This document outlines the agenda and content for a business English training day focusing on building speaking and business skills from B1 to C1 levels. The morning session covers personalizing the Basis for Business textbook and frameworks. The afternoon involves personalizing exercises using frameworks, roleplays, and discussions. Techniques are presented for making the content and activities more relevant to learners' needs through topics, language practice, communication skills, and applying business methods. Frameworks for different conversation types are also discussed.

1. LET’S TALK BUSINESS :
BUILDING SPEAKING AND
BUSINESS SKILLS
B1 TO C1
ANNE HODGSON
BERLIN, 11 OCTOBER 2014

2. AGENDA
MORNING:
BASIS FOR BUSINESS B1-C1
3 WAYS TO PERSONALIZE THE BOOK
AFTERNOON:
PERSONALIZING BY USING FRAMEWORKS
AND ROLEPLAY
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 http://www.differentvoice.com/Portals/0/Photos/102309-young-adult-gr2oup.jpg

3. WHAT DO YOUR LEARNERS NEED TO DO
IN CLASS TO IMPROVE?
Cornelsen Busiess English Day 11.10.2014 http://www.differentvoice.com/Portals/0/Photos/102309-young-adult-gr3oup.jpg

4. USING ENGLISH AT WORK
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 Lesley Ciocarelli http://eltpics.com 4

5. USING ENGLISH IN CLASS
5
@CallieWallie
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eltpics/5194626510/in/set-72157625304912259/ Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

6. CEFR LEVELS
Features
6
A1/A2
Basic
• Can understand
expressions
related to, and
speak about,
areas of
immediate
relevance, e.g.
personal info,
shopping, job,
background...
• Can deal with
most situations
where the
language is
spoken.
• Can produce
simple
connected text
on familiar
topics.
• Can interact
spontaneously
without strain for
self or listener.
• Can produce
clear, detailed
text on many
subjects and
explain a
viewpoint.
C1
Proficient
• Can understand
demanding texts
and recognise
shifts in register
and implicit
meaning.
• Can use language
flexibly and
effectively for
social and
professional
purposes.
B2
Independent
B1
Independent
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

7. WHAT INPUT?
Teachers told Cornelsen they want:
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
essential
Communicative
exercises
Discussion
topics
Vocabulary
building
Audio material
Grammar
consolidation
Online
worksheets
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 7

8. WHAT
METHODS?
Copyright Hancock McDonald,
Creative Commons 3.0
http://hancockmcdonald.com
8
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

9. BEING POLITE
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 9

10. BEING POLITE
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 10

11. BEING POLITE
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12. BASIS FOR BUSINESS QUIZ
1. Overview: How many units and parts does each level have?
a. B1
b. B2
c. C1
2. Which levels contain Correspondence files?
3. The green boxes are devoted to what aspect of language?
How is it presented?
4. What kind of activities accompany the Phrase boxes?
5. What are the Sounds Natural boxes in B2 for?
6. Which level contains Dilemma boxes and what are they?
7. Which level contains Food for thought boxes and what are they?
8. Could you to do a unit or Business File in 90 minutes?
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 12

13. ANSWERS
1. a. B1 31 (Welcome = 1 + 10 x 3 units A,B, Business File)
b. B2 35 (Welcome =1 + 10 x 3 units (A,B,C) + 4 Business Files)
c. C1 29 (Welcome =1 + 8 x 3 units (A,B,C) + 4 Business Files)
2. B1, B2
3. Grammar, usually contrastive use of two forms w/functional purpose
4. Fluency activities like roleplay
5. Features to improve business communication, e.g. how to use
discourse markers or indirect or fuzzy language
6. B2, situation a character in the book needs help with
7. C1, conversation starters on cultural and business topics
8. Should be possible, but every unit can be extended through activities
of personalized practice.
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 13

14. PERSONALIZING
14
Topical:
Own experience & preference, update on subject
Book: Warmers and discussions, business cases
Linguistic:
Meaningful, productive tasks and feedback, explorative tasks
Book: Tasks with phrase and grammar boxes
Communication skills:
Communication gap, simulations
Book: Partner files, Business files
Business skills:
reflect on own skills, share; conduct class projects and meetings
Book: apply suggested business methods to own situation
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

15. ACTIVITIES
15
Topical:
Freewriting reviews
Linguistic:
Dictogloss
Communication skills:
Information gap/ Listening trios
Business skills:
Frameworks: roleplaying conversations
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

16. TOPICAL PERSONALIZATION
FREEWRITING REVIEWS
16
Aims: Assess interest, share experience.
Activity: Individual, pair, share
Browse book for 2 minutes.
Note down 3 headings:
a. Topic
b. Partner activity
c. Language
Write non-stop under these headings
for 10 minutes.
With students: Present to partner, then group.
Lead session on selected subject.
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

17. LINGUISTIC PERSONALIZATION
DICTOGLOSS
17
Aims: Assess learner language, analyse new input
Activity: Groups of 4
Text: 250 words in 12 sentences
challenging level, new input
Read at natural speed.
Groups produce a grammatically
correct version of the text.
Compare versions.
Follow-up: Focus on form.
Our example: Work-life-balance dialogue Sue/Dirk B1/5B
->
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

