Korean Job Discussion Forums

[D-Jay]

I have a job offer where, in addition to ordinary conversation classes, they also want me to teach a Business English class. What is generally taught in Business English classes? I can't imagine the students would be too interested in sitting through a discussion about debits & credits or theories of organizational behavior. What do students usually expect when they sign up for a Business English or Business Conversation course?

[PRagic]

Look through a Business English text book. You'll be surprised at exactly how little difference there is between 'regular ESL' and 'business' English.

At the advanced levels there are requisite differences. However, most students don't have good enough command of English to handle the advanced material necessary to progress into business-oriented lessons.

This is coming from past experience. I've been out of ESL teaching for years now, but did teach 'business English', and was usually frustrated by it.

[emilylovesyou]

My high school has business English classes. My best advice is to NOT look at their textbooks, because the ones my kids have is totally over their heads; they don't understand any of it or how to apply it. Some of the stuff in the textbook is college-level in the US (I don't know about other English speaking places as I'm from the US).

For those classes, I did a lot of activities on phone work (answering, calling, making appointments, etc), memos, emails, simple business stuff that they could actually use in their lives. But it also depends on the students level too. My students are intermediate level so knowing phone conversations is a lot more helpful to their future than knowing lines of credit, trade deficits, and import/export papers.

Best to take a look at the level of your students first. If you think that they could handle actual business topics, go for it! If not, try a more practical approach.

[lifeinkorea]

If you are ever at a point in your life where you question what you should do, DO WHAT YOU WANT.

The employers that don't like what you want won't contact you, won't hire you, and the employers that do like what you are doing will hire you. I made the big mistake my first time teaching in Asia to teach with my "manager" in mind. I was scared to do wrong and be out of a job.

Now, the biggest English franchise in Japan is no longer and I am teaching what I want to teach.

If you want to use a book, use a book. If you want to show a video, show a video. If you want to make exercises for students, make exercises. It's your classroom, your rules. Be confident and teach with that in mind.

[Fat_Elvis]

Do a needs analysis to find out what they want to do. Make a form with different skills (Reading, Speaking etc), different business skills (writing emails, presentations, negotiations, meetings, report writing, telephone English etc) and different business areas (Sales and Marketing, HR etc). Tell them to put a 0, 1 or 2 depending on how important they are. Get them in pairs to discuss what they chose and why (makes a good first day activity).

In general, my business English classes in Korea have responded well to a lot of skills work with a speaking focus (using telephones, meetings etc) and use of business case studies, you can find these in good textbooks or online. They also need some vocab, grammar and listening work with the occasional bit of pronunciation. Some classes express an interest in email writing, it depends.

Enjoy the class. Some of my best classes have been business classes. They are smart people with a good motivation to be there - more money!

[Easter Clark]

I'll echo Fat Elvis on the needs analysis.

Other than that, the only words you need to remember are these:

Market Leader.

[DCJames]