Business English

1. The main focus of the course is to develop the trainees teaching skills whilst providing them with a realistic insight into teaching Business English. The knowledge and skills that the students acquire can be utilised in any part of the globe, although from a cultural aspect it must be recognised that attitudes and approaches to learning differ from country to country.

2. There is no course book used for the Business English part of the course. The reason for this is that Business English course books for TEFL learners are almost in non-existence. Those that do exist are very limited and/or general in the aspects of Business English teaching that they cover and are therefore of little use.

3. For each class the students will be given handout sheets with complete information and instructions for the day’s activities. The subjects to be focused on have been carefully selected and target areas of importance that are crucial to the survival of a prospective Business English teacher.

4. The basis of the course is not for the trainer to lecture the students on how to teach, but for the trainees to actively participate and exchange ideas on how classes or themes can be approached. Therefore, the students will be given many role play activities and, with the guidance of the instructor, they will work together to decide on ideas and approaches to teaching activities. The trainees will then demonstrate these activities to their colleagues, who will in turn act as students with a chosen level (depending on the activity). Relevant questions will be posed by both the teacher and the student colleagues.

5. During the course many topics will be addressed such as the following:

--- The necessary requirements of an effective Business English teacher.

--- What to expect from a first class and what information should be obtained from your adult student(s).

--- Adult student types.

--- Frequently asked grammar questions.

--- Student types and relevant behavior/problems.

--- Lesson planning and course work.

--- Using course books.

--- The importance of teaching pronunciation.

--- General vs. Business English.

--- Vocabulary expansion.

--- Suggested methods for approaching various subjects.

--- Various other topics.

The idea is that the students finish the course with a firm basis on how to approach teaching Business English and throughout the course they will study ways in which approaches and styles can be improved or bettered. Consequently, studying a course such as this one and having a certificate makes obtaining work easier, especially through academies that specialise in in-company Business English classes.