Language Training Explosion

By Almas Mahmud

It is commonly heard amongst the expat community that “Oh, while in Holland, it’s not necessary to learn Dutch as the Dutch speak English rather well”, and we all have experienced that to be true to a large extent. To compound this, the Dutch government did not, initially, enforce Dutch on foreigners living here or applying for the Dutch nationality. We should not lose sight of the fact that with the economic boom following World War II, the country’s urban texture became dotted with a motley of immigrants from the Dutch colonies, followed by the flow from Turkey and Morocco. The latter, earlier accommodated as guest workers, gradually became permanent residents. This led the Dutch government’s think -tanks and policy makers to drop the term ‘minority policy’ in favour of an ‘integration policy’ as by its very connotation it better elucidates social integration and mutual acceptance.

The Underlying Reasons
Whilst the Dutch government worked on its integration policies, globalisation and business mergers brought foreign markets in contact with each other. This led to a significant shift in the language of communication being used. In the last few years, we have seen a dramatic change in the Netherlands. English is no longer confined to being a foreign language in school, or a language for music in shops and pubs. It has moved to the meeting rooms, negotiating tables and the art of making presentations in many multinationals. Added to this, is another realisation: that understanding other cultures when doing business at the same time is a factor not to be overlooked.

A Juxtaposed Society
Therefore, the society is presently juxtaposed with the expats teaching English to the Dutch, and the Dutch making an effort to allow buitenlanders (foreigners) to go beyond saying ‘Goede morgen’ and ‘dank u wel’ (which incidentally is how far I got to until a few weeks back) without launching into their own, fluently English, answers. Capitalising on the market demand for English and Dutch coupled with the government’s integration plan – the Wet Inburgering Nieuwkomers (WIN or Newcomer Integration Act), which went into force on September 30th 1998, and requires all foreigners applying for Dutch nationality to speak the minimum ‘survival’ Dutch – language training centres mushroomed not only in the Randstad area but also in other parts of the Netherlands.

The XPat Journal’s Observations
The XPat Journal traipsed its way through a few of these centres, selected at random, to give our readers an overview of what is being offered in the country. And an overview it certainly is! But keep in mind that it should not be read as a list of ‘recommended’ centres by us. A large number of the language centres cater to the professional segment where courses are taught either on a one-to-one basis or in very small groups. The prices are not affordable for the man in the street or anyone wanting to take up a foreign language as a hobby. However, there are a few centres which run affordable courses for individuals who are paying from their own pocket!

Certification / Association
Most language centres are certified with a stamp of approval and credibility either by CEDEO, VETRON, ISO 9001, as members of VTN or a combination, so that certainly cannot go very wrong then in your selection of an institute!

* CEDEO B.V. is a neutral and objective intermediary with a strong position in the Netherlands in the field of vocational training. Quality control is CEDEO’s main objective, and in order to certify training institutes, CEDEO focuses on quality, consistency, business orientation and client satisfaction. Client satisfaction is based on various aspects: training, organisation and administration of the training institute and customer relations – to name a few. Its minimum requirement is that all customers must be satisfied on all aspects with an average of 80% or more. CEDEO, by means of its publication, CD-Rom and Helpdesk, advises and assists companies with a preferred shortlist.

* On the other hand, VETRON, an independent association of training and educational organisations in the Netherlands, started in the early eighties and currently has 45 members, including some language centres. To become a member of VETRON, a company has to have been operational in the market for a period of three years and should attain an ISO 9001 certificate within a year of becoming a member. Mr. Willem Koekkoek, Chairman of VETRON, stated that its strength is “the quality, diversity, sharing of market knowledge and a friendly commercial relationship”. He said that “members must be focused on maintaining a high standard and yearly certification by ISO 9001 coupled with the University of Twente’s independent evaluation of the training institutes, which takes place at VETRON’s request. These are the organisation’s most positive aspects in both pushing up standards and consistently maintaining these.”

* Bureau Veritas Quality International ( BVQI), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bureau Veritas, a large multinational organisation established in 1828 and known internationally for its multi-disciplinary services. In response to the world-wide need for third party management system certification, BVQI was formed in 1988. It is an internationally recognised certification body, and it has assisted companies world-wide in achieving ISO 9001 certification and other equivalent standards. With its world-wide regional offices, including in the Netherlands, BVQI’s ISO 9001 certification relates to the procedures adopted within the company. The first certification lasts for three years during which there is an annual surveillance audit and a main audit towards the end of the three years. To retain the certificate, these audits are an essential core of the system.

