PHASE 5

Business English Teacher Training (BETT)

Introduction

It is important to make the evaluation process quantifiable to measure

the progress of the trainees. This module highlights the key questions
to make the evaluation process more accurate. The accuracy of
evaluation should focus on maintaining parity. While providing
effective feedback the assessor should reflect on the techniques that
yield results. This phase highlights on the technicalities of providing
effective feedback. It would help the trainees to get acquainted with the
technical terms like 360 degree assessment, qualitative feedback and
quantitative feedbacks. It touches upon the crux of the matter relating
to Business English Skills. As a trainer it is important to gauge the
competency skills of the participants in a manner that should help the
participants to overcome the areas that need improvisations. This
phase is an overview of the different parameters that the trainer would
encompass while providing the feedback with elaboration. It
accentuates the understanding level with plenty of activities that would
help the trainer to address the needs of the participants.

Feedback and Evaluation

 Different types
 The Clients perspective

The module signifying on the utility of achieve the “specified” result

o Feedback to the trainees so that they can assess how well they are
doing.
o Evaluation for the client so that they will know if the trainees are doing
well, and if the course is effective.

The first step in providing assessment to both the individual trainee,

and to the client is the needs assessment. The trainer needs to know
what the client and the individual expect to be able to DO – e.g. perform
certain tasks in English, or, gain a higher score on a test like TOEIC. The

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 second step is for the trainer to design into the course transitional
‘checkpoints’ that will allow both the trainee and the business client to
note progress. Testing devices might include:

o Listening tasks
o Reading exercises
o Writing tasks
o Multiple choice quizzes
o Situational role plays
o Standardized testing
o Interviews

Absolute indicators of performance are difficult to devise for

transitional feedback and evaluation, but it is critical that the trainer
can provide the client with transparent evidence that every effort is
being made to “track” the performance of the trainees. This means:

o Detailed attendance records

o Subjective comments on performance for every class
o Quiz and test results
o A variety of testing modes
o Summary assessment and reporting at “checkpoints” agreed to between
the trainer and the client

The training is best judged and effectively molded by ‘Evaluation’. Its

critical attributes involve asking questions, gathering relevant
information and forming opinions staying within a specified context
aiming at definite purpose and goals. Needs analysis, placement tests,
selection of materials are all forms of evaluations. A sponsoring
company may wish to evaluate decisions about materials. A sponsor

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 may wish to evaluate a course that is on the market, or learners’
language skills may be assessed to see if they are ready for an exam.

Implementation

What is evaluation :

 Judging fitness for a particular purpose

 Matching needs to solutions
 Concerned with the effectiveness and efficiency of learning
 Asking systematic questions and acting on the responses
 To have value, the process must include action

It is important to evaluate the success and effectiveness of your courses

so that you could make improvements on an ongoing basis. It is also
important so as to ensure continued survival, since trainees and
sponsors act on their own evaluation of our courses (formal or
informal).
The trainers’ responsibility of evaluation would involve checking of the
objectives – whether fulfilled or not, whether the training methods
require further improvement. These would generally be conveyed
through questions. Answering such questions can take up a lot of time
and effort, so the first question to ask is whether it is worth doing. The
probable questions would be:

 Who will do it?

 When will it be done?
 How will it be done?
 What will be evaluated?

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 The answers to these questions will however depend on the situation.

Evaluation can be concerned with:

o Attitudes – how positively are our courses viewed?

o Effectiveness – how well do we achieve our objectives in terms of real
learning?
o Appropriateness – how appropriate are our programmes to our clients’
real needs?

How to evaluate?

The most common approach to evaluation is to collect comments or

ratings using feedback forms distributed at the end of each course, and
then to interpret them.

Another important approach is to sit back and reflect on what seems to

constitute successful practice in your particular training context.
A third, often revealing approach is to collect and analyze objective data
from registration and re-registration figures, attendance figure and test
or exam results.

All information – statistical or impressionistic, objective or subjective –

will need to be considered in relation to the course’s objectives, course
format (intensive or extensive, with or without self-study component,
etc), training approach and materials used ….. amongst other things!
You will need to take care to find out whether any variable was in effect
which might distort your conclusion. For example, it could be that
materials were adequate but either your approach or your attitude
unhelpful. You will also need to be able to correctly distinguish causes
from effect. Be careful not to assume things as effect, when they might
be causes. For example, trainee absences could either be an indication
of deficiencies in a course, or a cause of failure (if no absence policy was
in operation).

Evaluating would differ from situation to situation –

One model of evaluation commonly found in business English training

(particularly in-company) is based on Kirkpatrick’s work in the 1960s.
This model is built on five level of evaluations, all interrelated.

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 Level 1 involves the learners’ reaction to the training – were they
satisfied? The focus here is on the course itself and its delivery: the
trainer, the materials, and so on.
 Level 2 relates to the learning – what was actually learned? Typically
this involves a pre-test and post-test. Here the focus is on the learner.
 Level 3 has to do with the transfer of what has been learned to the
workplace – is the learning work-relevant? Are the learners using their
new skills? The focus is on the learner and the workplace.
 Level 4 is concerned with results – has the training resulted in any
business impact? Are the participants more successful in their
negotiations, for example? Have their telephone skills improved?
 Level 5 looks at the return on investment (ROI) – what (and how
much) tangible (e.g. employee motivation) benefit has the training led
to, relative to its cost?

