Category Archives: the CELBAN Trap

CT4 TRAPPED IEN – ☀️ I already took CELBAN twice, but … I’m not lucky to pass.

Posted on September 28, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hi Kim,

I’m doing fine, yes it is nice here in Winnipeg, except for the very cold weather.

I’m from Philippines, I’ve been in Canada for two years. This is the first country that we moved/lived into since we came from the Philippines. I don’t have a CLB score, because I didn’t took that assessment, but I did took CELBAN before, actually I already took CELBAN twice, but unfortunately I’m not lucky to pass.

  • My scores at the first time were: Listening 9, Reading 8, Writing 6, Speaking 7,
  • and the second time were: Listening 9, Reading 9, Writing 7, speaking 7.

They said that my weaknesses in writing were as follows:

  • some grammatical error make it difficult to understand the text
  • problem with prepositions
  • problem with verb tense
  • some problem with possession forms

Weaknesses in speaking:

  • pronunciation problems
  • work on grammar and vocabulary so that I can choose the correct words, word forms and word order to ask questions, and express my ideas clearly and accurately
  • problems with question formation
  • problem with singular/plural forms
  • problem with verb tense

I need to redo it all again, I hope you can help me, I feel so depressed after I received the score report from celas.

Thanks, M

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CT4 – BUSY MOM & DAD: ⏱️ I am a 7 months postpartum Mom…when will I start

Posted on September 25, 2020 | Leave a comment

Dear Kim,

Thank you for the inspiring me to pursue my career here in Canada. I did say thank you for you to my friend who told CELBAN thing. It is by me on how to face and pass the challenge for Nursing English requirements. Especially now I am a 7 months postpartum Mom and having a hard time in self- studying because my baby needs me all the time. And it is only me taking care of her while my husband working.

I have a question, how do I start to prepare for the CELBAN with CELBANPrep? Right now till Dec the exam dates are full [not available] across Canada. That’s makes me think in a hurry and worried because my practice in Nursing it’s on standby. By next year I’m 3 years not working as a Nurse. And which will I purchase the CELBAN PREP bundle? or will I start first the basic prep one by one? Please advise me Kim.

J

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CT4 THE DISILLUSIONED DREAMER – ♥ Why and how did Kim motivated them so much?

Posted on September 23, 2020 | Leave a comment

Dear Kim,

Hi Kim! Its a great relief or say a great hope when I found you. With all the testimonies that i read it uplift my spirit and frustration. Tons of questions runs on my mind. How,why and when did they learned or know Kim? Why they sound so attached? Why and how did Kim motivated them so much? How and why Kim has a great heart in helping International Nurses in achieving our dreams and goals in our life and career? These are few to mention of all my ?

Anyway my family and I migrated here in Canada for more than a year now. I’ve been working in Middle East for almost 15 years when I decided to find a greener pasture and a better future for my family. Vancouver is our first stop directly form Middle East. I took my CLB last year, Reading 7, speaking, 7, Listening 8 and writing 6. I tried my luck on IELTS but unfortunately it didn’t go well, the results shattered my heart and my goal. Am on the midst of going back to Middle East but all the people that I’ve meet they will advised me to hang on. Thru browsing internet I found your site and it caught my attention. Here I am now hoping and praying that I will capture the better and brighter future that am dreaming for my family  and kids thru your help.
God Bless and may you be blessed more with knowledge and wisdom to share with us all……

Regards,J

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CT4 ♦ WARNING: A word of caution…

Posted on September 21, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hi Kim,

Good day.

Thank you for your email.Im very glad you emailed me.Im doing great.I love it in here. To answer your questions,

It’s my 7th week here. Im planning to take it this September because it’s the only earliest schedule.

Thank you very much

Sincerely,

A

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CT4 – BUSY MOM & DAD: ⏱️ There are times that I want to give up because I’m not sure if I can do [the CELBAN]

Posted on September 18, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hi Kim,

Thank you for your time. I’m doing very good. How are you doing? Winnipeg is very nice place specially this summer season. I am from Philippines. I came here in Winnipeg last September 04, with my husband and two children as an immigrant. Winnipeg is our first stop, I worked before in Qatar as a Registered Nurse, but I left my family in the Philippines so I decided to apply as Manitoba Nominee through the sponsorship of my brother.

Here is my Benchmark Score: Listening – 5, Speaking – 6, Reading – 6, Writing – 6

I never tried IELTS or Celban Examination before. This is my first time, that’s why I’m very nervous because I heard a lot of comments about the exam. There are times that I want to give up because I’m not sure if I can do it. At present, I have double job so it’s hard for me to study but I’m really trying my best. I just want to ask you some tips on how to study like how many hours a day and how many months I need to study before the date of exam. I would be very grateful if you could help me with my journey. I really appreciate your questions about myself and spending time with me.

Sincerely, L

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CT4 THE DISILLUSIONED DREAMER – ♥ I have nightmares on [CELBAN] writing.

Posted on September 16, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hi Kim,

I’ve been reading your “Dear Kim” blog articles less than a year. I’ve contemplating to do my bridging program for RN in [province]. I procrastinated though, due to my fear of not passing the IELTS.

[My city] is such a nice place, it’s growing so fast. Sometimes, I like it. Sometimes, I don’t. I came here to Canada 5 years ago as an LPN from the Philippines. I used to be an RN back home. I am currently working in a busy floor, it’s a combination of Labour and Delivery, Postpartum Unit and Gastrointestinal Surgery. Once in a while we also get the not so very young. I have a permanent resident status and just recently submitted my citizenship application.

I love what I do, I know that I was born to be a nurse. Lately, our LPN scope of practice in Alberta has expanded. There are only 3 things an LPN in our unit can’t do. Be an Obstetrical Nurse, spike a blood bag and be a charge nurse. Other that than, LPNs do everything. However, we get paid less. Less than $20/hour.