* Some language training schools are also members of VTN (Vereniging Taleninstituten Nederland or Association of Language Training Institutes ) which was set up in 1995 by a group of 19 private language institutes who wanted a systematic approach to quality care in the field of language teaching. They wanted the result of the quality care to be visible in the market. A pre-requisite before joining the organisation is that the institute must have been functional for two years and independent of any government subsidy. VTN membership, a mark of quality, requires that each member have a structured business plan. The organisation is considered a forum for sharing expertise where there is an exchange of knowledge in the fields of language, culture, and communication training.

Modus Operandi
With logos certifying their credibility in one way or the other, the language centres dotted all over the country work largely with their team of free-lance teachers, and are successfully offering their services to clients in any part of the country. You can take language classes wherever you want to: in-company or at the centre if it is in close proximity to you. Irrespective of where the language centre is based, mobility, flexibility and adaptability are the strong elements in any language institution’s motto. By and large, all the centres spoken to by The XPat Journal talked of the development of tailor-made programs to suit each participant’s needs which are determined after an intake interview.

An Overview
In this and the following issues of The XPat Journal, we will give you an overview of language institutes in the Netherlands.

Language Training Institutes

A Vetron member with a certification from ISO 9001, Horizon Interlingua – a merger of MOC Taaltrainingen and Interlingua Taalsupport – is part of the Horizon Training Group. It offers individual and group courses in language and communication skills for business purposes in more than 25 languages. These courses are offered in-company or at one of their well-equipped language centres in Bunnik, Rotterdam or Zwolle. Aside from other in-company group training, the centre offers English conversation, English for Human Resource Managers, Technical English, Effective Writing and Business Etiquette Across the Border. Courses range from intensive to extensive to a six-hour daily program. Subscribing, as it does, to the concept of ‘train-the-trainer’, Horizon Interlingua provides ample opportunity for its trainers to continue to develop themselves further in order to enable them to effectively impart their knowledge to suit each participant.

Concepts such as catering to individual needs, flexibility and proven results have been the catch phrase for many years of the International Language Centre in Waalwijk. The first institute in the country to be officially recognised by ISO-9001, ILC is not only a member of Vetron but also enjoys recognition from CEDEO. It specialises in providing in-company courses anywhere in the Netherlands. Organisations can also choose to use the institute’s facility, if they so desire. Refresher courses, intended for ex-students, can also be offered as a company project along with especially designed workshops on presentation, reporting, negotiating and meetings skills. The intensive courses are offered at two levels: urgent intensive or phased intensive. Other courses ILC offers are: highly individualised interactive communication courses in Dutch for those who use it extensively in the workplace; special commercial courses held in co-operation with various international Chambers of Commerce and other reputable institutions in English, French, German, and Italian where students qualify for officially recognised international diplomas; and language courses or special business courses focusing primarily on listening and speaking skills for small groups. In addition, ILC offers special courses designed to promote a better understanding of cultural differences in order to help you prepare for your next business trip abroad – as it believes that the fewer the cultural shocks the better.

Situated on Piet Heinplein in the centre of The Hague is Direct Dutch. Through specialising in teaching Dutch as a foreign language, the centre has made its niche with the expat community. Besides the text material, CD and cassettes, the beginners’ course enlightens the students in short lectures on different aspects of Dutch society including history, geography, politics, arts and media. Initially, these talks and discussions are in English but they gradually progress to the target language; Dutch. For those who do not have the time or inclination to study intensively, there are regular (three-month) beginners’ courses followed by an intermediate and advanced course. In order to meet the wishes of businesses who want to organise on-site courses, Direct Dutch set up in-company programmes in 1994. These courses are flexible and adaptable to the client’s needs ranging from the material used to the frequency and duration. Based on its firm belief that language, society and culture are inseparable, Direct Dutch has, during the past couple of years, introduced its popular courses on Dutch culture: Home in on Holland and Business in a Historical and Cultural Context. These courses dwell on the target language but the main emphasis is on understanding the Dutch culturally and professionally. The institute believes that a language learnt has to be absorbed in the arena of real life and to help implement this, Club Direct Dutch was started in 1988. Students are encouraged to come to the institute once a month and join their peers in a social chit-chat over drinks – whereby the official language spoken is Dutch!!

