Improve communication across cultural borders
The LYS team of consultants help your organisation to create conditions for better intercultural communication and collaboration.
Kräver arbetsuppgifterna ett särskilt yrkesspråk som era andraspråkstalande medarbetare saknar?
LYS creates customised learning material in professional Swedish, adapted to your organisation or the relevant vocational field.
We map language situations in the workplace and create relevant exercises.
Do your international co-workers need to access skills validation material or educational in content in Swedish?
LYS adapts the material to make it more accessible Swedish learners.
Det är viktigt att poängtera att vi inte förenklar innehållet i material som ska användas för utbildning eller validering. Däremot kan vi göra det tydligare för den som inte har svenska som förstaspråk.
Are you an employer, supervisor, or an HR professional? Would you like to learn more about professional Swedish and how you can communicate with co-workers and interns with a non-Nordic background?
LYS organises lectures, workshops, and professional training sessions where you will learn more about common misconceptions about culture and language, and how you can create thriving multi-cultural workplaces.
We always build our training sessions on concrete examples and cases. We believe that this will help your team to put words on their experiences.
Do your team members need to learn more about culture and language? Are you looking for an informative and entertaining lecture for your conference or training day?
Book a lecture about professional Swedish, medical Swedish, technical Swedish, Swedish culture, or Swedish work culture.
Emil and Sofi are experienced lecturers, educators, and workshop facilitators who enjoy speaking to a wide range of audiences in the public and private sector.
Är ni osäkra på hur ni ska hjälpa en individ eller en grupp medarbetare att utveckla sin yrkessvenska?
LYS can create mappings and action plans. If needed, we can also organise training packages or tests in professional Swedish.
Emil and Sofi have more than 15 years of experience, respectively, of assessing language skills and teach Swedish as a second language.
Customised learning material
Many organisations provide their international employees with vocabulary lists and translated terminology. Such can, naturally, be useful, but they rarely lead to improved professional Swedish, in use. A learner needs to develop other language skills, in order to make themselves understood, understand others, and to use their professional expertise. Individual words are not the biggest challenge for this. Instead, everyday communication in the office, plant, or kitchen. Our learning materials and textbooks focus on authentic communication, that is, spoken and written language as it is being used in the workplace, in contact with colleagues, clients, subcontractors, and providers.
We analyse the language patterns for the relevant professions and create a high-quality learning material, according to the needs of your sector.
If you would like to know more about how we can help you, please send us an email at redaktion@lysforlag.com to book a meeting.
- The usual language courses, such as Sfi, teaches general language, but not the type of language used in your sector.
- What communication patterns are there in your workplace?
- What phrases and expressions are used on an everyday basis?
- What instructions, manuals, and documents do co-workers need to read and understand? What forms do they need to complete?
- What vocabulary is essential for health and safety?
Swedish for Architects
In collaboration with the organisation Sveriges Arkitekter, LYS created a textbook on CEFR levels B1–B2 for foreign-born architects learning Swedish.
Arkitektsvenska is a textbook in Swedish as a second language, designed for international architects learning Swedish. It covers a wide range of specialistens, including landscape architecture, interior architecture, and urban design. The book can be used for classroom teaching or self studies.
The book includes more than 1,00 words and phrases that are commonly found in the everyday life of a professional architect. These are accompanied with texts, writing exercises, oral exercises, listening comprehension, grammar exercises, and vocabulary training. Focus is on vocabulary, pronunciation and listening comprehension, but the book also includes information and perspectives on Swedish architecture and culture, providing another dimension to professional language.
As a member of Sveriges Arkitekter, you can order a free copy of the printed book. Everyone else can download the book as a pdf, from arkitekt.se/arkitektsvenska. Don’t miss our podcast episode on architects’ language: Hur pratar en arkitekt?
Energy Swedish: A textbook in professional Swedish for international energy experts
Tillsammans med branschorganisationen Energiföretagen har LYS skapat en lärobok som riktar sig till distributionselektriker, driftledare och drifttekniker inom fjärrvärme. Bokens andra upplaga kom ut 2023.
The textbook Energisvenska is created for international energy professionals learning Swedish. The book includes a high number of language exercises, all developed from field studies conducted in workplaces associated with Energiföretagen.
The book includes many words and phrases associated with the energy sector. It is based on the everyday language used by Swedish professionals in common situations. It is designed for electricians and technicians.
Energisvenska is on level B1 (CEFR), that is, for learners who have completed Sfi and who are ready to start learning professional Swedish.
Read more at the website of Energiföretagens.
Energy in the classroom
This is a study material created for Swedish learners at Sfi, with the aim of giving them an introduction to the energy sector and the many career paths it can offer.
Energi i klassrummet is a study material created for Sfi. It has a professional focus but is designed for learners who are not employed. It gives a general introduction to language situations in workplaces, such as dress code, fika, consensus, mentorshop, networking, phone calls, personal qualities, prejudice, and meeting culture. The material includes exercises to practise all skills: listening, speaking, readin, and writing.
Learn more on the website of Energiföretagen.
Adaptation of educational content and skills validation
Revision of skills validation material
Under 2022 och 2023 har LYS på uppdrag av arbetsgivarorganisationerna Energiföretagen och Sobona samarbetat med Nordiskt valideringsforum reviderat och granskat valideringsmaterial för att göra det mer tillgängligt för andraspråkstalare. Detta som en del av ett större kompetensförsörjningsprojekt.
