I want to learn Business English First, let’s consider what exactly you mean by that? We go through life making assumptions, don’t we – what do you assume ‘Business English’ means? Is it somehow different to Recreational or Social or Conversational or Vacation English? Is it really specific? Is English for an Automotive Executive different to that needed by a Banker or a Scientist? Does ‘Business English’ merely separate one type of student from another, perhaps? Second, let me make an assumption now: Business English is just the same as any other English, but with a little jargon, some fairly specific vocabulary, and a more mature student! You want to learn Business English.

So you need to be able to hold a conversation with a variety of people around the world of business, from Customer to Supplier and everyone servicing your global industry. I would suggest that this includes: Taxi drivers; Airport and Hotel staff; as well as the people in shops and banks and at the end of a telephone that you might have to deal with in the normal course of business, both in the office and on a trip. Business English teaching could be about a specific meeting or document or project, or it could be about a general comfort level in the day-to-day use of English. There are a number of ways of learning business English, from one-on-one intensive study to classroom studies at a college or organised in the workplace.

There’s also the opportunity to use modern technology and arrange lessons with a qualified teacher via video conferencing. You want to learn, or someone in your organisation needs to learn? Study the options and offers and make a choice that suits the individual concerned: not everyone needs expensive intensive training; not everyone responds well to classroom teaching; but everyone involved in the International business community needs English!

Andrew is a qualified TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teacher, with 15 years experience of the global Automotive Industry as a Sales manager with an International component and systems supplier. For more information about learning English with Andrew at his home in the UK, visit the Lets Talk 2 website http://lets-talk2.com/_wsn/page2.html