Setting Students up for Success in the Workplace – with Leo Wu

Setting Students up for Success in the Workplace – with Leo Wu

Author: TESOL Pop September 17, 2024 Duration: 13:07

English language trainer Leo Wu shares insights into tasks he uses in his classes to support his Business English learners in developing essential soft skills for the workplace. In this episode, Leo explains why communication, rather than just language proficiency, is key to success in the business world.


Watch this episode with closed captions here.


KEY TALKING POINTS


Misconceptions in Business English Education

Leo discusses how many students, especially in Taiwan, see Business English as grammar and vocabulary-focused, rather than as a tool for effective communication in the workplace. Leo goes on to highlight the importance of building soft skills like confidence, teamwork, and interpersonal communication to succeed in real-world business environments.


Classroom Activities

Leo walks through tasks and activities he uses in classes, such as mock business meetings, writing appreciation emails, and icebreaker activities, that foster teamwork and improve students' ability to communicate effectively.


Test Preparation versus Communication Skills

Leo touches on the need to balance test-focused learning with practical language use to help students excel both academically and professionally.


ABOUT

Leo Wu, also known as Wuber on social media, is an ESL English teacher and trainer based in Taiwan. Over the past thirteen years, Leo has worked with learners of all ages in various online and offline settings. Currently, he is focused on teaching business-related content to professionals. He teaches at ILI Language Center(文化大學語言中心), and AMC English school, and also provides my private personalised English training lessons through his social media channels. He believes that everyone is capable of speaking languages beautifully and confidently - something that shines through in all the work he does.


FOLLOW LEO


Love what we do? Say thanks with a coffee.

https://ko-fi.com/tesolpop


CREDITS

Producer Laura Wilkes

Editor Haven Tsang

Thanks to our lovely guest, Leo Wu.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever feel like the best teaching ideas come from a quick chat in the staffroom, but your schedule never allows for it? TESOL Pop captures that spark. Designed for the busy English language teacher, this mini podcast delivers compact, meaningful conversations with TESOL, TEFL, and ESL educators globally. Each episode is a focused interview, kept under fifteen minutes, packed with practical ideas and personal insights that can genuinely shift your approach in the classroom. You’ll hear stories about career pivots, reflections on what actually works with students, and clever uses of technology, all shared in a casual, accessible tone. It’s the audio equivalent of a refreshing coffee break with a colleague who gets it. The podcast understands that profound professional development doesn’t always require a lengthy seminar; sometimes, a single, well-timed insight is enough to reinvigorate your teaching. By tuning in, you join a global conversation that feels both personal and immediately useful, making it easy to integrate new perspectives into your daily routine without overwhelming your calendar.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

TESOL Pop
Podcast Episodes
Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn with Gina Rodriguez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:19
ELT Marketing & Education Consultant Gina Rodriguez talks about the benefits of building a personal brand on a site like LinkedIn for teachers. Gina unpacks how to set up and maintain a LinkedIn profile in three steps an…
Is A Master's Degree in TESOL Worth It? with Thu Thu Naing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:46
Teacher Thu Thu Naing talks about her recent experience studying for a master’s degree in TESOL with Educational Technology. Thu shares how she chose a course and provider, what the course was like, and what she plans to…
S5E8: How to Apply Inquiry-Based Learning with Michelle Worgan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:27
Educator and materials writer Michelle Worgan talks about Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and the qualities that set it apart from Project-Based Learning. In this episode, Michelle provides examples of Inquiry-Based Learnin…
S5E7: The Know, Show, and Grow Stages of Teaching and Learning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:05
Author André Hedlund discusses the "Know, Show, and Grow" phases in education and illustrates how they can be applied in the classroom. He also highlights how portfolios can be an effective tool for monitoring the progre…
S5E6: Three Simple Mindful Practices for Teachers with Justin Ricci [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:24
Founder of the Strength, Yoga, Freedom Community, Justin Ricci, talks about the positive impact mindfulness can have on the quality of our decision-making and interactions. To help fit mindfulness into our daily lives, J…
Using Technology to Give Great Feedback with Nihad Ćehić [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:59
Co-founder and CEO of the EdTech App Vibbl Nihad Ćehić talks about the vital role delayed feedback plays in the learning process, the challenges teachers often face in giving great feedback, and how technology like Vibbl…
Trailer: Learn about TESOL Pop with Laura Wilkes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26
Are you new to TESOL Pop? Learn about the podcast and how its bite-sized episodes are a source of professional development for educators who teach English to speakers of other languages.For a video version of this traile…
S5E4: Teaching Beginner-Level Learners with Julie Chen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:01
Teacher and Quality Assurance Specialist Julie Chen reflects on challenges beginner-level learners often encounter when studying in a one-to-one or group setting. In this episode, Julie also shares practical tips on buil…
S5E3: Increasing Accessibility with UDL with Erin Vobornik [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:15
Teacher Erin Vobornik talks about key principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how they can be applied to the ESL classroom. Erin shares her own experience and examples of ways in which UDL can be applied to…
Technologies to Support Ongoing Learning with Steponas Dabužinskas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:18
Teacher, writer, and developer Steponas Dabužinskas discusses common challenges learners face in continuing learning after lessons and suggests three online technologies to help engage teenage and adult students in furth…