English for Business and Entrepreneurship

Syllabus
Winter 2022: January 3 – March 28, 2022

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor Email
Jessamyn Embry [email protected]

COURSE OVERVIEW
Description
This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in improving their language skills and
knowledge of business and entrepreneurship at the same time. From identifying an opportunity to planning a
persuasive pitch, this course will guide you step-by-step through the basic elements of starting up a new business.
Through case studies, selected readings, and video lectures, you will learn how to use market research to identify risks
and opportunities. You will learn how to read and develop a business plan and how to find investors and financial
support. Finally, you will learn strategies for making a pitch to present your business concept.

Learning Objectives and Learner Outcomes

• Identify and apply strategies to improve reading and listening comprehension in English,
• Identify and practice using key vocabulary in business and entrepreneurship contexts,
• Analyze the role of entrepreneurship in local economies,
• Identify and compare business models,
• Identify and evaluate key components of effective market research,
• Identify and evaluate elements of an effective business plan in differing contexts,
• Identify and practice developing strategies to attract investors and obtain funding for a start-up

Expectations and Grading

The course runs from January 3 to March 28, 2022. There are six modules in this course. In order to complete the
modules, participants should work on and offline for 3-5 hours a week. Most participants complete this course in 12
weeks or less. This is a self-paced course and assignments can be completed at any time before the close date on
March 28, 2022.

Course Policies
Online Discussion Boards
This course includes opportunities to participate in online discussion boards. In an online discussion board, you can:
• practice communicating in English,
• experiment with new words and grammar,
• get feedback from other participants,

© 2022 by FHI 360. English for Business and Entrepreneurship Syllabus for the Online Professional
English Network (OPEN), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. 1
government and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution
4.0 License, except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
 • share your ideas and learn from others.

When communicating on the discussion boards, it is important to follow a set of core principles.
 
1. Level: High beginner / Low intermediate
This course is intended for English language learners at or approaching level B1 on the Common European
Framework (CEFR).

2. Respond to posts and comments in an encouraging and supportive tone.

Think before you write or respond. Be helpful and supportive. Any criticism should be constructive and given in
a friendly, polite way. If in doubt, think about how you would feel reading the post.

2. Be clear and direct.

Make sure that your content title reflects the content of your post and that your post is short and direct. Put a
blank space at the beginning of a message and between paragraphs. Be brief and specific. Limit your post to 50
– 100 words. This is especially important in Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) which have thousands of
participants.

3. Post relevant content.

Only post content relevant to the “English for Business and Entrepreneurship” Course. Any other content
which is found to be unsuitable or irrelevant will be deleted.

4. Be open to differences in opinion.

Be open to other people’s opinions and try not to get emotional if someone disagrees with you. Make your
learning experience a constructive and positive one by avoiding “flaming”. For example, CAPITAL LETTERS can
be interpreted as shouting. Words are powerful and can hurt; avoid anything which could be misinterpreted in
any way. Think before you push the “send” button.

5. Accept others’ differences.

You are part of a global community which means caring about your own progress and that of your colleagues.

6. Cite other people’s work.

In this course, you are expected to use your own words and ideas, and to acknowledge any sources you use to
gather ideas. Plagiarism is not allowed in OPEN courses.

If you use a quote or reference in your post; make sure that you cite it or provide a link to it.

7.  No spamming.
Please don’t post advertisements in discussion boards or use Canvas inbox in any way other than how they
intend it to be used.

Communicating with the Program

It is your responsibility to communicate with your instructor and the OPEN Program about questions or issues that
prevent you from participating in the course.
• If you have questions about course content, you can post questions in the Content Discussion Board which
is regularly monitored by course facilitators.
• If you have technical issues, please contact [email protected]
COURSE SCHEDULE
Module Topic Learning Objectives Resources Activities and Assignments Time
Required
1 Becoming an Identify and use vocabulary Module 1 Key Vocabulary Review the page “Module 1 Key Vocabulary” 45 min
entrepreneur related to business and Identify new vocabulary in the module
entrepreneurship Quiz: Module 1 Vocabulary Reviews
Develop effective reading Page: “Reading Strategies: Previewing and Read the page “Reading Strategies: Previewing and 75 min
strategies to identify main Predicting” Predicting”
ideas and details. Video: “Reading Strategies” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the Video “Reading Strategies (Parts 1 and 2)
Article: “Is entrepreneurship a solution to South Participate in the optional discussion: “Practice
Africa’s unemployment crisis?” Reading Quickly”
Participate in the optional discussion: Reading
Strategies: Asking Questions”
Create a one-sentence Video: “Ideas, Products, and Opportunities” Watch the video “Ideas, Products and Opportunities” 75 min
product description Video: “Creating Simple, One-Sentence Product Watch the video “Creating Simple, One-Sentence
Descriptions” (Parts 1 and 2) Product Descriptions (Parts 1 and 2)”
Quiz: Identifying Different Types of Products
Quiz: Creating Product Descriptions
Compare entrepreneurs Video: “What is Entrepreneurship?” Watch the video “What is Entrepreneurship?” 60 min
and small business owners Video: “Companies vs. Corporations” Watch the video “Comparative Structures (Parts 1
Video: “Comparative Structures” (Parts 1 and 2) and 2)
Quiz: Comparative Structures
Weigh the advantages and Video: “Why Entrepreneurship?” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Why Entrepreneurship?” (Parts 1 75 min
disadvantages of Video: “Deciding on a Type of Startup” and 2)
entrepreneurship Video: “Risks, Failures, and Important Steps” Watch the video, “Deciding on a Type of Startup”
(Parts 1 and 2) Watch the videos “Risks, Failures, and Important
Steps” (Parts 1 and 2)
2 Identifying an Identify the key steps in Module 2 Key Vocabulary Review the page “Module 2 Key Vocabulary” 75 min
Opportunity conducting market Video: “Market Research and Testing to Identify Watch the video ““Market Research and Testing to
research Opportunities” Identify Opportunities”
Video: “Informal Research: Advantages and Watch the video “Informal Research: Advantages and
Disadvantages” Disadvantages”
Video: “Formal Research: Advantages and Watch the video “Formal Research: Advantages and
Disadvantages” (Parts 1 and 2) Disadvantages” (Parts 1 and 2)

