CASE-BASED INSTRUCTION AS A TEACHING METHOD OF BUSINESS ENGLISH

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of using active methods of teaching Business English on the example of case study. It also highlights the definition, purpose of case study method and identifies its main functions. Besides, it focuses on basic peculiarities of case-based method for teaching English and describes the effective ways of case studies usage. Moreover, it is stated that case studies present realistic, complex, and contextually rich situations and often involve a dilemma, conflict, or problem that one or more of the characters in the case must negotiate. This method increases student proficiency with written and oral communication, as well as collaboration and team work. The peculiarity of this method of teaching is that it develops practical and cultural thinking and also develops professional and managerial skills.
In the article some of the steps how to lead a case-based discussion are pointed out: giving students time to read and think about the case; introducing the case briefly and providing some guidelines for how to approach it; creating groups and monitoring them; asking questions for clarification and moving discussion to another level; synthesizing issues raised.
Some examples of the use of case-study method at the English lessons in a professional environment (Business English, English for managers, English for economists, English for professionals in the field of advertising, for specialists in public relations) are illustrated and thoroughly analysed. The course-books “The Business” (The Pre-intermediate, The Intermediate, The Upper Intermediate, The Advanced levels) laid the foundations of the analytical analysis of the case-study method samples.