THE RELEVANCE OF TEACHING BUSINESS ENGLISH ALONG WITH GENERAL ENGLISH AT HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL
Laura Brie, Colegiul Național „ Gheorghe Lazăr” Sibiu
Abstract: In a fast developing society, in the context of the accelerated globalization process, it is vitally important to incorporate Business English language in the general English courses, taking into consideration the fast pace at which companies open up subsidiaries around the world, the employees reaching thus the stage at which they insert certain business terms into the native language straight in English, without translating them.
Key words: business, General English, Business English, needs analysis, competition.
In a world in which you hear the word " business " daily, it is vital to master not only English, but Business English. Business English is part of English for Specific Purposes and it is generally defined as English related to international trade. Teaching business English represents a step further in the profession of teaching. It is like going to the next level in a game. To teach business English means to keep in touch with the world around you and learn new things all the time.
Teaching Business English refers to teaching English to adults working in a certain business or to students preparing to work in the field of business. Business English has a lot in common with General English, but it is in many ways radically different. Some of the major differences between a Business English course and a General English course refer to:
� the purpose of the course – which is to fulfill the students’ work related needs.
� the needs of the learner – some learners will need to be able to use the telephone, report to foreign managers, negotiate with foreign partners, reply to e-mails, give presentations, etc.
� the content of the course – which is in perfect correlation with the needs of the learner.
� the methods used – the nature of the interaction between the Business English teacher and the learner can be very different from that in a General EFL class. A course in Business English may include case studies, because they are widely used in business training.
� the language- which is also governed by the students’ needs. In the case of Business English it will mean a high technical content, with frequent use of
� business terms. social aspects- business people usually have to meet other people from different countries and cultures. Thus, there is a need for an internationally accepted way of behaving in public. In this case, language is ritualized( frequently using formulaic vocabulary).
Business English should be regarded in the wider context of English for Specific Purposes( ESP), as it shares the important elements of needs analysis, syllabus design, course design and materials choice and development, which are common to all fields of work in ESP. Like any variety of ESP, Business English involves a specific language corpus and emphasis on particular kinds of communication in a specific context.
On the other hand, Business English differs from other varieties of ESP in that it is often a mix of specific content( relating to a particular job area or industry) and general content( relating to general ability to communicate more effectively).
Mark Ellis and Christine Johnson provide a complex picture of the main differences between Business English and General English, taking into consideration the following 48