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Regular version of the site
Bachelor 2020/2021

English Language as a Language of Business Communication

Area of studies: Linguistics
When: 4 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies: distance learning
Instructors: Kseniia Kindenova, Natalya Putilina, Elena Sorokina, Орехова Екатерина Андреевна
Language: English
ECTS credits: 8
Contact hours: 52

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Business English Course is based on the principles of the project-based approach, which is grounded in the creation of a student-developed product. This framework is aimed to foster creativity, curiosity and problem-solving skills while also upholding rigorous linguistic standards. Real-life application of the skills gained in the course will be of use both for those who are planning to embark on a career path in a company and entrepreneurs alike. Those who see their future in cross cultural communication, teaching, interpreting or translating will find the course useful and efficient. For cross cultural communication specialists, practical business skills might prove to be of great importance. For interpreters and translators, it is an opportunity to gain knowledge of a new sphere which could undoubtedly come in handy. Not only will this course provide insight into teaching Business English as an ESP course, it will also familiarize the future graduates with the financial and legal aspects of B2B interaction from the point of view of a service provider. Students will work on the projects that are relevant to their culture and their future. They will collaborate with other students face-to-face (or online) and receive guidance from their teacher(s). The course is designed to provide an intellectual challenge for the students. Thus, they will apply and develop their critical thinking skills further.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • The main objectives of the course “Business English” are to master various language, social and business skills.Therefore, students are to obtain different competences, such as linguistic competence, sociolinguistic competence and pragmatic competence.
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Use business vocabulary appropriately
  • Report on the project outcomes
  • Deal with difficult questions
  • Give an impromptu presentation
  • Discuss employer’/customer’s expectations
  • Draw up contract clauses covering force majeure circumstances
  • Check IP clauses in a contract
  • Reach agreement with your counterparty
  • Introduce yourself to a group in business environment
  • Describe cross-cultural experience
  • Interpret messages in business emails
  • Answer job-interview questions
  • Write a cover letter matching a job description
  • Talk about career paths and choices
  • Understand clauses in an employment contract
  • Draft clauses for an employment contract
  • Discuss conditions of employment
  • Discuss new working practices
  • Brainstorm ideas with colleagues
  • Speculate about future changes in a corporate image
  • Agree on the course of actions
  • Write a memo for internal/external use
  • Discuss advantages of a learning organisation
  • Conduct need analysis of an organisation
  • Choose type of learning matching your company’s needs
  • Identify the measures to tackle existing issues
  • Apply current economic and business information
  • Can assess client's needs
  • Negotiate mutually beneficial conditions
  • Check a draft of a contract for its integral elements
  • Draw up clauses in a service agreement
  • Write a proposal for an internal/external client
  • Use business skills for business communication (giving presentations, negotiating, telephoning, participating in teleconferences, etc.);
  • Learn basic legal vocabulary related to business topics
  • Discuss team relationships and team roles
  • Deal with business conflict
  • Add emphasis, using fronting, cleft sentences, adverbs, and phrases
  • Respond to feedback in a diplomatic way
  • Write clear, smoothly flowing texts in an appropriate style
  • Communicate efficiently with other people and understand social roles of other participants
  • Negotiate outcome in negotiations with business partners
  • Write/respond to a letter of complaints
  • Discuss the ways to deal with project setback
  • Settle the differences with your counterparty
  • Read and draw up contract clauses
  • Write a report on the progress of the project
  • Use particle clauses and inversions in writing
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • 1. Job opportunities. 4th year. English for Business communication.
    Practically speaking: Introducing yourself to a group Working with words: Working across-cultural Applying for a job in (post-) Covid environment Dealing with interview question Talking point: Misunderstanding in business correspondence Writing a cover letter matching a job description
  • 2.Entrepreneurs and ‘gig’ economy. 4th year. English for Business communication.
    Working with words: Comparing career paths and choices Talking Point: ‘gig’ careers and ‘gig’ economy Practical issues of employment Reading an employment contract
  • 3.Progress. 4th year. English for Business communication.
    Working with words: Gaining competitive advantage Corporate image vs personal branding Viewpoint: Dealing with change Business Communication Skills: Brainstorming ideas Writing a memo
  • 4.Learning organization. 4th year. English for Business communication.
    Working with words: Talking about training and learning Talking point: E-learning and learning interventions Business communication skills: Conducting needs analysis Growth mindset of an organisation
  • 5.Persuasion. 4th year. English for Business communication
    Working with words: How to identify customer’s needs Practical issues of project work: How to get paid on time Business communication skills: Selling an idea Language at work: Discourse markers Practical issues of business relations: Elements of a contract Train to write a proposal for internal/external clients
  • 6.Teamwork. 4th year. English for Business communication
    Working with words: Exploring team relation Business communication skills: Negotiating – dealing with conflict Language at work: Adding emphasis, using fronting, cleft sentences, adverbs, and phrases Practically speaking: Responding to feedback Practical issues of business relations: Going to court; Train to write/responding to a letter of complaint
