Schedule: 2009-09-09 (18:00 - 18:30)
Educational Showcase (Sala de Conferencias 1)

Title: A software proposal to assist staff in international companies in developing foreign language skills in business email writing tasks.
Authors: Michael Bilbrough
Abstract: In 2005, the ELAN report “Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Skills in Enterprise” was commissioned by the European Union and carried out by CILT, the UK National Centre for Languages. The main findings from this report showed that essential foreign language training in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often proved too costly to undertake. Secondly, although English was useful as an initial language to establish contact with companies abroad, many European businesses emphasised the importance and preference for knowledge of the local language (as opposed to an international language) to improve and reinforce inter-corporate relations. In light of these findings, the Assistant Business software is being developed as the object of a doctorate thesis at Seville University, Spain. The aims of these programmes are principally threefold:

1) To offer a hands-on autonomous learning, reference and Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tool for company staff involved in international business to facilitate the writing of business emails in a foreign language. The software should be installed on the worker’s PC for immediate access when carrying out written language tasks.

2) To provide the option of a reciprocal sister version to each Assistant Business programme so that written cross-border communication can take place in both languages if desired. English Assistant Business designed for Spanish speakers learning English, for example, has a sister version Spanish Assistant Business for English speakers learning Spanish.

3) To equip SMEs with a cheaper language learning alternative to costly teacher-led training – at least in the area of written foreign language tasks such as business email writing.

A laptop presentation of English and Spanish Business Assistants will be offered demonstrating the principal tools and features of the software and its application in the workplace.

The author of the English and Spanish Assistant Business programmes suggests a project of cooperation and invites other researcher/programme developers to share programming scripts and ideas for CAT tools so as to develop Assistant Business software with a similar philosophy and didactic aim but designed for end-users of other European or world languages. Cooperating authors would maintain the copyright for their own programmes while contributing to and benefiting from a pool of shared resources. A website would promote these multilingual Assistant Business programmes to companies and professionals.
Keywords: autonomous learning, Computer-Assisted Translation, writing skills, business email, EFL

Main topic: Research in new language learning environments

Biodata: Michael Bilbrough has been an English language teacher in Spain for the last 20 years. He specialises in business English training in companies and is currently doing a doctorate in the area of CAT and language acquisition.
Type of presentation Courseware Exhibition

Paper category Research & Development

Target educational sector Vocational education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project No

Schedule:	2009-09-09 (18:00 - 18:30) Educational Showcase (Sala de Conferencias 1)
Title:	A software proposal to assist staff in international companies in developing foreign language skills in business email writing tasks.
Authors:	Michael Bilbrough
Abstract:	In 2005, the ELAN report “Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Skills in Enterprise” was commissioned by the European Union and carried out by CILT, the UK National Centre for Languages. The main findings from this report showed that essential foreign language training in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often proved too costly to undertake. Secondly, although English was useful as an initial language to establish contact with companies abroad, many European businesses emphasised the importance and preference for knowledge of the local language (as opposed to an international language) to improve and reinforce inter-corporate relations. In light of these findings, the Assistant Business software is being developed as the object of a doctorate thesis at Seville University, Spain. The aims of these programmes are principally threefold: 1) To offer a hands-on autonomous learning, reference and Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tool for company staff involved in international business to facilitate the writing of business emails in a foreign language. The software should be installed on the worker’s PC for immediate access when carrying out written language tasks. 2) To provide the option of a reciprocal sister version to each Assistant Business programme so that written cross-border communication can take place in both languages if desired. English Assistant Business designed for Spanish speakers learning English, for example, has a sister version Spanish Assistant Business for English speakers learning Spanish. 3) To equip SMEs with a cheaper language learning alternative to costly teacher-led training – at least in the area of written foreign language tasks such as business email writing. A laptop presentation of English and Spanish Business Assistants will be offered demonstrating the principal tools and features of the software and its application in the workplace. The author of the English and Spanish Assistant Business programmes suggests a project of cooperation and invites other researcher/programme developers to share programming scripts and ideas for CAT tools so as to develop Assistant Business software with a similar philosophy and didactic aim but designed for end-users of other European or world languages. Cooperating authors would maintain the copyright for their own programmes while contributing to and benefiting from a pool of shared resources. A website would promote these multilingual Assistant Business programmes to companies and professionals.
Keywords:	autonomous learning, Computer-Assisted Translation, writing skills, business email, EFL
Main topic:	Research in new language learning environments
Biodata:	Michael Bilbrough has been an English language teacher in Spain for the last 20 years. He specialises in business English training in companies and is currently doing a doctorate in the area of CAT and language acquisition.
Type of presentation	Courseware Exhibition
Paper category	Research & Development
Target educational sector	Vocational education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	No