English Conversation II
BUSINESS ORAL COMMUNICATION
Tso, Wei-fung
wftso@mail.ntpu.edu.tw
REQUIRED TEXT:
English for Business Communication by Simon Sweeney ISBN 0=521-75449-6
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Emphasizing both interpersonal and organizational interactions, this course
introduces basic principles and skills of business communication in English. Students
are guided to develop confidence and fluency in four key communication contexts:
socializing, telephoning, presenting information, and participating in meetings.
Though the primary goal is to improve students’ speaking and listening skills
appropriate for business situations, critical thinking and analytical skills are also
emphasized to help students become effective and well-organized speakers as well
as presenters.
OBJECTIVES:
To complete the course successfully, students will:
Develop oral communication skills pertinent to today’s dynamic global business
environment.
Prepare and deliver clear, concise and effective oral presentations which will
appeal to an audience of business professionals.
Be familiar with basic business terms and phrases.
COURSE REQUIREMENT:
1. Reading Assignment:
There will be reading assignments for every class meeting. Students should finish
the assigned readings before class and share their views on the readings with the
rest of the class in class discussion time.
2. Duo Presentation:
The Duo Presentation asks students to form pairs to do a 3-5 minute presentation.
Each pair should use their persuasive and creative skills to present a business case
to the rest of the class. Besides clear and well-organized verbal delivery, students
must demonstrate their ability of using proper visual aids in this presentation.
Upon completing the presentation, students will be required to watch the
videotape of their presentation and write a self assessment.
3. Business Meeting:
The class will be divided into 3 groups (with 5-6 people in a group) to study 3
company cases. Each group is required to examine one case and host a meeting in
class to solve the problems found in the case. All proper procedures observed in
business meetings, such as setting an agenda, having a chairperson, and so on,
must be adopted by the student groups. After finishing the activity, students will
be required to watch the videotape of their meeting and provide feedback and
comments to each other.
4. Attendance and Participation:
Regular attendance and the quality of class participation will be considered
important factors for the final grade.
GRADING:
Reading Assignment
Telephone Conversation Simulation
Duo Presentation
Business Meeting
Attendance and Participation
10%
20%
25%
25%
20%