Not always easy to “think on your feet”: reacting to unexpected proposal during a meeting, responding to a difficult question while making a presentation, finding a way to break the ice during difficult negotiations, …
Much more difficult when it is not in your mother tongue.
Cambridge Training Institute created a workshop designed to help, those who feel very comfortable in English in most business and social situations (minimum C1 level on European scale), think on their feet and maintain their ability to communicate and convince in English when put under pressure. It clearly improves the ability to think in English as opposed to think in one’s mother tongue and translate.
It can be organised as a full or half day (4 or 7 hours workshop) during which participants are invited to be part of “improvisation games” which will give them multiple opportunities to “think on their feet”.
After each game, there is a short feedback session to summarize key learnings and identify improvement opportunities. The trainer will select on a real time basis, the improvisation games that best fits the group level and dynamic.
Examples of improvisation games to be played in the workshop
Warmups
Two Truths and a Lie
Each participant writes down three interesting facts about him or herself, two true statements and one false statement. Participants take turns reading them aloud and the class decides which statement is not true.
Selling lemons
Participants are shown pictures of ridiculous gadgets and asked to prepare a sales pitch to impress potential investors. Participants work out what the products could be used for, which develops creative muscles.
Activities
“Alphabet” Improv Game :
This game consists of 26 lines of dialog. The first line starts with a given letter (say `R`). The reply to that line must start with an `S`, and so on, until the whole alphabet has been covered. After `Z` comes `A`. Players that hesitate, or use the wrong letter `Die`, and are replaced by another player.
Yes And...
Players sit in a circle and build a story one sentence at a time. Each sentence must begin with "Yes, And..." Each sentence must refer to one statement from the previous sentence. For example, if I say "Let's design a new logo for our company", then the next person might say "Yes, and the logo should be pink with flamingos”. And the person after that could say something like "Yes, and we should market it to kids" and so on. Since you don't know what the person ahead of you will say, you can't plan ahead. A great improv activity to practice support and creative thinking.
Murder Mystery
In this game, the participants are collected at a dinner party. One character is chosen to be the victim and the other characters all have personalities, history and motives. One player is set aside to play the detective. The characters interact, trying to figure out who the murderer is while also trying to avoid suspicion.
After every character has been interviewed, the detective calls all characters together, discusses the motives for each character. Together, the group decides who the murderer is.
Fast-Forward/Rewind
In this game you will need to pick a “director” and the rest of the group will serve as actors. The actors will act out a scene and at any point the director can “rewind” or “fast-forward” the scene at which point the actors will adjust their scene accordingly. This is a great game for improving impromptu skills and also forces the actors to work in unison.
Dating Game
This guessing game is based off of a blind dating show. One player, the bachelor or bachelorette, leaves the room. Three other players, the contestants, are given their identities by the host. The bachelor(ette) comes back in the room and asks the contestants questions to figure out who or what they are. The contestants give hints about their identity in their answers to the questions. The game ends when the bachelor(ette) picks their favorite contestant or decides they don’t like any of the contestants.
Story, Story, Die
Players stand in a line on the stage. The host conducts the story by pointing at individual players. When the host points at a player, that player has to begin telling the story from where it left off and continue talking until another player is singled out. This could mean starting in the middle of a sentence, a word, or even speaking simultaneously.
The trainer
Angela studied theatre at Fairfield University (USA) and the British American Drama Academy (London). Angela completed her TEFL teacher training in Paris, France in October 2011 and since then has taught privately and in language schools in New York City, Paris and online. Most recently, she has been teaching test preparation (focusing on TOEFL, IELTS, SAT/ACT) and tutoring a variety of subjects including reading, writing, literature, and history. In addition to beeing a teacher, Angela is an actor, singer and published writer, possessing wonderful enthusiasm, performance skills, and a love of the English language.
How did the British media cover this week’s hot news?
Objective
Improve the participants ability to trigger/participate in informal discussions about the news.
Approach
Send participants a selection of articles from different British media a few days before the workshop. Presentation by the trainer of the various media selected (ownership, audience and political leanings) to put them into context. Participants invited to give their feedback on the articles :
What did they think about them ?
How do they compare ?
Did they notice a difference in angle, tone of voice or writing style ?
Can they compare them to coverage in the French press ?
The trainer uses their responses to clarify their understanding of the articles, (problem terms, colloquialisms, etc.) and provide input on the differences in tone or writing style.Discussion on the coverage could lead to a more general discussion on the event itself.One participant asked to provide a one-page summary of the group discussion.
Logistics
Group of 4 to 6 of a similar level in English, minimum B2Duration : 1h30, e.g. 8:00 to 9:30 am or lunch timeBased on the news of the week, with the selection of media* changing each timeBudget : 290 euros HT
Trainer
Gillian O'Meara is a bilingual journalist born in England and who has worked in Paris for many years. Before setting up her own office to write and translate magazines for major corporations, she headed a multilingual online press service for the French press group, L’Expansion. She has written numerous institutional and corporate documents for international firms and organizations. She is also a qualified coach who helps French executives write and deliver presentations in English.*Media selected to give as broad a view as possible of the British market: newspapers as different as the “Financial Times” and the “Daily Mail”, and including podcasts of radio and television coverage, as well as specialized or local media.
