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Name of the material/ Book : Intelligent Business ( Elementary ) Authors : Irene Barrall Nikolas Barrall Pulisher : T in bch khoa

a Year of Publication : 2009 I. INTRODUCTION Knowing about the subject ESP by Mr. Quy s instruction is a previous chance for me in learning to get M.A as well as to learners in post graduate learning . We understand about ESP : the importance of ESP, the origin of ESP, the development of ESP, other concerning matters and especially ESP material evaluation. The knowing of a E.S.P material of an area got from E.S.P material evaluation will help teachers choose the best one and work more effectively with that. So far and as I can see, in Vietnam there are many areas that need E.S.P and E.S.P. materials but there are some that need most such as : tourism, business, technology and techniques. Among them, business is the area that needs special training of E.S.P because learners have to work in total English speaking environment in the future. They not also have to masters not also wide range of business terms beside the knowledge of general English but not also understand business procedures, business affairs as well as to master many business communicating skills. In this report, I want to introduce an E.S.P material, the book Intelligent Business Elementary and present my evaluation of the book since it is the best E.S.P material I have ever seen. II. SITUATIONAL FACTORS : 1. The target situation : This course book is designed for Students with the hope of being able to work in areas concerning trade. They are expected to use language provided in this book for the following situations from general basic functions such as making greeting, introducing themselves to specific tasks such as : to deal trading business affairs including
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+ explaining a technical problem

+ describing a product + talking about a project + Discussing ideas + Making arrangements + talking about trends + Making offers, requests and giving permission Etc And in this book, students are introduced with very real and practical dilemmas through which they get useful skills in working with every they can meet every day + Identifying needed qualifications for a trade team member + Evaluating companys potential + Arranging an office move + To be able to read and write the following kinds of texts : _ Emails _ Company Information _ Forms _ Invoice Etc 2. The teachers : Teachers with B.A is the choice. However, they should be trained in a short term course with this specific knowledge. In case that they are not given that training, they should train themselves with previous careful preparation by reading every details, listening many times the introduced text and other parts especially Dilemma and Decision . Teachers are expected to have known adequately about the field of business or at least, they are interested in English used in this field and know basic trading tasks and affairs 3. The learners Learners at the age from 18 or students at the first year at Foreign Trade University, at other Universities that have marketing faculty, learners who want to work in international trading area in the future, learners whose present works are concerned with working with foreigners in Vietnam. They might be working in joint venture companies with foreign
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partners or companies with total 100% foreign investment capital specialize in doing business in Vietnam such as : Toyota Company, Samsung Company etc III. LOGISTICAL FACTORS : 1. The cost of the book : The book costs about 50.000 VND for each book of each level, which is a acceptable price for any learners who have need to take this kind of course. 2. Additional investment required : teaching listening parts. Video CDs are more preferable in some listening lessons which visual illustrations bring more effects .Besides, source of audio clips and video clips that modify topics, trading and team working situations, topics included in parts of reading, listening. Teachers are also expected to search for more illustration such as pictures , real information from Vietnam market situation to modify the content of Dilemma a problem- solving 3. Fitting local schedule requirements I think the book presently fit local schedule requirements in Vietnam IV. PEDAGOGICAL FACTORS : 1. The rationale of the book : As stated by Irene Barral and Nikolas Barrall , through their teaching English in Europe and Asia for many years , they have reached to understand the importance of using English in international business situations and what language is needed and how to organize the language teaching that helps the learners most. In fact, the material is included with topics that cover general business areas such as making contacts, talking about your company, ordering goods etc The topics in the material reflect the modern working environment such as corporate events, projects and working in teams ( Unit 5: welcoming visitors, Unit 6 : working to find suppliers , Unit 7 : explaining the problem to the counterparty company etc Other topics are relevant to areas of life such as travel ( unit 14 ), Location ( unit 11 ), playtime ( unit 9 ). Their aim to provide Ss with a thought provoking and accessible overview of business today, and to give them the opportunity to see how essential function language is used in a variety of business situations is easily seen thoroughly through the
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Cassettes, CDs accompanied are needed for

