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      TeachingEnglish
      Creating a Business English course
      Submitted by dec on 14 September, 2011 - 01:45

      Hi, my name is Declan.  I have recently started a class with business English students.  The problem is there is no course book.  I need to make a programme up from scratch.  I am looking forward to the challenge, but, has anyone got any tips or ideas of how to go about it. 

      All comments welcome.

       

      ‹ Which Certificate TEFL course -- distance learning + classroom + Business + Young learners Any obstacles for non-native English speaking teachers? ›

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      Frank L's picture
      Frank L
      Business English course
      Submitted on 14 September, 2011 - 08:46

      To create a course on business English you must know something about business. It would be best to begin with a Business Dictionary as well as a course book on marketing, banking, administration etc. Most business English students are using English based texts so you might want to begin with a business magazine - Business Week, the Economist etc.

      To start with you should become familiar with the terms and formulas associated with business functions. If you don't know them you will be at a loss.

      There is no short cut but you should begin with a needs questionaire for the group. That should include questions regarding their business English interests.

      Sorry but there are no short cuts.

       

      Frank L

      dec's picture
      dec
      Business English
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 00:34

      Thanks Frank for your advice.  I have given the students a questionnaire so I do have a good idea of their needs.  But as you said there is no short cut.

       

      Cheers.

      IrisDevadason's picture
      IrisDevadason
      Business English
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 15:59

      Dear Frank,

      Go to DVBE  (Dave Volek's Business English, online or write back to me and I'll introduce you to  Dave , an  engineer-cum-business man and English teacher , who has created fantastic materials  for English teachers to teach BEnglish.

      I have treid them and they are so good.

      My address is

      devadason.iris@gmail.com

      All the best

      Iris D

      IrisDevadason's picture
      IrisDevadason
      From Iris Devadason
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 16:00

      sorry.

      that was for  Declan, not for Frank.

      Iris

      Dora Lopez's picture
      Dora Lopez
      Resources
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 16:28

      Take a look at the following books. They may guide your choices:

       

      Basturkmen, H. (2009) Ideas and Options in English for Specific Purposes. Routledge.

      Harding, K. (2007) English for Specific Purposes. Oxford.

      Manonim's picture
      Manonim
      Teaching Business English
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 16:31

      I am going to be doing exactly the same starting next week and have been finding the planning difficult, although fortunately I do have experience in the business field.  I haven't met the students yet who will be older adolescents and who will all have different levels within the same classes.  After much research I have found this site useful, and also TES Connect, together with Truetube and Youtube for clips to go with lesson plans.  They have all helped me considerably with lesson plans as although I can imagine in my head what I want to do, the whole business of describing in writing to my bosses what I am going to doing with their students for the next three months (and in a foreign language) is proving to be the most difficult thing to accomplish, there are just too many unknowns - a business plan is much easier to write! 

      Any advice to me too from anyone would be very welcome and I wish you good luck. 

      safarkhan's picture
      safarkhan
      Re: Creating a Business English course
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 17:13

      Hi,

      I've been looking around for the same materials for a while now and I've come up with a course which suits the needs of the learners here. I took references from few books which helped me desifn the course.

      You can look at the series for these publications:

      • New International Business English-Jones and Alexander , CUP
      • Pass Cambridge series at BEC preliminary , Vantage and Higher levels- Wood, Williams,Goyal publishers.
      • Talking Business in Class- Chris Sion, Viva
      • International Business Role plays-David Kerridge- Viva

       

      How about discussing some more points in detail about how the course progresses?

      Safar Khan

      juanibotero's picture
      juanibotero
      Business English Course
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 17:13

      Hello Declan.  Having clear the profile of your students would help you to define the competences they need.  Also, looking at some books will give you a better perspective ( market leader for example) about the goals you want to achieve with your students.

      Nadine73's picture
      Nadine73
      Business English
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 17:15

      You could try some of the publisher's websites for Business English.  Not wanting to promote any one in particular, Macmillan has some great free resources, including audio with worksheets that you could use in class.  With Business English, vocabulary is important as the grammar remains the same whatever the situation.  Hope this helps!

      amazinanian's picture
      amazinanian
      Some useful sites for business English
      Submitted on 15 September, 2011 - 17:53

      Hello Dear Declan,

      Please have a look at following sites . I am sure they will give you some helpful hints on  Business English .

       

      http://www.barcelonaenglish.com/school/online/ebooks/books.htm

      http://prosites-eslflow.homestead.com/businessenglish.html

      http://www.pearsonlongman.com/business/teachers/business-resources/

       All the best

      A Mazinanian