This document summarizes strategies developed by a Business Studies teacher, H. Seliet, to promote literacy in their subject area. The strategies were created in response to students having difficulty with the specialized language and terminology of Business Studies. Some key strategies discussed include developing a glossary of key terms, a business thesaurus exercise to practice comparing and contrasting terminology, and various student-centered activities centered around familiarizing students with subject vocabulary. The overall aim was to raise student achievement, engagement and exam performance by improving their literacy related to the Business Studies curriculum.

1. The debate regarding literacy standards within education
is a significant and current issue. The Chairman of the
Better English Campaign, Trevor McDonald stated at the
launch of the BEBJ ‘Better English, Better Jobs’ campaign
“Good communication skills are vital for young people.
They will not get jobs unless they can communicate. Too
many young people today do not achieve their full
potential.”(Insight Autumn 1997) Vigorous targets are
being set by the Government to encourage schools to
improve their teaching of literacy. Guidance Materials
‘The Use of Language: a common approach’ were sent to
schools by SCAA in May 1997. This document was produced
because the revised orders contain a common requirement
to develop students’ use of language across the
curriculum. Stephen Byers, the former education minister
stated that “Schools will be named and shamed and forced
to change the way they teach literacy if they do not meet
tough new targets being set by the government.” (TES, Jan
1998)
In the light of national and individual concern regarding
the impact of attainment in literacy on achievement in
all subject areas, the purpose of this pack is, firstly,
to identify the specific aspects of Business Studies
which are unique with respect to literacy and secondly,
to outline research carried out to identify reasons for
under-achievement in Business Studies which identified
that many students have difficulty with the language and
terminology and that this factor significantly impedes
their learning. Thirdly, the article will outline
strategies, which have been developed to raise
achievement through a more imaginative approach to the
Business Studies curriculum with emphasis on language
attainment.
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2. As a Business Studies teacher in a secondary school
students’ attitudes and underachievement were a cause of
general concern. Consequently, a variety of initiatives to
improve attitudes and achievement and to monitor progress
were instigated. In addition, various other factors came
to light related to gender and ethnic issues (Seliet
1995).
Analysis of student’s response to a wide range of Business
Studies topics has identified that many students have
difficulty with the language and terminology of Business
Studies and that this factor significantly impedes their
learning.
Therefore, strategies were devised to improve the teaching
and learning of Business Studies at GCSE level and GNVQ
foundation and intermediate by implementing and monitoring
new strategies, particularly in relation to the
development of Business Studies language, already
identified as a barrier to student learning, particularly
for the less able and multilingual students. ELDA stage 4
(English Language Development Assessment by Kirklees
Education Advisory Service).
Business Studies language poses particular problems.
Firstly, unlike most curriculum subjects Business Studies
is not studied until the latter part of the students'
education, during years 10 and 11 in the secondary school
or post-16. Secondly, the language is highly specific with
little of the terminology being encountered through other
curriculum areas and personal experience and thirdly, the
students find the different terminology used to define the
same concepts confusing.
Example of confusion words
 Public corporation
 Public limited company
 Public sector
 Private sector
 Private limited company
 Public corporation: is in the public sector
 Public limited company: is in the private sector
 Private limited company: is in the private sector
 Public sector: is owned by the government/state
 Private sector: is owned by private enterprises
 Privatisation: is the transfer of the ownership from
the public sector to the private sector
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3. I believe Business Studies is a highly conceptual subject.
Most of the words used in Business Studies, e.g. 'land',
'good', 'cost', 'market', 'job', and ‘value’. Words which
are latinate in origin - they are usually abstract, non-
colloquial and frequently nominalised. For example,
'enterprise', 'de-industrialisation', 'interdependence',
'labour ', 'production', 'sector', 'merit', 'consumer',
'capital', 'primary', 'tertiary’. Phrases (many of which
combine some of the words, e.g. job production, market
economy, opportunity cost, value added. The meaning of
these phrases cannot automatically be worked out from the
meanings of the individual words. Formal 'standard'
language, e.g. achieve, process, system, quality. Phrases
in which the same key words, e.g. 'production' occurs many
times, e.g. production line, sectors of production, chain
of production etc. These can be difficult to differentiate
and can cause confusion.
The difficulty lies not so much in acquiring labels and
definitions, but in processing and internalising these
terms. This type of language is abstract and formal and,
therefore, alien to most students' language experience.
