- This topic has 163 replies, 161 voices, and was last updated 5 days, 20 hours ago by
.
-
Posts
-
In my opinion the first is the time factor, as they will need to balance the time they spend studying the target language with their work.
Second is the need to be familiar with the culture as this will prevent misunderstandings and lost business.
And third are the objectives since they make them clear and measurable.Business learners have a different perspective on gaining the new foreign language. They are motivated because usually they see the need for improvement, within the business world and also personally. They understand that a better understanding and use of English their chances of promotion, payment and opportunities improve.
All the points are correct and very interesting, but the main factors to take in consideration are the following:
TIME the trainer has to know which is the progress of the learner, the priorities, help him/her to reach the end point in the best way.
OBJECTIVES it’s very important to clarify this point in order to point out the learner’s purpose
SPECIFIC NEEDS which are connected to the others two points helps. Shaping the course adapting to the learner is the main point here.As I mentioned earlier, I believe a business learner differs from other learners for the following reasons:
– Time: The business learner may be less available time-wise. If the lesson occurs during working hours, the learner will be available, but he or she might be distracted by urgent emails or important phone calls. If the lesson occurs at night after work, the learner will be more available mentally, but might be tired from their workday. It is thus important to discuss what an adequate schedule might be for the learner before starting with the lessons.
– Socialising and networking: It can be interesting for learners from the same company but different departments to take part in the same lesson, so that they get to socialise within their own company. While learning English, it is also important that the trainer focuses on organising pair/group activities linked to networking and socialising activities. Indeed, as the learners will need to use English in such situations, they should already be trained to use proper language and phrases within the classroom.
– Objectives: Business learners may differ from other learners in terms of their objectives; they may be in a hurry to achieve a certain level of fluency, for instance, or have a specific deadline in mind (e.g. achieve a B2 level to get a promotion, preparing for an upcoming business trip to the United States, etc.). Therefore, it is important that the trainer takes these needs into consideration and takes care to tailor the lesson even more to the learner’s needs. It should also be noted that, in addition to their English language objectives, business learners may have other priorities – namely their job and other professional obligations. They may thus not always be able to attend lessons at the same time each week, or have last-minute work obligations that will interfere with their learning of English. These potential issues should thus be discussed with the trainer prior to the start of the class, so that a common decision is made should an issue arise in the future.
Time si crucial when training Business English learners. Their job gives a limited amount of time and attention to use in the study of Business English (or English/a language in general). The teaching content should be selected with care, so that it should be too taxing and most and foremost such content should satisfy the learners’ personal needs.
Cultural barriers are another aspect to take into account when working with international people to avoid misunderstandings or lost in translation effects.
Moreover, the target language should be tailored to the language required to use in their work place (if the learners do not display extensive grammatical misuse/fails).
Formal and professional language is the one that these learners require to know to be able to successfully communicate with other business professionals in their field of work.Time: They have limit time between work and everyday life to learn something new. Keeping lessons short and interesting should help.
Socializing and networking: A Business learner might be learning the targeted language or expand their career using these tools. It’s also something most people use or do every day.
Cultural Considerations: Dealing or teaching an adult, they might not be as open to new cultural experiences or they could be very interesting in learning about new cultures. I think if both the trainer and learner having mutual respect, the lessons or experience could be very knowledgeable.Some of the points have been mentioned previously, but the three which I wish to elaborate on are cultural considerations, socializing and networking, and professionalism.
Cultural considerations.
Who hasn’t experienced a culture shock when with people from other countries? What have they been? Simple things like bottom-pinching on the buses in Rome, being denied entry to a church for failing to have one’s head covered. These are basic ones but in business, there are more serious consequences, a deal may be lost to the company disgraced. Is it acceptable to arrive a little early or a few minutes late? Whether to bow or shake hands. Whether to do business before a meal, during or after. Which topics are taboo? What religious beliefs might affect the menu? Are women treated as inferiors or equal to men, or revered? The latter is something I have occasionally experienced because some men dislike having a female teacher. They think women should teach only young children and it offends their sensibility. Others might think that because they wear a suit that they are professional people when the cloth maketh not the man. What counts is respect. Civilization is about how people treat one another.I hadn’t put socializing and networking on my original list but yes it is a valid point. The speed of communicating with others these days is rapid which actually causes more stress in daily life because everyone expects an immediate reply. This can distract the business learner in class and delay or even damage his progress. On the other hand, needing to use network sites to research articles, and socialize on the Internet can also increase motivation to learn English as there is often more information to be found online in English than perhaps some other languages, and the automatic translations leave a lot to be desired.
