Bridge Business English

BEC has helped develop cross-cultural communication skills and overall development of the students. It has had an impact on confidence levels through international certification.

Laura Cirello, Head of Learning and Development, JP Morgan Treasury and Security Services

At our school we prepare our students for BEC Preliminary because it is a realistic goal for a 3-year course. We encourage them to attend the BEC Vantage course on a voluntary basis.… It is a good opportunity for them to get in addition an international language certificate during their commercial training.

Margrit Walter-Wettstein, Berufsbildungszentrum Weinfelden, Switzerland

In order for our students to pick up a successful professional career we felt that they must hone their skill in communication and the Cambridge BEC programme seemed to us to offer an excellent opportunity for our students.

Dr Ashoke R Thakur, Vice Chancellor, West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata

Recognition of BEC is increasing rapidly as a growing number of companies are using the examination as a focus for in-company training courses. You can find a full list of companies that use the BEC examinations for a variety of purposes including recruitment at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/recognition/search.php

Bridge Business English training prepares you to function among English-speaking professionals.You will learn formal English that professionals expect to see and hear, and we will spend every class discussing issues you will encounter in the workplace, making short presentations, and holding board meetings. Most class time is spent in discussion. Written activities and practice are done at home, not in the classroom. Grammar and structure lessons are based only on the errors you make in your written work.

BEC level 1 is 48 1.5-hour classes, 3 times per week, over 4 months. The class is LIVE ONLINE by video conferencing, not through Skype but through a private virtual network that is not affected by high traffic on the Internet. All participants in the class are visible in the video conference, and communication quality is excellent. Our video conferencing technology allows whiteboard and application sharing, so it’s just like sitting in front of a teacher, but in the comfort of your own home or office. Materials costs are included in tuition and all materials are delivered by courier to your home or office. Additional resources are available online to students, including dictation practice, grammar and structure exercises, and listening exercises.

Classes are taught by native English speakers with experience in adult education. Technology allows us to connect you with professional teachers, regardless of your location. You cannot find a better teacher than through Bridge Business English

Each 1.5 hour class includes:

• Class communication activities. We cover 24 units in 48 classes related to different aspects of professional communication.
• 20 minute Writing Workshop: correction of errors in BEC writing component. BEC Preliminary (Level 1) includes 2 writing assignments: a 30-40 word context-based memo or email, and a 60-80 word context-based letter. You will write these at home and they will be corrected in class. Errors are first highlighted to allow every student several minutes to self-edit before the teacher explains what is wrong. English grammar and structure are explained based on the errors students make, so there are no boring grammar classes – only what you need.
• Listening comprehension activities
• Dictation exercises: accurately filling in order forms, recording processes and procedures
  
• Discussion, pronunciation correction. The class is focused on students talking as much as possible within the parameters of the class topic.
• Mini-presentations and discussions on BEC test topics
• Board meetings based on corporate case studies. Students review the case study file at home; during class, each student is assigned a role and participates in the board meeting.

 After 48 classes, you will have prepared  16 presentations, 48 memos/emails, and 48 short letters, all corrected by the teacher, and you will have participated in 16 case-study based board meetings. You will be ready, not just to pass BEC/BULATS, but to communicate with English-speaking professionals. This is a professional level course taught by professional teachers experienced in adult education.

As well, all new vocabulary is automatically compiled and entered into customized, personalized tests sent to you daily. All errors you make are compiled and entered into the next test, until you remember each new word. You will notice your vocabulary increasing every day. A personal lexicon of vocabulary items to study is emailed to you daily, based on your test performance.

Class size is limited to 5 students. Classes take place 3 times per week for 16 weeks, for a total of 48 classes. Each live class is 90 minutes. The tuition is $3600 CAD for the first student; additional students are $1080. Class size is limited to 5 students.

The price includes materials and shipping, and access to additional contemporary, continuously-updated study materials, as well as exclusive student resources. There are no other fees. The video conferencing software is free to download and is not affected by busy usage times in the evening. All you need is a webcam and a headset.