In 2015, Tokyo University of the Arts launched a comprehensive and long-term English training program for the administrative staff as a part of the university globalization project. The program is currently underway aiming to triple the number of staff whose English proficiency is equivalent to a TOEIC® test score of 700 or over.

We would like to introduce one of the programs, “Introduction to Business English”. Assuming actual work in university, two sections dealing with Telephoning and E-mail Writing were conducted.

Participants learned some basic phrases such as “May I help you?” and “May I ask who’s calling please?” through dialogues at the beginning of Telephoning section. They also practiced the phrases by role playing. Furthermore, the program covered more polite and casual expressions, and some misleading behaviors that the Japanese tend to do on business. Using some case examples which may be used at university, longer dialogue exercises were implemented.

In the E-mail Writing section, the lecturer told participants to try not to translate Japanese e-mail into English. It is because some English speakers might judge the e-mail is not important, and you may not receive its reply unless you write it clearly and concisely.

The lecture was begun with basic ways of writing e-mails in English, for instance, how to write subjects, titles of respect, greetings, and self-introduction and how to begin the opening part and to finish by signing off. Each participant tried to write an English e-mail after that part.

In addition, the ways to tell deadlines and to write clearly to avoid misunderstanding were taught as well as different ways of writing dates in America and Europe.

There was a review comment from a participant saying that she found the class good as she learned some useful phrases that can be used in actual work settings.
We plan to offer some more practical opportunities for the participants to practice what they learned in the classroom.