“I finally dared to speak up in meetings”: an English learner’s story at ECSplicite

Freezing in international meetings, dreading calls in English, doubting every sentence: this was the daily reality that Thomas, a sales manager, decided to change through his language training with ECSplicite. He tells us about his progress, his doubts and his victories.

A familiar block: the fear of being judged

Before starting his training, Thomas had been working for 8 years at a company with an international footprint. English was everywhere — in his emails, his presentations, his conversations with colleagues based in London or Chicago. And yet a single thought was enough to paralyse him: “What if I make a mistake?”

“I understood almost everything, but as soon as I had to speak, I froze. I’d rather keep quiet than risk looking incompetent.”

ECSplicite knows this obstacle well. Since 1991, the training organisation has supported professionals who often have a good command of grammar but lack the confidence to speak spontaneously. It is precisely for them that the company’s philosophy was conceived: “Dare to speak, without fear of judgement”.

A personalised assessment from the outset

Thomas’s training began with an in-depth language assessment. Level, professional goals, the contexts in which he uses English, specific sticking points: everything was analysed to build a bespoke programme.

• Frequency: two 45-minute sessions a week, by video conference
• Format: one-to-one, to progress at his own pace without comparing himself to others
• Trainers: Thomas chose them according to their accents 

“From the very first session, I could tell it wasn’t a typical lesson. Nobody made me recite rules. We talked about my work, my real-life situations.”

A method focused on speaking practice

ECSplicite’s teaching approach is built on practical role-play. Each session recreates situations Thomas faces in his day-to-day work: chairing a meeting in English, defending a budget in front of English-speaking counterparts, writing a negotiation email.

His qualified trainer worked with him on three main areas:

• Fluency: learning to link ideas together without striving for perfection in every word
• Posture: regaining confidence in his voice, his accent and his legitimacy
• Job-specific vocabulary: expanding his sales and contractual vocabulary

“She didn’t correct every mistake on the spot. She let me finish my sentences, then we went back over what could be improved together. That makes all the difference.”

Tangible results after 3 months

After 12 weeks of training, Thomas took a new assessment. The figures speak for themselves:

• Progress on the CEFR scale
• Speaking response time halved during role-plays
• First spontaneous contribution in an international meeting in week 9

“That day, I asked a question in English without having prepared the sentence in advance. It may seem trivial, but for me it was huge.”

What he takes away from his experience with ECSplicite

Thomas stresses one point that surprised him: the supportive learning environment. No competition, no stressful grading, no condescending looks at mistakes. Just a safe space to experiment with the language.

“What I learnt at ECSplicite isn’t just English. It’s no longer being ashamed of my level. And that is priceless.”

Today, Thomas leads weekly catch-ups with the Chicago team. He no longer tries to be perfect. He tries to be understood — and he succeeds.

What if it were your turn?

Do you recognise yourself in Thomas’s story? ECSplicite offers 100% personalised business English training, delivered by experienced bilingual trainers and eligible for funding through your OPCO or your CPF. A first conversation is all it takes to identify your needs and build your bespoke programme.