Double Dealing Frequently Asked Questions

 Can you follow the units out of sequence?

Yes, Double Dealing can be used sequentially or according to need.

 If so, can you still use the storyline?

Yes, while being based on a storyline, the books have been designed so that the course can remain flexible. Each unit is introduced by a short audio recording which summarises the story so far, and at the end of each unit there is a review section which helps the student to recall the main events of the unit.

The simulation activities which deal with authentic business situations are always independent of the storyline and can be used in any situation.

 Why did the authors decide to incorporate a storyline?

Not only are stories intrinsically motivating, they help the learning process. Traditionally stories have been used to pass values and principles along, but they can also facilitate the transfer of language and knowledge to students.

 Can you fast track through the material?

Yes, you and your students can use any of the activities in the books without needing to know what happened in the preceding units. If you and your students want to refresh your memory, there is a short audio introduction to each unit.

 If so, what can you miss out?

As a trainer you need to decide what the priorities are of your students. Do they need focussed language acquisition or to develop fluency? If the former then concentrate on the Business Vocabulary and Language sections. If the latter then the Cross-Cultural and Business Focus are perhaps more useful.

 What additional support is there for the teacher? There is a detailed Teacher’s Book which contains full language-teaching notes, ideas for classroom use, extensive cross-cultural notes with extra reading suggestions, audio scripts and full answer keys.

There are also free multilingual glossaries available online at www.summertown.co.uk

 How can you extend the activities for homework/project work etc?

The self-study material can usefully be set for homework. It recycles all the language and concepts presented in the unit in a different context to help your students fix what they have learnt . The review sections can also be used for homework and serve two functions: firstly to recycle and revise the lexis/key expressions from the unit and also to provide a recap of the story.

 Who is Double Dealing for?

It is aimed at both in-company business people seeking to realise their full potential as speakers of English at work – both in and out-of-the- office, and also students of business English.

 How will it motivate students?

Double Dealing offers students a fast pace and immediate results at the end of each unit. The topics directly relate to personal experiences and their particular needs in the modern business environment. It offers challenging tasks and regular opportunities for discussion to maximise learner involvement. The storyline motivates students and encourages them to progress through the book as they can relate to/identify with the characters and will want to know what happens next. The combination of language and culture provide a continuous thread of cross-cultural themes, offers a pragmatic approach to grammar and functions and helps develop learner’s business and inter-personal communication skills. The extended simulations deal with authentic business situations and learner autonomy is supported with self-study and databank creation sections.

 Will it appeal to a wide range of students?

Yes, Double Dealing is accessible to all people in the working world from team assistants to Chief Executive Officers. Students enjoy its exciting storyline, relevant topics, stimulating material, and lively and interactive role plays.

 How does Double Dealing deal with the problem of students with different levels of responsibility?

The structure of Double Dealing enables teachers to tailor lessons to their class or individual needs. The course can be taught in a linear fashion starting at Unit 1 and finishing at Unit 10 selecting the most relevant material as you go; or in a modular way selecting the appropriate units based on an initial needs analysis.  What type of teacher will Double Dealing appeal to?

Double Dealing has been specifically researched and designed for teachers on in-company courses in private language schools and for the company contract-teaching sector. It should also be of interest to teachers providing English classes for economics departments in universities or vocational training courses. But most of all, it will appeal to anybody with a sense of humour.

 Why should teachers chose Double Dealing over other courses?

In addition to the exciting storyline, Double Dealing offers everything the student/user needs in one book, all with free audio CDs of all recordings. There is no need to buy anything else! The ten units are followed by grammar reference and practice sections, self-study material, audio scripts and lists of key vocabulary from each unit. (Please note at the C1 Upper-Intermediate to Advanced level there is a separate Workbook.)

Plus much much more…see below!

 What makes it stand out from other Business English coursebooks?

It’s a story-driven business English course Flexible teaching offers modular or sequential use Strong cross-cultural focus throughout All-in-one package Free multi-lingual glossaries available online at www.summertown.co.uk

 How is the grammar treated?

Grammar is introduced in the Business language sections, but a pragmatic need-to-know approach has been adopted. This means that the grammar is strongly linked to the skills of a particular unit e.g. conditionals when dealing with negotiation skills, passives for report writing etc. However to make sure that a student can check any particular aspect of grammar that is likely to be an issue at the different levels there is an extensive grammar reference section included at the back of the student book with exercises students can do to check their understanding.

 Does each unit follow the same format? At Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate levels, yes:

Start up – the first page of each unit introduces the main business topic and between 1-3 short activities which allow you to perform a mini- needs analysis on your students. The second page is generally input for the unit’s business lexis: a listening activity, an article to read or a task to complete.