Cambridge Training Institute, société leader dans la formation à l’anglais professionnel organise une série de sorties culturelles, animées par un guide anglophone.
Ces évènements sont une occasion unique d’allier la pratique active de la langue anglaise avec la participation à un événement culturel de premier plan.
Après la visite de l’exposition Gaughin qui s’est tenu au Grand Palais jusqu’en janvier dernier, événement plebiscité par de nombreux participants :
« Tout était top : la présentation en amont, la visite et le débrief. Une très bonne initiative pour pratiquer l'anglais dans un autre cadre et Maria était vraiment super." B. Moreau “Tout était parfait jusqu'au 'pot' qui a prolongé agréablement cette belle soirée” M. Monetti
Cambridge Training Institute vous propose d’aller voir un des one man show parisiens qui a attiré le plus de spectateurs !
"How to become a Parisian in one hour"
Are you a true Parisian? Think you know your fellow Frenchie? Then join us for a lighthearted evening at the Théâtre des Nouveautés for a funny and fun introduction to understanding the attitudes and idiosyncrasies of Parisians, their mannerisms and the habits that have given them their reputation abroad and in the rest of France. Approved by more than 500 000 spectators "How to become a Parisian in one hour" is entirely in English and accessible to everyone.
Le groupe de 6 à 10 personnes retrouve en fin de journée la formatrice pour une courte présentation du spectacle permettant en particulier de créer les conditions pour une compréhension aussi fine que possible. La soirée se termine pour ceux qui le souhaitent dans un bar à proximité pour échanger avis et impressions après le spectacle
https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-show-exhibition/135993/olivier-giraud-how-to-become-a-parisian-in-one-hour
Cambridge Training Institute, société leader dans la formation professionnelle linguistique, organise des évènements culturels, « tout en anglais »
Ces évènements sont une occasion unique d’allier la pratique active de la langue anglaise avec la participation à un événement culturel de premier plan. Nous proposons ces évènements aux entreprises qui ont un programme ambitieux d’amélioration de la capacité à travailler en langue anglaise de leurs collaborateurs. La participation à de tels événements, des collaborateurs en cours de formation, contribuera fortement à leur motivation, ce qui est bien sûr un facteur de réussite essentiel.
« Practise Wine in English »
Après la visite de l’exposition Gaughin au Grand Palais, Cambridge Training Institute vous propose de découvrir et déguster des breuvages de qualité avec des professionnels anglophones du vin. Découvrir et apprécier des vins et apprendre à en parler en anglais, voilà l’objectif principal de cet atelier.
Cela comprend un mini cours de dégustation du vin pour apprendre à parler de la robe, des aromes, des textures, … du vin. Puis une dégustation proprement dite de vins de qualité, permettant de faire un petit tour de France :
- Champagne 1er cru Millésimé - Vin blanc de Loire - Blanc de Bourgogne Meursault 1er cru - Rouge de Bourgogne Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru - Rouge de Bordeaux: Grand Cru Classé - Rouge du Rhone: Chateauneuf du Pape
Pour chacun des vins proposés, présentation sur écran, du terroir, des cépages utilisés, des techniques spécifiques de vinification, des appellations et bien sûr dégustation permettant de susciter échanges et discussions.
Animation assurée pendant environ 2h30 par Philip Kilbey un sommelier américain qui a longtemps travaillé au Sénat à Washington et par Thierry Givone qui a une très grande expérience de l’animation de séances de dégustation.
Cambridge Training Institute, société leader dans la formation à l’anglais professionnel organise une série de sorties culturelles, animées par un guide anglophone.
Ces évènements sont une occasion unique d’allier la pratique active de la langue anglaise avec la participation à un événement culturel de premier plan.
Nous proposons ces évènements aux entreprises qui ont un programme ambitieux d’amélioration de la capacité à travailler en langue anglaise de leurs collaborateurs. La participation à un événement, de cette nature des collaborateurs en cours de formation contribuera fortement à leur motivation, ce qui est bien sûr un facteur essentiel pour la réussite d’une formation.
Premier événement de la saison
« Come and experience an extraordinary evening exploring the fascinating and exotic world of Paul Gauguin. This exhibition, enriched with over 55 of his paintings, ceramics, sculptures and wooden engravings, gives an insight into the adventurous life of this most original of French post- impressionists. Starting from a conventional Parisian life, you will discover the marvelous landscapes of the French countryside, feel the presence and the influence of other great painters like van Gogh and Pissarro to end up in Tahiti, the exotic place where at last Gauguin felt at home. »
Le groupe de 6 à 10 personnes retrouve en fin de journée le formateur-guide au Grand Palais. La visite et les commentaires qui l’accompagnent sont calibrés en fonction du niveau d’anglais des participants. Les opportunités d’échange sont multiples. La soirée se termine dans un pub traditionnel à proximité pour échanger sentiments et impressions après la visite.Visiter le site de l'exposition
Média l'Abeille