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PROPOSING AND DEMONSTRATING A RESEARCH-BASED APPROACH TO
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR BUSINESS ENGLISH
M. K. Juraeva
Assistant of History and Philology Department at Asia International University.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15204771
Abstract. This article presents and exemplifies a research-based method for creating a
Business English curriculum that emphasizes three key areas: intercultural competency,
negotiating techniques, and business communication. This method highlights the value of
requirements analysis, learner-centered training, and task-based learning by drawing on insights
from studies of language acquisition, pedagogy, and corporate communication. Teachers can
design Business English programs that are effective, current, and sensitive to the ever-changing
demands of the business sector by incorporating these ideas into the curriculum building
process.
Key
words:
Business English,
curriculum, language acquisition, sensitive,
communication, learner-centered, intercultural competency, research-based, methods, pedagogy.
ПРЕДЛОЖЕНИЕ И ДЕМОНСТРАЦИЯ НАУЧНО-ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬСКОГО
ПОДХОДА К РАЗРАБОТКЕ УЧЕБНОЙ ПРОГРАММЫ ПО ДЕЛОВОМУ
АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ.
Аннотация. В этой статье представлен и проиллюстрирован научно-
исследовательский метод создания учебной программы по деловому английскому языку,
которая подчеркивает три ключевые области: межкультурная компетентность,
методы ведения переговоров и деловая коммуникация. Этот метод подчеркивает
ценность анализа требований, обучения, ориентированного на обучающегося, и обучения,
основанного на задачах, опираясь на идеи из исследований по усвоению языка, педагогики
и корпоративной коммуникации. Преподаватели могут разрабатывать эффективные,
актуальные и чувствительные к постоянно меняющимся требованиям делового сектора
программы, включив эти идеи в процесс построения учебной программы.
Ключевые слова: деловой английский, учебная программа, усвоение языка,
чувствительный, коммуникация, ориентированный на обучающегося, межкультурная
компетентность, научно-исследовательские, методы, педагогика.
INTRODUCTION
The goal of business English, a subfield of English language instruction (ELT), is to give
students the communication abilities they need to be successful in the corporate sector. English
has emerged as the de facto business language in today's worldwide economy, and demand for
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business English courses has increased dramatically. But creating a successful Business English
curriculum necessitates a careful, research-based strategy that considers the unique requirements
of students, the expectations of the corporate world, and the most recent findings from
pedagogical and linguistic studies.
MATERIALS
A crucial initial step in creating any language curriculum is needs analysis, which is
especially crucial for business English since students there frequently have specific career
objectives. Teachers can determine the language proficiency, communication techniques, and
business acumen that students require to thrive in their particular situations by doing a complete
needs analysis. Information regarding learners' professional roles, communication difficulties,
and present language skills are gathered during this procedure. Surveys, interviews, and
observations are some of the ways that a needs analysis informed by research can be conducted.
Hutchinson and Waters (1987) argued that needs analysis should differentiate between learning
needs (i.e., what learners must learn to accomplish those tasks) and target needs (i.e., what
learners need to do with the language). Writing business emails, making presentations, and
attending meetings are examples of target needs in the context of business English. Conversely,
learning demands could entail picking up certain vocabulary.
RESEARCH AND METHODS
After the needs analysis is finished, teachers can utilize the information to guide the
creation of the curriculum. This entails picking relevant subjects, resources, and exercises that
complement students' career objectives. A well-designed curriculum should close the gap
between students' present skills and their desired competences, as stated by Graves (2000).
Teachers may make sure that students gain the skills that are most applicable to their
careers by ensuring that the curriculum is based on real-world demands. A pedagogical strategy
known as "learner-centered instruction" highlights how crucial it is to adapt training to each
student's unique requirements, interests, and learning preferences. This method is especially
crucial in business English since students frequently have different levels of language
competency and come from a variety of professional backgrounds. Therefore, flexibility and
adaptability should be given top priority in a research-informed approach to curriculum
development so that teachers can tailor the curriculum to each group of learners' unique needs.
RESULTS
According to studies on language acquisition, students who actively participate in their
education have a higher chance of success. Learner autonomy, according to Holec (1981), is the
capacity to direct one's own education. Fostering learner autonomy in a Business English
curriculum may entail motivating students to choose subjects that align with their career
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interests, set their own objectives, and pursue self-directed learning outside of the classroom. The
instructional strategy known as task-based learning (TBL) centers language training around real-
world tasks. Ellis (2003) claims that because TBL forces students to utilize language in
purposeful, goal-oriented tasks, it is especially useful for fostering communicative competence.
TBL enables students to practice the particular tasks they would face in their professional lives,
like sending emails, making presentations, and attending meetings, in the context of business
English. Even though authentic tasks are crucial, students frequently require assistance and
direction in order to finish them successfully. According to Vygotsky's (1978) theory of the zone
of proximal development (ZPD), students can do activities that are beyond their current
capabilities if they are given the right kind of scaffolding, or assistance. Scaffolding in a
Business English program could entail giving students templates and examples or dividing
difficult assignments into smaller, more manageable phases.
DISCUSSION
Intercultural competency is an essential ability for business executives in today's
globalized market. The capacity to interact with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds in
an appropriate and successful manner is known as intercultural competence. Cultural awareness,
empathy, and adaptation are among the information, abilities, and attitudes that make up
intercultural competence, according to Deardorff (2006). To prepare students to work in
multicultural, multinational teams, a business English program must emphasize the development
of intercultural competency.
According to Byram (1997), intercultural competency requires critical cultural
knowledge. This entails having the capacity to critically examine both one's own and other
people's cultural presumptions and values. Discussions, debates, and reflective writing
assignments that urge students to analyze their own cultural prejudices and think about how these
could affect their professional interactions are some examples of how a Business English
program might foster critical cultural awareness.
CONCLUSION
A research-informed approach that considers the unique needs of learners, the demands of
the corporate environment, and the most recent findings from pedagogical research is necessary
to develop an effective corporate English curriculum.
Teachers can design a curriculum that is interesting, relevant, and in line with the
practical communication difficulties of the business world by carrying out a comprehensive
requirements analysis, embracing a learner-centered approach, and using task-based learning.
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Additionally, incorporating intercultural competency, utilizing real-world resources,
utilizing technology, and putting both formative and summative assessments into practice
guarantees that students not only gain the language proficiency they need, but also the critical
thinking and problem-solving skills required for success in the modern global business world.
The curriculum is further improved by constant reflection and modification in response to
learner input and current research, guaranteeing that it stays relevant and successful in achieving
students' career objectives.
REFERENCES
1.
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence.
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Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a
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Dow, E. (1999). Negotiation comes of age: Research in non-native contexts and
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