Need a break? Well, slip on your slippers, grab a coffee or tea, get a donut and slip on into the Break Room, a new feature from the IATEFL BESIG is back.

The committee would like to invite members and non-members to join us in online networking meetings. The idea is to provide a platform where both can meet up informally, and chat about life, the universe and everything. If lots of people turn up it will be easy to split into smaller break-out rooms and chat in smaller groups. A great chance to catch up with IATEFL BESIG friends and make new ones.

Just click on the right Wednesday below to enter the Break Room.

2nd Wednesday of the month at 11:00 UK time 

Last Wednesday of the month at 18:00 UK time 

All tertiary EAP faculties in Israel are undergoing a three-year national reform, in which they are transitioning from the teaching of English from the perspective of EAP to that of EPIC (English for the Purposes of International Communication), affecting all English courses taught, including Business English. This paradigm shift involves alignment to the 2020 Companion Volume of the CEFR and implementation of an action-oriented approach. Learners are seen as owners of their own learning, and as such, become “social agents” who complete real-world tasks based on meaningful scenarios that lead to final products. 

In this workshop, we will introduce the principles of the action-oriented approach and present a possible framework as it is being applied to business English courses at our institution. Participants will have an opportunity to plan an action-oriented unit of study suitable to their teaching, coaching, or consulting context. During the workshop, participants will share their plans, insights, and challenges, enabling all of us to gain a better understanding of how an action-oriented approach can be implemented in practice.

Randi Harlev manages a three-year tertiary national reform project at Ruppin Academic Center in Israel, and is involved in developing an online professional development course for all tertiary English teachers in Israel. She has taught both EAP and Business English in Israel and in China, and has worked in professional development, both pre service and in-service. She has conceptualized, designed, and developed EFL, EAP, and ESP courses for publishers and universities worldwide. Randi has presented and given plenary talks at conferences in Israel and abroad. She is a certified organizational consultant, and has a PhD in Organizational Behavior and an MATESOL.

Debbie Lahav is a senior teacher at Ruppin Academic Center in Israel, teaching both EAP courses and Business English courses in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. She has participated in various national and international EFL/ESL projects, involving professional development for in-service teachers. She also has extensive experience in materials development as well as the integration of technology as a pedagogical tool in the classroom. Debbie has been active in the Ministry of Education’s English curriculum reform and in the implementation of a national reform project for EAP at the tertiary level. She has an MA in Linguistics.

Given the high-stakes nature of many business interactions, it is important for BELF users to use communication strategies effectively to negotiate meaning and prevent (as well as solve) comprehension issues. How do you practise communication strategies with your learners? How effectively do your course materials develop the strategies? Take a good look at March’s Reading & Discussion article to find actions you can take in your classroom and then join us on Tuesday 21 March along with guest co-author, Valeria Franceschi, to delve deeper into the topic.

Go to the Members-only Area for the materials and joining link. 

No pre-registration needed.

Questions? Email Maria at [email protected]

Please note, this event is exclusive to members and the joining link will be posted on the day in the Members-Only area of our website.

Come join us at the IATEFL BESIG Round Table with the IATEFL BESIG Joint Coordinator, Rob Howard, as our host.

The format: members only, with cameras and mics on, get up to 30 seconds to make a point. As we go around the table, each person can comment, add or pass. Come and see where the journey takes us.

Go to the Members-only Area to enter the Zoom meeting on the day. No registration needed!

Questions?  Email us at [email protected]