are just some of the people who contributed to a plethora of quotable one-liners.
November 1, 2018
October 25, 2018
In this blog we’re going to assess the dynamics of a language, by looking at how English has changed and is changing. Keeping up with contemporary language alterations ensures that your brain is constantly downloading the latest language update.
October 18, 2018
Britain’s colonial history may have its flaws, but it has also resulted in an interconnected world where one language connects many countries and continents.
October 11, 2018
Like France, Germany is a major export market for the UK’s products and services. However, the case for learning German is quite different from the case for learning French, even if the argument is equally persuasive.
Read on to find out why learning German could be your company’s next smart training investment.
October 3, 2018
Historical events have always played an important role in the creation and development of both culture and language. Look at language like a hot piece of steel that just came out of the furnace.
September 10, 2018
Learning a new language for business is a great professional strategy. It allows you to engage on a personal level with new and future colleagues and clients, and it establishes a point of difference between you and your competitors. This sounds great in theory, but how might these new skills be useful in a real-life scenario?
September 4, 2018
More than 60% of the world speaks multiple languages. As globalisation grows and our businesses are becoming more diverse, multilingualism is a skill increasingly in demand. The practical benefits of being able to speak more than one language are obvious. But, what are the cognitive implications? Research shows that multilingualism changes our brains in profound ways.
August 30, 2018
France is a major destination for UK products and services. We have long enjoyed a close relationship with our French connections, which would certainly help to explain why French is one of the most in-demand languages that UK firms feel would benefit their organisation.
August 23, 2018
Picture this: you are the team captain playing for your favourite football club. Learning a language is very much like scoring a goal for your football team in the World Cup.
August 15, 2018
International markets are now becoming a big focus for an ever-increasing number of organisations. Southeast Asia is one of the most interesting emerging markets for global ventures.
July 31, 2018
We have two important announcements to make this week.
July 27, 2018
Growing your business in new countries can be exciting and scary, whether you are making inroads into new overseas networks or setting up your own base of operations. A quick assessment of the lay of the land should tell you what you need to know about the local language.
July 19, 2018
English is a great language to learn if you want a head-start in the business world. It is widely regarded as the language of global business (plus a common language for internet content), and it is spoken widely around the world.
