The focus of this resource is to build awareness and improve intercultural communication in culturally diverse work environments. It is intended for foreign-trained professionals, but will also be a useful resource for their Canadian counterparts and for the professional development of ESL instructors.
The resource has four parts: a series of 19 short (2-minute) videos, supported by an activity guide, a booklet of scene-by-scene breakdowns for the videos to give context to each scene, and a guide containing the full transcripts of each video.
The scenarios in the videos are based on the lived experiences of newcomers. (The resource is not referenced to the CLBs, but the language is at an intermediate/advanced level.) The videos present authentic challenges in intercultural communication in a workplace setting: refusing to shake hands, failing to understand the unwritten rules in a meeting, not communicating problems to a supervisor, having a difficult conversation about uncomfortable behaviours.
The resource aims to increase intercultural awareness and competency, build and practice workplace skills and appropriate language. The aim is to enhance the employability of newcomers, give them the tools to navigate communication differences in multicultural settings, not only to enter the labour market but also to maintain employment.
