This page is for the presentation by Ken Urano and Yukie Koyama at the 5th International Conference on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (FLLT 2018), held on December 7–8 at Duangtawan Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand
, titled:

Developing and implementing a task-based syllabus for an English for Business Purposes course

Abstract:

In task-based language teaching (TBLT), a syllabus is designed in the following steps. First, learner needs and target tasks (i.e., the tasks that learners need to carry out in their life) are identified. Second, a series of pedagogic tasks are derived by adjusting the complexity of the target tasks and then sequenced. In this presentation, we will report on an ongoing attempt to design and implement a task-based module on sales talks as part of an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course on business presentation at a Japanese university. One of the presenters accompanied student interns at an international food expo held in Bangkok, and kept records of buyer-seller interactions. Typical discourse patterns were then identified, and pedagogic tasks were created. These tasks were implemented in an actual course, and are currently being revised reflecting on the student reaction and performance in the course.

Presentation Slides [PDF]