After studying this unit, the students are able to master the key words and structures, and more importantly, to communicate for the following purposes:

ü understanding meeting’s functions

ü understanding meeting minutes

ü arranging meetings

ü understanding and writing minutes

ü meeting arrangements

ü mastering taking notes in class

The method of approach

1. Discussing, listening, reading, presenting, and role-playing by the students;

2. Explanation and demonstration by the teacher;

3. After-class research and practice by the students.

Unit content

Reading A: Meeting Are a Matter of Precious Time

Reading B: Board Meeting Minutes

Listening & Speaking: Arranging Meetings

Writing: Minutes

Mini-project: Meeting Arrangements

Learning Strategy: Taking Notes in Class

Time requirement: 8-9 periods

Unit Focus

chime in         propose        contribute (to)        assign

perishable       vague          disengaged           effective

explicit         specify         tangible              in charge

Teaching procedures

This unit is arranged for a time span of 8 hours, during which a time limit is suggested for each step. Though it’s always important to keep a time limit in mind for each activity, a teacher should never stick to a rigid time plan in teaching, but rather follow a more flexible time table when dealing with unexpected in-class occurrences and make necessary adjustments accordingly. Note that not every step suggested here is a must in teaching. A teacher can make whatever changes he thinks necessary.

Hour 1:

  Course introduction     45 minutes      

Warming-up  Task 15 minutes

Objective: Ss can identify different tasks at each stage of running a business meeting. 

Steps:

• Ss read Warming-up Task.

• Get Ss to read through the list of tasks.

• Ask Ss to match the given tasks with the stages of a meeting.

• Give the suggested answers.

Suggested answers:

New words in Reading A 15 minutes

Objective: Ss can get familiar with the new words and expressions, etc.

Steps:

• Ss listen to the new words and expressions, etc.

• Ss read the new words and expressions, etc.

Notes: For a class with higher English proficiency, the teacher may follow the following steps:

• Ss preview the new words and expressions.

• Ss read the new words and expressions.

• Ss dictate several important new words and expressions.

Discussions before Reading A 15 minutes

Objective: Ss can get familiar with the new words and expressions, etc.

Steps:

• Ss know something about Reading A.

• Ss discuss the following two questions:

1. In your opinion, what are meetings’ functions?

2. How do we make meetings more productive?

• Comment briefly on their work.

Hours 2-3:

  Reading A     45 minutes   

Language points 35 minutes

Paragraph 1

chime in: to join or interrupt a conversation; to agree with something

e.g. He kept chiming in with his own opinions.

The artist’s illustrations chime in perfectly with the text.

Her expectation chimes in with the belief of many others.

propose: v. to suggest a plan or idea, etc. for people to think about or decide on

e.g. The government proposed changes to the voting system.

She proposed that the books written by the author should be banned.

contribute (to): v. to speak during a meeting or a conversation, or write things for a newspaper, magazine, etc.

e.g. We hope everyone will contribute to the discussion.

He contributed a number of articles to the magazine.

Paragraph 2

assign: v. to give someone a particular job or responsibility; to give money, equipment, etc. to someone to use

e.g. The teacher assigned a different task to each of the students.

We can assign him an important mission.

I was assigned a pleasant room to work in.

Paragraph 3

perishable: a. likely to decay or go bad quickly

e.g. Such kinds of flowers are perishable.

These perishable foods must be kept in a refrigerator.

vague: a. of an uncertain, indefinite or unclear character or meaning

e.g. The final letter is very vague, possibly an “R” or a “K”.

The terms of the agreement were left deliberately vague.

They were vague about their backgrounds.

Paragraph 4

disengaged: a. not involved with or interested in something or someone, and feeling separate from them

e.g. He had a disengaged look in his eyes.

One disengaged worker can affect the morale of the entire team.

effective: a. successful in producing a desired or intended result

e.g. We must take effective measures to deal with these problems.

