• Is EUROSPEAK:online the right programme for me?

If you need to communicate effectively in English as part of your work in public administration (e.g. take part in international meetings, give presentations or write e-mails to your colleagues in other countries), then EUROSPEAK:online is right for you. Even though not all topics in the programme may be equally relevant for you (e.g. you might not deal with international organisations in your job, or explicitly need legal English), the language tasks in EUROSPEAK:online are designed so that no previous knowledge is necessary to do them. Anyone with Matura level English (or upwards) can benefit from using the programme.

• Do I need to be an EU expert to use EUROSPEAK:online?

No. You don’t need any special know-how to work with EUROSPEAK:online. All you need is a general interest in the topics of the programme. So don’t worry if you don’t know the answer to a quiz question on the EU or if some legal issue is completely new to you, for example. Remember it’s all about learning and practising the language needed to talk about these topics, not about testing your knowledge of the subject matter.

• What if I get lots of things wrong? Does that mean my English is bad?

EUROSPEAK:online is not meant to be a test of your English, but a learning tool. That means that the tasks you do and the feedback you get on your answers should be seen as an opportunity to increase your knowledge of English, not as a way of evaluating it. To test yourself on the language covered in EUROSPEAK:online, you can do the self-checks provided after every two modules.

• What’s the best way to use EUROSPEAK:online?

EUROSPEAK:online is extremely flexible: you can start at the beginning and work through it module for module, or you can choose to work on different sections according to your language learning needs (e.g. to improve your grammar, to expand your EU terminology, or to brush up your meetings language before a meeting next week).

• What if I find a task difficult to do?

EUROSPEAK:online provides different tools to help you use the programme, e.g. tips on how best to do each task, and a glossary function for explanations of new vocabulary. Check the EUROSPEAK:online tutorial to find out how to use these help tools. And remember there’s no hurry: you can take as much time as you need for each task, and even do it again later.

• Can my boss see how well I do in the programme?

No. Only you can see your answers to the tasks in EUROSPEAK:online; no one else has access to your individual data in connection with using the programme.

• How can I get practice in speaking?

EUROSPEAK:online is mainly designed to increase your vocabulary, improve your reading and listening skills and polish up your grammar. In addition, it includes communication tasks where you can learn the kind of language you need when chairing a meeting, giving a presentation or making small talk. But, of course, this can’t replace real communication with other people. So, for maximum benefit, combine EUROSPEAK:online with the Specialised English seminars provided by Verwaltungsakademie des Bundes. That’s where you can put what you have learnt into practice (e.g. in simulated meetings), as well as building your confidence in speaking English and getting tailor-made individual feedback. You can use EUROSPEAK:online both to prepare for these seminars and to review later what you have practised there.