Approaches to evaluation can be categorized as:

 Formative evaluation is related to ongoing development and

improvement. It considers what was good and not so good on a
particular course, and forms a basis for change and future action. In
other words, the aim is to make improvements. For example, an end-of-
course questionnaire might ask participants to comment on the quality
of the hotel used to run the course – adverse comments may result in
the next course being run in a different hotel.
 Illuminative evaluation relates to what is happening in the training /
learning processes, designed to facilitate our understanding of the
processes within the course – typically this will look at issues like
classroom interaction, or learning strategies used by the participants.
 Summative evaluation is carried out at a pre-specified or a particular
stage in a course (such as the end), and looks at whether or not the
course objectives have been achieved, or how effective, or efficient the
course was at achieving those objectives. A typical method is the use of
tests.

Evaluating questions require systematic collection of data as well as

analyzing and interpretation of results that leads to an innovative or
corrective judgment. The business English training context commonly
operates with two types of data –quantitative and qualitative.

Quantitative data are those expressed by a numerical value (e.g. the

results from many tests, checklists, or surveys)

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 Qualitative refers to the quality, type or depth of whatever is being
evaluated (often richer yet more subjective in nature). Examples of
qualitative data include the notes made during interviews, classroom
observation, and case studies (such as verbal descriptions of how a
particular learner has progressed through a course).

The process of measuring, using such data, is known as assessment. It

is important not to use only one measure, since this may give unreliable
results, it is better to use two or more different assessment tools. Using
different perspective to assess the same thing in this way is called
triangulation in a research context and 360 degree assessment in the
business world. For example, if we wanted to know how effective a
course on telephonic skills has been, we might test the participants
using a series of role-plays, interview then to see how they feel about
their telephonic skills, and record some “real-life’ conversations to see
how they cope.

Assessing the trainees

It is essential to ensure that trainees are making progress on a course

and to show this progress in quantifiable and comprehensible terms to
both trainees and their bosses. Formal or less formal assessment
procedures can be used with the following points noted:

 Tests and other assessment tools must be as valid as possible if they are
to be useful and fair on individuals - whose career prospects might be
affected by them.
 Tests need to be practical to administer, faking the constraints of the
context into account (e.g. absentees or factory noise).
 Tests must demonstrate a good time-results ratio (i.e. the time invested
must be worthwhile for the information gained).
 Tests need to be given at an appropriate time if you intend to use them
to 'fine tune' your training programme so as to cater more effectively to

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 trainees' needs. When you have information on what trainees can and
cannot do you will need to have time to do something about it.
 Test results and feedback must be given sensitively because they can
have a devastating effect on motivation and, indeed, on trainees' careers
if misinterpreted by trainees' bosses

Testing business speaking skills stress upon criterions like –

 Fluency – e.g. do the speaker’s hesitations and repetitions sound

natural?
 Complexity – e.g. is the language lexically rich enough, or is it too
simplistic?
 Academy – e.g. does the speaker make grammatical mistakes?
 Intelligibility – (can the speaker be understood?) e.g. are words and
utterances correctly stressed and pronounced?

It is hard to judge the speaking ability without actually listening to the

speaker as transcripts only would give a partial picture. Therefore a
person’s communicative competence should ideally be evaluated
through tests beyond reading and writing (should not also rely on
transcripts of speech)

Business English competence is not mere language but its mastery in

combination with the other skills. We are talking about skills that reach
out further beyond mere accomplishment of the basic task to the
achievement of professional goals. For instance, the success of a
presentation can be gauged by certain criteria as cited below where the
measurement scale is based on pluses and minuses, rather that
numbers

Name : Suzanne Topic: New product Date: 9/10

Harvey developments

Comments
++ + 0 - --

Aids – use of
Nice simple slides
laptop, OHP,
flipchart, quality of

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 slides, handouts

Not loud enough.

Delivery –
Sometimes
intonation, pitch,
monotonous
tone, volume

Body Language –
dress,
Looked relaxed
mannerisms,
gestures

Language – Pronunciation
accuracy, fluency, problems with –
appropriacy, acquisition,
simplicity advertising

Structure – clear
aim/message, Content sometimes
relevant context, too simple (e.g.
logical sequence, slide 7). Good
timing summary

Rapport – eye
contact,
interaction with
audience, humour,
style

The participants’ state of achievement in a course can be best identified

through tests - also the most common mode of checking. The tests also
reflect the status of the learners, with respect to their learning or skill
development, at a specific time and place. Testing and assessment can
be formal procedures, aimed at measuring and judging skills or
knowledge, but the term assessment is also used to refer to a process
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 which happens informally, continuously, and repeatedly: the trainer
assesses learners in every lesson. Testing typically gives results that are
expressed quantitatively, whereas assessment is as likely to be
expressed in qualitative terms. Four approaches seem appropriate for
the Business English context:

 Periodic achievement tests - a new testing approach which makes

assessment of speaking (as well as writing) a real possibility, provided
classes are small. This is a very effective way of tracking trainees'
progress - and, expressed more positively, trainees' achievements! - On
an ongoing basis is to arrange periodic achievement tests which use
carefully developed marking criteria. These tests are popular with
trainees and useful in class for reasons like their genuine referral to the
original objectives, the fair and systematic monitoring of the trainees
progress, and the order of assessing performance through real-life tasks
in batches after completion if relevant class practice. Trainees get
feedback (mid-course) on their achievement and/or progress made,
which provides the basis for objective-setting for subsequent lessons
and homework. It also helps them to monitor their own progress
throughout a course and plan their self-study accordingly.