(Shorter 1997)
Furthermore, Business Studies is a highly decontextualised
subject for 14/16 year olds. Students come to Business
Studies ‘cold’, as there is no preparation at KS3. Also
students cannot relate the subject to their own experience
and there are no obvious physical or practical activities
to clarify concepts (unlike, e.g. Science, Geography, and
Maths). For example the following montage has been
extracted from a GCSE Business Studies book, about private
and public limited companies. It simply illustrates how
14-15 year old students could be overwhelmed with
different and difficult business terminology and
vocabulary.
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4. Private and Public Limited Companies
There are two types of limited company in the private
sector, each having a minimum of two shareholders. The
first is known as a private limited company and is
identified by the word limited (Ltd) after the company
name. Shares in a private limited company are not
freely available and the transfer of shares must be
agreed by the directors. This is the form of
organisation often chosen when a sole-trader wants to
expand but at the same time wishes to maintain personal
control.
The second type of limited company is a public limited
company. These are normally larger companies and they
must have an (authorized) share capital of at least
£50,000. Most employ over 500 people. A public limited
company must have the letters PLC after its name.
Unlike a private company, shares in a public company
are offered to the general public and there is no
restriction on the transfer of shares. Many public
companies consist of more than one firm. In many cases
each firm will have its own board of directors. There
will, however, be a main board with responsibility for
major investment and planning decisions within the
group. The original company is often known as the
parent company, and where this company does not itself
trade but simply manages the subsidiary firms it is
known as a holding company.
In order to set up a company two documents must be
drawn up. The first is called the memorandum of
association. Companies must also draw up articles of
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5. association (the company’s rule book). The next step is
to send the above documents to Companies House in
Cardiff. If all is in order, the Registrar of Companies
will issue a certificate of incorporation, which is the
company’s birth certificate.
I set out to develop strategies to raise the level of
aspiration, achievement and attainment of students in
Business Education. As part of work in my LEA, it was
important also to link the language development to
aspects of equal opportunity, specifically gender and
ethnicity. These strategies were aimed at improving the
teaching and learning of Business Education at GCSE level
and GNVQ Foundation and Intermediate.
Progress in teaching depends on the design of successful
learning activities and situations. Underpinning the
success and quality of all classroom learning is the
range of tasks which students undertake and the nature of
their engagement with these tasks. Such engagement
depend on the successful matching of tasks to student
needs.
I met many teachers who wished to use more innovative
strategies to raise achievement, but who felt that
demanding and rigid syllabuses leave little time for
creativity and experimentation.
These strategies are, therefore, proactive in their
approach to teaching and learning but are designed for
easy access by the busy teacher.
Most of the tasks are student centered, but with a strong
emphasis on the specialist terminology of the subject.
With the help of the Language Development Co-ordinator in
my school, I think we have created informative but also
challenging materials, which encourage students to
participate in these practical activities.
The materials are organised into modules, which broadly
match GCSE syllabuses, namely Business Location, Business
Foundation, Markets and Products, Types of Business
Organisation, Business Structure and Decisions, Marketing
Finance and People at Work. Teacher support materials
sit alongside a variety of student-centered techniques
and activities.
The majority of the materials are photocopiable and
already some have been converted for use on IBM PCs (only
the materials which raise language awareness in the
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6. subject).
Selections of the strategies, which are based on raising
language awareness within Business Education, are
outlined below. The long-term aim is that the strategies
should help to motivate students to achieve not only
higher grades in Business Studies, but be able to
transfer some of these skills to enable them to raise
their performance in all subject areas.
The main aims of these strategies are:
1- raising students' awareness of the subject;
2- motivating the students to take active part in
research, and discussions;
3- enhancing students’ communication and presentation
skills;
4- raising student understanding of local current business
affairs.
5- providing incentives to stimulate students to work
harder.
Most of the tasks are student centred, thus enabling them
to engage actively with new subject matter. The tasks and
reference materials place strong emphasis on familiarising
students with the specialist terminology of the subject.
Evidence indicates that some students find Business
Studies terms difficult to remember and understand. As a
result, some of them, especially the ones of below average
ability, find it difficult to maintain interest and
involvement.
Extensive support materials, colour coded, have been used
along with a variety of students - centred techniques and
activities. The approach was used on personal experience,
colleagues’ comments, and materials and tasks adapted from
text books. Language development support was offered by
Mrs Shorter (the Language Development Co-ordinator in the
school) throughout the preparation of the modules to
ensure THE ACCESSIBILITY OF BUSINESS STUDIES LANGUAGE TO
ALL STUDENTS, particularly second language learners.
