Course Overview
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Course Synopsis
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The course will cover the back ground of the teaching of Business Communication, focusing on communication in English language, based on its position as the common means of communication in the globalized world of today. The importance of communication in the workplace, in the academic and professional fields alike makes it imperative for courses to include modules of Business Communication. Academic programs in the country, undergraduate as well as graduate, teach business communication with the aim to enable students to function well in the workplace and in academic writing. Business Communication proficiency is important in terms of successes and opportunities of students and professionals alike.
Keeping in view the nature of the course, Teaching of Business Communication will focus on training teachers to design courses and to select appropriate materials which address the wants, needs and lacks of students of diverse fields. As such there will be an overlap with areas which generally come under ESP, as business communication when taught to a diverse body of students has to address the needs of the learners’ particular area, to communicate effectively in diverse roles like managers, sales persons, medical practitioners, etc. Students will be given a thorough understanding of the various language skills and tasks involved in teaching business communication. Spoken skills involved in meetings, presentations, negotiations are covered as are writing skills like reports, proposals, memos, resumes, letters, etc.
As a rapidly changing area of teaching, Business Communication practitioners have to keep abreast of current trends and the course initiates students into modern means of communication through emails, and Internet. The course will teach how to communicate with a multicultural and multi audience and to use authentic materials, keeping in mind learners’ styles and preferences. Business Communication in Distance Teaching models is also covered. Assessment of Business Communication courses forms part of the course as well as current trends and future directions in professionalism and research.
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Course Learning Outcomes
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At the end of the course, the participants would be able to:
- Define the importance and background of Business Communication in English in the modern workplace
- Impart the knowledge of important language skills and tasks in Business Communication
- Appreciate the importance of having content knowledge about the professional and business contexts of teaching Business Communication
- Gain understanding about communicating in electronic media
- Appreciate the importance of teaching multicultural awareness
- Understand the importance of knowing the lacks, wants and needs of diverse learners in designing courses and selecting materials to teach Business Communication
- Understand the importance of using non/authentic teaching materials
- Keep abreast of trends and future directions of the field
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Course Calendar
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Week 01
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1
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What is Business Communication?
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2
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Origin of Business Communication
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3
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Scope of Business Communication
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4
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Development of Business Communication
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5
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Important terms in Business Communication and ESP, EAP, EOP, EMP, ERPP
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7
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The Business English Learner
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9
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The Business English Teacher
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11
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Teaching Business English
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12
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Rationale of the Course
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15
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Intercultural Competence
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16
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Approaches to Teaching English
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17
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Communicative Language Teaching
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Week 02
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19
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Dealing with Professional Content – the Contentious Issue/Organization in Business
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20
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Evolution of Management /Division of Labor
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21
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Key issues in Management/Business Sectors
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22
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Language of Business: Grammar, Vocabulary
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23
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Communication Skills in Business: Accuracy, Fluency, Effectiveness
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24
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Communication Skills in Management: Leadership, Team Building, Delegation
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25
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What are Needs? What are Target Needs?
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26
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Current and Target Situation – the Gap
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28
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Necessities, Lacks, Wants
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29
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Analyzing Learning Needs
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30
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Uniqueness of Learning Situation
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Week 03
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40
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Teaching and Business Objectives
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41
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Performance (Behavioral ) Objectives
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42
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Program Outline and Trainee Briefing
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45
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What is to be Covered and in what Order
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46
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Syllabus Components (Slide)
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47
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Organizing the Syllabus: Difficulty, Familiarity, and Need
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48
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Sample Course Outlines
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49
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Negotiating the Syllabus
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51
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Negotiating Priorities
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53
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Managing Logistics: Practical Considerations
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54
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Instructions: Course title, Venue, Duration
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Quiz 1
Week 04
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55
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Scope of Materials and Equipment
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57
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Authenticity: Real World/Teaching Purpose
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58
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Tailor-made material – Generating/Adapting
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63
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Criteria for Course Books
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65
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Supplementary Materials
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66
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Teacher-made Supplementary Materials
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67
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Authentic materials: Definition and Use
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69
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Selection and Adaptation of Authentic Materials
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70
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Using Authentic Materials for Developing various Skills
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71
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Using Role-Plays and Simulations
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Week 05
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73
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Stages of Lesson Planning
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80
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Classification of Learning Styles
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81
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The Four Learning Styles
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83
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Learning Styles and Strategies
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84
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Teaching of Strategies
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89
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Guidelines for giving Feedback
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90
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The Timing of giving Feedback
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Assignment
Week 06
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91
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One to one or group training
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92
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Dealing with Individuals
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94
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The Classroom as Bridge
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102
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Avoiding Biased Language
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Week 07
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110
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Story-telling/Meet the guest
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111
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Small talk, in pairs, small groups
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112
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Telephoning: standard lexical phrases, survival strategies
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113
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Structure of Telephone Conversations
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114
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Speaking on the Phone
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Quiz 2
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117
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Structure: Main Body, Conclusion
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118
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Language for Presentations
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119
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Preparing for Presentations
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120
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Practice of Presentations
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Mid Term Exam
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123
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Activities: Role-play, Simulations
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124
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Teaching Negotiations
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125
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Stages in Negotiation
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126
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Language and other Negotiating Skills
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Week 08
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127
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Business Writing: The Process
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131
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The Context of Writing
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132
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Activities for Practice
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134
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Reasons for Writing Letters
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135