A sample mark sheet for periodic achievement tests

BUSINESS ENGLISH PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT RECORD

Name:...................................................... Company:....................................................

Position:................................................... Department:................................................

Contact numbers: ............................................................................................................

Course:.................................................... Trainer: ...................................................

Da Performa Achievem Appropri Accur Fluency/st Dealin Cultur

te nce area ent of acy of acy yle/ g with al
task language punctuatio questi factor
/ n ons s/
vocabula planni
ry ng

1 Dealing

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 with
2 visitors

1 Telephoni
ng
2
1
Presentati
ons and
2 Q&A
sessions

1
Meetings
2
1 E-mail
2
1 Report-
2 writing

A sample summary sheet for periodic achievement tests

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BUSINESS ENGLISH PER50NAL ACHIEVEMENT RECORD: Summary
Name:...................................................... Company:....................................................

Position:................................................... Department:................................................

Contact numbers: ............................................................................................................

Course:.................................................... Trainer: ...................................................

Date Performance Achievement Average Other Final Comments

area of task of other marks %* and
marks % suggestions
(average
X 4)
1 Dealing with
2 visitors
1
Telephoning
2
1
Presentations
2 and
Q&A sessions
1
Meetings
2
1
E-mail
2
1 Report-
writing
2
*The final % will be the same as the 'Other marks %' when trainees score
5 for 'Achievement of task'; the final % will need to be reduced to 80% of
the marks when the 'Achievement of task' % is 4 (i.e. 'Other marks %'
/*5 x 4) - or to 20% of the 'Other marks %' when the 'Achievement of
task' % is 1 (i.e. 'Other marks %' /* 5 X 1).

Sample marking scales for periodic achievement tests

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MARKING SCALES

Appropriateness of language/vocabulary

5 Language and vocabulary are appropriate to the task.

4 Some slightly inappropriate uses of vocabulary.
3 Some slightly inappropriate uses of vocabulary and the trainee also
seems to lack sufficient vocabulary to perform the task.
2 Several inappropriate uses of vocabulary and the trainee seems
seriously in need of more vocabulary to perform the task.
1 Inappropriate use of vocabulary and insufficient vocabulary for the
task.

Accuracy

5 Almost no grammatical errors. Grammar appropriate to the task.

4 A few grammatical errors and/or several grammatical uses which
are inappropriate to the task.
3 Several grammatical errors and/or several grammatical uses which
are inappropriate to the task.
2 Several grammatical errors which affect the trainee's ability to
express him/herself.
1 Many grammatical errors which seriously inhibit the trainee's
ability to perform the task.

Fluency/style/punctuation

5 Almost no hesitation; appropriate style; excellent pronunciation {in

terms of sounds, word and sentence stress and intonation).
4 Some hesitation; mostly appropriate style; some errors of
pronunciation.
3 Quite a lot of hesitation; many inappropriateness of style, but none
serious; many pronunciation errors.
2 Extremely hesitant; clumsy style which makes listening/reading
difficult; pronunciation errors which affect comprehensibility.
1 So hesitant that listening becomes difficult; inappropriate style
which makes listening/reading difficult: almost unintelligible.

Dealing with questions

5 Excellent response which is both appropriate and dear.

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 4 Generally good, although a little hesitant and/or unclear.
3 Copes but rather hesitant and/or unclear and/or very short
answers.
2 Barely copes, hesitant and/or has insufficient language to answer
questions.
1 Cannot understand questions and/or answer them.

Cultural factors/planning

5 Excellent written work piece of writing, non-verbal language; well-

planned use of Anglo-American terms: no elements which would
mystify an Anglo-American listener/reader.
4 Generally good, non-verbal language; fairly coherent in Anglo-
American terms; one or two elements which would mystify an Anglo-
American.
3 Acceptable non-verbal language; clear if not always 'coherent' in
Anglo-American terms; a few 'foreign' elements, none of which would
cause serious misunderstanding.
2 Non-verbal language rather strange from an Anglo-American
viewpoint: several 'foreign' elements, some of which might cause
misunderstanding.
1 Strange non-verbal language from an Anglo-American viewpoint;
many "foreign" elements, many of which would cause
misunderstanding or create a bad impression.

 Portfolio assessment – This involves looking at samples of trainees'

writing. If courses focus mainly on writing skills, assessment can be
based on the portfolio (a folder containing a trainee’s work) of each
trainees’ work. The trainer simply needs to issue each trainee with a
folder at the beginning of the course and explain that it is their
responsibility to fill it with samples of their work. It is also needed to
specify what type of samples one needs to see and how many of each
type. These assessments can be done in class for homework or in the
workplace. A generous time frame allows trainees to work at own pace.
The trainees get feedback on periodic basis acting on the feedback
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during the course by requesting extra practice in class or by doing self-
study. Writing a portfolio of samples can accentuate the result-oriented
nature of the course.

Assessing trainees' progress

If you are worried about the possible disadvantage that trainees can
'cheat', don't be! This form of assessment reflects real life and
encourages a responsible attitude towards English.

A sample mark sheet for periodic achievement tests

BUSINESS ENGLISH FEEDBACK

Assignment:...................................................... Date:....................................................

Course:............................................................ Trainee's
Name:.....................................

