How to prepare for the CELBAN test?">
Do you work as a nurse and want to practice in Canada? You will need to provide proof of your English proficiency and therefore take the CELBAN test. To get the score you need to pass the exam, here are some tips on how to prepare and all the information on the CELBAN.
What is the CELBAN test?
CELBAN is the acronym for "Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses". This exam is specific to nurses and is recognized by nursing regulatory bodies in Canada. It is the test that internationally educated nurses who wish to practice in Canada take.
Similarly, if you are currently practicing in Quebec, but wish to move to another province in Canada, you will need to demonstrate your English language skills.
What’s in the CELBAN test?
The CELBAN test has two parts: a speaking part, and a combined reading, listening and comprehension part.
Speaking test
This test, which lasts up to 35 minutes, is taken virtually, via Zoom, with a CELBAN examiner. During this virtual interview, you will be asked to answer some questions related to the health field, to role-play meeting a patient, but also to give your opinion and advice. The interview always starts with easy questions, and then the difficulty gradually increases.
Here's how the oral exam test works:
- Introduction and presentation
- Chatting about everyday topics
- Role-playing on nursing-related topics
- Discussion on health topics, exchange of opinions
- Conclusion and remarks
This oral test is recorded in order for another independent examiner to score it.
Listening, Reading, Writing test
This is the second part of the exam, called the CELBAN CBT, which lasts two and a half hours.
Listening: During this part of the test, which lasts 45 minutes, you will be asked to listen to videos and audio clips of scenes or dialogues that may occur in the nursing environment with patients, doctors or other nurses. Each video (or audio clip) is between 30 seconds and 3 minutes long, and is accompanied by one or more questions related to what you have just heard. Before the video starts, you will have some time to read the questions. It is not possible to pause the video or audio, so we recommend that you read the questions beforehand and answer the questions while the video is playing, as soon as you hear the right information.
Reading comprehension: This part of the exam lasts 40 minutes and is divided into 4 tasks. For each task, you will be asked to read a document (texts, charts, patient notes, manuals, and short articles) related to health topics and then answer multiple-choice questions (between 6 and 10). You may highlight passages in the document and cross out answers that you think are wrong. It is recommended that you answer all questions, even if you are not sure of your answer. You will not be deducted points for incorrect answers.
Writing: In this part of the CELBAN test, which lasts 40 minutes, the candidate must primarily summarize and communicate ideas from documents related to health and patients. The first task is to assemble information from an incident report (provided in chart form) into a narrative description. The second task requires the candidate to express an opinion on an issue that affects health care. In their response, candidates must be clear about their position and be able to support their argument.
The candidate must then wait 15 days to receive his/her results. Two reports are then generated, one sent to the candidate, including the score as well as the weaknesses and strengths shown during the exam, the other sent directly to the organization or institution designated by the candidate, including only the test score.
How do I register for CELBAN?
To register for the CELBAN test, it is necessary to fill out the online form available on the official CELBAN website. The exam costs CAD 395 for both parts. Please note that in order to validate your registration, you must schedule the two parts of the test within a maximum of 14 days. To cancel your test, you must fill out another online form at least 20 working days before taking the CELBAN CBT or Speaking Test.
How to prepare for the CELBAN?
Are you afraid of not passing the CELBAN on the first try? Would you like to brush up on your skills before scheduling the test? We can help you prepare for the CELBAN. Here are some review tips and a reminder of what to look for before the big day.
Multiply your learning resources
As we at Global Lingua often say, a language can be learned in many ways, and it is important not to neglect one resource in favor of another. This means that you should not just read texts to improve your English, or only watch movies in their original version. This is especially true for language tests that rely on speaking and writing, as well as listening and reading.
For the CELBAN, it is important to review vocabulary specific to the healthcare environment, read more technical documents such as an incident report or a patient chart, write diagnoses, etc.
Review on a regular basis
It is more effective to review every day until the time of the exam, rather than doing a big work session the night before. Yes, it will take time, but think of it as a final sprint to the finish line. Try to create a review schedule in the weeks or days leading up to the test. It might be beneficial to squeeze in some private lessons with a Global Lingua teacher.
Focus on your weaknesses
What if the perfect CELBAN score is only two or three correct answers away? If you've identified some weaknesses in English learning, focus on it. And if you don't really know where you can improve, don't hesitate to take an online course at Global Lingua. During the first lesson, the teacher will take the time to evaluate your English skills.
What should I review before the test?
Throughout the CELBAN test, you will be evaluated on a variety of criteria, both written and oral. The examiner will not only check your conjugation skills, but also make sure that you can organize your ideas, put patients at ease, and choose the right vocabulary. Here is a list of the things that the examiners will evaluate you on:
- Speech and Fluency: Be careful to articulate well and keep a normal rate of speech during the test. It is important to practice speaking in English with an interviewer to avoid too much stress on the test.
- Grammar and vocabulary: Remember that this is a test for nurses only, so it is important to be familiar with medical vocabulary.
- Adaptability: How do you address your patients? How well do you react to the situation and respond accordingly?
- Gathering information: Faced with a mountain of information, you need to be able to sort through it to find the key elements.
Remember that for the entire CELBAN, how you write and speak is as important as what you write and say.