Listen for the music of the language

If 5 people from different continents say the same sentence in English, they will probably sound different. Why? Because each language has its own music. Next time you go to an ethnic grocery store, pay attention to the language the shoppers speak. Listen to where they raise their voice and when it drops. Does it sound more staccato or legato? After a few minutes, you’ll detect these details.

Recently, I was listening to a workshop on CD presented by an Australian. It took me a while to get used to his Australian accent. Since it was an interactive workshop, some audience members also spoke. Some of their accent was really heavy. I had to rewind several times to understand the message.

The same with American English. Approach it the same way. Analyze the patterns.

Ways to listen for a language’s music

You can try one of the following ways and see which one you like most.

1. Look up commencement speech. Speakers tend to talk a little slower, so it gives you time to analyze patterns. You don’t even need to listen to the content. Just focus on the music.

2. Pick a movie you like. Get the DVD and choose one dialogue. Play that again and again until you find the pattern of the music.

3. Go to a coffee shop and listen to conversations around you. Not for the content, but for the music of the language.

Native speakers understand the music of their language

I find that if you use the music of the language, native speakers tend to understand you even if the pronunciation is a little off. I have seen someone with excellent English pronunciation, but was using the music of his native language. And I have seen someone with average English pronunciation, but was using the music of American English. Guess who was understood more easily by Americans? You are right! The second one.

Experiment with this. I feel confident that just by adopting the music of the language, native speakers will understand you quite easily.

If you find this blog helpful, here is one on Asking your company for an ESL class.

And if you happen to be preparing for an interview, here are some Interview tips for ESL learners.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Learning American Accent appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

Getting noticed

Being a team player is an easy way to get noticed. Volunteering for projects. Going the extra mile. All of these can be easily implemented if your goal is to get noticed at work.

Being a team player

If you’ve recently read job postings, you’ll notice that “team player” is common under “preferred requirements.” Understandably so. Imagine being among co-workers who are team-players. Your job goes more smoothly. There is less stress, fewer conflicts. Morale is higher. Isn’t that what we want in our work environment? If a company is filled with such employees, it means higher productivity. And what company doesn’t want to have employees who like being there?

Being a team player takes very little effort. For example, a colleague heard about some gadget to increase cyber security. So she bought some products and gave them to her co-workers to protect them. Very inexpensive. But her colleagues appreciate her thoughtfulness.

Or a colleague who brought donuts on one of the busiest days of a project, then sent us an email that there’s fresh donuts in the kitchen. What impression does she leave with us? Thoughtful.

Volunteering for projects

This is one of the easiest ways to get noticed. Sometimes a company asks for volunteers on a variety of interests. There used to be an annual call for someone to be in charge of United Way donation. Not a popular job, right? Well, whoever volunteers for this has access to everyone in the company. Everyone! Isn’t that an opportunity to get noticed? You don’t have to just ask for a contribution. Hang around, chat a little bit. Notice something interesting on the desk of the co-workers. Use this opportunity to make connections throughout the company. And maintain those relationships. If there’s ever an opening in a department you are interested in, you would have an edge .

Go the extra mile

When it makes a difference on a project to go the extra mile, do so. When you explain the extra mile to your boss or to your teammates, do it in a way that shows you want the results to be exceptional for the team. Convey how the extra work adds value to the team. Demonstrate with examples of how they can use the additional work you put into the project.

All of these are easy ways to get noticed in your company. And some of them requires very little effort. Experiment with them and see if you like the results.

One other thing. If you have a brilliant idea that can improve the company’s profit, reduce the cost, or improve a process, think about sharing it. The article How to make suggestions to your company goes into depth on this topic.

If you enjoy this blog, here is one on Asking your company for an ESL class.

Estrella Chancoaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post How To Get Noticed At Work appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

It’s not uncommon now for Pacific Northwest companies to have ESL class onsite. It’s good for the company because their employees will improve their communication skills. So don’t worry about imposing on your company.

You can speak with someone in the Human Resources Department about this. If you’re not sure how to start the conversation, you can say something like this. “Some co-workers and I feel that it would be helpful for us to have an ESL class onsite. We want to contribute our ideas in meetings. Sometimes we may not be as articulate in English as we would like. Having someone come in to help take our English to the next level would help with that. Would you consider having an ESL class in the company?”

If you happen to know some good ESL teachers, you can even suggest those names to Human Resources. It will help them in their search. Any input from you would be helpful. If there are specific areas you would like the ESL class to address, let HR know. Maybe it’s technical English. Or maybe it’s understanding American work culture. Companies appreciate you wanting to increase your knowledge and improving your communication skills.

