English is booming, both as a Lingua Franca and as the language of the global media. Being fluent in English is considered a new addition to the literacy chart; not knowing it is almost certain to put you at the very bottom of any job applicant.
5 Master Tips for Teaching Business English
Although not a language with most native speakers, it is definitely a language with most speakers overall, as hundreds of millions of Asian children and adults hurl themselves at their computers to learn English after a busy day in schools and semiconductor factories.
Business English – The Background
Having said that, Business English is emerging as a global commodity, as China spreads its economic interests across the globe.
The emerging market of teaching English online is here to stay since more and more native speakers, predominantly from the USA, take teaching business English online as their main source of income.
What used to be the American Duolingo has now become the Japanese DMM Eikaiwa and the Chinese 51Talk.
The language learning giants employ tens of thousands and are not likely to run out of business: foreign language planning in China has been in place since 1949.
As the digital English teaching workforce emerges from the ashes of jobs lost in the pandemic, two very logical but hardly anticipated questions emerge as well: ‘How to Teach Business English?’ and ‘How to Teach Business English Online?’.
The methods and lesson plans stay the same as in a regular classroom, but Business English classes are attended by more ethnically diverse groups.
Understanding the Who in Business English Teaching
Analyzing the needs of your Business English learning group is more crucial than ever. Unlike day schools, which are united around the same curriculum and teaching activities, Business English classes gravitate in multiple directions.
While some students may come from factories and need to learn Business English to read and write manuals, others may be in the services market and need to master custom dissertation writing service.
Organizing mini-interviews in English gives you a chance to learn not only about the needs of your class but also about the English level you will be dealing with in the upcoming semester.
Understanding the Why in Business English Teaching
Business English students’ aim of learning English is professional advancement and keeping their income in an oversaturated job market. They may not be able to attend every class you teach and may come to your classroom straight from work.
Establishing great communication outside the classroom and using the technology you have at your disposal to bridge the gap and make materials available at demand is of utmost help.
A simple shareable Google Doc or a WhatsApp group can make or break your students’ success, as even a basic availability of distance learning is paramount to them.
Teaching Business Intercultural Communication
Understanding cultural differences is an essential, but often overlooked, part of the Business English curriculum. With a great emphasis on complex vocabulary and Victorian-style insistence on impeccable grammar, teaching culture seems to have dropped out of fashion.
As a Chinese negotiator approaches her prospective American clients, the last thing she should do is say: ‘Hi, I’m Yīnuò’ and bow lightly.
The manner of counting, gesticulation, nodding and smiling all have very different references in foreign cultures, and Business English students may need assistance in crossing the cultural gap.
Teaching Business Problem-Solving
The cultural differences extend beyond a work-related conversation and may be visible in the classroom as well.
Some cultures tend to over-formalize or trivialize education, and being able to recognize students who repeat their cultural patterns may be a valuable opportunity to make them observant of other cultures.
The hyper-multiethnic nature of Business English classes gives an amazing opportunity to involve students in group work and share their ideas.
Conversing with but also observing their peers is a valuable chance to bridge some culture shock and avoid uncomfortable situations.
As traveling increases and borders seem easier to cross, it becomes apparent that some cultures conventionalize education, and turn it into pattern-learning.
A simple ‘yes’ from an American and a Chinese student can mean very different things, as the latter considers it too offensive to say ‘no’ to a teacher and will refrain from using negatives at all times. Do you understand what is meant by this?
Authenticity in Business English Classroom
An insistence on Authenticity is the greatest tool in a Business English classroom.
Besides making the students understand the need to communicate in an authentic way in English, without social and professional conventions that are too complex, making the teachers understand the value of authentic materials.
Real-life contracts, news articles, and law quotations are of irreplaceable value to the students, as they climb the English Ladder.
Final Remarks
Business English seems to be the driving force behind much of the world’s economy. As every new company gives it a little more momentum, more people turn overseas for inspiration and market opportunities.
Being able to witness foreigners use English as a Lingua Franca witnesses to the importance of establishing proper Business English teaching practices.
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