Learn English

English for Work & Business

EWP-Keane-045_webWe offer a wide variety of workplace communication courses for immigrants who are looking for work, currently working, planning to start a business or currently running their own business. Classes are in-person, online or in the workplace. We have general workplace communications classes, sector-specific classes, Bridge-to-Work programs, and English in the Workplace, as well as more specific classes help you improve your pronunciation, writing or soft skills for the workplace.

For more information about any of the courses below, please contact: 
Language Services Administration  |  lsadministration@old.isans.ca  |  902-406-8737

Bridge-to-Work Language Classes

ISANS offers a full time workplace English class at CLB 3-4. We help you build your vocabulary to pass safety training, improve your English skills for work and learn more about working in Canada. When you are in the Bridge-to-Work CLB 3-4 class, you will have the opportunity to do the Bridge-to-Work Employment Program.

Profession-specific Courses

Communication Strategies for OSCEs

ISANS offers an 8-week online course for Doctors and Pharmacists that will help you improve your communication skills for the OSCEs. You will study for 8 to 10 hours each week: up to 3 hours in online classes on Zoom and the rest through assigned coursework. You must have access to the internet via mobile phone or computer. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 6 in all four skills.

Interprofessional Communication (IPC)

ISANS offers an 7-week online course for healthcare professionals that will help you improve your communication skills with clients and colleagues. You will study for 7 to 8 hours each week: up to 3 hours in online classes on Zoom, and the rest through assigned coursework. You must have access to the internet via mobile phone or computer. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 6.

Orientation and Communication Skills for Engineers

ISANS offers a communications course for internationally-educated engineering professionals (engineers and technical professionals) who intend to work in their field in Canada. Participants increase workplace communication skills and receive orientation to the licensure and the sector in each module. Engineers Nova Scotia recognizes the completion of this program as the 1-year Canadian experience required for licensure. You study in the classroom and online, with one evening in class and 5-7 hours online each week. There is a required textbook for this course. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 6 or higher.

Strategies for CELBAN

ISANS offers a course for internationally educated nurses who plan to take the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN). In this course, there are four, skill-specific modules designed to help you improve your strategies for success with each skill. Each module has different time commitments and Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirements:

  • Listening: 14 weeks; language required CLB 8
  • Speaking: 10 weeks; language required CLB 7
  • Reading: 8 weeks; language required CLB 7
  • Writing: 8 weeks; language required CLB 6

Modules are stand-alone; you may choose which one(s) you take.

Once you successfully complete the Listening, Writing, and Reading units, you will have access to a simulated CELBAN Group Test. Once you successfully complete the Speaking unit, you will have access to a simulated CELBAN Speaking Test.

To take any module of this course, you must have access to the internet through a computer or mobile phone.

Communication for Financial Professionals

Communication for Financial Professionals (CFP) is a course designed specifically to help participants build communication skills in the field of finance. This course addresses the need for profession-specific language training for newcomer accountants and finance professionals in Nova Scotia. The focus of this course is on communication skills and strategies for workplace situations within the finance sector. Participants will find information and practice tasks to support their language development so that they can interact more professionally and respectfully with customers, clients, and peers.

 

Skill-specific Courses

Strategies for IELTS™
ISANS offers a course focused on strategies for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS™). You will learn about the requirements of the IELTS™ test, develop test-taking strategies, adapt your language skills for IELTS™ and practice in authentic test-taking conditions. There is a required textbook for this course. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 6 or higher.
Language Learning Strategies
ISANS offers an 8-week summer program for newcomer professionals entering the workforce or returning to school. You will focus on strategies needed to learn English outside the classroom. Explore different resources for building confidence and skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and complete a professional project. There is a required textbook for this course. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 or higher.
Pronunciation and Communication for Work CLB 5-6 or 7-8
ISANS offers a 10-week evening course for newcomers with a speaking CLB 5-6 or CLB 7-8 who want to improve their pronunciation for better communication in the workplace. You will focus on the sounds of English; word stress and rhythm; and practising communication and listening strategies. There is a required textbook for this course. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 5-6 or 7-8.

Skill-specific Courses Online

Workplace Writing 1

ISANS offers an 8-week writing course that helps newcomers with a writing level of CLB 4 to improve their workplace writing skills. You will learn about writing email, clear writing, appropriate tone, simple grammatical structures, and reading workplace documents, websites, forms and charts.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer and high-speed internet.

