Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English
Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English
Welcome to Widgets Inc., a different kind of communication course. Widgets is a task-based business themed course using a communicative approach to language learning. It is designed for classes of 12 to 40 students who are at a pre-intermediate level (CEFR B1) or above. The course is ideal for building English communicative fluency and confidence while developing practical workplace language and skills.
Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English (120 pp., A4 paperback, full color) is available in print from englishbooks.jp or as a digital flipbook from fliphtml5.com. ISBN: 9781941140000.
What makes Widgets different from any other coursebook is its focus on creating a believable “real-life” English-speaking environment in the classroom. Students imagine that they are new interns at a fictional company where they work together in small teams to perform a series of carefully linked tasks and projects.
Widgets begins with an orientation where interns meet each other and learn about the company. Then, it moves through four increasingly challenging stages of a product-development cycle. Finally, the course ends with a job interview task in which the interns can highlight their newly developed or acquired skills.
The stages of the course are sequenced by gradually-increasing task complexity rather than by the usual grammar syllabus. This means that Widgets starts with fairly easy tasks (e.g. shaking hands and meeting coworkers), and builds up to relatively complex tasks (e.g. delivering a multimedia presentation or preparing a resume). The primary focus of the course is always on the practical use of English for communication, and task outcomes (rather than language tests) provide valid criteria for proficiency development and performance grading.
Students are able to succeed because all course work is realistically connected – that is, all of the team projects, conversations, presentations, reports, and interviews are presented in the context of the larger simulation. This means that even lower-proficiency students can draw from their background knowledge and follow what they are being asked to do, and why. In other words, the effect of the extended simulation reduces language anxiety and builds confidence.
Visit widgepedia.com to access the video components, lesson plans, and other resources to help plan and manage the course.
Course features
Widgets Inc. is an ESL/EFL course employing a communicative language teaching approach known as task-based language teaching (TBLT). Widgets employs a 'strong' version of TBLT, so lessons are organized by relative task and project complexity rather than by linguistic complexity.
Self, peer, and teacher assessment are based on the appropriate completion of tasks and projects.
Students simulate being interns at a technology startup, where they work together in small groups to perform workplace and business related tasks. All classroom activities are realistically connected; all conversations, discussions, presentations, video calls, and interviews have a contextual purpose, and build from one to the next.
This has several advantages:
- It recycles useful language and situations: Relevant vocabulary and sentence patterns, as well as communicative situations, naturally reappear again and again. This implicitly builds confidence and language proficiency.
- It is well-suited for mixed-level classes: Since the course is organized by task complexity, clearly contextualized, and assessed on appropriate communicative goals, students at a range of proficiency levels can achieve meaningful task outcomes.
- It's easy to understand the purpose of activities: Because all tasks are realistic, contextualized, and clearly connected to each other, even less proficient students can follow what is asked of them. By drawing on their prior knowledge, they may even predict what's next.
- It is motivating: Students appreciate the practical aspect of tasks, because more than just practicing English, they are also applying real-world skills. In our experience, this leads to greater participation, less use of L1 in the classroom, and a marked decrease in absenteeism.
Where to Start
We are sure that you will agree that Widgets is easy to use and satisfying to teach with. However, we recommend that you plan the scope of the course before starting. Widgets is not the kind of book that you can flip open on the first day of class and figure out as you go along. Read lesson-by-lesson plans here.
Generally speaking, the course works best in a class of 16-20 motivated young adults who meet for at least about thirty 90-minute sessions. We have used it successfully with classes with as few as 12 students and as many as 40.
Since much of the work is in the form of in-class discussions, project preparation, and presentations, it's a good idea to think carefully about the timing of the full course: A class with 40 students may take up to three times longer to hold discussions and give presentations than a class of 16.
Also, since the stages are connected and build to a conclusion, it may be less satisfying to teach them out of order, or to skip one. See below for an overview of the six stages of the course.
In short, in order for you and your students to get the most out of Widgets, please take some time to read over this wiki teacher's manual, and to familiarize yourself with the Widgets Inc. student book. See our suggested lesson plans in the main menu for ideas – or develop your own and add it to the wiki!
