Two people in a manufacturing setting smiling

English for Workplace Communication in Canada

 

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Designed for non-English speaking professionals, this learning series will help enhance interactions with colleagues by practicing effective communication in the English language. Focus on one or two modules, or take all four to receive a Certificate of Completion issued by the University of Windsor Continuing Education.


COURSES

 Speaking

  • Convey information in a clear, concise, accurate and culturally-appropriate format
  • Use intonation and stress purposely
  • Deliver informative and persuasive presentations
  • Debate and negotiate to solve problems

Attendance and the completion of a listening test is required to successfully complete this class. Upon successful completion of this class, learners will receive a Certificate of Completion. 


Format: Online, virtual classroom

Schedule: Sign up for our Interest List to be notified when this course becomes available.

 Listening

  • Understand general and specialized information
  • Evaluate for credibility of stated and implied meaning
  • Listen to assess credibility of argument
  • Identify message highlights through intonation and word choice
  • Recognize emphatic and idiomatic language

Attendance and the completion of a listening test is required to successfully complete this class. Upon successful completion of this class, learners will receive a Certificate of Completion. 


Format: Online, virtual classroom

Schedule: Sign up for our Interest List to be notified when this course becomes available.

 Writing

  • Produce clearly structured and well-supported writing
  • Express ideas accurately, precisely, and concisely
  • Write for diverse audiences using appropriate format, tone, and style

Format: Online, virtual classroom

Schedule: Sign up for our Interest List to be notified when this course becomes available.

 Reading

  • Understand texts on professional topics
  • Recognize text structure, purpose, and target audience
  • Analyze visual information to make comparisons and inferences
  • Compare for cultural perspectives

Format: Online, virtual classroom

Schedule: Sign up for our Interest List to be notified when this course becomes available.

COURSE PLANS

  Learning Outcomes Activities
Week 1
  • Effective reading strategies
  • Analyzing text structure
  • Developing a global mindset
  • Cultural snapshots: time
  • review and apply reading strategies
  • text analysis
  • discuss multicultural variables affecting the global workplace
Week 2
  • Determining text purpose and audience
  • Identifying author’s point of view
  • Cultural snapshots: formality
  • text analysis
  • recognize and contrast author’s point of view
  • redesign text with different stakeholders in mind
  • role play activities
Week 3
  • Critical reading
  • Making inferences and detecting bias
  • Cultural snapshots: collaboration
  • text analysis
  • case analysis
  • contrast factual information and implied meaning
  • detect tone, attitude, and bias
Week 4
  • Analyzing visual information
  • Describing and interpreting graphs
  • Cultural snapshots: tone/politeness
  • synthesize information from multiple sources
  • analyze complex text and graphs to draw conclusions and make recommendations
  • contrast cultural perspectives

 

  Learning Outcomes Activities
Week 1
  • Characteristics of professional communication
  • Using professional tone and style
  • review main features of professional communication
  • contrast formal and informal language

 

Week 2
  • Technical reports
  • Concise language
  • Professional vocabulary
  • review report purpose and structure
  • create a short report
  • review for concise wording/professional vocabulary
Week 3
  • Proposals
  • Coherent and accurate sentence structure
  • Using objective and inclusive language
  • review purpose and structure of proposals
  • apply diverse and accurate sentence structure patterns
  • correct for common sentence structure errors
  • write using objective and inclusive language
Week 4
  • Effective business correspondence: letters and emails
  • Framing negative news with positive language
  • structure and develop business correspondence
  • case analysis
  • reframe messages that deliver negative news
  • case analysis
  Learning Outcomes Activities
Week 1
  • Active listening strategies
  • Small talk vs. professional language

 

  • identify genre, purpose, audience
  • apply active listening in various contexts (meetings, debates, round-table discussions…)
  • recognize signposts that aid in comprehension
Week 2
  • Distinguishing fact from opinion
  • Listening for emphatic language

 

  • identify key themes based on introduction
  • differentiate fact vs. opinion
  • recognize stance and attitude
  • recognize emphasis
Week 3
  • Listening for stated vs. implied meaning
  • Detecting tone, bias, and logical leaps

 

  • recognize implied meaning and bias
  • assess multiple perspectives and reliability of information presented
Week 4
  • Listening for technical/business jargon
  • Recognizing fixed expressions/idiomatic language
  • Infer meaning from context
  • differentiate professional vs. casual tone
  • recognize digression/redundancy in speech
  • recognize elaboration techniques
  • use context to infer meaning
  Learning Outcomes Activities
Week 1
  • Characteristics of professional communication
  • Explaining processes
  • Offering suggestions
  • Presentation styles (specialist vs. non-specialist)
  • use precise and concise language
  • explain steps in a process
  • explain and simplify concepts
  • analyze presentation purpose, structure, and audience considerations
Week 2
  • Discussing future trends and technologies
  • Presenting a coherent argument
  • Using inclusive language
  • Delivering informative/persuasive presentations
  • case analysis 
  • develop a clear, structured argument
  • implement effective presentation delivery techniques
Week 3
  • Participating in a debate
  • Comparing multiple perspectives/options
  • Negotiating to make decisions/solve problems
  • Influencing people and outcomes
  • discuss advantages and disadvantages
  • role-play a negotiation
  • evaluate recommendations; weigh alternatives
  • use intonation/ emphatic stress to persuade
Week 4
  • Explaining causes and effects
  • Relaying negative news tactfully
  • Dealing with conflict and misunderstandings
  • Building fluency
  • respond to a scenario
  • analyze causes and effects
  • use positive, tactful wording
  • use linking, rhythm, intonation to build fluency

 


Interested in sending a member from your organization?
You may be eligible for the Canada-Ontario Job Grant as a way to off-set the cost.

Schedule: Expand above course to view schedule

Duration: 24 hours per course

Format: Online, virtual classroom with optional in-person guided practice

Course Fee: $500 + HST per course
In-person Guided Practice (optional): $100 + HST per course

  • UWindsor alumni, staff, students, and Hire UWindsor Partners are eligible for a discount. Email continue@uwindsor.ca for the code.

Prerequisites: Minimum admission requirements include:

  • Intermediate English Language Proficiency

Technical Requirements:

  • Learners will require access to a computer with high-speed internet access.
  • Class is delivered online through the Brightspace Learning Management System (for class materials and assignments) and Microsoft Teams for class meetings.

Brightspace and Microsoft Teams Requirements:

  • A link will be provided through email prior to the first day of class so that you will have access to all course resources and streaming functions.
  • Once you register for this class you will be issued a UWinID. Please activate your UWinID as soon as possible. Document your UWinID and password as you will need it to access Brightspace and Teams. If you have any issues, please contact continue@uwindsor.ca.
  • Visit this site for Brightspace technical requirements.

About OSAP Micro-credentials Application

  • This program is eligible for the OSAP Micro-credential application (OSAPMC).
  • Participants must be registered into the program prior to applying for OSAPMC.
  • Participants are obligated to pay their fees in full, or decide to withdraw at least one week prior to the course start date should they not receive OSAPMC.
  • Register for this program accordingly to allow ample time for your application to be processed. It takes approximately 10-15 business days for the OSAPMC application to be processed.

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Email us at continue@uwindsor.ca if you have questions - we are always happy to help.