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Online ESOL courses for refugee, migrant & asylum seeker adult learners: challenges faced & lessons learned

At SLC, we’ve been providing online English language courses to refugee and migrant communities since 2018 when we worked with learners on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme in Northern Ireland.

How long does it take to learn English?

Discover how long it takes to learn English, based on Cambridge University research. Explore key factors including study hours, learning environment, and learner attributes.

How do the language learning levels and test scores compare?

See how CEFR levels match IELTS, OET, and British Council EnglishScore results in our quick reference table.

Top 7 Most Influential Women in Healthcare

Throughout history, women have been at the forefront of healthcare, making groundbreaking contributions that have transformed medical practices, saved countless lives, and advanced the well-being of humanity.

What OET and IELTS scores do healthcare professionals need to work in the UK?

The UK healthcare service has relied for many years on the invaluable contributions made by overseas trained healthcare professionals. To register to work here, those who do not come from a country where English is the first language must demonstrate their language level by taking an English test and achieving the scores stipulated by the regulator.

Do overseas trained staff in the NHS need English language and communication skills training?

This article reviews the recently published updated NHS International Recruitment Toolkit and what is says about how English language and communication skills training can support recruitment, retention and the pastoral care provided to overseas trained staff.

How can I book one-to-one and group language and communication skills training?

Develop your staff with expert language training! Read our guide on how to book 1-to-1 and group courses in OET, IELTS, Medical English, and more.

What is the Medical Training Initiative scheme and what English requirements do doctors need to join?

Learn about the Medical Training Initiative scheme, its benefits, and the English language requirements for international doctors: OET or IELTS.

What is Clinical Communication?

Clinical communication differs greatly from everyday interactions, requiring specific skills to handle challenging conversations. Strong clinical communication is essential for delivering safe, patient-centered care and achieving positive health outcomes. This article explores five key features of clinical communication.

EDI and overseas trained staff in the NHS

This article looks at the NHS’s commitment to EDI and asks whether the ambitions it expresses can be fully realised given the experiences of many overseas trained staff working in the service – and if not, what needs to change.

Overcoming Communication Challenges in Care Homes with a Diverse Workforce

Running a residential care home is rewarding but challenging, especially when a significant percentage of your staff come from abroad and English isn’t their first language.

Is the English level requirement of the Health and Social Care Visa enough to provide a high standard of care?

130,000+ overseas carers joined the UK via the Health & Care worker Visa, but is B1 English enough for high-quality care? Discover the challenges they face and how targeted training can make a difference.

How to explain medications in English

Understand how to talk about medication in medical English. This video is a valuable resource for medical professionals and students.

Suggesting Lifestyle Changes

Discover the key phrases for suggesting lifestyle changes to patients. Improve your communication skills in medical English with this guide.

Medical terminology vs everyday terms

Discover the differences between medical terminology and everyday language. Enhance your understanding and use of medical English.

The Chest & Respiratory Terms

Learn about teminology relating to the chest andrespiratory conditions. This video is perfect for medical English learners and professionals.

Types of blood test

Understand the heart, its functions, and common cardiovascular diseases. Improve your medical English with this comprehensive guide.

Medical terms: Blood

Dive into the world of blood, and essential medical terms. Enhance your medical English knowledge with this informative video.

Types of blood test

Learn how to explain a blood test in clear, professional Medical English! This video covers essential vocabulary, phrases, and tips to help healthcare professionals effectively communicate test results to patients.

Medical English: Explaining Vital Signs

Understand how to explain vital signs and their importance. This video is perfect for medical professionals and students improving their medical English.

Discussing surgery terminology in English

We cover essential phrases to explain surgical procedures. Learn key language to use with patients and boost your medical communication skills. Perfect for healthcare professionals and students.

Medical terms: Surgical Procedures

Understand terminology for surgical procedures and how to pronounce them. This video is a valuable resource for medical English learners and professionals.

