BSiC_4_14D_BSiC 22.05.14 14:06 Seite 1 BusinessSpotlight Englisch für den Beruf in the classroom The British and politeness Dear colleagues Even after all these years as an expat, I still miss some aspects of British culture. A few food items, the peculiar sense of humour (even at the most serious of moments) and the general air of politeness in shops, offices and on the street. There are other aspects that I don’t miss at all, but I best not mention them here. You can explore Britishness with your students in our first activity (p. 2) and test their politeness with “So rude!” (p. 5). Mike Hogan focuses on politeness, too, in “Show you care” (p. 3), an activity on best practice in customer care. In “Writing class” (p. 5), we again focus on best practice, but in writing. If you have any questions or comments, just drop us a line. We’d like to hear your feedback. 4/14 Contents Deborah Capras Deputy editor [email protected] Title Main focus Minutes Level Based on item in magazine Page LESSON ACTIVITIES 1. The British Intercultural awareness 60/60 medium 2. Get personal Building your own brand 90/30 med.–adv. 3. What’s insured? Vocabulary-building 45/45 med.–adv. 4. Show you care* Looking after customers 90 easy COPY FILE *Photocopiable material for the activity “Show you care” The UK (pp. 36–43), Wise Words (pp. 48–49) 2 “Selling yourself” (pp. 66–71) 2 Skill Up!, English on the Move (p. 51) 3 Easy English (pp. 46–47) 3 4 WARMERS AND FILLERS 1. So rude! Politeness 30 medium Test (pp. 12–17), Tips and Trends (p. 72) 5 2. Smart man Talking about designs 30 med.–adv. “The invisible man” (pp. 22–25) 5 3. Smoker’s cough? Company policy, vocabulary 15–30 med.–adv. Head-to-Head (pp. 26–27) 5 4. Writing class Writing skills 15–30 all levels Writing (pp. 28–32), Training Plan (p. 33) 5 HIGHLIGHT Business Spotlight Audio: a business lesson from our short story 5 SERVICE Important dates onestopenglish Staff Room offer 5 l Business Spotlight in the classroom ist ein kostenloser Service für Business-Spotlight-Abonnenten in Lehrberufen. Er bezieht sich auf die jeweils aktuelle Heftausgabe. Business Spotlight erhalten Sie im Sammelbezug für Ihre Unterrichtsteilnehmer mit einem besonders attraktiven Mengenrabatt. Nähere Informationen erhältlich bei: Spotlight Verlag GmbH, Abteilung Key Account, Postfach 1565 82144 Planegg, Deutschland Tel. +49(0)89/85681-150, Fax +49(0)89/85681-119 e-mail: [email protected] I M P R E S S U M HERAUSGEBER UND VERLAGSLEITER: Dr. Wolfgang Stock CHEFREDAKTEUR: Dr. Ian McMaster STELLVERTRETENDE CHEFREDAKTEURIN: Deborah Capras GESCHÄFTSFÜHRENDE REDAKTEURIN (CvD): Maja Sirola AUTOREN: Deborah Capras, Mike Hogan REDAKTION: Margaret Davis, Michele Tilgner GESTALTUNG: loop grafikdesign KEY ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT: Corinna Hepke © 2014 Spotlight Verlag, auch für alle genannten Autoren, Fotografen und Mitarbeiter. BSiC_4_14D_BSiC 22.05.14 12:47 Seite 2 LESSON ACTIVITIES T HE UK INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION A question of identity n 2006, David Cameron — then leader of the opposition Conservative Party, now Britain’s prime minister — described the UK Independence Party (UKIP) as a movement full of “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists”. The eurosceptic party, which wants Britain to leave the EU and limit immigration, was seen as populist but toothless. UKIP now, led by the charismatic Nigel Farage (see Business Spotlight 2/2013, pp. 22–23), is the fastestgrowing political movement in the UK since the appearance of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 1980s. At a time when social, political and economic change is forcing Britain to redefine itself, UKIP has hit a nerve with voters. The UK faces the potential breakaway of Scotland, which will hold a referendum on independence in September 2014 (see Business Spotlight 3/2012, pp. 22–23). There is growing British antagonism towards EU membership, and immigration is seen as threatening local jobs. Also, the financial crisis has cast a shadow over the country’s once proud economic engine, its financial sector. “British identity is a big topic of