  • 7.Risks.4th year. English for Business communication
    Working with words: Handling a corporate crisis Business communication skills: Settle the differences with the client: Practical issues of business relations Understanding contract 2: termination clauses; Train to write a business report to account for the progress of the project
  • 8.Values. 4th year. English for Business communication
    Business communication skills: Reaching agreement Language at work: Participle clauses and inversion Practical issues of business relations Understanding contract 3: Intellectual property clauses & force majeure clauses
  • 9.Performance. 4th year. English for Business communication
    Working with words: Assessing success of the project Business communication skills: Presenting – giving an impromptu presentation Practically speaking: Dealing with difficult questions Talking point: Rethinking annual performance reviews; Writing a report for your internal/external client
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Continuous assessment
    The total grade point are devided by the total number of the classes conducted over the course to calculate the cumulative grade point average.
  • non-blocking MOOC test
    A period of six week is allocated for the course completion. The course is designed for self-directed work with support and facilitation provided on request. The test is administered two weeks after the closing date of the course stipulated by the teacher
  • non-blocking Exam
    The exam held in winter consists of two speaking assignments. In the first part, students are given short texts (up to 200 words) to form the basis for a task in which they annotate the text with the reference to the topics studied over the course and provide critical evaluation of the main ideas. The task is carried out individually. The second part, involves an extended response to a question. Each student is given a card with a question on it and there are also some ideas on the card which candidates should make use of. Following student’s response, the teacher leads a discussion which further explores the topic highlighted on the card. This task type tests the Students’ ability to develop and sustain discourse, and to engage in discussion on the topics of the course. They also need to be able to organise their thoughts and ideas, and express themselves coherently in appropriate language in the given time. ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПРОВЕДЕНИЯ ЭКЗАМЕНА. Экзамен проводится в устном синхронном формате. Для участия в экзамене студент обязан: зайти на платформу zoom за 5 минут до назначенного времени, провести тест системы, включить камеру и микрофон на своем устройстве. Указанное оборудование должно работать в течение всего периода проведения экзамена. Во время экзамена студентам запрещено: общаться (по телефону, в социальных сетях, с людьми в комнате), списывать, передавать свой вариант экзамена другим людям для его выполнения, пользоваться словарями, переводчиками или другими источниками, пользоваться средствами мобильной связи в целях передачи и/или получения информации по формату и/или содержанию экзамена. Во время экзамена студентам разрешено: использовать чистый лист бумаги в качестве черновика. Во время экзамена запрещается пользоваться заранее подготовленными записями и учебными материалами. Студент обязан по требованию преподавателя показать обзор рабочего места и/или провести демонстрацию экрана для проверки рабочего стола студента на компьютере. Во время проведения экзамена все приложения (кроме платформы zoom) на рабочем устройстве студента должны быть закрыты. Кратковременным нарушением связи во время экзамена считается прерывание связи до 5 минут. Долговременным нарушением связи во время экзамена считается прерывание связи 10 минут и более. При долговременном нарушении связи студент не может продолжить участие в экзамене. Процедура пересдачи аналогична процедуре сдачи.
  • non-blocking Speaking
    Assessment of the speaking proficiency is made up of two parts: a monologue and a pair/group discussion. Two formative assessment tests are summed up and divided by two. Speaking tests might be administered in formal and informal setting throughout the course. The first part of the assessment - monologue – analyses samples of the languages collected as an individual response to a question or evaluation of an idea in an article during a lesson or as a presentation in a more formal setting of a formative/summative test. The second part of the assessment involves evaluation of their part in the project they collaborate on. This part may be conducted in pairs or groups. The task gives candidates the opportunity to show their skills of interactive communication and their ability to manage a discussion.
  • non-blocking Writing
    Assessment of the writing performance is comprised of four main types of writing in the course, i.e. business e-mail, report, proposal and memo. Writing process for each type of the tasks might be divided into two stages: draft and final (makeover) work submission. The Final written work is to be submitted by the due date stipulated by the teacher.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (2 module)
    0.25 * Continuous assessment + 0.2 * Exam + 0.1 * MOOC test + 0.2 * Speaking + 0.25 * Writing
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • English for business : a functional approach, Chilver, J., 2001
  • Legal English: Quick Overview: Англ.язык в сфере юриспруд. Базовый курс : учебник для бакалавров / Е.Б. Попов, Е.М. Феоктистов, Г.Р. Халюшева ; под общ. ред. Е.Б. Попова. - 2-е изд.,перераб. и доп. - М. : ИНФРА-М, 2019. - 314 с. + Доп. материалы [Электронный ресурс; Режим доступа http://www.znanium.com]. — (Высшее образование: Бакалавриат). — www.dx.doi.org/10.12737/13328. - Режим доступа: http://znanium.com/catalog/product/1022283
  • Колесникова Н.Л. - Пишем и говорим на деловые темы по-английски. Tips for Business Writing and Speaking Skills - Издательство "ФЛИНТА" - 2018 - 136с. - ISBN: 978-5-9765-3442-1 - Текст электронный // ЭБС ЛАНЬ - URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/103111

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