Medical terms for pain

Master medical terminology for describing different types of pain. This video is essential for medical professionals and students.

The Female Reproductive System: Medical terminology

Learn about the female reproductive system, its anatomy, and related medical terms. Perfect for medical English students and professionals.

Vocabulary: Medical Conditions

Explore English medical terminology for common medical conditions. Ideal for medical professionals and medical students wanting to improve their medical English vocabulary.

Medical Diagnosis in English

Learn how to effectively explain a diagnosis in English. This video provides useful tips and key phrases for medical professionals.

Medical English Vocabulary: Internal Organs

Learn how to pronounce the English medical terms for major internal organs in the human body. This video is perfect for medical English learners looking to expand their vocabulary and understanding of human anatomy.

Learn medical terminology: The Body

Discover how to say key parts of the human body in this tutorial lesson. Enhance your medical English vocabulary with useful terminology.

Top 10 Budget-Friendly Online Master’s in Speech Therapy for 2024

Whether aiding individuals with speech disorders, language delays, or swallowing difficulties, speech therapists play a significant role in enhancing the quality of life for their clients.

Speak the Language of Medicine: Mastering Medical English

Mastery of Medical English is crucial for ensuring clear and accurate communication, which is essential for patient safety and quality care.

Mastering Patient Interviews: a guide to using effective question techniques

In the world of healthcare, effective communication between healthcare professionals and patients is paramount.

English for Medical Purposes: The importance of Language Proficiency in Healthcare

English is a global language for science, technology, business, and medicine. Its widespread use fosters cross-cultural communication and international cooperation, facilitating the exchange of ideas, research, and medical innovations.

GMC English language requirements for International Doctors

The GMC, uses the following ways for an international medical graduate to demonstrate their English level.

Understanding the Risks of Relying on ChatGPT for English Language Learning in Healthcare

In this article, we will delve into these risks, emphasising the model's reliance on chatgpt and the importance of validating trusted sources.

Why Is English Important For Healthcare?

There are 3 reasons why healthcare professionals need to learn medical English. Find out what they are & how you can improve your English.

How to work as a foreign doctor in Australia? A complete guide of what to do?

How can I work in Australia as a foreign doctor? Get SLC's 5-step guide for overseas or international medical professionals.

A Guide To Working In Canada As A DOCTOR

Are you a doctor who wants to move to Canada? Discover SLC’s step-by-step guide to getting a job in the land of Mounties and maple trees.

How To WORK In The USA As A Nurse

Are you a nurse who’d love to live in USA? If you want California sunshine or New York bustle, here’s your guide to working in the US.

How You Can Move To Ireland As A Nurse?

Are you a foreign nurse who wants to work in Ireland? Check out SLC’s guide to requirements, and discover what you need to qualify.

How To WORK In The UK If You’re An Overseas DOCTOR

Are you a qualified overseas doctor who’s thinking of applying to work in the UK? Discover SLC’s new guide for foreign medical professionals.

3 reasons why a real-life class might be for you

Have you tried blended learning? Discover 3 reasons why learning online AND in-person might be the perfect combination.

5 Tips For Effective Online Study

Are you learning Medical English? Discover our top 5 tips to help you avoid distractions and get focused, for more effective studying online

Online Classes Vs Traditional Classes: What Sort Of Learner Are You?

Are you better at remote study for Medical English, or do you prefer to learn in-person? Do SLC’s quiz and find out

English Questions: When does ‘no’ mean ‘no problem’?

English questions can be very confusing. Is it "no" or "no problem"? The most difficult English language question to answer.

How to make requests that don’t sound like questions

Do you know how to make requests politely? Check out the ultimate grammar order for asking polite questions.

3 Great Ways To Ask ‘How Are You?’

Did you learn the dialogue "how are you? I'm fine" when you were studying English? Learn 3 other ways to ask the question "How are you?"

