Teach English in Gujiao Zhen - Yuncheng Shi

Just as most of the world’s trade transactions are negotiated in US dollars, it is also usual that most trade negotiations are discussed in English. It is very rare for countries such as the United States, Australia or New Zealand to negotiate import or export contracts with countries such as China in any other language other than English as it is deemed to be a universal standard that most countries abide by during international discussions. International contracts are usually written in English with US dollars to enable a simple and clear understanding between all parties involved. Due to these international arrangements, it is therefore very important that employees of companies in Asia and the rest of the world can speak and understand English to a reasonable standard. If Asian companies are trading with other international companies and if English is not their native language, then many Asian companies will be disadvantaged if they do not embrace these requirements. Therefore, I believe there is a big demand for English teachers to assist companies in their business goals and assist in the training of their staff to better understand English. This is so they can effectively compete, not only with their competitors in their own country, but on the world stage with competitors from around the globe. To achieve the best outcomes, when a company decides to arrange English lessons for one or more of its employees, the teacher should interview and assess the prospective students to determine the levels of English the student has currently achieved. Ideally, this should be done before classes begin so appropriate lesson plans can be discussed with the company to ensure that the students will receive maximum benefit from the proposed lessons. The assessment should also include both oral and written achievement levels so that potential students can be placed into the most appropriate English level classes as it can be difficult to teach beginner students with immediate or more competent English level students. Successful employees should also be taught effective business writing skills for both emails and letters which, can be effectively assisted by increasing their usage of the online dictionary and thesaurus, which are built into most modern computer programs like Microsoft’s Word and Outlook. Students would also benefit with maximum exposure to oral English by both speaking and listening to different speakers of English. This participation would also expose and familiarise them to the variety of accents used by some native English speakers. For example, Irish and Scottish accents are stronger and can be more difficult to understand than a business person from London. Being able to effectively communicate with different overseas contacts is extremely important for all parties. Most business students are keen to learn and generally there are no discipline problems for the teacher. During my exposure to teaching business English, most students are in class because they know it is necessary for them to have a good knowledge of English for their future employment. They also know their opportunities within their company will increase with a good knowledge of both written and oral English. The students understand that being effective in understanding and speaking English will also increases their chances of enhancing their career prospects with both local and international companies, possibly leading to international travel. Asian business students also understand international companies gives them an opportunity to migrate to a Western English-speaking country and the chance for a better lifestyle should the opportunity arise. I have found in most cases the business students are keen to learn as they readily understand the benefits of their studies and what they will gain by being able to fluently communicate in English. I am sure as the teaching of business English continues to be in demand, more company employees will be offered the opportunity to learn English in non-English speaking countries. I believe the demand for English teaching will definitely increase as the world of global trade increases and the learning of English for business becomes even more of a requirement than is currently required today. Teachers also need efficient training to understand the needs of companies and the requirements on their employees. While it is not necessary for teachers to fully understand each individual company’s business, it is certainly helpful if the teacher has some general business experience when teaching business English. I believe an experienced teacher with an extensive business history is an excellent “all-rounder” for teaching business English as they have all the essential skills and knowledge to handle the questions and inquiries that may occur from the students. For an older teacher like myself I find teaching adults much more enjoyable and rewarding as I can impart my professional experiences gained through my many years in different businesses. I would certainly recommend teaching business English to any teacher if they would like to support and encourage keen students of any age and profession and to assist them on their journey to success.