Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Old fat expat]

I have a contract to do two courses for a university. Communication for International Business (3rd year); and English Presentation and Communication (4th year).

These courses have never been taught at the university-so there is no books/curriculum or resourses at present.

Does anyone have any experience or information-such as:
Books: lots of books out there but I want a book that is at the students English level (which I am unsure of-but need to order books before meeting the class)
course outline: If there is anyone running similar class, could you share?
assessment
any resourses that would help

Cheers.

[Hotpants]

Without knowing the student's level, it's hard for you to plan such a course. Also, without knowing your teaching style, it's hard for me to recommend something for you!

I suggest that you base your curriculum on whatever book you are going to be using instead of trying to invent your own. You should spend a few hours in a bookstore to find something that suits your teaching style. For me, I like New International Business English, but it's not suitable for very low level speakers, and it may not be fun for others. Remember, though that you don't necessarily need a purely business language focus. You cannot communicate effectively without a broader base of English knowledge.

Assuming your Presentation class is not purely a lecture style class from you, then it would seem obvious to build up a course where the result is for students to give a final presentation. You can introduce different aspects of speech and presentation style class by class, (voice projection, rhetorical questions, incorporating visuals, describing graphs/changing trends...) with the students given a mini presentation task to do at the end of every class. Instead of a regular textbook, I like those types of books which are used for management training workshops which presents ideas that try to look at things from a different perspective and give some fun group tasks to do. There's also a good worksheet set from Cambridge called the 'photocopiables' series which have lots of good ideas for communicative tasks.

Also, try my resource site below for ideas (currently, you need to scroll down to find the menu sidebar).

[ajuma]

Check out Business Ventures. It comes in a couple of levels and has a lot of good vocab, business culture and conversations.

[dreaming_saturn]

I've not taught in a Korean University but have been teaching in business and prep schools in the Netherlands for a few years.

From what hotpant has said above one book comes to mind. Presenting in English by Mark Powell and J. Marks includes everything he suggested -- a complete break down of just about every skill needed in presentations, it has short chapters such as Introductions, Effective openings (where it deals with redundant questions, etc) up to describing trends and word/sentence stress, I've used it with intermediate to highly advanced students. Would be good to order for yourself just to supplement from.

For the other course see if you can take a look at the Intelligent Business series. it's based around Economist articles,in addition to the course book and work book it has a skills book that I based a fluency curriculum around that worked out very well.

[Old fat expat]

OK, thanks for all the help.

Hotpants: pretty much the way I was figuring i.e. choose a book first and build around it. Similar courses in China are using a book:
Guffey, Mary Ellen. Business Communication: Process and Product. 3rd ed.
But I will be sure to look at the other book suggestions. My concern is English level but, as is often the case here in Korea, its hurry hurry, then fill in the gaps. At present neither I nor the university know who will be taking the course. So assessing the English levels is ???? well, not possible. But I must choose a book and do a course outline this weekend
Also agree with loading the course with lots of practical exercises.

Anyway, thanks.