About the course
1. What is 'Enterprise Europe'?
2. The language aims of the course
3. Overview of the method
4. Course content
5. Course theme
6. Course length

1. What is the 'Enterprise Europe' course?

This Course teaches language - specifically the language for office communication - but it also
develops the confidence of the participants, raises their job competence and improves their
prospects for interesting and fulfilling work in the future. The course encourages individuals to
promote and be a part of a group pursuing a common aim. The subject matter is relevant to
'modern city life' in Europe. The course includes people so everyone has an important role to
play, which is not dependent on their language level or competence. It has been specially
developed under the Council of Europe Leonardo Scheme for education and international cooperation.
In completing the course students will reach a level of (to be confirmed) in the
T.O.E.I.C (Testing of English for International Communication) scale.
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2. What are the language aims of the Course?

It has been developed to enable users to communicate in English - face to face, on the
telephone, by email, fax or letter. At the Council of Europe Threshold level speakers are able to
competently carry out the requirements of office work, and communicate effectively in day to
day situations. The course teaches the essential language for office communication, business,
travel, and social occasions.
Examples of particular topics include: telephone communication, secretarial functions, office
services, giving presentations, invoices, writing business messages, dealing with complaints,
attending conferences.
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3. Please tell me more about the method.

This is a Brain-friendly Course. As such, it uses new information on how to optimise the brain's
ability to remember and make learning easier and enjoyable. This course develops recent
learning ideas and combines the benefits of classroom interaction - the positive group dynamic
- with opportunities for computer-based individual learning.

Here are some of the important elements:

A relaxed atmosphere - lots of good humour and creativity - where participants are enjoying
themselves at the same time as using their intellect and imagination; and have the confidence
to actively use their new language.

The practice of listening to music in combination with the target language. Music engages
many more areas of the brain in the learning process. Research indicates that this has a
beneficial effect on memory of the target language!

A dramatised story as the central text to teach language in context. Each learner has a part to
play, an on-going role. in the ‘drama’. The language is very practical and is presented in easily
remembered lines and situations.

Lots of different ways to recycle new language, grammar and vocabulary and build up
confidence and fluency. The use of colour to identify and recall grammar is a good example of
a Brain- friendly technique.

You will see how these elements all work together when you look at the step by step
instructions and the supplementary notes.
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4. Content: the course ‘package’ consists of different teaching materials. What are they?

They are:
a) Student’s book which contains:
      - Defining the individual's role within the story
      - The text for the drama
      - Language Activities
      - Memory maps
b) The CD-ROM which contains:
      - These teaching notes (plus access code to all web pages)
      - The Web-link texts which provide supplementary information / exercises for each Act (unit) of
         the drama.
      - Concert readings of the drama (text read with music in the background. The whole story for
         the teacher to use in class or for students to listen to privately)
      - 'Memory’ cards - key phrases from the drama to print out and use as revision cards.
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5. What is the theme of the 'Enterprise Europe' drama?

The course is about a competition to design a pollution-free inner city vehicle. The course
requires 3 groups. Two groups are companies, High Tech and Supermetals - which compete -
amongst other companies - for the contract to build this vehicle. A third group is the European
Commission who control the project and eventually decide on the best design. All course
participants belong to one of these three groups.
The theme is interesting and practical because it generates lots of ‘office discussion’ whilst
covering issues such as finance, the environment, design, product development, cultural
differences, inter-company co-operation.
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6. How long is the Course?

Thirty teaching / learning hours is a guideline. Each of the ten units provides approximately
three hours of study material.
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