Teaching Business English: aspects to consider Prof. Diana Cristina Porto

Business English vs. General English Programmes Focus on developing: accuracy fluency Focus on developing : general language knowledge general communication skills. Focus on developing: accuracy fluency effectiveness Focus on developing: general and specialist language knowledge general and professional communication skills

Programmes

Focus on developing:

accuracy

fluency

Focus on developing :

general language knowledge

general communication skills.

Focus on developing:

accuracy

fluency

effectiveness

Focus on developing:

general and specialist language knowledge

general and professional communication skills

Business English vs. General English SYLLABUS Often determined by choice of textbook and end-of-term examination. Wide ranging syllabus: vocabulary from different areas and different styles Set courses with fixed objectives and syllabus. Special courses with special syllabus. One-to-one courses may develop syllabus and content on an ongoing basis.

SYLLABUS

Business English vs. General English COURSE OBJECTIVES Individual objectives: culture, traveling abroad, obtaining a better job. Examination courses: fixed pre-determined objectives Defined precisely according to the needs analysis

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Individual objectives: culture, traveling abroad, obtaining a better job.

Examination courses: fixed pre-determined objectives

Business English vs. General English METHODOLOGY Communicative ELT methodology Communicative ELT methodology Communication skills training

METHODOLOGY

Communicative ELT methodology

Communicative ELT methodology

Communication skills training

Business English vs. General English TRAINERS Need the following mix of knowledge and skills: ELT methodology Need the following mix of knowledge and skills: ELT methodology Communicative skills training Knowledge of business content

TRAINERS

Need the following mix of knowledge and skills:

ELT methodology

Need the following mix of knowledge and skills:

ELT methodology

Communicative skills training

Knowledge of business content

Business English vs. General English EVALUATION OF PROGRESS Formal oral and written examination evaluating accuracy, fluency and general communicative ability. Informal assessment: accuracy, appropriacy of vocabulary and pronunciation. An off-the-shelf Business English test may be used by some organizations. Informal assessment: emphasis on success of communication

EVALUATION OF PROGRESS

Formal oral and written examination evaluating accuracy, fluency and general communicative ability.

Informal assessment: accuracy, appropriacy of vocabulary and pronunciation.

An off-the-shelf Business English test may be used by some organizations.

Informal assessment: emphasis on success of communication

Business English vs. General English MATERIALS Wide choice of off-the-shelf material for general English for all the levels. Materials development not required by the teacher. Off-the-shelf materials for business English but may not meet needs of group or course, then it may be necessary to develop materials for a specific course or to add authentic material.

MATERIALS

Business English LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE COMMUNICATION SKILLS GRAMMAR VOCABULARY PRONUNCIATION PRESENTATIONS MEETINGS TELEPHONING WRITTEN REPORTS

LANGUAGE

KNOWLEDGE

GRAMMAR

VOCABULARY

PRONUNCIATION

PRESENTATIONS

MEETINGS

TELEPHONING

WRITTEN REPORTS

Business English LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE GRAMMAR Clear rules Some cases of ambiguity BrE or AmE VOCABULARY Specialist/Specialist Specialist/non-Spec. Generalist/Generalist PRONUNCIATION Some SS have a real need No off-the-shelf materials for BS

GRAMMAR

Clear rules

Some cases of

ambiguity

BrE or AmE

VOCABULARY

Specialist/Specialist

Specialist/non-Spec.

Generalist/Generalist

PRONUNCIATION

Some SS have a real need

No off-the-shelf materials for BS

Business English COMMUNICATION SKILLS PRESENTATIONS MEETINGS TELEPHONING WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION

COMMUNICATION

SKILLS

PRESENTATIONS

MEETINGS

TELEPHONING

WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION

The Learners’ Objectives ACCURACY EFFECTIVENESS FLUENCY

ACCURACY

The Learners’ Objectives ACCURACY Language Knowledge Black or white Easier for trainer to assess and for student to see the improvement FLUENCY and EFFECTIVENESS Native speaker competence Zero competence

ACCURACY

Language Knowledge

Black or white

Easier for trainer to assess and for student to see the improvement

FLUENCY and EFFECTIVENESS

The Learners’ Objectives FLUENCY OF COMMUNICATION Speed of Speaking Outside of range: uncomfortable gaps or incomprehensibility due to speed “ The perception of the listener” Effort of Speaking Impossible to determine and compare Ask the speaker

FLUENCY OF COMMUNICATION

Speed of Speaking

Outside of range: uncomfortable gaps or incomprehensibility due to speed

“ The perception of the listener”

Effort of Speaking

Impossible to determine and compare

Ask the speaker

The Learners’ Objectives EFFECTIVENESS Impact – Variety – Conciseness Stylistic feature Part of the media, part of the message Behavioural features contributing the use of hand and arm gestures the use of eye contact the use of vocal variety the use of visual aids moving within the audience area handling questions handling difficult audiences

EFFECTIVENESS

Impact – Variety – Conciseness

Stylistic feature

Part of the media, part of the message

Behavioural features contributing

the use of hand and arm gestures

the use of eye contact

the use of vocal variety

the use of visual aids

moving within the audience area

handling questions

handling difficult audiences

The Business English Trainer No single profile: environment + learners’ demands A Language Teacher + PERSONAL SKILLS an outgoing personality a good negotiator curious and interested in business

No single profile: environment + learners’ demands

A Language Teacher + PERSONAL SKILLS

an outgoing personality

a good negotiator

curious and interested in business

Final Words “ You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.” Harry Firestone “ A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.” Chinese Proverb “ People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do it well.” Joe Gibbs.

“ You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.”

Harry Firestone

“ A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.”

Chinese Proverb

“ People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do it well.”

Joe Gibbs.

[email_address] www.dianabusiness.blogspot.com www.slideshare.net/dianacporto

[email_address]

www.dianabusiness.blogspot.com

www.slideshare.net/dianacporto