Role-playing activities for business English

Learning business English is as important as any other type of English. It might seem more difficult for somebody. Especially, it is connected to stereotypes about students. People who study business English are more serious and stricter. 

So, at first glance, there are not so many activities that teachers are required to do. 

Creativity is welcome everywhere. ESL students who have a business direction cannot be more difficult to work with. Sure, they might be a little bit more serious or reserved due to their professions. 

Here are the soft skills that should be touched. The teacher should talk a lot with them and inform about the way of learning English. The students need to hear these reminders each time and remember them by heart. 

The teacher’s task is to convey such essence and make all of the students feel comfortable in the lesson. They have to make their students feel sure and be a role model for them. A person who they can trust with the process and path of learning.

In such a way, working mentally with their confidence and self-esteem, the teacher will build trust. After that, it is possible to move on to other steps.

Role-Playing Activities. Why Especially Them?

The books offer us all the aspects of learning: vocabulary, listening, reading, grammar and speaking. At first glance, all skills are included to develop. However, the more you speak, the better. 

Here can be real-life cases that the students will need to resolve and work on. They might experience a so-called stressful situation in their lives at the English lesson and be ready for that in real life. 

They have to acclimatise at first to the language, the interlocutor and then to solve a problem. A lot of pushes on them.

So, thanks to role-play activities, they will already be prepared for something. Their brain will remind them of a similar experience, so it will be much easier mentally

Wondering how English has become not just a language to learn, but therapy, and… basic combat training, huh.

Now, the teachers are well-armed to explain why the role-plays are needed and no excuses are accepted. It is high time to look at some role-play ideas to implement in the English language lessons. Let’s dive deeper!

Job Interview 

No matter what profession it is, every single human has job interviews when applying for a job. To land a position, the students have to be well-prepared. If this company is foreign, English is needed for 100%; in other cases, some companies might provide interviews in both languages simultaneously. So, it’s inevitable. 

Divide them into pairs, one student is the interviewer (HR manager), another is the candidate (interviewee), then they swap. They have to practice basic interview questions, politeness, body language and show their confidence. 

However, nobody refrains from adding fuel to the fire. The teacher can hand in some cards with extraordinary questions. For example, five cards and students have to use at least 2 of them. That will be an embarrassing case again to harden them. 

Can you imagine a question on the card: “If you were a tree, which one?”. Isn’t it funny?— Yes. Isn’t it beneficial?— Yes.

Networking Event

Here we go with one more getting-to-know activity. Hopefully, not so stressful as the interviews, phew!

Here the students pretend to meet at a conference.

It can be as a group discussion or “speed networking” activity. In the first case, the students will work how not to get lost in a conversation of 4-5 people. The second option gives them more opportunities to open up, speak up with quality.

Business Phone Calls

Here are two ways to practice: monologues and dialogues.

If the teacher assigns students to leave and respond to voicemail messages, they can work on their own and prepare some speeches. Again, they should be given a certain condition: calling suppliers, making appointments, confirming orders, claiming for bills or receipts or complaining about long shipments.

What is more, it can be really done on the phone to test the sound and connection. So, students who present a dialogue might be in different rooms and one of them will turn on a speaker on the phone.

Some phrases to use:

• Good morning, this is … speaking.
• I’m calling regarding …
• Could you hold the line, please?
• Let me confirm the details.
• I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Business Meeting

Moving from phone calls to meetings. The students have to cope with everyday routine like setting up a meeting with a clear agenda (e.g., launching a new product, solving a company problem).

They have to practice agreeing, disagreeing politely, making suggestions, summarizing decisions.

Customer Service Role-Play

One student is the customer, the other the service agent. 

Situations can vary here from complaining about a product, requesting for refund to technical support. Make your students practice apologizing, offering solutions, calming angry customers.

Negotiation Practice

One more important topic to role-play is negotiations. The teacher can ask the students role-play buyer and seller negotiating a contract, price, or delivery time. Learning them how to specify all details is a must.

What is more, here they can work in groups. The teacher might include mediatotrs and jazz these conversations up. It is important to ask them be nitpicky, don’t agree immediately and a little pain in the neck.

Some phrases to use:

• We’re looking for a fair deal.
• Could you be more flexible on the price?
• That’s beyond our budget.
• What if we agree on … ?
• Let’s see if we can find a middle ground.
• We’d be willing to compromise on …

Crisis Management

It is high time the students learned how to deal with the tough ones. Let’s imagine the company faces a crisis (e.g., negative press, product failure, PR scandal).

The students role-play as PR team, CEO, and journalists. They can practice quick decision-making, handling media questions, damage control.

Performance Review

They need to practice giving and receiving feedback, setting goals, negotiating a raise. Make the use the most of their working terms as well, and talk over all working process. The more is discussesed, the easier it will be on a real performance. Dress rehearsal, in its essence.

Business Trip Planning

Business trips always look like perks for employers. However, they can face so many stumbleblocks preparing for that. Make your students ready for everything.

Give them such tasks on the cards as booking flights, hotels, transport, and handling special requests. On the other side of them are unexpected problems: flight cancelled, hotel overbooked, etc.

Some phrases to use:

• I’d like to book a flight to … on [date].
• Could you recommend a hotel near the office?
• Is breakfast included?
• What happens if the flight is cancelled/delayed?
• I need a flexible ticket in case my plans change.
• Our company needs [number] return/singe tickets to…

Brainstorming Session

Such a common case to finalise, but to take into account. The students should be aware and know what to say and how to behave at the sessions, too.

The teacher can assign such roles as a facilitator, idea-generator, sceptic, note-taker.

They need to practice interrupting politely, agreeing/disagreeing, and building on ideas. As usual, it is great to give them phrases additionally to the cards so that they feel well-armed.

Bank Tips & Polite Expressions

The teacher should remember to link every topic to students’ interests and work orientation. If these are Puma workers, for example, give them pictures with their shoes, ask to complain about a faulty sportswear or to make a phone call about the availability of goods. 

The more precise and real-life examples, the better.

Making a small talk to break the ice gives so many benefits. It gives politeness and respect, built trust and connections. The list is endless. So, first and foremost, is to learn how to have conversations informally, talking in the air. But anyway, paying attention to others, what will pay back later.

Here are some other phrases to provide your students with:

Starting a conversation:

• “Hi, how are you doing today?”
• “How long have you been working in this field?”
• “Lovely weather today, isn’t it?”
• “How’s your day going so far?”
• “This place is really nice. Have you been here before?”
• “I like your [bag/jacket/etc.]. Where did you get it?”
• “What did you think of the presentation/speaker?”
• “Are you enjoying the event so far?”

English lessons are like self-digging, where the students find answers to every single question. They broaden their mindset in such a way, position themselves to a certain extent, practice their English and are ready for emergencies. And, the students will be able to revise Conditionals, perfect, haha.