Despite all modern technologies, the most effective form of communication is still face-to-face.

explicit: a. stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt

e.g. He has an explicit understanding of the problem.

He was quite explicit about what he expected us to do for him.

He gave me explicit directions on how to get there.

specify: v. to state something in an exact and detailed way

e.g. Please specify when you will be at home tomorrow.

Remember to specify your size when you order clothes.

The regulations specify that calculators may not be used in the examination.

tangible: a. that can be clearly seen to exist

e.g. We cannot accept his findings without tangible evidence.

The scheme must have tangible benefits for the unemployed.

Sculpture is a tangible art of form.

in charge: being responsible for

e.g. The monitor is in charge when the teacher is not here.

An experienced engineer is in charge of the project.

Task 1 5 minutes

Objective: Ss can understand the passage and choose the correct answers.

Steps:

• Ss do Task 1.

• Ask Ss to work individually.

• Check the answers.

Suggested Answers:  1. D 2. A 3. A 4. B 5. C  

Task 2 5 minutes

Objective: Ss can write down the missing information according to the passage.

Steps:

• Ss do Task 2.

• Ask Ss to work individually.

• Check the answers.

Suggested Answers:

Language lab 45 minutes

             Task 1 5 minutes

Objective: Ss know the spelling and meaning of the words and expressions from Reading A.

Steps:

• Ss read Task 1.

• Allow Ss 5 minutes to do the task.

• Check the answers.

Key

Key: 

1. A   2. J   3. E   4. H   5. C   6. B   7. F   8. D   9. I   10. G

             Task 2 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can use the words and expressions from Reading A.

Steps:

• Ss do Task 2.

• Ask Ss to work individually.

• Check the answers.

Answers 

1. proposed      2. assign       3. spill        4. vague     5. agenda

6. specifying     7. apparently    8. effective    9. renew    10. explicit

             Task 3 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can use the words and expressions from Reading A.

Steps:

• Ss do Task 3.

• Ask Ss to work individually.

• Check the answers.

Key:

1. It was cold. Nonetheless, I went swimming.

2. He tried to justify his absence with poor excuses.

3. In order for our team to win, everyone has to contribute.

4. Who is in charge of the quality control in your company?

5. Mr. Blair was about to draw his conclusion when the manager cut in with a question.

             Task 4 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can express ideas in writing using the two models outlined for Task 4.

Steps:

• Read the models to Ss with an explanation if needed.

• Ss work in pairs.

• Check the answers.

Key: 

Model 1

1. The reason for her asking for leave is that she was sick.

2. The reason for John’s quitting his job is that he wants to further his study abroad.

3. The reason for my joining the team is that I like change.

Model 2

1. I walked into the office slowly, thinking about how to tell my boss the bad news.

2. The athletes appeared on the sports ground, smiling to the audience.

3. He sat there silently, realizing that all his efforts had come to nothing.

             Task 5 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can use the vocabulary in Reading A for translation.

Steps:

• Ss work individually or in pairs and translate the sentences.

• Ask two Ss to write their translations on the board.

• Comment briefly on their work with emphasis on the structures of their sentences.

Key:

1. I spilt coffee all over my desk.

2. We were all asked to contribute ideas at the meeting.

3. Fruits are perishable during transportation.

4. The officer in charge was wounded badly in the battle.

5. Apparently, no one has been living in that flat.

6. He got a payoff before the retirement.

7. The manager is assigning the work to several clerks.

8. They are working hard to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Hours 4-5:

        Listening 45 minutes

             Task 1 5 minutes

Objective: Ss can accurately write down the missing information.

Script:

M: Excuse me, Ma’am. I would like to speak to someone about the conference room. And the front desk told me to come to you.

W: Of course. Tell me about what you have in mind and I’ll show you what we can offer. First of all, how many people are involved?

M: I need to arrange a day’s presentation to about sixty persons.

