Frequently Asked Questions

I'm interested in taking online lessons, where can I book?

For more information about our online offerings, you can explore the options in our programmes section, or send us a mail to find out more. We'd be happy to talk you through the various options to find a solution that meets your needs, and fits your lifestyle.

How often do you recommend having online sessions?

This is one of our most frequently asked questions. In our experience, having one or two sessions per week allows our clients to maintain the balance between motivation and intensity, while not being too overwhelmed. That said, many people like to work extremely intensely in a shorter time frame, to obtain quicker results. The decision is yours! Ask yourself, what is your ultimate goal? What are you working towards? Is there a deadline involved? What other commitments do I have? What other time considerations do I need to take into account? If you'd like to chat through the best option for you, feel free to get in touch; we'd love to help you find a workable solution for you.

For your distance training options, what level English speakers do you work with?

Our clients typically have an intermediate to high level of English, though we don't preclude any levels and welcome all! We love working with anyone who is committed to enhancing their communication, to enhance connections and other areas in the lives. If you'd like to discuss if we're the right fit, don't hesitate to get in touch.

I work days and can only have sessions in the evenings, is that possible?

Absolutely. With our network of associate English teachers, trainers and coaches, it's possible to have your online sessions at a time of day that suits you - morning, lunch time, afternoon or evening sessions. The time and day for each session can change weekly too - you're not restricted to the same time weekly. We understand that life is busy, and so we do our best to provide the flexibility you need to fit your English training into your lifestyle and commitments. If you'd like to book an enquiry call or go ahead and book your first session, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

Unfortunately, I've lost my job and notice that a lot of jobs I'm applying for, require English. Can you help? I don't know where to start - it seems daunting!

Firstly, we are so sorry to hear this. You are not alone in this situation. We have heard more and more people saying that they are now faced with the need to up-skill in English, to apply for jobs - particularly with the rise of remote working and internationally diverse teams.

It can be daunting if your previous job didn't require you to speak English, or if you haven't studied it since school. This is why we believe that it's important to fuse psychology with English language training - to prepare you mentally and linguistically to communicate, and build confidence in speaking.

We work with clients across various industries, levels and situations. We offer one-to-one training, group conversation exchange forums called 'Discussion Hubs', and intensive group programmes. We also tailor programmes and packages to suit your budget, need and requirements. If any of these options sound interesting, we'd be happy to chat more to find a workable solution that feels right for you.

Is it possible to book a single once-off session?

Yes absolutely! We have made this a possibility due to popular demand. Many of our clients are senior executives, or busy professionals who have an important once-off event they want help with - a big presentation, a pivotal negotiation or a potentially lucrative pitch. Sometimes, our clients simply need an intensive, once-off one-on-one session with a coach who will help them prepare their language and support them to feel mentally prepared. If this is something that you would find helpful, we'd love to help you - get in touch!

What platforms do you use for online sessions?

We use a whole range of platforms to deliver our online sessions, depending on what you prefer to use. Our clients tend to have preferences for Zoom, Skype, Webex and Teams, but we are open to using the platform that is most convenient for you and your workplace.

I have quite a high level in English, is your training for me?

We think this is a really great question. Given our approach is a fusion of English Communications Training and Coaching Psychology, our approach is suited to intermediate and higher level speakers. It allows us to focus more on how you can make the language work for you, enhancing your leadership and soft skills through English and coaching you towards a more confident and natural use of English. For higher levels, it is much less about grammar and structure, and much more about influence, impact, authenticity and authority. If this sounds like something you'd like to explore further with is, we'd love to hear from you.

I see that there are 6, 12 and 24 hour packages for distance learning. Is it possible to design a package?

Yes, absolutely. We'd love to tailor make a package and programme that is aligned with your needs, goals, financial and time considerations. Get in touch to let us know what you're looking forward, and we'll come up with a solution that is just right for you.

I had a conference call in English last week and was lost. It felt awful to be honest. Do you have any solutions specifically to help me in online meetings and video calls?

