6 tips for teaching business English to low level learners

Margaret O'Keeffe
A business woman in a suit sat at a laptop

The CEFR describes A1 and A2 learners as ¡®basic users¡¯ of a language. So how can we help these students to develop their English for the workplace?

Here are our six top tips:

1. Focus on high-frequency vocabulary for work

Learning English vocabulary for work context is the top priority for many low-level learners in business English classes. It helps them to communicate their message in a simple, effective way. This makes it important to teach common words and set expressions for everyday work situations.

These include:

  • lexical sets (words related to the same topic or situation) ¨C for example, days, months, numbers, verbs to describe work routines, verbs in the past.
  • common collocations with verbs and nouns (for example, manage a team, have meetings, place an order, solve a problem).
  • functional language and fixed phrases ¨C greetings (How are you? Nice to meet you.) and offers (How can I help you? Would you like¡­?).

2. Help students with vocabulary learning

Teach vocabulary items in realistic contexts. For example, phone calls, to-do lists, short emails, text messages etc.

While it might be tempting to give students lots of vocabulary to memorize, this can cause overload, be frustrating and ultimately demotivating for learners. Instead, you should aim to present eight to ten new words in a lesson as a general rule. This is an achievable number for working memory and helps to build learners¡¯ confidence. The number of words can be a little higher if items are easy to show in images or there is repetition; for instance, the numbers 20 to 100.

Have students make simple decisions about new words, as this helps with recall later. Start with simple tasks, such as matching words and pictures or verb and noun collocations they¡¯ve seen in a short text (for example, managing a team, call customers, writing emails, etc.). Next, ask students to complete sentences using the target words and write their own sentences using these words.

Getting students to personalize new vocabulary makes it more memorable, for instance writing sentences describing their work routines. Repetition also aids long-term memory, so make sure vocabulary is recycled in the materials in later lessons.

Finally, make a list of vocabulary games to use for revision exercises, warmers and to finish classes.

3. Maximize student speaking time

Learners need to develop their English-speaking skills for work. The classroom is a safe, low-stakes environment for them to gain fluency and confidence.

Use the audio and video scripts of short dialogues or an extract from a longer script. Students read the dialogue aloud in pairs or groups. Give feedback by drilling the stress and rhythm of any words or phrases which were difficult with the whole class. Back-chaining phrases ¨C starting with the last sound and building up going backwards ¨C is an excellent way to drill. Get students to swap roles and repeat the task.

You can also use another technique called disappearing dialogue. Put a short dialogue on the board for students to practice in pairs. Then delete parts of the dialogue and ask them to repeat the task, swapping roles each time. Gradually delete more parts to increase the challenge. Students can reconstruct the dialogue as a final task.

Moreover, surveys, questionnaires, true/false games, and information-gap exercises are ways to practice speaking in English, target structures, and vocabulary.

Get in touch about our business English courses

4. Provide support for speaking tasks

Use a model dialogue from the coursebook or one you wrote yourself. Ask students to build their own short dialogues by changing some details (such as names, dates, prices, and quantities). Or use one half of the dialogue and ask students to write the other part.

Then, have them perform their dialogues together with their script. Then, ask them to try to memorize it without the script. Finally, they should perform the dialogue for another pair or even for the whole class.

Give students a reason to listen to their partners when they are speaking. For example, a speaking task like placing an order on the phone, gives them a reason. The listening student can note the essential information and check their answers afterwards.

Repeating tasks with slight variations increases the challenge, improves fluency, helps students remember useful phrases, and builds self-confidence.

5. Practice work skills your students need

Students are much more engaged and motivated when the class content is relevant to their everyday situations.? They will want to learn English for work and skills they need to practice include telephoning, socializing and giving presentations.

Writing skills are also important. This includes formal and informal text messages, simple forms, less formal emails to colleagues (e.g. to update on work) and more formal emails to customers (e.g. replying to a simple inquiry).

At the start of the class, make it clear what students will be doing in the lesson. You can refer to the lesson outcome on the coursebook page or write the lesson outcome in your own words on the whiteboard. For instance, ¡°Today you will learn to place a simple order on the phone¡±.

