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Performance-based BE and ESP:Emancipating ourselves from the academic model

Cleve Miller - Director, English360

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Business English and ESP are in a transition period:

web technology now allows true

collaboration, personalization, and performance-based

learning.

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Context:

fast moving, technology-driven, knowledge-based

global economy

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Fundamental learner/client need:English as a global competitive advantage

Today’s global, knowledge-driven economies require fast, inexpensive, pedagogically-appropriate, business-driven English learning content that is specific to:

+ each learner’s business communication needs + each company’s strategic needs + each industry’s domain needs

industries/professional domains+ English for medicine+ English for engineering+ English for IT+ English for tourism+ English for finance+ English for diplomacy+ English for energy

strategic needs+ boost sales+ build alliances+ present at conferences+ create channels+ find distributors+ attend training abroad+ negotiate contracts

communication needs+ meetings+ negotiations+ conference calling+ presentations+ relationship building+ socializing+ leadership

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Corporate, ESP market is in transition, online and offline

+ “pain point” with professional language training: questionable ROI

+ academic model has limited value in business setting

+ organizations invest billions annually on ESP, business ELT

+ larger class size+ standardized curricula and assessment+ generic, multi-level coursebooks+ provides foundation of general English+ Ss “job” is to study, attend

+ individual or small groups+ personalization based on business needs+ customized course design + provides extension of specialist English+ Ss study takes them away from job

But, difficult to implement in analog world.We designed e360 to solve this problem.

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With English360, corporate, ESP clients receive

personalized, performance-based business English

by way of “collaborative content”.

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The vision is enabled by using collaborative content to deliver better business English and ESP teaching materials and courses.

Business English material development - publisher vs. teacher:strengths and weaknesses on the “Content Continuum”

Publisher TeacherADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES(author and re-

sequence)

reliable pedagogic quality

expert authored

quality production

professionally edited

culturally appropriate

fast, up-to-date, and inexpensive

closer fit to language needs

closer fit to business needs

generic - common denominator

slow - 2-5 years from concept to classroom

expensive

“top down” - authors far from students, teachers

uneven quality

duplicated efforts re-invent wheel

can be disorganized

low production values

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Using web 2.0 technologies, we get the best of both ends of the content continuum for business English and ESP.

Publisher Teacher

reliable pedagogic qualityexpert authored

quality production

professionally edited

School

English360 platform

Business

culturally appropriate

fast and up-to-date

closer fit to language needscloser fit to business needs

English360 platform

English360 joins teacher, publisher, school and enterprise into a collaborative course design process

CUP content, granular and taggedauthoring, playlist course

design

Sharing and collaboration

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Digital technology positions collaborative materials and methods at the center ofhumanistic and effective teaching.

Collaborative

Academic model:top-down and linear

coursebook

coursebook

coursebook

PublisherExpert-authored, professionallyedited, high quality production

SchoolSelects coursebook based onsyllabus, approach

Teacher, StudentConsume coursebook,some supplementary material

Performance-based:With technology-enabled collaborative

content

Publisher

Student

School

HR manager Teacher

World

coursebook nowviewed as flexible guide

ongoing needs assessment,involved in course design,

learner autonomy

up-to-date authentic content,current events, business interests,

communication skills, Ss personal interests

pedagogic guidance,

proprietary materials

created over time by teachers

advises on companybusiness needs, goals

primary coordination role,ongoing authored materials

based on needs

English360platform

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English360 uses a playlist approach to course design that delivers training that is culturally adapted, customized and personalized.

collaborative content

Publisher

Student

School

Business Teacher

WorldpersonalizationCollaborative content allows a high level of personalization: more of the learning community is involved, and content is now flexible. Based on factors such as students’ needs, learning style, company needs, interests, and schedule, English360 provides a “playlist” approach to course design adapts content to the learners’ ongoing situation.

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The third step in the process is on-the-job performance, which both drives content and course design, and feeds back into it.

Teacher

personalization performancePerformance must be both the start of course design (the needs analysis) and the final product. English360 organizes performance events and integrates them into course design, then supports students’ preparation for performance. The cycle is complete when the results of performance are self-assessed by the student, then fed back into the collaborative content stage.

playlist course design

collaborative content

Publisher

Student

School

Business

World

360º content creation

pre-performancepreparation

post-performance self-assessment

“Hello Mr. Li. I’m delightedyou were able to come

here for our meetings....”

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Q & A + Discussion