By Michael Robbs, Instructor, HAEC Life Long learning Programs
Many teachers shy away from teaching business people because they aren't sure how to do it. A good start is to understand the core concepts of business English teaching.
Needs: The first concept in teaching business English is 'meeting the student's needs'. This means interviewing each student and learning
what exactly they hope to achieve from a language course. Rarely do they want to pass an exam. Instead they tend to have practical aims, such as practicing presentations in English, speeding up their ability to read professional journals, or gaining confidence when socializing at an international trade fair. This means the teacher will need to take a much more practical approach to teaching teacher and do away with traditional instruction.
Material: Because each student is different, it is rare to find a single course book that suits them perfectly. For that reason a good business English teacher needs to have a range of material that will be specific to the student and their professional demands. This material can be found online, in newspapers and on TV. The best source of all is the student themselves. They can provide you with sample e mails, reports, presentations and so on, all of which can help you develop activities tailor-made to meet their needs.
Expertise: We need to understand the student's profession, and getting a clear picture of their job helps us better motivate and assist them. However, it's not necessary to know everything. We should remember that the student is the expert in their field, and we are the experts in ours; the language! There are many times in a business English teacher's day when they have to say "I'm not sure, but I'll find out and get back to you".
Professionalism: Business English teachers must follow the same rules the students apply to their careers: be prepared, be punctual, be organized, dress smartly, and exhibit professional behavior at all times. Many sessions take place in the student's offices, surrounded by clients and colleagues, so a business English teacher needs to fit in.
Inspiration: Our students will probably have been at work all day when we see them, so they may be tired, distracted or not in a mood conducive to learning. They may not even want to be learning English, but have been told to do so by others in the company in order to improve their performance on the job. For these reasons, a business English teacher needs to work hard to motivate the student. Some simple techniques for this are using a variety of activities with contemporary material and tasks that reflect the specific student's working reality. Of course, there is no substitute for getting to know the student and finding out what motivates them personally.
Overall, business English teaching demands time, commitment and enthusiasm. Does it sound challenging? It is! But the rewards, both personally and professionally, are worth it. So step out of your comfort zone and consider a career in business English teaching!
Michael Robbs is a business English teacher for the Hellenic American Union with over 20 years of teaching experience. He has taught business English in Greece to everyone from exporters to engineers, pharmacists to freelancers, sailors to salesmen. He runs a workshop for the Hellenic American Center for Life Long Learning that trains teachers in how to teach business English.
Photo: "Workshop Gamestorming with Sunni Brown on June 6h 2013 in Amsterdam organized by Business Models Inc." by Sebastiaan ter Burg used under CC BY 2.0