Small talk: Use questions for better connections

3 starter questions to improve your English small talk

A World Of Accents

How can you learn the accents of global English? Get SLC’s top tips here

The Truth About The ‘British’ Accent

Find out why people in the UK never use the phrase ‘British accent.’

When do you pronounce ‘R’?

Discover the rule for pronouncing ‘R’ in English words, and how it’s different with an American accent.

Which English-Language Accent Is ‘Best’?

Is there a ‘best’ English-language accent? Which accent do British people like? Find out here.

SLC’s Quick Guide To Using British Honorifics

Mrs or Ms? Clear the confusion with SLC’s quick guide to British honorifics.

Which Is More Formal – American Or British English?

How to use ‘quite’ in American vs British English, + which culture is more formal? You might be surprised.

Informal British English – A Quick Guide

The surprising truth about spoken British English – it’s not as formal as you think.

How to use formal spoken English

No to slang, yes to contractions: Read SLC’s tips for using formal spoken Medical English.

Using Gestures

How to use gestures to help your fluency in Medical English – even when nobody will see you using them.

Non-Verbal Communication: Using Sounds

Learn how to use sounds to show you’re listening. For Medical English and for passing the OET speaking sub-test, it’s essential.

The Importance of Pauses

Want to speak fluent Medical English? Stop speaking. It’s the pauses in your speech that matter.

The importance of non-verbal communication

What is non-verbal communication, why is it so important for Medical English, and how can it help you pass the OET exam?

Build Your Empathy Muscles: See the World Through Another’s Eyes

Want help to pass the OET speaking exam? Learn to show empathy by seeing the world through another’s eyes.

Remember Your Vulnerability

Your patient is in a vulnerable situation. Normally, they go about their life quite securely. But today they’re possibly in pain and frightened.

Build Empathy By Reserving Judgement

It’s easy to judge others. The urge to assess someone by your own standards is very normal. Yet part of showing empathy means putting that aside.

Start Building Your Empathy Muscles Today

As a definition, empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of another person by imagining what it would be like in their situation.

Feeling under the weather

Are you feeling under the weather? In this post, we give you insight into how the British both under- and overstate what they feel by using idioms.

The British sense of humour

Any international healthcare professional coming to work in the UK will need to get to grip with the unique British sense of humour.

Medical English Tips: Giving Advice Sensitively

Get this right, and your rapport with your patient will be a powerful factor in building a successful therapeutic partnership.

What is Medical Academic Writing Part 1

This post summarises what we covered in this section and provides the powerpoint of the whole presentation to download.

What is Medical Academic Writing Part 2

This post summarises what we covered in the practice section as well as some areas of grammar highlighted as common to academic writing.

On Viruses

This extract describes some remarkable and surprising facts on viruses.

How do Nurses use English?

My latest reading is a chapter in ‘The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes’, titled ‘English for Nursing’ and written by Susan Bosher.

What is English for Doctors?

Listening to doctors discussing is often unfamiliar, because of the abbreviations, acronyms and short cuts.

Language Mobile Apps: Advantages and disadvantages

Learning languages are great – I think we can all agree with that. But if you decide to learn a new language the next question is how?

Online English for Nurses – Getting the Essentials Right

SLC’s online English for Nurses course is specially designed for international nurses wanting to work in an English-speaking environment.

Online Learning vs Face-to-Face

The opportunity to develop language skills via an app, website or online tutor is attractive, as it removes the need for learners to spend time and money going to a school.

The 3 main difficulties for an Italian student learning English

Is the English language an incredibly difficult one to learn? You tell us. At SLC, one of the many countries that we recruit our nurses from is that of the “bella Italia”.

Review of the Language Learning App “Babbel”

One of the leading Mobile Apps for language learning is Babbel. They deliver language courses completely online.

Review of the Language Learning App “Duolingo”

Duolingo has about 120 million users across the world – a large number which made me even more excited to try.

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