Pressure to speak English in the workplace continues to grow. However, mastering a new language requires time and resources that many people - especially adults who are no longer in school- struggle to find.
If you’re a professional looking to improve your business English, consider incorporating these into your learning plan:
Set specific goals. Learning is best done by setting specific goals that are challenging yet achievable. Don’t leave the timeline open-ended, either; set clear deadlines for yourself. A goal like “I want to be able to give a presentation in English,” is too vague. Instead, say, “I want to be able to comfortably deliver a ten-minute presentation in English about sales goals, without using a PowerPoint, by the end of August.”
Create habits. Find ways to practice English every day or every week. Regular effort builds momentum and creates habits of learning. For instance, try to read one industry article a day, deliver a presentation in English once a week, or write your weekly team updates in English.
Believe in yourself. Learners who believe in their own self-efficacy are more motivated and more willing to take on challenging tasks. Reflect on whether you truly believe you can accomplish your set goals. If not, revise your goals and make them smaller or more manageable until you trust that you can achieve them.
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Enjoy the learning experience. People with more positive attitudes toward learning English make more of an effort and learn more than people with negative attitudes. If you find yourself dreading English practice time, rethink your approach. Be creative: read the English version of your favourite book, for example, or enrol in an English dance class.
Use authentic English materials. Textbooks and practice tests have their time and place. But authentic materials, such as TV shows, podcasts, and TED talks, expose you to English in its native habitat. They better prepare you for real-life situations, and they’re often more enjoyable than strictly educational materials. Seek out good writing, watch great speakers, and try to imitate the format, structure, and language of those whose work you admire. Exposure to authentic materials not only helps with language proficiency, but it can also enhance your knowledge of a particular field.
Join a positive learning community. While there are plenty of good language learning apps on the market, research shows that learners still benefit from having an effective teacher and a supportive learning community. Teachers help students set achievable goals and overcome barriers that inevitably arise along the way. Supportive classmates provide accountability and the friendly push that students need to keep up with their study plans.
Ask for feedback. Prompt and frequent feedback has a huge effect on learning. Seek regular feedback from teachers and mentors while you practice an important speech or work on a critical business proposal. Find people who like to nit-pick about language and grammar. They will help you perfect your English.
In today’s digital age, it is becoming easier to find great resources for improving your business English but busy professionals learn best when they have some kind of structured course with a flexible lesson schedule.
Of course, none of the above tips will make learning English easy. Even with the best approach, taking on a foreign language is a long-term and challenging commitment. But our research is encouraging: with patience, realistic goals, and a good community of learners, it really is possible for busy adults to master the world’s lingua franca.•
