What information would you need to obtain from the following scenarios and how would you get it?

SCENARIOS:

A)You have been asked to run a one-week language-training course for a small family-run firm based in Toulouse, France. The business specializes in handmade chocolates. You would be working with a small group of 4 with an intermediate level of English. They have requested a business English course focusing on telephone skills, as they have to deal with English speaking clients when orders are placed.

B)You have been asked to run a language-training course for a large chocolate manufacturer based in Paris. They have many international clients and English is becoming more and more important as they expand. It has become apparent to the company that the English language skills of employees from various departments need improvement. They would like to start a series of lunchtime language classes focusing on the following skills: telephoning, sales presentations, dealing with written correspondence, and increasing their business vocabulary. The level of ability is mixed but none are absolute beginners. You would be working with middle managers from the marketing department, administrators, salespeople who liaise with clients directly as well as employees from the accounts department.

Which of the following would you like to try out with your next One to One student/ or next class?

Select those you would like to try and write down how you would carry them out.

• Trying out a new seating position
• Taking off my teacher mask
• Using music
• Teaching in silence
• Standing up and moving when restless
• Exploring the role of eye contact in speech
• Really listening to what my student says at the beginning of a lesson
• Observing gestures and habits
• Teaching a non-linguistic skill
• Teaching without TEFL material
• Teaching the way I imagine other teachers teach
• Getting feedback from my student
• Tracing my mood and energy in the course of a lesson