course specification for Teaching Business English

Teaching Business English

The world of English teaching is becoming more specialized. Business English is becoming an increasingly popular market with TESL/TEFL teachers in high demand. As with all areas of teaching, students' expectations are higher and the days when a cursory glance through a copy of a business curriculum book was all it took to prepare for a business English lesson are long gone.

Working with business people demands special skills, knowledge, and interests. It is also an area of teaching that can favor the mature teacher. Students are highly motivated since the course has clear advantages for them within their company or careers in general.

The teacher also needs to be highly flexible. Business English is a 'catch all' phrase but each company will have specific demands and needs for their individual programs.

Course Content:

An introduction and overview of what English for Specific Purposes is (ESP), who your target students are, and the process of teaching Business English.
Methods and approaches to teaching Business English.
The four language acquisition skills and how they are applied to teaching Business English.
Case studies in which you will have to analyze materials that have already been developed.
Evaluation and how to evaluate the progress of your students and the course.
Introduction and an overview on how to develop business materials.
Adapting business materials.
Developing business materials
Developing business courses.

Course Requirements

Three case studies
Material development assignment
Progressive evaluation assignment
Material evaluation task
Marketing and strategy assignment
Material framework assignment
Marketing and strategy task
Pilot lesson planning assignment
Secretary lesson planning assignment
Airline lesson planning assignment
Conversation lesson planning assignment
Final course assignment

One of the major questions that teachers have is, "Do I have to be an expert in the area of business in order to teach Business English?"

No, you don't have to be.

You are there to bridge the gap between general English and specific terminology: of course if you do have a background in the area where you're going to be teaching ESP you will save a lot of time in research and you will know a lot more about the area that will help you in material development and in the class as well. It is an advantage but it is not a prerequisite; you can build that expertise if you do not have it to begin with.