TEACHING BUSINESS ENGLISH

1
TEACHING BUSINESS ENGLISH THROUGH MUSIC AND SON
GS
Yilmaz Köylü Middle East Technical University, D
epartment of Basic English, Turkey
2
1- Music as an expression of human feelings
2- The relationship between language an
d music 3- Reasons for integrating music and s
ongs into Business English curricula 4-
Activities for integrating music and songs into
Business English curricula to teach /
practise basic Business English skills

3
1- Music as an expression of human feelings
Antonio Vivaldi
MUSIC???
4
2- The relationship between language and music

• Both language and music
• are vocally produced
• are linguistically meaningful

5
Both language and music

• have melody
• share intrinsic features pitch, volume
• stress, tone, rhythm, pauses
• are acquired through exposure

6
3- Reasons for integrating music and songs into
Business English curricula

• Music and songs
• are highly memorable (language chunks are easily
  remembered, which aids acquisition of syntax)
  
• provide language input
• bring variety to the lesson

7
Music and songs

• are motivating and fun
• act as a key to imagination
• appeal to individuals having different
  intelligences (musical, kinesthetic, etc.)
  
• can be used to create mood
• are a part of everyday life

8
Music and songs

• can be used for opening class sessions and
  enhancing relaxation
  
• can be used to practise useful expressions in
  business language (meeting new people, comparing
  things, taking notes, etc.)
  
• can be used to teach or practise almost any
  grammar point or any skill
  
• foster meaningful learning

9
Music and songs

• create a learning conducive atmosphere
• lower affective filter thus aiding language
  learning
  
• are an easy way of memorizing something
• are as characteristically human as language

10
4- Activities for integrating music and songs
into Business English curricula to teach /
practise basic Business English skills
ACTIVITY TIME
11
Activity 1- As an ice breaker, lets sing
together

• Brian Hyland - Itsy, bitsy, teenie,
  weenie...
  
• She was afraid to come out of the
  lockerShe was as nervous as she could beShe was
  afraid to come out of the lockerShe was afraid
  that somebody would seeOne, two, three, four,
  tell the people what she woreIt was an itsy,
  bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot
  bikiniThat she wore for the first time todayAn
  itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot
  bikiniSo in the locker she wanted to stayTwo,
  three, four, stick around we'll tell you
  moreShe was afraid to come out in the openAnd
  so a blanket around her she woreShe was afraid
  to come out in the openAnd so she sat bundled up
  on the shoreTwo, three, four, tell the people
  what she wore

12

• It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie,
  yellow polka-dot bikiniThat she wore for the
  first time todayAn itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie,
  yellow polka-dot bikiniSo in the blanket she
  wanted to stayTwo, three, four, stick around
  we'll tell you moreNow she is afraid to come
  out of the waterAnd I wonder what she's gonna
  doNow she is afraid to come out of the waterAnd
  now the poor little girl's turning blueTwo,
  three, four, tell the people what she woreIt
  was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow
  polka-dot bikiniThat she wore for the first time
  todayAn itsy, bitsy, teentie, weenie, yellow
  polka-dot bikiniSo in the water she wanted to
  stay(From the locker to the blanket)(From the
  blanket to the shore)(From the shore to the
  water)Yes, there isn't any more

13
How to incorporate business English...

• Samantha Wright is the daughter of Michael
  Wright, who owns a big clothing company. Samantha
  loves swimming however, she hardly ever finds a
  bikini that looks good on her so she asks her
  father to start producing bikinis too. Her father
  agrees to do that on the condition that they can
  create products which may appeal to every
  possible customer. At the beginning, Michael
  Wright wants to produce only one bikini in a
  large number to see whether it would sell. Now
  suppose that you are the designers in that
  company, you are trying to come up with an
  interesting idea that would also appeal to
  Samantha Wright.
• Draw a bikini, show it to your other colleagues
  and discuss wether it would sell or not.
  
• Agree or disagree with your colleagues ideas and
  make constructive criticsms about your
  colleagues designs.
  
• Decide which bikini should be produced in a large
  number.

14
Activity 2 - Greetings and Small Talk

• A) Suppose that you are at a cocktail party after
  an important business meeting. Listen to the song
  Greetings and Small Talk. Note down the
  sentences or phrases that can be used to initiate
  a conversation with someone you do not know.
  Write a dialogue with your partner using the
  sentences from the song. Then act it out.
• B) Which language structure is emphasized in the
  song? How can this structure be expanded to
  practise business language functions?

15
Greetings and Small Talk
16
Greetings and Small Talk
17
Activity 2 Marketing Manager

• is a car marketing company whose sales have
  been declining in the last six months. The
  director of the company attributes the low sales
  to the inefficiency of the present Marketing
  Manager, Sue Green. The director wants to replace
  the Marketing Manager however, there are two
  available candidates both of whom are eligible
  for the position.

18
...Marketing Manager

• ...Listen to the two songs. Suppose that the
  songs belong to the two candidates. Take notes
  about the characteristics of the both candidates.
  Based on your notes, make guesses about the
  leadership qualities of the two candidates, and
  write some adjectives that may describe the good
  or bad qualities of the two candidates. Then
  decide which candidate should be appointed to the
  position and explain why.
• Follow up writing Write an e-mail to the general
  director of the company, who was not present
  during the selection process of the appropriate
  candidate. Tell him the reasons why that certain
  candidate has been appointed to the post.

19
...Marketing Manager

20
...Marketing Manager Richard Lenox
21
...Marketing Manager Tom Wayne
22
Activity 3 Job Satisfaction

• (Lead-in questions)
• Is money a prerequisite for job satisfaction?
• Is money enough for job satisfaction?
• If not, what are the other things that make a job
  satisfying, or what are the motivating factors in
  a job?

23
...Job Satisfaction

• Listen to the song Rise Fall and decide
  whether the person is satisfied with his job.
  Support your answers. What suggestions can be
  given to this person in order to motivate him in
  his job?

24

...Job Satisfaction, Rise Fall
25
...Job Satisfaction
26
...Job Satisfaction, Follow Up
Laura Reed

• Steven Grant, once a very successful businessman,
  is dissatisfied with his life because his boss,
  Laura Reed, wants to lay him off. Complete the
  chart about the singer with the information from
  the song. Then, complete the parts about the
  businessman.
• Which phrases or sentences from the song can
  Steven Grant use to convince his boss not to lay
  him off?
  
• Prepare a role play and act it out

27

Singer Businessman
(Steven Grant)
Successful (Past)
Unsuccessful (Present)
28
Any questions
Thank you for your attention!!!