Advanced English for Professionals

Course description

   This class is designed
for International professionals. The  specially planned schedule of one evening per week and the business oriented  curriculum are both tailored to meet the needs of people who are working and living in the Silicon Valley. The level is considered advanced, because the students are past their educational stage and are usually employed in their fields.  Nevertheless, students are encouraged to ask questions about English topics at any level. Many of the most problematic recurring issues of grammar and spelling will be addressed.

Advanced vocabulary

Idioms and Collocations

Industry  Jargon

  • Marketing
  • Management
  • Engineering

Business topics

  • Business news and reports
  • Communication skills at work
  • Innovation and creativity
  • Measurement  and approximation
  • Meetings and brainstorming
  • Plans, decisions, and regulations
  • Presentation and conferencing
  • Research and development

Linguistic topics

  • Articles and other parts of speech
  • Gerunds vs. infinitives
  • Second language acquisition
  • Modification and ambiguity
  • Register, stress, and intonation

Conversational topics

  • Agreeing and disagreeing
  • Common  American expressions
  • Emphasizing and intensifying
  • Ideas, thoughts, and opinions
  • Responding and requesting
  • Socializing and discussing issues
  • Storytelling

Course objectives

Gain experience, acquire accuracy, and develop confidence, in depicting information and presenting ideas in formal and casual business settings.

Instructor: Lizz Caplan, Ph.D.

Professor Caplan is a native speaker of English with a doctorate in Second Language Acquisition and Instructional Technology from the University of South Florida. She has specialized in ESL for professionals, focusing on conversation, writing, research reporting, and presentation skills.