ABSTRACT
Presentations skills and public speaking skills are very useful in many aspects of work and life. Effective presentations and public speaking skills are important in business, sales and selling, training, teaching, lecturing and generally entertaining an audience. Developing the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of an audience and speak well, are also extremely helpful competencies for self-development too. Presentations and public speaking skills are not limited to certain special people – anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking to a professional and impressive standard. Like most things, it simply takes a little preparation and practice. The paper is based on the ways of improving presentation skill in Business English Classroom. A short period course is designed for a group of learners who is good in English language but lacking presentation skills. The course is for twenty days period with three hours each day. The learners are basically in the field of Engineering and having their own business organizations. The course was tested with five groups. After the period of the course, the changes were observed in the group of learners.
INTRODUCTION
In the global village in which we live, the internet grows explosively and people are becoming aware of the wide development. People correspond with each other from around the globe on a regular basis. English has become the language for communication and it plays a central role in this globalization. Since the early 1980s, research on English for business purposes (EBP) has flourished as English has become the international language of business and people need to learn English for business communication.
BUSINESS ENGLISH TEACHING
The role of BE and ELT/GE teacher, they are not be too different. However, the difference between them is, as Hutchinson and Waters (1987) claim, ‘in theory nothing, in practice a great deal’. Teaching Business English is recognized as a specialist field and teacher has to be a program planner and materials developer as well. The training can take place in dedicated centers, often residential, in company or as a special program offered by the language schools. So the teacher will have to be able to deal with the people who are sponsoring the training and with wide range of stake holders.
The teacher who teaches Business English need to have experience in the fields other than teaching. It is necessary to be interested in the world of business and understand how companies are structured and should be familiar with business terminology. The teachers need to have an international perspective, in dealing with many different nationalities and clients. They have to be adaptable to the company environment and needs and train the learners to the company’s satisfaction. The trainer needs to slip into the role of facilitator, working with clients to understand their learning styles, discovers their specific needs and objectives and help them set achievable targets. Business people need to have an understanding of how English is used internationally as a lingua franca among people. They need to be clear and precise in describing what they can offer client. It needs maturity of approach and confidence both personally and professionally. BE teacher need to guide them in the right way so that they will be successful in the field. The teachers have limited period of time to make the learners develop their skills. Each learner will have different need and the challenge before a teacher is varied.
BUSINESS ENGLISH LEARNING
There is a demand for Business English which appears to be growing because learners are becoming clearer about what they want to use. In the global economy, the learners want to be talented enough to communicate in a way which will be recognized and appreciated in the international arena. They feel the skills to read, write, listen and speak English fluently is not sufficient. The learners want their English Language learning to be targeted to their aim and they often want their success in this to be measured using internationally recognized bench mark. They need or want is someone who can help them to communicate effectively in the global business world. People working in corporate have the responsibility of dealing internally with the clients. If the communication fails in any point, it can lead to mistake.
LANGUAGE AND BEHAVIOUR
The way we use language reflects cultural preferences for some types of communicative behaviour, for example, the extent to which we speak loudly or quietly or whether use explicit language or we use indirect way. Inter-cultural or cross-cultural study of communicative norms reaches a better understanding of the values that underpin them when they use in the workplace.
Apart from behaviours such as asking questions, summarizing, echoing and perhaps offering to do something, there are aspects like gestures, expressions that reinforce the linguistic behaviour. The listeners have the problem of relying on the explicit meaning of the message and likely to misinterpret. Asking questions, summarizing reports or offering orders are part of communicative activity. This should be mixed with the body language of the presenter. Business people need to know the personality traits to make them presentable to the world of business. They should be taught language and the traits which are useful to present them in the workplace.
NEEDS ANALYSIS
Needs Analysis can be described as identifying ‘‘what learners will be required to do with the foreign language in the target situation, and how learners might best master the target language during the period of training’’ (West, 1994). Methods of acquiring needs analysis information include questionnaires, class discussions, learner diaries, one-to-one tutorials, tests and classroom observation (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). A paper pen test was conducted to understand the level of the learners in using English skills like comprehension, writing and grammar. Their requirement was found during the interview session. Some learners tend to be objective during interview session. They express their needs in writing, so questionnaires were also used to find their needs.
