Name of the Teacher Date Level of the class Length of lesson
09.05.2023 Advanced 60 minutes
Lesson Type: Speaking Skills – Business English
Lesson Topic: Telephone Language - Taking a message on behalf of a colleague.
Lesson Aims: Lesson Outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, students will be By the end of the lesson, students will have…
better able to…
Exhibited comprehension of the meaning, form,
Recognize and comprehend the meaning, form, pronunciation, and function of the target telephone phrases
pronunciation, and function of common telephone and language structures used when taking a message on
phrases and language structures used when taking behalf of a colleague.
a message on behalf of a colleague over the
telephone and utilize it appropriately and Improved their self-confidence and self-esteem, by
professionally. employing and practicing the new telephonic English
phrases in role plays, dialogue, and worksheet exercises,
Effectively handle unforeseen telephone placing an emphasis on accuracy and professionalism.
situations with confidence and professionalism,
using appropriate language and strategies to Gained knowledge on how to professionally handle
manage challenging or unexpected scenarios. unforeseen difficulties that are beyond their control such as
connectivity issues.
Fluently communicate with international clients
using the correct telephone language and glean Enhanced their level of English, telephone skills and the
key details of information from a business phone quality of communication with international clients by
conversation. being exposed to authentic material.
Anticipated difficulties: Suggested solutions:
1. Learners 1. Establish a supportive and inclusive classroom culture:
Due to the predominance of men in this Create a classroom environment that is welcoming and
class, some female students may feel inclusive for all students. This can involve setting ground
intimidated and lack the confidence to rules for respectful communication and actively
speak in front of their peers, which may discouraging any form of discrimination. Use whole-class
lead to participation issues. teaching to assist in eliminating barriers between male and
female students. and encourage collaboration to break the
2. L1 ice and get rid of gender bias in the classroom.
As the class is monolingual in nature,
students may tend to switch back to their 2. Emphasize English-only policy, encourage students to
native language when they face difficulties speak only in English during class time. Explain to them
or come across complex material. why this is beneficial to their language acquisition. Remind
, students respectfully and kindly if they start using their L1
3. Age again. This can help students develop their English skills
Because of the age difference between the and reduce their reliance on their L1.
students, senior and junior employees may
be learning in the same group. The senior 3. Use icebreakers and team-building activities to help
members may feel uncomfortable students get to know each other better and build rapport.
participating as they don’t know very This can help to create a sense of community in the
much, or the junior members might worry classroom and break down any age-related barriers. Create
about participating with the seniors. This is a positive and supportive learning environment where
especially true when the students are asked students feel comfortable taking risks and making
to share opinions related to working at mistakes. This can help students develop their language
their company. skills without fear of judgement or criticism.
4. Motivation 4. Create relevant and engaging lesson content that is relevant
Given that the student's motivation is and interesting to the students' professional needs and
extrinsic, since they are being compelled interests, provide students with choices in their learning,
to learn English by their employer, they such as selecting topics for discussion, to increase their
may not be particularly motivated and may sense of autonomy and ownership in their learning and
feel uninterested or lack excitement. connect learning to real-world applications by connecting
it to their work or professional goals, to create a sense of
5. Target language purpose and motivation for their language learning.
English telephone language often includes
idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs 5. Introduce common idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs
that may be unfamiliar to Japanese used in telephone conversations. Provide clear
learners. They may struggle with explanations of their meanings and usage. Offer examples
understanding the intended meaning of and context to help learners understand when and how to
phrases like "hold on," "put through," or use these expressions. Encourage learners to practice using
"get back to." them in realistic telephone scenarios through role-plays or
6. Pronunciation pair activities.
Japanese speakers sometimes confuse the
/r/ and /l/ sounds because they are unable 6. Emphasize pronunciation when teaching new phrases
to distinguish between the two sounds. using chorus drills, the phonemic script, and provide
This may have an impact on how they students with opportunities to practice their pronunciation
pronounce phrases. such as role-plays and dialogues.
Teach learners about the importance of intonation and tone
Learners might struggle with using
in telephone conversations. Provide examples of different
appropriate intonation and tone on the
tones (e.g., polite, formal, friendly) and discuss how they
phone, as they cannot rely on visual cues
can be conveyed through voice modulation. Encourage
like facial expressions or body language.
learners to practice role-plays, paying attention to their tone
This can impact the effectiveness of their
and adjusting it according to different scenarios.
communication and convey the wrong
tone or attitude.
7. Incorporate listening activities that simulate realistic
telephone conversations. Provide exercises that require
7. Listening
active listening, comprehension, and response formulation.
Japanese learners may struggle with active
Encourage students to take notes during conversations to
listening and responding appropriately
aid comprehension and retention. Practice paraphrasing
during telephone conversations, as they
and summarizing skills to ensure understanding. Offer
may need time to process information or
feedback on their listening and response skills, highlighting
formulate a response.
areas for improvement.
, Target Language Analysis
Language Meaning Function Pronunciation CCQs
1. I’m afraid This expression is used Taking a /aɪm ə'freɪd Does the caller want to
he/she is not when a caller requests to message talk to you or someone
available at the speak with someone who hi/ʃi: ɪz nɒt else? (Someone else)
moment; Can I
is not accessible or ə'veɪləbl æt ðə Is the caller able to reach
take a message? the desired person? (No)
present to answer the 'məʊmənt; kæn Are you making a note
call. You take note of the
message so that you may aɪ teɪk ə of the message? (Yes)
later forward it to the 'mɛsɪdʒ? /
appropriate person.
2. Could you Use in situations where Clarifying /kʊd ju pliːz Do you ask this when
please clarify you’re not sure what the information you’re not sure what the
what you mean? caller means, simply ask ˈklærɪfaɪ wɒt ju caller mean? (Yes)
them to explain miːn/ Is there a bad
connection? (No)
themselves. You may
Do you understand the
also expand on this by
caller? (No)
saying something like:
Could you please clarify
what you mean when
you say __________?
3. The line is quite Bad connections aren’t Dealing /ðə laɪn ɪz When do you use this
bad. Could you uncommon, especially on with bad phrase? (Bad
please say that international phone calls. connections kwaɪt bæd kʊd connection)
again?
You can either offer to ju pliːz seɪ ðæt Can you hear the caller?
(No)
call them back later or əˈɡeɪn/ Do you want the caller to
use this phrase and ask repeat themselves? (Yes)
the caller to repeat
themselves. This phrase
mentions the “line,”
which is the phone line
or connection.