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Module Topic Learning Objectives Resources Activities and Assignments Time
Required
Identify and apply Video: “Listening Strategies” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Listening Strategies” (Parts 1 and 2) 45 min
strategies to improve Podcast Story: “Bugs are the new food” OPTIONAL Listening Practice “Bugs are the new food”
listening comprehension
Identify and practice using Video: “Creating a Survey” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Creating a Survey” (Parts 1 and 2) 135 min
effective question form Video: “Questions and Intonation” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Questions and Intonation” (Parts 1
structures and strategies to Video: “Collecting Data” and 2)
conduct market research Video: “Evaluating Results” Quiz: Questions and Intonation
and communicate with Watch the video “Collecting Data”
potential partners, clients, Watch the video “Evaluating Results”
and customers OPTIONAL Discussion “Survey Questions: Past or
Current Experience”
Quiz: Creating Survey Questions
3 Creating a Develop your familiarity “Module 2 Key Vocabulary” Review “Module 2 Key Vocabulary” 15 min
Business Plan, with new key vocabulary
Part 1: and practice using that new
Product vocabulary in writing.
Description
and
Marketing
Become familiar with Video “Why Write a Business Plan?” Watch the video “Why Write a Business Plan?” 60 min
business plans, why they Article “Nigeria’s Wecyclers work for reusable OPTIONAL Quiz: “Nigeria’s Wecyclers work for
are important, and their future in Lagos” reusable future in Lagos”
basic components. Video: Business Description (Management and OPTIONAL Discussion: Business Ideas for your local
Operations) community
Watch the video “Business Description (Management
and Operations)
Identify and practice using Video: “Intensifiers and Degree Complements” Watch the video “Intensifiers and Degree 45 min
intensifiers and degree (Parts 1 and 2) Complements” (Parts 1 and 2)
complements to describe Quiz: Complements and Intensifiers
competitive advantage
more persuasively.
Write a brief business plan Video: Marketing Vocabulary and Concepts (Parts Watch the video “Marketing Vocabulary and 90 min
with the appropriate 1 -3) Concepts” (Parts 1 -3)
language structures for the Video: Business Plans: The Marketing Section Watch the video “Business Plans: The Marketing
intended professional (Parts 1 and 2) Section” (Parts 1 and 2)
audience Quiz: The Marketing Mix

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Module Topic Learning Objectives Resources Activities and Assignments Time
Required
4 Creating a Develop your familiarity Module 4 Key Vocabulary Review page “Module 4 Key Vocabulary” 15 min
Business Plan, with new key vocabulary
Part 2 and practice using that new
(Financials vocabulary in writing
and Executive
Summary)
Become familiar with Video “Introduction to Financials” Watch the video “Introduction to Financials” 135 min
business plans, why they Video “The Income Statement” Quiz: Financials Vocabulary
are important, and their Video “Calculating Start-up Costs” Watch the video “The Income Statement”
basic components Video “Calculating Sale and Revenue Projections” Quiz: Income Statement Vocabulary
Video “Calculating Cost Projections” Watch the video “Calculating Start-up Costs”
Video “The Executive Summary” Watch the video “Calculating Sale and Revenue
Projections”
Watch the video “Calculating Cost Projections”
Watch the video “The Executive Summary”
Quiz: Interpreting Results
5 Attracting Become familiar with ways Video “Why Seek Financial Support?” Watch the video “Why Seek Financial Support?” 150 min
Investors and to obtain funding for a Video “Financial Support – Bootstrapping” Watch the video “Financial Support – Bootstrapping”
Obtaining start-up, such as Video “Debt Financing” (Parts 1 and 2) OPTIONAL Discussion: Bootstrapping Strategies
Financial microfinancing, Video “Equity Financing” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Debt Financing” (Parts 1 and 2)
Support crowdfunding, and venture Video “Finding Investors in the Social Network” Watch the video “Equity Financing” (Parts 1 and 2)
capital and understand the Video “Crowdfunding” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Finding Investors in the Social
opportunities and Network”
challenges presented by Watch the video “Crowdfunding” (Parts 1 and 2)
these options
Learn and practice Module 5 Key Vocabulary Review the page “Module 5 Key Vocabulary” 45 min
vocabulary to discuss plans Quiz: Module 5 Vocabulary Review
and goals for funding a
business
Create a pitch and Video “Making a Pitch” (Parts 1 and 2) Watch the video “Making a Pitch” (Parts 1 and 2) 120 min
persuasively present a Video “Creating an Effective Hook” (Parts 1 and Watch the video “Creating an Effective Hook” (Parts
start-up project 2) 1 and 2)
Video “Adding Impact: Word Stress, Body Quiz: Be Brief!
Language, & Eye Contact” Watch the video “Adding Impact: Word Stress, Body
Vi Language, & Eye Contact”
OPTIONAL Discussion “Adding Impact in Your Home
Culture”
Discussion: Making a Pitch

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