Ask HR if there’s anything you can do to help with their search. Make their job easier. And follow up. In case they get busy with something else, you can ask casually “How’s the search coming along?” It’ll help them remember to put your request higher on their to-do list.

Let’s say the company found someone to teach this class, and you learned a lot from it. Be sure to thank HR for organizing this. People want to feel appreciated, even if it’s part of their job. And if you want to have more ESL class, you can let HR know. Let them know what you have learned, and what else you would like to learn. Often the onsite ESL classes are around 10 to 11 weeks (equivalent to a quarter.) If you feel another 10 weeks would help, request it. HR needs your feedback to know how to proceed. That’s part of their evaluation of the program. Don’t wait for the company to ask for your feedback. Offer it.

A nice surprise would be that HR takes notice of your leadership in bringing up what is needed, and volunteering your feedback. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone takes notice and recruit you to another position in the company that you like even better?

If your company agrees to have an ESL class, the tips in the article ESL Training Class Or Individual Coaching will be helpful to your HR representative.

If you find this blog helpful, here is one on Tips for companies with international employees.

Estrella Chancoaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Asking Your Company For An ESL Class appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

Surviving winter in Seattle

Seattle really isn’t that cold in the winter, compared to some parts of the country. Most of the time it’s rather mild. What bothers many is the combination of the temperature and an overcast sky. It’s like those movie scenes when the director wants to create a gloomy atmosphere.

Check with your doctor about Vitamin D

Many people take Vitamin D to remedy this situation. Since every person is different, you might check with your healthcare practitioner to determine the ideal dosage of Vitamin D for you. Biotics Research has a liquid D-mulsion. For some people, a couple of drops a day would work. Check with your practitioner for recommendation.

Full-spectrum light

Full spectrum light is simulated sunlight. It helps your brain perceive that there is sun, so it starts adjusting itself chemically. Choose one with 10,000 lux to be effective for your purpose. Verilux makes full spectrum light. They are portable and light weight, so you can carry it from room to room, or from home to office. In fact, you can use it as a reading lamp. There is even an alarm that gradually lights up your room using full-spectrum.

These are 2 things you can do to quickly shift your mood if you are affected by the overcast sky. Also, don’t just stay home. Going outside even for a little while can help too.

Newcomers to Seattle may not be aware of how the weather here can affect some people. They may think it’s just being new to a city and not knowing anybody that cause them to feel uncomfortable. If you are new, or if you know someone who is new to this city, the article on Tips for newcomers to Seattle will offer some helpful ideas to make their adjustment period easier.

If you find this blog helpful, here is one on Does it take a long time to make friends in a new country?

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Getting Through Winter In Seattle appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

One of my clients started out knowing almost zero English. Both in listening and speaking. But from Day 1, we were able to communicate a lot of information to each other. Just by using her translation app. There were quite a few times when the translation was nowhere near what we wanted to say.

What if you do not have a translation app with you? Here are some general guidelines.

Speak more slowly, but not more loudly. This may be something to pay attention to. Just observe yourself when you are in this situation. Do you have a tendency to speak louder when the other person does not understand you? If so, just adjust your volume. That’s all.

If you are using simple words already, simply repeat your words more slowly. I see some people trying other words to explain themselves, hoping that would be the winner. Sometimes it’s just the speed, not the words. So try the same words again, just slower.

On the subject of choosing simpler words, be conscious that you are not using slang that you would with native English speakers. Use basic vocabulary–what you would learn if you were studying a foreign language. Say “toilet” instead of “bathroom.” Many countries say “holiday” instead of “vacation.” Use “children” instead of “kids.”

Although these are simple guidelines–speak more slowly and using vocabulary that are more universal, it’s easy to miss them. Especially when you are trying hard to communicate your intent.

Observe people who are really good in communicating with non-native English speakers. Watch the response of the listeners. If they look like they understand, then the speaker is probably using some effective strategies. Copy them. Experiment with these and watch your communication success grow.

If you find this blog helpful, here is one on Tips for companies with international employees.

And in case you know someone who recruits employees from other countries, here is an article that would help them–Tips for interviewing international candidates.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post How To Talk To Someone Who Speaks Little English appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

Sidney Keys III entrepreneur at 10

Sidney was very eloquent in the interview. To my surprise, he said he had a stuttering problem when he was a child. When he started reading, the stuttering went away. He said in his mind the speech was smooth. He could imagine the mental speaker articulating eloquently. I hope his experience help to encourage those who face the same challenge to experiment with Sidney’s way of helping himself.

