TEFL Elebaires: Teaching Business English: What do they need to know?

You´ll find that teaching business English can be very different than teaching other ESL students.

Business English learners are usually more motivated, have a good grasp of the language in general and are enthusiastic about the activities you´ve planned for them.

The most important initial step in preparing for your business English students is knowing what they need to know and why they need to know it. The questions below can help you determine this and help you to prepare your teaching syllabus.

-Who do you speak/listen to?

-Are any of your colleagues’ native speakers, locally or internationally?

-Are your business interactions both informal and formal?

-Do you need to speak in public or give presentations?

-Is your work usually on the phone or computer?

-Are you responsible for writing letters, emails, texts, documents or presentations in English?

-Must you interact with the public or with clients in English?