Methodology
The English for biz curriculum is based on the latest corpus research into what the language of business really is; it de-emphasizes a lot of the functional and structural input of the traditional course and places content at the centre of its syllabus.
English for biz recognizes that learners, who have already studied a lot of grammar, a lot of functions, and a lot of vocabulary, will not significantly improve their communicative competence in business simply by studying more of the same. What they need to develop most of all at this critical stage of learning is lexical awareness, the ability to combine and reproduce a lot of words they already know (like company and run) into partnerships they do not know (like run a company), and to see how building up a substantial repertoire of word partnerships (like meet demand) and fixed expressions (like we can hardly keep up with the demand) rather than individual words (like meet, keep and demand) speeds up language processing and is the key to real fluency. The language of business is information dense, and word partnerships, which are really concentrated packets, play a much more central role in business English than they do in general English, which tends to be more lexically diffuse.
The core syllabus of English for biz consists of restricted sets of business concepts (like companies, contracts and meetings, prices, products, presentations, and markets), all of which generate hundreds of 2, 3, and 4 word partnerships. Step by step the course takes learners through the whole world of business from product development to pricing strategy, from brand management to credit control, from advertising expenditure to management training.
Business English is a combination of the words, word partnerships, and fixed expressions, which are used in business life. We bring all this language together and places it at the centre of the students learning.
English as a second language
The objective of the ESL program is to enable employees to gain a degree of proficiency of the English language to use in their daily lives and the workplace. The program consists of three levels of English, beginning, intermediate, and advanced.
Course Description:
- Beginning ESL is designed to teach communicative competence, that is, to teach the ability to communicate in English according to the situation, purpose, and roles of the participants. Students learn to use English in every day situations, and information sharing activities. Practical applications of grammar structures are stressed. Also a maximum amount of student-generated communication is provided through everyday situations, and information sharing activities.
- Intermediate ESL places increasing emphasis on the student’s ability to use language in more abstract terms and situations. The situational language activities further develop the students’ reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Students will work with language functions that enable them to distinguish between real and hypothetical situations, casual vs. formal language, recognize sincere vs. sarcastic intonation, describe relationships and behaviour, make promises and express hopes.
- Advanced ESL is intended for students who have been exposed to the essentials of advanced level grammar and who have already mastered the usage of English for everyday life. The text builds upon and reinforces this foundation and prepares students for higher level language skills required for effective communication and professional levels of employment. This course is organized functionally, while incorporating integrated coverage of grammar and topics.