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and the teacher shall prevent discussions of the points presented. The teacher shall also
watch that students share the presentation speaking time equally to ensure active
participation of all students.
The discussion will also take on average 25 minutes. All students will come
together to discuss the findings and make recommendations. This is the part of the
lesson when the students compare and contrast the various findings and suggestions
made. It is very important to encourage participation of everyone and to reach a
consensus on the main points raised in the presentation. As a follow-up homework the
teacher may assign the students to prepare detailed minutes of the case study analysis
so that students can consolidate their ideas in a written form. The minutes may be
prepared in groups as well, but the groups should not be larger than 3 people.
The last part of the lesson will be the Debriefing Class. All case study classes
need to be debriefed to include the language, skills, support documents and written
communication.
Language: there are various ways to address the mistakes made. The teacher
may simply go through the major mistakes and explain the correct form. The teacher
may also draft exercises from the mistakes and practice the material.
Skills: main skills that are taught during Business English classes are
managerial, oral communication and presentation skills. The teacher shall provide
feedback on how to improve these skills. The feedback shall include rapport building,
body language and eye contact.
Written communication: the feedback on written communication will come
later, but besides grammar checking it shall include such points like the difference
between spoken and written language and the style used in Business English.
The case study is a valuable teaching method in Business English classes and,
as such, it induces the development of both linguistic and non-linguistic competencies.
It is a brilliant way of stimulating students’ motivation, as it arouses curiosity and
interest in the study content. Nevertheless, teachers should carefully consider the case
study material as they have to make sure that the level of the case study corresponds to
the linguistic level of the students. Otherwise, students will become stressed, frustrated,
53
bored or discouraged [14].
As with any other teaching tool teaching ESP with case studies has both
benefits and shortfalls. Below are listed the advantages and disadvantages of the case
study methodology from the point of both teachers and students.
Teachers’ difficulties. The reasons why many teachers are reluctant to use
case studies in the classroom are:
1. The belief that it is difficult to deal with the business content implied by
case studies because specialized content requires a large investment of both time and
energy in the pre-teaching stage. Solution: teachers that are aware of the importance of
case studies should allocate time and resources for class preparation.
2. The conservative teaching approach gives some teachers the impression
that the teaching act is not performed if they use case studies, as learners do not get
enough improvement in language skills to deal with business-related situations.
Solution: using different teaching methods diversifies the learning process for students
as well, making it more efficient.
3. The difficulty of assessing both the content and the language coverage.
Solution: Various ways of assessing and evaluation may be used: questionnaires,
interviews, discussions, independent evaluators.
4. The lack of comfort with role shifting, from teacher to facilitator. Solution:
It is advisable that the teacher learns and be able to cope with various roles.
5. The unpredictability of case studies classes, where there is no specific
frame and no definite outcome. Solution: the key to solve unpredictability is to stick to
the Lesson Plan designed in advance.
Teachers’ advantages from working with case studies:
1. Open-minded, reflective, critical and active learning is encouraged.
2. Applying the previous linguistic acquisition is allowed and the gap
between theory and practice is bridged.
3. Involving the four language teaching skills (speaking, listening, reading,
and writing) all at once within the business context.
4. Facilitating the use of multiple linguistic registers.
54
5. Placing a focus on the student, who can be better monitored, helped and
guided.
6. Enhancing the teacher-student dynamics.
Learners’ difficulties. The reasons why some students are reluctant to taking
part in case studies are:
1. It is hard to cope with case studies basically because the students lack
sufficient Business English skills. Solution: Teachers should choose such cases that
will correspond to the class general level and should provide information about the
format, content, language input and documents characteristic to a business event:
charts, books, web sites, etc.
2. Case studies may be boring and unexciting. Solution: Teachers should
develop case studies based on students’ research interests and even request students to
develop case studies based on their personal interests and linguistic knowledge.
3. Students are reluctant to work in environments they are not accustomed
to. They might prefer a formal and time-constrained setting instead. Solution: Teachers
should think about introducing both coursework and exam assessment on the case study
content in the overall course. As a consequence, all students will be able to develop the
range of skills necessary for working with case studies.
