Published: December 5, 2022
Publisher: Wayzgoose Press
Formats: Ebook / Paperback

ISBN-13: 979-8366704236 (Amazon); 9781961953109

Marjorie Rosenberg has taught English in Austria since 1981 to a wide-range of adult learners, has worked as a teacher trainer throughout Europe and in the USA and taught for a number of years at tertiary level. She is a co-author of Business Partner and Step Up (Pearson), In Business as well as two workbooks in the Business Advantage series (Cambridge University Press) and the author of Communicative Business English Activities (Express Publishing). She has also written several methodology books on learner preferences and general text books for the Austrian schools. Marjorie is an active conference speaker and is currently the Joint Coordinator of IATEFL BESIG and a past president of IATEFL.

The idea of writing a book with tips for business English teachers which could be easily implemented into the classroom was extremely intriguing. After teaching business people in adult institutions and in corporate settings for close to forty years, I had a wide range of ideas and activities which had worked well and encouraged my learners to use the language and take back what they had learned to the workplace. As the series 50 Ways to … already existed thanks to Dorothy Zemach at Wayzgoose Press, I had a model to base my book on.

I felt it was important to begin by pointing out the differences between general English and business English as well as where they overlap. All learners need vocabulary, grammar, structure, the four skills and confidence to communicate with others. However, as business English is more task-related than general English, what we teach should address the priorities of the learners as well as being purposeful and motivating. Another important aspect was to ensure that the book provided a variety of topics which could be adapted to different fields, situations and levels of language. Although business English is mostly thought of as corporate training, we have to keep in mind that it is also taught at the high school level as well as in universities so activities have to work for both pre-work and in-work learners. This, of course, means that activities have to be flexible enough to be used with those who can supply more on-the-job experience and those just learning about the field. However, both groups are generally aware of the importance of communicating correctly and the impact that communication with others will have on their current or future careers.

The book was divided into eight major sections: workplace vocabulary, workplace grammar, business writing, graphs and charts, communication skills, business skills, using authentic materials and language games. The activities are also coded with the level the leaners should ideally have and instructions on pre-teaching, necessary vocabulary, information learners might need, and a description of what to do in the classroom make up the main part of the activity description. Each of the activities is also followed by taking the lesson out of the classroom and back to the workplace in order to experience a ‘real-world follow-up’. The suggestions include learners listening for specific vocabulary, grammar, communication skills, phrases and so on once they return to their place of work. They are then encouraged to bring this information back to class to discuss with the others. The main idea of this is to connect what they have learned with what they do and what they need. Once the work done in the classroom is recognized as a valuable skill for their jobs, it takes on a higher importance and motivates learners to experiment with the language and make it their own.

Many of the activities cover vocabulary or structures that are often found in course books. The difference here, however, is that they mainly provide the framework in order to encourage learner-generated language. Structures and instructions are spelled out but the actual content of the activities come from the learners themselves. There are several activities, however, that go beyond what is often taught making use of ideas from the world of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and coaching. These, for example include an activity on using the ‘Disney strategy’ to come up with creative ideas, different styles of working and how this affects teams and working with others, the importance of emotional intelligence, a model for setting achievable goals and ways to work on a growth mindset. The idea behind including these is to encourage critical thinking, help both trainers and learners move out of their comfort zones, and provide new ways of looking at what we are teaching our learners. These topics have often come up in the classes I teach and, as many business English teachers are moving towards coaching in addition to teaching, they are also becoming more familiar. The last section of the book was designed to offer fun games which can be used to liven up classes and motivate learners who have spent a long day studying or at the office. They include activities such as an adapted ‘odd one out’ requiring critical thinking, a learner-created ‘Taboo’, vocabulary guessing games, an activity on creating a company and a game involving acting, drawing and explaining of words that had come up over the course of the class.

To sum up, I would say that after teaching for so many years, I have found that the courses which were most successful were those which put the learners first and helped them to reach their goals and meet their needs. This book is designed exactly to do that. The 50 lessons (plus 1 extra) should provide an impetus to try out an activity and to ensure that the activity truly belongs to the learners helping them to take the most benefit from it. Activities which encourage critical thinking and personal growth but also involve essentials in language communication are generally the most rewarding lessons for both the instructor and the learners.

Additional information

The eBooks can be found at all major ebook retailers and library services.

Use the ISBN to order the print book on line or at a book store.

All the titles in the series can be found at http://wayzgoosepress.com/teacher

You can preview 27 pages of the book here.

Coming soon! Please check the Pilgrims in Segovia Teacher Training courses 2026 at Pilgrims website