Instructor Contact Information: kcmsproat@gmail.com
Office Hours: TBA and by appointment
1) Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are to strengthen student writing, presentation and interactive communication skills. These skills are vital for getting a job and promoting ideas in the market place. Business English is designed to equip students with the skills in English to pass interviews, negotiate deals, work in teams and sell and promote ideas and products. In this fashion, the course is really about developing a confident and polished persona for the business world. Due focus will also be placed on developing an accurate use of business terminology for the workplace. Through this course students will develop self efficacy and ease at communication in work and business environments.
2) Course Description
This is not a conventional conversation class. If you are used to passive learning, you will find the demands of this class quite new. Firstly, this class is a simulation for the business world. In the class, you are no longer a student but a trainee/intern at an international company. Secondly, you will learn to operate in teams as is required for the business world both to develop essential communications skills for work and for your class assessment. Finally, you will be given relevant tasks to develop workplace skills and language.
2. Required Textbooks
Department course book to be announced/ handouts
3. Requirements & Grading
-2% per absent
-1% per late (5 minutes or later or leaving class early)
Written assignments 50% (4 assignments)
Presentations 30% (3 presentations, 2 group and 1 individual)
Job Interview 20%
4. References
Widgets: A task-based course in practical English, Pearson-Longman, by Marcos Benevides and Chris Valvona (2008) ISBN 978-962-01-8953-1
Speaking of Speech, Basic Presentation Skills for Beginners, new ed., David Harrington and Charles LeBeau (2009).
Syllabus