book with relevant tasks such as : using correct titles in introducing team new members ( Unit 2), asking questions about company beginning with wh- words ( Unit 3 ), working as a receptionist to ask for information using proper questions and a visitors to give direction using imperative form of verbs and connectors (Unit 4 ) etc. In short, what the two authors saying about the rationale of the book is really beneficial from the content of the book and learners get useful skills and language as what they hope. 2. The fitting of the rationale with the local curriculum : In analysis the local curriculum, it is to see that the rationale of the book fit the curriculum of above kinds of education organizations in training learners to be businessmen working in business workplace in Vietnam dealing business in Vietnam and business relating international trade. A large proportion of companies working in this field in Vietnam get more challenges from the marketing economy which has many changes up to dates, months and even hours as well as suffering from the changes from world market. Many universities and training institutes changes their curriculum in adapting to these changing. Students need more practice with situations that they can use in the workplace. The book best suits to the local curriculum or in other words, to most universities training in the business field.. 3. How the different components of the book tie together : In studying the content of the materials, it is easily seen that the book is designed into 15 units with each unit having a theme and a clear organization. Accompanied with the units are the exercises for 15 units. + The components of a unit : - Some lines as key notes appear first to give students first notes about the theme of the lesson, what they will see in the unit and get the first ideas to start with the topic.Some key words which are bold provide naturally the vocabulary source. - Some small tasks come next as some small exercise such as answering a question, doing a matching exercise, completing some sentences with words given. All work to give learners more detailed ideas and things, clearer view of the topics included in next sub skill lessons such as : speaking, listening. Pre- activities also act as model that help learners to be able to do speaking, reading and listening tasks in the following parts. The task works to give Ss vocabulary relating to the theme, to give Ss practice to train certain reading skills ( reading the text relating to the topic and finding the main ideas, finding specific details, deciding if
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the statements are true or false ); speaking skill : each skill lesson is composed with tasks relevant to the theme, - Vocabulary helps students to ensure the key vocabulary for the topic and extend a little more. - Working English helps students know how to use the vocabulary they have learn in Vocabulary - Speaking helps students to get simple speaking in the form of sentences using the learnt vocabulary - Language Check helps give students knowledge of the grammar item used with the above vocabulary and practice of using it correctly. - Listening - Speaking comes next emphasizes the authenticity of the grammar new at this in ensures what students have known by forcing them to produce their own conversations through training sub listening skills by doing listening tasks utterance using the new language. - Career Skills introducing the real business situations in which new language are used - Dilemma and Decisions introduces Ss with more open business problems and get them to find solutions when they have become more confident after getting an amount of knowledge and practice. _ Writing tasks come last indicate that students have enough necessary knowledge in the previous lesson to complete the task. If there are still difficulties, that can be done by teachers. In conclusion, parts of a unit in this book connect closely to one another and make a chain that support students practice best and help them to obtain knowledge effectively to reach the aim of each unit and the whole book. 4. Language covered : As stated in the bookmap, students are expected to master an amount of vocabulary relating to business situations at elementary level ; certain skills that help them to conduct simple business situations at early stage From part to part of a unit : + In the elementary book, language is provided from the easy and simple grade and increased gradually to more difficult stage with a more vocabulary, more complex tasks, more
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challenging reading texts, etcAt the beginning, language provided is really suitable to elementary level with learners having finished 12 years of general education and having got a moderate knowledge of general English. Language provided at this stage works to remind Ss those to recall their knowledge and be able to finish task easily. + Practice is given in the form from easy to difficult task. For example : Some early tasks : Complete an email with given words from the previous exercise + Task is given after a previous adequate activities in the order : _ Modal sentences, examples or are given to set as modal sentences, examples containing the target language from which teachers can elicit and give explanation to students about the target language. For example : Sentences about times ( unit 2 ,p. 19 ) Or a certain task is given for learners to do and then modal sentences, examples are reached. _ Then another task is given next, which aims at helping Ss to create similar sentences, in the form of speaking task. After this, another kind of example of similar sentences or texts is introduced in the form of listening task and a small task is given to check this information. After that, another task is given in the form of speaking which is more difficult. The language is focused in language check to help Ss to understand clearly about some grammatical items : Notes about the items are given first and then practice follow. At the end of language check is skill task ( speaking, writing ) employing the use of these items. Career Skills come next with one of the activities in business situations as a detailed lesson in the following order : + Notes about how to perform a real task in business situation + An exercise for learners to check if they master the language + An example is given in a listening text accompanied with task(s) +(A) speaking task(s) is given for Ss to practice the language. - Dilemma and Decision come last in the unit as real lesson about problem solving in business workplace. Here, learner have to employ all what they have learned during the previous lesson and their own language and what supported from teacher to finish the task - From unit to unit : + The language is provided at easy and simple ( such as present simple affirmative, frequency adverbs ( unit 2 ) to a little or the same level item in the next unit ( such as