Task achievement 1 2 3 4 5 1=Focus on this!

Planning/organization 1 2 3 4 5 2=Focus on this!
Clarity/ability to express 1 2 3 4 5 3=Acceptable
meaning clearly
Grammatical accuracy 1 2 3 4 5 4=Good
Range/appropriateness of 1 2 3 4 5 5=Very good
vocabulary
Appropriate use of conventions 1 2 3 4 5
Punctuation 1 2 3 4 5

General comment:

Total mark (out of

35):

A completed feedback sheet for portfolio assessment

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 BUSINESS ENGLISH FEEDBACK
Assignment: Fax-writing Date: July 10, 2OO1

Course: Intermediate Business Trainee's Name: Joao Perreres

Task achievement 1 2 3 4 5 1=Focus on this!

Planning/organisation 1 2 3 4 5 2=Focus on this!
Clarity/ability to express 1 2 3 4 5 3=Acceptable
meaning clearly
Grammatical accuracy 1 2 3 4 5 4=Good
Range/appropriacy of 1 2 3 4 5 5=Very good
vocabulary
Appropriate use of conventions 1 2 3 4 5
Punctuation 1 2 3 4 5

General comment: You've written a fax which is complete and easy

to understand, Joao. Consider the marks I've given you — your fax
would have been much better if you'd planned it first and if you'd
carefully checked for errors.
Total mark (out of
35):24

End-of-course tests (also called achievement tests) and also the more
traditional approach to assessment on courses is designed to ascertain
whether objective have been met, and are linked to specific courses.
Well-written formal end-of-course tests certain advantages:

 Can test trainees' level of performance at a given date.

 Are usually easy to administer and can sometimes even be administered
by non-experts.
 Can act as a gatekeeper on courses, determining whether or not
trainees can proceed to higher levels and/or whether or not trainees
are awarded certificates.

The main aim is to test what has been covered in the course. Besides
written format, oral interviews or, role-plays can also be used with
careful guidance laid down for test administration and clear criteria for
assessment. Inclusion of different types of items (subjective &
objective) may result in a fairer test. All marks should ideally add up to
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 100 ( to impose percentage) and marks for different sections should be
carefully weighed to reflect the importance of each language area tested
and the time required to complete that part of the test. Besides
information on marking criteria and time allowed for each task for the
trainees’ own reference the test can also have room for optional extra
reading for those trainees who finish early.

METHOD – Multiple Choice

Can be used to test speaking, listening, reading or writing skills. This is a

difficult test item if it focuses on trainees' ability to differentiate
between commonly confused words or phrases which they may have
frequently got wrong. However, there is a strong 'guesswork' element
and trainees only have to recognize correct forms, rather than produce
them. Again on the negative side, it can confuse trainees who initially
'knew' the correct form but get confused by being exposed to wrong
possibilities. If you do manage to write some good test items you will
find them very fast to mark if you use a grid (i.e. a card with holes
where the correct answers are positioned) or computers. Examples are
provided below.

What's the most appropriate response?

1. How do you do?

a. Very well, thank you.
b. How are you?
c. Pleased to meet you
d. I'm a civil engineer
2. What does ‘turnover’ mean?
a. a type of pie
b. a type of graph
c. annual sales
d. annual income

 External examinations – These Commercially available tests are

specially-written and recognized Business English exams. Some
business English classes focus primarily on passing a test at the end of
the course, particularly if the learners do not have very specific needs.
There may be any number of reasons for this. The sponsor may want an
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 outside assessment of how effective the training has been, or learners
may need a certificate in order to apply for a job. Learners are often
more motivated to work hard if they know they have to pass a test at
the end of the course, and the course itself will be designed with the test
in mind (this effect on the course is sometimes called a backwash
effect). Offered by a number of British and American examining bodies
and written by experienced test-writers, these external examination
pose many advantages like setting clear target at the end of each course
or series of courses and qualify the trainees well for work or promotion.
These tests are often checked in advance to avoid errors or unexpected
problems and marking is done in a straightforward manner.

 TOEIC® (Test of English for International Communication)

This is an exam in multiple-choice format widely used by companies,
especially in Asia, to track general language proficiency. It is probably
so widely used because trainees can periodically obtain a numerical
score (520 out of 800) which give an indication of their level of
proficiency in an easily understood way. However, this method only
examine certain language skills, such as reading listening using short,
decontextualised items, but the results may be used to make
assumptions about general competence. This compromise is attractive
because of the relative ease of administering the test.
 BEC (Business English Certificate) tests on the other hand, also tests
speaking and writing. BEC exams are consequently more complicated to
administer, but may give a broader indication of general competence in
the language (notwithstanding the difficulty of assessing spoken
interaction, mentioned above). There are three levels of BEC test
(Preliminary, Vantage, and Higher);
 Some tests, like BEC, require takers to achieve a threshold score in
order to pass. Others, like TOEIC, do not have a pass/fail threshold, but
instead result in a score which can then be compared to a set of can-do
statements One problem with commercial tests is that they do not
explicitly test the test taker in his or her specialization. The following is
an example higher BEC test.

Test of Reading (1 hour)

In the Reading component there are six tasks of the following types:
multiple choice, matching, word level gap-filling, sentence level gap-
filling, multiple choice gap-filling, and error identification. The
Reading component contributes 25% of the total marks.

