Business Idioms for English Language Learners

How can language learners build workplace fluency and confidence using idiomatic expressions?

This project supports intermediate ESL learners in understanding and using business idioms through engaging, real-world scenarios. With a visual aid and speaking tasks, this project helps students not only learn expressions but apply them in context, strengthening both their communication and cultural competence.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Infographic

DESIGN NOTES

Purposeful Visual Design: The infographic was designed to simplify abstract idioms through visual metaphors and real-world work scenarios, supporting both comprehension and retention for intermediate ESL learners.
Tools Used: Canva was used to create a clean, professional layout with icons and color-coding to signal meaning.
Instructional Approach: The idioms were chosen based on frequency in workplace communication. Each one is paired with a contextualized example and follow-up speaking prompt to encourage active use.
Accessibility Considerations: Readable fonts, alt text for visuals, and consistent formatting ensure usability for a diverse learner audience, including those with varying language and literacy levels.

REFLECTION/ IMPACT

Learner Engagement: Learners responded well to the visual clarity and practicality of the expressions. Many reported feeling more confident recognizing and using idioms in emails and meetings.
Iterative Insight: In future versions, I’d consider adding audio examples or QR codes linking to pronunciation or video explanations for multimodal learning.
Real-World Use: This piece has been used in a professional English course for professionals and adapted as a speaking exercise in several workplace ESL workshops.
Takeaway: Even a single-page infographic can bridge language and culture when thoughtfully designed — especially when it invites learners to personalize and practice the content.

< Back