W: Do you have any time now to look at our facilities?

M: I got about ten minutes. Could we do it quickly?

W: Of course. You say you need a room for sixty people?

M: Yes, that’s right.

W: And it’s a presentation, isn’t it? Here’s our main conference room. It has excellent projection facilities. We have full stereo sound, videos, 35mm slides. You name it; we have it.

M: How much is this for one day?

W: We have a standard rate of $900 per half day which includes coffee and biscuits.

M: That’s quite expensive.

W: Perhaps we could work something out. Shall we go back to my office?

Key

Key:

             Task 2 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can decide whether the statements are true or false.

Script:

M: We need everybody’s idea on this project, so I’d like to fix a time to meet this week and hear what you all have to say.

W: Does everybody need to be there? Nicole and Kelvin are on vacation this week.

M: It would be best if everybody could be there. How about sometime next week?

W: Let me look at the schedule. Can we set it for Tuesday at 10 a.m.?

M: That’s out for me. I already have a standard meeting on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. How about Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.?

W: I prefer to meet in the morning. I will not be in the company most afternoons next week. What about next Wednesday morning?

M: I don’t have any problems with that. Let’s set it up for 9:30 Wednesday morning and we can carry it over to Thursday and Friday if we need to.

W: Fine with me. Nicole and Kelvin will be back next Monday.

M: Good, then I can tell Ms. Smith to get the meeting room ready.

Q1: Why can’t they have the meeting this week?

Q2: When is the man going to have a standard meeting next week?

Q3: When are they going to have the meeting?

Key: 1. A    2. B     3. C     

             Task 3 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can accurately write down the missing information.

Script & Key:

M: Is the room ready for the meeting, Ms. Smith?

W: Yes, Mr. Wright. I’ve put the Minutes Book, some spare copies of the agenda and some paper and pencils on the table.

M: Have the members been notified?

W: Yes, sir. I have given the committee members informal notice of the meeting either by telephone or by memo.

M: Great! Also, a separate folder should be made for each meeting. All papers on the matters to be discussed are put into this folder. There should also be copies of the notice of the meeting, a list of group members, drafts of resolutions, if any, and the minutes of the last meeting.

W: Yes, sir. All this is done. Here is a copy of the agenda that’s been prepared.

M: Great. Have you prepared the minutes from the last meeting?

W: Yes, sir. I have provided all the necessary materials. I have also prepared a meeting memo.

M: Excellent. After the meeting has been adjourned, please inform the interested parties of any action taken. Write up the official notice in duplicate.

W: OK, I’ll do that.

             Task 4 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can understand the conversation and choose the best answer.

Script:

Although meetings can be scheduled at any time during the day, certain times are preferable. Early in the morning and right after lunch are popular meeting times. Many business people hold working breakfasts, lunches and dinners to accomplish two things at the same time and meals are often served or brought into the workplace for meetings.

When scheduling a meeting, consider the travel needs of the participants. An 8:00 a.m. meeting that forces people to get up at 5:30 a.m. may be unproductive. Even if the participants arrive on time, they may be too tired to accomplish anything during the meeting. Nonetheless, early morning scheduling is not unusual.

In a meeting that involves presentations, it is important to talk with each presenter in advance to find out how much time he or she will need. In this case the final agenda should reflect input from everyone participating in the meeting.

If you need to hold a series of meetings, schedule a time for the next meeting at the end of the current one. To schedule the first meeting, write a memo or send an email message instead of using the telephone. Scheduling a meeting by telephone can take two or three days as you call and re-call participants with conflicting schedules.

Key

Key:  1. T     2. F     3. F     

             Task 5 10 minutes

Objective: Ss can find specific information from listening to a passage related to the theme.

Script:

A business meeting is where people come together in an organized manner to discuss matters and make decisions. Here is the procedure that should be followed when holding a business meeting.

