In Company Web Guides
In Company Web Guides
Elementary
These In Company Web Guides provide a quick and helpful way to motivate your students and contain resources which are up-to-date and enjoyable. Click on the unit numbers below to jump to the units you want:
Introduction
Quotes
http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/busin.php
Every unit in In Company begins with a short quote. Here are more quotes that are linked to business.
Unit 1
Greetings
http://www.linguarama.com/ps/292-3.htm
A matching activity that focuses on introductions and greetings.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/tefl.teacher/page6.htm
Activity three 'Greeting picture role plays' is a good way to extend and practise the language taught in this unit.
Nationalities
http://www.better-english.com/easier/nationalities.htm
http://a4esl.org/q/f/z/zz53bds.htm
A couple of quizzes that practise nationalities.
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omaudio-elementary/unit02.htm
A simple listening activity. Play the recording and fill in the gaps. Afterwards you could ask your students to work in pairs and create a similar dialogue of their own.
Numbers
http://esl.about.com/library/listening/bllis_beg_number_quiz.htm
A simple online listening activity which will help your students practise numbers. This activity is a useful extension to the work on page 6.
Acronyms and abbreviations
http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blabbrev.htm?once=true&
This excellent resource will help your students with the minefield of business acronyms and abbreviations. Simply select the acronym or abbreviation you'd like to check, click on the button and find out what it means.
Unit 2
Mobile etiquette
http://www.indianchild.com/cell_phone_etiquette.htm
Use this brief article as a follow-up to the quiz on page 9.
You and your mobile
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/britain/
mobile.shtml
An interesting article which focuses on the use of mobile phones while driving. Ask your students to read the article (and possibly some of the comments) and then see what they think.
Unit 3
Hot desking
http://www.easyoffices.com/products-and-services/hot-desks
Find out more about hot desking. Put your students into three groups and ask each group to answer one of these questions: What are Hot Desks? How will Hot Desking help me? Who uses Hot Desks? Then ask the students to tell each other what they found out by making new groups of three with one student from each of the original groups in the new groups.
A day in your life
http://www.esl-lab.com/schedule/schedrd1.htm
An online listening activity on the topic of daily routines.
Adverbs of frequency
http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/advfreq1.php
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.frequ.i.htm
Two short activities giving your students extra grammar practice.
Unit 4
Electronic mail (e-mail)
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/section/email.html
Two comprehensive websites about electronic mail that contain short, to the point, texts on lots of key issues. Use the material here for project work or jigsaw reading.
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/20how.htm
This web page (from the second of the sites above) starts with a brief explanation of what e-mail is and how it works. Either set a few comprehension questions before your students read the text, or ask the students to write two questions each before swapping the questions between the students.
E-mail language
http://www.eslpartyland.com/quiz%20center/email.htm
A short gap-fill text with a number of missing words all linked to e-mailing. This activity is a good way of practising some of the vocabulary from unit 4.
Unit 5
Eating out
http://esl.about.com/library/listening/bllis_reservation.htm
A short online listening activity where students hear a man making a dinner reservation. Students listen to the short recording and answer six multiple choice questions.
http://esl.about.com/library/listening/blrestorder.htm
Another short listening activity set in a restaurant. This time students listen to two people ordering food and answer the twelve questions.
Successful business lunch
An online article that complements the one on page 22. One way to use this article would be to give your students the five headings and ask them to work in pairs and predict what will they will read under each heading. Then, ask students to skim read the article and see if they are correct. Skim reading will help them not to worry about understanding every word.
http://www.bremercommunications.com/The_Business_Lunch.htm
Five things to consider - follow the same procedure suggested above.
Unit 6
There is/There are
http://www.collegeem.qc.ca/cemdept/anglais/therestr.htm
A gap fill activity to practise this area of grammar. (The situation used is a conversation at an airport. Therefore, you might want to use this activity for unit 15 rather than this unit).
Office vocabulary
http://users.pandora.be/christiaan.bosmans/office/office_vocab_1.htm
http://users.pandora.be/christiaan.bosmans/office/office_vocab_2.htm
Two more gap-fill activities that focus on office vocabulary.