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7. The learning cycle
Business Studies Glossary
A glossary of all the key Business Studies terms for each
module of the syllabus has been devised.
Simple explanations have been constructed which enable
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8. easy word recognition and understanding. This allows the
students to overcome any language barriers they may
encounter by not having a full understanding of new
concepts.
It also reinforces the idea of finding out the meaning of
words to aid understanding, and encouraging the use of
dictionaries.
The glossary could be a key feature of the revision
programme for students' examinations.
To maximise effective use of the Business Glossary,
exercises have been introduced into the curriculum which
are specifically for the average and less able students
and are based directly on its usage.
Examples Glossary
Business Structure and Decisions
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9. Annual general Meeting (AGM) The statutory (required
by law) meeting of the directors and shareholders of a
company held once every year.
Annual report A report issued by a limited company,
which contains written and financial statements about the
progress of the company in the previous financial year.
Board of directors Those people are elected by the
shareholders of a company to control that company and to
look after their interests.
Centralisation A type of business organisation where
decisions are made at the centre of the core of the
organisation and then passed down the chain of command.
Chain of command The path in an organisation along
which decisions or orders will pass from the top of the
organisation to any particular employee.
Chairperson The person elected by shareholders to be in
charge of a private or public limited company and to
represent their interests along with the board of
directors.
Channel of communication The path which is taken by a
message, e.g. horizontal communication, vertical
communication.
Decentralisation A type of business organisation where
decision-making is pushed down the hierarchy and away from
the centre of the organisation.
Delegation The passing down of authority in an
organisation from a person to a subordinate lower down the
chain of command.
Democratic leadership A style of leadership in
organisations which attempts to involve everyone in a
group in decision-making.
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10. Exchange rate It is the rate at which one currency
trades against another currency on the foreign-exchange
market, e.g. the rate of Sterling against other
currencies.
Forecast An attempt to estimate future income and
expenditure.
Formal organisation The way people in an organisation
are regulated (put) in a hierarchy in order to achieve the
objectives of their organisation.
Hierarchy The number of levels of authority in an
organisation. This is seen in an organisation chart.
Inflation it is an increase in the general level of
prices in an economy.
Informal organisation A network of social and
friendship groups that exists in an organisation.
Laissez-faire leader A leader who tends to allow others
to make their own decisions and only occasionally makes
decisions for others.
Leader Someone who organises others and make decisions.
Leadership An attribute required of anyone in charge
of a group of people in a large organisation. It is also
the ability to lead people.
Management The member of the executive or
administration of a business or organisation.
Managing director The person appointed by the Board of
Directors to be responsible for the management team that
runs a business on a day-to day basis.
Pressure group An organisation which exists to
influence public opinion about a particular issue and
hopes that the government will change its policy, e.g.
Greenpeace, Trade Unions.
Purchasing It is an important function in
organisations, dealing with the purchase of the materials
necessary to allow the goods or services of that
organisation to be produced.
Subordinate a worker in the hierarchy who works under
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11. the control of a more senior worker.
Span of control The range of people within an
organisation for whom one person is directly responsible.
Strategies Based on the Glossary
Business Thesaurus, What am I, word search, and The First
Aid in Business Studies are all examples of a successful
strategy to encourage use of the glossary
Business Thesaurus
This exercise is based on business key terms contained in
the glossary. Evidence indicates that the less-able
students find the language of these terms difficult to
remember and understand. This results in loss of attention
leading to low motivation and interest.
The aim is to retain the students' active interest and
participation in order to effectively cover the syllabus.
The students work on the skills of comparing and
contrasting different terminology to determine its most
advantageous usage.
1- The package is divided into 8 sections.
2- Each section matches with a module in the syllabus.
3- The meaning and the definition of each Business Studies
term match what is the glossary.
4- Some of the key business words have been replaced with
other simplified words, which will give the same
meaning. Those words have been underlined.
5- Your task is to replace those underlined words with the
appropriate business words or terminology
The first one is done for you:
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12. Costs The money a business spends in order to make
things for its buyers.
The definition of the term cost using the right business
words or terminology is:
Costs The money a business spends in order to produce
goods or services for its customers.
Answer the following
1- Brand A trade name or trademark made for a product
in order to convince the buyer that this product is
different from that of other businesses, e.g. Coca Cola.
