English for Developing a Business (Coursera)

Course 1 of 3 in the Essential English for Business Professionals Specialization

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Leadership in Business

This week we will look at some important qualities of leaders and some ideas about leading in crisis situations. You will be able to increase or reinforce your vocabulary as we look at some details about related word forms and some ways things are measured in the United States. These can help you as you improve your skills in using English.

WEEK 2

Communication at Work

This week’s topic is one of the most important skills in business: communication. We’ll look at what it means to have strong communication skills. You’ll learn some useful phrases and advice for making and receiving phone calls. We’ll also look at why nonverbal communication is so important and how we can make a good impression through body language, gestures, and our voices. You’ll also learn some tips for choosing appropriate, comfortable topics for small talk.

WEEK 3

Corporate Organization

This week’s topic is all about corporate organization. We will look at some of the basic structures of organization in corporations. We also look at a memo which encourages involvement of all of the departments in an organization in a community project. We will listen to a speaker who shares ideas about what makes employees happy at work. Through these passages, you will be able to increase or reinforce your vocabulary in these areas. Finally, we will discuss how gerunds function in English and see how gerunds are often used in business situations.

WEEK 4

Working Globally

This week, we’ll look at some of the challenges and benefits for companies that do business internationally, and we’ll think about some differences in business customs and habits between countries. You’ll hear some advice for making powerful business presentations—creating effective slides in PowerPoint or other programs and using them effectively in a presentation. You’ll also practice using comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in comparing different countries or other business topics.