2.1 Practical Communication Strategies I – ENGL561
Compulsory/Elective:
Stage:
Hours assigned:
Method of assessment:
Number of credits:
Compulsory
One
42
Continuous 100%
3
Objectives
The Practical Communication Strategies subject aims to:
1.
integrate, apply and extend the theoretical constructs considered in
Analysis of Contemporary English and Communication to practical
spoken and written tasks in the workplace;
2.
develop participants’ skills and proficiency levels in listening,
speaking, reading and writing for the Hong Kong workplace;
3.
provide students with guided practice in a wide range of
communication strategies for successful communication in the work
place;
4.
Help students develop a high degree of confidence in the use of
English in the many different communicative situations likely to be
met in management both in a Hong Kong context and internationally.
Practical Communication Strategies is divided across two stages of the first
year of the Programme: Practical Communication Strategies I (in Stage 1) and
Practical Communication Strategies II (in Stage 2).
Syllabus
The following is an indicative sequence of the components of the Practical
Communication Strategies I subject. Wherever possible, however, topics will be
integrated with, and build on, other components of the programme. The specific
content and sequence of the syllabus also responds to the backgrounds and needs
of students.
1.
Introduction to ‘context of situation’: a sociolinguistic and social
psychological orientation to the analysis and creation of business texts;
2.
Business writing as presentation of self: the effects of age; personality;
ethnicity; rank/ power; expertise/ experience; corporate context, on
writing style;
3.
Clarity, conciseness and efficiency in business texts;
4.
Analysing business correspondence (letters, faxes, e-mails and memos)
with a range of communicative functions;
5.
Structuring information in business texts: fronting; backgrounding;
presenting given and new information;
6.
Word choice in business texts: informal/formal; specialised/ nonspecialised; old fashioned/ modern. Political correctness;
7.
Interactive business writing: using on-line electronic communication.
Identifying features of style, tone and structure associated with
electronic interaction;
8.
Interactive business writing: writing forms and questionnaires; reader
analysis;
9.
Technical writing: structuring information in instructions;
10.
Discourse as public relations: writing descriptions of products and
services in press releases;
11.
Discourse as public relations: linking text and graphics in website
design.
Assessment
Continuous Assessment:
100%
Continuous assessment will be based on three assignments completed throughout
the subject.
Reading List
The subject will be heavily dependent on authentic communication data
collected in a range of workplace contexts. This will include exemplar texts
selected from various sources, eg reports, letters, brochures, e-mail
correspondence, web pages etc., as well as authentic video data of business
communication in action.
A number of commercially available training videos dealing with advanced
level business communication skills will also be used as required.
Required
Bilbow, G T (1997). Business Writing for Hong Kong. 2nd Edition. Hong
Kong: Longman
Locker, K O (1998). Business and Administrative Communication. Boston,
Mass: MacGraw-Hill
Wallach, J & G Metcalf (1995) Working with Americans: a practical guide for
Asians on how to succeed with US managers. New York: McGrawHill
Suggested
Bhatia, V. J., (1993) Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings.
London: Longman.
Pennycook, A (1994) The Cultural Politics of English as an International
Language, Harlow: Longman
Potter, J (1992). Common Business English Errors in Hong Kong. Hong
Kong: Longman
Sullivan, P and J Dauterman, (1996) Electronic Literacies in the Workplace.
NCTE
Swales, J M (1990). Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research
Settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Reference
Adam J.H. (ed.) (1990). Longman dictionary of Business English (New edition)
Harlow: Longman.
Alexander L G (1993). Longman Advanced Grammar Harlow: Harlow:
Longman
Sinclair J. et. al. (1987). Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary. London:
William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd..
Sinclair J. et. al. (1991). Collins Cobuild English Guides, Prepositions. London:
Harper Collins.
Sinclair J. et. al. (1993). Collins Cobuild English Guides, 3 Articles London:
Harper Collins.
Swan M. (1983 or later). Practical English Usage, ELBS
Roget's Thesaurus (any edition).
Prepared by: Prof Grahame Bilbow & Ms Jane Lockwood