2- Competition It is the idea that in a market one maker
should always be challenged by another maker to ensure
that prices are kept low and the buyer is not abused.
3- Consumer A person who buys things for his or her own
use or consumption.
What am I?
This is a fun game, which was used as time filler at the
end of a lesson. It is based on key terms contained within
the glossary. It provides a framework for vocabulary and
word recognition skills, which are specifically beneficial
to motivate and challenge the less able students. However,
students of all abilities enjoy participating in this
activity. The meanings of business terms have been
simplified by using clues to stimulate students and
maintain their interest. (For more details about the game,
please read “How to make Business Studies more fun”
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13. Word-search
The word-search activities are related to specific modules
of the syllabus and thus are used to consolidate and
reinforce the new vocabulary introduced.
These are not just simple word searches whose function is
to find a word from a list, but are constructed rather
like a crossword. The answers have to be determined from a
given set of clues.
The objective is to help improve the skills of comparing,
contrasting and interpreting the different terminology
used within businesses.
The students get the opportunity to identify the meaning
of the word for themselves. This helps them to make sense
of it within their existing frame of reference.
Example of Word-search
Most answers in the word-search are horizontal and
vertical (backward or forward), but very occasionally line
will be diagonal.
So in this word-search exercise you have simply to
identify an appropriate word for a given clue. Often
several different words could be correct and you can check
the appropriate response by finding the word on the word-
search grid.
You will be working in your groups to search for the
appropriate words in the sheet. For every right answer the
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14. group will gain 5 points, and at the end of the exercise
in every word-search sheet you have to add up the total
number of points, which you have gained.
Business Location
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
│ B │ O │ D │ E │ C │ L │ I │ N │ E │ Y │ H │ C │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ U │ A │ U │ T │ O │ M │ A │ T │ I │ O │ N │ O │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ L │ D │ E │ P │ R │ E │ S │ S │ E │ D │ V │ N │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ K │ I │ N │ C │ R │ E │ A │ S │ I │ N │ G │ S │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ M │ L │ C │ D │ G │ Q │ L │ I │ K │ H │ L │ U │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ S │ A │ F │ E │ T │ Q │ L │ L │ R │ O │ A │ M │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ B │ D │ R │ M │ O │ Y │ U │ Z │ A │ J │ L │ E │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ G │ R │ A │ N │ T │ R │ F │ R │ W │ N │ A │ R │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ F │ O │ O │ T │ I │ O │ O │ S │ E │ C │ D │ V │
├────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┼────┤
│ B │ Q │ V │ E │ P │ R │ O │ D │ U │ C │ E │ R │
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Clues
1- Placed near the market ...............
2- First In a channel of distribution ...............
3- Chain used when storage costs are high..............
4- Operates anywhere. ..................
5- Areas of high levels of unemployment .............
6- Government help ................
7- Important for location ................
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15. 8- Affected the number of people employed. ...............
9- Example is quot;ship building industryquot;. ................
Number of right answers is...........
Number of point is................
The First Aid in Business Studies
Again this exercise is based in Business Studies key terms
contained in the glossary. The activities are related to
specific modules of the syllabus and thus are used to
consolidate and reinforce the new vocabulary introduced
This package contains various activities, which cover your
Business Studies syllabus. The package is divided into
five sections.
Section 1: Words opposite in meaning
Section 2: Association (Part 1 & 2)
Section 3: Classification
Section 4: Synonyms
Section 5: The right word in the right place
Section 6: Common mistakes
Example of Section 2
ASSOCIATION (Part 1)
1- Underline the business word in the brackets, which is
associated with (or part of) the first word in bold
type.
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16. 2- Find out the meaning of this business word/term.
No. 1 is done for you.
Example
1- Sole (maker, buyer, trader, consumer)
Sole trader: it is a type of ownership where only one
person owns and runs the business. He/she has unlimited
liability.
2- Value (added, increase, rise, up)
The Meaning of Value (...... ) is: ...............
.............................................
3- Opportunity (price, value, cost, money)
The meaning of opportunity (......) is:.........
.............................................
4- Industrial (sections, departments, sectors, parts)
The meaning of Industrial (.........) is:.............
.........................................................
5- Batch (output, production, manufacturing, products)
The meaning of Batch (........) is:....................
.......................................................
6- Job (industry, output, production, products)
The meaning of Job (.......) is:....................
...................................................