I want to be honest with you, I want more. I want to get paid more on how good I am.

Does this make me a less nurse? I hope not.

I have a long history with IELTS. Back in 2007, I started taking up the test in Manila for my New Zealand application. They were requiring a band score of 7 on each modules. I took the test 9 times! You know why? Because my writing was always a band score of 6.5. So, I gave up.

I took the plunged again. I sat for IELTS exam. Even though, at the back of my mind, I should’ve taken CELBAN. My test score was L: 8.5 R: 7.5 W: 6.5 S: 7.5 Overall Band Score: 7.5. I was broken-hearted. I was 0.5 away, again.

I speak English everyday at work. I am well-read. I follow CNN newsfeed on social media and loves watching documentaries. I love travelling. I can speak with confidence and smitten anyone with my charming genuine smile, but I suck on writing.

After checking the CELBAN site that test dates and locations will be posted soon, I decided to seek your help. I promised to work hard. I borrowed all the IELTS materials I could borrow from our public library. But, I have nightmares on writing. So, could you please help me prepare for the test? I need your guidance.

Thank you for your time and I hope to talk to you soon.

F

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CT4 TRAPPED IEN – ☀️ I take my 2nd chance in celban.. Now I have only one chance left

Posted on September 14, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hello Kim, it’s been a while that I’m on silence..I am in burden after I take my my 2nd chane in celban.. Now that I have only one chance left, I really wanted to make it sure To the last chance. now that schedule for Celban are full until dec, I have lost of time for preparation. Please tell me what to do, which review material should I get though the first is not a success for me… The first I took I pass my writing then the second time I tries I failed my writing, same thing happened on my reading, then for the listening I got 9 in my first and second exam and I pass my speaking for the first time I tool… I can’t remember what I did during my writing in the first take, I don’t know I did I pass, but the second test was an agony for me. Kim, please give me advice and give me the beat resources for this.thank u. Q

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CT4 – BUSY MOM & DAD: ⏱️ Sometimes, I feel very exhausted and stressed… My schedule is overwhelming…

Posted on September 11, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hi kim,

Thank you so much for sending [me resources to prepare for the CELBAN]. There are times that I just only read but I don’t have time to do it. As I’ve said before, I’m the breadwinner, my husband is studying, we just bought a new house and also I decided to study to improve my confidence and I’m currently studying Communication for health professional. I worked during the night and go to school 1-5:30pm monday to friday. I only slept 2-3 hours a day because I’m not driving my work and school was far from my place approximately One hour drive. So i need to leave the house earlier. Sometimes, I feel very exhausted and stressed with my life. My schedule is overwhelming but I need to work with it. Hoping that someday all this sacrifices pays off. My schooling will be done on November 29.  After that I can focus on my celban review. My schedule with the exam on celban maybe December or January? There is no specific schedule yet, Since I rescheduled my exam from september but CELaS said they dont have schesule yet. G

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CT4 THE DISILLUSIONED DREAMER – ♥ I already took the IELTS twice… I admit I almost gave up … [on] my writing skills

Posted on September 9, 2020 | Leave a comment

Hello Kim,

As you may have known me, I’m K,  from Philippines….I have been following your blog for quite some time now. … I’d like to let you know a bit of myself. I’m a BSN, and currently a registered nurse. I worked in a tertiary hospital here for only 14 months. Since then,  I stopped practicing my profession because I’m actually looking for a greener pasture. Otherwise, I wouldn’t flourish knowing that wages here are very, very low and can’t compensate for your wants, needs, and assistance to your very own loved ones. Based on this, maybe you will have an idea that I’m a man with big dreams, and eagerly relentless on pursuing them. =)

…

I believe in the saying that, “success starts with IELTS.” However unfortunately, I already took the IELTS twice (April and July this year), but never found the luck especially in my Writing. Taking the exam twice in a row, I always got 6.0 bandscore in my Writing while the rest of the components L, R and S were okay. My writing sucks, isn’t it? I usually practiced my writing part before like 2x a week. But I admit I almost gave up knowing that I’ve had the same mistakes and no matter how hard I tried to improve my writing skills, I fairly didn’t have the chance of getting 7 especially during my practices. In my mind I believe that writing skill takes a talent, which I obviously don’t have. I’d like to think that I didn’t get a score of 7 because of the technicality of the IELTS writing topics and the topics themselves are difficult to be explained explicitly, to the point that I ran out of ideas, or no ideas to be input at all 😦

However, sooner, I will be reviewing and sitting for the CELBAN may be early next year if everything goes well. Right now, I have this ambivalent feeling, again. To be honest, I really don’t have any ideas right now what CELBAN is all about except its meaning, Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses. I have with me again this feeling of fear, completely mixed emotions because I don’t know how difficult the CELBAN exam is, or if I can make it with just one take. Although a lot of IENs from the agency where I have applied as student visa for Canada took and passed the exam with just one sit, still I’ve lessened down my expectations to make it….How do I improve IELTS or CELBAN writing? Ielts writing topics are getting more difficult than the ones established few years ago.

How is my above writing Ms Kim?…

Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks a lot!

K

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Posted in Enouragement, the CELBAN Trap

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CT4 THE DISILLUSIONED DREAMER – ♥ I failed my nursing exam and i felt ashamed.

Posted on September 8, 2020 | Leave a comment

Dear Kim:
Thank you so much. It’s really hard, living in new country, and not to mention the long process of registration.
I failed my nursing exam on June, and i felt ashamed. But after your e-mail I know now that al lot faced difficulties when they came to Canada, and
I should keep trying and work harder to achieve my dreams.
Regards, D

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