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London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Examinations Board (LCCIBE)

Further Certificate for Teachers of Business English (FTBE)

The Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English (FTBE) is a qualification for qualified general EFL teachers who intend to specialise in teaching English for business purposes. Within the UK it will make an ideal supplementary qualification for newly qualified EFL teachers who wish to make this challenging area their specialism. In other countries it will make an ideal introduction for qualified and experienced non-native English teachers to the methodologies and materials used in teaching business English by the leading British and international EFL institutions.

Course duration: 40 hours

Aim
The aim of this qualification is to allow the candidate to develop a basic knowledge of the "Teaching Business English" (TBE) profession in order to:

- develop an understanding of the professional skills that are required of the business English teacher

- identify the methodologies that are most effective in the business English classroom

- develop an understanding of the basic business concepts and practices that the business English teacher is expected to be familiar with.

Objectives
The candidate will be able to:

- demonstrate a general awareness of the key professional skills required of a business English teacher

- demonstrate a knowledge of the key classroom methodologies that are regarded as best practice in business English teaching

- demonstrate a knowledge of basic business concepts and practices.

Target audience and candidate progression
This qualification is intended as a supplementary qualification for qualified teachers of general English, providing them with an introduction to Teaching Business English (TBE).

Candidates should ideally be either: a) graduate native speakers with a basic English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or language teaching qualification, or b) non-native speaker English teachers with a first degree plus a formal English teaching qualification.

For both groups some experience of general English teaching to adults will be useful, but not essential, as will a limited amount of business English teaching experience.

Level of English required
Candidates should have a standard of English which enables them to make themselves understood in a business context and which is at least equivalent to LCCIEB's English for Business, Third Level.

Guide to assessment Syllabus topics

1. Teaching Business English (TBE) professional skills (eg needs analysis, syllabus/course design etc)

2. TBE methodologies (eg different approaches, classroom management, use of materials etc)

3. Basic business concepts and practices (eg business terminology, letter layout etc)

Coverage of syllabus topics in examinations
The examination will consist of 3 Sections: in Section A there will be one extended question on topic 1, in Section B there will be one extended question on topic 2, and in Section C candidates will choose 2 out of 3 shorter questions on topic 3. Candidates may be expected to draw upon related syllabus topics when answering the questions.

Examination format
Candidates will be assessed via a 2'/2 hour examination paper and they must complete 4 questions.
Section A covers TBE professional skills and is worth 35% of the marks
Section B covers TBE methodology and materials and is worth 35% of the marks
Section C covers basic business concepts and practices and is worth 30% of the marks

In Section A candidates will be expected to answer a series of questions relating to a TBE scenario (recommended time for this section is 55 minutes).

Section B will be the same as Section A in format (recommended time for this section is 55 minutes).

In Section C candidates will be expected to complete 2 questions out of a choice of 3 (recommended time for this section is 40 minutes). One question will always take the form of a "correct the business document" type exercise. All 3 questions will carry equal marks.

Questions in Sections A and B will require full prose answers. Questions in Section C will require a mixture of different answer formats including short answers.

Candidate answer guidance
Unless requested otherwise, candidates should use a concise essay style or bullet point format using appropriate language.

If requested to answer in the form of a report or a scheme of work, candidates will again need to structure their answer with clear headings and sub-headings.
Candidate performance measurement Pass mark information
Pass 50%
Credit 60%
Distinction 75%

Recommended reading list

TBE professional skills

Candidates must be able to:

1.1 Demonstrate a knowledge of needs analysis skills including

1.1.1 the purpose of needs analysis (to gain a detailed knowledge of learner's needs; also to motivate learners and, if necessary, to adjust their expectations of the language learning process)

1.1.2 the content of the needs analysis process (to assess what a client will have to do in the target language as well as their potential as language learners)

1.1.3 different types of needs analysis: pro-forma, the "menu" approach, personal
interviews, work shadowing

1.2 Demonstrate a knowledge of syllabus design skills including

1.2.1 different types of syllabi (functional, topic-based, grammaticallstructural) and
the relevant application of each

1.2.2 interpreting and utilising the results of a needs analysis

1.2.3 translating a client's wishes and needs into realistic and achievable course
content

1.3 Demonstrate a knowledge of lesson planning including

1.3.1 ingredients of a lesson plan eg headings, columns, prompts

1.3.2 planning for different aims!needs eg input versus practice or new language
versus skills work

1.3.3 timing and variety eg activities, skills, materials
1.4 Demonstrate a knowledge of the "client approach" including

1.4.1 the importance of establishing an adult, personal-but-professional, rapport with students who should be viewed as "clients" or "customers~~

1.4.2 the importance of establishing an appropriate relationship with learners which is different to that of the standard "teacher/student" (eg consultant, business partner)

1.4.3 adopting an appropriate "results oriented" approach to teaching and appreciating the importance of setting and achieving realistic targets in order to secure repeat business

1.5 Demonstrate a knowledge of feedback and evaluation including

1.5.1 an understanding of the different forms of feedback and evaluation and their
uses

1.5.2 an appreciation of the importance of feedback and evaluation as both an educational tool (motivation) and providing a business-like basis for the trainer's relationship with clients (accounting for the amount and content of training required)

1.5.3 an understanding that learners can negotiate the content of their course with their trainer by using the set of learning goals identified in the needs analysis as a measure and that this negotiation is on-going throughout the course

2 TBE methodology Candidates must be able to:

2.1 Demonstrate a knowledge of different approaches to language teaching including

2.1.1 an awareness of the learner-centred approach and related language learning concepts
- acquisition and learning
- task-based learning
- self-directed learning
- input and output

