Classroom Activities and Scripts for Task 1 & 2

Objective 052

Research, identify and utilize workplace readiness or soft skills (Personal Qualities, Customer Care Skills, Leadership Skills) necessary to succeed in post-secondary education, training and career.

Components of this unit include:

2. Identify customer care skills such as work to satisfy customers expectations.

4. Identify problems, devise solutions and implement a plan of action.

8. Identify and demonstrate strategies to organize, plan and allocate resources including time, money, materials, facilities and human resources.

9. Identify and demonstrate strategies to work well with others such as communicate effectively, contribute to group effort, teach others new skills, negotiate, collaborate, be diplomatic, work well with persons from diverse backgrounds.

12. Read and write business communications including telephone messages.

13. Demonstrate the ability to handle calls at the workplace.

14. Identify and demonstrate appropriate workplace communication.

Answering the phone

Teach the parts to the students and rehearse.

4 Important Parts

1. The greeting

a. Hello

b. Hi

c. Good morning

d. Good afternoon

2. The company name

a. Just the name

b. This is + name

3. Your name

a. This is + name

b. Name + here

c. Name + speaking

d. NOT: I am + name

4. An offer of help

a. How can I help you?

b. What can I do for you?

c. Can I help you?

Write these on the board or on cards for students to practice with a partner

1. Morning / Dave / Dixon Construction / help

Sample Answer: Good morning. Dixon Construction. This is Dave. Can I help you?

2. Hello / Mt. San Jacinto College / name / help

3. Afternoon / Healthy Pickle Restaurant / name / help

4. Morning / Washington Hospital / name / help

Show Powerpoint presentation PP of Businesses for phone calls to show places of business so that students can practice answering the phone at each business. This can be found on the Adult Ed Faculty Resources page under EL Civics.

Taking a message

After the greeting, when a caller asks for someone whos not there,

1. Im sorry

2. An explanation

a. Shes not in the office right now.

b. Hes in a meeting

c. Shes away from her desk at the moment

3. Offer to take a message

a. Can I take a message?

b. May I take a message?

c. Would you like to leave a message?

4. Get the callers name

a. What is your name?

b. Can I have your name?

c. Can you please spell your name?

d. Spell out the name back to the person.

e. Note: Native English speakers often say N as in Nancy or B as in Boy to avoid confusion. They may say double L or double O for LL or OO.

5. Repeat the message.

a. So you would like ___________.

b. Should I tell him ____________?

6. Get the phone number.

a. Can I have your phone number?

b. Read the number back to the caller.

7. End the conversation

a. Ill see that she gets the message.

b. Ill make sure he gets the message.

AND

c. Have a nice day.

d. Have a good day. Good-bye.

e. Thanks for calling.

Repair Phrases:

a. Im sorry. Can you repeat that slowly, please?

b. Can you spell that please?

c. Can I have your name again?

d. Can I have your phone number again?

e. Can you repeat your message, please?

f.

Distribute the Study Guide for students to practice at home and in class. For beginners, highlight or have them highlight one option under each step to memorize and practice.

Tips for Success

Repeat and confirm

Take your time

Make sure you understand everything

Be very careful with things like telephone numbers and times

For Beginners Success:

Key Expressions for Taking a Message

Hello. ____ Company.

This is _____ name.

Can I help you?

Im sorry. ______ is not in the office right now.

Can I take a message?

Im sorry. Could you repeat that slowly?

Can you spell that please?

Im sorry. Can you repeat that slowly, please?

Okay. Ill see that he gets the message.

Key Points for Taking a Message

1. Make sure that you get the callers name and number, and any other important information.

2. Check the spelling of the callers name and company.

3. Dont be afraid to ask the caller to slow down or to repeat as many times as necessary!

4. After you take the message, repeat it back to the caller to confirm that everything is correct.

Use the Powerpoint presentation PP of Businesses for phone calls to practice full conversations with a partner, after brainstorming as a class what messages people might leave at these various places of business.

For Task 1 Scrambled Conversation

Cut into strips and have students separate into callers part and their own part. Then, scramble the strips and reassemble as a conversation, taped on to paper.

Hello.

Queens Supermarket.

This is Mary.

How can I help you?

May I speak with Mr. Harris?

Im sorry. He is not here right now.

Can I take a message?

Yes, I bought some bad meat at his store.

Im sorry. Can you say that again slowly?

What is your name?

My name is Jackson Moore.

What is your number?

(888) 453-9000

OK. I will give him the message.

Thank you for your help.

Thanks for calling.

Have a nice day.

Good-bye.

Scrambled Conversation Key

Italics is the student part, bold is the callers part.

Hello.

Queens Supermarket.

This is Mary.

How can I help you?

May I speak with Mr. Harris?

Im sorry. He is not here right now.

Can I take a message?

Yes, I bought some bad meat at his store.

Im sorry. Can you say that again slowly?

What is your name?

My name is Jackson Moore.

What is your number?

(888) 453-9000

OK. I will give him the message.

Thank you for your help.

Thanks for calling.

Have a nice day. Have a nice day.

Good-bye. Good-bye.

For Task 1

Intermediate Advanced

Youtube lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Ph0Ct5HXc

Go to www.youtube.com. Search Business phone call conversation and Choose Telephone English BEP 69A: Answering the Telephone in English

1. Play the video until after the first dialogue.

2. Let students work in small groups to answer the questions on the following worksheet.

3. Play the video through the part that analyzes the business phone call.

4. Pause to ask students if they have anything to add or want to comment further.

5. Play the second dialogue.

6. Stop the video before the analysis where it says, First, Amy answer the phone very professionally

7. Play the video about the four parts of a professional greeting so students can take notes.

8. Stop after the prompt, so students can practice out loud with a partner.

9. The remainder of the video is about being the caller, which is outside the scope of Task 1 & 2.

Worksheet for Telephone English Video

Which are basic skills for answering a call and taking a message?

___ Pleasant tone of voice

___ Positive attitude

___ Be prepared

___ Identify yourself and the company

___ Find out how you can help the caller

___ Be a good listener

Why do people smile while talking on the telephone?

Justins phone call

1. How would you describe Amys attitude?

2. Does Justin seem prepared?

3. What is the problem that Amy had?

4. What is the problem that Justin had?

Marks phone call

1. In what ways is this phone call better than the first phone call?

2. What information does Amy include in her first sentence?

3. How does Mark Rand introduce himself?

4. List the parts of a professional greeting and examples of each

Practice answering the phone with the following prompts.

1. Hello / Mt. San Jacinto College / name / help

2. Afternoon / Healthy Pickle / name / help

3. Morning / Washington Hospital / name / help

For Task 2

Taking a Phone Message

Familiarize your students with the parts of the phone message.

Have students practice with the Scrambled Conversation message and others.

Scripts for callers:

Hello. My name is Mrs. Brown. Is Miss Tammy there?

Please tell Miss Tammy that I cannot meet her at the restaurant tomorrow.

My number is (234) 536-8479.

Good morning. This is Mr. Singh from the Sales Department. Is Mr. Randel there?

Please tell him that we need to order more toner for the copy machine.

My extension is 4606.

Hello. May I speak with Mrs. Coco?

My name is Bunny from the book store.

Please tell her that the books that she ordered are available, except for the one by Dr. Estrella. She can pick up the other books in Room 55.

My number is 444-8843.

Taking a Phone Message for Beginners

1. Teach how and where to record the date.

2. Teach how and where to record