English for the Assistant

The course covers a variety of topics, but emphasizes on the direct needs of the learner.

A short review of the main tenses and grammar forms

Social etiquette: introductions, greetings, small talk, good byes, responding to comments

Business skills: introducing the company, describing the organization and personal responsibilities, job routines

Communication skills: being assertive, confidence in speaking, asking for and giving advice, giving directives to colleagues, making polite requests

Telephone skills: preparing calls, making arrangements and appointments, taking and leaving messages, screening calls, the importance of small talk on the phone, the polite 1,2,3 of telephoning, the importance of the tone of your voice.

Written correspondence: effective e-mailing - formal - neutral styles, salutations and closes, polite phrases. Letter-writing - layout, punctuation, spelling, sentence structures, complying and turning down requests, invoices and reminders, social business letters and notes, how to take and write the minutes of a meeting