Applies to various groupings of this title: Business Communication Strategies #3916-3920

Introduction

This is an intermediate-level textbook with accompanying listening material on CD for students who already have a working knowledge of English. The emphasis is on oral communication, and the goal is to prepare students for the linguistic challenges (especially speaking and listening skills) they will face in the international business world, both on and off the job. While most students will have had some work experience to draw on, those without it can imagine their dream job – company and position – and take on that role throughout the book. The four sections of each unit are designed to maximize speaking time for students and to minimize teacher talk. It is recommended that the sequence of the units and the sections be followed carefully for maximum effectiveness. Doing so will minimize planning time and the need for supplementary materials. The book is designed to be effective with two people (teacher and student) as well as with medium-size and large classes. Section 1 – Starting Point (Warm Up) To get the students communicating immediately, each unit starts with a warm up – questions that stimulate conversation about the topic of the unit. Typically, they are pair exercises that relate to the communicative function of the unit (Getting Acquainted, Making Small Talk, etc.). This leads into group work, and then into a class discussion (both of which can easily be done as pair work if only two people are using the book). Section 2 – Communication Strategies This section is the core of the unit, where the strategies are introduced and practiced. Part 1 begins with a presentation of phrases that are commonly used in the context of the unit’s topic. This part is also available on the CDs for listening and pronunciation practice. Part 2 is a controlled practice in which the students use the phrases to complete the dialogs by filling in the blanks. Part 3 is a conversational flow chart, which the students follow in a guided conversation. After the flow chart, the activities will vary, depending on the focus of the unit. The emphasis here is on moving from controlled practice (internalizing the language) to free practice (using it fluently). As the students progress through the book, previous strategies will be recycled in this section, as well as in Section 4 (Activity). This recycling helps the students strengthen their use of previously introduced strategies and also gives them opportunities to employ a variety of strategies within each topic area. Section 3 – Reading This section features a reading that is about the focus of the unit. It also introduces new vocabulary, idioms, and expressions, as well as vocabulary strategies and some simple reading strategies to check comprehension (e.g., main idea, summarizing, etc.). In addition, the business communication strategies will be incorporated into the activities in this section. The section begins by activating students’ background knowledge. This is followed by a discussion, reading preview, and some vocabulary building. All four of these activities help students better understand the reading. After the article, there is a comprehension check and another discussion. Section 4 – Activity This section helps students consolidate and apply the knowledge and skills they learned in the unit. It is the most detailed and challenging part of the unit, but the students should be well prepared for it after working through the previous three sections. The activity will differ from unit to unit depending on the focus of the unit. Teacher’s Guide with Answers A separate Teacher’s Guide includes:

1. Teaching tips to help make the implementation of the material effective, and
2. Answers to all the Communication Strategies dialogues and other activities.
3. Complete Scripts for all dialogs: much easier for instructor’s to work from!
4. Reproducible vocabulary card formats for all the Business Terms presented on pp. 241-243.