Client Background
Benesse is Japan’s largest education company, with a long-standing commitment to helping individuals reach their full potential. As the company expanded its international initiatives, it sought to strengthen the English communication skills of its business professionals, particularly in real-world, conversational contexts.
Benesse employees selected for the program ranged from ages 30–55 and had English proficiency levels that ranged from pre-A1 to B2 on the CEFR scale.
The Challenge
Although English is essential in global business, many professionals struggle to move beyond vocabulary memorization and grammar drills. Traditional self-paced apps like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and GoFluent often lack opportunities for learners to actually practice speaking in meaningful, real-world contexts.
This was true for Benesse’s employees as well. Despite years of exposure to English, many lacked confidence and fluency in spontaneous conversation. A new approach was needed: one that emphasized practical language use, social interaction, and low-pressure environments.
The Solution
IMMERSE partnered with Benesse to design a fully customized 8-week immersive learning course in Business English. The course was built from the ground up based on a detailed needs analysis, including employee interviews and research into Japanese learner profiles, preferences, and common linguistic barriers.
Key features of the tailor-made program included:
- Contextualized instruction: Lessons were designed to reflect everyday workplace scenarios, focusing on soft skills and practical communication relevant to Japanese professionals operating in international settings.
- Task-based learning: Interactive activities encouraged spontaneous speaking and active use of vocabulary in context.
- Flexible scheduling: Employees chose from multiple weekly meeting times and attended live, instructor-led group lessons for 40 minutes per week.
Results and Impact
Speaking practice increased significantly over the course of the program:
- Employees spoke English 23.9% more from week to week
- Total speaking time increased by 2.75x across the 8 weeks
- 72% of participants said IMMERSE lessons helped them improve their speaking skills at work
- 72% also reported increased confidence in using English everyday at work
Employees described how IMMERSE’s immersive environment made it easier to participate and take risks:
“It was new and interesting to experience actually using English in the IMMERSE worldview. Also, the use of avatars lowered the hurdle to English conversation, and the realistic view of the world led to more practical use of English.”
“I enjoyed the lessons as if I was playing a game. Also, thanks to the anonymous nature of the lesson, I think I was able to participate in the lesson without feeling self-conscious.”
Key Takeaway
Benesse’s experience highlights the value of immersive learning in professional language development. Even with just 4 hours of total instruction over 8 weeks, employees demonstrated measurable improvements in speaking time, fluency, and confidence—proof that language upskilling doesn’t need to be time-intensive to be effective.
