English Expeditions - Ritsumeikan University

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Business English Skills

Course Description

The aim of this course is for students to study the essential language skills necessary for scientists and engineers to succeed in the business world. Students will be provided with many opportunities to review and practice the vocabulary, grammar, and expressions used in common work-related situations they are likely to encounter after graduation.

Course Goals

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

  • write and/or reply to office memos, instructions, announcements, letters of complaint, and emails.
  • introduce themselves and make small talk in English.
  • follow the rules of etiquette and polite behavior expected in international work environments.
  • use English for international business travel.
  • use English in small group discussions and for negotiations.
  • use English for job interviews.

For more detailed information, check the Can-do Goals for this course.

Grading Criteria

Grades will be based on the following:

20 Textbook Unit Activities Each textbook unit activity is graded on a 3.0 to 0 scale. If all requirements of the task are completed at an exceptional level, you will receive 3.0 points; if they are adequately met, 2.5-2.0 points; if they are only partially met, 1.5-0.5 points; if you do not participate in the activity or are absent, 0 points. 60 points
2 Role Play Examinations 15 points each 30 points
2 Role Play Examination Exercises 5 points each 10 points
Late to class, using your cell phone, chattering in Japanese, sleeping in class, no text, no dictionary Minus 1 point  

Text

Testing and Business English Skills: English Expeditions, Seibido Publishing Co., Ltd.

English-English Dictionary

You are required to bring an English-English dictionary to class every day. See the list of recommended dictionaries below for more information.

Course Schedule Print

Class In-class Tasks Workshops Quiz Agenda
1 Orientation & Unit 0 Orientation Orientation  
2 Unit 1 & 2      
3 Unit 3 & 4      
4 Units 5 & 6      
5 Unit 7 & 8      
6 Units 9      
7 Unit 10 Role Play Preparation 1    
8     Role Play Examination 1 & Exercises 1  
9 Unit 11 & 12      
10 Units 13 & 14      
11 Unit 15 & 16      
12 Units 17 & 18      
13 Unit 19      
14 Unit 20 Role Play Preparation 2    
15     Role Play Examination 2 & Exercises 2  

Course Can-do Goals

Speaking Skills

  1. I can introduce myself in English within an office setting.
  2. I can introduce a coworker to someone in English.
  3. I can have a casual 5-minute conversation in English with someone I just met.
  4. I can introduce myself over the telephone in English.
  5. I can ask people to identify themselves over the telephone in English.
  6. I can ask to speak to someone over the telephone in English.
  7. I can tell someone to wait while I forward a telephone call in English.
  8. I can tell someone that the person they want to speak to is unavailable in English.
  9. I can offer to take a message over the telephone in English.
  10. I can leave a message on an answering machine in English.
  11. I can distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate topics for “small talk” in international settings.
  12. I can change a topic when having “small talk” in English.
  13. I can spell difficult words using a phonetic code.
  14. I can make a request in English politely.
  15. I can ask for permission in English politely.
  16. I can identify problems related to wasei-eigo and gairaigo.
  17. I can understand basic business etiquette and manners for international settings.
  18. I can give an elevator pitch in English.
  19. --Removed--
  20. I can use numbers in English.
  21. I can check in at an airport in English.
  22. I can interact with a flight attendant in English.
  23. I can handle immigration procedures in English when arriving at an international airport.
  24. I can handle customs procedures in English when arriving at an international airport.
  25. I can negotiate a deal in English.
  26. --Removed--
  27. I can answer typical job interview questions in English.

Writing Skills

  1. I can read and understand an office memorandum in English.
  2. I can write an office memorandum in English.
  3. I can write instructions in English.
  4. I can write an announcement letter in English.
  5. I can write a complaint letter in English.
  6. I can write an informal business email in English.
  7. I can write a formal business email in English.
  8. I can respond to a letter or email in English.

