Essay on "English for Business Purposes"

Essay 15 pages (3975 words) Sources: 10

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Business

English for business purposes

The advent of globalization and the interconnected world of commercial markets via the Internet and digital communications have changed the way business is conducted and experienced. Central to this modern business world is the use of English as a generally accepted international language, which has extended its influence via broadband and the networked business environment.

In terms of the influence and importance for business, the English language has assumed a preeminent and vital status in the world today. This is also linked to the escalating trend towards ecommerce and online shopping and commercial interchange that is dependent on communication. This is especially the case for emerging markets in the East and for Asian countries. As one critic succinctly states; "The globalization trend and the advent of e-business and e-commerce have reinforced the status of English as the international language for business communication among Asian countries" ( Baharum and Tretiakov, 2007). These are all aspects that impact the teaching and learning of business English and which have to be taken into account in order to understand and respond to the challenges of English proficiency in the contemporary business world.

The modern business environment and milieu therefore places much greater emphasis on the understanding of English as a form of communication in the commercial and business world. This reflects on the concomitant importance of English teaching for business purposes or "business English." Courses in business English are therefore typically directed towards inculcating a practical and meaningful understanding of this modern business world; with the aim of enabling the learner to be conversant with that world and be able to function adequately in the modern business environment.

Courses offered for business English therefore generally aim to develop an awareness of the learners of Business English, their motivations and the relevant roles of the teacher and the learner," as well as to " & #8230; develop skills for teaching Business English on or off-site as well as developing familiarity with appropriate resources and materials for use with Business English learners" (Teaching Business English).

This paper will explore the topic of teaching business English in the context of the experience and needs requirements in Taiwan. This is a very appropriate region of the world for this type of teaching. As one commentator notes;

The importance of English as a world language, the advance of technology and education reform envisaged by the new Thai Constitution are key determinants for new developments for English language teaching and learning in Thailand in this decade ( Wiriyachitra).

Furthermore, an important factor is that English is the official language of ASEAN or The Association of South East Asian Nations. This relates to the fact that it is "…the language of international business and now it is the main language of the internet" (Teaching English in Thailand). This in effect means that there is a great demand for English teachers and for increased proficiency in business English.

Contemporary Factors in Teaching Business English

The term 'business English' is usually defined as follows; "English in business usage, especially the styles and forms of business correspondence" (business English -- dictionary). Simply stated, it refers to the fact that "English is the language needed to do business -- to participate in meetings, negotiate and write emails…" (TESOL WITH Business COURSE). However, business English is a concept that covers a wide range of aspects and variables and refers to the changing world of modern commerce and entrepreneurship, as well as to the burgeoning online e-business and networking environments. As will be discussed in this paper, the context of English for business usage is an all important factor in obtaining the necessary proficiency in language to deal with the business world.

As was briefly mentioned above, the changing world of communication and networking has had a profound impact on the business world and this must be understood and incorporated into theories, paradigms and praxis when it comes to teaching business English. This refers especially to the concept of globalization.

Globalization is a concept and a reality that has led to much debate and discussion in various disciplines, including English teaching. A common definition of globalization is that it is a term that describes "… the spread and connectedness of production, communication and technologies across the world. That spread has involved the interlacing of economic and cultural activity." (Globalization) Globalization is also understood in the sense of connectivity in economic and cultural life across the world…" which is also a process that has been ongoing in human history for centuries" (Globalization).

Therefore it follows that globalization open up avenues of communication, interaction and reciprocity that requires knowledge of language. However, as figure one and two below clearly illustrate, the normative mode of communication in this age of globalization is English. English has assumed the role of an international language that facilitates business and communication. This has obvious implications for those countries that are not proficient in this language.

Simply stated, knowledge of English, and particularly English used in a business and commercial setting, has become essential for the economic advancement and growth of developing counties. "[English] is the language of globalization-of international business, politics... It is the language of computers and the Internet... It is the dominant international language in communications, science, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy...." (Globalization And The English Language). This view is emphasized by many educationists and entrepreneurs. As John Whitehead, director of the British Council, states, "English… is an important tool for operating on the world stage… In fact, English is so widely spoken, it is referred to as, the "lingua franca" of the modern era" (Globalization And The English Language).

There are numerous research statistics that also indicate the importance of English for business usage in the world today.

Globally, 77% of employees are using English on a weekly basis, and nearly 50% are using English daily.

Over the last four years, the percentage of employees using English daily has increased from 44% to 49%.

English as a common platform enables global teams to be productive.

Globally, a high percentage of employees are using English for internal communication. This points to the increasingly global nature of teams and organizations. (GLOBALIZATION OF ENGLISH 2007 REPORT: TRENDS IN Business COMMUNICATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL COMPANIES)

Consequently, numerous reports therefore also state that there is an urgent need to improve English business skills in many countries today and it is estimated that in most companies about 74% of employees need to improve their skills within the next year (GLOBALIZATION OF ENGLISH 2007 REPORT: TRENDS IN Business COMMUNICATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL COMPANIES). This obviously places a great deals of focus on the teaching of business English and they ways in which the levels of language proficiency can be improved. This point will become clear in the discussion of the importance of business English for countries like Taiwan.

Figure 1.

( Source: http://www.esp-world.info/Articles_2/Bridging%20the%20gap%20between%20English%20for%20Academic%20and%20Occupational%20Purposes.html)

Teaching Methods

There are numerous teaching theories and methodologies when it comes to teaching English for business purposes. For instance, the behaviorist approach to teaching English as a second language focuses on repetition and language " drills"; while the more modern tendency is to emphasize the interactive, contextual and meaning-based methods of teaching business English.

In term of teaching English for business usage, one of the most successful methods is known as scenario-based learning. This is a method that differs considerably for the "instructive" method of learning, which emphasizes vocabulary and formal grammar rules (Bin Baharum et al. 2007). Scenario-based learning is defined as "... learning that occurs in a context, situation, or social framework. It is based on the concept of situated cognition, which is the idea that knowledge can't be known or fully understood independent of its context" ( Baharum et al. 2007). This is a more outcomes based approach to the teaching of English second language.

It is believed that using this method results in "…better course completion rates and better learning outcomes can be achieved by using approaches that enhance opportunities for students" (Bin Baharum et al. 2007). This view of learning is based on the contextualization of learning and is therefore considered to be more appropriate for a business environment in which language is continually changing and adapting to meet the needs of the modern commercial environment. It focuses on "… the importance of contextualizing learning activity in real life scenarios" (Bin Baharum et al. 2007). More specifically, …learners participate in a fictional context-based meaningful authentic learning environment and collaborate with other participants in completing activities structured into scenarios reproducing real-world situations. Decisions made by the learners affect the outcomes of the scenarios. Continuous feedback is provided for guidance and scaffolding.

(Bin Baharum et al. 2007)

This method of teaching has been shown to have positive results and outcomes, as it allows for a structure to be created in which the student can understand the relevance of the spoken language and its practical application. As a study by Bin Baharum et al. (2007)… READ MORE

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