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
A paper test (Appendix 1) was conducted to test the skill of the learners in comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and writing. The results (Appendix 2) gave information about the learners’ level in all the skills said above. They were found to be very good in all the above mentioned skills. They are good in grammar usages and writing. Some learners were very good in vocabulary and comprehensive skill. The test provided the learners’ level in using the skills stated above.
INTERVIEWS
An interview was conducted to test the speaking skill of the learners. The learners were called individually and they were asked question about their background, interests, ambition and some general questions about them. A series of questions were asked during the interview (Appendix3) categorizing them based on their family, education and their work. The interview helped to recognize their speaking skills, grammar usage and their vocabulary. The sentence formation and selection of words while speaking were relevant but their nervousness in speaking showed their lack confidence.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Based on the interview results (Appendix 4), a questionnaire was developed for a further survey (Appendix 5). The questionnaire was composed of three key sections: back ground information, business English tasks and business English course. Questions concerning company name, company type, and work experience and language proficiency were included in background information questions. The second section examined how frequently business English tasks were performed by the learners. They were given four point scales: everyday 1, sometimes 2, rarely 3, never 4. Following questions on business English tasks an open- ended question was given to find the importance of English in their area. The question and answer session was about the experience with business English and the need for the course.
ANALYSIS
After the test, interview and getting answers to the questionnaire, it was analyzed that the learners gave importance to the social talk which they felt important to build up the relationship with the clients. They were more concerned about business meetings and presentations which demand a lot of factors like body language, personality traits, communication skill and public relations. From the analysis of the questionnaire, its found that in addition to the importance of English in performing their work, they need English to be used, business meetings, trading, and future career. It was also clear from the questionnaire that the learners are familiar with the English language but they need training to develop their presentation skills – starting a presentation, using sign posts, face expressions, body language, addressing the audience and closing the presentation.
COURSE PLANNING
The information gathered from the needs analysis provide reliable source to frame a short term course. This course was designed (Appendix 6) to enlarge the business presentation skill of the learners. The aim of the course was to prepare students for successful business presentations in business world covering the most important areas of contemporary business and the sub skills in presentation such as body language, face expressions, language use, etc. The primary goal of this course was to provide instruction and practice in oral presentations using authentic business situations. The objective of the course is to help students learn how to do presentation in English and the language used in such situations. It also developed: Understanding speaking skills in typical business situations; Business problem solving and participation in meetings skills; Fluency in using the language in realistic business situations; Presenting a product; Body language.
COURSE DESIGN
The evolution of course design can be seen as a progression of assumptions about language learning, classified by Breen(1987) according to two main paradigms: established termed ‘propositional’ and the emerging termed ‘process’. In second language learning the established paradigm is typified by formal and functional syllabi. The emergent paradigm is typified in task-based and process syllabi. The formal syllabus focuses on a systematic and rule-based view of the nature of language itself. Functional syllabus focuses on the learner’s knowledge of Speech Activities. It also gives importance to the purposes a learner may achieve through language, in particular social activities or events. The lexical syllabus is a form of the propositional paradigm that takes ‘word’ as the unit of analysis and content for syllabus design.
FUNCTIONAL SYLLABUS
Syllabus content for functional syllabi is not tied exclusively to structural teaching goals, and it was possible to present language functions, with differing structures. The different purposes which a language can serve and how these functions are coded through the language were prioritized in this syllabus. According to Finocchiaro and Brumfit (1983; cited in Nunan 1988), functional – notionalism has the tremendous merit of placing the learners and their communicative purposes at the center of the curriculum. Functional – notional syllabus provides realistic learning tasks for the teaching of everyday, real – world language and leads teachers to give emphasis to receptive activities before stepping up learners into premature performance. This syllabus focuses on that learners should have real purpose for speaking. Breen (1987) complied the functional syllabus in which he states “It is Categorical, in that “it identifies main types of language purposes in sets and sub-sets … and it further specifies how these functions may be realised in various ways through the language code”.”