7- Public (section, business, sector, company)
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17. The meaning of public (.........) is:................
................................................
Where is the mistake?
Each of the following sentences/statements has a mistake.
This mistake is a business language and/or a business
knowledge mistake. Your main task is to identify these
mistakes and to correct them.
Follow these instructions:
a- read the following sentences/statements carefully;
b- underline the mistakes (wrong words or terms);
c- rewrite the sentence using the accurate business
term/concept or definition.
1. Market is the place where buyers and sellers trade in
goods or services and can only meet up physically.
.......................................................
........................................................
2. Air, water, food and shelter are wants.
.......................................................
........................................................
3. Money market provides long-term loans.
.......................................................
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18. .......................................................
4. Labour market is the place where buyers and sellers
trade in people.
.......................................................
.......................................................
5. Indirect production is the feature of all undeveloped
countries.
.......................................................
........................................................
6. Direct production is based on specialisation.
.......................................................
.......................................................
7. Farming is an example of secondary production.
.......................................................
.......................................................
8. Deindustrialisation is the decline in the primary
sector and the growth in the secondary and the
tertiary sectors.
.......................................................
.......................................................
9. Land as a factor of production is rewarded with
profit.
.......................................................
........................................................
10.Labour employs, co-ordinates, organises and rewards
other factors of production.
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19. .......................................................
........................................................
11.The entrepreneur as a factor of production is
rewarded by wages.
.......................................................
........................................................
12.In a free economy all factors of production are owned
and controlled by the public sector.
.......................................................
........................................................
13.In a mixed economy the government decides what to
produce, how to produce and how much to produce.
.......................................................
........................................................
14.Job production is the method of production, which
allows identical goods to be manufactured.
.......................................................
.......................................................
Other literacy strategies
Adding to what has been mentioned above there are other
strategies, which could be implemented in the classroom to
raise students' awareness in business language, e.g.
“Business Language Portfolio”, and “Don't Make These
Mistakes” (spotting examination errors).
1- Business Language Portfolio
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20. Students should be encouraged to build their own Language
Portfolio in Business Studies during lessons. This
strategy is based on focusing students on the correct use
of the business language in oral discussions and written
work in classroom.
At the beginning of term students were asked to divide
their folder into 9 sections, eight for the modules
throughout the course and the final one for the business
language portfolio.
The students were asked to divide every page in the
language section into two columns, under the headings
Ordinary word and Business word.
Students were encouraged throughout lessons to use the
right business word in their oral and written work.
It was quite noticeable that although students succeeded
most of the time in getting the right answers, the wrong
term or word was often used. For example buyers not
customers, putting the money back into the business not
reinvesting profits, one business owner, not sole-trader.
Attention was constantly drawn to the use of the wrong
word. Both the wrong word (ordinary word) and the right
business word were illustrated immediately on the board.
Students were asked then to open their business language
Portfolio and copy them down under the correct headings.
Example of a Business Language Portfolio for a 14
years old Student
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21. 2- Spot The Common Examination Errors
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22. The main aims of this exercise package are:
a) to highlight and focus on common knowledge and language
mistakes in the examination;
b) to promote students reflection skills which should
enhance their understanding of the subject.
Although the exercise is very time consuming it appeared
to have been very useful and rewarding.
This strategy is based on raising students’ awareness of
business language in the end of module tests and/or end
year examinations.
At the end of a module test or year examination, all the
wrong answers were collated on a separate A3 paper. Some
of the wrong answers were due to wrong subject knowledge,
where others were due to the wrong usage of language, e.g.
use of the ordinary word rather than the business word.
Errors were highlighted in two different colours.
The following are examples of wrong usage of business
language. The answers were collated at the end of year 10
mock examination in one of the comprehensive schools:
Examples of Language Usage Mistakes at the end of year 10
examinations
1. Cheaper models of the Rolls Royce would ruin the name
of the business
2. I was wondering whether or not we should start making
cars (you are addressing the manager of your manager)
3. A disadvantage would be if any thing goes wrong.
Managers are the ones to take the heat.
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23. 4. We might make more money with a cheaper car
5. A public limited company is something like a big
factory that has places of work all over the country.
6. Selling cheaper car would mean that we were getting
more money.
7. Why spoil quality by making cheaper car.
8. If the quality is wrong the Rolls Royce business may
get ripped off or the customer will get ripped off.
9. Rolls Royce has tried to continue their success by
still making their brilliant cars.
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