Employers

Learning professional language at the workplace

Professional language proficiency extends beyond vocabulary: it is the appropriate use of language in work-related interactive situations. At work, language skills can be improved in authentic situations with the support of the work community.
A person presenting to a group of people in a meeting room. A screen displays text Työntekijöiden hyvinvointi.
Content:

Video on supporting professional language learning at the workplace.
For whom:

The entire work community.
Time:

Video duration 22 min.
Benefit:

The work community receives concrete methods for supporting language learning.

Many small measures support development of an employee's professional language skills at the workplace. In the video, Inkeri Lehtimaja describes professional language proficiency and practices that the work community can adopt in the daily life of the workplace to support language learning. 

1. Establish open and constructive discussion on language

Agree on how and when to discuss languages safely at the workplace. Languages can be discussed in a structured manner or spontaneously as part of everyday conversation.  

2. Adopt multilingual practices

For example, when organising a multilingual event, understand the target audience and their language skills. Use parallel languages and at the beginning of the event, set ground rules in all languages used.  

3. Provide subtle language support in interaction 

Language support methods include verbalisation, advance preparation, provision of linguistic models, linguistic support in different situations, and debriefing.

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The video is a recording from the Näin johdat monikielistä työyhteisöäsi webinar (in Finnish) (How to lead your multilingual work community webinar) (1 March, 2023). The webinar was a joint effort by Suomen Yrittäjät and Language Boost. 

Learn more about professional language proficiency in the online article What are professional language skills. 

©2024 Johanna Komppa, Eveliina Korpela, Lari Kotilainen, Salla Kurhila and Inkeri Lehtimaja

Learning professional language at the workplace, august 2024, produced by Johanna Komppa, Eveliina Korpela, Lari Kotilainen, Salla Kurhila and Inkeri Lehtimaja, is licensed under a CC-BY Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The material can be found at kielibuusti.fi. Photos: All rights reserved. 

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