Employers

Pocketbook for supporting language learning

A pocketbook is a small paper booklet that the employee carries with them to write down observations on the language use at the workplace. Discussing linguistic observations with colleagues or supervisor develops the employee’s professional language proficiency.

People working at a table with notebooks, sticky notes, and a tablet. One holds a purple pen.

Content:

Method for learning professional language at the workplace.

For whom:

Language-learning employee and colleagues.

Time:

Continuous work and regular discussion of observations.

Benefit:

Links language learning to the employee’s needs and work scenarios.

Pocketbook activates the language learner

The pocketbook promotes learning based on the learner's personal needs and observations. Active language observations at the workplace and writing down new words increase the learner’s responsibility for language learning.

There are many workplace scenarios where professional language skills can be learned in practice. The pocketbook helps the employee to observe workplace interaction. They may shadow a colleague, listen to discussion between a colleague and a client, and write down words and phrases. If something is unclear, they can write down words that they failed to understand, and ask colleagues for clarification. This helps them learn appropriate situationally language.

Google Translate and language courses cannot replace collegial support

Machine translation tools may be unable to handle field-specific professional vocabulary or translate to a specific context. The risk of translation errors increases when the language learner is unable to find a suitable match for the desired expression. In such scenarios, collegial support is invaluable. The pocketbook also supports memorizing words written down.

The pocketbook complements formal learning offered by language courses. General language skills are acquired in language courses, but the best way to learn field-specific language and language used at one’s own workplace is at the workplace in question. Language teachers may not know differences in linguistic practices of specific fields, which is why colleagues are the best field-specific teachers.

The pocketbook engages the entire work community to support language learning

The work community plays a key role in learning professional language. With the help of the pocketbook, the language learner’s colleagues and supervisor can support the individual learner precisely where needed.

Linguistically challenging situations often occur suddenly and asking a colleague for immediate help may be impossible. With the pocketbook, the learner can revise when appropriate.

Many tasks prevent keeping a phone at hand. Using a paper pocketbook helps signal that the employee's actions are related to language learning, and therefore colleagues may offer to assist on the spot.

Joint discussion on language shows where the learner has made progress and where they are struggling. This promotes language awareness and understanding of different stages of language learning across the work community. An encouraging work community is important for creating a positive work culture.

How to begin using the pocketbook:

Tell the employee how to use the pocketbook and when to discuss their observations and questions.
Discuss typical scenarios and issues on which the employee should pay attention.
Encourage the employee to actively observe language use at the workplace.
Encourage the employee to use Finnish.
Ensure everyone in the workplace is aware of the pocketbook and how they can help with language learning.

Pocketbook for supporting language learning, march 2023, produced by Hanna Aho, 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.