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present simple negative, question and short answer, articles ) and then in the next more unit , the difficulty of the language input, tasks is increased gradually. + There is a Review at the end of every three unit which provides exercise focusing on some key grammatical points , vocabulary , career skill and dilemma . + Dilemma with the increase of difficulty of tasks is given adequately from unit to unit ( From introducing oneself / others to planning an office move etc ) - With what can be seen through the bookmap , we can easily say that the language is adequate for elementary level .As seen clearly inside the unit, the vocabulary, the language check and the practice, we see that students of the elementary level can complete all the task easily with teachers suitable explanation. 5. The recycling of the language : + From part to part of a unit : It is easily seen that skills are integrated in the same language item : learners are introduced examples in one more form of text or separated sentences : reading text, listening text . So the same language item is introduced repeatedly enough to have a great effect on the clear understanding of learners. Tasks are given in one more form : not only a reading task after reading a text, but a listening task or a speaking task with a similar activity is given. For example : + From unit to unit : the difficulty of the language is increased gradually and in a deliberate order : started with the base : to be , a/an , present simple affirmative, frequency adverbs in unit 1 ..to will for decisions in unit 15. However, the language is not repeated from unit to unit 6. The skills covered : To learners specializing in trading and business, to be able to conduct business affairs and situations is prerequisites so listening , speaking, reading and writing are expected to be mastered by them. The book covers all the four skills. The four skills are integrated well in a unit and repeated equally to give Ss practice a language item. The language is introduced and practice in the following way : + Usually a reading task introduced the language item. Then a speaking task to be given for Ss to practice the language. Next, a listening text is also introduced to introduce the item again along with tasks . After that, a speaking task is given for more practice. So, this book
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gives learners a lot of practice of different skills to the same language item including listening, reading, speaking and writing and all of them are integrated well .The practice is proper for learners to master what they are required to. 7. The tasks : In each skill, a number of tasks are given for learners and take two main roles : + helping learners enough brainstorm to be involved in the topic and to provide information, modal language item, vocabulary in the form of filling task, answering the questions, labeling something etc ( preview task, pre- reading tasks, vocabulary tasks ) + giving learners adequate practice of the language item , the ideas about a topic, to train a sub skill among many skills of the four basic ones ( while - listening, while- writing, whilereading and while- speaking task; speaking , listening tasks in vocabulary part ) 8. The topics of the book : The book covers all the topics included in the curriculum and all the topics are totally needed in business areas and proper to elementary level such as contacts, teams, companies, offices, events, project, solutions, etc. They are also familiar and interesting to all learners. 9. The authenticity of the material : Intelligent Business Elementary provides Ss with authentic knowledge of business which can be seen clearly in the 15 topics throughout the books with detailed issues and Dilemma and Solutions ,which introduces real business problems along with the language that is used by native speakers working in business workplace. 10. The books approach to testing : + the book meet local testing requirements : the following components about vocabulary, skills, areas of the life, modern working environments included in present testing for learners specializing in business areas such as IELTS + short testing should be done after every three lessons and after a review and then move to a more complicated and total test at the middle of the book and at the end of the book . 11. What is missing from the book : 1- Illustrations by pictures 2. Brief explanation on grammar items in language check by charts, notes etc.. 3. The repetition of some tasks of different skills
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However, the advantages of the book outweighs the disadvantages. Disadvantages can be improved by teachers work. V. HUMAN FACTORS : 1. The teachers of the book Teachers who are trained in business English in universities are preferably employed. Besides, teachers who have not been trained officially but have had some years teaching this kind of English are of course employed. In replacement, those who are similar to this area and have B.A of English can be employed 2. The role of the teachers : Teachers are require to adopt to unfamiliar roles such as : + a person having experienced in knowing how to deal with business dilemma and provide Ss with useful lessons. + an active teacher helping Ss get closer to the business situations by holding teamwork, role play with the situations suggested in dilemma, speaking tasks + a devoted teacher to spend more time to search for adequate materials such as video clips, audio clips of real situations modifying dilemma and discussion, reading texts 3. The guidance from the book There is the teachers book accompanying with this book and work and give help to teacher as the followings : - giving explanation of terms - guiding teacher to make interesting teaching with picnic organization, by creating study opportunities etc.. - giving background information The teachers book can work as a useful tool to help teachers with good teaching 4. The possibility in adapting the book : - Shortcomings and the possibility in adapting As said above, teachers can adapt the shortcomings by : Making more illustration with searched pictures Putting suitable explanation for language check with a certain amount of time and in a saving time way. Omitting some similar tasks
