Page 18 - ELG2406 June Issue 490

.
SPECIAL FEATURE

Business English Activities

and the real world of our learners

How can we help our students to build confidence in a work environment?

Business English specialist, Marjorie Rosenberg provides her guidance.

s business English trainers we There are a variety of ways that we can we moved onto a task in which groups had to
recognise that our learners do not help learners to become sure of themselves create a plan with financial compensation and
learn English in a vacuum. In class and effective in the situations in which they fringe benefits for someone in a specific age
Athey take part in the lessons we offer need to use English. We need to provide a safe group and living situation. This plan was then
them, work on vocabulary and grammar and atmosphere to help them learn and involve presented to the group and participants gave
then return to the workplace where they may them in their learning processes. A variety their reasons for choosing their elements. In
be confronted with completely different lexis of activities and making learning fun and order to connect the real world of the learners
and use of the language. relevant can add a great deal to their progress. to the class, learners are then asked to share
When we, as trainers, relate what we do in By building in grammar and structure information – without breaking confidentiality
class to what they need in the workplace, we naturally and giving them manageable tasks, rules – about compensation and benefits in
give them confidence, create realistic learning we help them step-by-step to learn and make their own companies and discuss among each
experiences and provide them with practical use of what they have learned. We also need other if they consider the financial or the
tools they can use. Therefore, we need to to keep in mind that it is essential to find out social benefits to be more important to them.
listen to our learners and provide them with what their priorities are and where they feel From here we moved onto business
what they need. themselves that they need improvement. grammar and looked at the language of
Our learners come from a variety of The handbook ‘50 Ways to Teach Business speculation. As grammar in itself may not be
backgrounds and positions in companies. English’, published by Wayzgoose Press, ranked highly by business English learners,
What most of them share are common fears breaks down ideas for the classroom into we often need to explain that understanding
like being afraid to make mistakes, possessing eight different categories, four of which were the meaning of what we write or say may
insufficient vocabulary, and being uncertain demonstrated in my talk at the 57th IATEFL well depend on getting the grammar right.
about grammar and structure. These gaps lead International Conference in Brighton in Misunderstandings can arise when grammar
to problems communicating effectively in both April 2024. is not used properly, leading to both financial
speaking and writing. In order to the reach the We began with workplace vocabulary. problems and embarrassing situations.
goals they have set for themselves we need to Participants were asked to call out words that In this activity, we started by looking at
work on building their self-confidence. were related to either pay or benefits. Next, stem sentences of speculation and discussed

18 June 2024