Course Concepts
The following course concepts are important in guiding the simulation aspect of the course:
- Teams: Students are placed into small teams of 3-5 members, with 4 being the ideal number. Teams remain together from Stage 2 to Stage 5.
- Project Manager: For each stage, a different team member is selected as project manager. The PM helps to keep the team on track and focused on the project outcome.
- "Paperwork": Students are assessed in part via self-assessed can-do statements that are built into the simulation on pages titled "Paperwork!". Other assessments include peer and teacher assessment.
- Video calls: Widgets Course Videos can be streamed or downloaded. The course video comprises about 15 clips which total about 30 minutes. Most of the videos simulate conference calls made by Widgets executives instructing teams on their next project. Some videos model how certain tasks can be performed.
- Watercooler chats: The watercooler chat is an optional and informal ongoing task in Widgets, helping students to get used to using English in casual situations. Use the example cards in Appendix A or download the PDF from Course Extras.
- Product Catalog pages Appendix B in the student book comprises pages from the Widgets "catalog". These can be used as extra information gap pages, or to make up for any missing proposals in Stage 3.
Stages Overview
The Widgets Inc. course is divided into six stages. Note that these stages are not of equal length or importance, and that it is expected that teachers will adapt them to the requirements of their own class. For example, it is possible to reduce or combine parts of Stages 4 and 5, or to skip most of Stage 6 depending on time constraints or curricular aims.
Also note that the stages increase in task complexity, so although the course starts out quite easy, it becomes increasingly more challenging.
-
Stage 1 is the orientation stage. It introduces the company and a cast of fictional characters. They interact with the class via realistic video calls. There is no project in Stage 1. Orientation tasks include: Shake hands, Introduce yourself to a co-worker, Watch a video about the company, and Read and discuss a product catalog.
-
Stage 2 is the research and development stage, in which students brainstorm new product ideas. Teams work on two big tasks: Write a product proposal, and Present an elevator pitch. At the end of Stage 2, students submit their self-assessment form, and project managers have a one-on-one interview with the teacher.
-
Stage 3 is a management decision stage. Teams are given proposals ideas from a different team, and select the best one . Students do a SWOT analysis to evaluate the pros and cons of each proposal. Stage 3 tasks are based on the analysis: Write a business memo, and Give a poster presentation. Students self-assess, and PMs are interviewed.
-
Stage 4 is the market research stage. Proposals rotate to another team. First, they convene a focus group and gather feedback on the product. Then, they Write a business report and Give a presentation. Optionally, the focus group can be the main speaking task. At the end of S4, students self-assess, and PMs are interviewed.
-
Stage 5 is the advertising stage. Products rotate to new teams, along with reports prepared in Stages 2, 3, and 4. Teams use this to plan an ad campaign to sell the product. The major tasks are: Prepare a slide show and handout, and Give a multi-media presentation. At the end of S5, students self-assess, and PMs are interviewed.
-
Stage 6 is the job interview stage. Having completed their internship, teams are disbanded, and students must now Prepare a resume and cover letter, and then Interview for a promotion within the company. At the end of S6, students reflect on their achievements, and perform a final self-assessment to conclude the course.
Course Video
The course video in Widgets Inc. is at a near-authentic language level, and serves several purposes:
- It models language and situations for students. This is especially true of the sample task videos, in which the stage tasks are literally performed (for example, Video 5 or 8). Lower proficiency students can follow these models as guides, whereas higher proficiency students may refer to them as just one possible way to perform the task. Teachers may also elicit discussion about good and bad points, as the videos aren't perfect!
- It helps to develop an authentic context for the course. That is, the videos help students feel like they are in a lifelike workplace. That's why we've added features which you may not expect (e.g., the recurring technical problems in Video 7). Another aspect of authenticity is that the characters display likeable or unlikable traits. Students can form an opinion about "the boss," and even talk about their opinion in appropriate ways.
- It provides opportunities for discussion, note-taking, and other classroom activity. This is especially true of the conference-call videos in which one of the company founders is addressing the teams (for example, Video 4 or Video 7). It is not expected that most students will understand 100% of the video content. Instead, they should take notes and then reconstruct the message together. This viewing task is known as dictogloss.
