Job Discussion Forums

[Tom Le Seelleur]

Could anyone point me in the right direction for soft or hard copy information on Banking for elementary students (UAE). I am looking for materials, resources, books and websites. I already have quite a lot but perhaps someone somewhere knows something I don't.
Thanks for your help
Tom

[scot47]

"perhaps someone somewhere knows something I don't. "
says Mr le Seeleur. Golly, whatever happened to modesty ?

[Stephen Jones]

There seem to be a rash of posts from people asking about ESP materials. You would think the schools that set up the course would have considered getting the material first.

[Tom Le Seelleur]

Stephen
I have been asked to put together a complete course for elementary students inclusive of course content, curriculum, teachers guide and detailed glossary with e-learning independent work. Also I need to make sure it focuses on the UAE banking system with a case study and project. I aim to make the case study 'Islamic Banking'. It is for elementary students and most materials that I have found in both book form and on the net are for intermediate and above. There might be someone who has seen a similar course - that might be related ie financial literacy, English for the workforce, professional english, money skills, numeracy skills, stocks and shares. Perhaps one of the banks have an educational site that teaches its workforce.

[veiledsentiments]

Not that I have ever looked for such materials, but logically, I would think that there is good reason why it is all intermediate and above. Having taught Intro to Business and accounting to high intermediate at HCT, the idea of trying to dumb down the content topics - basic finance, stocks and shares, and money skills - to elementary English would seem both impossible and counter-productive. Basic business concepts were waaaaaay over their heads and language skills at high intermediate. (especially for the women who had little experience in ordinary business concepts that we take for granted)

It sounds like administration could use a good reality check. As usual, the obvious sensible option of teaching the basic business concepts in Arabic while getting their English skills up to at least high intermediate... and then combining the language and content courses would make much more sense. But, plenty of us have been telling them that for years, and the wheel keeps being re-invented.

Good luck finding the materials. But, I suspect that you or someone else on the faculty will have to create them.

VS

[Kootvela]

I am struggling with Business English course for elementary students. We are still getting across the difference between do and does in questions and negatives....To my honest opinion, elementary Business English should be banned. People are in my class because it's their turn according to the company's policy and not because they want or need it so much. Sigh. So I use my main coursebook (In Company Elementary) by choosing one or two activities and supplement by General English handouts.

[cmp45]

I am teaching six Intermediate business writing classes this term. I would agree that it is a challenge for me to get the information across in a simplistic manner as well as for many of my students to grasp the material at this level.

So I would agree that teaching business esp concepts to any level below intermediate would certainly be counterproductive. At any level you do get a range of abilities, but overall it is tough going for most of the students.

[scot47]

I recollect teaching "Business English" to a group in Jeddah at High Elementary Level. They did not have the general knowledge to handle it. No concept of notions like "company". "shares", "accounts".

As mentioned by other posters the way to handle it would be a course in Basic Business IN ARABIC and a course in General English.

Unfortunately when "Training" is considered in KSA the first thought is always ENGLISH !

[Tom Le Seelleur]

Kootvela
Thanks for the tip about In-company elementary. Do you teach any bankers or those in the financial sector - if so, did you find activities on a website or business resource book or another business course book at an elementary level.

[Kootvela]

[basiltherat]

i would also suggest taking a look at oxford's 'quickwork' elementary. its not banking exactly but there is some good material that you might use to supplement.
best
basil