Technical Language Syllabus/Health & Safety
SAMPLE TECHNICAL SYLLABUS – HEALTH & SAFETY
WHO IS THIS SYLLABUS SUITABLE FOR?
This particular syllabus was developed for the printing industry, and is suitable for second language learners working in an environment in which Health & Safety is of vital importance.
Actual course content and training format will be tailor-made after a process of consultation. The sample outline below gives an idea of what may be covered. The language levels are based on the Common European Framework.
Language Level Beginner - Lower-Intermediate Level
A1/A2/B1 (Common European Framework of Languages)
1. Communicative Content – focus on speaking & listening
Specific/Technical Language (Workplace/Health & Safety)
• Key questions/issues
• Describing common/predictable problems
• Emergencies – fire, health, evacuation procedures
• First aid
• Risk assessment
• Institutional/workplace specific vocab
• Machinery & how it works
• IT systems
• Electrics/gas/power
• Health & Safety – who is responsible for what
• Hygiene, procedures
• Storage
• Handling objects
• Common signs
General Language
• Talking about self & others, inc. family – key personal info
• Describing routines, working responsibilities
• Working with colleagues, typical conversations, key vocabulary
• Describing people – physical appearance, character
• Feelings & emotions
• Numbers- ordinal and cardinal; reading them aloud
• Describing frequency
• Telephoning- key phrases; making and receiving a call; taking a message
• Time – dates, timetables, making appointments
• Directions – asking for/giving
• Health/illness – common symptoms, emergencies
• Travel – modes, key functional language, holidays
• Eating & drinking – common vocab, snacks, restaurants, bars
• The weather – climate, temperature, forecasts, change
• Houses/homes – rooms, buildings, furniture
• Leisure time – arts, sport, social
• Town & country – buildings, shops, lifestyle, contrasts
• Money – types, bills, accounts, banks
• The alphabet, spelling names & words
• Writing a memo and e-mail
2. Key functional content
• Instructions – understanding/giving
• Explaining problems
• Language of Opinion
• Reassuring
• Difficult Conversations – expressing disagreement, resolving problems, offering advice, making suggestions, looking at register (polite rude, formal informal)
• Persuasion & Dissuasion
• Setting priorities
• Dealing with enquiries
• Issuing and responding to invitations
• Register – formal vs. informal
• Presenting information – style & structure
• Summarising complex information
• Using clear & direct language
• Telling stories and anecdotes
• Delivering good & bad news
• Making small talk
• Criticising with tact
• Assigning, accepting & denying blame
3. Pronunciation
• Key sounds/phonemes
• Word and sentence stress & intonation
• Common Problems
4. Structural Content / Grammar
• Tenses: present & past (walk verb in its base form/ irregular verb walked)
• Perfect aspect: progressive & perfective (be + ing/ have + been past participle)
• Modal Verb structures: use of modals in discourse (I think I may…)
• Imperatives: the base form of the verb typically used to issue orders (stop!)
• If-sentences & hypothesizing
• Reporting speech
• Word order
• Building longer sentences
5. Non-thematic Vocabulary
• Complex prepositions: phrasal & mixed types (over & above)
• Linking words: (because, so, however, therefore, etc.)
• Word-building (prefix and suffix patterns)
• Common business related idioms (to pull one’s socks up)
6. Cultural content
• Everyday conventions: greetings, time-keeping, making phone calls, meals, etc
• Body language and gestures
• National traditions/customs & culture
• ‘Do’s & Taboos’
• Intercultural Communication
• Business Culture
• Social Life