discussion here,” says Adrian Pil- I Sind sie Briten oder doch eher Engländer, Schotten, Waliser oder Nordiren? Oder gar Europäer? Und was bedeutet es, britisch zu sein? Anhand der politischen und wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung der 1. The British Nation und den Auskünften Betroffener versucht VICKI SUSSENS, Antworten zu finden. medium plus Main focus Intercultural awareness Materials “A question of identity” (pp. 36–43), Wise Words (pp. 48–49), Business Spotlight Audio, Business Spotlight plus Time medium antagonism [Än(tÄgE)nIzEm] breakaway [(breIkE)weI] cast a shadow over sth. [)kA:st E (SÄdEU )EUvE] closet racist [)klQzIt (reIsIst] economic engine [i:kE)nQmIk (endZIn] face sth. [feIs] 60/60 minutes Feindseligkeit, Widerstreit Absplittern, Loslösen einen Schatten auf etw. werfen verkappte(r) Rassist(in) Konjunkturmotor sich einer Sache gegenübersehen fruitcake [(fru:tkeIk] ifml. Verrückte(r) hit a nerve with sb. jmds. Nerv treffen [)hIt E (n§:v wID] ifml. loony [(lu:ni] ifml. Bekloppte(r), Spinner(in) toothless [(tu:TlEs] zahnlos; hier: harmlos, ohne große Wirkung topic [(tQpIk] Thema iStock Symbol of a nation: exciting, busy London www.business-spotlight.de 37 4/2014 Procedure ■ ■ Explain that they will hear people talking about their thoughts on what is British (Audio, track 11). As they listen, students should make notes of the characteristics mentioned. Depending on their level of English, you many need to pause the recording and play some clips more than once. What do they agree/disagree with? What is it like to do business with the British? In groups, students discuss their experiences. Play the interview with Thinley Topden from UK Trade and Investment (Audio, track 12). Check their understanding and discuss his views. Homework ■ Assign the article (pp. 36–43) and warn your students that you will test their knowledge of British history at the start of the next lesson. Lesson two ■ After a quick test, discuss the interview with Adrian Pilbeam (p. 40). ■ Read Wise Words (pp. 48–49). Discuss the idioms and the British way of expressing themselves. Assign the plus exercises (pp. 12–13). ■ Finally, encourage your students to enter the competition (p. 43). ■ Follow-up: Advanced students read “In pole position” (pp. 80–81). One-to-one: If your student works with the British, you can discuss their experiences, especially any difficult situations. Highlight extracts in the article that could help your student. iStock (2) Lesson one ■ Have your students been to a British pub? What was it like (decor, music, food, drinks, people)? Does a pub represent “Britishness”? Discuss what makes the images on pages 36–42 typically British. Selling yourself FINDING A JOB CAREERS Wer seine Fähigkeiten richtig herausstellt, hat bei der Suche Many careers experts advise you to treat a job search like a job nach einem Job oft mehr Erfolg, wie MARGARET DAVIS von einem 2. Get personal Materials Time medium/advanced Building your own brand plus drei Teilen erklärt sie, wie Sie am besten vorgehen. medium A job for you: look on paper and online inding a job means you have to be a salesperson. But instead of selling cars, shoes or milk, you are selling yourself — your skills, your experience and your character. And just as successful salespeople are able to convince customers to buy their products rather than the many other similar ones on the market, as a jobseeker, you are in the business of persuasion. F NEW SERIES Part One Main focus Experten erfuhr. Im ersten von “Selling yourself” (pp. 66–71), Business Spotlight plus “In many English-speaking countries, people are encouraged to talk positively about themselves and their talents from an early age,” says personal-branding expert Michael Browne (see interview p. 68). “In stark contrast, in the German-speaking lands, societal norms and pressures tell people to be modest or humble so that they don’t appear to be boastful or arrogant. But I tell my Germanspeaking clients that it is OK to talk positively about yourself and what you can do and offer, because if you don’t, how will potential employers or customers find this out?” Browne