How can you do this quickly and easily? Of course, a simple Google search can do the trick. But you can also follow your students’ favorite sports teams, or other social accounts relating to their interests (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn or Pinterest). There you can find topical, interesting stories, videos, or simple social posts to cover during your lessons.
2. Show how far they’ve come
When you stick to coursebook materials, students often feel like they are bowling with guardrails. By sharing and working on real-world texts, videos, and listening materials, students often feel more motivated.
After all, they see that they can really comprehend real-world texts (rather than course book materials).
What should you be aware of? Make sure to monitor carefully, be patient, and walk them through the content as many times as needed, so they don’t feel discouraged if they find it more difficult than expected.
3. Talk about topical stories
Beyond talking about the things your students are interested in, you can also find content relating to topical news stories or local events. News, so long as it’s not upsetting or too controversial, can be a great starting point for any lesson.
Should you use any type of news story? It always comes down to your best judgment on what you feel would make for a good classroom discussion. It’s best to avoid sad, controversial or highly contentious topics. Also, be sure to consider lesson objectives and language points before diving into the content.
4. Make Business English class material more relevant
Business English coursebooks are often quite generic. While they have business-related vocabulary and decent role-play activities, you’ll be very lucky to find an exercise that fits your student’s role.
So why not start using authentic materials relating to your student’s industry or company?
A great idea is to take content from the company blog, reviews, or news reports talking about the company. Students often find this type of material especially relevant.