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Components of Letters
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140
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Reasons for Writing Memos
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141
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Why is e-mail Important
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142
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Criteria for Writing emails
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143
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Reasons for Writing e-mails
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144
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Techniques for Writing Effective e-mails
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Week 09
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145
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Short, Informal Reports
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147
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Criteria for writing Reports: Organization
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153
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Functional/Chronological Resume
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154
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Ethical Considerations
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155
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Effective Resume Style
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Quiz 3
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158
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Criteria for Proposals
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159
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Abstracts, Introduction
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161
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Conclusion and Recommendations
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162
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Glossary, Works Cited, Appendices
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Week 10
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164
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Components: Front Matter
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165
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Components: Abstract/Introduction
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166
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Components: Discussion
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167
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Components: Back Matter
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168
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Research in Long Reports
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169
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Technology and Business English Teaching
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170
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Technology as Communicative Space
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171
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Using the Internet to teach Business English
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172
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Language Learning/Publisher's resources
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174
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E-learning in practice
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GDB
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175
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Areas in Business Communication
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176
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Business English for Management
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177
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Business English for Administration
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178
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Business English for Customer Services and Distribution
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179
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Business English for Marketing
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180
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Business English for Finance
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182
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Teaching Legal English
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184
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Comprehension and Negotiation of Meaning
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185
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Cognitive Load, Politeness and Mitigation
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186
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Teaching Aviation English
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Week 11
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187
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Business for Medical Purposes – EMP for Doctors
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188
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EMP Course Content and Activities
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189
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EMP Research and Publication
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192
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Linguistic Content of Tasks and Activities
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193
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Business English for Academic Purposes
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194
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Purposes and Descriptions
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196
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Teaching of English for Thesis Writing
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197
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English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP)
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Quiz 4
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200
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Advantages of Distance Learning
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202
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The Role of Teacher and Teaching Materials
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Week 12
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205
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Teaching by Telephone
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207
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Language for Telephoning
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208
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E-learning Possibilities
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210
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Using the Internet for Teaching Business Communication
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211
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Traditional Distance Education
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212
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Teaching Business in Distance
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213
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Teaching Business Communication Online
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214
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Assessment in Distance Teaching
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215
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Feedback in Distance Teaching
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219
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Culture and the Teaching of Business English
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220
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Defining Terms for Multicultural Audience
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221
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Guidelines for Multicultural Communication
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Week 13
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223
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What is Intercultural Training?
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224
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Cross Cultural Communication
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225
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Problems in Cross Cultural Communication
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226
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Dividing society into Individualistic and Collectivistic
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227
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High context verses Low Context
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228
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Deconstructing Low- and High-context Societies
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229
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5 Areas of Potential Difference: Is Silence Golden?
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230
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Conversational Routines
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231
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The Face of Politeness
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232
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How to ask for things: Requests
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233
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Power Differentials in Family
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234
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Equality and Hierarchy in the Workplace
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235
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Confucianism and Communication patterns in East Asia
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236
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Time, Power Distance, Uncertainty and Avoidance
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237
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Masculinity versus Femininity, Long Term Orientation, Universalism versus Particularism
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238
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a. Neutral versus Emotional b. Specific versus Diffuse c. Status d. Relationship with Nature
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239
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Verbal Non Verbal/Paralanguage
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Week 14
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241
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Generating Discussion
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242
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Understanding own culture
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244
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Cultural Shock/Rules of the game
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245
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Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts
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247
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Assessment and Evaluation in Business Communication Teaching
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249
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Summative and Formative Assessment
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250
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Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment
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252
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Testing Speaking Skills
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253
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Testing Reading Skills
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254
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Testing Writing skills
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256
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Commercially available tests
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Week 15
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261
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Evaluating: using Feedback and Observation
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262
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Peer and Self Feedback
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263
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Reflective Practitioner
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264
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The Customers’ Perspective
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265
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Context of Globalization
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267
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English for Academic Purposes: EAP and ERPP
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268
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Methodologies and Materials
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269
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Cross-cultural Awareness
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270
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Growing Professionalism
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Final Term Examination
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