English for Engineers: Business language course abroad with Boa Lingua Business Class

This course develops your ability to explain, discuss and advise; to participate effectively in meetings; to make technical presentations. When talking with colleagues clarity and precision will be key requirements; when talking with clients it may also be important to simplify and to avoid technical language. This course covers both these situations and includes work on handling technical drawings. Each course is uniquely designed around the particular needs of its participants but a typical course programme is attached. Course content would often include issues around quality control and management, various technologies, technical equipment, materials, feasibility studies, IT etc.

Course content

The course is designed to develop participants’ language and communication skills in a professional context. The course focuses on active speaking and writing skills and communication strategies. In order to provide a framework for the course, language areas may include:

expressing technical data accurately
describing processes and procedures
explaining cause and effect
presenting key facts and figures
demonstrating and giving clear instructions
referring to technical drawings and charts
problem-solving, advising and consultancy
costing and budgeting
project management
client relations

Language abilities

The key language skills and communication strategies you will learn in the course include:

effective communication skills for meetings and negotiations
effective participation in discussions
giving presentations
persuading and compromising
summarising
written communication including email, reports and formal letters
effective telephoning skills
hosting visits, socialising, meeting and greeting
making proposals, offers, suggestions
opening/closing meetings

Topical issues

When professional people are speaking with their counterparts, discussion often turns to broader matters. The course reflects this with practice in the context of a range of topical issues such as:

current affairs
social, political and environmental issues
political systems and developments
written communication including email, reports and formal letters
effective telephoning skills
hosting visits, socialising, meeting and greeting
making proposals, offers, suggestions
opening/closing meetings

Social abilities

Professional hospitality, entertaining visitors and handling social situations are important for many professional people. Areas covered include:

meeting and greeting
dealing with enquiries and offering advice
arranging and cancelling appointments/social engagements
travel arrangements, bookings and reservations
giving and understanding directions
restaurants and pubs
small talk

Benefits

By the end of the course you will be able to:

communicate more confidently
speak more accurately and fluently
participate more successfully in meetings
improve your written English including emails
expand your professional vocabulary
improve your understanding of grammar
socialise and network with greater confidence
work successfully in a cross-cultural environment

In addition to the benefits outlined above, you will be able to express yourself with precision and clarity on technical matters, liaise with colleagues, manufacturers, sub-contractors and clients, and make presentations on technical subjects with more confidence.

Key facts