Business Update is a set of interactive lessons enriched with attractive digital assets and exercises. It helps students to find their way in the business environment where a firm grasp of the English language is key to success.

Business Update contains hundreds of videos, animations, slideshows and photographs. It is fully compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Business Update lessons are supported with professional training hints on how to handle specific business situations; collections of essential language useful for completing spoken tasks; pronunciation activities enriched with the ‘Audio Text’ module where students can get valuable practice – the text is synchronized with the audio and so it is much easier to follow each line; topic word lists containing useful vocabulary; and transcripts from the dialogues.

Business Update is supplied with AI-aided ‘Dual Track’ lessons and ‘Progress Checks’. The first allows students to perform additional activities which are optimised for their current level, and the latter provides them with personalized feedback on their progress.

Product, Scope, Packages

Method

1. Based on Business update published by Garnet Publishing Ltd, 8 Southern Court South St Reading RG1 4QS, UK; authors: Hans Mol, Joanne Collie & Gillian Porter.

2. Age group and level
This course is for adults and young adults who are working or going to work in business and who need English. They may be in part-time or full-time work, education or vocational training.

Students should have some basic knowledge of the English language, probably a minimum of two years in a school environment (ALTE Level 1, CEF Level A2) to start with the pre-intermediate level; and a minimum of three years in a school environment (ALTE Level 2, CEF Level B1) to do the intermediate level. Level 1 will help students to be ready to do the BEC Preliminary exam; level 2 is a good preparation for the BEC Vantage exam.

3. Topic and contents
Business Update is an introduction to the English-speaking business world. It uses a procedural approach to put students at ease with English-language communication in authentic company settings.

Level 1
Unit 1: First contact
Unit 2: Starting work
Unit 3: Consumer power
Unit 4: At work
Unit 5: Telephone talk
Unit 6: Learning the job
Unit 7: What's in a brand?
Unit 8: Can I help you?
Unit 9: It's an order!
Unit 10: Global reach
Unit 11: The big sell
Unit 12: It's in the making!
Unit 13: Bank it!
Unit 14: Food for thought
Unit 15: It's an e-world

Level 2
Unit 1: People at work
Unit 2: Business abroad
Unit 3: The business of sport
Unit 4: Selling fashion
Unit 5: Business environments
Unit 6: Better connections
Unit 7: It's all about the people
Unit 8: Entertaining business
Unit 9: How is it made?
Unit 10: Money matters
Unit 11: Advertise it!
Unit 12: Energise

4. Methodology
a) General overview
Business Update provides students with the English skills they need for business using a carefully planned combination of task-based and multi-functional practice. It teaches specialist vocabulary and provides authentic business scenarios in which skills can be practiced. The approach to learning prepares students in dealing with everyday office life, such as telephoning, working with facts and figures, taking orders and dealing with customer enquiries. A skills section accompanies each unit, including authentic reading passages, vocabulary building and writing and research projects.

b) Personalized learning is essential in language teaching. Business Update provides a rich source of material which can be personalized by students in creative parts of the lesson (speaking and writing tasks), where learners are encouraged to practice what they have learnt, and in a uniquely personal way. Personalization is strongly supported by artificial intelligence (AI) which has been built into the course. There are dynamic learning paths, with a choice of easy or difficult activities, based on the self-assessment quiz present in every unit. There is also personal learning path feedback based on the results in the progress check lessons.

c) Business Update can be used in a blended learning environment. It is the perfect tool to combine technology and classroom-based learning. With blended learning, Business Update supports students’ autonomy and helps them to work independently on areas that interest them, as well as on areas that they find difficult. It also provides the possibility of undertaking additional practice. The automatic marking function gives instant feedback and encourages students to repeat exercises as needed. Students are also given hints when they face problems with solving activities and they are rewarded for answering correctly which is very motivating.

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