The Framework is an open-source online tool, a 360° View of Communicative Competence at Work. Designed by the Ontario Government the framework is a resource for foreign trained professionals to provide strategies, approaches, and areas for language development that support intercultural workplace communication. The tool does not come with a teacher's guide or classroom activities, but it can serve as a starting point for classroom conversations and independent study. The tool also includes a video and downloadable pdf.
This document was the result of a team project from Norquest College’s School of Intercultural Communication. It was written to help newcomers understand the communication context in Canadian workplaces.
The general learning outcomes include:
- Understanding Canadian safety policy specific to the workplace
- Practice pronunciation clarity for the workplace
- Learn about working in a multicultural organization
- Expand industry-specific and idiomatic vocabulary
Free access:
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.
These online activities focus on English vocabulary and grammar exercises for the hospitality industry in the categories of food & beverage, hotel, travel/tourism, politeness training. While individual files are free to download, there is a fee option that allows you to download a topic file.
This resource includes vocabulary and contextual information for occupations, including airline, hotel, food & beverage, nursing, police, cashiers, tour guides, taxi. Some audio available.
Essential Skills Profiles are available for most occupations in Canada. Each profile lists job tasks in nine Essential Skills and rates them at 1–5 levels of competency.
Essential Skills Assessments are clearly written checklists for students to use to assess their skills. There is one for each of the nine Essential Skills.
Essential Skills Online Assessments is a series of short quizzes provide an indication of skill strengths and areas that may require improvement.
List of Tools: Tools, assessment and support information for trainers and career counsellors.
Manitoba Resources includes curriculum for pharmacists, health care aid and entrepreneurs with an Essential Skills focus.
Learner Materials: A Strategy for Writing Tests, Navigating Workplace Documents and Numeracy.
Vocabulary Building Workbook includes 24 lessons to help students increase Canadian workplace vocabulary.
Guided Pathways: Integrating Essential Skills is a five-year project funded by the Government of Canada. An online training workshop designed to equip career development practitioners with tools to assess client needs and provide more effective pathways to gainful employment will be delivered to 900 career development practitioners across Canada.
This online textbook is geared towards CLB 5–6 learners. It is designed to be used by an instructor or tutor. An instructor guide is provided. The focus is on the Canadian workplace: workplace culture, development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, plus Essential Skills and intercultural competence.
The text introduces two characters, a Strategy Coach and a Workplace Mentor. The Strategy Coach provides strategies to develop language skills. The Workplace Mentor introduces learners to general workplace culture in Canada.
- Video tasks and focus questions help learners develop “noticing skills” and prompt discussions about similarities and differences between the learner’s home culture and Canadian culture.
- Reading sections provide reading passages, pre- and post-reading activities. There is also a reading progress check for self-assessment.
- Each listening section has two listening texts with pre- and post-listening activities, and a listening progress check for practice and self-assessment.
- A writing section with pre-writing tasks, writing practice and a progress check. A rubric is included that generally aligns with CLBs.
- A speaking section contains pronunciation, speaking practice and a progress check. A rubric is included.
- Wrap-up includes discussion, reflection and extension tasks. The extension activities have vocabulary log activities, community tasks and research opportunities.
There is a workbook and an online course for newcomers hoping to find a job in food processing occupations. The course provides instruction in job skills, job-specific language, vocabulary and pronunciation, Canadian workplace culture, workplace documents, and health and safety. This is a joint-project of the Alberta government and Alberta Workforce Essential Skills (AWES); it is open to all newcomers to Canada.
This resource was developed to help instructors/trainers with the language and strategies to help newcomers approach employment opportunities in Canada. You will need to "Add to Cart" in order to download. The PDF will be emailed to you.
OLAs were developed for the tourism sector through the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. They align a benchmark with an Essential Skills Profile and National Occupational Standard.
Downloadable OLAs include:
- Bartender
- Event coordinator
- Food service counter attendant
- Food beverage server
- Counsellor
You’re Hired…Now What? An Immigrant’s Guide to Success in the Canadian Workplace Text and Workbook $
When learners have employment goals, these resources fill in the gap between the skills and activities needed to write a resume, to have a successful interview and the competencies and to acquire the skills needed to keep a job in Canada. Topics include a broad range of areas that instructors may need some support in teaching:
- Workplace culture
- Business talk
- Telephone tips
- Getting along with others
- Business etiquette
- Office politics
- Networking
- Meetings
The text communicates core information and the workbook supports that learning. Each unit is organized in the same pattern and there is an answer key in the back.
Available to purchase:
Book $45.50
Workbook $23.50
ISBN-13: 9780195432183
Publisher: Oxford University Press