Program-wide Standards

Grading Scale

97% or more, A+; 87-96%, A; 77-86%, B; 60-76%, C; below 60%, F

NOTE: At the end of the third year, you will be taking a TOEIC-IP exam. You will then be re-streamed for your fourth-year courses based on the results of this TOEIC-IP and the numerical average of your third-year English courses. Therefore, it is important to strive for not only a high letter grade, but also for the highest numerical grade that you are capable of.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to submit assignments in a timely fashion. Failure to submit timely may result in a reduction of the student’s overall grade. Students will be penalized 3 demerits for each non- submission and 1 demerit for each late submission. Students who accumulate more than 15 'demerits' (the equivalent of 5 absences) will receive an unsatisfactory grade ('F') for the course. As a rule, no make-up work will be given for unexcused absences.

English-English Dictionaries

You are required to use an English-English dictionary for your exercises. The following is a list of quality paper dictionaries for English language learners. You may use any other dictionary or you may elect to use an electronic dictionary.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Oxford University Press.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman Press.
Collins Cobuild English Dictionary, HarperCollins Publishers.

Extra-Credit Points

There are no extra-credit points available for this course.

The Academic Honesty Policy for S&E English Classes

The following will be considered violations of our academic honesty policy:

  1. Copying any answers from another student's exercise, doing any exercises together with other students, or using a textbook from previous years. Exercises are to be completed entirely on your own.
  2. Showing any portion of your exercise to another student.
  3. Using any form of ‘cheat sheet’ in performing an exercise, quiz, etc.
  4. Taking copies of an exercise, quiz, etc. (including unused copies) outside of the classroom. (This includes taking pictures of the exercise, quiz, etc.)
  5. Using writing instruments or telephones during feedback of an in-class exercise, quiz, etc.
  6. Copying answers from another student's exercise, quiz, etc. while it is being administered.
  7. Copying any portion of a homework exercise from another student.
  8. Allowing any portion of your homework exercise to be copied by another student.
  9. Copying (or closely paraphrasing) portions of a homework assignment from other sources (printed matter, the Internet, etc.) and presenting it as your own, regardless of whether you acknowledge the source. This includes using translation software to translate any portion of your submission into English.
  10. Sharing Rainbow or English Expeditions User IDs or Passwords with another student.

Any of the above violations will result in a score of 0 for ALL exercises on that day, as well as forfeiting your chance for extra-credit.

理工学部英語授業における「不正行為」に関する取り決め

不正行為は、いかなる理由があれ一切認められません。以下のような行為は、不正行為とみなします。

  1. 他者に(たとえ一部でも)課題の答えを写させてもらった場合 (課題を複数で一緒にやること、そして、過年度のテキストを使用することも含みます/課題は必ず独力でやること)
  2. 他者に(たとえ一部でも)課題の答えを写させた場合
  3. Quiz, Exercise等において、カンニングペーパー等を使用した場合
  4. Quiz, Exercise等の答案(未使用のものも含む)を不当に持ち帰った場合 (カメラ付き携帯等による撮影も含みます)
  5. Quiz, Exercise等のフィードバックの際、筆記用具、携帯電話等を手にした場合 (正答を盗もうとしたとみなします)
  6. その他、Quiz, Exercise等の実施を妨害する行為、他者の受験を妨害する行為、 替え玉受験等も、不正行為とみなします。
  7. Homework Assignmentにおいて、他者のAssignmentの一部または全部をコピーした場合
  8. Homework Assignmentにおいて、他者に自身のAssignmentの一部または全部を コピーさせた場合
  9. Homework Assignmentにおいて、書籍やWWWのサイトから得た情報をそのまま、 もしくは改ざんの後、断りなく(引用を明記せずに)、自身のAssignmentに盗り入れた(すなわち著作権を侵害した)場合(英語の授業で課されるassignmentの多くは、引用を明記する、しないにかかわらず、一切の引用を認めていません) 。これには翻訳ソフトの使用も含みます。一旦日本語で書いて、それを翻訳ソフトを利用して翻訳して提出することは、それがたとえ一文であっても許されません。
  10. RainbowやEnglish ExpeditionsのユーザーIDやパスワードの授受があった場合

上記、および上記に類する「不正行為」があった場合は、当該学生の当該科目における、その日の得点を0点にするとともに、Extra-credit pointsはすべて無効になります。