At the end of the class, ask students to respond to the self-assessment statement: ¡°I can place a simple order on the phone.¡±

This is a reminder of the purpose of the lesson. It also helps the students and teachers to reflect on the progress they are making.

The grammar syllabus should also relate to English learners' communicative needs (for example, describing your company, instructions, and talking about arrangements).

6. Teach functional language phrases

Draw students¡¯ attention to useful phrases and functional language in speaking and writing. For instance, when greeting visitors (¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°See you later.¡±). They can memorize these utterances and put them to immediate use outside the classroom.

Use role plays to practice work skills and functional language skills. Give learners ample time to prepare and write down what they want to say. In a phone call role play, put students back to back to increase the challenge and add an element of authenticity; even better if they can call each other on their mobile phones from separate rooms.

Similarly, with presentations (for example, introducing yourself and your company), give students time to prepare and rehearse. They can ask colleagues to video them on their mobile phones for later correction work and feedback. Or they could rehearse and film themselves at home and show the final video in the next class.

These are just a few tips and techniques for teaching corporate English to low-level learners. It¡¯s especially important for these students to start simple, recycle language often and build their confidence in their workplace English.?

Explore our range of language courses

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • A group of students sat together in a library around a laptop smiling

    Forgetting to remember ¨C What active recall is all about

    By Heath Pulliam
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Heath Pulliam is an independent education writer with a focus on the language learning space. He¡¯s taught English in South Korea and various subjects in the United States to a variety of ages. He¡¯s also a language learning enthusiast and studies Spanish in his free time.

    Almost everyone has studied for a test at some point in their life. Have you ever studied a lot for a test and still not received a great grade? Probably so. This is because not all study methods are created equal. Just because you¡¯ve ¡®studied¡¯ doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that the material has stuck in your brain.

    Some common study methods don¡¯t do as much as you might think. One technique, however, stands out for its efficiency and effectiveness. It¡¯s called active recall, and it¡¯s regarded by many as the best way to study.

    What is active recall?

    In short, active recall is the process of pulling information from your brain without prompts. The idea is that when you force yourself to remember something, you memorize it much faster than you would by only reading material or passively studying.

    When you¡¯re taking a test and you¡¯re not sure about an answer, you search your brain for the answer; that¡¯s active recall. The action of trying to remember is what essentially crystallizes the information in your head for the long term. Multiple study methods use active recall or the action of searching your brain for an answer.

    Active recall forces you to pull information from your mind. It¡¯s not just for doing well on tests but also for long-term retention.

    Active recall is praised for its effectiveness, but it is also mentally taxing. Attempting to recall things that are not in the front of your mind is tiring, which is part of why some opt out of using it.

    Dr. Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, says:

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like you have a pseudo-photographic memory when you study this way.¡±

    Passive and active study

    Most people are taught to study, but less about how to study. People end up using passive study techniques, like rereading material or rewatching lectures. Although not particularly effective, studies show that reading and rereading notes remains university students¡¯ most common study method. (Dunlosky, 2013).

    These methods might feel like effective studying but aren¡¯t really helping much. Yes, passive study methods such as reading, highlighting, or watching can help, but can also give you a false sense of understanding.

    With these methods, when the time comes to retrieve the information, you struggle to recall it because it is not in your long-term memory.

    The first step to becoming excellent at studying is understanding how important active study methods are, such as flashcards, practice testing, or practice teaching ¨C all methods that use active recall.

    Spaced repetition

    If you¡¯re researching study methods, you¡¯ve probably encountered the term spaced repetition. This technique can be incorporated into active recall study methods, primarily flashcards.

    Spaced repetition involves reviewing information at increasingly longer intervals in order to improve long-term memory. You are using this technique when you learn something, so review it a day later, then a week later and then a month later. It helps fight your brain¡¯s natural process of forgetting things.

    Combining spaced repetition with active recall is always a recipe for successful study.

    So, what methods can you use to employ active recall in your study sessions?

    Summarize what you know

    The simplest way to practice active recall is to try to remember the material actively. To do this, read or reread some material, then take some time away¡ªtake a walk, snack break, or whatever you like to do to take a break.

    During this break, try to replicate in your mind as much about the topic from scratch as if you had to teach about it. Don¡¯t be discouraged if you have trouble remembering; part of the learning process is forgetting material and then remembering it.

