Introduction

Business English is a competency based programme which is specifically aimed at people who are involved in office work or the business environment.  It starts with the level of the office worker / assistant and goes right up to management level requirements.  Whilst aiming to assist in improving all skills in the English language, Reading, Writing and Speaking, there is a strong bias to the language and tasks that are to be found in the business environment, although not in Foundation and Master, where the emphasis is on English.

 Whilst the basic course is completed in three stages (Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced) there are three extra ‘jump in’ points (Beginner, Pre Intermediate and Upper Intermediate) for those who do not have the level of English required at the three pre-defined levels.  These are designed to get the candidates to the required level.  It should be noted that each module can be taken in isolation, if required.

 The basic outlines of the course(s) are detailed in Table 1.

Table 1 - Basic Outline and Details

  **Fees are negotiable for company as well as individual**

 Training and Assessment Mechanism

 As with any competency based Training Programme, the training and assessment would be an optimal mixture of knowledge "input session" at Bridge Training Solutions (BTS)  and continuous assessments.

 Competent trainers, who are specialist in their own areas, will be allocated for the programme.

Certifications

Upon successful completion of the Training Programme, the candidates will be awarded an IVQ Certificate. (Name of the programme and title of the Certificate might be decided and agreed with Clients)

Levels and Information

Level 1 – Beginner

Participants can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases satisfying practical needs in connection with education, training and social roles. Can introduce him / her and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as possessions, addresses and people known. Participants can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. They can read and understand short texts on familiar topics and obtain information from common signs and symbols. Participants can write short simple phrases and sentences in documents such as forms, lists and messages.

Level 2 - Elementary

 Candidate can understand sentences and frequently-used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance such as basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment, and education, training and social roles. Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information, feelings and opinions on familiar and routine matters. Can engage in conversation to establish shared understanding about familiar topics. Can read, understand and obtain information from short documents, familiar, sources, signs and symbols. Can write to communicate with some awareness of the intended audience.

Level 3 – Pre - Intermediate 

 Candidate can understand the main points of clear standard communication on matters regularly encountered in social roles, work, school, leisure, education and training. Can convey information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics, using appropriate formality. Can engage in discussion in a familiar situation making relevant points and responding to reach a shared understanding. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce a simple connected text on topics which are

familiar or of personal interest, adapting to the intended audience. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give explanations for opinions and plans.

Level 4 - Intermediate

Candidate can understand the main ideas of complex communication on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can communicate with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes interaction quite possible without strain for either party. Can adapt to take account of the listener(s), the context and the medium. Can engage in discussion in familiar and unfamiliar situations making clear and relevant contributions. Can obtain information from different sources. Can communicate

clearly and in detail on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options, varying length, format and style appropriate to purpose and audience.

Level 5 – Upper Intermediate

Candidate can understand a wide range of demanding longer texts, both written and spoken, and recognise implicit meaning. Can use the language fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can respond to extended information and narratives, follow detailed explanations and

complex instructions, adapting response to audience, medium and context. Can engage in discussion in a variety of situations making clear and effective contributions. Can use language flexibly and understand a range of texts of varying complexity and length for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. Can communicate ideas and opinions effectively, using length, format and style appropriate to purpose, content and audience.

 Level 6 - Advanced

Staff who are expected to read the full range of work related documents in English, including those that require complex replies, and to draft documents where choice and tone of expression may be critical to the success of the transaction Candidate can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise

information from different spoken or written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him / herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.