Workplace Norwegian — Teacher's Guide

The student chooses a topic — for example, calling in sick or reading a payslip — and goes through it in short steps: listening to the conversation, reading the text, viewing a real message, reading the unwritten rules, practicing the vocabulary, and writing something themselves. Each topic is available in four versions, and the student can change levels along the way.

How it works

The front page features 33 topics divided across ten areas, ranging from Practical Basics and Getting a Job to HSE & Safety, Rights & Obligations, and When Something Goes Wrong. At the top, you'll find Continue Where You Left Off, Recommended for You, and a search bar. Cards marked Facts contain specific regulations and sources; HSE marks safety-critical ones.

Inside a topic, the student goes through six steps, one screen at a time, with Next at the bottom:

• Listen — a dialogue between the student and the boss, with audio for each line and a Play all option.
• Read — the explanatory text, where Read text aloud plays sentence by sentence.
• Message (or Document) — a realistic SMS thread, or a payslip where lines can be tapped for an explanation.
• Rules — the unwritten norms: "This isn't in the law — but this is how we do things at work in Norway."
• Words — the vocabulary list with audio and examples, a Dictionary button for each word, and Practice words, which opens Practice with these exact words.
• Do — a writing task with Help me get started and Get feedback, a short quiz with Check answers, and on several topics, Practice the conversation, which opens a role-play from Conversation.

The student can tap any word in the text to look it up.

The levels

All topics are written in four versions: Very Easy · A1, Easy · A2, Intermediate · B1, and Advanced · B2. A1 consists of short individual sentences, each paired with an image, while the other three feature continuous text; dialogues become longer at higher levels, and the writing task progresses from a short text message at A1 to a formal email at B2. The level selector (Adjust level) is a display setting and does not change the level in the student's profile. If the student has another native language registered, A1 and A2 are displayed with translations alongside the Norwegian; B1 and B2 are in Norwegian only.

Who it is for

Adults from A1 to B2 who are entering the workforce or an internship, or who are already employed. The module is suitable for adult education, the introduction program, employment-oriented Norwegian language training, vocational subjects, and corporate Norwegian courses. A2 is the primary focus: all topics are recommended at A2, while A1 serves as an entry point and B1/B2 provide in-depth study for those who are already working.

The content covers general working life — rules, rights, HSE, culture, and communication — not specialized terminology for a specific profession, so a healthcare worker or a carpenter will not find procedure- and tool-specific vocabulary here. The module is available only with Norwegian as the language of instruction and provides no grades or formal level assessments: the writing feedback is encouraging and counts participation. This is learning material, not legal advice.

Suggestions for working with Work Norwegian

1. Choose a topic together and let students read it at their respective levels. The content is the same, so the subsequent discussion can bridge across different skill levels in the group.
2. Start on Listen with the screen hidden: play the dialogue using Play all, ask what happened, and then proceed to Read.
3. Use the Rules step for a class discussion, asking students to compare with the work culture in their home countries.
4. Have students write the message in Do in pairs, submit it to Get feedback, and compare the responses they received.
5. Assign Words and Practice words as homework, so the spaced repetition is handled within Practice and resurfaces automatically.
6. Design a pathway toward an internship: Finding a Job and Job Interview before placement, the HSE topics during the first week, and Calling in Sick and Requesting Time Off before the student actually needs them.

Good to know

• Sources are listed within the topic. Topics with specific regulations include a Sources list at the bottom with links to NAV, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet), or Lovdata, and factual points are verified against the source.
• Numbers vary from workplace to workplace. The texts point out the legal minimums and encourage the student to ask their employer what applies at their specific workplace — for example, regarding self-certified sick leave.
• Time spent is counted as learning time. The minutes are logged under "Work" on Progress, along with the topics the student has opened and completed.
• The level selection is remembered. If the student selects a level from the list, it will persist on their next visit — until they select their own level again.

See also

• What is Work Norwegian? — the explanation provided to students
• Work — job applications and resumes alongside Work Norwegian
• Practice — where vocabulary from the topics reappears