How do Nurses use English?

This is the second blog post in a row on Medical English. No surprise really, as at Specialist Language Courses Towers, we’re developing an exciting raft of online English courses for nurses and doctors. As a result, we’ve taken a keen interest in any study that researches and analyses how healthcare professionals use English at work. Such studies are very useful for our course design process.

My latest reading is a chapter in ‘The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes’, titled ‘English for Nursing’ and written by Susan Bosher. The Handbook is a great resource for all things ESP. In the article, Bosher cites three studies, one Canadian (Epp and Lewis 2008), one American (Cameron 1998), and one Australian (Hussin 2002). Each of them looks at nurses’ English language needs, and describes in some detail what areas of language use are most common. This in turn helps inform us what language tasks and skills should be integrated into the online English for Nursing courses we design.

For this post, I’d like to discuss the Canadian study. Epp and Lewis (2008) spent over 80 hours observing nurses in various clinical settings, taking notes on their communicative interactions, and them analysing them in terms of percentages spent on different tasks. They found that nurses spent 56% of their time with patients, 34% with other healthcare professionals, and 10% with patients’ families. In terms of actual language tasks, the breakdown was as follows:

·         Asking for information                            22%

·         Explaining                                              21%

·         Giving instructions                                  9%

·         Informing                                               7%

·         Responding to questions                         6%

·         Suggesting                                              6%

·         Describing                                              6%

·         Small talk                                               5%

·         Discussing                                              5%

·         Comforting                                             4%

·         Making and receiving phone calls            3%

·         Asking for help                                       2%

·         Offering to help                                       2%

·         Clarifying                                                1%

·         Apologising                                            1%

This breakdown of language use into functions is interesting and enlightening. It shows a number of key language tasks that should be integrated into any Medical English course. ‘Asking for information’ includes the grammar of questions (“Could you tell me..?”, “What happens if..?”, “How does it feel when..?”), as well as the vocabulary relevant to the context. This might range from asking about specific symptoms, to asking about pain, assessing pressure areas, carrying out a falls risk assessment,or asking about breathing difficulties.

Explaining is clearly crucial to effective communication, and again can be approached from a grammatical angle – describing sequences, cause and effect, or conditionals using ‘if-clauses’ (“If this happens, then this might happen”), as well as a vocabulary perspective. There are many interactions that require a degree of explaining, such as taking medications and their potential side-effects, common hospital procedures, pre-operative preparation, post-operative care, or giving an accurate handover.

In fact, each of the above functions listed has its own common grammar and vocabulary. What really matters here is that nurses learn the English necessary to communicate accurately with patients, other healthcare professionals (nurses, doctors, consultants), and patients, in order to ensure the provision of safe, effective care. This consists of 3 core areas:

   English grammar, including talking about different times, different levels of likelihood, and sequencing events correctly.

  Situation-specific vocabulary of which there is a lot. Healthcare is a wide field, and nurses need to know how to talk to patients – as well as other staff and families – about common areas, some of which are very complex. 
  Communicative skills, including pronunciation, understanding what others say in a range of accents and ‘Englishes’, and communication strategies, such as clarifying, re-phrasing, suggesting, expressing politeness or asking for repetition 

Coming back to the Epp and Lewis’ list, while it describes the various functions nurses use English for in practice, it doesn’t go into the specific contexts in which they were using the language or identify  how high stakes the interactions were. These may also be of considerable significance and impact on how a Medical English course writer designs a syllabus. For example, ‘asking for help’ only accounted for 2% of interactions. However, this specific function, especially in emergencies, may be incredibly important to get right and it therefore may assume equal importance to another language task where the stakes – and the consequences – are not so high or serious.

To take this survey further, one move may be to research a ‘Nursing English’ corpus of how English is used by nurses in practice. Corpus linguistics is a relatively new approach to language analysis but one which is having greater and greater impact on how English courses are being designed and taught. Corpus linguistics is the study of ‘real life’ samples of English, so taking large bodies of language – both written and spoken – and looking in detail at how language is used by people in practice in many different situations, in ‘real life’. To do this for nurses would be a difficult but very useful exercise. Getting a deep understanding of how English is used by nurses would allow us to develop syllabi matching the specific grammatical, lexical and communicative needs of nurses. 

