This guide contains some information about the lesson modules on this website. Just click on the topic that interests you in the table, or scroll down the page.

This site is divided into five lesson modules for honing reading and writing skills of intermediate to advanced students using Business English. Materials include a mixture of top-down and bottom up exercises. The activities presented will help students:

* Learn the nuts and bolts of Business English for reading and writing.
* Find employment..
* Create their own company--from tracking industries/businesses, preparing misson statements, conducting market research and analysis, writing business letters, pricing strategies, to creating advertising campaigns.
* Discover and use the stock market.
* Learn about management issues like problem solving.
 

---

Each module contains lesson plans for one to two weeks of classes (2-6 lessons), including suggestions for how to utilize them. Activities are not lock-stepped. The site is designed so that the lessons can be modified easily. You can take whatever fits your and your students' needs; use the materials with or without the lesson plans I've offered. Let your creativity and the tools of the internet guide you!

---

READING
        *To recognize a core of words, discourse markers, and grammatical patterns, cues, and rules.
        *To analyze lexicon and to develop strategies for guessing meanings of words from contexts.
        *To teach scanning strategies for locating important pieces of information in a lengthy article.
        *To infer contexts using background information.
        *To recognize different genres of texts: varied rhetorical forms of written discourse as well as the
                communicative functions of different types of texts.
        *To predict purpose and locate main message/supporting ideas of an argument.
        *To build knowledge of the business world in the context of English language learning.

WRITING
        *To utilize acceptable grammatical systems, patterns, and rules.
        *To use cohesive devices in written discourse.
        *To use rhetorical forms and conventions appropriate to the business world.
        *To convey links and connections between between main and supporting ideas.
        *To distinguish between literal and implied meanings.
        *To develop writing strategies for assessing audience interpretation.
        *To learn to write using pre-writing devices, to write fluently in first drafts, to paraphrase and to use synonyms.
        *To solicit peer and instructor feedback and to incorporate it into writing and editing drafts.

III. In what ways can instructors use these materials be used?

        1) Many lesson materials can be printed (including readings, exercises, and quizzes),
            photocopied, and used in class.
        2) Some materials are best used during class meetings in the computer lab with students
            working alone or in small groups.
        3) Some materials can be assigned as homework. I recommend that you email the homework
            assignments to students (even if you pass out the URLs in class). Then all students
            need do to access a website is double-click on the website address in the email--this is
            helpful for novices and eliminates possible address spelling errors.

---

One of the best tools for learning to read and write in a foreign language is email. Intermediate and advanced students should be encouraged to learn to write fluently, and email is an excellent device for eliciting lots of writing and reading. Plus, it allows students to get to know each other well. They will generally put greater effort into a task they know their peers will see. I suggest that they keep an on-line journal and make two entries a week. Topics can be assigned and/or students can write freely about whatever (business English) topic they choose. If the class is small, entries can be sent to all students. In larger classes, the instructor should assign students to groups of 3-6 "pen pals." Check out Working Smarter, Not Harder -- this site has excellent tips for managing student email efficiently from getting them started to troubleshooting--thanks to Dr. Larry Seibert at Indiana University.

---

A wealth of resources exists on the internet for teaching English for Business or other purposes.
The following links will take you to some sites of particular interest if you wish to do more web browsing of your own.

Instructor's Guides/Materials for TESL

T-Man's TESL page. Dr. Roger Thompson's comprehensive homepage on just about any topic related to TESL: computer-assisted language learning, constructing a web page, search engines, lesson ideas, and so much more. If you want to look only one place, this is it!

Materials and Techniques for TESL. More Materials and Techniques. Browse some my collegues pages. The Business English Market was originally created as a tool for instructors at the English Language Institute at the University of Florida.

Lots of TESL/TEFL/TESOL/ESL/EFL/ESOL Links. Very comprehensive, fast, and easy to use.

Computers and Teaching

Syllabits A huge selection of Business college syllabi, assignments, instructors' web pages, academic research, software, and more. Great for finding new ideas and business links. Divided by undergraduate and graduate. Browse "syllabi" for a info on a variety of business domains.
IATEFL Home page of the Business English Special Interest Group of IATEFL Interactive discussion forum, newsletter pages and conference reports.
 
General Business Directories, Journals, Online News

Institute of Management and Administration Supplies a business directory of over 600 links to 16 industry sectors, as well as 17 on-line newspapers. Updated daily.
BizEd Internet Catalogue of Resources Beginning navigators should click Browse on left hand side of screen to explore resources.
A Business Researcher's Interests includes academic articles ranging a wide variety of categories such as information search, reengineering, intellectual property, information policy, and web strategy/design. For advanced students. Check out the interesting "This Organization is Dis-Organization" under the "Research and Articles on New Organizational Forms".
Bangkok Post : English newspaper containing a business section. Current articles with definitions of business terms and difficult vocabulary. A guide for teachers and tips for students on how to use it.
CNN Interactive : Great source for reading current business news.
 

Business Teaching Tools

BizEd The best in info, worst in design. An online catalog of resources for teaching business with the internet, case studies, pages to subscribe to on-line discussion groups and much more. Highly recommended. This link is for adventuresome navigators, but for those who are not, I've scattered links to its resources so you can find them easily.
U.S. Business Culture. Tracy Schall's resource page for instructors. Lots of links for learning about business "culture" in the United States.
BizEd Learning materials A range of Bus Eng stuff divided into several different student levels.
Univ of Minnesota Collection of Business resources from Univ of Minnesota's Dr. Harold Pardue.
Neteach Sites Teachers thought were cool! Includes a section on Business English links.
Volterre Click on "For Learners and Teachers of English." Business English links, email lists, grammar resources, online chat for students, and more.

!Freebies! 

Volition Free (or cheap) stuff like magazines, toys, downloads, free faxing via the web, coupon sites, guides to best prices, and much more.
Download.com Free computer software downloads and demos.