Time required: 7-10 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 4.

Workplace Writing 2

ISANS offers an 8-week writing course that helps newcomers with a writing level of CLB 5 to improve their workplace writing skills. You will focus on writing emails and short documents, appropriate etiquette and tone, note taking and summarizing, more complex grammatical structures and reading strategies for workplace documents.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer and high-speed internet.

Time required: 7-10 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 5.

Workplace Writing 3

ISANS offers an 8-week writing course that helps newcomers with a writing level of CLB 6 to improve their workplace writing skills. You will focus on various types of workplace writing and contexts and develop unified, coherent 3-4 paragraphs texts. You will learn to write in plain and inclusive language and learn reading strategies for implied meaning, inferences, evaluating ideas and drawing conclusion.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer and high-speed internet.

Time required: 7-10 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 6.

Email Writing

ISANS offers a 2-week writing course that helps newcomers with a writing level of CLB 7 to improve their email writing skills, focusing on email etiquette, appropriate language and format and editing your own work.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer and high-speed internet.

Time required: 6-8 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7.

Clear Speaking

ISANS offer a 5-7 week course for newcomers who want to improve their pronunciation skills for better communication in the workplace. Participants work at their own pace and receive individual feedback from their instructor.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer (with headset and microphone) and high-speed internet.

Time required: 5-7 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 5 or higher.

Listening and Speaking at Work Online

ISANS offers an 8-week online course that helps newcomers develop, improve and practice their listening and speaking skills for different workplace situations. Participants meet online with an instructor weekly to practice their language skills.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer (with headset and microphone) and high-speed internet.

Time required: 8-10 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 6-7.

Soft Skills: Professional Communication

ISANS offers a 4-week course that explores spoken professional communication through videos. You will focus on Canadian culture and how it affects language. Participants meet online with an instructor weekly to practice their language skills and practice communication strategies for small talk, presentations, constructive feedback, and meetings.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer (with headset and microphone) and high-speed internet.

Time required: 5-7 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7-8.

Soft Skills: Working with Others

ISANS offers a 4-week course that explores spoken professional communication through videos. You will focus on Canadian culture and how it affects language. Participants meet online with an instructor weekly to practice their language skills, communication strategies for networking, negotiating, working with others and conflict management.

You will study online with an EAL instructor. To study online, you require regular access to a computer (with headset and microphone) and high-speed internet.

Time required: 5-7 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7-8.

Workplace Communication Skills

ISANS offers this 10-week, online course to help you improve your communication skills for working in Nova Scotia, and potentially help you improve in one or more language benchmarks overall.

In this course, you will:

  • Learn about Canadian workplace culture
  • Practice speaking, listening, and reading
  • Develop your workplace writing skills, including emails
  • Develop your vocabulary and workplace idioms
  • Use computers weekly to build your self-study skills
  • Strengthen your essential skills for the workplace

You will study online in classes on Zoom and through coursework assignments. To study online, you require regular access to a computer (with a headset and microphone) and high-speed internet.

Time required: 5 hours a week. Language required: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5.

Self-directed Study Online

ISANS offers a self-paced, self-directed program for newcomers who want learn and practice specific grammar topics.

Workplace Language Training

English in the Workplace

English in the Workplace is a 12 week training program for employed and self-employed immigrants to help you with the language you need for your job. Training can be done face-to-face or by distance:

  • we offer one-to-one or group training right at your workplace
  • distance training is delivered live over the internet, using a web-camera and software for shared audio-visuals
  • lessons are usually two times a week for 90 minutes

English in the Workplace can help you with:

  • Speaking: customer service language, pronunciation, telephone English
  • Listening Skills: listening to coworkers, supervisors and customers
  • Writing: emails, reports, filling out forms
  • Reading: workplace materials, emails, reports
  • Canadian Workplace Culture

This program has ongoing recruitment! Get in touch to discuss your training needs.

Evening Classes

ISANS offers language training for newcomers who are working or unavailable to attend classes during the day. This program is interactive and communicative and focuses on building and improving language for the community and the workplace.

Enrollment occurs monthly as long as there is available space. There is a waiting list. Classes range from CLB 4 to 8.

Professional Communication Workshops

ISANS offers a Professional Communication Workshops series for immigrants who want to improve their language skills for employment or for self-employment. Each workshop focuses on a specific language skill.

Please note: You only need to attend the workshops that interest you! View the workshop schedule.

Language required: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 5 or higher.