Until this happens, though, it is vital to use the input provided by the research of Epp and Lewis as well as others in the same field. I would also suggest we combine it with the insights provided by practising nurses. Virginia Allum, who writes our online English for Nurses courses, is a Registered Nurse, with career experience in the UK and Australia, and has also lectured extensively on English for Medical Professionals. This enables her to write courses which demonstrate a strong understanding of the issues facing non-native English-speaking nurses, as well as a real command of the environment nurses work in. 

Designing online English of Nursing courses has proven to be a fascinating task so far. We are developing two courses, one at an elementary/pre-intermediate level for nurses preparing or just starting to work in an English-speaking environment, and one at a higher intermediate/upper-intermediate level, for practising non-native nurses who need to improve their accuracy, fluency and confidence in the workplace. 

If you are interested in finding out more and seeing what we have included in the English for Nursing syllabi, please get in touch – chris@specialistlanguagecourses.com.

References: ‘English for Nursing’ by Susan Bosher, p263-281, ‘The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes’, edited by Brian Partridge and Sue Starfield, published by Wiley Blackwell, 2014

Developing a Better Understanding of Business English

Now that we’ve entered into the global world and are trying our level best in understanding our potentials; and give the best shot in our career. This is however not an easy thing to do, because most of the time the scenarios in business change. This is why it becomes all the more important to develop the understanding of the language that is being used for business.

But what is the language of  Business? It is of course ‘English’; it is the third largest mother tongue in the world and unquestionably the first and most popular second-language all over the globe. In fact, most of the information to be circulated by mail, internet, cable, television, radio, newspaper etc. - is done in English.

Over the past many years English has become the working language for business purposes. The dominance of the language is such that it has started to be a part of the wide range of effects of what we generally term as globalization. Now this was all about English, but what we need to understand better is ‘Business English’ and why is it important to develop a better understanding of  Business English.

Business English is the term that is more commonly used for English that is related to international Commerce, Finance and Industry. Ever since the global world has been expanded it has become the language accepted by non-native English Speakers with their aim to study English as a tool for Business. Interactions in any form are carried out only in English because it is believed that almost every individual who is a part of the business environment has some knowledge of it. An international market never completes without English.

In the present scenarios the importance of English is that it gives people an edge in the competitive environment. Some countries have been hit by recession in the past and now they have started to consider English as an essential skill for effective business. Being able to speak right and competent English at work gives credibility to an employee and you will see a lift in the confidence level.

But another important thing that pops up now is how and where can you learn proper business English?

Now for that you must know that Leaning Business English means that a course is tailored for the students of the industry and it discusses the various topics that they might need for the industry. One must enroll for a course that is particularly meant for Business English. ‘Specialist Language Courses’ is one such English teaching programme that is meant to improve your ability to discuss business, negotiate deals, present your company and socialise in an international business environment.

There’s no reason as to why you shouldn’t get enrolled for the Business English class with Specialist Language Courses.

Taking Your career Sky High by Getting a Hold on the English Language

If you’re willing to take your career sky high, what you need the most is learning English and being able to communicate fluently in the language. It is undoubtedly an important language and people all over the world decide to study it as a second language. Many countries in the globe include English as their second language and they start learning English at a very young age.

Here are a few reasons why learning English is important:-

1.    English is the most common language spoken in the world. One out of five people can speak or at least understand the language.

2.    It is the globally accepted language of science, aviation, computes, diplomacy and tourism. Having a hold on the language is a boon for you and your chances of getting a job increase.

3.    English is the official language of nearly 53 countries, this means that there are a lot of people to meet and speak to. It is the language of more than 400 million people in the globe.

