Abstract:

This paper presents the results of a teaching innovation project funded and implemented at the University of Jaén and aimed at improving the level of English through a system of lessons based on business English for Business Administration students taught by international mobility students who are temporarily at this university. The research has allowed us to obtain results about the improvement in listening and speaking, in students who have received this activity and also, the interest has occurred in the tutors, who have been able to fully integrate and learn more about their new environment.
As background to this work we evaluated the situation of the foreign language as a cross skill, English, for Business Administration students. Our results show:
a) The relevance granted to the need to acquire and strengthen the linguistic competence.
b) The need that the University of Jaén helps in the acquisition of such competence, being fairly valued the idea of teaching in English part of the official grades.
More specifically, this activity aims at strengthening the English level of Business Administration students through an initiative involving both students, those based in the University of Jaén, and those foreign students who are benefiting from an international mobility program at the University of Jaén, participating in a tutoring system of business English with mutual benefits for both groups.
Respecting to the objectives, for the first of the groups, the improvement achieved in this competence, receiving free tutoring from the latter, because normally students from other countries have a level of English significantly higher that Spanish students; they also will receive a certificate of participation in the activity. The benefit for the second group would be a monetary compensation; in addition to obtaining a certificate will recognize its participation as a teacher in the activity. Moreover, in both cases would be a rare opportunity for cultural integration with students from other countries, especially interesting for tutor students who in that moment are in a foreign country.
After the evaluation of the activity, the analysis show that classes offered have been of great interest, since the questionnaires completed by students who have attended assiduously to the activity show a very positive response. Specific aspects as the group size and the content covered were high rated. These issues seem highly relevant to confirm the adequacy of this kind of activities.

Keywords:

English, international mobility, peer tutor, EHEA.