A Study on Ways to Improve the Communicative Competence of Workplace English for Vocational College Students

English class as a public compulsory language course for higher vocational college, did not play a proper role to cultivate students’ ability to communicate. If the communicative essence of english were applied more efficienctly, it will bring more vitality to English course. To help students improve their communicative competence in workplace, group public speaking activities in class combined with writing practice and teachers’ guidance can play an effective role. This research is based on the seven elements of communication and the application of communicative teaching method in classroom English teaching and proposes ways to improve students’ English communicative competence in workplace. The specific teaching methods include the creating of workplace scenes in classroom, students’ group discussion and speech preparation before class, communication skills guidance and feedback given by teachers, and the assement of students’ communicative competence. Teachers need to attach great importance to workplace communicative competence of students. They need to help students to learn by doing and do by learning based on theories and practise, trying to improve students' comprehensive vocational skills.