What would you cover in a month-long course?
I tried to cover the basics--cover letter, resume writing, meetings, marketing, negotiation skills, cultural expectations, nettiquette....etc. and of course, it was TOO much for my advanced students.
Should I include all these topics and just introduce them? Or should I decrease the number of topics and spend a lot of time with each one?
The class meets twice a week for 2 hours.
A short course
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
Ann, I'm sure you've thought of this already, but why not let the students decide?
Perhaps you could even make this enquiry into a kind of 'ice-breaker' exercise during the first session. Something like a mini-market research set-up, where the students ask each other a few questions ('Excuse me, could I ask you a question...?') eliciting the each other's names, professions and expectations of the course. During feedback, you could use a paperboard and put all their expectations in the form of a list.
I used to do this years ago when I was in a job where the student's feedback about the course affected my salary. I would bring out this 'table' during the last lesson in order to show that all of their (realistic) expectations had been met, then I would ask them to complete their feedback sheets. And it usually worked well!
Perhaps you could even make this enquiry into a kind of 'ice-breaker' exercise during the first session. Something like a mini-market research set-up, where the students ask each other a few questions ('Excuse me, could I ask you a question...?') eliciting the each other's names, professions and expectations of the course. During feedback, you could use a paperboard and put all their expectations in the form of a list.
I used to do this years ago when I was in a job where the student's feedback about the course affected my salary. I would bring out this 'table' during the last lesson in order to show that all of their (realistic) expectations had been met, then I would ask them to complete their feedback sheets. And it usually worked well!
course contents
Hi Ann!
Sounds far too much ( no offence meant!)
I agree with strider, I would rather cover a few topics the students need/wish properly, than skim over a lot of topics superficially.
Siân
Sounds far too much ( no offence meant!)
I agree with strider, I would rather cover a few topics the students need/wish properly, than skim over a lot of topics superficially.
Siân
No offense taken.
1) Strider, I did let them decide and they usually say, "everything." Well, I've learned to narrow it down to some topics. But then, there is a cultural perception that the teacher is supposed to know what to teach, and if she asks us, then she is not sure of her subject matter. I have encountered this attitude twice already, and both times, the students were Europeans.
2) Sian, thanks for the advice. I think I will take it because its just too difficult to skim over some topics and make students think they have now taken A Biz Eng course and don't need any more instruction.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Although, I am still looking for a book that is geared towards American English learners rather than British English.
1) Strider, I did let them decide and they usually say, "everything." Well, I've learned to narrow it down to some topics. But then, there is a cultural perception that the teacher is supposed to know what to teach, and if she asks us, then she is not sure of her subject matter. I have encountered this attitude twice already, and both times, the students were Europeans.
2) Sian, thanks for the advice. I think I will take it because its just too difficult to skim over some topics and make students think they have now taken A Biz Eng course and don't need any more instruction.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Although, I am still looking for a book that is geared towards American English learners rather than British English.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean by this attitude.
One way to take this into account is to make sure that you get the information you need in a different way. In my previous post, I mentioned an exercise I used to do with business students in their first lesson. I would get them to conduct mini-interviews with each other, with the objective of one student presenting his neighbor to the group (of course, these were not beginners.) I would get them to find out about the job, position and company of each other. Along the way, they would pose questions like 'How do you use English in your job?' and 'How will you use English in your job?'
During the feedback, I would put most of the relevant info on my paperboard and, at the end, say something like 'Well, I can see that most of us use the telephone in English. This is an important communication skill. Let's set that as an objective for this training course.'
The problem is that, if you don't find out what they want and try to meet their expectations, you'll get disappointed students. At the end of a course, someone will say 'I really enjoyed the course but I wish you had done some exercises about telephoning.'
In many places, Business English is a very competetive industry. If our students are less than satisfied at the end of a course, they may go someplace else next time.
Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean by this attitude.
One way to take this into account is to make sure that you get the information you need in a different way. In my previous post, I mentioned an exercise I used to do with business students in their first lesson. I would get them to conduct mini-interviews with each other, with the objective of one student presenting his neighbor to the group (of course, these were not beginners.) I would get them to find out about the job, position and company of each other. Along the way, they would pose questions like 'How do you use English in your job?' and 'How will you use English in your job?'
During the feedback, I would put most of the relevant info on my paperboard and, at the end, say something like 'Well, I can see that most of us use the telephone in English. This is an important communication skill. Let's set that as an objective for this training course.'
The problem is that, if you don't find out what they want and try to meet their expectations, you'll get disappointed students. At the end of a course, someone will say 'I really enjoyed the course but I wish you had done some exercises about telephoning.'
