1. 1 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Lesson 1: Introduction to Minutes-taking By Leo Yu (Office: OEE1014; Phone: 3411-5803; email: leoyu@hkbu.edu.hk) 7 May 2002

2. 2 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Outline Course Introduction Current Practice in Minutes-taking Stages in Minutes-taking Listening Skills Note-taking skills Using Symbols

3. 3 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Course Introduction (Purpose) Help practising EOs equip with necessary minutes-writing skills to meet the needs in their daily work Exposed to the BU culture (c.f. Authentic materials) Sharing instead of Teaching

4. 4 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Course Introduction (Content) 4-hr Workshop (one meeting per week) Lesson 2: Format and Variation Lesson 3: Language Lesson 4: Tips & Practice

5. 5 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Teaching Methods Group Presentation (10 mins) Group Critique (10 mins) Mini-lecture (10-15 mins) Discussion and Reflection (15-20 mins) Discussion Board (outside classroom)

6. 6 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Current Practice in Minutes-taking Skills training (In Lessons 1 & 2) Language-training (in Lesson 3) Use of IT (in Lesson 4)

7. 7 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Stages in Minutes-taking Activity 1 –What is the purpose of holding a meeting? –Could you organise the minutes-taking process into stages?

8. 8 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Before the meeting Anticipation Agenda items Related document(s) (e.g. reports, last minutes) Preparation Outline (‘Skeleton’) Attendance List

9. 9 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) During the meeting Note-taking –Listening skills –Note-taking skills

10. 10 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) After the meeting Writing up the minutes –Clarifications –Post-meeting action

11. 11 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Listening Skills (1) Active listening –Listen for the gist @ What needs to be noted down? @ How to deal with figures?

12. 12 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Listening Skills (2) Reporting –Who is reporting? –Parties involved –Actions taken –Suggestions –Details (figures/date/time/place) –[Responsible parties]

13. 13 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Listening Skills (3) Decision-making –Proposer & Seconder –Proposal –Resolution (a statement) –Objection? (if yes, reasons) –Decision? –Agreed/Declined/Deferred? –Responsible parties

14. 14 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Listening Skills (4) Figures –Reporting Maybe part of a report –Decision/Proposal Spontaneous

15. 15 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Note-taking Skills (1) ‘Action’ verbs (YES) Accept Attempt Confirm Decide Plan Propose Refuse Reject Try

16. 16 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Note-taking Skills (2) ‘Reporting’ verbs (NO) Hold Illustrate Report Say Show State

17. 17 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Note-taking Skills (3) Active voice Present tense Part of speech (verb) classification (classify) Modification (modify) Fragmented sentence Key words (no articles/pronoun)

18. 18 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Use of Symbols (1) Short-form (abbreviation) That is (i.e.) For example (e.g.) Refer to (c.f.) First/Second (1 st / 2 nd ) Before (b4) You (U) Today (2d) Tomorrow (2mo) Next/last week (n/wk; l/wk)

19. 19 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Use of Symbols (2) Short-form (abbreviation-cont’d) Monday/ Tuesday (M/Tu/W/T/F/S/Sun) January/February (M1/M2) Because (coz) For information (FI) Organising Committee (OC)

20. 20 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Use of Symbols (3) Symbols Between (./.) Equal (=) Not equal (  or #) Optional ([]) Question/Pending (?) Therefore/ as a result (  )

21. 21 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Use of Symbols (4) Symbols Therefore/ as a result (  ) Increase/decrease/stable (  /  /  ) Greater than (  ) 1,000/1,000,000 (K/M) Said (:) Approximately (~)

22. 22 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Example 1 John Chan mentioned that the first meeting of organising committee would be held on Monday, 13 May 2002 (John: 1 st OC on 13 May)

23. 23 Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Example 2 Mary Wong reported that the surplus of the year was approximately $750,000. (Mary: surplus ~ 750K)