"BLENDED LEARNING WORKS."

The method of Blended Learning allows you to approach the target language from different angles. The combination of teaching methods delivers; the variety of approaches is stimulating. At least this is what Hilde Wynant thinks about Blended Learning teaching techniques. Ms Wynant is a support manager at Arval. ‘Arval is a car rental company operational in 19 countries and with headquarters in France. The Belgian branch has 119 employees’, says Hilde Wynant. The training of the employees is one of the tasks that drives and empowers her. ‘At Arval we are absolutely convinced that the training programmes and in particular the language courses motivate and bring together our co-workers.

There is more. We are a service provider. The cars that our clients lease are the same everywhere. It is the quality of the service that makes a difference. And for this the knowledge of languages is of crucial importance. We want to project an image of a multilingual company that serves its clients in their mother tongue.’

THERE IS 'M' IN THE MIX

‘Nowadays we are quite familiar with diverse teaching and learning formulas. Lerian-Nti always recommends the best approach while taking into account ARVAL’s specific language needs and the professional environment requirements of our employees. Currently a dozen of our co-workers are following language trainings in Dutch and French based on Blended Learning.

The method combines face-to-face lessons in small groups with telephone lessons and electronic exercises. The groups consist of employees who work in different departments but have a similar language proficiency level.’  The Blended Learning formula is becoming quite popular. One week the candidates participate in two-hour face-to-face language sessions taught at ARVAL’s own offices at an agreed hour. Every other week the candidates receive an individual half-an- hour telephone lesson. The lessons continue for 12 weeks altogether. Also, between the lessons the candidates have the opportunity to exercise their language skills by using the electronic exercise platform. All this makes for a pretty intensive language immersion’, states Hilde Wynant.

What are in her opinion the advantages of Blended Learning? ‘One gets the chance to approach the target language from different angles while using diverse language tools. Above all, the method is interactive, varied and extremely practical. Additionally, the price-value ratio is right and very convincing.’