4.    It is the language of the internet. You will see that most of the websites are written in English and you will be able to understand them only if you have knowledge of  English; also you can be a part of any discussion that is being conducted in English.

These reasons might not be enough to satisfy you or to convince you regarding the importance of  English but when you talk about your career you usually have high dreams and you’ll never want to end up with something less than a perfectionist.

As far as aviation is concerned, it is the fastest growing industry these days and it encompasses various activities and responsibilities with regard to aircraft operations. Over the past few years the industry has grown really big with leaps and bounds offering lucrative opportunities to a great number of skilled workers.

Pilots, aircraft engineer and other professionals in the aviation industry are all employed by the airlines, international aircraft manufacturers and air forces; this is why they need to be able to read, understand and thereafter produce documents that are written in Aviation English. Above all they are expected to communicate effectively with professionals, colleagues in the language.

Clear and direct communication has however become even more important in ensuring aviation safety because with the admission of more people in the aviation industry and with more people coming to avail the services, the airspaces and the airports have become busier.

Part of the solution to this problem can be English. If people begin to read, understand and communicate in English there will be clarity in their expressions and it will become all the more easy to explain things.

On this note it is appropriate to mention that only English for Aviation Course can serve the purpose, solving problems of the industry as well as helping the right candidates to take their career sky high. 

Importance of English for Medical Purpose

 Language has always been a matter of concern, especially when you are a student in search of a better career an ultimately a good job and handsome salary. This is therefore a big issue in the field of medicine, since this field has suddenly started gaining prominence.

With globalization, internet, television people’s desires to be economically fit are increasing and they are in search of better opportunities to improve their lives.  Now we are a part of the people, we must accept that we are conscious about the importance of English Language and since most of us are now willing to pursue Medical, we should be aware of how important it is to know English.

As far as the medicine field is concerned, there is no recognized discipline that is called medical linguistics, but perhaps there ought to be one. True that the language of medicine offers some intriguing challenges both for the patients as well as the doctors, it has also been witnessed that there is a lack of communication between the doctor and his patient. The very reason for which is Language.

On a very serious note, we need not to know what the history of medicine is but we need to ponder about the present as well as the future; and the fact is that today all the most influential medical journals and magazines are written in English, and it has also become the language of International Conferences.

We as human beings have now entered into the era where English for Medical is important and is one of the most important aspect of your life, an era where all the doctors have unanimously chosen one common language of communication within themselves and with their patients.

Things are different whether you think from a doctor’s point of view or from a patient’s point of view. Where most of the doctors prefer to speak in the language that is common to all, some do fair with the patients who cannot communicate very fluently in English.

 But things are a little different from a patient point of view, sometimes the whole thing takes a really weird turn. While some people prefer talking in their native tongue to their doctors because they think they can better explain the problem this way, other cringe if a doctor doesn’t know how to speak English very fluently.
After a complete research and analysis, it is now acceptable that if the books are written in English, the syllabus is taught in English and even the exams are conducted in English, then students must simply have a working knowledge of the language.

On a whole, ‘English is the cut-off language for medical purposes and it should be a compulsory subject along with Anatomy, Biochemistry etc.’

The Importance of English Language for Hospitality Services

It is true that the hospitality industry includes a variety of career opportunities for progression and promotion. But, most of the times they are out of reach unless a person who is pursuing them is a proficient and a confident user of the English language. It is more than just important to effectively communicate in English, no matter where in the world you live, travel or work. Certainly speaking fluently in a language is imperative when working in an English speaking nation.

Briefing you about the many advantages of English language is maybe enough for you to understand that communication skills are a crucial element of hospitality industry.  Sidewise, it is also important to understand the performance expectations since it is a key to any achievement in tourist satisfaction. Good oral and written communication skills are the top requirement in the hospitality industry. 

Another important fact about the hospitality program is that a hospitality program will itself encourage critical thinking, tourist problem solving etc. whenever necessary. When in the tourism industry, supply and demand side must communicate perfectly in order to meet the quality standards. 

Why only English?