2.1.2 an awareness of the various approaches to language teaching determined by specific and apparent reasons for learning and the relevant application of each depending upon the nature and needs of the client

- humanistic approaches - a perspective of the learner as a "whole person". The experience of the learner and encouragement of positive feelings seen as an important part of the language learning process, plus frequent learner-centred activities
- the numerical-graphic approach -most business people are highly numerate and graph-literate, and utilising such business information in the teaching of language can be highly effective
- the communicative teaching approach
- role-plays/simulations involving business meetings or other situations relevant to learners' needs
- specific oral skills practice (eg telephoning or giving instructions at lower levels, making sales presentations at higher levels)
- specific writing skills practice (eg letters of confirmation at lower levels, reports or letters of reply at higher levels)
- business games (eg word-building games)
- the use of authentic texts (provided by the client)
- extended role-plays/ simulations pursuing an on-going business scenario with the learners either acting themselves (simulation) or imaginary characters (role-play)
- other possibilities
- Suggestopaedia
- Cuisenaire rods
- Lexical approach

2.2 Demonstrate a knowledge of classroom management including

2.2.1 creating a good rapport with clients and being sensitive to their needs

2.2.2 being inter-active, demonstrating new activities and ensuring clarity of
instruction

2.2.3 ensuring a variety of activity/ focus/setting

2.2.4 adopting a role as facilitator

2.3 Demonstrate a knowledge of TBE materials including

2.3.1 authentic materials such as
- newspapers
- magazines/business journals
- advertisements
- documentaries
- video
- radio and TV broadcasts relevant to business
- company materials (brochures, reports, figures etc.)
- any materials relating to the client's field
- the Internet

2.3.2 an awareness of how to adapt texts from authentic materials such as
- set comprehension/multiple choice/true-false statements
- find synonyms/opposites
- create information-gap activities
- ask learners to complete statements about the text
- interactive dictation
- adapt texts on business topics for discussion
- compare texts/documents on the same topic (eg company reports with press coverage)

2.3.3 an awareness of the possibilities in terms of materials specially selected or created by the teacher to suit the client's business language needs
- the use of graphs and charts relating to the client's field or provided by the client (eg creating a graphic representation of data to explain business terms/trends)
- the use of video to film learners in role-plays/simulations and provide them with useful input/feedback
- the use of audio recordings to record learners in role-plays/simulations and provide them with useful input/feedback
- the use of TV programmes related to the client's business
- the use of authentic texts, reports or articles related to the client's business (eg the use of the client's company report to practice the passive voice)
- the use of research projects to be conducted perhaps outside classroom hours drawing upon available outside resources and resulting in a classroom presentation

2.3.4 an awareness of how to evaluate and exploit published TBE or EFL materials (see reading list)

2.3.5 an awareness of how to evaluate and exploit
authentic materials and how to develop
useful language from these materials ie
- as vocabulary development resource
- to trigger discussion
- scanning for word partnerships
- information gathering
- sunlmarising and contextualising facts and figures

2.3.6 an awareness of the possibilities for creating bespoke materials specific to the needs of the client

3 Basic business concepts

In general, candidates will be expected to and practices demonstrate a broad basic knowledge and
understanding of business issues plus an awareness of up-to-date and current business-related language and
terminology.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

3.1 An awareness of basic business communication and the stages of a deal
- telephone/fax/letter/e-mail or face to face communication
- promotion material (eg flyers, brochures,web sites, etc)
- handling an enquiry and providinginformation
- arranging a meeting
- negotiating a sale
- making an offer
- placing an order

3.2 An awareness of the importance of social English in business
- networking
- introductions and small talk
- creating a rapport
- idioms/phrases/appropriate register
- corporate entertainment (business lunches/dinners)
- everyday situations

3.3 An awareness of the basic written forms of business communication (as outlined in LCCIEB's English For Business (EFB) syllabus, model answers, and "How to Pass" training materials)
- the layout of letters, memos, faxes, and reports
- the style of language used in: letters, reports, faxes, memos, and e-mail
- the content and layout of basic business documents and forms (eg price lists, order forms, invoices, etc)
- the basic structure of reports

3.4 A familiarity with the common formats and the key language of
- presentations
- conferences
- meetings
- negotiations

3.5 A familiarity with basic corporate structures
- types of company (sole trader, partnerships, limited, public, multi-nationals, conglomerates, etc)
- the make up of a company (eg single site, multiple site, departmental structure, etc)
- the structure of a department (organisation charts)

3.6 A familiarity with basic marketing principles
- the four Ps (Product, Price, Promotion, Place/Position)
- advertising and promotion (bill boards, trade press, nationallregionalllocal press, national/regional/local TV/radio, web sites)
- USPs - Unique Selling Points
- product launches (announcements, press releases, conferences and events, advertising)
- sales techniques (eg direct selling, cold calling, mailshots, point of sale
promotion, etc)

3.7 A familiarity with basic financial terms
- making payments (invoices, reminders, methods of payment)
- basic accountancy terminology and documents (annual accounts, spread-sheets, profit and loss, balance sheets)
- basic currency-related terminology (the names of international currencies,
exchange rates)

3.8 A familiarity with the basic terminology and activities of research and development
- conceptualisation (brain-storming, focus groups, desk top research, questionnaires, proposals)
- implementation and development (pilot studies, prototypes, development working parties, product development and testing)
- o review (feedback exercises, reports)

3.9 A familiarity with the basic terminology and activities of production and quality assurancen (QA)
- basic types of production (eg assembly line, labour intensive, automated, etc)
- basic stages in production processes (raw materials, manufacture, storage, distribution)
- quality control (eg sampling, testing)

3.10 A familiarity with general business documents and terminology
- mission statements
- company reports
- stocks/shares
- SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).

Inglés