Languages are our profession. People are our drive.

Our story

From university to practice

choices® grew out of university teaching: out of the experience that language teaching works when it is built around real goals. Since 2015 we have taught people in many languages, for large companies as well as individuals.

choices® global GmbH brings this approach to Germany. Our sister company in Poland serves clients at choices.com.pl, where you will also find many articles and case studies by our team.

Methodology

Our methodology: communicative language teaching with a clear goal

You learn a language by using it. This simple idea shapes every lesson at choices®. We follow the communicative approach: the focus is on situations in which you need to make yourself understood, not on rules you can recite. Grammar and vocabulary are not an end in themselves but tools you need for a specific task.

Speaking, not just listening

In many of the courses adults remember from school, the teacher did most of the talking. With us, it is the other way round. The teacher prompts, asks questions, moderates and corrects, but most of the speaking time belongs to the learners. That is why we keep groups small and recommend one-to-one lessons for rapid progress.

Mistakes as learning material

Anyone who speaks makes mistakes. Our teachers distinguish between errors that get in the way of understanding and small inaccuracies that tend to disappear over time. Important mistakes are noted and discussed in a focused way, without constantly interrupting the flow of conversation. Confidence grows, and accuracy grows with it.

Authentic materials

Alongside proven coursebooks from established publishers, we work with authentic texts, audio and video: articles from international media, interviews, podcasts and presentations. In company courses we add anonymised documents from your day-to-day work, such as emails, product descriptions or minutes. In other words, you learn the language you will actually encounter outside the classroom.

Teachers

How we select our teachers: only 1 in 25 applicants

Materials and methods matter, but it is above all the teacher who determines whether a course succeeds. That is why our selection process has several stages and is deliberately strict. Only around 1 in 25 applicants end up joining the team.

What we assess

• Language proficiency: a confident, precise command of the language of instruction, both for native speakers and for teachers who learnt the language themselves.
• Methodological training: sound knowledge of how adults learn languages and how to plan lessons.
• Teaching practice: a trial lesson that shows whether the candidate can engage a group live and online, correct mistakes sensibly and adjust the pace.
• Attitude: genuine enjoyment of teaching, patience and an interest in people. Without these qualities, even the best qualifications are of little help.

Teachers from 10 countries

Our team is made up of teachers from 10 countries, including native speakers as well as experienced professionals who teach the language as a foreign language and know their learners’ typical difficulties from their own experience. When matching teachers to learners, we consider level, goals and learning style, and for company courses the industry as well.

Ongoing development within the team

Selection is only the beginning. The methodology team led by Łukasz Pakuła supports teachers professionally, gives feedback on their lessons and encourages the exchange of ideas on materials, activities and challenging classroom situations. This way, every course benefits from the experience of the whole team.

Who we work with

Language courses for companies and individuals: how we work

The methodology is the same for everyone; the organisation differs. The overview below shows the main differences.

For companies

For businesses, we are a partner in staff development. We plan training for teams who work with international clients, suppliers or colleagues, and we support international professionals in learning German. Our guiding principle is that quality is the biggest saving. A course that does not fit costs working time without producing results. Find out more on our language courses for companies page.

For individuals

Individuals come to us with very different goals: the next career step, an exam, a move abroad or the wish to speak confidently again after years away from the language. We put lessons together flexibly, at times that fit your daily routine. You will find an overview on our language courses for individuals page.

Head of Studies

Łukasz Pakuła, Head of Studies: academic background

Academic leadership at choices® lies with Łukasz Pakuła. As Head of Studies, he is responsible for the quality of teaching and the selection of teachers. He combines the practice of a language school with research and teaching in higher education.

• Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus
• Adjunct Lecturer at HM Business School in Munich
• Lecturer at Kempten University of Applied Sciences
• completed doctoral studies in applied linguistics (PhD defence pending)
• publications with Springer and Equinox, among others

His areas of focus are Business English, intercultural communication and the question of how language skills translate into measurable results at work. This experience feeds into the course concepts developed by the methodology team under his leadership. He has written about measuring the impact of language training for Pearson, among others, for example on the GSE and the ROI of Business English.