Two Reasons Even Native English Speakers Can Benefit From Business English Classes

When you're a native English speaker, it's not unusual to think you know everything you need to about communicating with others in the language. While you may do just fine speaking informally with friends and family, the same may not be true in business settings. Here are two reasons you should invest in taking business English classes:

Learn to Speak More Professionally

The term "corporate speak" is often used as a punchline in jokes. The truth is the business industry is a culture unto itself, and the people in it have a particular way of speaking so they're understood by other people in the community as well as non-native speakers who don't know all the peculiarities of the English language. Although you can generally get away with using slang and meme-speak in your personal life, that type of language would not fly in the business world, because it would only create confusion and may not translate well to others who aren't hip to that type of informal speech.

Thus, taking a business English class can help you learn how to speak more formally so you can get your ideas across to both your peers, upper-level management, and any non-native speakers you may interact with. And even though the way a person speaks doesn't exactly correlate with their level of intelligence, speaking more formally in the appropriate settings will make you appear smarter and more capable.

Improve Your Presentation Skills

Another reason you may want to take a few business English classes is to improve your presentation skills. Most business English classes focus on helping students improve their vocabulary and grammar, the teachers also help students work on their non-verbal communication skills as well as teaching them how to engage others in conversation. These skills are integral to getting customers, co-workers, and decision makers on board with your ideas.

For instance, it's common for people who are uncomfortable with public speaking to exhibit body language—such as fidgeting and stiff arm movements—that onlookers may find distracting or uncomfortable. This behavior can cast a pall over the entire presentation and make it difficult for you to sell your thoughts and ideas to your audience.

A business English course can help you work on your non-verbal skills so you avoid engaging in distracting behaviors, which can make you appear more confident and help your audience focus more on your words and ideas.

To learn more about business English classes and how they can help you, contact a school in your area like inlingua for assistance.