The document describes an "English for Business Managers" course. It discusses the background and targeted learners, which are new business managers aged 22-23 from English and business departments. A needs analysis found the English graduates lacked business skills and the business graduates lacked language skills. The course aims to develop communication skills in key business contexts through 7 modules. It uses a multi-syllabus approach including topic, skill, task, and text-based syllabuses to meet learner and employer needs. Assessment includes learner and employer feedback and self/peer evaluation during tasks.

1. “English for Business Managers” Course
Background to the course and targeted learners
Business continues to boom in China, and the demand for Business English (BE)
remains strong. The current BE course is called “English for Business Managers”
(EBM)” which is a 3-week intensive course delivered through seven modules. The
EBM course will be taught by specialist teachers at the training centres in business
schools (tertiary level).
The EBM course targets new business managers who are graduates from the
universities’ English Departments and from the business schools. They are all aged
between 22-23. For the graduates from the universities’ English Departments, their
English level is between upper intermediate and advanced while the graduates from
the business schools are between intermediate and upper intermediate level. These
graduates have been recently recruited by local foreign trade companies and they
will be entering the world of business and dealing with foreign business partners at
the end of the EBM course.
Needs analysis
Ferguson (1999) states that needs analysis is now well established as the necessary
foundation of any ESP course (p.77f). The EBM course is just no exception. The
needs analysis into the target learners will shape the syllabus types to be chosen for
this EBM course.

2. Findings from the needs analysis:
Since the new business managers recruited by the local foreign trade companies are
mainly the graduates from the universities’ English Departments and the business
schools, two scenarios have thus occurred: one scenario is that the graduates from
the universities’ English Departments lack the knowledge and skills needed for
business settings even though they have reached to the advanced English level; the
other scenario is that the graduates from the business schools lack a high level of
language skills as that of the graduates from the English Departments, though they
have already done the business courses at the business schools. And both two types
of learners have no work experience of business practices. Thus, the graduates from
the university English Departments need to acquire business knowledge and skills
through the BE course study; and the graduates from the business schools need to
further hone their language skills through the same BE course. On the part of the
local foreign trade companies, the employers demand that all the newly recruited
business managers should be well prepared in terms of their professional business
English and business skills. Under such circumstances, the EBM course (read note
for EBM) will just cater to such need as it has a mediating effect on the professional
business English and business skills that are needed by both types of learners.
Moreover, consultations with the senior business managers, the management of the
local foreign trade companies, previous BE course learners and BE teachers have led
to the findings of learners’ needs and the employers’ expectations, specifically a
core of business communication skills and work-related skills in socializing,
telephoning, presentations, business correspondence, notes, reports, business

3. proposals and business plans, marketing, and sales and negotiation. The findings
from the needs analysis have paved the way for the topic selection, skill focus,
methods of learning, choice of teaching materials, and in particular, the syllabus
types used for the EBM course design.
Aims of the course
The EBM course is intended
 to develop learners’ communication skills in seven key business
communication contexts: 1) socializing; 2) telephoning; 3) presentations; 4)
business correspondence; 5) notes, reports, business proposals and business
plans; 6) marketing; and 7) sales and negotiations
 to develop learners’ knowledge of the language used in business settings
 to help learners acquire and / or further consolidate knowledge and skills
needed in business contexts
Performance criteria objectives for the seven key business communication
contexts
Module 1 Socializing
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 understand cross-cultural issues in business settings
 acquire basic skills and techniques for socializing
 handle meetings, small talks and other events of socializing confidently
 improve communication skills in social and business contexts

4. Module 2 Telephoning
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 acquire basic skills and techniques for using the telephone for various
business purposes
 use effectively the telephone expressions that deals with difficulties and
distractions
 improve communication skills in telephoning
Module 3 presentations
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 acquire presentation skills for business
 use the language of presentations appropriately
 use visual aids for presentations
 improve communication skills needed for presentations
Module 4 Business correspondence
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 acquire basic skills and techniques for business correspondence
 acquire proofreading and editing skills for business writing
 interpret meanings of business correspondence correctly
 compose business correspondence effortlessly
 improve reading and writing skills in business correspondence