believes that, in today’s highly competitive global market, “people can no longer afford to be ‘modest’ because they will lose the deal to those who know how to brand themselves effectively”. Whether you are just out of school or university and looking for your 90/30 minutes Don’t be shy: this is your chance to shine first real job, or in mid-career, job hunting can often be frustrating and time-consuming. In fact, many careers experts advise that you treat a job search like a job: by spending eight hours a day researching potential employers and then producing a CV and covering letter that is specifically tailored to every job you apply for. In the first part of our new series, we help you to prepare for your job search with information on where to look for employment, as well as on personal branding and the importance of social media. The internet has radically changed job searches. In the past, jobseekers checked newspapers and magazines for job advertisements. Although these are still a potential source, many positions are now announced via online employment sites such as Monster.com, JobWorld.de or Euro jobs.com. Jobseekers can also visit company websites to learn more about potential employers, while employers (or their HR departments) increasingly search the internet to find potential employees, a practice called “passive candidate sourcing”. “Employers, who can be inundated with résumés when they post jobs, often seek passive candidates (qualified candidates who aren’t necessarily looking for work, but who may be in- terested if the right job comes along),” writes US careers expert Alison Doyle on About.com. The fact that employers search the web for potential candidates — for example, by checking LinkedIn, Xing, Facebook and blogs — is a strong argument for having your own social- apply for sth. [E(plaI fO:] boastful [(bEUstf&l] brand oneself [(brÄnd wVn)self] competitive [kEm(petEtIv] covering letter [(kVvErIN )letE] UK CV (curriculum vitae) [)si: (vi:] UK employment site [Im(plOImEnt saIt] HR department [)eItS (A: di)pA:tmEnt] humble [(hVmb&l] inundate sb. with sth. [(InVndeIt wID] mid-career: be in ~ [)mId kE(rIE] modest [(mQdIst] personal branding [)p§:s&nEl (brÄndIN] sich um etw. bewerben prahlerisch sich als Marke präsentieren konkurrierend; hier: umkämpft Bewerbungsschreiben Lebenslauf Stellenbörse (im Internet) Personalabteilung demütig jmdn. mit etw. überschwemmen mitten in seiner Berufslaufbahn sein bescheiden Herausbildung eines persönlichen Markenzeichens Überzeugung; hier: (das) Überzeugen Nachforschungen über etw. anstellen Lebenslauf Verkäufer(in) persuasion [pE(sweIZ&n] research sth. [ri(s§:tS] résumé [(rezEmeI*] US salesperson [(seI&lzp§:s&n] societal [sE(saIEt&l] gesellschaftlich source [sO:s] Quelle sourcing [(sO:sIN] Beschaffung stark [stA:k] krass tailored: be ~ to sth. auf etw. zuge[(teIlEd] schnitten sein * This symbol marks standard US pronunciation. www.business-spotlight.de 67 4/2014 Procedure Lesson one ■ Brainstorm famous brands and write five on the board. What qualities do we associate with them. Why? Why are they so well known? ■ Is it possible for people to have a personal brand? (George Clooney, David Beckham, Lady Gaga, for example?) What about in business? ■ On the board, write “If you don’t brand yourself, others will brand you — and it could hurt your career”. How do they feel about this statement? How can people brand themselves? ■ Assign the interview with Michael Browne (p. 68). In small groups, students come up with their own answers to the questions. ■ Read “Selling yourself online” (p. 70). Discuss the statements. 2 www.business-spotlight.de ■ In pairs, students do exercise 3 (plus, p. 17). Homework ■ Assign the article and exercises 1 and 2 (plus, p. 16). For the next lesson, students write an online profile, or “branding statement”. Lesson two ■ In groups, students compare profiles and give feedback to each other. Students who are interested can create an online account, for example on LinkedIn, and use their profile. One-to-one: Focus on your student’s specific needs and tailor their online profile according to their career goals. 4/2014