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 Test of Writing (1 hour 10 minutes)
In the Writing component there are two tasks. In part One candidates
produce a short report (based on graphic input, approx. 120-140
words). In Part Two candidates choose whether to write a report,
proposal, or piece of business correspondence. The Writing
component contributes 25% of the total marks.
Test of Listening (approximately 40 minutes, including time for
completion of answer sheets)
In the Listening component there are three tasks of the following
types: gap-filling or note completion, matching, multiple choice. Texts
used are monologues and dialogues, including interviews, discussions,
telephone conversations, and messages. The Listening component
contributes 25% of the total marks.

Test of Speaking (approximately 16 minutes per pair of candidates)

The Speaking test is conducted by two external examiners and
candidates are tested in pairs. At centers with an uneven number of
candidates, the last single candidate is examined with the last pair in a
group of three. (N.B. The group of three format may only be used to
deal with uneven numbers, unexpected absence of candidates, illness
etc. It is not an option that may be selected in normal circumstances
where there is an even number of candidates at a session.)
There are four tasks in which each candidate responds to questions,
gives ‘mini-presentation’ lasting approximately one minute, takes part
in a collaborative task with the other candidate, and takes part in a
discussion with the other candidate and the interlocutor. The
Speaking component contributes 25% of the total marks.

From CUP website www.cambridge-efl.org/business/bg-

bechigher.htm

 SEFIC (Spoken English for Industry and Commerce) offered by LCCI

(London Chamber of Commerce and Industry) is an oral exam which
operates at four levels (Preliminary, Threshold, Intermediate and
Advanced) and tries to get past the problem by requiring candidates to
give a presentation on a subject of their own choice. This does not test
the candidate in all relevant discourses, but goes some way to
recognizing the importance of the target language situation. Likewise,
Pitman provides a test called English for Office Staff aiming to target
specific types of discourse.

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SPOKEN ENGLISH FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE (SEFIC)

Fourth Level (40 minutes)

For those candidates who have gained a high degree of fluency in
business or professional encounters and transactions in English.
Candidates must be able to converse feely on topics of general
interest, be able to explain and discuss a subject of their choice in
depth, and use the specialist vocabulary appropriate to the subject
chosen. Successful candidates will, for all practical purpose, have no
language problem in any straightforward social or personal situation.
They will have demonstrated the ability to conduct the normal
business of their company in English and, in addition, they will be able
to carry on specialist discussions within their own field without
difficulty. The special subjects by professional candidates will relate to
selected aspects of their work but in other cases candidates may
choose as their topic any special interest, study, or activity.

Section A (5 minutes)
General conversation
This will be an introductory conversation encompassing a variety of
business-related topics(including one of current interest) enabling the
candidate to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary and expressions
in both familiar and unfamiliar topic areas. (The candidate’s special
topic chosen for Section B will be excluded.)

Section B (15 minutes – of which the discussion will be a minimum of

5 minutes)
Presentation
Candidates will be asked to describe or demonstrate to the examiner
some aspect of their work, or of a special subject, and to discuss it.
Candidates must supply the examiner with a written synopsis (about
200 words) for ease of reference during the examination. This will not
be assessed. Special subjects chosen by professional candidates will
relate to a selected aspect of their work but in other cases a candidate
may choose as a topic any special interest, study, or activity. In all
cases the candidate must demonstrate the ability to use freely and
accurately the appropriate specialist vocabulary. The Examiner will
ask follow-up questions leading into the discussion phase in which the
candidate will be expected to respond fully to a wide range of
questions, providing examples and clarifications as appropriate. This
section is designed to test the ability to explain and discuss in depth,

19
 using the relevant technical or specialist vocabulary along with
‘layman’s language’, a prepared subject of which the candidate has
personal knowledge and/or experience and to demonstrate that a
candidate could make a presentation in English that would command
respect among peers.

Section C (10 minutes)

Listening Comprehension
Candidates will be asked to listen once to a recorded dialogue in
English on a general workplace or business topic. The will then be
asked to summarize for the examiner the substance of the
conversation. Afterwards the candidate will be required to discuss
and suggest a solution to the ‘problematic’ situation outlined by the
speakers in the dialogue. (Candidates are permitted to make notes
while listening to the recording.) This section is designed to test the
candidate’s ability to extract information from continuous dialogue in
which they are not themselves involved and to test the candidate’s
ability to pass on by word of mouth information received aurally.

Section D (10 minutes)

Reading Comprehension
The candidate will be asked to study two or more sources of
information (i.e. a report plus a graph or chart) supplied by the
examiner. Questions will be posed by the examiner to assess the
candidate’s comprehension and powers of deduction. The topic area
covered will be different from Section C. This section is designed to
test the candidate’s ability to absorb a written text, render its gist
succinctly and discuss the content.

From www.1ccieb.com/LCCI/

There are other commercially available tests like CEIBT (Certificate in

English for International Business and Trade) presented by UCLES
(University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate), the English for
Business Communication Exam offered by Pitman Qualifications,
spoken English exam by Trinity College of London and so on.

One problem with commercial tests is that they do not explicitly test the
test taker in his or her specialization.

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 Tests can be marked Holistically, which means that the markers try to
get an overall impression of competence. Analytic marking, on the
other hand, uses more detailed sets of specific criteria for the examiner
to use.

Tests comprise of variety of items or individual tasks designed to elicit

certain responses from test-takers. Discrete point items are designed
to focus on specific linguistic elements, such as grammar or vocabulary.
These common item types often share characteristics with others.

