What’s a great Juve language lesson like?
Guidelines for business language teaching focused on speaking
Krisztina Jászberényi-Király | 12 October 2022
1. We teach business language
First and foremost, we teach working professionals, so we need to adapt the course material and our methodology accordingly. Whether we teach from a general or a business course book, the topics should be relevant, practical and useful to the participants. Related article: Business language topics for all language lessons.
2. We only use the target language
It is an important expectation to communicate only in the target language. Be it a beginner or intermediate lesson, presentation or grammar course, we aim to use 100% target language.
3. We plan the course
For both the language teacher and the student, it is easier if they are aware of the course structure, what the objectives are, and where the learning path leads them. We set this path using course books and e-learning lessons so that we can follow a predictable syllabus. Planning the structure and the goal of each lesson is equally important. Read more about how you can discuss the details of the course with your students in the first lesson.
4. Warm-up & Cool-down
It makes a huge difference when a lesson starts with a motivating, interesting or funny short exercise. Similarly, a summary, or cool-down activity at the end will make the learning experience more memorable and of higher quality.
5. Speaking at the maximum
Actively using the language in speaking is the dream for all of our students which is why they spend 80% of the lessons actively participating, speaking as much as possible. Through speaking exercises and workplace situations, they gain immediate, useful knowledge and confidence. Speaking at the maximum: situations and simulations in the language lesson.
6. Our lessons are dynamic
Lessons are logically built around a variety of activities: heads-up and heads-down exercises, individual and pair work, frontal, drill- and whiteboard activities, brainstorming, discussions, debates and role-playing will all keep boredom at bay and make language learning a motivating experience.
7. Engage – Teach - Activate - Practice
The perfect recipe for a useful language lesson. Get the student engaged in the warm-up exercise, activate their knowledge with speaking and written tasks after they have learned the new material, and then put it into practice, for example with a role-play.
8. We teach with online tools
95% of our courses are online, so all of our teachers are experienced in the online space. In addition to the routine use of screen sharing, whiteboards, pair and group work, and the integration of online resources, there are countless apps to make lessons more colourful. We have collected the most exciting apps for you to make your lessons truly 21st century.
9. We assess and give feedback
Although students rarely accept to do homework, regular assessment provides them with feedback on their progress. Make it interesting and motivating: competitions, games, homework, e-learning, and tests. Ask them about pace, personalisation, and their satisfaction, it makes our work better.
Colourful, visually impressive, modern
In addition to countless apps, websites and videos, most of our course books are also available in interactive format, and what a difference to a blurry photocopy, for example, when you share the Business Partner online interface, adding colour to your lesson.