4. Rivalries within the group may prevent effective group work due to the
different levels of input that some members may provide. Solution: Teachers should
enable the group to set specific targets and should identify the roles of everyone.
Learners’ advantages.
1. Case studies have a rich content and can provide the learner with the
potential to consolidate the already acquired knowledge and train specific language and
managerial skills;
2. Case studies provide a systematic way of looking at events, data collection
and analyses and results reporting.
3. Case studies help students develop their creativity as no strict rules and
frames are applied.
55
4. As students carry out independent research outside the tutorial milieu,
individual study skills are encouraged;
5. Case studies also enhance collaborative learning and team-working skills
in the language learner. Students may develop managerial and executive skills.
6. As far as the presentation skills are concerned, Business English case
studies often require participants to present their work in various formats: oral
presentations, reports, memos, minutes of a meeting, etc.
7. Students learn more in a relaxed atmosphere, which case studies usually
offer, than under pressure.
As English for Specific Purposes is essentially an approach to language
teaching which is based on learner needs, the ESP course content and methods can
widely vary, depending on specific reasons for learning English. Being extremely
flexible in terms of language material and teaching techniques, it is probably ESP that
is most exposed to the growing interest in using technology for educational purposes.
Over the recent years, advances in technology have greatly affected ESP teaching
practice, bringing new technologies and abundance of online resources into the
classroom [2].
Working with case studies give the teachers the possibility to apply a wide
variety of facilities as data projectors, whiteboards, computer-assisted classes, and feel
comfortable dealing with technology. The ESP teachers should focus on how to make
a choice upon the new tools wisely and incorporate only those that could help learners
attain their objectives rather than simply spend time having fun [27].
As with any other teaching tool, it is the objectives of the course and the needs
of the learners that should influence what technology to apply. In fact, there are
guidelines to follow when preparing a technology enhanced lesson. First, the learner’s
needs and interests, as well as the facilities available in the classroom, will determine
what technology is appropriate in a certain ESP environment. For example, it does
matter whether there are computers for everyone, only a few computers, or a single
computer at the teacher’s disposal.
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Second, most often ESP teachers must adapt technology to the original goals
of the course, making lessons, which work well, just more up-to-date and effective,
rather than changing everything and building anew for the sake of using new tools.
What is more, as there is a large variety of tools to design technology-enhanced lessons,
it is a good idea to evaluate several tools to do the job required and choose the one that
works best. It is important to remember that a new kind of technology will not
necessarily improve the quality of the lesson, but instead of giving up and abandoning
it altogether, ESP teachers should search for some other tools which will work most
effectively.
Next, it is reasonable to evaluate the success of reaching the course goals with
a new technology incorporated, which can be done either in a more formal or quite
informal manner. Getting feedback from the learners, and teacher’s reflecting on the
lesson outcomes could improve motivation for bringing even more tools into the ESP
classroom. Finally, a very important thing to know is that there always must be a «plan
B» in case something goes wrong with the technology. For example, in addition to
planning to use online resources of a website it is advisable to print the necessary pages
out so that to be able to integrate the new material even though the Internet access is
denied.
Some of the common easy-to-use technology tools for working with case
studies and making ESP classes more vivid and interactive are considered below. They
are given in alphabetical order, without pointing out their relative importance.
Blogs are discussion sites consisting of commentary on a particular subject
(«posts») displayed in reverse chronological order.
Excel is a spreadsheet application allowing the user to display data, such as line
graphs, histograms and charts, and indulge in some three-dimensional graphical
features.
Hot potatoes is a freeware which enables the teacher to create six different types
of interactive exercises, namely multiple-choice, short answer, jumbled-sentence,
crossword, matching/ordering and gap-filling.
57
Movie Maker is a freeware video editing software which offers the ability to
create and edit videos as well as to publish them.
OneNote is an application for gathering notes in a variety of forms and sharing
them over the Internet for multi-user collaboration.
Padlet is a virtual wall that looks like an online sheet of paper where users can
put any content from any device (e.g. images, videos, documents, text) to share with
those who have access to the page.
PowerPoint is a slide show presentation program which provides numerous
features required to create slides containing text, graphics, sound, movies, etc.
Presentations can be printed, displayed on a computer, or navigated through at the
command of the user.
SkyDrive is a file hosting service that allows users to upload and synchronize
files between multiple computers. Co-authors can create, view and edit documents
within the Web browser and then have offline access to them from a local device.
Skype is a voice communication service that makes it possible for users to
communicate by voice using a microphone, video by using a webcam, and instant
messaging over the Internet.
Webquest is an online inquiry-oriented lesson format consisting of five
essential parts – introduction, task, process, resources, evaluation, and conclusion. It
can be created with various programs, for example simple word processing documents,
and displays links to websites where learners have to acquire new information.
Wiki is a web application that allows creating a complex networked database
through adding, modifying, or deleting content in interactive collaboration with others.
Word is a word processer designed for comfortable use of high-resolution text
displays, whose numerous features have greatly been enhanced in the last decades.
Yammer is a type of social networking service intended for private
communication between individuals within an organization.
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Table 3.
Types of Technology in Relation to Learners’ Intelligence Profile [27]
Learning style description
Types of technology
Verbal/Linguistic learners enjoy writing,
reading and dealing with words.
e-mails, social networks and forums (e.g.
Yammer, OneNote, Padlet); electronic
reference tools, e-books, etc.
Logical/Mathematical learners enjoy
collecting data, conducting experiments,
solving problems.
spreadsheets (Excel), presentation
(PowerPoint), online data collection,
Webquests, problem-solving software
Visual/Spatial learners enjoy illustrating,
visualizing ideas and colour-coding.
organizing things with charts, graphs and
tables (Excel, PowerPoint); Skype; Movie
Maker; imaging software
Bodily/Kinesthetic learners enjoy creating
things, using tools and moving around.
(Hot potatoes); playing with animation
and video production; virtual worlds
Musical/Rhythmic learners enjoy seeing
and hearing patterns, choosing or
composing music
video and audio recorders, animation,
music generation software, interactive
books with audio, etc.
Intrapersonal learners are good at setting
a goal and working toward it
independently.
Internet research and problem-solving
software (Webquests); word processing;
multimedia; blogs
Interpersonal learners are good at group
working, doing peer editing and
coordinating activities.
blogs, forums, Wiki; word processing; e-
mails, social networks; group projects
(Webquests, PowerPoint)
The reason why ESP teachers have to strive to incorporate most, if not all, of
the technologies listed above is because learners show various learning style
preferences, having thus different strengths and weaknesses in the classroom. The
theory of multiple intelligences
6
suggests seven intelligences differentiated through
human logical and language abilities and, as with any other teaching tools, technology
must be adapted in educational settings to address the needs of any of these.
6
Kendra Cherry, Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence, [electronic resource], -
https://www.verywellmind.com/gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligences-2795161
59
Table 3 above summarizes learners’ intelligence profiles and types of
technology which seem to be most appropriate for designing ESP activities
accordingly.
Case Studies are undoubtedly challenging for both teachers and learners but if
the process is well planned and organized it becomes an efficient and pleasant activity
for all its participants.
3.3 A Model Case Study Framed for Teaching Business English as ESP Type
One of the most growing area of English for Specific Purposes is Business
English. It is defined as language development in a business setting– students learning
Business English are mostly professionals needing the English language to meet the
function of their daily work tasks [34, P. 22]. In other words, the learners of Business
English are usually adults already working in businesses or preparing to work in the
field of business. This means that teaching Business English is the teaching in which
as much as possible must be made job-related, since the successful use of English is
seen in terms of a successful outcome in a business transaction. Thus, the ideal
Business English teaching/learning environment has a balanced aim of combining
language and business skills. Target language that is typical for Business English
includes register (formality/informality), using polite and conditional forms and
appropriate lexis. Teaching grammar is not the immediate focus, since the major
objective is effective and efficient communication and majority of Business English
courses include only the basic grammar rules necessary for achieving this goal.
Business English is primarily oriented to interactive, student-oriented teaching
methods. The teacher should strive to actively engage the students in communication
activities that can be easily transferred to their real work situations. The use of business
cases was first developed by faculty members of the Harvard Graduate School of
Business Administration and has been widely accepted as one effective way of
exposing students to the decision-making process, as they represent descriptions or
reports of business problems. Business English case studies are always oriented
towards communication necessary for dealing with customers or clients, colleagues
and other professionals in business. The topics covered by Business English cases
60
range from general to specific business situations and include a list of skills from the
following [17, p. 118]:
- Core business area functions: general management, administration, marketing,
finance/accountancy, human resources/personnel.
- Speaking skills: socializing, telephoning, presentations, negotiations, meetings.
- Writing skills: emails, letters, faxes, memos, reports, minutes, announcements,
notices.
A good example to illustrate how case studies can be applied for teaching ESP
is the Business English class.
For this purpose, the empirical part of this paper includes designing of a model
case study for teaching Business English. The case study is framed based on a real
Russian and a real Turkish company; with real data used from Wikipedia. The situation
around the case is fake and made up for the purpose of teaching an English Business
class. For the purpose of this paper the case study will be designed following all
principles and features which characterize case studies for teaching Business English.
As this is a language teaching case the case should be short, comprising only general
information that students may use in their production, its aim is to teach the language,
not to solve an economic problem. The teacher will organize the activity with this case
study in three stages, that are explained in detail below:
A. Case Study Introduction
B. Case Study Class
C. Case Study Debriefing
A: Case Study Introduction.
Case Study Aim: Primary target of the case study developed for this paper is to
teach students negotiation skills. This will also involve teaching such secondary skills
as presentation skills and meeting skills. The teacher will introduce the concepts of
negotiation techniques and strategies, negotiation styles, successful negotiations and
the vocabulary referring to these concepts. The topic and vocabulary are closely
connected with the purpose of practical use of Business English. Mastering negotiation
skills is very important in business world as they are necessary to control the whole
61
communication process. As the main aim of this case study is to develop and improve
learners’ negotiations skills, it is recommended to work on this case when the topic on
“Business Communication and Negotiations” will be completed. Following the fact
that this case study is aiming to solve an open- ended problem with multiple potential
solutions, this will demand the students to apply all their language skills, it may be also
organized as a final assessment work.
Case Synopsis: Natura Siberica LTD is a cosmetics company based in Moscow.
It was founded in 2008. Natura Siberica is the first certified organic cosmetic company
in Russia creating products formulated with wild-harvested Siberian herbs. The quality
of Natura Siberica cosmetics is guaranteed by ICEA, ECOCERT, BDIH COSMOS
Natural and ICEA COSMOS Organic certificates. As of 2017 Natura Siberica operates
70 of its own branded stores and sells its products in more than 40 countries. The
company operates three plants in Russia, and in 2014 it set up a production facility in
a former Coca Cola plant in Estonia. Overall, the company employs about 4,000
people. Its revenue as of January 1st, 2018 was USD 61.6 million, operating income
was USD 12.8 million, and net income of USD 2.87 million. The company owns total
assets of USD 50 million. The product range of the company is wide and is
continuously developing. Today its product range strategy includes 6 lines: Body Care,
Face Care, Hair Care, Mouth and Teeth Care, Fresh SPA, Men Care Products and Kids
Care Products
7
.
For the next year the country plans to eand its market by entering the Asian
Cosmetic Market. The first country it plans to penetrate is Turkey. The Turkish market
is a big, developing market that offers great opportunities. Natura Siberica plans to buy
a share of the local company Arifoglu LTD, to carry out a partial rebranding of its
stores and use its facilities for producing Natura Siberica products. Arifoglu is a leading
Turkish company in the spice and seasoning sector in Turkey. Its headquarters are
based in Istanbul. Arifolglu’s Annual total sales are approximately USD 1 billion. Its
product range is diverse as it includes both Food and Healthcare Products. It specializes
7
Natura Siberica [electronic resource], - Free public access, - https://www.naturasiberica.ru/en/our-story/