Multiple choice consists of a statement, plus a selection of alternative

statement (distracters); the test-taker is required to choose one.

Tick the correct answer.

A balance sheet is:

a. a financial statement
b. something you put on your bed
c. a device for walking in a straight line
d. a type of sail

 Matching – this is a typical way to check lexical proficiency; for

example, test takers match collocations, or sentence halves, or
synonyms. Note, as in the example below, how the item can be made
more difficult by giving more than one match, or by using distracters.

Match the descriptions 1-5 to the different functions of a

company.
1 Creates new products. A administration
2 In charge of the welfare of employees. B purchasing
Keeps a record of all payments made and
3 C personal
received.
4 Orders all supplies needed. D research &

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 development
Provides office services, e.g. personnel sales &
5 E
typing. marketing
F accounts
G legal

 Gap-fill – this describes items where words or phrases have been

removed from sentences or texts, and may or may not be given to the
test taker.

Yesterday

Complete the conversation. Use was, were, wasn’t or weren’t.

A where _____________you yesterday?

B At work. I rang you but you ___________in.

A I ________in London. There __________a

meeting about the new distribution system. Why
________ you there?

B I didn’t know it about it.

A The new project manager wanted to speak to you.

She _________very pleased when she found
out you ____________there. Didn’t you see the
e-mail about it?

B No. Who else ___________there?

A Everyone. Why didn’t you read your e-mail?

B I __________ too busy. I thought it

__________ important.

From Business Objectives (Trainer’s Book) by Philips & Philips

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 Information transfer – The test-taker is required to transfer
information from one source to another. This is very common in
listening tasks, where the test takers is asked to listen and then react in
some way to what has been heard. This can be done using multiple
choice or gap-fills

 LISTENING

PART ONE
Questions 1 – 12

 You will listen to three telephone conversations.

 Write one or two words or a number in the number in the
numbered space on the notes of forms.
 After you have listened once, replay the recording.

Conversation One (Questions 1-4)

 Look at the form below.

 You will hear a woman telephoning about some problems with an
order.

Stationary Supplies International

CUSTOMERS SERVICES / ORDER MANAGEMENT FORM

Customer: Fermore Consultants / Jennifer Gardiner

Order No: (1) …………………………………………………………..

PROBLEMS

 Paper : ordered A5 not A4

 Envelope : ordered (2)………………………………………not white
 Ink cartridges : ordered 20 Trujet (3)……………………………..

COMMENTS

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 Correct items to be sent out tonight by (4)……………

 Comprehension – a comprehension test seeks to find out whether or

not the test taker has understood a particular text (spoken or written).
 Error correction – error corrections items simply ask test takers to
find and correct the errors. These are often used check grammatical
accuracy

 Open ended – and open-ended item is one which does not require a
specific answer. For example, if the oral examiner asks, “Tell me about
your job”, the answers can be wide ranging. Or a written test might ask
the test taker to recommend a particular conference venue based on
extracts from brochure. In SET (Spoken English Test for Business
(Pitman)), the assessment is based on a tape-recording or a 1-to-1
conversation with an interlocutor.

o Continuous assessment refers to regular checks and tests which build

up to give cumulative picture. The type of task(s) or test items you ask
your trainees to do (if choosing any of the first three types of
assessment) will be determined by the particular focus of your course.
Incidentally, tests should not be seen as separate from learning
progress; since all tests recycle language, they are an integral part of
learning.

o Using computers

 Computer-based-tests (CBT) –refers to test put on a computer, as

compared to pen and paper testing.
o Feedback is relatively fast and accurate
o Ideal for bulk candidates
o Easy to incorporate visuals and listening elements
o Can be tailor made for specific solutions
o However, a test taker not used to computer will be affected due to CBT
 Computer-adaptive tests (CAT) – the computer based tests where the
computers selects items based on the response of the test takers to the
previous item. The level of the questions goes up with the success rate
of the answers and vice versa.

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o Possible to assess the test-taker’s level fairly quick provided the items
are correctly graded. This can be impractical if the trainer is designing
his or her own tests – however, a professional testing organization will
have item banks (collections of items) which have been checked by a
large number of test takers and compared against other (known) items.
o Ensures high degree of reliability.
o Can be executed fast.
o The questions are not extremely easy or difficult – they change level
step by step.

Choosing a test

A Business English trainer ponders over various factors prior to

advising the learner on the choice of test. The checkpoints might be –

o What is the reason for doing the test- e.g. application for a job, enter a
training program etc. In both cases, the employer or organizer may
demand success either in given proficiency test, or up to a certain level
– which can be indicated by test success or score. If so, then the
organization may dictate which test to choose. However, it is important
that trainers (and the people who use test results of the tests to make
decisions) fully understand what the test result actually means. For
example, if the test gives a score of 500, with plus or minus 10%
accuracy, then it would seem not justifiable to differentiate between a
person who has scored 390 and another who has scored 430. Within
the limitations of the test scoring system, both candidates have
performed equally well. This is one reason why some examination
boards use a simple statement of ‘Distinction’, ‘Pass’, or ‘Fail’, rather
than numbers, which suggest a precision which does not necessarily
exist. Such issues need to be taken into account where a minimum score
is required to gain university admission, for example. Other practical
factors will also influence the decision.
o Time – some tests are often days/dates specific on an annual basis.
o Location – tests are often carried out only in authorized test centres.
o Registration – some testing organizations require early registration,
but this may not be practical (for example, if the HR department is still
awaiting budget confirmation, they may not be able to register in time).
o Support materials – some tests have readily available practice and
support material.
o Cost.

