Teach English in Touzao Zhen - Yancheng Shi

Because such a vast majority of adults pursues additional education primarily out of necessity, the practicality of the topics of study is a must. Adult learners seek clear objectives, functional material, and results. In the case of learning or perfecting an additional language, particularly when focused within the business world, learners are clients with professional needs. Therefore, in order to help them build and achieve proficiency in Business English, it is the responsibility of the teacher to expose students to authentic materials, to ensure there is a balance between communicative areas, and to provide students with ample opportunity to apply their skills. When success in a classroom is determined solely by a student’s performance on evaluations unique to that setting, they are insufficiently prepared to defend themselves in real-life situations. Training students to regurgitate verb forms or memorize vocabulary to match it to its definition may earn them good marks in the classroom, yet the rest of the world does not function by these standards. Adult professionals who seek to improve their English to use in the workplace need to build proficiency. According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, “Proficiency is the ability to use language in real world situations in a spontaneous interaction and non-rehearsed context and in a manner acceptable and appropriate to native speakers of the language” (“ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners,” 2012). A teaching approach with proficiency targets, therefore, is inherently the most practical option for those developing their skills for use in the workplace. To achieve functional proficiency in a language, a learner must display abilities in all four communicative areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. As the definition of proficiency implies, students learning a language must be prepared to interpret and respond to authentic situations and not simply to sources designed for students. Even in such cases when an academy or institution dictates the use of certain resources or textbooks, it is up to the teacher to make sure that students fortify what they learn using authentic materials. Simply stated, how will a student know she can perform in a real-life situation if she has never been exposed to one? Sources originally intended for a native audience provide an accurate representation of how English is actually used. News programs, periodicals, advertisements, social media platforms and more are imperative classroom tools and essential for students to manipulate. It should be noted that teachers must scaffold activities according to their students’ language level to avoid causing them to feel frustrated or incompetent; however, even beginners can learn valuable lessons related to topics such as pronunciation, intonation, body language or cultural norms. More advanced students can become accustomed to interpreting main ideas and extracting key details even when their personal vocabulary does not encompass every word they see. Using this type of resource in the classroom also provides students with examples to mimic so that they may improve their overall comprehensibility when interacting with native speakers. With teacher support, frequent use of authentic materials trains language learners to apply appropriate strategies as part of their approach, and each successful exposure to authentic material builds their confidence. Additionally, it is best for the communicative skills developed in the classroom to be in equilibrium. While some learners and teachers may demonstrate a preference for reading or writing in class, this does not mean that they should be practicing listening and speaking any less. In fact, oftentimes those skill areas that students prefer to avoid are exactly those they would benefit from practicing more. Interpersonal speaking, for example, requires participants in a conversation to listen actively, interpret messages instantaneously, and respond immediately. Learners’ ability to think on their feet and react appropriately to a variety of inputs is a tremendously valuable skill in the workplace and, consequently, something that they will appreciate being able to rehearse in a safe setting. Regarding classroom instruction, it is relatively simple for teachers to adapt an activity to focus on a different communicative skill. For instance, after reading a business report, rather than writing a summary students can carry on a discussion to draw conclusions; additionally, if an article of interest exists within a topic of study, there is a strong likelihood that a video, radio, or podcast clip can be found as well. Ample variety and balance provided during lessons leads to learners being more prepared to tackle spontaneous tasks in their professions. Ultimately, practice translates into preparedness: the more opportunities students have to develop their skills in an academic course, the more competent they feel taking on similar tasks beyond the classroom. This requires teachers to orchestrate activities to maximize student participation, regardless of personality type. In other words, a teacher cannot expect all students to volunteer equally nor can he or she simply put hesitant learners on the spot to ensure they contribute. True of lessons and courses alike, the best educators constantly evaluate the success of their activities and their learners. Sensitive to individual needs, they must adapt and adjust accordingly so that all have the same opportunity to improve their language skills. For instance, a timid student who avoids speaking up in front of classmates may participate wonderfully using an audio recording posted to an online forum, or as the task leader of a small group. Rather than simply covering course content, teachers must be cognizant of the chances students have to use the language in order for them to be prepared for their professional responsibilities. The ideal Business English classroom should simulate the workplace as much as possible to provide students with ample opportunity for trial and error to build their proficiency. The content and feedback they receive should be directly applicable—or as much so as possible—for clients to work towards and see the benefits of subject mastery. When learners feel competent manipulating resources intended for native speakers and can use all communicative areas often, they are empowered to take on a multitude of linguistic tasks in the workplace.