Team-Based Learning in Business English in Latvia and EU

Business English is among of the core subjects in business education. The application of pertinent teaching-learning approach, such as team-based learning, allows students to engage into educational process and to demonstrate higher achievements in discipline acquisition. The article reflects the results of 4-year empirical research on team-based learning implementation in Business English in several higher institutions in Latvia, where participated 298 students, who mastered their skills and competences reaching an academic success through this approach. As well the article investigates the results of empirical research on team-based learning application in other European Union universities by Business English teachers from Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Greece and France. Team-based learning in teaching Business English proved to be a successful tool as it assisted to academic success in discipline, communication and understanding of the business environment peculiarities through teamwork and critical thinking and majority of students gave positive feedback. The research demonstrated that team-based learning gives more freedom and authorizes students to be more responsible for their own studies and knowledge as the process involves both individual work and teamwork and the contribution to the team is significantly important there. Self-determination in studies leads to an academic success towards life-long competences and proves team-based learning approach to be a useful and transformative tool for teaching Business English. However, in spite of this, the results of research demonstrated the team-bases learning approach is not familiar in EU universities, although other approaches are broadly applied.