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A database of selected, reviewed, tested, assessed and validated e-learning based language teaching sources addressed to Higher education students for the learning of 18 different European languages.

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Advanced Video (Business Advantage Advanced Student’s Book with DVD) – video 1

Date of Publication

2021

Target Group

Lecturers
Students

Domain Area

Business & Communication

Learning Scenario

Classroom Context

Target Language

English

Language of Instruction

Any language

CEFR level

B2
C1

Type of Material

Video

Linguistic Features

Vocabulary
Grammar
Pragmatics
Prosody

Skills

Listening
Speaking
Writing

Description

This resource is valuable for students studying business and communication where marketing strategies are crucial for the development of a business. The particular example of the company described in the video encompasses important information on the marketing strategies of the company in focus: Broadcom. This resource can also easily fit in a task-based learning approach, as it is organised into different sections/questions which allow the lecturer to prepare different tasks for either the different sections or even the video as a whole. Within this approach, students will feel more motivated to complete the tasks given (suggested in the guidelines below).

Case study

The aforementioned resource is a useful and practical teaching and learning tool, where students and teachers can develop their specialized knowledge in this specific area. I would use it with a higher language level (C1) students as the terminology is not easily comprehensible and some syntactic structures are complex. I would follow the guidelines of this document and apply them to classes of up to a maximum of 20 students. I suggest dividing the video into segments and reinforce vocabulary and grammar structures.
Apart from the purpose to which it is intended, this resource can be used for several other task-based learning approaches, namely:
• Dictation
As a preparation exercise, the teacher can propose a dictation using (one of) the videos. This writing exercise will foster students’ spelling and vocabulary skills development. Whenever the vocabulary is unknown, students’ may be asked to infer their meaning from the context or to research them online. If the video is too fast, the teacher may slow it down or repeat it. Pauses can also be made in between sketches.

• Fill in the gaps (open cloze)
• Fill in the gaps (word formation)
- May be used as a listening exercise:
The videos can be used for a fill-in-the-gaps exercise where students are provided with the text containing gaps and a root-word which they will have to apply in the correct syntactic and semantic form. Alternatively, students’ may not be provided with any word/suggestion, and they will have to fill in the blanks with a word that fits the gap, taking into account the given context and syntax. This, however, requires a speech to text task to be carried out by the teacher.
• Listening (comprehension)
Using the videos as listening tracks (no visual), teachers can design a set of comprehension questions so as to assess the students’ understanding of the content and vocabulary by asking “open-end” or “true-or-false” questions.

Guidelines

The video is divided into different sections, even though they are all related. This resource can be used as the main resource for a whole lesson (1h:30 minutes)
Duration of the video: 11 minutes
Following a task-based approach, some guidelines are provided:
1. (warmer) The Lecturer writes the following expression on the board: “Marketing strategies” eliciting from students different marketing strategies they know and what makes them effective.
2. In pairs, Sts. think about some global companies and why they are successful. e.g. Coca-Cola; Apple; etc
3. In order to prepare students for watching the video, L. asks the students whether they are familiar with the concept of ‘Mobile Wallet’ and whether they have it on their phones. Discuss the number of existing applications that somehow allow staying connected at a global level. Elicit some vocabulary that Sts will hear in the video: e.g. software, hardware, hand-held devices; infrastructure; target markets; smartphones, digital television; set up box.
4. Before watching the video, students are told they will hear about a global company-Broadcom and are given a handout with some of the questions that will be answered in the video: “What is near field communication (NFC)?” “What does Broadcom target in order to establish NFC in new markets”? “What are the challenges of entering new markets?” “What are Broadcom's major marketing strategies?” Students provide their own (guessing) answers.
5. Then, after watching the video, they will compare both answers, either at the end or at the end of each section (do not show the last minute - comments by students (optional))
6. In groups of 4, students create their own company and the most adequate marketing strategies to guarantee the success of the company.

Possible follow-up exercises
Students provide a summary of the main ideas put forward in the video and give their own opinion on the efficacy of such marketing strategies and how they account for the success of the company.

Review

Category
Rate
Comprehensive approach
Capacity to match the needs of lecturers and students

4

Added value
The provided tangible improvements

4

Motivation enhancement
The capacity to motivate students to improve their language skills

4

Innovation
Effectiveness in introducing innovative, creative and previously unknown approaches to LSP learning

4

Transferability
Measurement of the transferable potential and possibility to be a source of further capitalisation/application for other language projects in different countries

4

Skills assessment and validation
Availability of appropriate tools for lecturers to monitor students’ progress and for students to assess own progress and to reflect on learning

4

Adaptability
Flexibility of the contents and possibilities for the LSP lecturers to adapt the contents to their and to students’ need

5

Usability
Assess the technical usability from the point of view of the lecturer and the student

5

Accessibility
Assess the accessibility from the point of view of the lecturer and the student

3

Comments:
This resource matches both lecturers and students’ needs. The lecturers have a good resource to support their lessons regarding the topic of marketing strategies, whereas the students also develop their listening and critical thinking skills and at the same time they expand vocabulary. Technically, it is very easy to use. Lecturers and students easily have access to the link, even though to find the resource, they need to choose the area “Business, Professional and Vocational’ and then ‘Business English’. Then, on the list given, they just need to download the video (title abovementioned) and choose the first one. Despite being a not so new technique, the right use of video resources is still rather appealing to students, keeping them interested and motivated.
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