LYS revised an existing material used for skills validation used for sectors such as energy, property maintenance, recycling, and customer service. The material comprised a high number of questions used to test participants’ professional skills.
LYS adapted the questions to make the language used clearer, but not simpler. An important part of such work is ensuring that the professional level is not compromised, as this is in fact what should be tested. Hence, professional terms or commonly used phrases cannot be eliminated. Instead, our work focused on a structured and clear language.
LYS also reviewed all question from a cultural standpoint and suggested changes where the questions required a mutual agreement on cultural references, something that is often lacking when participants originate from non-Nordic countries.
The revised questions from the skills validation program was complemented with an online language course, where participants could practise general validations language such as question words and participles. The aim is to give participants better chances to show their professional expertise.
Adaptation of text material
Oavsett vem som läser en text, och oavsett vad texten ska användas till, är det viktigt att budskapet når fram. Naturligtvis gäller det även den som inte behärskar svenska fullt ut. Vi hjälper er att producera, revidera och anpassa ert textmaterial för andraspråkstalare.
External communication: marketing, advertising, information from public authorities, healthcare, and dental care.
Internal documents: reports, newsletters, regulatory documents.
Customised templates for internal and external communication.
Textbooks, instructions, manuals, skills validation.
Professional training for management, supervisors, and HR
Även den som är född i Sverige och har svenska som modersmål kan ha nytta av att lära sig mer om svenska som andraspråk och svensk arbetsplatskultur. Om du är medveten om de konkreta utmaningar som möter dina kollegor eller praktikanter med ursprung utanför Sverige, kan du och din arbetsplats vidta åtgärder som är effektiva och har resultat.
På våra uppdrag möter vi arbetsgivare, HR och handledare som arbetar med att inkludera utlandsfödda på arbetsplatserna. Ofta finns det massor av goda intentioner och vilja till att göra det bästa, men många initiativ och lösningar är inte baserade på reella kunskaper om hur vuxna lär sig yrkesspråket. Vi ser till exempel att många företag och organisationer tar fram ordlistor för sina medarbetare och medlemmar. De här ordlistorna är sällan skapade från ett andraspråksperspektiv och saknar information som är nödvändig för att man ska kunna använda orden i praktiken. Ordlistor tenderar också att mestadels innehålla substantiv, samtidigt som substantiv är de ord som är lättast att lära sig. Som andraspråkstalande behöver man istället hjälp med betoning, partikelverb, specifika språksituationer och socialt språk.
- What is professional Swedish?
- What language level is necessary for this profession?
- What requirements can employers make?
- How is Swedish workplace culture perceived in an international perspective?
- How can we give better feedback?
- What are our views on initiative, responsibility, and leadership?
Don’t simplify the language
In a series of professional training videos we give practical advice to managers and supervisors on how to adapt their language when speaking to a non-native speaker at work. This is part of a larger project in collaboration with Sobona, and employer’s organisation for the public sector.
Plain language guide
This is a guide for anyone who writes for an audience of non-native speakers of Swedish. It outlines the most basic principles for creating a clear and comprehensible language for Swedish learners, that sometimes corresponds with general plain language guides, and sometimes not.
Read an internview about the project here or download the plain language guide.
Arbetsplatsa
In the spring of 2024, Sveriges Arkitekter will publish a digital training material, created by LYS, aimed at HR and management of architectural practices. The aim is to give employers a basic understanding on how they can help their international coworkers to grow and advance their careers in Sweden.
Ta kontakt
In collaboration with Energiföretagen, LYS has created an informal booklet for interns and supervisors to discuss work culture and language development in a relaxed manner. Ta kontakt brings up common sources for misunderstanding and confusion and aims to make communication clearer through addressing these directly.
Lectures and workshops
Emil Molander
Emil is a popular educator and speaker, focusing on the importance of language for work and career development. He has many years experience of lecturing online and offline, and specialises in medical Swedish.
Emil is the perfect keynote speaker for the healthcare industry, and can help your organisation integrate your international team members in a. more inclusive manner. Emil also lectures for other educators and schools on how to teach professional Swedish.
Sofi Tegsveden Deveaux
Sofi explains and explores what typical Swedes take for granted. She is a popular speaker about Swedish culture and mindset, Swedish work culture, and parenting in Sweden. Her audiences appreciates her pedagogic approach and sense of humour.
Mapping of language requirements
LYS can help your organisation to map existing language skills and levels. We can create tests for existing or prospective employees, to learn whether their Swedish language skills are sufficient for particular roles or professions.
- General language levels
- Needs for professional Swedish
- Existing professional Swedish
- Action plan
- Exam
Mapping of skills, needs, and requirements
You describe the language challenges you experience in your workplace. It can be a matter of individuals or groups.
We map language situations that are common in your workplace and define a relevant language level.
We asses your employees’ language levels and skills directly related to what is relevant for their profession and everyday work tasks.
We present our findings and an action plan. If needed, we can create learning material, courses or tests based on this.
Language tests
Do you need to test your employees’ Swedish skills in a structured manner? The LYS team has extensive experience of constructing tests and exams in Swedish as a second language.
With reference to CEFR, we test the language level necessary for acting professionally, including all skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading.
We base the test material on the most common language situations for the profession. We put certain emphasis on language that is critical for health and safety.
Naturally, we assist with marking tests. We can also train your own test leaders.