What is business english

Business Communication Skills

Joanna Graham

© BKC-IH Moscow Teacher Training Centre 2012

Bsc (Hons), MSc, ML.TEFL, DELTA, MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOLCELTA Trainer, Delta Trainer, IH CAM Trainer,TKT: 3 Modules Preparation Course Trainer, IH FTBE Trainer, IHC YLT Trainer, ATEEL Refresher Course in TEFL Trainer.

Session Content

• What is Business English?• Business Communication Skills

a. Functional Exponentsb. Language areas and

activitiesc. Lesson Typed. Lesson Structure


What is Business English?

A: I’m looking for room 235, Mr. Jenkin’s officeB: It’s just around the corner, over there.

Can we talk about gearing after lunch?Maybe we need to revisit the escalation clause?

Sales have fluctuated over the last couple of monthsHas everyone had a look at the minutes?


Business English is …

A: I’m looking for room 235, Mr. Jenkin’s officeB: It’s just around the corner, over there.

General EnglishCan we talk about gearing after lunch?Maybe we need to revisit the escalation clause?

English for Specific PurposesSales have fluctuated over the last couple of monthsHas everyone had a look at the minutes?

General Business English


But is it just elements of language?

Linguistic Competence (language)+

Discourse Competence (spoken and written communication in the world of business)

=Communicative Competence (ability to use the

language in different situations)


Business Communication SkillsWhat are they?

• Meetings• Presentations• Telephoning• Socialising• Negotations


Functional ExponentsWhat is the main skill, the sub-skill and the register?

So, shall we get started? As you can see from this graph....

How can I help you? If I could just finish....

How was your journey? Moving on to sales....

That would be rather impractical for us. I see what you mean but ...

What are your thoughts on this, Janet? Can I get you a tea or coffee?

How about a discount for cash? Can you hold for a minute?

I’m afraid she’s a bit tied up Any questions?

Didn’t we meet at the conference in Berlin?

Could you minute that, John?


So, shall we get started?Main skill: meetings (chairing)Sub-skill: opening a meetingRegister: informal

As you can see from this graph ...Main skill: PresentingSub-skill: referring to visualsRegister: neutral

How can I help you?Main skill: telephoningSub-skill: answering the phone, offering assisstanceRegister: neutral

If I could just finish ...Main skill: PresentingSub-skill: Resisiting interruptionRegister: Neutral

How was your journey?Main skill: SocialisingSub-skill: Opening conversationRegister: neutral

Moving on to sales ...Main skill: PresentingSub-skill: signposting a change of topicRegister: neutral

That would be rather impractical for usMain skill: NegotiatingSub-skill: RefusingRegister: Neutral

I see what you mean but ...Main skill: MeetingsSub-skill: DisagreeingRegister: Neutral


What are your thoughts on this , Janet?Main skill: MeetingsSub-Skill: Inviting OpinionsRegister: formal

Can I get you a tea or coffee?Main skill: SocialisingSub-Skill: Offering refreshmentRegister: Neutral

How about a discount for cash?Main skill: NegotiatingSub-Skill: Making suggestions / bargainingRegister: Informal

Could you hold for a minute?Main skill: TelephoningSub-skill: Putting a caller through / asking the caller to waitRegister: formal / neutral

I’m afraid she’s a bit tied upMain skill: TelephoningSub-skill: Saying that your colleague is busyRegister: neutral / informal

Any questions?Main skill: PresentationsSub-skill: Inviting questionsRegister: Neutral

Didn’t we meet at that conference in Berlin?Main skill: SocialisingSub-skill: Opening conversationRegister: neutral / informal

Could you minute that, John?Main skill: Meetings (chairing)Sub-skill: Ensuring that something is recordedRegister: formal


Business Communication Skills

Speaking Skill Language Activities

Socializing •Meeting and Greeting•Language of dining out•What to say when visiting people’s homes•Keeping a conversation going•Encouraging others to speak

•Using role-plays and simulation•Storytelling / anecdotes

Telephoning

Presentations

Meetings

Negotiating© BKC-IH Moscow Teacher Training Centre 2012

Lesson Frameworks - Telephoning

A. PPP B. TTT

• Lead-in: Sts discuss how often they talk on the phone in English, in what situations and what they find easy / difficult

• Presentation: T elicits and clarifies the meaning of different phrases and drills pronunciation

• Practice: Sts look at the telephone phrases and fill in the gaps

• Production: Sts role-play a telephone conversation

•Lead-in: Sts discuss how often they talk on the phone in English, in what situations, what they find easy / difficult•Test: sts look at a written phone conversation and correct unnatural / incorrect language•Teach: T clarifies problematic language and focuses on pronunciation•Test: Sts unjumble the phrases and order them into a conversation•Production: sts role-play a telephone conversation


Advantages and Disadvantages

PPP TTT

Advantages Disadvantages Advantages Disadvantages

•T has a clear idea ofwhat language to teach and can prepare in advance

•Sts often like this logical approach of learning language then practising it

• Sts may already know these language points(doesn’t take previous knowledge into account)

•The lesson is more teacher centered with the teacher in control

•Sts focus on the language they don’t know

•The lesson is more student centered with the teacher guiding and encouraging sts to take more control

•Sts can see their language ‘gap’ and are more motivated

•The teacher must be able to respond to whatever language needs sts have and it’s difficult to plan this in advance


Ordering a Lesson

Activity Stage Aim Order

Sts role-play a meeting based on an agenda and roles given out by the teacher. The teacher monitors and gives feedback on language and skills

To give sts the opportunity to use all the language together in a realistic context and for a clear purpose.

Sts list the 3 last meeting s they took part in, then they compare lists and discuss how useful the meetings were

Sts listen to an extract from a meeting and complete gaps in the tape-script with phrases used for expressing opinions, agreeing and disagreeing

Video of a meeting that doesn’t go well – the stscomment on what went wrong and why

Sts match beginnings and endings of expressions used to express opinions, agree or disagree


Ordering a Lesson

Activity Stage Aim Order

Sts role-play a meeting based on an agenda and roles given out by the teacher. The teacher monitors and gives feedback on language and skills

Fluency / free practice of the language of meetings

5th as final practice or 1st / 2nd as a test

Sts list the last three meeting s they took part in, then they compare lists and discuss how useful the meetings were

Lead-in to the topic, to make a link to the sts’ experience

1st

Sts listen to an extract from a meeting and complete gaps in the tapescript with phrases used for expressing opinions, agreeing, disagreeing

To present expressions in context 3rd

Video of a meeting that doesn’t go well – the stscomment of what went wrong and why

To raise awareness of what makes a successful meeting or not

2nd

Sts match the beginnings and endings of expressions used to express opinions, agree or disagree

To give controlled practice or test sts’ knowledge of the expressions.

4th


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What is business english

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