About the Course
The first 6 episodes of Grand Café English’s Are You Ready for Business is designed to help students decide whether business startup is right for them. Students will do several self-assessment exercises to help them find out whether they want to move on to the next course, Starting a Small Business.
The Grand Café English curriculum currently available includes:
The Grand Café English curriculum currently available includes:
- Episodes 1 through 6
- Student Workbooks Units 1 through 6
- Student Guide – provides students with information on how to take the course
- Teacher Guide – provides guidance on facilitating student meetings throughout the course
ELL Levels
The exercises in the Grand Café student workbooks are designed for two different levels of English study—low intermediate and high intermediate.
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The low intermediate level exercises are marked with one coffee cup.
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The high intermediate level exercises are marked with two coffee cups.
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The curriculum is designed according to the California Model Program Standards for ESL. Please refer to these standards for more information on low intermediate and high intermediate learner characteristics.
Using the Episodes
Recap what happened in the episode, and ask questions about the story and about students own ideas and thoughts. For specific questions about each episode, read the “Unit” sections that follow.
- Find out which character each student relates to in the telenovela episode. Ask students to explain why they relate themselves to the particular character.
- Have students explain something they would have done differently from one of the characters in the telenovela.
- Have students try to predict what might happen in the next episode.
- Watch and explain: Watch a portion of the story with the sound off and ask students to describe what is happening in English.
- Role play: Pause after one character speaks and have a student read the other character’s part from the transcript.
- Ask “What would you do?” Play a portion of the story in which a character must make a decision. Stop the episode before the decision is made and ask the class “What would you do in his/her situation?” Have students discuss in groups or pairs, and then as a class.
- Practice New Words and Phrases: Play “New Words and Phrases” in the episode. Have students go to the “New Words and Phrases” section in their workbooks.
- Pronunciation: Have the group repeat the new words and phrases along with the video for pronunciation practice.
- Comprehension: Have students use the new words and phrases in a sentence, either verbally or written.
Using the Workbooks
Because students may view the episodes remotely they may take in much of the instructional content alone, in a self-directed manner. The workbooks guide students in comprehension of the material presented in the episodes. Each student will have a different experience with the exercises and readings in the workbook.
To help facilitate the learning process using the workbook in a group setting, you can:
To help facilitate the learning process using the workbook in a group setting, you can:
- Answer any questions about the episodes or units that students have. Be sure to use this time wisely, staying away from focusing only on the workbook exercises.
- Check that students are completing the tasks in the workbooks.
- Encourage students to share their experiences watching the episodes and doing the workbooks.
- Remind students that for the open-ended exercises (they write in their own words), there are no right or wrong answers.
- Guide students to share their open-ended responses with other students in pairs or groups.
To go beyond the workbook and promote further learning, you can:
- Encourage students to do some research on their own using the “Resources” section of the workbook at the end of each unit. Doing further investigation beyond the domain of the book will be an asset in the end.
- Help students create personal dictionaries as described in the Student Guide. A personal dictionary will help them remember in their own words the important words and phrases from the episodes. They can also add new words that they might hear outside of the class. In your group, ask students to share their dictionaries with one another, and explain what the words and phrases mean. Keep a list of any words or phrases that come up in class discussions, or appear in any outside materials you present to the group. Have students add these words or phrases to their personal dictionaries.
- Have students compare the way business is conducted in their home countries, and what differences they have noticed in the U.S. Guide the discussions, acknowledge that students have to adapt to ways of doing things in the U.S., and that they can help one another meet this challenge.
- Close each class meeting with a group discussion about what students have done so far toward reaching their business startup goals. These conversations may begin with answers from the workbook or the “Your Turn” exercises, but can also include actions taken beyond the book.
Encouraging Networking
Whether your group meets weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, students may be studying alone, using the Grand Café English episodes and workbooks. However, it is important that students have an opportunity for face-to-face contact with a teacher and with other students to get the most out of the course.
One of the main goals of the group meetings is for the students to talk about their business ideas in English. Students should be networking with one another in the group meetings.
Emphasize to students that the people in their group will provide them with a support network for starting their business. The group meetings provide students with a place to practice English and talk about their business ideas in a comfortable, safe, and friendly environment.
In the first class meeting do the following to help encourage networking between students:
One of the main goals of the group meetings is for the students to talk about their business ideas in English. Students should be networking with one another in the group meetings.
Emphasize to students that the people in their group will provide them with a support network for starting their business. The group meetings provide students with a place to practice English and talk about their business ideas in a comfortable, safe, and friendly environment.
In the first class meeting do the following to help encourage networking between students:
- Encourage students to come to all the scheduled group meetings.
- Pass around a phone list and arrange to email or send the students a copy. Be sure your contact information is included, as well as appropriate times for students to contact you.
- Pair up all students so that everyone has a “buddy” to call or get in touch with between meetings to share progress, questions, and ideas.