    When using this for language acquisition, make up relevant sentences and translate them into your target language. What type of vocabulary were you learning? What grammatical structures were new to you?

    Take a mental note of which elements you were able to remember and which ones gave you trouble.

    When finished, go back to the material and review. Were you able to remember things? Whether you could or not, you¡¯ve helped yourself. Your attempt to remember is you practicing active recall.

    When you do successfully remember something, you¡¯ll realize that it is locked in your long-term memory. This method is as simple as it is productive.

    Teach a friend

    Similar to mental summarizing, after studying, find a friend and do your best to explain the topic to them. Language learning could involve explaining how a new grammar pattern works in your target language or taking sentences and phrases and translating them to a friend.

    As a teacher, your best lessons are the ones where you know the material inside and out. If you can effectively explain and teach someone about your target language, you are that much closer to mastering the information yourself.

    Flashcards

    Flashcards, especially when combined with spaced repetition, are the king of study methods for language acquisition.

    Between all that they can be used for, they are especially good for language learning, no matter what part of the language you¡¯re studying. This is one of the best ways to learn sentence structure that does not mirror your native tongue, conjugations for speedy use and general vocabulary.

    I have found that using a spaced repetition-based flashcard program is the best way to study a language. This way, you don¡¯t have to schedule a bunch of paper flashcards manually.

    Among the most popular programs for language learners is Anki. Anki is a spaced repetition flashcard program. With it, you create your cards and the program schedules them at increasingly longer intervals. It is also used widely among students studying for large tests, like medical and law exams.

    To make the best flashcards, make them yourself. Downloading a big set of flashcards for your target language is tempting but not particularly helpful. Instead, after each study session, make a few flashcards yourself covering the new vocabulary/grammar you¡¯ve just learned about.

    One more thing: do not use multiple-choice answers for your cards. Active recall happens when you produce information without prompts or assistance.

    Personally, I use flashcards every day to learn Spanish through . This program has a learning curve, but the payoff makes it worth it.

    Test yourself

    The goal of studying for a test is to be able to answer questions about a topic or, even better, know the material for real-world application. As stated earlier, active recall happens during testing, so why not use this form of active recall before testing?

    Use your materials to make a mock exam in this method, then take it. Through actively remembering to answer each question, the ones you get right will stick in your brain. Review the questions that you couldn¡¯t remember and retake the test focusing on them.

    While not particularly complicated, these tips and methods¡¯ effectiveness comes from their use of active recall. As you forget information and pull it from the depths of your memory, you solidify it for yourself.

    Forgetting plays an important role in learning something for long-term memory.

    Now, get to studying; how are you going to use the power of active recall in your routine?

    References

    Dunlosky, J. "Improving Students¡¯ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology." Association for Psychological Science, 2013, 1-6

  • placeholder

    Understanding your GSE score

    By Samantha Ball
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    For many students, navigating the world of English language proficiency tests can be a daunting experience. Whether you're preparing for university, looking to enhance your career prospects, or simply aiming to improve your communication skills, understanding what your Global Scale of English (GSE) score means is crucial.

    In this blog post, we'll break down the GSE, explain what your score represents and provide you with actionable steps to improve it.

  • A woman dressed in a halloween costume smiling holding a cat shaped pumpkin outdoors

    The intriguing etymology of spooky words

    By
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    There's a certain allure that surrounds spooky words. Their very sound can send shivers down your spine and their meanings often carry chilling tales of the past. For those who revel in the peculiarities of language, exploring the origins of these eerie expressions offers a hauntingly delightful experience.

    Language is full of mystery and the etymology of words related to the supernatural is no exception. Let's take a closer look at some of the most spine-tingling words in the English language and unearth their origins.

    1.?Ghoul

    The word "ghoul" has its roots in Arabic folklore. Derived from the Arabic word "gh¨±l," it refers to an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on the dead. This sinister entity first appeared in English texts around the 18th century, becoming synonymous with creatures that haunt our nightmares.

    2.?Witch

    "Witch" is a word steeped in history and lore. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "wicce" (for a female witch) and "wicca" (for a male witch). These terms are believed to be linked to the Proto-Germanic root "wikkjaz," meaning "one who wakes the dead." Over the centuries, the image of witches transformed, influenced by cultural narratives and historical events such as the infamous witch trials.

    3.?Vampire

    The word "vampire" conjures images of blood-sucking fiends that prowl the night but its linguistic origins are equally fascinating. It likely comes from the Serbian word "vampire," which gained popularity in the 18th century in Western Europe. This term was used to describe beings that rise from the grave to feast on the living, a concept that has since been romanticized in literature and film.

    4.?Specter

    Derived from the Latin "spectrum," meaning "appearance" or "vision," the term "specter" is often used to describe a ghostly apparition. In the 17th century, it came to be associated with the haunting phantoms that drift through abandoned halls and eerie landscapes. Its spectral connotations are timeless, evoking images of translucent figures and the eerie rustle of bygone whispers.

    5.?Zombie

    While the concept of reanimated corpses exists in various cultures, the word "zombie" has its origins in West African folklore. It is derived from the Kikongo word "nzambi," meaning "spirit of a dead person." The term was introduced to the Western world through Haitian Vodou practices and gained prominence in popular culture during the 20th century.

    6.?Poltergeist

    The term "poltergeist" originates from the German words "poltern," meaning "to make noise," and "Geist," meaning "spirit" or "ghost." This eerie word describes a type of supernatural entity that is known for its mischievous and sometimes malevolent behavior, often manifested through unexplained noises or objects moving without apparent cause. Poltergeist occurrences have long featured in folklore and horror stories, capturing the imagination with tales of restless spirits causing chaotic disturbances in the world of the living.

    7.?Banshee

    The word "banshee" is rooted in Irish mythology, deriving from the Old Irish term "bean s¨ªdhe," meaning "woman of the fairy mound." Banshees are believed to be heralds of death, their mournful wails seen as an omen that someone is soon to pass away. These spectral figures often appear as women shrouded in gray or white garments, their cries echoing the sorrow and mystery that enshroud their presence. The legend of the banshee has endured in popular culture, continuing to haunt the imaginations of those who hear her tales.

    8.?Doppelg?nger

    The term "doppelg?nger" originates from the German language, combining "doppel," meaning "double," with "G?nger," meaning "goer" or "walker." It refers to the unsettling phenomenon of encountering one's double, often considered an omen of bad luck or death. In folklore, a doppelg?nger is thought to be a spirit or supernatural entity that takes on the appearance of a living person. This eerie concept has been a source of fascination in literature and art, exploring themes of identity and the dual nature of the self.

    9.?Wraith

    The word "wraith" has Scottish origins and is commonly used to describe a ghost or apparition, particularly one that portends death. Its etymology is somewhat obscure, though it shares a kinship with words indicating spectral or eerie appearances. Wraiths are often portrayed as shadowy, ethereal figures that linger between the realm of the living and the dead, haunting desolate landscapes with their sorrowful presence.

    10.?Mummy

    While the practice of mummification is most famously associated with ancient Egypt, the word "mummy" itself has an intriguing history. Derived from the Persian word "m¨±miya," meaning "bitumen" or "asphalt," it referred to the embalming substance used in the preservation process. This term was absorbed into medieval Latin and later English, coming to define the preserved bodies themselves. Mummies have captivated imaginations and spurred countless myths and stories, bridging the gap between ancient rituals and modern horror tales.

    11.?Werewolf

    The word "werewolf" has deep linguistic roots, stemming from the Old English "were," meaning "man," combined with "wulf," meaning "wolf." This term describes the mythical entity that transforms from human to wolf, often during a full moon. Such legends have been present in numerous cultures, with various explanations and lore surrounding the transformation process. The enduring allure of werewolves in fiction and folklore highlights humanity's fascination with the primal, untamed aspects of nature and identity.

    The power of spooky language

    Spooky words hold a unique power over us. Understanding their origins not only enriches our linguistic knowledge but also deepens our appreciation for the stories and cultures that have shaped these words over time.

    For linguaphiles, unraveling the mysteries behind spooky words is a thrilling adventure. Each term carries a legacy, a tapestry woven with tales of terror and wonder. Whether you're penning a chilling tale or simply enjoy the art of language, these eerie expressions continue to captivate and inspire.