Professionalism
The business learner needs to treat the language classes as professionally as he would any activity at work. All people whether the cleaner or the boss should be treated equally, with courtesy and dignity. This would also include political correctness and the use of moderate language. The learner and the trainer should avoid confrontation. A balance of temperament is necessary.How much the learner is willing to socialize and network in their work environment and beyond will have a big influence on their language skills development. I would add that the willingness to actively cooperate and openly communicate with the trainer will also be important. Cultural considerations should be contemplated when interacting with the learner and adapting certain activities for him/her. A consistent review of the learner’s objectives is important to check for accuracy in the whole process, reevaluate strategies and redirect if applicable.
In my opinion, the three most important factors to be considered for teaching business English learners are objectives, cultural considerations, and professionalism. Objectives are important for all workers in all field, hence they should be considered for Business English learners too as they play an important role in their performance and their work. Since many of these learners either learn this language because of working internationally, or moving to another country, it is also very important to consider cultural considerations, as misunderstandings can occur if people are not familiar with them, and issues can arise. Therefore, it is much better for students to learn them and take them into account. Professionalism is another important one to consider as being professional for any job and work adds value to the people’s performance while doing business.
Motivation is undoubtedly one of the foremost factors for business language learners. They are eager to acquire new vocabulary, learn more about the grammar and, overall, become more acquainted with the target language.
Even though cultural considerations have little to do with business language, they may be regarded by some learners as a complement to their studentship.
However, objectives are an important characteristic for business learners. They traditionally set a few goals they need to achieve and thus will give themselves the means to rise to the occasion. Their aim is usually to progress personally and professionally.
This leads us to the third important point which is professionalism. Business learners customarily have specific needs. They either seek career advancement or are willing to enhance their professionalism and open new horizons. They typically look for firsthand experience and knowledge they can effectively put in practice in their work environment.Business language students have various characteristics and this is related based on the sector in which they work.
I believe that taking into account your specific needs is critical to providing useful topics and meeting your immediate needs so that you can be productive in your work.
This way your attention and motivation will always be high.
On the other hand, knowing the uses and customs of the country with which it is related is fundamental.
It is important to have the necessary elements to be able to interact with people; potential customers or suppliers that these are; demonstrating respect and interest in the customs of that society.
This point could be related to political correctness because, knowing the customs, respect is maintained.
The last feature that I consider important is the achievement of the objectives.
The student-employee must achieve objectives set by his company and obtaining the necessary instruments to achieve it is fundamental. Our lessons should always facilitate this outreach.Business language learners mainly want to use English in business context and are not interested i9n emotion and feeling. They are goal orientated and want to outperform anyone as quickly as possible.
A business language learner will learn the language as the same pace as any other learner – being a business person doesn’t make it more or less difficult and the time needed will vary depending on motivation/age/time spent practicing and all the other variables, just like for any nother student. The only difference the instructor can make within the lessons is to focus on business vocabulary and business writing and bring up cultural differences (something all courses need to integrate) related specifically to business exchanges. This part of the lesson might need to be delivered in the student’s native language in order to convey the message and make sure that business students don’t commit cultural mistakes.
Languages rule our lives in every aspect. Everyday scenarios such as shopping or attending doctor appointments, forming meaningful relationships, and a stable career are all influenced by the language that you use. Most people are lucky enough to only speak their native language while working and meeting with clients. However, business men and women who are working for international companies usually do not have such a luxury. Businesses are always seeking to expand their horizons which is why they often cater to foreign clients. Business men and women will often begin studying a new language in order to communicate with foreign clients fluently. Such language knowledge could very easily open up the opportunity for an advancement in one’s career. For this reason, business learners are often motivated by their career prospects.
Another quality which I believe characterizes business learners would be time. Business men and women are always busy in my experience. They have tight schedules which they must adhere to, and so practicing their target language outside of the classroom can often be challenging. This is why it is very important to maximize learner talking time during business lessons.Language learners from businesses or organizations are intrinsically motivated to learn considering the fact that they decided to take time out of their busy adult schedule to spend sitting down and studying. This can be driven by various motives. The first is for personal growth, for whatever personal reason they can use that new language, be it for leisure or hobby, for example, watching a series in English without needing subtitles, or to communicate better while traveling in an English-speaking country. The second is for economic or work advantage. Some businesses incentivize employees who have achieved a higher level in a foreign language, or a specific level certificate is required to be promoted to a higher position. Finally, it can also be for social reasons. Learning with a group allows you to meet people who share the same interest. The benefit is that you have accountability partners that check in on your progress and celebrate with you.
The main challenge with language learning for business learners is that when work or family life gets too busy, they tend to miss the classes or drop them altogether. So the motivation as to why they are learning has to be really strong for them to stay and finish the course.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