25
o Chances of success – ideally the trainer should advise learners to take
tests which they have a reasonably good chance of passing, otherwise
the only beneficiary is the testing organization.
o Currency – is the test acceptable in the relevant marketplace (for
example, an exam-based qualification well known in one country may
not be recognized elsewhere)?
o Certificate – specific testimonials or details (e.g. can-do statements)
may be more useful to prospective employers than a test score. In some
places, certificates come in an identity-card format, including photo, to
prevent fraud.
o Correlation with other tests – sometimes studies are available that
provide comparisons with other tests.
o Relevance to workplace – some sponsors will only pay for a test if it
will benefit the organization (they may want to know, for example, if the
discourse types tested are relevant to the workplace).
o Notification of results – some tests take months to confirm results,
which may be too late for some candidates.

Trainee evaluation using feedback and observation

Testing learner’s language skills is one of the main ways to find out how
successful a course has been, and usually gives results that are
quantitative, making the data convenient to record, manipulate, and
compare. However, there are other ways to evaluate a course (or
materials, or the training).
Checking the reaction of the learners is a standard form of qualitative
evaluation, and there are different ways to do this.
Plenary discussion (that is, discussing with the whole group) can be
very useful, and can take place at any point in the course; the
participants simply sit around in a circle and discuss various issues that
have arisen, or make suggestions for the future. The discussion may
include other stakeholders, such as department heads, course sponsors
etc. Participants can also be asked to write comments on a feedback
sheet, prompted by a series of questions.
26
 Collecting feedback from trainees with a course feedback form at the
end of each course is probably the easiest approach.

 The form of course needs to be adapted according to the precise content

of the course.
 The trainer designing the form should phrase questions carefully to
invite useful response.
 Feedback forms can also be complemented with formalized interviews
or informal chats whenever possible.
 While considering completed feedback forms, ratings and comments
should be analyzed with care as effective evaluation involves probing
the reason behind the course’s apparent strengths and weaknesses.
 Unexpected ratings and mysterious comments can be clarified by asking
trainees and their managers’ indirect questions or by seemingly
innocuous chatting.
 If reasons behind low course ratings or poor trainee performances are
perpetually elusive the trainer can ask his/her clients to cooperate in
discovering the causes
 The need for English is sufficiently in today’s businesses for clients to
appreciate our efforts to probe their real needs.

Feedback encompasses not only correcting trainees, but also offering

them an assessment of how well they have done. The way we will assess
and correct trainees will depend not only upon the kind of mistakes
being made but also on the type of activity the trainees are taking part
in. The following questions, for example, may be handed out at the end
of a course:

What I liked about the course:

What I didn’t like about the course:
Possible improvements:

Some participants may not wish to put their feelings in writing,

however, or might prefer a more anonymous method, or may find it
difficult to be completely honest if they feel the trainer will recognize
their writing, so an alternative is to use a board laid out as below.
Learners are given stickers to place on the board, in a position which
best reflects their feelings. The trainer leaves the room and returns to

27
 find a completed board which can then be used as a basis for business.

Classroom
facilities

Course
content

Materials

Training
style

In many cases, trainers in action might be evaluated and observed by

experienced trainers helping to add on yet another perspective of the
learners’ reaction to the trainer. This also enables the trainer to reflect
on the trainer’s ability. The observer might focus on areas like:

Class history -

 Vintage of the class

 Status of attendance
 Needs of the class

Lesson plan

 Specificity and clarity of its aim

 Variations in types of activity
 Room for flexibility

Lesson content –

28
  Relevance to the learner’s needs

Management of activities –

 Learners’ awareness of the aim of the activity

 Clarity of the instructions
 Usefulness of the supporting materials
 The participation of the learners

Feedback –

 Its appropriateness and functionality

Rapport –

 The positive rapport between the trainers and the learners

Class assessment –

 The trainer’s perception of relative strengths and weakness in the

class
 The possible priorities for future lessons

Reflective Evaluation

While feedback and statistical data are both invaluable and must be
taken into account, much of course evaluation can be done simply by
reflecting on currents situation.

 This form of evaluation relies on conscious reflection of the intra-

classroom activities.
 The system can bear the qualities of being quick, simple involved in
assessing something that has just happened.

But it can also involve a more systematic approach beyond the typical
methods including discussing issues with colleagues, attending
workshops and conferences, reading and keeping up to date with the
literature, keeping diaries and journals, and carrying out action
research.
Action Research consists of trainers themselves doing small-scale
exploring to analyze what is happening in their classroom and then
29
 trying to find better ways of executing those, the effect of which are, in
turn, observed. The process normally has five stages:

1. Find an area to examine or improve.

2. Plan the change.
3. Act (implement the change).
4. Observe the results of the action.
5. Reflect on the results.

Of course, this process can be cyclical in nature if, based on the

observation and reflection; further improvements are planned and
carried out. Here are examples of action research carried out in
business English classrooms.

A form for getting feedback at the end of a course

Business English END-OF-COURSE FEEDBACK

Please help us to improve our courses by filling out the following form.
Circle your answers. A = excellent. B = good, C = acceptable, D = poor. If
you'd prefer to remain anonymous, just leave the first space blank!

