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MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS RACHEL APPLEBY IH BARCELONA ELT 2010

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Page 1: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

MOTIVATING AND

CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS

RACHEL APPLEBY IH BARCELONA ELT 2010

Page 2: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

OVERVIEW

• What is an advanced learner?

• What can they do?

• What do they lack?

• What problems do they have?

• Are we addressing these issues?

• Ideas and activities

Page 3: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

WELCOME: STUDENT’S INTERESTS!

TASK!TASK!

Complete two of the sentences below.

Now share and discuss the information in groups.

Sentence starters:1. If I wasn’t a teacher …2. Not many people know that I’m

particularly interested in … 3. By this time next year …4. If I didn’t have to work to earn

money, I’d …5. One of my most memorable

experiences was …

Sentence starters:1. If I wasn’t a teacher …2. Not many people know that I’m

particularly interested in … 3. By this time next year …4. If I didn’t have to work to earn

money, I’d …5. One of my most memorable

experiences was …

Page 4: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

WHAT IS AN ADVANCED LEARNER?

Someone who …

• has passed / could pass FCE / B2 exam

• has a wide range of language between FCE and near-NS level (B2-C2)

1. Language

-

-

-

2. Communication

-

-

-

Page 5: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

1 - LANGUAGELinguistic Profile An advanced student has …

• some knowledge of all structures

• active vocabulary c. 3,000 words; < passive

• English sounds / intonation patterns

• ingrained mistakes

Linguistic NEEDS

An advanced student needs …

• revision of structures

• sophisticated structures

• activation of passive vocabulary &

vocabulary discrimination

• work on pronunciation The grammar’s awful and the spelling’s atrocious – otherwise it’s

an impressive CV.

The grammar’s awful and the spelling’s atrocious – otherwise it’s

an impressive CV.

Page 6: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

2 - COMMUNICATIONCommunicative Profile An advanced student has some ability in / awareness of … • style / register • functional elements• non-specialized spoken and written English

Communicative NEEDS An advanced student needs … • further practice in different styles /register• expansion of range of functions (in-/formal)• extensive practice in freer Speaking,

development of R, W, L skills, especially in specialized areas.

Page 7: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

• basic ingrained mistakes

• avoidance strategies

• register/style – over-formal, or over-familiar

• language plateau / lack of sense of progress

• unbalanced proficiency in the skills

• [ they know what they want …]

PROBLEMS FOR STUDENTS

- FOR TEACHERS

• apprehension

• diverse needs

• mixed levels

• ….

Page 8: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

APPROACH – TO BEAR IN MIND1 NEEDS ANALYSIS – check / redefine

INTERESTS – exploit for practising language, vocabulary & skills

 

2 DIAGNOSTIC TEST – for strengths and weaknesses

RECORD freer speaking activities – for priorities for correction

3 SYLLABUS – course planning = packaging language to motivate and show progress, e.g.

• by TOPIC / THEME

• by SKILLS

• by FUNCTION

NB: short and long term goals

Page 9: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

GRAMMARContext: Extracts overheard from a meeting of the IH Barcelona conference team, who are discussing the conference over coffee…

a. Read the following. Would you like to be on the conference committee? b. Can you label the sentences according to a ‘conditional’ type? 

TASK!TASK!

1. If we’d advertised the conference earlier, we’d have got a lot of this paperwork out of the way sooner.

1. If we’d advertised the conference earlier, we’d have got a lot of this paperwork out of the way sooner.

c. Now decide what the function of each sentence is. 

2. But count yourself yourself lucky: had we invited more big name speakers, we’d be overrun with participants, and have far too many people to deal with!

2. But count yourself yourself lucky: had we invited more big name speakers, we’d be overrun with participants, and have far too many people to deal with!

3. If we spoke individually to some of the key participants, do you think we could try to encourage them to join the committee?

3. If we spoke individually to some of the key participants, do you think we could try to encourage them to join the committee?

Page 10: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

Sentence starters

If I wasn’t a teacher …By this time next year …One of my most memorable

experiences is …

Sentence starters

If I wasn’t a teacher …By this time next year …One of my most memorable

experiences is …

Reminder:

To what extent does each activity meet advanced level students’ needs?

TASK!TASK!

1. If we’d advertised the conference earlier, we’d have got a lot of this paperwork out of the way sooner.

2. But count yourself yourself lucky: had we invited more big name speakers, we’d be overrun with participants, and have far too many people to deal with!