5. Module 5 Notes, Reports, Business Proposals and Business Plans
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 acquire skills and techniques for making notes, writing reports, business
proposals and business plans
 understand the syntax requirements for writing reports, business proposals
and business plans
 improve reading and writing skills in business reports, business proposals
and business plans
Module 6 Marketing
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 acquire basic skills and practical strategies for conducting market research
and product / service marketing
 master a glossary of marketing terms
 improve communications skills in marketing
Module 7 Sales and Negotiation
At the end of this module, learners should be able to:
 acquire negotiation skills in sales
 understand the stages of negotiation process and the language of negotiation
 master a glossary of negotiation terms
 negotiate and finalise sales contracts competently
 improve reading and writing skills in international sales contract

6. “English for Business Managers” Course framework (see attached appendix)
Syllabus types
The current EBM course uses a module approach which encompasses a multi-
syllabus that draws on 1) topic-based syllabus 2) skill-based syllabus; 3) task-based
syllabus; 4) text-based syllabus.
I believe that the module approach is well justified in 1) It offers the flexibility for
the institutions to run training courses for companies, as for staff training, the course
can not run over a long duration. Therefore, it is well suited for short intensive
courses such as the current EBM course. 2) It suits adult learning perfectly as each
individual module has clearly specified performance criteria objectives that they can
work towards the realization of such objectives. 3) It can better motivate learners as
each individual module covers specific contents that relate to their needs and
interests (as well as to the employers’ expectations).
Generally, module approach is associated with the identified or intended teaching
topics and skills. As such, a topic-based syllabus and a skill-based syllabus are
involved in this circumstance. By using such syllabuses, it would make the teaching
more focused as the topics and the skills are closely linked to the learners’ needs and
the employers’ expectations based on the needs analysis for the current EBM course
design.

7. In order to make the EBM course more beneficial to the learners, a task-based
syllabus and a text-based syllabus thus come to the centre stage. The tasks-based
learning in this course involves many tailor-made learning tasks and activities which
will enhance learners’ knowledge and skills both the business English and business
skills; the text-based syllabus offers learners and teachers with practical teaching
resources that make the EBM course highly credible. Apart from this, the teachers
and the learners generally favour the use of the textbooks in formal training courses
such as the current EBM course.
All in all, there are sound justifications for using a multi-syllabus for the designing
of the EBM course.
The theoretical basis of the syllabus types and reasons for choosing the
particular syllabus types for the EBM course design
Harkin (2001) reports from his findings that with the module approach learner
autonomy can be increased (Harkin, 2001, p.126f), which is fully supported by
Richards’s (2005) assertion that “learners should be encouraged to assume a
maximum amount of responsibility for what they learn and how they learn it”.
Having taken account of the learners’ needs and the employers’ expectations, the
module approach for the current EBM course is just the right choice as it can
effectively increase the learner autonomy.
The current EBM course uses ‘multi-syllabus’. McDonough and Shaw (1993, 2003)
argues that “syllabuses and materials are often based not only on one or two, but on

8. several organizing principles linked together in quite complex way: the ‘multi-
syllabus’ idea tries to capture this complexity” (p.253). The benefits of the multi-
syllabus are that the concurrent syllabuses harmonize progression in structures,
functions, notions, and skills (McDonough, 2002, p.115f). Ur (1996) also maintains
that “mixed or multi-strand” syllabus combine different syllabus element---such as
topics, texts, structures, lexis, skills and strategies---“in order to be maximally
comprehensive” (p.178). These are the justifications for using the ‘multi-syllabus’ in
the EBM course design.
For using the topic-based syllabus in the EBM course, there are two justifications: 1)
the topic-based syllabus is an educational approach as argued by Abbott (1987) who
asserts that learners “could learn a great deal through English’ and that ‘much of the
content of the English syllabus could well consist of revision, illustration and
broadening of other parts of the school curriculum.” (cited in White, 1988, p.65); 2)
White (1988) holds the view that topic-based syllabus is a purely motivational one
(p.65f) as it can motivate learners to play an active role in their own learning.
Further to the two justifications, Corder (2002) holds the position that topic-based
work can be a very good approach for adult education (p.147f) as in this case, we
have adult learners doing the EBM course. Thus, it is well justified to use the topic-
based syllabus in the current EBM course.
As far as skill-based syllabus is concerned, Tarey (1988) defines that “the content of
the language teaching is a collection of specific abilities that may play a part in using
language. Skills are things that people must be able to do to be competent in a

