Corso 5: L'inglese per socializzare
A large number of conference attendees go to conferences above all to network with other researchers and institutes in order to initiate new projects and hopefully attract new funds for their department.
Networking entails having good social skills and strategies for understanding the English of native speakers. And communicating in English on a non-technical level is something that most non-native speakers find particularly difficult.
Obiettivo
Learn how to overcome fears and embarrassment, and exploit the occasion for promoting one’s own research and learn about others' research areas, by:
- gaining the linguistic confidence needed to network successfully
- having a prepared set of possible conversation topics and useful phrases
- learning that making mistakes in English should not impede on the ability to socialize effectively
Programma
- tactics for meeting key people
- social introductions
- getting to know participants before the presentation
- using social occasions to promote one's research
- social chit chat at the bar
- conversation at social events
- learning not to focus on each individual word in succession, but on the overall discourse
- learning tactics to get native speakers to repeat or clarify themselves
- cultural differences in the art of conversation
- visiting foreign labs / receiving visitors
- clarifying and dealing with misunderstandings
- requesting, declining, offering; thanking, apologizing
- using email to gain introductions, as a post-congress/visit relationship