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Performance-based BE and ESP:Emancipating ourselves from the academic model
Cleve Miller - Director, English360
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Business English and ESP are in a transition period:
web technology now allows true
collaboration, personalization, and performance-based
learning.
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Context:
fast moving, technology-driven, knowledge-based
global economy
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Fundamental learner/client need:English as a global competitive advantage
Today’s global, knowledge-driven economies require fast, inexpensive, pedagogically-appropriate, business-driven English learning content that is specific to:
+ each learner’s business communication needs + each company’s strategic needs + each industry’s domain needs
industries/professional domains+ English for medicine+ English for engineering+ English for IT+ English for tourism+ English for finance+ English for diplomacy+ English for energy
strategic needs+ boost sales+ build alliances+ present at conferences+ create channels+ find distributors+ attend training abroad+ negotiate contracts
communication needs+ meetings+ negotiations+ conference calling+ presentations+ relationship building+ socializing+ leadership
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Corporate, ESP market is in transition, online and offline
+ “pain point” with professional language training: questionable ROI
+ academic model has limited value in business setting
+ organizations invest billions annually on ESP, business ELT
+ larger class size+ standardized curricula and assessment+ generic, multi-level coursebooks+ provides foundation of general English+ Ss “job” is to study, attend
+ individual or small groups+ personalization based on business needs+ customized course design + provides extension of specialist English+ Ss study takes them away from job
But, difficult to implement in analog world.We designed e360 to solve this problem.
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With English360, corporate, ESP clients receive
personalized, performance-based business English
by way of “collaborative content”.
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The vision is enabled by using collaborative content to deliver better business English and ESP teaching materials and courses.
Business English material development - publisher vs. teacher:strengths and weaknesses on the “Content Continuum”
Publisher TeacherADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES(author and re-
sequence)
reliable pedagogic quality
expert authored
quality production
professionally edited
culturally appropriate
fast, up-to-date, and inexpensive
closer fit to language needs
closer fit to business needs
generic - common denominator
slow - 2-5 years from concept to classroom
expensive
“top down” - authors far from students, teachers
uneven quality
duplicated efforts re-invent wheel
can be disorganized
low production values
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Using web 2.0 technologies, we get the best of both ends of the content continuum for business English and ESP.
Publisher Teacher
reliable pedagogic qualityexpert authored
quality production
professionally edited
School
English360 platform
Business
culturally appropriate
fast and up-to-date
closer fit to language needscloser fit to business needs
English360 platform
English360 joins teacher, publisher, school and enterprise into a collaborative course design process
CUP content, granular and taggedauthoring, playlist course
design
Sharing and collaboration
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Digital technology positions collaborative materials and methods at the center ofhumanistic and effective teaching.
Collaborative
Academic model:top-down and linear
coursebook
coursebook
coursebook
PublisherExpert-authored, professionallyedited, high quality production
SchoolSelects coursebook based onsyllabus, approach
Teacher, StudentConsume coursebook,some supplementary material
Performance-based:With technology-enabled collaborative
content
Publisher
Student
School
HR manager Teacher
World
coursebook nowviewed as flexible guide
ongoing needs assessment,involved in course design,
learner autonomy
up-to-date authentic content,current events, business interests,
communication skills, Ss personal interests
pedagogic guidance,
proprietary materials
created over time by teachers
advises on companybusiness needs, goals
primary coordination role,ongoing authored materials
based on needs
English360platform
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English360 uses a playlist approach to course design that delivers training that is culturally adapted, customized and personalized.
collaborative content
Publisher
Student
School
Business Teacher
WorldpersonalizationCollaborative content allows a high level of personalization: more of the learning community is involved, and content is now flexible. Based on factors such as students’ needs, learning style, company needs, interests, and schedule, English360 provides a “playlist” approach to course design adapts content to the learners’ ongoing situation.
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The third step in the process is on-the-job performance, which both drives content and course design, and feeds back into it.
Teacher
personalization performancePerformance must be both the start of course design (the needs analysis) and the final product. English360 organizes performance events and integrates them into course design, then supports students’ preparation for performance. The cycle is complete when the results of performance are self-assessed by the student, then fed back into the collaborative content stage.
playlist course design
collaborative content
Publisher
Student
School
Business
World
360º content creation
pre-performancepreparation
post-performance self-assessment
“Hello Mr. Li. I’m delightedyou were able to come
here for our meetings....”
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Q & A + Discussion
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