The Tentative Syllabus for the Course
"Effective Business Communication in English"

О.В. Шмакова
Новосибирский государственный университет

The course is designed as a Business English course for students at intermediate and upper-intermediate level. Due to the combination of grammar syllabus and functional business syllabus, the course provides a systematic and thorough coverage of basic language structures and skills. The aim of the course is to improve business communicative skills, to develop students' abilities to interact with different cultures in typical professional situations.

The main objectives of the course are the following:

1.development the macro-skills or business skills:
using the telephone;
writing correspondence;
dealing with partners/ customers;
attending meetings;
reading manuals

2. development micro-skills or language skills:
arranging appointments/meetings dealing with enquiries
understanding enquiries.

Functional areas of the syllabus:
requesting; suggesting, questioning, describing activity, explaining, expressing contrast.

Appropriacy areas of the syllabus:
formal, informal, personal.

Grammatical areas of the syllabus:
interrogative forms, modals for requesting, conditionals, relative clauses, the passive, the article.

Lexical areas of the syllabus:
marketing, management, advertising, banking, accountancy.

The structure of the course

Each unite includes an introductory lecture and a follow-up two-hour training. The duration of the course is thirty -two hours. The units are organized according to specific Business English objectives, so that each unit provides the everyday language structures and conversational strategies which students need to communicate in a typical professional situation. The units are freestanding and may be used independently as well as continuously.

The course includes extensive authentic listening and reading material from international companies, and good coverage of vocabulary relevant to the business learner of English. The student-centered approach allows learners to use their own experiences and knowledge, expertise in activities and discussions.

1. Business Communication.
Functions of communication: the communication process; a communication model.

2. Communication Fundamentals.
Direction of communication; formal vs. informal; nonverbal communication; choice of communication channel; " politically- correct " communication; cross-cultural communication; electronic communications.

3. Face-to-Face Communication.
First impressions; socializing; small talk; national business etiquette

4. Fundamentals of Effective Presentation.
Setting communication goals: structuring a speech, methods of delivering, the style and the language of presentation.

5. Business Telephoning.
Telephone techniques for making a call, leaving or taking a message.

6. Business Negotiations.
The theory of negotiations: the stages of the process, the negotiating tactics and styles; cultural awareness in international negotiations.

7. Business Meeting.
The roles of the participants; decision-making styles; problem identification; cultural differences in business meetings.

8. Business Writing.
Principles and techniques of effective business writing: strategies for writing business letters, memos and reports.

Credit Requirements:
A general quiz on the professional vocabulary;
Delivering of professional presentation on business topic covered by the course;
Pair discussion of any business issue covered by the course.

References:

Васильева Л. " Деловая переписка на английском языке" М. 1998

Льюис Р. Д. " Деловые культуры в международном бизнесе" " Дело" 1999.

Почепцов Г. Г. "Теория и практика коммуникации" М.1998

Рюкле Х. " Ваше тайное оружие в общении. Мимика, жест, движение" М. 1996

Терминасова С. Г. " Язык и межкультурная коммуникация" "Слово/Slovo" 2000.

Фишер Р. Ури У." Путь к согласию, или переговоры без поражения". М. 1990

Bennet M " Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication"

Robbins P. Stephen "Organizational Behavior" Prentice-Hall,1998

Storti C. " Cross-Cultural Dialogues"

Trompenaars A. "Riding The Waves of Culture''

Recommended Teaching Materials:

"Oxford Business English Skills"-a video-based series by Jeremy Comfort and Derek Utley.
"Effective Presentations"
"Effective Telephoning"
"Effective Meetings"
"Effective Socializing".

"English for International Negotiations". Drew Rodgers Cambridge University Press

"Сompany to Company" Andrew Littlejohn Cambridge University Press

"New International Business English " Leo Jones and Richard Alexander. Cambridge University Press

Кафедра семиотики и дискурсного анализа