Hi kim! i am pleased to hear how you value us your students. I have been learning a lot from the lessons 1-5 which i did not used last celban exam. Unfortunately, i was so frustrated with myself after i received my evaluation report…. It was hard for me to accept because i did got high marks with the other three areas tested, except for my writing which is only 6. It was a friend that i met in the bus told me about your site, to be honest as a new resident here in canada i felt helpless. I dont have any background and idea about celban , and also i have been discouraged with ielts after many attempts. I am just so glad and inspired from the stories of your students on how you touched their lives. Im excited for the up coming lessons that i will be learning from you and at the same time feeling nervous for the exam this october. Hoping that this time il be much ready to face the battle. hoping for your guidance and help kim for me to achieve my goal. G.
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.
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.
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.
If you have you will see a whole host of new resources to assist you in preparing for the CELBAN. And, there are 4 more in the wings, just waiting for their debut. So, at this moment I have not done much to promote them or tell everyone about them. But, I do want to tell you about two new titles that came out:
As you may know, these two resources are FREE CELBANPrep E-books!!! They are free with a Kindle Unlimited Account. (Or $2.99. I would charge less or not at all, but this is the lowest Amazon will allow me to go. So, Kindle Unlimited it is!)
I am doing good. Thanks. And how about you? The weather in Winnipeg has taken a turn and from some warmer days, we are back to a chilly/rainy weather conditions.
i am from from India and its been an year and four months living in Canada and Winnipeg is where I landed and I am looking forward to stay here for some more years.
I have not taken the CELBAN examination yet and I do not have the scores for CLB. But I have taken the IELTS test and my scores were :
Listening- 7.5
Reading- 7.0
Writing – 6.5 &
Speaking- 8.0
I have tried doing the self-assessment test by celban, but its the same video and passages that keep on repeating.
Looking forward to get your package and start doing the preparations.
Hi! Im working here in canada as a caregiver. Im interested to apply to be LPN and RN here… I dont know if my credentials will be qualify… I have two courses in the Philippines, one Is Business Management graduated then i continue it in field of Nursing,i graduated again last october , I am a Registered Nurse in the Philippines, since February. Can i ask if u allow a voluntary works as NNAS job experience in health care as an evidence for safe nursing?what are the guidelines to assess my credentials here? Fees?Ielts? thank u.Hope u can help me..im bit confuse…God bless!!! M
Honestly, I am comfused to what english test to take, I was reading about Ielts but I found difficult. I wanted to try CELBAN but I am scared because I don’t have the idea how is the exam is going to be, yes i know, there will be listening, reading, writing and speaking, but I am still wondering how is it going to be done in CELBAN. I have tried IELTS (general) before But I was not satisfied about my score, it was low, its was really bad and frustrating.
As when I was viewing all your videos (Dear Kim Canada – YouTube) I’ve heard that there will be role playing , and thats make me scared even more because I am not working in the hospital now for three and half (3 1/2) years, I can feel now as I do not know anything anymore in nursing, like nursing terms and all and so with the writing I am so slow, I practise, I try to write but everytime I read my out its so frustating because its just like it was done by grade 3or grade 5 student… I’m screwed!
By the way, I forgot to introduce my self, I am G from Philippines currently working as caregiver and soon to have an open permit, hopefully it will go smoothly. (I’m working on my papers now). I am planning to complete my english exam within this year, I wanted to be a Licensed practical nurse first then hopefully I can proceed to a Registered Nurse someday if God’s permit.
Did you know that since 2009 CELBANPrep has been available, in Japan and 100 other countries?
If you are in Japan, considering taking the CELBAN so that you can become a licensed or registered nurse in Canada, there are several posts that will get you started.
This article is written in a question and answer format:
Where do I start?
What is NNAS?
Should I take the CELBAN before applying to NNAS?
Should I take the CELBAN or the IELTS?
Do you have online CELBAN courses, online CELBAN classes, and CELBAN material?
What else should I know about preparing for the CELBAN outside of Canada?
May you find the solid and reliable, trustworthy, source you are looking for!
Hi KIm,
Dear Kim 