About this course: This course aims to improve your Business English speaking skills by developing your use of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, spoken communication skills within a Business context, and your ability to deliver professional business speeches for specific purposes. Skills learned in this course will be used in the cross-cultural communications course and help prepare you to deliver the professional business presentation in the Capstone project. After completing this course, you will be able to: - delivery effective job interviews - give persuasive business pitches - delivery informative business presentations - speak persuasively in English - adapt content to purpose, context and audience - use appropriate style and tone of writing for business purposes
Created by: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Taught by: Sean McMinn, Senior Insructor
Center for Language Education
Taught by: Kin Tang, Instructor
Center for Language Education
Taught by: Delian Gaskell, Instructor
Center for Language Education
| Basic Info | Course 3 of 5 in the Business English for Non-Native Speakers Specialization |
| Commitment | 6 weeks of study, 4-6 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Welcome module
Welcome to Week 1! This week, we will cover Module 1 where we introduce you to the objectives and structure of this Specialization and course.
3 videos, 4 readings
- Video: Welcome to our course
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Video: Introduction to our Specialization
- Video: Guest Speaker-Prof.Caroline Wang-Effective Business Speaking
- Discussion Prompt: How is this course relevant to you?
- Reading: Learning how to learn
- Reading: Learning vocabulary
- Discussion Prompt: How do you improve your English speaking skills?
- Reading: The HKUST English Grammar Guide (EGG)
WEEK 2
Introduction to business speaking
Welcome to Week 2! This week we will cover Module 2 where we introduce you to speaking skill you may need in the workplace. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
5 videos, 5 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Elements of introducing yourself
- Discussion Prompt: Meetings, meetings, meetings.
- Video: From interviews to presentations
- Video: Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Part 1- Verbal
- Video: Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Part 2- Non Verbal
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Video: Challenging English grammar: redundant adjectives
- Reading: Adjective and adverb word order
- Video: Challenging English sound - /u/ "full" and /u:/ "fool" AND /I/ "sit" and /i:/ "seat"
Graded: Say it right.
Graded: Module 2
WEEK 3
Interviews
Welcome to Week 3! This week we will cover Module 3 where we introduce you to interviewing skills you may need in the workplace. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
8 videos, 10 readings, 3 practice quizzes
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Video: Job Interviews
- Video: Speaking to Inform & Persuade
- Video: Context & Directness
- Reading: Introduce yourself in a Job Interview
- Reading: Peer-review practice- Introduce yourself in a Job Interview
- Video: Peer-review practice: Sample Self Introduction
- Practice Quiz: Peer-review practice: Introduce yourself in a Job Interview
- Reading: Peer Practice Review - Describe your Strengths and Weaknesses
- Video: Sample - Describe your Strengths and Weaknesses
- Practice Quiz: Peer Practice Review - Describe your Strengths and Weaknesses
- Discussion Prompt: Verbal or Non verbal communication
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Video: Challenging English grammar: 'the', 'a' and 'an'
- Reading: Referring to something mentioned before
- Reading: Before names of professions (articles & determiners)
- Reading: Before singular countable nouns
- Reading: Before uncountable nouns
- Video: Challenging English Sounds -/ð/ "they" /d/ "day"
- Video: Challenging English Sounds-/æ/ "man" /e/ "men"
Graded: Introduce yourself in a Job Interview
Graded: Describe your Strengths and Weaknesses
Graded: Module 3
WEEK 4
Business pitches
Welcome to Week 4! This week we will cover Module 4 where we introduce you to delivering business pitches and speaking persuasively. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
7 videos, 10 readings, 3 practice quizzes
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Discussion Prompt: What persuades you?
- Video: Elements of a persuasive presentation
- Video: The elevator pitch
- Video: Rhythm, stress and pausing
- Reading: More on stress and pausing
- Reading: Peer review practice: stress and pausing
- Practice Quiz: Peer review practice: stress and pausing
- Video: Body language
- Reading: What do we mean when we say 'rhetoric'?
- Reading: Rhetorical devices in persuasive speeches
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary quiz
- Video: Challenging English: giving opinions
- Reading: More on giving opinions
- Reading: Discourse markers
- Video: Challenging English sounds -/ð/ "then" /z/ "zen"
- Video: Challenging English sounds - /θ/ "thin" /s/ "sin"
- Reading: Peer review practice
- Practice Quiz: Peer review practice
Graded: Practise your stress and pausing
Graded: Pitch it
Graded: Module 4
WEEK 5
Business presentations
Welcome to Week 5! This week we will cover Module 5 where we introduce you to presentations skills you may need in the workplace and effective visualizations. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
7 videos, 10 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Discussion Prompt: You be the judge
- Discussion Prompt: Evaluate your own presentation skills
- Video: The differences between written and spoken English
- Video: Preparing and planning presentations
- Reading: Arranging and organizing presentations
- Discussion Prompt: Making and using visual aids
- Video: Designing effective visuals
- Discussion Prompt: Ineffective visuals
- Video: Engaging the audience
- Reading: Presenting data in charts and graphs
- Reading: Understanding the differences between seminars and conferences
- Discussion Prompt: Past experiences with online presentations and meetings
- Reading: Presenting online
- Reading: Business Case: zAnta Boutique Hotel
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary quiz
- Video: Hedging your language
- Video: Challenging English grammar: prepositions
- Reading: More on prepositions
- Reading: Common preposition errors
- Video: Challenging English sounds /ɒ/ "not" and /ʌ/ "nut" AND /p/ "pit" and /b/ "bit"
Graded: Case Analysis Presentation
Graded: Module 5
WEEK 6
Concluding module
Welcome to Week 2! This week we will cover Module 2 where we wrap up the course. You will be asked to complete the final exam and post-course survey.
Graded: Final exam
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Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
this course take a long time from me to finished it
But it's a great course
Thank you
Its nerve racking....it keeps one on the toes
I enjoyed the course. It was a challenge for me to have spoken assignments. But I did it. Thank you I learned a lot.
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