What your desk says about you
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/10/98/office_life/
196811.stm
This article looks at seven types of desk (from super-organised to organised chaos). This is basically a longer version of the material on page 131.
http://www.usaweekend.com/03_issues/031005/031005desks.html
A questionnaire aimed at finding out about 'your' desk. Either preteach essential vocabulary or get your students to use a dictionary to help them complete this online questionnaire and then discuss the results together.
Unit 7
Job interviews
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/work/interviews/interview_intro.shtml
This is a comprehensive site all about job interviews. If your students are looking for work (or will be) then you could use some of the material here for discussions on what to do. If your students already work ask them to take a look at the advice and say how good (or bad) they think it is.
Can you .?
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/can1.htm
A simple activity where students are asked to select the correct response to a question from a choice of four possibilities. Afterwards, ask the students to answer the questions about their own abilities.
Unit 8
Computer crime
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Mitnick
A brief article about Kevin Mitnick from the Wikipedia online encyclopaedia. One of the best features of Wikipedia articles is that key words are highlighted (in blue). Click on one of these words to get a link to a definition and more information. For example, click on the word 'Hackers' and you are taken to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker where you will find a brief definition followed by lots of information on hackers, including a page (with links) on other notable hackers.
Past endings - pronunciation
http://www.esl-lounge.com/pronunciation/pronpastendings.shtml
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/pastsimplepronunciation.htm
Two good exercises to give your students extra practice on regular past verb endings, extending the activity at the bottom of page 34.
Company histories
http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/timeline.asp
http://www.carrefour.com/cdc/group/history/
In unit 8 we take a look at the history and timelines of two multinational companies: Starbucks and Carrefour. Here are the full timelines (the ones in the book are edited versions). Either write a few questions to ask your students or get them to write questions for each other.
If you want to find more company histories simply type in the name of the company in a search engine (i.e. Google or Yahoo) and hit Search.
Unit 9
Good day/bad day?
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/pastsimple1.htm
This gap fill activity is excellent for unit 9. It combines the theme of 'A good day?' with practice of past simple verbs (both regular and irregular).
Irregular past
http://www.better-english.com/texts/pairs.htm
Two matching games aimed at practising irregular verbs.
Mr Barghi
www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,883245,00.html
A newspaper story about Mr Barghi (who features on page 41). After your students have read the version on page 41 ask them to read the story here and compare the two. Are there any differences? Is anything added? etc.
Unit 10
Hotel reservation
http://www.esl-lab.com/hotel1/hotel1.htm
An online listening activity which focuses on making a hotel reservation. After your students have listened to this you could ask them to role play similar situations.
Hotel problems and complaining
http://www.avolites.org.uk/jokes/hotel.htm
Ask your students what problems they have experienced in hotels. And, how they dealt with these problems. Then, set the scene by explaining that a guest is unhappy with the free soap the hotel provides - elicit some ideas of what the problem might be and what the guest might have done. Finally, ask the students to read the letters and then discuss.
Unit 11
Countable or uncountable?
http://www.linguarama.com/ps/294-5.htm
http://www.better-english.com/easier/counta.htm
http://www.better-english.com/easier/count3.htm
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/count.htm
Four online quizzes that are designed to practise some common countable and uncountable nouns. This fits in nicely with the exercises on page 47.
Clothes
http://iteslj.org/v/ei/clothes2.html
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vc-clothes-lb.html
Two fun quizzes on clothes. The first shows you a picture and four choices to choose from. The second is slightly more complex. Students read a short definition/description and try and guess the item of clothing being described.
http://www.parapal-online.co.uk/exercises/clothes.html
An interesting activity where students read a short text and correct the spellings of various items of clothing. The text could also be used as a model for a brief writing task.
Unit 12
Weather vocabulary
http://esl.about.com/library/beginner/blweathervocabulary.htm
http://www.manythings.org/jumble/weather.html
Do your students need a bit of revision on words connected to weather? Try one or more of these web activities for further practice. The activities increase in difficulty with the first one being the easiest.
Unit 13
Getting there
www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/features/2001/07/05/feature1/
andysbike.shtml
The main topic of this unit is commuting and types of transport. You could extend this topic by asking your students to read this article on folding bicycles. Start off by asking your students a few questions: How bad is the traffic where you live? How long does it take you to get to work? How do you get to work? Is there a better way?
