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5 Free Resources for Teaching Business English
Business professionals across the globe want to improve their English skills. Communicating well in English can increase their chances of landing a better job, being successful in that job and getting promoted. Read on to learn about 5 free resources for teaching Business English.
Have you considered teaching business English classes, but hesitated about how to start? There’s no doubt that business professionals worldwide are in need of support when it comes to their English. Good communication skills are often the difference between the job they have and a promotion they want. It may also be the ticket they need to land a better job and be more financially stable. Here are just a few ways that Business English learners need your help: preparing for an interview, greeting colleagues, conducting business meetings, and sharing sales results. There’s also a demand for English for specific purposes such as Banking and Finance, Technology and Medicine. So, how can you take advantage of such a large and growing market? Read on to learn about 5 free resources for teaching Business English.
Free Resource # 1 All ESL
We love this site because it’s all about getting your students speaking! After all, being able to converse fluently with colleagues is arguably the most important skill needed by non-native Business English speakers. All ESL offers 101 conversation topics and an easy, step-by-step way to use them. Step 1. Print the conversation topics. Step 2. Cut each topic into individual strips or cards and put them in a hat or baggie. Step 3. Keep the cards handy for whenever there’s a lull in the class. The conversation topics are great to use as ice-breakers or if you have a few minutes at the end of class. You can have a whole class discussion or divide students into small groups or pairs. Besides the long list of free conversation ideas, this site offers,
- 43 Free ESL Worksheets that Enable English Language Learners
- 13 Free ESL Lesson Plans to Master Your ESL Classes
- 67 Free ESL Games to Teach English Like an All-Star
One of our favorites is the downloadable Business Card lesson plan and worksheet. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
Free Resource # 2 YouTube
On YouTube, you can find a video on any topic your student might be interested in, and it’s all free! Some of our favorite videos specifically for learning Business English come from businessenglishpod. You can choose from videos on everything from interviewing skills, to vocabulary and grammar practice, to advanced Business English sessions.
In case you missed it, check out our post on how to use TED Talks for teaching Business English. This is another great resource available for free on YouTube that packs a punch when it comes to delivering great content for professionals worldwide. No matter what the professional background of your student, there’s sure to be a TED Talk that fits the build.
Free Resource # 3 Twitter
Twitter is a great resource for teaching Business English because it’s full of tweets, news stories and videos on any topic under the sun! Let your student search for and choose a topic. Then, discuss it! You can ask your student questions to see if they comprehended the material or you can get them to share their opinion. Afterward, you can extend the lesson by having your student write about what you discussed. They can write a summary of key points or even craft a tweet of their own! BTW, here are 8 popular accounts with native English speaking Business students.
Free Resource # 4 CNBC: Business News and Finance
This is a great site for digging into specific business topics such as real estate, energy, transportation and retail. If your student’s background is in finance, they’’ll be able to find the latest info on banks, hedge funds, IPOS and Wall Street. You know, all the money lingo!
Free Resource # 5 Reuters Business News Headlines
We love this site because, along with timely business articles, you can find engaging short video clips and eye-catching photos on the latest topics of the day. The videos are great for getting your students listening and the photos are great for getting them speaking!
Well, we sincerely hope learning about these 5 free resources for teaching Business English has gotten you excited about teaching Business English or has added to the possibilities with your own students!
BTW, we’d love to hear about your experiences teaching Business English and about sites you’ve found helpful!
As always, Happy Teaching!