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For example : Unit 1 :the issue : Nationality is repeated three times in the exercises of Working English, a speaking task, a reading task. Teachers can omit a speaking task here and just replace it with short asking Ss to take turns to list all the nationalities they know right away with the teacher afterwards. - Teachers can omit some similar exercises : some exercises can be omitted or replace it with short talking to Ss along with prepared charts / notes on screen run by computer and then handouts to Ss afterwards The supplementing and adapting the book such as omitting some similar exercises an be accepted and help making teaching more effective, reducing the possible boringness and help to save time. 5. Teachers preparation of tests Teachers need to work more to design equivalent tests including * Knowledge of + Grammatical base + solutions to dilemma, today business problems + general business areas introduced * Skills + Listening skill : being able to listen to business conversations, situations + Reading skills : being able to read business kinds of text : mail, contracts, receipt etc.. + Writing skill : being able to write an email ,memo etc Teachers have to refer to the taught language and other similar E.S.P materials to find suitable exercises , tests. Besides, teachers are expected to search on the Internet for the latest source of business tests of the same level. Teachers can also refer to IELTS tests and copy some suitable questions or parts . 6. Will the book appeal to and motivated our students : The book appeals to learners not by its illustration, designs but by its content : the topic of the book, the dilemma, the reading texts having topics reflecting modern working environment and relevant to areas of life. They deal with different aspects of the modern business world. 7. The book helps learners to find their way around the book because of :
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and then provide them with a list of nationalities right

+ The simple and clear procedure of the lesson of every unit : - they get base knowledge to work in business areas easily at the beginning of every lesson with simple preview and the difficulty increased little by little during next lessons ; at the middle of the lesson ( reading texts are short enough for Ss to read and then the length is increased little gradually - there are modal texts, sample sentences to introduce the language so that the students can have clear reading first and get key vocabulary. - Receptive skills are tested first ( reading skill ) so its easy for students to get new language item and then continue with speaking and listening skill. - Writing skill is trained at the end of the lesson, which reduces least the difficulty of students in completing with the task as well as reduce their possible mistakes In the other word, the book is user easily and user- friendly, in which, user easily characteristic makes effective students learning . Therefore, it is certainly that teachers will use the book in the way suggested and they just add more illustration and use their own experiences to + The important position of review lessons Its important for learners of English to review knowledge at after every certain period of time. In this book, review is introduced after every 3 unit will help students with sure understanding, remembrance and good practice of the knowledge. At the review time, students can search for more similar exercises from other source or doing exercises suggested by teachers. + The accompanying of the workbook Workbook is accompanied helps Ss to train themselves for sure language and knowledge. Workbook in this material is designed well and as the same as the form of the coursebook with a lot of authentic exercises . The way of the exercises given is very clear so Ss can work on their own for review and good practice. Of course , this will work only with the reminding of the teachers. VI. CONCLUSION : So far, I think the two authors are experienced experts in teaching Business English and have devoted their time and energy to create such a well designed, authentic and
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suitable Intelligent Business Elementary , which fits the curriculum of universities or college specializing or having. There are some shortcomings. However, they are not problems just as they add more to fluency of students language and teachers can adapt those. It satisfies best the most requirements for an E.S.P material in business area. It can be said that this is a good E.S.P material and can be applied in most of the universities which give business training in Vietnam as well as some Asian countries and I hope that more universities, college training business area and teachers who do business teaching in English will take this book as a basic useful tool for their teaching and training. Last, I want to express my thank to Mr. Do Van Quy who gave us lesson on E.S.P and hope that he will pick out shortcomings of my reports and help me to move more in this subjects.

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