CALL Lesson Plan International Trade

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CALL Lesson PlanInternational TradeInformation
Technology(Part II)

• CALL 537
• Instructor Prof. Lyra Riabov
• Presenter Yao Bo Chen

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Description of Class

• A class of 10 Taiwanese students, with Mandarin
  and Taiwanese as L1s
• Age from 30 40
• Background Business owners who wish to do trade
  directly with foreign customers or business
  partners
• Language proficiency level Beginning -
  Intermediate
• Computer skill Basic (Low) level
• Class Length 1.5 hr/class, 2 times/week for 4
  weeks

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Description of Class

• Continued
• Previous computer work
• Learned to use MS Word, IE browser, MS NetMeeting
• Previous work on language
• Used MS word to produce basic descriptions of
  their companies and products. Used MS NetMeeting
  for in-class chat in English Introduced each
  other and the business they own through chatting
• Other work
• Learned to open an account with an ISP (Internet
  Service Provider)

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Class Goal
Learn to communicate with foreign customers or
business partners using information technology
Class Objectives

• Learn to produce a formal or semi-formal business
  letters, proposals, quotes, and emails
• Use email as a communication mean for business
  channel initiation and follow-ups of
  opportunities
• Use Search Engines as business opportunities
  searching tools

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Materials

• Hardware
• One computer for each student. Share one
  printer, one scanner, one overhead projection
  unit, LAN (Local Area Network), one
  multi-functioned server and Internet gateway.
• Software
• Windows OS, MS word, IE browser, scanner software
  (which usually includes basic picture editor)
• Other classroom materials
• Whiteboard and common stationery.

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Week One

• Review of what we learned from the first part of
  this program.
• Share with the class emails (semi-formal and
  formal) collected from real business scenario
• Put students into groups of two. Let students
  practice writing to each other through use of MS
  Word and MS NetMeeting
• Homework--Write emails to the class to initiate
  potential business opportunities. Print emails
  in hard copies for distribution in class.

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Week Two

• Review of what we learned in week one
• Share emails collected from the class
• Learn to use Internet search engines for
  searching potential customers or business
  partners and learn how find the contact info.
  For example, finding an overseas comforter
  retailer using Google search engine
• Learn to open and use an English-version email
  account
• HomeworkSend an email from home to the class,
  and collect others emails as well. This email
  will establish initial communication, and a word
  attachment with details of your business and
  products or service

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Week Three

• Review of what we learned in week two
• Share with the class all the emails and
  attachments collected from students
• Learn to use a scanner and its software
• In groups of two, practice exchanging personal
  pictures through use of emails
• Review samples of proposals
• Learn to write a formal proposal and insert
  pictures into a word document
• Homework--Email the class and teacher with a
  proposal (with picture) of a product or service
  you sell. Collect all documents above.

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Week Four

• Review of what we learned in week three
• Share with the class all the emails and proposals
  collected from students
• Review samples of quotes
• Learn to write a quote
• In groups of two, exchange emails with a quote
  attached.
• Using collected information, orally present to
  the class regarding the business you own and
  products or service you sell

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Potential issues

• Computer hardware or software breakdown
• Students who did not attend part one of this
  program might have hard time catching up
• Technical issues students might have to fact at
  home
• Students might still prefer Chinese-version email
  accounts

Follow up activities
The third part of this program, which is also the
last part, will lead students into a small
project of commercial website construction. They
will be able to apply what they have learned to
their real-life business practice.
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Q A