3. …

1. If we’d advertised the conference earlier, we’d have got a lot of this paperwork out of the way sooner.

2. But count yourself yourself lucky: had we invited more big name speakers, we’d be overrun with participants, and have far too many people to deal with!

3. …

INFO ABOUT STUDENTS / GRAMMAR:ADDRESSING CONCERNS

Page 11: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

VOCABULARY 1 – FAMILIAR WORDS

 a. communicate an idea ___

b. introduce a strong opinion ___

c. someone has made a good point; you agree ___

d. it’s obvious ___

1 I have to say that I was expecting something a bit more professional.1 I have to say that I was expecting something a bit more professional.

4 You can say that again!4 You can say that again!

3 He should be promoted after this project finishes – it goes without saying.

3 He should be promoted after this project finishes – it goes without saying.

2. What does this logo say about our company?2. What does this logo say about our company?

Phrases with “say”. Match an example with its meaning beneath.

TASK!TASK!

Page 12: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

VOCABULARY 2 – CONFUSING WORDS

1 a. We’re expecting him at 10, so I’m sure he’ll arrive _________. b. So, __________, let’s summarize what we’ve done so far. 2 a. Alan’s leaving in 3 months, but, _________, due to the holiday

he’s owed, he’ll be leaving mid-March.

b. We travelled ________ every weekend – there was hardly a Saturday when I was at home.

3 a. We had ________ a great time in Peru – I’d love to go back.b. The weather was ______ wonderful – we were really lucky.

practically / in practice so / such shortly / in briefpractically / in practice so / such shortly / in brief

Choose a pair of words from the box below for each pair of sentences; decide which goes where.

Page 13: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

SKILLS - SPEAKING

TASK!TASK!Money, wealth and

povertyMoney, wealth and

poverty Food and DrinkFood and Drink

1 Is a global event like the Olympic Games more about politics and money rather than sport itself? 2 Are hobbies only for people who have too much leisure time? 3 Is Formula 1 motor racing really a sport? 4 Who is your country’s most famous sportsperson? How are they a reflection of national identity?5 Which sports are most popular in your country with a) teenagers and b) women?6 Describe your perfect weekend.7 How will you spend your retirement?

1 Is a global event like the Olympic Games more about politics and money rather than sport itself? 2 Are hobbies only for people who have too much leisure time? 3 Is Formula 1 motor racing really a sport? 4 Who is your country’s most famous sportsperson? How are they a reflection of national identity?5 Which sports are most popular in your country with a) teenagers and b) women?6 Describe your perfect weekend.7 How will you spend your retirement?

SPORT (& LEISURE)

“Leisure time is that five or six hours when you sleep at night.” George Allen

TASK!TASK!

Page 14: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

SKILLS – ACTIVATING PASSIVE LANGUAGE

• PRON. (intonation, sentence stress, pausing) & REGISTER

• AIMS: Make sure tasks are focused, with a clear communicative aim.

• CHALLENGE sts to use new words and phrases, e.g. as follows:

A list of phrases: the student ticks them off as they use them:A list of phrases: the student ticks them off as they use them:

Deal out phrases: students speak, and race to use them upDeal out phrases: students speak, and race to use them up

Put phrases on cards: place on desk / students turn over when usedPut phrases on cards: place on desk / students turn over when used

Page 15: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

SKILLS – ACTIVATING PASSIVE LANGUAGE 2

PRONUNCIATION AIMS CHALLENGE

Page 16: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

SHOWING PROGRESS

• Elicit what has been covered (make a list, draw a mindmap, … )

• Refer back to your original plan

• Run a discussion / meeting where students give feedback

• Adapt the sentence starters

• Get sts to indicate how they feel about each language area / skills, e.g.

* * * * * *

Conditionals

Phrases with ‘say’

✓✓✓✓

Confusing words

Page 17: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

RECAP: ARE WE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES?

✓✓ ✓✓✓✓

✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

Page 18: MOTIVATING AND CHALLENGING ADVANCED BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS R ACHEL A PPLEBY IH B ARCELONA ELT 2010

MOTIVATING AND

CHALLENGING ADVANCED

BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNERS

RACHEL APPLEBY IH BARCELONA ELT 2010

THANK

YOU!

THANK

YOU!