Then ask your students to read the article. Follow this up with a few questions: What do you think about this way of commuting? Would it be possible for you? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Finally, hold a class discussion.
You can also read a summary of a commuter's routine on:
www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/features/2001/07/05/feature1/journey.shtml
Unit 14
Dress codes
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/austin/16_fashion_style.html
What people wear to work and why is a central question in this unit. The 'Dress-down Friday' trend is highlighted, but is it really a useful thing? This article takes another look at this topic and is a useful starting point for a discussion, as the level is quite high.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/705135.stm
This article is a more detailed look at office dress codes and includes the views of two people and what happens in their work place. Again, a great starting point for a discussion.
How we use our time
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=7
A link to the original article used for the material on page 64. Ask your students to read through the article and then discuss the information in comparison to their own lives. You may have to help out with vocabulary and it might be a good idea to ask some general comprehension questions when students have finished reading.
Unit 15
Travel arrangements and announcements
http://www.esl-lab.com/flight/flightrd1.htm
http://www.esl-lab.com/airport/airportrd1.htm
Two online listening activities with a travel theme. The first of these is a phone conversation between a client and a travel agent. The second is an airport announcement. There is some difficult vocabulary but if you click on the 'Go to Quiz Script' icon you will find a glossary explaining the meaning of the words.
http://www.berlitzpublishing.com/berlitz/quiz.asp?TAG=&CID=
A simple gap fill activity designed to practise airport vocabulary. This fits in nicely with exercise 3 on page 67.
Unit 16
Health and illness idioms
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/
learnitv121.shtml
Extend your students' vocabulary by getting them to read this page. Afterwards, find out if they have similar expressions in their language(s).
Throwing a sickie
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/sosteacher/answers/answer34192.shtml
How does absenteeism affect business? And, can business reduce absenteeism? You could start by asking your students these two questions, then get them to read the web page above and, finally, discuss the topic.
Unit 17
The world's richest businessmen
Ask your students who they think are the world's richest businessmen and then ask them to read (or listen to) this short article from the BBC website. A more detailed article can be found at http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,3604,1046071,00.html
If you'd like to see the Forbes Rich list then just go to http://www.forbes.com/maserati/billionaires2004/bill04land.html
You could ask your students to see if they can find someone on the list from their own country.
Product placement
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2488151.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1039137.stm
Two articles that look at the topic of product placement in films. The first article looks at James Bond films and links in with the article on page 79. The second article asks how far product placement in films can go, and looks at the possibility of being able to buy things while watching a film. Use this as an extension to the materials on page 79.
Rounding numbers up or down
http://www.linguarama.com/ps/193-11.htm
The first of the two activities on this web page links in nicely with the material on page 80.
Unit 18
The future of the Internet
http://www.englishpage.com/vocabulary/interactivelesson3a.htm
A useful gap fill activity for practising some of the vocabulary from this unit.
Computer viruses
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/computerviruses/
One of the topics in this unit is Internet security and computer viruses. Find out more abut this topic, the do's and don'ts, how viruses spread, who writes viruses etc. This weblink includes a quiz and an online discussion forum.
Spyware
http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/askbruce/articles/security/spyware_1.shtml
What is spyware? Find out more with this simple Q&A web page. You could follow this up with a debate about the uses of spyware and whether your students think it's a good or bad idea.
Unit 19
Phone messages
http://www.esl-lab.com/phone/phonerd1.htm
http://www.esl-lab.com/tc1/tc1.htm
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omaudio-elementary/unit01.htm
Three online listening activities which your students can use as further listening practice on the topic of telephone messages.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/tefl.teacher/page9.htm
Here are three activities that practise various phone situations. Choose the activity you think is most suitable for your students and follow the instructions on the first page.
Phone language
http://www.better-english.com/vocabulary/telephonelanguage.htm
http://www.better-english.com/vocabulary/telephonelanguage2.htm
http://www.linguarama.com/ps/193-2.htm
Three activities that focus on telephoning skills and vocabulary. Very useful if you think your students need extra practice.
Unit 20
Writing e-mails
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/tefl.teacher/page8.htm
A number of activities that focus on business writing. The first two activities are particularly useful for practising business e-mails.
www.businessenglishonline.net