It has come a long way – the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam celebrated its 90th anniversary in June 2000. Founded as the ‘Vereeniging Koloniaal Instituut’ (Association of the Colonial Institute), it was originally a research institute whose aim it was to disseminate knowledge on the tropics – but now its activities are inclined towards international co-operation world-wide. Keeping in line with globalisation and the changing needs of clients and partners, KIT now works towards a more integrated approach to supporting organisational change or to developing new approaches in intercultural management. KIT also has a Language Training department which received the ISO 9001 certificate last year. Other than making new contacts with a number of ministries, multinationals, banking institutions etc, it also caters to the general public. The Language Department organises job-oriented Intensive Language Training programmes in all Western and non-Western languages, giving special attention to the cultural aspect of communication – which KIT stresses is an indispensable tool in preparing the grounds for international contacts. These programmes cater to needs of businessmen and government officials who will take up residence and live abroad, as well as those who work in an international environment in the Netherlands. For those new in the Netherlands, the 100-hour group course ‘Dutch for Beginners’, takes the participants in a goal-oriented approach towards the acquisition of knowledge of the language and culture required to meet the demands of living and working in the Netherlands. As a large number of Dutch companies are hiring foreign specialists, many Dutch as well as other non-English speakers need to improve their communication skills in English for professional or social reasons. To cater to such clients, the intensive tailor-made English Fluency Courses aim to increase their mastery of effective oral communication skills, and the intensive tailor-made English Writing Courses meet the needs of those who want to improve their writing skills for academic or job purposes. KIT’s language training programmes can be combined with Country-Specific Briefings and Business Culture Training programmes of the institute’s Culture, Management and Organisation department.

For those who may not be familiar with this fact, Nuffic Language Laboratory (Netherlands Organization for International Co-operation in Higher Education), has been offering courses for foreigners and native speakers of Dutch since 1966. Located at Kortenaerkade in The Hague, the Nuffic Lab is a small set-up that offers Dutch, English, and French courses at the beginners’ and advanced level. The Language Laboratory’s courses represent a balanced combination of independent study and personal supervision by the small team of experienced, academically trained teachers. The students work in their own cubicles with the course folders, accompanied by cassettes for a couple of hours at their individual level and pace. The frequency of the lessons depends entirely on the student and it could be from one lesson a week to as many as four or five. A teacher is always present to help out with any problems –be it grammar or pronunciation. If you are a beginner and prefer to work undisturbed, then a language lab may be the solution!! If you make use of the Language Laboratory you will receive a document certifying that you have taken a course, if you want one. Depending on the needs of the community, Nuffic also gives group lessons in the language laboratory or in a classroom while private lessons on request are also possible. Three times a year, a special training course is offered for people who plan to take the state exam in Dutch as a second language (also known as NT2, level II).

Best known for its individual, tailor-made, intensive language course, the very mention of Taleninstituut Regina Coeli (also CEDEO certified) in Vught conjures up memories of another era – one of nuns and education. In the beginning of the 20th century, when France banned the religious orders from teaching, the Sisters of the Canonnesses from Luneville, Lorraine, were forced to seek asylum elsewhere for their convent community. In 1903, they purchased an estate in Vught, where Regina Coeli was a boarding school for girls. In 1963, Sister Maria Luykx founded the Language Institute ‘Regina Coeli’. With activities that ranged between sending teaching missionaries abroad to training people from developing countries who wished to pursue vocational training in the Netherlands, the institute gained international reputation as a prominent language institute in academic, business, and government circles. The nuns built up a reputation in Regina Coeli with their intensive language courses and were the forerunners in using the language laboratory. Nowadays, this is supplemented with Regina Coeli’s unique multimedia facility where education technology and didactics are combined with the vast experience of its trainers to provide clients with communicative language skills in a relatively short period. For foreigners, Welkom in Nederland, a two-week beginners’ course, gives the basics of the Dutch language as well as the essentials of the (language) culture. However, the Institute does not solely concentrate on individual courses, but also offers courses in Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian as well as the following: group programmes in Vught; in-company courses either individual or group lessons; part-time training in refresher courses (to improve skills in a foreign language); preparatory courses (for an intensive program); and the so-called Language Audit – whereby the foreign language requirements of a company are analysed to determine the actual language level and skills of the personnel so that a unique programme can be offered in those areas where a ‘training gap’ has been found. As part of its expansion plans, Regina Coeli is going through a major construction phase and a new building is being constructed on the existing location.

The British School in the Netherlands – International Education Centre in The Hague offers both Dutch and English courses at various levels. For the convenience of the students, courses are held during the day and in the evenings. There are courses from ‘Beginners Plus’ to intermediate for children from ages 10 – 13. The Upper-Intermediate First Certificate Exam is for children the age of 14 – 17. For adults, the beginners’ and pre-intermediate levels – 1, 2, 3 – provide a basic introduction to spoken and written English. Approximately 1,000 words are introduced at each level. Intermediate level 4 offers all-round courses to develop the four skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. For those who wish to study further, advanced level 6 works on developing a more sophisticated level of spoken and written English. Courses are offered in Dutch from levels 1 – 4 and then level 7, which is geared towards conversation Dutch. The centre can arrange a NT2 Dutch exam if a student is interested. Besides the above courses, Intensive Business English, Cambridge Business English, Telephoning and Correspondence, and in-company courses are offered to develop and improve the relevant skills.

Language Solutions offers a range of group courses in two locations, Amsterdam and Amstelveen. Specialising in Dutch courses, Language Solutions organises both group and individual courses from the beginners’ course to an advanced level. The two advanced courses enable the students to express themselves better and to enrich their vocabulary. Individual courses are available only in English and other European languages. In-company courses are organised for groups of 3 – 10 people with a similar level of skills in a particular language. Moreover, specialist tuition, providing courses aimed at developing specific skills required in a business environment are also conducted. Among the short special courses are Dutch Conversation classes and the Museumlessen – offering a trip to the Museum where one can practice the target language and learn more about the Dutch culture and heritage.

Instituut Terwinia has made a niche for itself in Leiden. It specialises in Dutch for foreigners and native speakers and also offers courses in English, French, German, Spanish and Norwegian. Instituut Terwinia caters to its students’ needs by offering anything from individual crash courses to in-company group courses where the tailor-made material for each programme contribute to the language centre’s strength. The level of students varies from absolute beginners to near native level.

Linguarama Nederland in The Hague, Hoofddorp, Amsterdam and Soesterberg is part of the International Linguarama Group. CEDEO-certified, a member of VETRON and VTN, Linguarama specialises in training programmes with a professional focus. It provides a number of courses on its own premises and in-company. Besides language courses in European and non- European languages, it offers Dutch for expatriates. Interactive communication programmes for organisations include Executive Seminars & Workshops, Intercultural Communications & Country Briefings, Home in on Holland Workshops, and ‘Linked Skills’ programmes. Linguarama’s individual courses are varied: there are residential programmes in blocks of one to eight weeks in England or in the Netherlands, individual intensive and semi-intensive courses and flexible courses to accommodate the changing work schedule of the busy executive. Through a needs analysis study, the course programmes are designed to meet the requirements of each individual participant. Linguarama’s Group Pedagogical Unit (GPU) produces a wide range of material to support the design and teaching of its courses, and provides specialised services for companies on request. Linguarama Nederland recently inaugurated its residential training centre in the old Cenakel convent in the wooded surroundings of Soesterberg. Students can learn the language of their choice under the guidance of experienced native speakers based on a tailor-made individual program.

Last but not least, the Volksuniversiteiten with almost a hundred members and 400 schools can be found all across the country. As it is commonly heard amongst the Dutch; “there is always a volksuniversiteit in your neighbourhood” – which shows its link with the community. The concept of volksuniversiteiten started in 1913 in Amsterdam by Prof dr. S.R. Steinmetz, who borrowed the idea from England and Denmark. The language courses started in the 1920s, and the first big impulse came after the Second World War with the Dutch migration to the United States and Canada. The second boost to language training came in the late 60s when immigrants from Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco and Turkey had to learn Dutch. Currently, there are approximately 250,000 students all across the country enrolled with a volksuniversiteit and almost 80,000 of them are following different language courses. The language courses here, taught in groups in a congenial environment, are not tailored for certificates. People are learning a foreign language either as a hobby or preparing themselves for a long vacation abroad. Other than languages, courses are also offered in Computer, Culture & History, and Health & Environment to name but a few.

Plenty to offer
Language Training Explosion – an overview it certainly has been! There are hundreds of language training centres in the Netherlands for you to choose from – keeping in mind your needs and budget!! To know if there’s one in your city, a call to ACCESS’s help line at
070 – 346 25 25 could be helpful or otherwise you can look in your Yellow Pages or Telephone Directory under Talenonderwijs.