Although the notional/functional syllabus places emphasis on “the meanings expressed or the functions performed through language” (Wilkins 1981 ), it is (like the formal syllabus) a content-based, propositional, synthetic, Type A plan of language knowledge and capabilities, except that its communicative focus leads to “different applications of the organising principles of syllabus design from those of the formal syllabus” (Breen 1987). Thus the target language is no longer presented as a collection of discrete linguistic items subject to isolated linguistic sub-skills, but as groups of linguistic devices (Long & Crookes 1993). The functional syllabus selected was helpful in this course to improve the presentation skill of the learner in this course.
COURSE SEQUENCE
The course was sequenced from general sets of functions to more specific functions. The activities were arranged in the order of known to unknown. The learners were first taught the activities and language items which they were aware of, to the more specific item. For example, they were familiar with business meetings. Initially the meetings were presented in the form of role plays. Then they were taught the usages, and then body language to be adopted in the meeting and at last the meeting as a whole. The activities selected were in the same order so that the learners learn the usages easily.
COURSE MATERIALS
The course materials for this course were the handouts with different tips for the presentation. The handout consists of different tips for presentations. The activities were framed based on this handout. The topics from the handouts were discussed everyday so that the learners become familiar with its content. The discussion helped the learners to prepare for the activities that followed. White board was on hand for the use of the teacher and the learner as well. Computer and LCD were available in the class for the learners who prefer to demonstrate the presenting item.
3.6. COURSE ACTIVITIES
The course activities commenced with familiar ones with such as Role plays based on their current job (a current project, the structure of your company, how your company / department / section could be improved, the recent performance of your company / department, what your company does? etc. ). The debates topics were given based on general business topic such as “Shorter working hours make workers more productive.” and “Working at home is more efficient than working in an office.” As the learners feel comfortable with this course, the handouts were discussed and instructions for presentation were taught. The learners were then given topics for the role-play in the class and were made to follow the instructions in the cue cards and perform the activity. The learners were given topics for activities on business meeting, negotiation, presenting a product, disagreeing an argument. The sub topics such as opening a meeting, starting a presentation, signposts used, language used, face expressions, body language, closing a meeting or presentation were considered during the activities. The activities for each day were given on the previous day for the learners to prepare. At the last day of every week a formal presentation is conducted where the learners made formal presentation based on the current issues in their work field. The teacher also participated in the activity to motivate and encourage the learner and feel comfortable in presenting the activity. The activities selected improved the presentation skills and the sub skills of the learner.
ASSESSMENT
LEARNING PROGRESS
Formative assessment was carried out on a continual or periodic basis throughout the course. There were three purposes of formative assessment. It can be assessment-oriented, instruction-oriented, or learner-oriented. The focus of assessment-oriented ongoing assessment is learning outcomes and teaching outcomes. The focus of instruction-oriented ongoing assessment is the learning process and teaching process. As the course is learner centered, Learner-oriented OA seeks to better understand the learners’ progress. The assessment techniques for the course were chosen according to the learning objective of the learners. Students may seem to understand important concepts without actually understanding them. Through formative assessment the learners’ level of understanding and teachers process of teaching can be monitored. Simple, small-scale assessment strategies were used to help determine what students have learned in the class and to improve teaching. One-Minute Paper (Angelo 1991) was given to the learners to get the feedback with the two questions asked:
(1) What is the most meaningful or useful thing you learned in today’s session?
(2) What question remains uppermost in your mind?
The learners were also given a Feedback form (Appendix 11) at the end of the week to know the opinion about the course and the teaching. They were allowed to write the changes which they would like to bring forth in the course activities and also the difficulties they face during the course. An informal assessment was done during the class activities which gave an idea about the improvement of every learner.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of the programme, students would have gained adequate knowledge and understanding of business presentations which was covered in the course, and the factual knowledge sufficient to strengthen it. They understood the underlying principles of presentation skill. The learners developed adequate ability to present orally (a) reasoned argument, (b) technical analysis subject to rigorous standards of descriptive precision (c) the outcome of in-depth investigation of an agreed topic. Students had the capacity to demonstrate adequate competence in techniques, taught and learned. Students were talented to demonstrate adequate competence in oral exposition of facts and ideas, in time management, and in working to deadlines; the learners were capable enough to give good presentations at the end of whole course. They were thorough in the strategies that are to be considered while presenting an item and were confident in using the speaking skill in English. They developed team work and group activities. The different aspects in presentation such as body language, voice, face expressions and language usages became familiar to the learners.
ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING
Assessing the extent to which students understand these materials taught can be especially helpful in estimating whether students were “getting” course content, or moving through the course without a solid base of understanding the important fundamental strategies of presentation skill. The information helped to know whether to slow down, move faster or adjust to accommodate inequalities in learning.
PRIMARY TRAIT ANALYSIS
Primary trait analysis (PTA), adapted by Walvoord and McCarthy (cited in Walvrood & Anderson, 1998) combined traditional grading practices with class-room-based assessment. The technique was used in the class for formative assessment. The specific goals and objectives were outlined for the course to varying levels of achievement (e.g., excellent, good, fair, poor). These levels were based on the degree to which the students reached the identified learning outcomes for the activity. To conduct PTA,: 1. breaks down individual components, or primary traits, of an activity that were required; 2. identify levels of achievement for each trait; and 3. construct a grid on which student achievement is scored. For example, a Role play for an English speaking course might be analyzed for primary traits and levels of achievement as follows: 5-Excellent 4- Very Good 3- Good 2- Average 1- Poor based for each trait such as argument, content, beginning, conclusion, and presentation (Appendix 7).
PEER ASSESSMENT
Research evidence about subjective marking suggests that peer assessment by students is about as reliable as that carried out by lecturers (Armstrong and Conrad 1995). The Peer assessment technique was used to help the learners’ understand the subject and the criteria for high achievement. It also gave them access to a variety of approaches to tackling assignments, to differences in content and conceptualization, presentation and overall standard of work. The learners were instructed to maintain a record in which the criticisms of their peers were written.
GRADING
The general concept of validity was traditionally defined as “the degree to which a test measures what it claims, or purports, to be measuring” (Brown, 1996). The course assessment was valid as it tested only the presentation skill of the learners. It gave grades to skills the opening, content, argument, body language, face expressions, sign posts, time management, team work, closing, and presenting. The grades were recorded for each learner. Grading was Competency based factor of how well they demonstrate a list of expected skills. The learners were informed about their performance grades at the end of every week and guidance was given to improve the performance. The grades were as follows: Excellent – A, Very good – B, Good – C, Average – D, Bad – E. The grades were measured qualitatively i.e. the importance of using multiple sources of information, especially triangulation (wherein different types of information were gathered to cross validate each other; for instance, different kinds of information peer assessment, teacher assessment, and trait analysis) (Appendix 8) .This enabled the learner to understand the changes that are to be carried out while performing the activities.
CONCLUSION
The business terminology is not taught in this course instead business presentation skill is taught where the learners are instructed to use the strategies to be followed while presenting an item. Based on the needs of the learners stated in the needs analysis, the course was designed by selecting the necessary materials, activities, topics for handouts and assessment techniques for the presentations.
The selected learners already know the business field, so they will be able to understand the needs of the sub skills in presentation like body language, language usages, face expressions etc. This will help the learner to develop class presentations and then using them in their work field. By the end of the course, the fear of presenting a topic vanished as they get opportunity to speak out in the classroom. The language used in their presentation also added beauty. The personality traits changed when they understood the importance of it tried to adopt them in their daily work place. The use of voice, gestures, face expressions, language usages and the order of presentation improved. The learners realized their improvement and tried to adopt them in their real workplace.
CONSTRAINTS
The first limitation was the time limit. The course was designed for 20 hours. The learners were not completely perfect at the end of the course but they will improve in the course of time. The second limitation is the resources. The learners are taught about how to present an item. The learners must have some resource people from the business field who could deliver presentation. This will give a real time study during the course period.
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About the author
Dr. R. Radhika is working as Associate Professor in English at Park College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore. She has completed her Doctorate in English Literature had been working as Assistant Professor for more than seven years in India and abroad in the Arts and Science College, and in Engineering colleges. She has attended various national and international seminars and conferences at different parts in India.