Business English for Experienced Employees in EFL Countries

Abstract

1. Introduction • Purpose: To create a textbook for English for Business Purposes (EBP) with a focus on enhancing speaking skills and fluency building • Rationale: Many young adults in Korea, who are already working for businesses, seek to develop proficiency in English to successfully communicate with colleagues both in their companies in the country and abroad. The majority of them, however, lack experience with productive language, and have little exposure to foreign cultures. While most of them have studied English extensively, they seek practice using the language more and especially build speaking skills. To meet these needs, this textbook includes many speaking activities and a final project following each chapter that place students in various scenarios relating to their international office environment. Through the many meaningful communicative activities, students will use their knowledge of different language skills to practice, produce and increase their fluency and confidence in English. • Target learners: adults in their 20-30s who are working in and familiar with business contexts • Proficiency: Intermediate High according to ACTFL • Learning context: an after-work program that runs for an hour and a half, twice a week in a class of 4-6 students 2. Method • Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): Throughout the book, the students will become more communicatively competent in English and interact with others. • Collaborative Language Learning (CLL): Students will work together in pairs and groups to complete a task or solve a problem. • English for Business Purposes (EBP): This textbook will focus on the language and skills that are used in the workplace to develop business communication skills. 3. Expected Outcomes • Students will be encouraged to speak more and apply language knowledge to various business contexts. • Students will build up confidence through opportunities to speak English in front of others. • Students will be able to make presentations in English for business purposes. • Students will develop communicative competence and improve speaking skills.