Sessions

Co-Designing a Business Communication Course

This action-research aims to describe a business oral communication course prepared for college English majors in Taiwan and report the effectiveness of the nine teaching activities. The findings indicated that industry-specialist talks, job interviews with the industry, and case studies received unanimous approval whereas elevator speeches and simulated meetings were deemed least effective. This researcher concluded that an effective course is best achieved if co-created by the classroom instructor, the industry-specialists, and the students.

Taiwanese Students Meet Japan: An ELF Program

The study investigated the effectiveness of an English-as-a-lingua-franca (ELF) program in Japan. A group of Taiwanese college students were enrolled in a 2-week intensive program. The students and their Japanese partners attended English-medium courses taught by native and non-native English teachers. The major findings indicated: Taiwanese students’ perceived effectiveness of the program was positive and they ranked improved communication skills, home-stay experience, and willingness to interact with Japanese students as the most valued program components.

An ELF Program for Japanese Students in Taiwan

The study investigated the teaching effectiveness of an intensive program and observed the changes of students’ attitudes and instructors’ perceptions. Eleven Japanese college students joined an English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) program at a university in Taiwan for nine days and were given English-medium courses by American, Singaporean, and Taiwanese instructors. The student-participants and instructors reported increased motivation as the most evident merit, while calling for greater authenticity of using English in ELF contexts.