Objectives and competences
• to improve students' speaking and writing skills in English for international business communication;
• to introduce students to the basics of business correspondence in English;
• to develop students’ specific oral communication skills in English, i.e., for delivering presentations, for chairing and participating in business meetings;
• to develop students’ understanding of multicultural dimension of successful communication in English in an international business environment;
• to develop students’ autonomous learning skills.
Content (Syllabus outline)
The course comprises the following topics:
• English for written communication in business (i.e., the structure and contents of business letters for effective business communication, internal correspondence, short reports and proposals, the fundamentals of commercial correspondence);
• English for business presentations (i.e., the appropriate structure of a presentation, techniques for delivering a successful presentation, key vocabulary for effective presentations, key vocabulary for describing visual cues (graphs, tables, trends, pictures, etc.), cross-cultural component in the context of business presentations);
• English for business meetings (key phrases for conducting and participating in business meetings, meeting preparation and note-taking, the intercultural component in the context of business meetings).
Learning and teaching methods
• Lectures/Language tutorials
• AV presentations
• Task-based language learning
• Pair work and group work
• Case study analysis
• Flipped learning
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding:
Students:
• can write short internal memos, short reports and proposals based on visual cues such as graphs, tables, infographics, etc., related to their field of work;
• can write key commercial correspondence in English (e.g., enquiry, offer, order, complaint);
• know the key vocabulary in English for making presentations;
• know how to deliver a well-structured presentation for business purposes;
• are aware of the intercultural component in the context of business presentations;
• can express and justify their own ideas, opinions and views on the topic of the meeting in an appropriate manner;
• can take brief notes of the meeting;
• are aware of the intercultural component in the context of business meetings.
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
Cognitive/Intellectual skills:
Students:
• understand and analyse written texts in English in the context of business communication;
• understand and analyse spoken English texts in the context of business communication;
• can communicate clearly and in a structured way in English to function in an international business environment.
Key/Transferable skills:
Students:
• can apply the skills they have acquired to a variety of professional tasks in international business which require communication in English;
• have the ability to learn English for business communication independently;
• can use IT tools to learn English for business communication.
Practical skills:
Students have business communication skills in English, such as collaboration, written communication, public speaking, active listening, non-verbal communication, intercultural communication.
Readings
Temeljna študijska literatura (Compulsory textbooks):
• Ashley, A. (2003). A handbook of commercial correspondence. Oxford University Press.
• Emmerson, P. (2009). Business vocabulary builder: intermediate to upper-intermediate; the words & phrases you need to succeed. Oxford London Macmillan C.
• Powell, M. (1996). Presenting in English. Heinle & Heinle Pub.
Dodatna študijska literatura (Additional textbooks):
• Grussendorf, M. (2015). English for presentations. Oxford University Press.
• Taylor, S. (2004). Model business letters, e-mails & other business documents, 6/e. Pearson.
• Thompson, K. (2007). English for meetings. Oxford University Press.
• Ostalo gradivo, ki ga pripravi izvajalec predmeta (Other study materials given by the lecturer.)
Additional information on implementation and assessment Type (examination, oral, coursework, project)*:
• Student’s coursework portfolio
• Oral communication exam
• Written exam
*The student must complete all compulsory assignments set by the teacher and sit for the oral communication examination when scheduled. The student who does not complete the above stated assignments will automatically fail the course.
If the student does not complete the above assignments in the current academic year, he/she may do so in the next academic year when they are scheduled.
