In at the Shallow End: Supporting Students of the Graduate Diploma in Business and English

1. In at the Shallow End: Supporting Students of the Graduate Diploma in Business and English Chris LyneJohn Bowden Faculty of Organisation and Management

2. Graduate Diploma in Business and English • Pre-Masters Diploma • First intake January 2004 • Approximately 40 students per year • Vast majority from China and Taiwan (only 5 students in 3 years from other countries) • Linguistic and cultural implications of essentially monolingual / mono-cultural groups

3. Teaching and Assessment Pattern • Teaching takes place from January to end of July • "Semester 1" to mid-April • "Semester 2" mid-April to end of July

4. Modules Semester 1 • General English (delivered by TESOL staff) • Business Skills in Context 1 • Strategic Management

5. Modules Semester 2 • Business Skills in Context 2 • Global Governance • International Strategic Operations • International Financial Management • Marketing

6. Business Skills in Context • Designed as a "hybrid" module • Applied English, tailored to topics covered in Business modules • Exploits e.g. case studies from other modules for language extension work • Aims to ease students' introduction to patterns of study, teaching and learning at HE level in the UK

7. Assessments: Business Skills • 100 % coursework • 3 assignments per semester • Test 4 skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening • Written summaries • Report based on an appropriate Business topic • Business presentation on a topic decided in consultation with the module tutor

8. Differences between Teaching and Learning Styles in the UK and China • UK China • Group work Individual work • Formative Summative assessments assessment (exam) • Emphasis on Emphasis on learning critical opinions "correct" answer • Analytical skills Rote learning • Tutor is "equal" Tutor is "expert authority"

9. Students are faced with multiple challenges: • English language • Culture shock • Group work • Continuous coursework assessment • Concept of "no right or wrong answer" • Relationship to tutor • Concept of failure – progression not automatic

10. The "Four Ears" model Friedemann Schulz von Thun, 1981

11. The Four Ears • The fact aspect – information content of the message • The relationship aspect: clues to indicate or influence the relationship between the sender and the receiver of the message

12. The self-disclosure aspect: The sender reveals something about him/herself • The appeal aspect: The message aims to affect the receiver's behaviour

13. An Example of the Four Ears • The boss says to his secretary: "Miss Smith, the printer is out of paper"

14. Ears One and Two • Factual Aspect: "The printer is out of paper" • Relationship Aspect: "I'm the boss, it's not my job to make sure the printer has got paper in it"

15. Ears Three and Four • Self-disclosure Aspect: "I'm displeased because I wanted to print something out and couldn't" • Appeal Aspect: "Please re-fill the printer at once"

16. An Academic Example • The lecturer tells the group: "Please read the case study about Kutprice Supermarkets and we'll discuss it in the next lesson"

17. What the tutor means and what the student may hear • Tutor says: Student hears: • Factual Aspect • Read the case study Read (and memorize) the case study

18. Relationship Aspect Tutor Student • We will discuss I am the teacher, so I the case study and will tell you the exchange ideas – right answers I am interested in your opinions

19. Self-disclosure Aspect • Tutor Student • I will be happy if you I do not want come up with some to hear your ideas interesting ideas, I will tell you the arguments and opinions. right answers. I want to hear your opinions. You must learn the correct answer.

20. Appeal Aspect • Tutor Student • Please use the Please learn the facts analytical tools I of the case study and have given you wait for me to tell you to come up with how to interpret them. some good ideas of your own.

21. Problems faced by students • Relatively low level of English (IELTS 4.5 +) • Presented with lengthy case-studies which they are expected to discuss in business seminars (12 pages long!) • Language used in the case-studies often contains idioms, metaphors and culture bound allusions, e.g. 'Pretty in Brown'

22. Learning activities • Course book "Market Leader" • written & reading comprehension skills in business context plus oral activities. • Video and audio material: • semi-authentic (accompanying the course book) • authentic, e.g. Trouble Shooters, Dragon's Den, BBC website

23. Learning activities (cont) • Preparation of case-studies used in the business modules: • worksheets designed to aid comprehension, vocabulary acquisition & written skills. • on-line activities with feedback: independent study to consolidate or prepare for work done in seminars. • http://my.shu.ac.uk/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp

24. Future developments • to develop the on-line materials • build in more on-line feedback so students can work independently • exploit company websites for language learning • use audio and video links with questions • help with study skills • assist with cultural integration