In many places, Business English is a very competetive industry. If our students are less than satisfied at the end of a course, they may go someplace else next time.
book
Hi Ann!
I found a book that may be useful for you,
I am at work now ( 11:35 am)
I will post the exact title and publisher this evening.
Siân
I found a book that may be useful for you,
I am at work now ( 11:35 am)
I will post the exact title and publisher this evening.
Siân
book
Hi Ann!
The book is called Business English
An Individualised Learning Programme
by Peter Wilberg & Michael Lewis
Publisher: Klett
Siân
The book is called Business English
An Individualised Learning Programme
by Peter Wilberg & Michael Lewis
Publisher: Klett
Siân
Ann,
A month-long course that meets twice a week? Roughly 8 lessons in a month, right?
I have tried asking students what they want, and I get the same response. "Everything." So, one way around that is to provide a checklist for them. You design it. Let them decide this way.
In addition to asking where they feel they want help, perhaps you could be fairly specific in some areas:
Meetings (very general; break this down into the following)
Presentations
Chairing a meeting
Making an agenda and how to follow it
Summarizing a meeting
Keeping a meeting on schedule
Dealing with arguments or differences of opinions in meetings
Make the checklist so that they can grade themselves in various areas, too:
Speaking face to face
Speaking on the phone
Writing faxes
Writing reports
Writing memos
Negotiating
General conversation ability
Etc.
It wouldn't hurt to do a level check on their fluency, even if they are high level people. That way, you could slip in a 15 minute "point lesson" on some grammatical aspect that would benefit them all, if they need it.
Your original plan does sound rather ambitious, even for advanced students. Of course, we don't know how you presented the lessons, or really how advanced those students are. Just an observation.
By the way, what was it about your course that was "too much" for them?
A month-long course that meets twice a week? Roughly 8 lessons in a month, right?
I have tried asking students what they want, and I get the same response. "Everything." So, one way around that is to provide a checklist for them. You design it. Let them decide this way.
In addition to asking where they feel they want help, perhaps you could be fairly specific in some areas:
Meetings (very general; break this down into the following)
Presentations
Chairing a meeting
Making an agenda and how to follow it
Summarizing a meeting
Keeping a meeting on schedule
Dealing with arguments or differences of opinions in meetings
Make the checklist so that they can grade themselves in various areas, too:
Speaking face to face
Speaking on the phone
Writing faxes
Writing reports
Writing memos
Negotiating
General conversation ability
Etc.
It wouldn't hurt to do a level check on their fluency, even if they are high level people. That way, you could slip in a 15 minute "point lesson" on some grammatical aspect that would benefit them all, if they need it.
Your original plan does sound rather ambitious, even for advanced students. Of course, we don't know how you presented the lessons, or really how advanced those students are. Just an observation.
By the way, what was it about your course that was "too much" for them?
Glenski,
Thank you for your detailed response. I will definitely try this in my next session. And yes, there are 8 lessons in a month.
The (advanced) students felt overwhelmed with all the information. For example, resume writing was entirely new to them and explaining the concept, and asking them to write it, and commenting on it, etc. took more than 2 hours. Also, we had to go over the format, grammar, punctuation, style, tone, etc.
Another class was about American culture and while, I introduced some points and we got to discuss some, we really never got around to highlighting the differences between various cultures (their native ones and American) and reading some case studies. It was more of an overview. I think they wanted a more in-depth class on this because some of them have been living here (US) for more than 6 months, and can notice some generalizations on their own.
I have decided to go with a book which breaks down things better. I always do a needs-analysis in all my other classes, but I didn't do it for this one. Well, I experienced my "teachable moment" right there.
Thank you for your detailed response. I will definitely try this in my next session. And yes, there are 8 lessons in a month.
The (advanced) students felt overwhelmed with all the information. For example, resume writing was entirely new to them and explaining the concept, and asking them to write it, and commenting on it, etc. took more than 2 hours. Also, we had to go over the format, grammar, punctuation, style, tone, etc.
Another class was about American culture and while, I introduced some points and we got to discuss some, we really never got around to highlighting the differences between various cultures (their native ones and American) and reading some case studies. It was more of an overview. I think they wanted a more in-depth class on this because some of them have been living here (US) for more than 6 months, and can notice some generalizations on their own.
I have decided to go with a book which breaks down things better. I always do a needs-analysis in all my other classes, but I didn't do it for this one. Well, I experienced my "teachable moment" right there.
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sayshamwari
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