Name:....................................................... Course:......................................................
Company:.................................................. Site:...........................................................
Trainer:................................................... Term:..........................................................

Self-evaluation:

How would you rate your own progress and performance for this course?

Attitude: A B C D Performance: A B C D Progress: A B C D

In your opinion, how much progress have you made in the following
areas?

Improvement Performance grade

Dealing with visitors

30
Dealing with visitors None Little Some Great A B C D
Telephoning None Little Some Great A B C D
Presentations and Q&A None Little Some Great A B C D
Meetings None Little Some Great A B C D
E-mail None Little Some Great A B C D
Report-writing None Little Some Great A B C D

Course evaluation:
How would you rate this course? (Circle answers)
Overall: A B C D Training: A B C D Materials: A B C D
In general, this course 1 2 3 4 5
was ... useful ..............................................not useful
Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.
1 2 3 4 5
The trainer was ..
helpful..............................................not helpful
Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.
The class activities 1 2 3 4 5
were ... helpful..............................................not helpful
Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.

1 2 3 4 5
Materials were ...
useful ..............................................not useful
Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.
The most useful thing we did
was.........................................................................................
Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.
The least useful thing we did was
........................................................................................
Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.
The homework 1 2 3 4 5
assignments were useful ..............................................not useful

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Because................................
........................................... ...........................................
.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1
0
In general, I spent ...
hours on homework per week
useful ..............................................not useful
Plans for next term
What do you want to do next term?
-Go on to the next level.
-Continue at the same level.
-Stop studying English because
________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Suggestions

What kind of class activities would you like to do more

of?___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What can we do to improve our
courses?__________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What other course (s) would you find
useful?_______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Any other suggestions?
Please write them on a separate piece of paper and attach it to this form.

Thank you
(Based on a form developed by instructors at Sumikin-Intercom Inc.,
Osaka, Japan )

The Client’s perspective

Further beyond the learners and the trainer’s perspective - the

satisfaction of the participants and success of the course objective, the
client’s or the customer’s view plays a significant role in Business
English course structure. The client, who may not necessarily be the
learners themselves, would stress upon the impact of the course at the
workplace and the benefit derived out of it by the company. An
educational establishment might be interested in the effect the course
32
 may have on its marketing strategies, or on its overall reputations.

Cost is a key decisive factor in Business English trainer’s trade,

especially when an in-company context is taken into account.

Some costs are fairly self-explanatory (hiring people, providing

equipment, administration, materials)

The less immediately obvious costs are more significant to companies -

 Opportunity costs are related to the fact that learners on a course are
then not available to do their ‘real’ jobs (the work that they are paid to
do, and which benefits the company) – if the course participants are five
highly-paid senior managers, then the cost of the trainer’s fees is
insignificant in comparison.
 Waiting costs refer to the costs incurred because a company has to wait
for training to be carried out. For example, a company which has
received a license to do business in an English-speaking country, but
has no staff who can speak English, will incur a loss of potential income
until staff can be trained. If the school cannot deliver the training for a
couple of weeks then this cost will be taken into account.
 Interference costs are incurred because the training interferes with
other people – for example, the staff in the departments belonging to
the managers who are on a course may not be able to carry out their
jobs properly because their manager is absent.

Of course, cost itself is rarely the sole deciding factor – it is how these
costs relate to the benefits of the training which is more important.
Organizations normally use one of the following approaches to help
them think about this cost/benefit relationship.

 Payback looks at a straight comparison between the cost of the

training, and the savings made (or new income earned) in consequence,
and asks how readily will the costs be covered by the savings (income).
 The cost/benefit ratio compares the cost of the training with the
benefits, both tangible and intangible. The latter might include benefits
like improved work climate, reduced stress, enhanced customer
relations, motivation, and so on. Clearly, such benefits are almost
impossible to qualify in financial terms; nevertheless such estimates,
however inaccurate, may be taken into account when the course is
evaluated.

33
 Return on Investment (ROI) is essentially the inverse ratio (‘return’
being the ‘benefit’), but views the transactions as an investment, rather
than focusing on cost and viewing it as a situation where resources are
spent.

A potential client may take this one step further and compare the
cost/benefit ratios of alternative investments. For example, a company
might wish to compare the cost/benefit of using interpreters against
the cost/benefit of language training, or the cost/benefit of recruiting
English-speaking staff against the cost/benefit of training them. In other
words, they ask the question: Is this the best way to spend our money?
Often companies will ask several schools to submit quotations for
business English training, and then choose the one which appears to
offers the best ROI.

Calculating such factors may be done by rule of thumb, but many HR

departments will be required to submit some sort of analysis before
decisions are made. Most trainers will not be involved in the detail of
such calculations, but they will be directly affected by them. For
example, it may be important for freelance trainers who want to charge
a bit more than their competitors to point out (diplomatically) that their
fee is actually a very small part of the overall equation. Likewise, and
awareness of opportunity and interference costs will help the trainer to
understand why it is (for example) that the managers are only available
to do the course in the evenings, even though their learning potential
may be considerably diminished by the fact that they have been at their
desks all day. Finally, the business English trainer needs to keep in mind
that sponsors need to be able to see the benefits of training. Meeting the
boss and discussing these benefits may have more influence on how he
or she evaluates the course than all the tests and feedback sheets in the
world.

34