About Language Trainers
Language Trainers specialise in one-to-one and small group language training for business people and busy individuals who need language skills for work, travel and family needs.
Head Office
Run by the directors and administrative team in Brighton and London, Language Trainers coordinate a worldwide (all over the UK and Ireland, and in major cities in the rest of the world) team of qualified, native speaker language teachers. The Head Office is responsible for administration, recruitment, course development and materials, and academic support for the teachers.
Directors
The directors have nearly 35 years of experience in language training and learning and speak many languages between them.
Teachers
Locally-based to reduce travel time and expense, e.g. a Spanish course in Bristol will be taught by a Spanish teacher living in the Bristol area, an Arabic course in Dubai will be taught by an Arabic teacher living in Dubai.
Company Information
Language Trainers is a trading name of Brighton Early Ltd (registered in England and Wales as Company No. 4900290 and VAT No. 866780964). Language Trainers has been awarded the prestigious ISO9001:2000 accreditation for the quality of its management systems. Read more..
Our staff
Alexis Sheldon, MA
Cert. TEFL
Managing Director
Favourite Language: Brazilian Portuguese and Russian
Likes: Airline food, Skype, chilli sauce, South Park, frescobol, clients who pay early, Private Eye, ceviche, caipiroskas, and Tottenham Hotspur
Dislikes: RnB, Visas, makeup, bank charges, ironing, traffic, spelling errors, wearing a tie, and Arsenal
Alexis started teaching English 19 years ago, and has taught in Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil and Argentina; as well as in the UK where he has been Director of a Summer Language School. Until the end of 2003, he managed the corporate training division which he established at another leading UK nationwide language school. Alexis also runs Translation Central, a document translation agency.
Jon Pokroy, MA
Dip. TEFL
Academic Director
Favourite Language: German
Likes: Arriving, cricket, puns, steak tartare
Dislikes: Leaving, post-modernism, finding words that rhyme with 'orange'
For 15 years, Jon has been working in Spain, Germany, and London, training executives in English for Specific Purposes and developing courses for Specific Purposes for corporations, universities and the British Council, as well as examining IELTS students. Jon is also a proficient web programmer, specialising in ASP, .NET, and database design, and is also a very experienced squash teacher.
Uta Westphal MA
General Manager
Favourite Language: language: English and Japanese
Likes: Travelling, reading, springtime, spending time with family and friends
Dislikes: Mess and stress
After achieving her MA in American Literature, Spanish and Media Sciences, Uta previously worked as a journalist, an editor and a translator before joining Language Trainers and occupying the role of Head of Teachers, Sales and Administration. Fluent in German and English, and armed with basic Spanish, French and Japanese, Uta has plenty of experience with foreign language learning. In the several years she has spent at Language Trainers she has arranged hundreds of courses across Europe, the United States and Canada. She is currently overseeing the organisation of language training in the UK & Ireland, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and North America.
Leticia Artiles Gracia MA
Administration Supervisor
Favourite Language: Spanish (of course!), but also Italian and Portuguese
Likes: Dancing, travelling, meeting people from all around the world, European films, yoga, cycling, and wine!
Dislikes: Broken toes, peas, beer, fast food, and lazy people
Leticia is a native Spanish speaker who can also speak English, German and French; and will soon be adding Italian to that list! A qualified Spanish teacher with an MA in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, she has taught in Germany and the UK; but presently oversees the administration for Language Trainers from the UK headquarters.
Valeria Almeida
Client Executive
Favourite Language: Spanish
Likes: Travelling, making new friends, cooking, the beach, my dogs, rock music, dancing, photography, and supporting my football team, Rosario Central!
Dislikes: Bad jokes
Valeria has previous experience teaching Portuguese and English, as well as her native Spanish. She helps to handle the organisation and administration of hundreds of language courses in a huge variety of different languages.
Angela Bleahu
Client Executive
Favourite Language: French
Likes: Reading, learning about other cultures, mountaineering, and cooking (especially Jamie Oliver!)
Dislikes: Insensitive people and rain
Angela is a keen linguist - while she is a native Romanian speaker, she also speaks English and French, dabbles in a bit of German, and is eager to add Italian and Portuguese to her tally of languages. Born and reared for the task in hand, Angela helps organise and manage hundreds of language courses, and acts as a liaison between potential students and teachers.
Dave Khayat BA
Lead Editor/IT Manager
Favourite Language: Latin and Japanese
Likes: Music, reading, sport, foreign languages, fresh fruit and whiskey (not at the same time)
Dislikes: Poor grammar, shallow people and rap 'music'
Dave supervises the on-site IT from Language Trainers Hove headquarters, and also writes and edits all texts for the site. A lover of all foreign languages and armed with a BA in Classics (Latin & Greek), Dave often entertains others by attempting to communicate with them in their native language and failing spectacularly.
Natalia Bagnati, BA
Marketing
Favourite Language: Spanish and English
Likes: Music, travelling, the internet, and French fries
Dislikes: Cooking, mess and irresponsible people
After achieving her BA in Advertising, Natalia worked as an Account Manager at several advertising agencies before joining Language Trainers. Natalia also spent two years abroad at Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts (USA) and also one year in Madrid studying Marketing.
Online Lessons
Personalised, real time classes by top quality, native teachers.
My girlfriend recommended Language Trainers to me, and I thank her for it. My English has improved a lot in just the last two months, and it has made it easier to do my job and also talk to my English friends. I can finally even joke with them about football!
