 Using Video and Radio

Improving students’ overall communication skills and primarily their telephoning

skills is one of the immediate objectives of a six-week course. So, the rationale behind
choosing this audio material1 is to familiarize students with the kind of functional phrases
used particularly while carrying out a business call and to serve as a springboard to further
practice.

The class in question is made of 10 students most of them are admin-staff. Their
daily jobs involve handling phone calls as well as reading and replying to some written
communication correspondence. They are a class of mixed level abilities placed in a pre-
intermediate level. Because of their limited language proficiency and unfamiliarity with
native speech, this audio material is thought to be suitable and within their scope of
comprehension.

The lesson could be staged in the following way:

At the lead-in stage students will be asked to think of any phrases they might use or
hear while calling someone in another company in hope to activate their existing
knowledge. Then I will put on the WB some of the phrases that students come up with.

a. Feedback at the 1st listening: Students listen and compare their

phrases to correct or modify them.

b. 2nd listening: Students will be asked to listen again to complete a

gapped conversation.

I’ll put you through Who shall I say is calling? Who’s calling please?
How can I help? How can I help? can I speak to
Hang on a moment Could I speak to

1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit1telephone/1con
necting.shtml
 2
Michelle: Hello, you've reached the marketing department. .............................................
Male: Yes............................................................. Rosalind Wilson, please?
Michelle: .....................................................
Male: It’s Richard Davies here
Michelle: Certainly. Please hold and.......................................................
Male: Thank you.
Michelle: Hello, marketing. ..................................................................
Male: .........................................................Jason Roberts please?
Michelle: Certainly. .....................................................................
Male: My name’s Mike Andrews.
Michelle: Just a second - I’ll see if he’s in. Hello, Jason, I’ve got Mike Andrews on the phone
for you ... OK - I’ll put him through............................................................., I’m just
putting you through

 2nd situation asking to leave a message2.

a. Task setting:

in the following phone call someone called but the person he/she wants to speak to is not
there so what do you think the callers is going to do ? (Leave a message). Listen and put the
conversation in the right order.

............. Actually, would you mind? Could you tell him that Jennifer McAndrews called and that
I’m in the office all day if he could call me back?

............ : Or can I take a message?

............. Okay, I’ll do that.

............. In about an hour. Can you call back later?

.........1.. Hello, finance department.

............. I’m afraid he’s in a meeting at the moment. Can I help?

.......11.. Goodbye!

............. No, I need to talk to Mr Hopwood, I think. What time will he be out of the meeting?

2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit1telephone/2me
ssages.shtml
IH-Jubail :Rachid Elalaoui
............. Hello, can I speak to Adrian Hopwood, please?
3
............. Can I take your number, please?

............. Yes, it’s 5556872

............. 5556872. Okay, I’ll make sure he gets the message.

.............. Thanks very much for your help, bye!

b. 2nd listening feedback:

First students compare their answers and then listen to check. Then in pairs students try to
underline the new phrases used to ask for and leave a message and add it to the list they
have before.

 Practice the target language:

As mentioned earlier the audio materials will serve as a springboard to help students
generate language and put into practice the newly acquired functional phrases. As such
students will be given different situational cards the purpose of which is to provide a real-
life phone call situation. Now the students have the phrases and have to compose a
conversation based on the information on the cards .Then back to back students role play
their conversations.

Sample of the cards:

Secretary 1 : Secretary 2:

You work for Hadeed Company. You are a You work for Marafik Company. You are a
secretary. Your boss is Waleed Sami secretary. Your boss is Sami Alkahtani. He is
Aloutaibai. He is at a meeting. He is expected
out to lunch. He is expected back at 1:00.
back at 1:30.

Secretary 3: Secretary 4:

You work for Aramko Company. You are a You work for STC. You are a secretary. Your
secretary. Your boss is Hatim Saad Assiri. He boss is Malik Asadani. He is talking to a
is on vacation. He is expected back next
client. He is expected back in about an hour.
Monday.

IH-Jubail :Rachid Elalaoui

Caller 1:You work for LG computers. Your Caller 2: You work for Smart Interior
4
telephone number is 604-324-4321. You Designs. Your telephone number is 017-367-
have to call Waleed Sami Aloutaibai from 2190. You have to call Sami Alkahtani from
Hadded Company and tell him that his Marafik Company and tell him that you have
shipment of computers has arrived. If he is come up with an estimate for the
not in, leave a message with the secretary. renovations for his office. If he is not in,
leave a message with the secretary.

IH-Jubail :Rachid Elalaoui