Without any symbol of doubt, the universally accepted language of hospitality is English. It doesn’t matter whether you are a housekeeper or a manager; it is almost guaranteed that you will be expected to have not only a passive understanding of English, but also confidence in actively using it.

It is advisable to choose Specialist Language Courses who offer outstanding hospitality English Courses around the world. They will not only provide excellent hospitality training, but also the opportunity for all to learn and enhance their English Language Skills. 

What difference can proficiency with English make?

It is important to understand the difference that you can see once you become proficient in English. It is not a matter of concern whether you are looking to secure a job or are ambitious to progress or be promoted within the hospitality industry, studying English can give you a professional advantage. It is certain that SLC’s English Course for Hospitality is a course that is pitched to your current levels of proficiency and your inspirational goals.

Top Tips to follow when studying English to help your hospitality career:

·       Commit to take a credible course that is not only focused on the development of English language skills for people pursuing hospitality services but is also comprehensive in its coverage of English Language Development.

·         Try using your English language skills as often as possible. Do not hesitate to communicate in English because communication will not only improve your skills but will also make you a confident speaker.

·        Aim to increase your vocabulary. It’s bad to hold an attitude towards learning. Never of satisfied with your knowledge. Try to learn and grasp more each day. This will help you know more about English language and words that you might have never come across.

The hospitality industry is your playground, and it offers a range of interesting and varied roles. Proficient use of English language is a definite advantage when it comes to hospitality roles and it is a vital skill for advancing your career in the dynamic sector of hospitality.

How Important is the English Language in Banking and Finance?

English is becoming necessary in almost every field and since there is so much growth people are constantly looking to expand their territories, many are finding that the walls presented by the English Language must be broken down in order to be a real successful person. This is where English Training comes into play.

Specialist Language Courses provides these English Classes for people in every field but since the currency of the country is what counts the most, the maximum number of literate people is what is important.  Banking is one field most people are attracted to, thus English has its importance in the field of Banking and Finance.

These English classes that are organized specifically for banking and finance personnel’s are designed to teach people who have knowledge about the field but they hesitate to converse in English. There is absolutely nothing better than breaking down the language barrier in order to take banking and Finance to the next higher level.

A far as the English classes for Banking and Finance are concerned, they are very crucial. The question is as to why knowing English is so important????
Well, here is a perfect answer, “If you think in terms of most economies, then the fact is that English is a globally accepted language and most of the finance work is carried out in English. Additionally, having your command on the English Language means that you will be a more transferable resource. You will get the opportunity to move out of your country if ever there is a reason to move out and understanding the functionality of another bank will become easier for you.”

Speaking English is an advantage

Between two very similar candidates, when you have to choose one, there has to be a valid reason why you reject the other. Other than the marks and the grades, the ability to interact with the customers is very crucial. Your choice has to be the candidate who has an upper hand in English and can handle and be a part of any conversation that is being held in English.

Therefore, the bottom line of perusing an English course for Banking and Finance is that you can make a well settled career in this field. A banking job earns well for you and is sufficient for your family too.
Beware!!!

You need to beware of the language you speak because you can be assigned any deal. Having a command on your native tongue will fetch you clients of your own country but having a command on the English Language will help you interact with clients all over the globe. So, enroll now in SLC’s English for Banking and Finance.

Just so that you may know…

English is very important because it keeps you globally connected and something that is as inconsiderable as the price of gold per ounce is determined in English. Many countries have their banks that open accounts overseas. These countries have their clients all over the globe and therefore it is important for their staff to learn good and fluent English, so that they can better serve their English-speaking clients. This is one more facet that helps in bringing more clients, making the career in banking and finance grow, being more lucrative and successful.

Business English - An Essential Tool in Today’S World

The world of business today is increasingly internationalised. Companies everywhere employ staff from many countries and cultures, whether it be in the one central office or in regional offices, or virtually.