9. language” (p.1). In the EBM course design, the specific abilities and skills that the
learners must possess have been identified in the needs analysis. This necessitates
the use of the skill-based syllabus in the course design. Apart from this, Sarwar
(2001) also maintains that the skill-based approach demands cognitive interplay
which is a challenge to learners. It moves them towards relying on their own
judgements and conclusions so that they became gradually independent (p.135f). As
such, it is fully justified that the EBM course design should consider such syllabus
type.
In the case of task-based approach to language teaching, Nunan (1991) asserts that it
emphasizes on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language
and attempts to link classroom language learning with language activation outside
the classroom (citied in Brown, 1994, p228f). Richards (2002) further argues that the
use of task work in language teaching will help learners develop not only
communicative skills bus also an acceptable standard of linguistic performance
(p.36f). As such, it is absolutely justifiable to use the task-based syllabus in the EBM
course design.
With the text-based syllabus, Nunan (1991) claims that it introduces authentic texts
into the learning situation (citied in Brown, 1994, p228f). Feez (1998) argues that
“people learn language through working with whole text. The methodology which
supports a text-based syllabus is based on a model of teaching and learning in which
the learner gradually gains increasing control of text-types” (pp.3-4). Nation (2000)
supports Feez’s position by emphasizing

10. Text types are an important consideration in the design of language course,
because familiarity with the important text types and the patterns that lie
behind them will strongly affect the ease with which learners read and the
skill with which they write (cited in Tindale, 2003, p.22).
This clearly demonstrates that the use of the text-based syllabus for the current EBM
course design is well argued by the leading academics.
In short, the syllabus types I have chosen have sound theoretical basis and very
justifiable reasons which, I believe, would make this EBM course very appealing to
the learners and their employers.
Evaluation and assessment
Upon the completion of the course, an evaluation of the course will be conducted.
Firstly, all learners will be asked to complete a questionnaire; secondly, after a
period of time, follow-up calls will be made to seek the feedbacks from the
employers; and thirdly, the relevant teachers and administrators will gather together
to discuss ways of further improving the EBM course for future learners.
For the assessment, there is no formal examinations and tests; nevertheless,
alternative assessment will be used in a number of ways. For example, all learners
will be asked to develop a habit of self assessment to monitor their own progress and
see where improvements can be made. Peer assessment will also be used for task-

11. based learning activities. Throughout the course, teachers who are responsible for
the course instruction, will observe learners’ performance in the learning tasks and
activities, and provide them with the feedbacks.
Reasons for choosing the particular syllabus types
……………………………………………………..These particular syllabus types
hone learners’ languages skills: in receptive skills---listening and reading; in
production skills-speaking and writing.
Teaching and learning styles are, by their very nature, changing and in recent years
there has been a noticeable move from lecture-based activities towards more
student-centred activities. Case studies are an increasingly popular form of teaching
and have an important role in developing skills and knowledge in students.
*Assessment and evaluation procedures that will be involved or not the course
*Resources that will be drawn on for the delivery of the course
*Content of the course: The content of the course tailor to fit student goals,
institutional goals and time constraints.
Case methodology emphasized classroom discussion based on real-life problems
(McNergney, Ducharme and Ducharme, 1999, p.8f)
Alon and McIntyre---“The case method can provide students with an opportunity to
exercise problem-solving skills, which are crucial to coping with the changing
business environment” (p.142).
Alon and McIntyre (2004). “In business education, the case method is employed to
develop and hone students’ analytical skills” (p.142).
Note: Executive Business English (EBM) course is still a BE course. The reason for
using EBM is because it has a good selling point as it has a good face value. It can
appeal better to companies as well as participants.

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