Business vocabulary – this gives students the chance to practise all the key lexis that has been presented first in a relatively controlled fashion, then moving onto freer practice activities.

Business language – this section focuses on introducing the grammar and functional language that is useful for taking part in meetings, telephoning or other tasks relevant to business English.

Cross-cultural focus – these are based on the latest research in the field and have been adapted for use in the language classroom.

Business focus – these link the unit’s language with ideas from business training and seeks to develop interpersonal skills.

Simulation – these are large-scale transfer activities of the content of the unit and always independent of the storyline and can be used in any situation.

Review – these can be done as homework activities or together in class as a revision activity. It recycles and revises the lexis/key expressions and also provides a recap of the story so far.

Personal data bank – this helps the student to organise their learning by allowing them to list the lexis, grammar and functional exponents that they felt were important. It also encourages them to reflect on how they might apply the language in their area of work.

 How many units are there and how much teaching material does the course provide?

There are 10 units in the Student’s Book which provide between 40 – 50 hrs of classroom teaching. The 10 self-study units, including listening, reading, writing and pronunciation activities provide a further 30hrs of material.

 What else does the Teacher's Book have?

A selected bibliography of books that deal with culture and intercultural training.  How does Double Dealing fit with the CEF levels?

Double Dealing B1 takes the learner from Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate level. This means learners will be able to deal with most of the routine situations and tasks they will face in their workplace. By the end of the course students will be able to:

“…understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe in simple terms, aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.” Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Double Dealing B2 takes the learner from Intermediate to Upper- Intermediate level. This means learners will be able to achieve most linguistic goals and express themselves on a range of topics. By the end of the course students can:

“….understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.” Common European Framework of References for Languages

Double Dealing C1takes the learner from Upper-Intermediate to Advanced level. This means learners will be able to use written and spoken language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. By the end of the course students can:

“… understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without too much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.” Common European Framework of References for Languages

 How does Double Dealing fit with the BEC levels? As many of the reading and listening activities are designed to support students preparing for the Cambridge BEC exams, the books can be used in conjunction with the Summertown Pass Cambridge BEC series as follows: Double Dealing B1 – Pass Cambridge BEC Preliminary Double Dealing B2 – Pass Cambridge BEC Vantage Double Dealing C1 – Pass Cambridge BEC Higher

 How can teachers be sure that Double Dealing actually works?

Recommendations from:

"The lexis, presented in a wide variety of business and interpersonal communication activities, has an authentic feel to it. Double Dealing comes complete with everything the student needs all in one: grammar reference and practice, audio scripts, key vocabulary lists for each unit and a self-study section with plenty of additional homework exercises." Andy Hewitson, Head of English Training, Siemens Learning Campus, Germany

"With this book we finally have something really different on the market. I have been waiting so long to bring life and humour to my business classes and this book will definitely help me in doing so. I especially find it useful for the businessmen who cannot dedicate too much time to studying at home and who easily get confused with too much material. Here they get everything all in one book. I particularly like the review after each lesson and such interesting and amusing conversation topics. It is one of the rare business course books that is really worth teaching from beginning to end." Bojana Kovacevic, EFL teacher, Lugano, Switzerland

"Double Dealing has a refreshingly original take on the world of business by daring to suggest that not everything is quite what it seems out there; it is built around an ongoing simulation in the world of hotels where you can’t actually trust everyone on your side. Yet along the way, it deals fully with most of the areas you’d expect a book at B1 level to tackle, and is particularly strong in the areas of register, collocations, lexical phrases and intercultural communication. The situations are lively and credible, and there’s plenty of practice and grammar detail in the huge back-of-the-book sections. Though it has a hefty self-study section, I think it would work well with groups and would be especially ideal for courses at a school for future workers in the tourist / hotel industries, or anyone having to cope with a range of managerial situations. It’s a kind of Maltese Towers". Brian Brennan, Language Training Manager, International House Company Training, Barcelona, Spain

"The student book looks really good; interesting and well structured. I like the lay out, and that the different parts are clearly defined. I am sure a lot of students will greatly appreciate the book's clarity, and the personal data bank is really brilliant. The grammar reference with practice and the self- study parts are very useful for students to reinforce what they have learned in class. All in all, I find it refreshingly different to most business books around." Sue Nikles, EFL Teacher, Flumenthal, Switzerland

"Among the highlights of the new material are the self-study units. The audio includes non-native speakers and the cross-cultural focus provides useful and interesting activities. There is also a grammar section. The visual quality of the material is as good as ever." Pete Sharma, EL Gazette, UK

"Double Dealing is an innovative business English book." Can’t we expand this? Doesn’t sound that positive to me… Julia Pearson, Maltese Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, Malta

"Double Dealing is certainly a tool to help students learning business English and has all the ingredients of a bestseller." John Overton, TESOL France