Meeting the challenge of bringing variety into the Business English

classroom

Karen RichardsonMonday 11th November 2013

11am – 11.45am (GMT)

Agenda

• Something about me• Something about you• 3 teaching situations• Practical suggestions for more variety• Round up

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Something about me - then

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Something about me - now

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Something about you

Poll 0

Are you…..A.female?B.Male?

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Poll 1

Do you teach…..A.in-company?B.at a college / university / business school?C.at a private or state language school?D.somewhere else?

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Poll 2

Are your students mostly…..A.under 30?B.30 - 55?C.over 55?D.all of the above in the same group?

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Poll 3

Is their English language level…..A.beginner – elementary / A1-A2?B.pre-intermediate – intermediate / A2-B1?C.upper intermediate – advanved / B2-C1?D.all of the above in the same group?

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• Challenge? • What challenge?

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3 teaching scenarios

1. Business university, 24 students in a group, 20-30 hours per semester, advanced.

2. (re)Training courses, job seekers, every morning or afternoon for 6 weeks, mixed /elementary.

3. In-company, 6 employees, 90 minutes after work once a week, good intermediate.

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3 suggestions

1. The vocabulary in (con)text way

2. The hands-on way

3. The holistic way

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1. vocab in (con)text

1. Listen for gist.2. Listen for trend words and make notes.3. Listen for other useful chunks of language.

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1. Possible answers (trend words and phrases)

RYANAIR'S profits dropped sharply in the quarter ending 30 June due to rising fuel costs and a lack of last-minute bookings. To combat the loss, the budget airline's pilots have been instructed to fly at a slower pace to cut the fuel bill. Accounts published yesterday reveal that, despite an increase in revenue, Ryanair's profits in the April–June quarter fell by 21 per cent to €78m.

The airline's revenue increased during the period by five per cent to €1.3bn. But fuel costs rose by six per cent and now account for 47 per cent of Ryanair's overall expenditure. Hence the order to pilots to slow down and burn less fuel.

Ryanair said its profits were also affected by a drop in last-minute summer bookings due to the heatwave in Britain and by the early timing of Easter, which meant the holiday profits were not included in this quarter.

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2. (re)training

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2. ready-made

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3. holistic

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3. notes

cars machines shoutingMr X leaving his office

the door the cleaner phone ringing

Mrs Y on the phonefootsteps coffee machine fridgeprinter clock text message

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3. elaborated

Shop floor workers going home by car.Mr X‘s footsteps in the corridor.Mr X saying goodbye to Mrs Y who was on the

phone.The main door closing automatically.The fridge humming in the coffee area.Someone getting a text message while our eyes

were closed.

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The greatest thing a human soul ever does in

this world is to see something and tell what

it saw in a plain way.

John Ruskin 1819 – 1900

English art critic, draughtsman, water colourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist.

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Review

• 3 teaching scenarios and their challenges• 3 possible ways of bringing variety

1. The vocabulary in (con)text way 2. The hands-on way 3. The holistic way

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