18. 18 Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

19. Dirk: Hey Sue, what can I get you?
Sue: Oh, I‘ll have a coffee, please, Dirk. White, no sugar.
Dirk: OK, this one is for you.
Sue: Thanks.
Dirk: So how‘s it going?
Sue: Ah, pretty good, thanks. I just got back from visiting the Dublin subsidiary.
Dirk: Ah. How‘d that go?
Sue: Yeah, good. Everything went fine. You know, they‘ve got the highest
workload of all of our European offices these days, but they still have the
best results. They get everything done.
Dirk: That‘s great.
Sue: They‘re really into this whole work-life balance thing in Ireland at the
moment.
Dirk: (groans)
Sue: I think it‘s a good idea. I think it‘s becoming more and more important.
Dirk: You can‘t be serious. Some people are just lazier than others and look for
reasons to work less.
Sue: Maybe. But not the Dublin group. Look at their performance. It’s about being
responsible for having a life outside of work. People who only work all the time,
like some people I won’t mention, will burn out eventually. That’s just
counterproductive. You need to balance your work with something like sport or
something to help you switch off.
Dirk: Switch off?
Sue: Yeah, you know, relax, take your mind off work, think of other things. There are
things in life other than work, you know. You’ll get more satisfaction from work, and
also have better results, with a healthy work-life balance. I really think you should...
19 Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

20. COMMUNICATION SKILLS
LISTENING TRIOS
20
Aims: Workout in all skills, especially listening.
Activity: Form 3 groups.
Each group reads a different text connected to
one issue.
Form trios with one person from each group.
1. Summarize your text orally to a partner.
2. Summarize what your partner tells you in writing.
3. Discuss. Create a new text together.
Follow-up: Compare individual summaries for form, and
collaborative texts for meaning.
Our example: Steffi’s, Katja’s and Otto’s Dilemma.
Relate the dilemma as if you were Steffi, Katja or Otto.
Summarize each position individually.
Then discuss and if you have time, collaborate on a text.
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

21. CONVERSATION FRAMEWORKS
Relationships can be
21
internal <-> external
peer <-> hierarchical
new <-> longstanding
still in negotiation <-> contractually bound
similar <-> different cultures, genders, ages
Different kinds of meeting
informal <-> formal
one to one <-> multiple participants
decision makers present <->absent
sales <-> planning/ strategy
stage of project or negotiation
… add your criteria
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

22. TALKING BUSINESS
22
CANBEC
(Cambridge and Nottingham
Spoken Business English)
• formal and informal meetings
• presentations
• telephone conversations
• lunchtime conversations
• other business situations
Key features:
• being indirect
• using vague language
• differences depending on
relationship and setting
• but 90% of speakers from UK
• 76% men
• middle & senior management
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

23. LEAN LANGUAGE AND ELF
Mark Powell advocates
“Lean language” at the
BESIG 2010 Plenary,
“Streamlining Business English”
ELF research
innovations by non-native
speakers, e.g.
Germans noun-phrases:
Our idea is…
My suggestion is…
23

24. HOW CONVERSATIONS WORK
24
24
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

25. APPLYING CONVERSATION FRAMEWORKS
Aims: Recognize frameworks
Activity: Listen to a conversation
25
Analyse the relationship
Frame the moves in a flowchart
Add phrases to the flowchart
Follow-up: Roleplay the conversation using the framework.
Exchange feedback.
Switch roles and replay.
Immediate and delayed reflections
E.g.: C1/3A: Check project status (internal)
C1/3B: Request a proposal (external)
C1/6B: Give employee feedback
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

26. MOVES AND PHRASES IN A FLOWCHART
Move
phrase
•phrase
Move 2
•phrase
•phrase
Move 3
•phrase
•phrase
Move 4
•phrase
•phrase
Move 5
•phrase
•phrase
Move6
•phrase
•phrase
Move 7
•phrase
•phrase
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27. EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK
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28. BUSINESS SKILLS
REFRAME DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
Aims: Improve practice by reframing a remembered
28
conversation. (M. Powell)
Activity: Relate and act out the conversation.
Learner briefs teacher on counterpart.
Teacher plays the counterpart.
Discuss to understand.
Share advice, introduce literature.
Produce a new framework, language
Follow-up: Apply framework and repeat role play with
switched roles. Feedback.
Repeat with original roles.
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

29. ROLE PLAY AND SIMULATION
Features
29
Identify
• What’s the
scenario
• Who am I?
• What do I want?
• How will I get it?
• Language
• Rephrase
• No corrections
• Change partners
• Change roles
• Use constraints
• Use a monitor
• Record
Debrief
Hot reflections:
• What worked?
• What went wrong,
why?
• What would I do
differently?
Cold reflections:
• thinking back in
writing (C. Chan)
Practice Perform

30. BALANCE
Paul Nation’s balance:
¼ meaning-based input
¼ meaning-based output
¼ language learning
¼ fluency
Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014 30

31. FLUENCY ACTIVITIES
Criteria:
1. Is it meaning-focused?
2. Is it easy and familiar?
3. Is there pressure to go faster?
4. Is there quantity of practice?
Paul Nation’s 4–3–2 activity
1. Speak for 4 minutes on a subject.
2. Change partners and repeat what you said, taking 3 minutes.
3. Change partners again and repeat, taking 2 minutes.
31 Cornelsen Business English Day 11.10.2014

32. MY FAVORITE WAY TO DO ROLEPLAYS
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33. SOUND OFF
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34. Recommended reading:
Corpus linguistics:
Almut Koester, Investigating Workplace Discourse. 2006.
Michael Handford, The Language of Business Meetings 2010.
Barbara Seidlhofer, Understanding English as a Lingua Franca.
2011
Sociolinguistics:
Juliane House et al.: Misunderstanding in Social Life. 2003.
Barbara Tannen: You Just Don’t Understand.1990.
Psychology:
Adele Faber, Elaine Mazish: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Liesten so Kids Will Talk. 1980.
Douglas Stone et al.: Difficult Conversations. 1999.
Thank you!
anne.hodgson@t-online.de