vcc.ca
ELSK 0780: EAL for Health Care Advanced
Effective date
September 2025
Department
ESL Pathways
School
Arts and Sciences
Description
This course focuses on the development and application of essential English communication skills for health care settings at an advanced (CLB 7-9) level. Key components of the course are expanding health care vocabulary, practicing routine and more challenging professional interactions, using communication strategies and skills needed for moderately complex oral and written interactions with patients, visitors, colleagues, and other health professionals, and developing strategies for increasing accuracy in oral and written communication.
Credits
0.0
Year of study
Prerequisites
CLB 6 Listening, CLB 6 Speaking, CLB 6 Reading, and CLB 6 Writing, or department approval.
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the BC health care system, roles within this system, and VCC program options.
- Identify and apply a range of socio-cultural competencies to communicate effectively.
- Use a number of communication frameworks to to structure oral and written communication in the health care context.
- Select appropriate vocabulary, tone, register, and non-verbal language in a range of health care settings.
- Identify and apply a range of strategies for note-taking, reading formatted and unformatted texts, and writing health care related assignments and correspondence.
- Use reflection journals to increase self-awareness in communication habits, perceptions and biases.
- Honour and be aware of the impacts of colonization on Indigenous Peoples’ access to and experiences with healthcare in Canada.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 40
Total Hours: 40
Total Hours: 40
Instructional Strategies
Lectures, demonstrations, role-plays, audio/video recordings, case studies, self-study, pair and group discussion, ongoing feedback, Moodle
Grading System
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Passing grade
60%
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Assignments |
35% |
Listening and Speaking tasks |
|
Assignments |
35% |
Reading and Writing tasks |
|
Quizzes/Tests |
20% |
General quizzes |
|
Participation |
10% |
Active involvement in live instructional sessions and online activities |
Course topics
- The Canadian and BC Health Care System
- Effective Communication Frameworks and Barriers to Communication
- Telephone language and strategies
- Vocabulary development strategies, including medical terminology
- Writing and note-taking strategies for Health Care assignments
- Culture, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Impacts of colonization on Indigenous Peoples’ health and access to healthcare in Canada
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.