H-4 visa holders, congratulations!

Congratulations, H-4 visa holders!

It was announced today that H-4 visa holders, who meet certain conditions, will be eligible to apply for work permits on May 26, 2015. H-4 visa holders are the spouses of the H-1B visa holders. Many H-4 visa holders are highly skilled as well, but by the terms of their visas, could not apply for work permits previously.

Details of this announcement are here.

H-4 visa holders, while waiting to apply for work permits, may wish to work on their American English pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and idiomatic expressions so that communication during job interviews and at work will be easier.

Business Speech Improvement offers intensive coaching in 1 - 3 day seminars, hourly coaching in person for those in Raleigh-Durham, NC community, online coaching in selected cases, and concise, economical e-books. Visit us now to get started!

Accent Modification Seminars and You: 6 Reasons People Enroll

Over the years of teaching foreign (and regional) accent modification seminars, I have heard a lot of reasons why people enroll. Here are 5 of the most common - and 1 more unique one!

 1. I can't stand the puzzled looks people give me when I speak to native speakers; they can't understand me easily. 2. I want to improve my speech - but I don't know how. 3. For my career development, I need to talk better to either keep my current job or be considered for the job I really want in the company. 4. I have to be able to be understood clearly in a hurry or when my listener is stressed or sick. I'm in the medical field. 5. I'm about to give a speech. Listeners need to understand my diction better so they can focus on my message. and finally, number 6! I use Dragon Dictation at work- and it doesn't understand me. Can you help me speak so my computer will understand me better?

Whatever your reason, know that intensive speech improvement seminars are available! Each comes with a follow-up plan of some sort, depending on where you live and the type of training you have had. Upcoming seminars in American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals, in October 2014, and Speech Rate Reduction, for speedy talkers,, are now enrolling learners! Click here for details. Other seminars, individual coaching and e-books are also offered.

What's YOUR reason for wanting to enroll in an intensive speech improvement seminar?

How to pronounce three difficult words in English

"How do you say that word?" is a frequent comment I receive. As a communications coach, I work with non-native professionals from all over the world who are in the USA to live and work.

Three of the most common questions are about world, excellent, and schedule. To say "world", pronounce it in 2 parts: "wor" and "uld". It sounds like "WOR-uld". "Excellent" is pronounced as "EK-sel-lent", while "schedule" is
"SKED-jule". (The British pronunciation is "SHED-jule".)

A full three day seminar on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals is offered periodically by Business Speech Improvement. For more details on this, on e-books and other seminars, click here.

Cultural Sensitivity: From the Other Side

It was a rare experience. Yesterday, in my own community, I was in the midst of a large group of people from many countries, and the mono-lingual English speakers were in a minority.
As people from other countries explored our cultural differences with representatives from local agencies and businesses, I heard an American voice saying, "They speak Spanish so fast! If only they would slow down so I could understand them!"

Do you work with people from other countries who have moved here? Do you want to help them feel more comfortable with our customs? "Coming to the USA: American Cultural Differences" is an e-book that may be perfect for your new employees! They can read it before they arrive here and be more prepared for their new communities. Find it at http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?EBooks .

Are foreign-born professionals in the USA offended if their employer offers to send them to an accent modification course?

As a specialist in foreign accent modification, my clients tell me that they are very glad their companies send them to my accent modification seminars. "I want to learn to speak right," said one learner. Another client reported, "My patients understand me the first time I speak, after this course."

Many human resources, training and management professionals in the USA, though, are hesitant to mention the need for accent modification training. They tell me, "I don't want to offend my employee by saying he needs this course."

If you are a foreign-born professional in the USA or an HR/training/management professional, how do you feel about being offered such training? Do you think companies should or should not encourage those employees who are hard to understand, to take this training?

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive seminars on Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals. For more information, visit www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com and visit the Open Enrollment section.