Before the meeting, all relevant people should be notified. This can be done by letter, memo, notice board, telephone or in person. They should be told the place, the date and time of the meeting and what it is about.

At the meeting, the chairperson will introduce each item on the agenda and will invite people to discuss it. The chairperson will conduct the meeting, ensuring that people stick to the point and that everyone who wants to speak gets the opportunity to do so. The chairperson must try to guide the discussion towards an agreed decision; if this is not possible the chairperson may propose a vote.

During the meeting, there usually is a person, often a secretary, assigned to take down the minutes. The minutes are records of everything that is discussed and any decisions that are made. They will be typed up afterwards and circulated to all the relevant people.

Key: C → A → D → B → E

Speaking 45 minutes

             Task 6 45 minutes

Objective: Ss are able to practice chairing meetings and giving comments.

Steps:

• Ss read Task 6.

• Ss work in pairs, one as a chairperson and the other as a participant.

Key: (Omitted)

Hours 6-7:

        Reading B   45 minutes

             New words   5 minutes

Objective: Ss can get familiar with the new words and expressions, etc.

Steps:

• Ss listen to the new words and expressions, etc.

• Ss read the new words and expressions, etc.

             Fast reading       20 minutes

Objective: Ss can comprehend Reading B.

Steps:

• Ss read the passage.

• Provide help if needed.

             Task 1   10 minutes

Objective: Ss can decide whether the following statements are true or false according to the passage.

Steps:

• Ss read the passage.

• Ss complete the task.

• Ss compare their work with others.

• Select Ss to present their work.

Key

Key: 1. F    2. T    3. T    4. F    5. F

             Task 2   10 minutes

Objective: Ss can comprehend the specific information taken from the passage.

Steps:

• Ss read the passage.

• Ss complete the task.

• Ss compare their work with others.

• Select Ss to present their work.

Key: 

        Writing   45 minutes

             Task 1   15 minutes

Objective: Ss can get familiar with the style of minutes.

Steps:

• Ss do the task individually.

• Ss compare with each other’s answers.

• Provide help if needed.

• Present the answers.

Suggested Answers

1. The Marketing Department is responsible for the Company’s sales decline last year.

2. We should increase our advertising budget for next year.

3. If exports drop in the fourth quarter, we will have to think about developing the domestic market.

4. All the sales representatives over-fulfilled this year’s plan, so I strongly recommend an increase in their salaries.

5. Changes in the exchange rate led to an increase in production cost. Therefore, I recommend caution in future trading.

             Task 2   15 minutes

Objective: Ss can get familiar with the style of minutes.

Steps:

• Ss do the task individually.

• Ss compare with each other’s answers.

• Provide help if needed.

• Present the answers.

Key: 1—B     2—D     3—E     4—A     5—C

             Task 3                                   15 minutes

Objective: Ss can get familiar with the style of minutes.

Steps:

• Ss do the task individually.

• Ss compare with each other’s answers.

• Provide help if needed.

• Present the answers.

Key: (Omitted)

Hour 8:

       Mini-Project   40 minutes

Objective: Ss can know how to hold an English speech contest.

Steps:

• Grouping. Divide the class into groups. There are several ways: Ss pick up their own partners; Teachers group fast learners with slow learners; Ss find their partners by drawing lots.

• Defining the project. Go through the project with the class and clarify requirements. Remind Ss to understand different roles in a meeting. They may search online for information on how to be a qualified chairperson, a considerate secretary and an active participant.

• Timing & cooperation. Give Ss the deadline for completion and guidelines on working together. Time management and job division are likely to be serious problems at the beginning, on which basic instructions from the teacher should come in. As Ss get used to the mini-project, they will become more experienced. Remind them that different Ss have different work but everybody contributes to the project. They discuss first and then decide who will do what.

• Presentation. Ss present their evidence for completion. In this project, they need to have a meeting. Ask Ss to rehearse before giving performance in class.

       Quiz   5 minutes