Session 1:

Introduction to business English and getting to know the students’ strengths and weaknesses in the English language. A group conversation will take place and will give each student the chance to voice what they want and expect from the whole course. Topics of discussion will be based on the following:

• Where they work
• What their job responsibilities are
• What they do on a normal day at the office
• When and how they are exposed to English at work (emails, meetings, calls, conferences, etc…)

Session 2:

Getting to know each other professionally

• Hello, my name is ______, are you enjoying your evening?
• Where are you from?
• What company do you represent?
• How long have you worked here/there?
• Which department do you work in?
• How do you like your job?
• Did you catch the morning lecture?
• Do you mind if I join your group?

Students will learn how to politely start, join and interrupt conversations in meetings and gatherings. They will also learn to voice their ideas at business meetings.

Session 3:

The 4 skills in English

Students will watch a short commercial alongside a worksheet. The worksheet focuses on vocabulary, listening, reading comprehension, grammar and speaking. Students learn how to talk about business-related news at work.

Session 4:

CVs and cover letters

Examine the right ways to create CVs and cover letters. Examples will be introduced and discussed in class before students write their own. Students will base their cover letters on random job openings that they would like to apply to (provided by the teacher). They will have to present them the following week.

Session 5:

Email correspondence and netiquette

Go over emails, learn how to professionally and effectively write them and reply to them in a coherent way. This exercise will be done in class, in pairs where students can practice on one another with the teacher’s help and guidance. 

Session 6:

Basic presentations

PechaKucha. A Japanese style presentation in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each (6 minutes and 40 seconds in total). This format keeps presentations concise and fast-paced.

This will be done and presented in class.

Session 7:

PowerPoint presentations

Students will watch a mock presentation by their teacher and discuss it.

Students will watch a  TED Talk (explain TED Talk) and compare both presentations. Students will be given a task to prepare a presentation of their own for the following week.

Session 8:

Presentation Day!

While students present, the teacher evaluates them and discusses their presentations at the end of the lesson giving constructive feedback. Students will be given a rubric to follow to evaluate themselves.

Session 9:

Online shopping email correspondence

It will teach students the online shopping vocabulary of the 21^st century, which will encourage them to debate about the difference between online and traditional shopping as well as the future of commerce. Pair work will be done to help with email correspondence.

Session 10:

Selling yourself

This lesson teaches negotiation skills.

1. Exploration. This is when two parties explore what each offers, expects and hopes to obtain in the negotiation.

2. Bidding. The bidding stage is when exploration is complete and one of two parties offers and exchange for goods or money.

3. Bargaining. This is an essential stage, when both parties negotiate until a satisfactory term is met.

4. Settling. Settling is essentially the finalized agreement. This is the handshake and signing of contracts stage.

This allows students to use the English language freely and practically. Students will be given seller/buyer options and they will use their negotiation skills to get what they want. This will be role play in class.