As a result Business English has become an essential business communication tool. English has become the lingua franca for many business dealings around the world. More and more international companies have adopted Business English for board meetings, internal memos, emails and phone calls - even when English is not the first language for many of the participants!

This trend is reflected in the growth of Business English courses around the world - whether they be extensive courses taken in a local institute, or immersion English for Business Communication courses taken in business language training centres in the UK, US, Canada or other English speaking countries. Go to any top school and you’ll see they offer a range of business and industry-specific English courses, designed to meet the needs of business leaders, HR professionals, sales people, pilots, engineers, bankers, and so on.

E-learning companies like Net Languages, Global English and Rosetta Stone have also increased the Business English content of their online programmes as students’ needs have become more career and work-focused, and sell them aggressively to companies around the world.

Business English courses tend to cover a range of ‘general business’ topics. These include introducing yourself and your company, sending business emails, making work-related phone calls, making company presentations, going on business trips, and writing company reports.

If you take a Business Communication course, the language may become more technical, and focus on more advanced areas of English, such as negotiating deals, leading international teams, recruitment issues, and describing economic trends. Students may be older than on regular Business English courses, and may also be higher up the organisation, typically at mid-senior management and director level.

Schools are offering increasingly customised Business English courses as well, designing company-specific syllabi, for example, or running closed courses for groups of managers. This gives a school the opportunity to tailor an English course to the precise needs of the course participants. This is particularly useful for groups from quite technical backgrounds, such as doctors, oil and gas workers, lawyers, or soldiers, for example.

A useful Business English course objective may be an exam such as Cambridge BULATS or the ETS TOEIC test. Both tests are designed to reflect business and workplace needs, and can be used as the basis for a strong syllabus. They are also a useful way of benchmarking business communication skills in English, and can be used in both pre-course level testing and post-course progress assessment.

So, if you are an international company, Business English is an essential skill. If you haven’t done so yet, it really is worth talking to an expert to see what kind of course is necessary and appropriate for your staff. An expert will be able to conduct a business communication skills audit and make recommendations on what kind of English course is best and how it should be delivered. Talking to the world in a language everyone understands can only be good for both your top and bottom lines.

3 Great Reasons to Learn German

Here are five compelling reasons why you should take a German course, whether it be at a German Language school, on an online German course, or in your company, where a trainer come in and gives you and your colleagues a customised German language course.

1. Germany is a great place to do business with
The German economy remains a bastion of strength in the middle of the Euro-crisis. Just like their products, German companies are built to last. Learning the language will help you open doors and build relationships with potential German clients and partners. Sure, many Germans speak great English, but learning at least the basics - either via an online German course or face-to-face course - shows respect and that you have made an effort.

2. Germany is beautiful country to travel to
Germany is underrated for its amazing scenery - mountains, lakes, forests - and is well worth a visit. Its great cities such as Berlin, Munich, Cologne, and Hamburg are also rich with fabulous historic buildings, art galleries and nightlife. Taking a German course before you go can help you travel around, find great places to stay and sample delicious local food and drink.

3. Germany has a rich history of artistic achievement
Some of the greatest writers, philosophers and composers have come from Germany. The country is filled with memorials dedicated to the likes of Goethe, Schiller, Hegel, Marx, Bach and Beethoven - statues, museums and houses. Just think how wonderful it would be to read their words in the original language - OK this is an advanced level German course, but it's always good to aim high!

So, how best to learn German?
There are lots of different courses you can take to learn German. If you're a complete beginner, you need to build a foundation in the language. In this case a German evening course in your local college or some individual lessons with a private German teacher is an excellent idea. You could try an online course, but self-study can be difficult to stick to, especially the lower levels. Having lessons with a German teacher gives you a good structure to get the language basics in place.

If you already know some German, then self-study tends to work better and there are lots of excellent online German courses you can take. Of course there are lots of face-to-face German courses you can take too, whether it be an evening class, some private tuition, or even an in-company course if you can persuade your company to pay for it. In fact, this is always a good idea if your company has clients, suppliers or an office in Germany as stated above, and there are teachers who specialise in German for Business courses.

Finally, one way to both learn German and experience German culture is to take a study abroad immersion German course at a school in Germany. There are excellent German schools in all the major cities, such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich, and you can take a range of courses there, including General German, Business German, and German plus Culture. Some schools do specialist holiday courses combining German study with a full social or cultural programme, while others also hold university preparation courses if you want to study in a German university. Once you have completed your immersion course, you can then join an online German course to continue improving.

So, you have no excuse. There are plenty of great German courses around and some excellent reasons for learning.

How much English do you need to Study Engineering at an English-Speaking University?

If you would like to study Engineering at an English-speaking university, you will not only need to score highly on a TOEFL or IELTS exam, but you will also need to learn the engineering-specific English used in real world working scenarios.

This represents a double challenge, as the TOEFL and IELTS exams are designed for anyone wanting to study at universityand therefore are not subject-specific. They cover many academic disciplines, including sciences, social studies, psychology and the arts. This means that engineering students need to learn a lot of English that they probably won’t use when they reach university.

In addition,the Engineering-specific Englishreferred to above will help them follow lectures and participate in seminars and workshops.So, it is useful to have covered as much as possible before starting an engineering degree. There are many challenges here though, as engineering covers many areas, some of which are very different from each other.

There are quite a few general areas of Engineering English, of course, which would be useful to anyone wanting to study Engineering. These include the language of cause and effect, numbers, dimensions, pressures, temperatures, positions, directions, tolerance, resistance, drawings, charts, common equipment, technology and tools, health and safety, and materials, to name just a few.

In the more specialised engineering fields, however, the English required may be quite different. Think of what language would be required when focusing on the architectural, aerospace, civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental, telecoms, nuclear, military or software engineering sectors, to take just a few examples.

This has been increasingly recognised by the academic community delivering Engineering programmes to overseas students. There are two good examples of this. One is the development of the Student Engineering English Corpus (SEEC) containing nearly 2 million of the most frequently used reduced to 1200 word families or 9000 word-types as found in core engineering textbooks, regardless of their fields of specialization. By highlighting the most common collocations that engineers use, English for Engineering teachers are able to target their courses more effectively.

The second development is the Engineering Lecture Corpus (ELC), a growing collection of transcripts of engineering lectures given in English. The ELC currently contains lectures from Coventry University in the UK, the University of Technology in Malaysia, Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and the UniversitàdegliStudi di Napoli (Federico II) in Italy. The project is designed to explore the role of English-led instruction in engineering courses from around the world.

As a student preparing to study engineering at an English-speaking university, it makes sense to prepare yourself by studying an English for Engineering course in order to familiarise yourself with the kind of English you will be using regularly in your studies. By doing this, you will be more prepared and can focus more on the content of your programme rather than on the language it is delivered in.

So, what to do? There are 3 main options here:
1.    Attend a ‘pre-sessional’ summer course organised by the university – not all universities offer this, so you’ll need to see what’s possible.

2.    Attend a specialist ‘English for Engineering’ language course at aEnglish language school. You’ll find a good list here. These can be focused one-to-one or closed group courses, where the content is tailored to your specific needs. They can also be ‘combined’ courses, where you join a group studying business or general English skills for some of the time, and then take engineering-specific classes for the rest.

Some schools offer online tuition, which can be convenient and save money.

3.    Use online resources. There are growing resources out there aimed at engineering students. English 360 offer a course based on the popular Cambridge University Press course book, ‘Cambridge English for Engineering’. The British Councilalso has a good collection of resources.

There are also a number of course books with CD Roms which, although designed for class use, can be used for self-study.

To conclude, it is useful to prepare yourself before starting your course in engineering at an English-speaking university, by taking a course or using online and self-study resources. In this way, you will be prepared to take full advantage of your course. You will be better able to understand lectures and participate in seminars. You won’t have the distraction of trying to learn English as well as following what can be an intensive course. And the more you can communicate on an engineering course, the better you will do.