We are really sorry to hear this - feeling lost is never a nice feeling. First, it's probably useful to mention, our English training addresses issue like this - the emotional aspect of speaking another language - to build confidence first and foremost, as well as building linguistic skill in English. In terms of the solutions we offer that would work for your need, We prepare clients for Remote Meetings in various ways - as part of our Intensive Group Programme, as well as in one-to-one training. If working exclusively and intensely on English for online meetings is your goal, we recommend working one-to-one, to ensure our sessions are deeply personalised. We offer packages of 6, 12 and 24 hours, which you can use to fit into your schedule.

I saw you mention that you have and intensive group programme - how does that work? What's involved?

The AUTHOR Intensive Programme is an English programme delivered online over Zoom. It is for busy professionals with an increasing need for better English, primarily in their work life. Group sizes are very limited, and participants are matched to ensure speaking levels are homogenous, for maximum progress and global networking. 'The Intensive' covers a wide range of practical communication topics for maximum application in 'real-life' business. 12 Hour Programme. Levels B1, B2 and above. Maximum 4 people per group.

How much does distance learning cost?

Our distance learning options vary in price, depending on what you are looking for - your objectives, time commitment, frequency and so on. While we currently have three online learning options at varying price points, we would also be happy to make a bespoke package for you. We'd love for you to get in touch with us for more information.

How often can I have online sessions?

As frequently as you are committed to! There really is no limit on how frequently you can have online sessions. Perhaps the main considerations to factor in, are your availability and that of your trainer. We recommend weekly or twice-weekly sessions for maximum intensity, progress and impact. Designing your plan is something we can help you with if you'd like to discuss further.

What do you typically cover in the online sessions?

The content of the sessions depends on you, your needs and your objectives. Typically clients come to us with the desire to cover topics such as Business English for Presentations, Negotiations, Job Interviews, Meetings, Pitching or Public Speaking. Other clients like to explore nuances and leadership language skills such as how to influence, how to lead, how have impact, how o persuade, how to command attention and so on. Others again, want to prepare for a language exam, improve their small talk, or prepare for an expatriation assignment. The common denominator is we work on your confidence and delivery. Whatever your goal, we tailor our sessions for you, and design a programme that works for you. If you'd like to talk to us more about this, feel free to drop us a line.

Do you do payment plans?

Great question, and the short answer is - it depends on what you are booking. We offer a range of services, some once-off, some short term, others longer term commitments, some subscription based. Let us know what service you're interested in, and let's see how we can work together to find a workable solution.

I rarely have the opportunity to practice or fine-tune my English, what would you suggest?

We hear this a lot! Though our clients speak sometimes need to speak English at work, having a place to practice, make mistakes without worry, and to improve fluency, is a big lack for many people. With this issue in mind, we implemented our AUTHOR Discussion Hubs. Our Hubs meet weekly, where very small groups meet virtually to discuss a certain topic, question, issue or theme. Hubs are facilitated by one of our trainers, to introduce vocabulary or expressions where necessary, to ensure spot corrections and fine-tuning. You can sign up to our Hubs on a weekly or monthly basis, for a drop-in rate or by subscription. If practice is what you need, our Hubs are an informal yet effective option for you.

In the last few months, more and more of my work has been online, with lots of remote meetings in English - I need to up-skill fast, what do you recommend?

This is something we are hearing more and more. As work increasingly moves online, teams are becoming more geographically diverse, and the default language is often English. We prepare clients for Remote Meetings in various ways - as part of our Intensive Group Programme, as well as in one-to-one training. If speed and targeted upskilling is your goal, we recommend working one-to-one, to ensure our sessions are deeply personalised. We offer packages of 6, 12 and 24 hours, which you can use to suit your schedule.

What themes, topics or modules do you cover?

The topics, themes and modules we cover vary greatly, depending on the context: group, one-to-one, a fixed or flexi programme, bespoke or off-the-shelf, what the client wants and needs. With all that said, modules we cover in general include: