“Empowering Global Communicators”

世界とつながる, 英語でビジネスを

Communicate to the World, Do Business in English

www.e-act.co.jp

Discussion Activity: Mutual Understanding

Exchange your opinions, in pairs or small groups, on these three questions:

1. Why should we study Business English?

2. Why is English difficult for many Japanese?

3. How can I quickly improve my speaking skills?

PRIMARY GOAL:

To become more confident in cross-cultural communication

Communicative

Approach Concept

Proactive Listeners:

try to understand

Listen actively (show interest and show understanding)

Clarify, Rephrase,

Summarize, Comment, Ask

Proactive Speakers:

try to be understood

Speak Logically (start from the main point)

Speak Long (add content like reasons and examples)

Check, Clarify, Rephrase, Explain, Add

In Western business cultures, Speakers and Listeners are equally responsible for mutual understanding. This is called PROACTIVE communication.

Starting Point:

Reflection Activity:Was your discussion proactive?

Were you and your partner(s) proactive throughout the entire conversation?

Why do/don’t you think so?

Points to consider:

• Did your conversations have a good start?

• Were your conversations balanced? Did they flow well?

• Did you get all the information you needed?

• Was there a clear ending to your conversation?

Concept Breakdown:

Group Interaction

• Apply systematic processes to conversations, meetings, and task management

Individual Production

• Apply systematic flows when giving a report or expressing your opinion

Here are some additional goals we’d like you to set:

1. Speak for a long time2. Speak logically3. Speak near native speed

What are your personal goals for this course?

1. _____________________________2. _____________________________

In-Class Course Guidelines:

• Speak to each other in English

• 3-Second Rule (Start speaking within 3 seconds)

• Make separate lists in your notebook for communication expressions and new vocabulary

• Always ask questions to each other first

What are the benefits of these guidelines?

Module One:Conversation Structure

Warm-up Activity: Information Exchange

Discuss this question in pairs (or in threes):

What are your career goals?キャリアの最終目標は？

(TIP: Add anything you feel to make the conversation more interesting)

Goal: Maintaining Flow and Balance in a Conversation

• Listen actively to provide feedback, show interest, and ask relevant follow-up questions

• Show high-level understanding through active listening

• Work together towards balanced conversations

How can students have proactive conversations that flow well and are balanced?受講生がよどみなく、安定した積極的な会話ができるようになるには？

ASK 質問Ask questions 質問する

Ask follow-ups 補足を尋ねる

Ask the same question back 同じ質問を聞き返す

COMMENT コメント

Listen actively and show interest

積極的に聴き、興味を示す

Give the speaker feedback

•Say something related

•Share a similar experience

話し手にフィードバックを伝える

（関連したこと・似た経験）

ELABORATE 詳細説明

Give 3-sentence support

(reasons, examples, background)

理由・例・背景の3点を伝える

Add more information

(Who What Where When Why How)

5W 1Hの情報を追加する

<Listener>

聞き手

<Speaker>

話し手

AAEC Conversation Guideline会話のガイドライン（AAEC)

Take turns speaking and listening

話すと聴くを交互に体験

ANSWER 回答

Start speaking within 3 seconds

3秒で話し始める

Give your main message first

まず、主旨を伝える

Application Activity: AAEC

Would you like to work outside of Japan?

Why/Why not?

• Have an AAEC conversation with your partner

• Comment and give feedback on your partner’s answers

• Ask follow up questions to get more details

Module Two:Meeting Structure

Warm-up Activity:Listing up Suggestions

Work together to make a common list:

What are some do’s and don’ts of chairing a meeting?

(TIP: Every group member should be active. If there is silence, say something)

Goal: Facilitating and Participatingin Group Discussions

• Keep everyone focused on the topic

• Encourage participants to actively contribute

• Aim for mutual understanding

• Sum up the discussion in a timely manner

How can students confidently handle, participate, and lead group meetings?受講生がグループレッスンに自信を持って対応・参加・主導できるようになるには？

DMIC Discussion Leader Processディスカッション・リーダー・プロセス（DMIC) ＊受講生一人がｸﾞﾙｰﾌﾟﾘｰﾀﾞｰとなります。

• Make the objective/purpose/goal/issue clear to all participants

•ﾘｰﾀﾞｰがｸﾞﾙｰﾌﾟﾒﾝﾊﾞｰ全員に対象・目的・論点・ｺﾞｰﾙを明確にする。Define明確化

• Elicit input from all the members of the group without offering your own opinion

•ｸﾞﾙｰﾌﾟﾒﾝﾊﾞｰ全員の考えを引き出す（ﾘｰﾀﾞｰの考えは提示しない）。

Manage管理

• Compare and contrast the inputs given, Offer your own input

•引き出した考えを比較・対比し、ﾘｰﾀﾞｰの考えを提示する。Improve

改善

• Summarize the main points, get consensus (when needed), elicit any final comments before wrapping up the discussion

•議論終了前に要点をまとめ、(必要であれば）意見の一致をはかり、最終コメントを引き出す。

Conclude結論

Application Activity: DMIC

Have a DMIC meeting to decide benefits to offer your employees. Pick five from the list below:

“You are starting a new company”

Paid maternity leave Flexible working hours Gym membership Subsidized childcare Profit share

Performance-based annual bonus Free use of company cottage To extra days off a month Subsidized company dormitoryFree tablet PCs with paid internet

connection

Module Three:Collaboration Structure

Warm-up Activity :Expressing yourself

Share your thoughts on the following question:

What motivates you?

(personally or in business)

(TIP: Find out how your audience feels about your message)

Goal: Managing Yourself and your Partners in Tasks

• Confirm to make sure your listener understands

• Reply and offer feedback to show understanding

How can students exchange, and then check opinions with each other?受講生がお互いの意見を交換し、確認し合うには？

QACR Basic Western-style Communication Flow基本的な欧米コミュニケーションの流れ（QACR)

• Ask a question• 質問をする

Question質問する

• Answer directly, and support with facts and examples

• 質問に直接答える、事実や例を用いて裏付ける

Answer答える

• Confirm the other person understands and agrees

• 他の人が理解かつ同意しているか確認する

Confirm確認する

• Agree or disagree, and offer alternative ideas when necessary

• 同意、不同意を伝える。必要に応じて代替案を提示する。

Response応える

Application Activity: QACR

Have a QACR discussion for this topic in small groups:

What are three of the most important inventions of the last 100 years?

• Agree on the top three and then rank them in order of importance

• Make sure you confirm and respond to your partners opinions

Module Four:Reporting Structure

Choose one topic to talk about:

• Outline an experience when you used your English skills to communicate with a foreigner

• Talk about a goal you set yourself and how you achieved it

(TIP: Give specific examples in your explanation)

Warm-up Activity: Talking about yourself

Goal: Analyzing information and giving action-focused messages

• Organize information quickly and effectively

• Give a reader-orientated report that focuses on action steps and results (make it easier for the listener to understand your main message)

SEA Direct Message Organization

ﾀﾞｲﾚｸﾄ･ﾒｯｾｰｼﾞ･ｵｰｶﾞﾆｾﾞｰｼｮﾝ（SEA)

26

• Start with the main point (headline or title)

• 問題点から始める（ヘッドライン・題名）

Situationシチュエーション

• Add information (supporting details)

• 説明を追加する(詳細補足）

Explanation説明

• Focus on the next steps (what needs to be done)

• 次のステップに焦点を合わせる（何をしなければならないか）

Action行動

How can students analyze information and then give action-focused messages?受講生が情報を分析し、その後行動を重視したメッセージを伝えられるようになるには？

Application Activity: SEA

In pairs (or in threes), give an SEA report on one of the topics below:

• Give an update on a project you are currently

working on (Decide on what information to add)

OR

• Share an experience with “communication breakdown” at your workplace (Explain what happened and how it was resolved)

Module Five:Opinion Structure

Warm-up Activity:Making Rational Predictions

Discuss this question in pairs (or in threes):

What will Japan be like in 20 years time?

(TIP: Your reasons are more believable with specific examples)

Goal: Delivering a convincing opinion

• Organize your opinion in Western-style logic flow

• Provide adequate reasons, supporting information, and examples

How can students logically deliver an opinion?受講生が論理的に意見を述べるには？

PREP Information Exchange Flow情報交換のﾌﾛｰ（PREP)

• Start with your main message (answer the question, or make a statement)

• 要点から始める（質問に答える、又は発表する）

Point要点

• Immediately follow with reasons (primary support)

• 前置きなく理由を述べる（第1のサポート）

Reason理由

• Provide details to elaborate and further establish your message (secondary support)

• 要点を詳しく述べる（第2のサポート）

Example例

• Restate your main point, make a comment, or introduce a new, related point

• 要点をまとめる（再び述べる）又は新たに広げて（関連した点を紹介）終了する

Point要点

Application Activity: PREP

Prepare a convincing two-minute PREP presentation for:

What is the most important change Japanese companies must make to compete

globally?

(TIP: Focus on reasons and examples to support your points)

Wrap Up Discussion

What are the most useful or interesting learning points you are taking away from “The Communicative Approach” course? Post these on the forum.

Visit other parts of our website for free English learning aids. Go to http://www.e-act.co.jp/myact.php for access to your forum and more free interactive content!

For your continued self-training: