0289 - Speaking Clearly in English

Course Description

This course can be applied to the UBC Award of Achievement in Business English for International Professionals or it can be taken as a stand-alone course.

Learn to communicate with clarity and confidence in a variety of workplace, professional and personal settings. Understand how native English speakers handle conversations at work fluently and effectively by using appropriate words and vocabulary, implied meanings and non-verbal communication.

Working in pairs and small groups, practise noticing and using the right tone, facial expressions and gestures that make conversations comfortable, effective and natural. Recognize sensitive situations, and know how to handle them while considering cultural norms and avoiding miscommunications.

By the end of this course, you’ll feel more confident starting and engaging in workplace conversations and meetings. Please note that participants in this course should already have at least an intermediate to advanced level of English.

Course outline

Week 1: Introductions, Your Goals, Types of Communication and Handling Conversations

Week 2: Small Talk, the Staff Room, Interrupting and Apologizing

Week 3: Being Assertive, Reading the Room and Debating

Week 4: Storytelling, Advice and Complaints

Week 5: Summarizing, Giving Instructions, Teaching and Training

Week 6: Case Studies and Practice

Course content might differ slightly from instructor to instructor

How am I assessed?

This is a non-credit course without letter or numerical grades. You receive verbal feedback on your English communication skills from your instructor during class. Short homework assignments are typically reviewed and discussed in class. Some lesson modules may include quizzes.

Record of completion

Students who have successfully completed a course can access completion documents two weeks after the course ends. Course completion means 80% attendance and/or 80% completion of mandatory assignments.

Course format

This course is offered in both in-person and 100% online formats.

Materials will be available in Canvas for three weeks after the course ends, after which time you will no longer be able to access the course.

About online learning

Our online English communication courses offer you a real-time virtual classroom experience where you can see and interact with your teacher and classmates. Each week, you log in at a set time to your class using our intuitive learning management platform, Canvas. Through Canvas, you access Zoom, a web conferencing app, for your live class. Just like in a classroom, you do individual, pair and group work, ask questions and receive verbal feedback from your instructor.

Outside of class time, you can access handouts and other materials online at your own pace and rhythm. You might be doing readings or watching videos to prepare for your next class, or practising with the material you have learned in your previous class. You do get out what you put in.

In order for a virtual classroom to be successful, we want to see your faces! Please be prepared to participate with your video turned on. We provide virtual drop-in sessions for you to test out the Zoom app before your first day of class. We will also send you instructions on accessing Canvas before your course begins.

Learn more about online learning at UBC Extended Learning.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Business English for International Professionals : Required Courses