Business English
Group A
Carmen Argondizzo
Tutorials: Elena Raso
3rd & 4th quarters – 2014
Syllabus
Group A
Course description
The course is an introduction to a correct approach to authentic materials in the academic
field. Video lectures delivered by professors of Business and Economics disciplines in US
American Universities are analyzed. Tasks such as extensive listening and intensive listening;
note-taking; vocabulary acquisition through antconc techniques; feedback on content of
lecture; questions you would like to ask are covered. Academic writing is also introduced with
specific focus on the development of compositional skills.
Course objectives and skills
Speaking skills: expressing opinions, evaluating situations, communicating points of view;
communicating using persuasive language.
Listening Skills: understanding and reflecting on the content of video presentations.
Reading and textual skills: understanding and reflecting on the content of academic texts or of
articles on current business/economic issues.
Writing skills: understanding the structure of a short academic text; being able to describe a
graph; learning how to prepare a presentation on a specific topic.
March 3
Topic
March 10th-14th
Topics
Entry Test: assessment of learners’ language competence. Main
objective: meeting learners’ needs.
Approaching the Module: course organization and materials.
Getting to know the group: feedback about ‘triennale’ English
courses; expectations about the current Module.
Getting to know the group. Introduction to the CLA website
(http://cla.unical.it) and materials for autonomous learning.
Tutorials
Kick off class.
Self-study
CMC_E project 5 Units www.cmceproject.it
March 31st-April 4th
Topic
Feedback about Tutorials
Self-Study: opinions on activities, content, knowledge acquired.
Video. Business Focus. The Candidate: Heineken.
Listening and note-taking tasks. Extensive and intensive listening.
Reflection on listening strategies.
Tutorials
April 7th- 11th
Topic 1
Topic 2
Business Topics: Industries and Companies. Brainstorming and
creating mind maps on Industry groups; Understanding and discussing
the various types of business organizations; Understanding and
discussing the different ways a company grows. Expanding Business
vocabulary through collocations, related words and opposites.
Business English: a wikipedia perspective;
Corpus of Contemporary American Language: concordances for
the words ‘business’, ‘economics’, ‘economic’; (no)
Money vs passion: video by a professor Stanford University.
Listening, note-taking, discussion.
Tutorials
Business Topics: Corporate strategy and Structure. Talking about
strategic and operational planning. Talking about company structure.
Focus on collocations.
Self-study
Unit 5: Operations management.
April 14th-17th
Topic
Tutorials
April 28th
Topic
May 5th-9th
Topic 1
Video. Business Focus. San Pellegrino: Live Italian. Interview
with Pierfrancesco Favino and commercial.
Listening, note-taking, discussion.
Business Topics: Globalization. Brainstorming and creating mind
maps on Globalization. Students report on Globalization and on the
forces driving globalization.
Social intelligence and Leadership: video seminar by Daniel
Goleman, MIT Boston
Listening and note-taking tasks. Extensive and intensive listening.
Elevator pitch-speech: a Wikipedia perspective
Topic 2
International Students’ space
Insights into issues related to Russia by Olga Molyakova
Insights into issues related to Indonesia by Citra Suriah
Listening, note-taking, discussion.
Tutorials
Business Topics: The language of trend, graphs and figures.
Understanding and describing graphs and figures. Understanding
verbs of movement. Reviewing verb forms and uses. Focus on
synonyms, opposites and approximate figures.
Self-study
Unit 6: Production
May 12th – 16th
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Insights into the language for the oral exam: expressions students like
to use.
International Students’ space
Insights into issues related to Ethiopia by Alli Hussien
Insights into issues related to Turkey by Mert Karakuzu
Listening, note-taking, discussion.
Video Business focus: Elevator pitch business plans
Tutorials
Getting ready for the oral exam: Focus on the structure and on the
main features of a presentation.
Hints on the written exam: format and activities.
Self-study
Unit 7: Marketing strategy and product development.
May 19th – 23rd
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Italian Students’ space
Insights into issues related to Italy by Maria Francesca Longo and
Valentina Fiocca
Listening, note-taking, discussion.
Videos on oral presentation of a research proposal:
 Graduate Research School Edith Cowan University Australia;
 CLA website, University of Calabria
Group work: find out about other students’ projects.
Tutorials
Getting ready for the oral examination: Revising your writing and
oral production;
Hints on the written exam: format and activities.
Reflection time: re-assessing your language competences based on the
Common European Framework (Council of Europe); Have you
improved your competences in the English language? What should I
still improve?
Self-study
Unit 8: Distribution and Promotion
Suggested videos
The life of a young entrepreneur;
Business Focus. Real beauty sketches: Dove
Listening and note-taking tasks. Extensive and intensive listening.
For further readings visit ‘L’Edicola’ http://cla.unical.it
Enhancing learner autonomy through Self-study: In order to foster learner autonomy materials
and facilities provided by the CLA are resources available to every student. Moreover, we want to
remind you to complete the activities on-line from the CMC_E project, and hand in your self-study
agenda during the oral examination.
Dates for the exam will be given in class and on the uniwex.
We are available for any help or support during office hours. Keep in touch.