Sidney Keys’ mission

In his website, booksnbros.com, the mission states “to combat the statistics that boys (especially African American boys) 7-13 are at a lower literacy level than others.”

The organization is led by youth, reaching out to as many as possible not only to promote literacy, but also character development and bringing awareness to positive African American literature.

Reaching young readers age 7 to 13

Sidney told Cameron Mathison in the interview that he hopes to see chapters around the nation. And he already has a business model. Every month a book kit is sent to members. There are sponsors available to help those who need help paying the $25 monthly membership fee. Sidney says he does not want money to be a barrier. That’s why he created the sponsorship program.

Sidney’s goals for the future

At 14, Sidney is already an entrepreneur with a growing business. When I searched on the internet for more information about him, I discovered that Home and Family is not the only TV show that interviewed him. He’s been interviewed by quite a few national TV shows. He said his goal is to become an even larger entrepreneur than what he is now and be an example for future young leaders. He wants to publish his own book and continue to be a philanthropist.

Sidney Keys the teenager

When he is not busy with Books n Bros, Sidney is a big fan of Roblox and Minecraft. He is also athletic. He likes to swim, play soccer and basketball. And he likes to travel. All these in addition to his love of reading and photography.

Remember this name. Sidney Keys III. This is a young person with a mission. He started this work at age 10, and four years later is going strong and expanding. I believe he will achieve all his goals for his company.

If you find this blog inspiring, here is one on Rich Bradley, compassionate business leader.

Since successful learning has a great deal to do with attitude, the article How attitude affects language learning offers tips on the topic.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Sidney Keys III Encouraging Literacy appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

Traditions of Chinese New Year

Symbols of dinner courses

New Year’s Eve is a time for the entire family to have dinner together. It’s like how Americans have their whole family together for Thanksgiving dinner. And one of the courses on the menu is fish. There is a significance to this. Chinese appreciate homonyms more than many cultures. The pronunciation of “fish” is similar to that of “surplus.” A surplus at the end of a year is a very good thing, implying more abundance the next year.

Another food is a special glutinous rice cake made for only this time of year. The pronunciation of the cake sounds like two other words, which means “higher every year.” Higher equates growth–in business, in school, in height for children. So eating this cake is like an invitation to these wonderful things you want.

Red Envelope

Red envelopes are given especially to children. But adult children also receive them from their parents, grandparents, and older relatives.

The color red is a symbol of prosperity and fortune. And when you receive red envelopes, you use both hands to receive them from the giver, along with a posture of respect and thankfulness. While receiving this gift, say a few words of good wishes and blessings and thank you.

Etiquette for red envelopes

Do not open the red envelope in front of the giver. Wait until they are out of your sight. If you were to reciprocate, you would give an amount similar to or more than what you receive. And make sure the money is clean and crisp. There is often a long line at banks before New Year to get clean bills for the red envelope.

When I was a child, I would pour a cup of tea and offer it to each of my parents when I greet them first thing in the morning on New Year’s Day. They would then give me 2 envelopes. When relatives or friends visit us later in the day, they would also give me red envelopes.

Numbers and red envelopes

If you are giving the red envelopes, be sure the amount does not include the number “4.” The sound of the number 4 is similar to the word “death.” However, the number “8” sounds like “grow, prosper.”

In the 21st century, many are exchanging digital red envelopes. They transfer cash directly to the smartphones of their family members and friends.

I find holidays to be among the best ways to introduce friends to your culture. And it’s also an excellent way to connect with your neighbors. If you feel comfortable, invite them to your celebrations. This gives them an opportunity to understand your culture better. And who wouldn’t want to know more about another culture? The article How to make friends with your neighbors gives more ideas on the topic.

Another blog, Make new friends during the holidays, offers more ideas on how to expand your friendship circle during times when people are feeling especially festive.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Celebrating Chinese New Year appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

Leadership styles that honor individuals

Barbara Dunbar-Burke

Barbara Dunbar-Burke is an extraordinary leader. I had the good fortune to work with her for just a few brief months before she was offered a position from the sunshine state.

Schedule time to connect

She scheduled a 2-hour meeting with me every Tuesday afternoon. Whether we had business matters to take care of or not, we met for the full 2 hours. She used this time to pay complete attention to me, to hear what I thought was important in my work. And we included many stories from our personal lives as well. She got to know me as a person. And she let me get to know her.

Whatever tasks she asked me to do, she left me alone to do as I see fit. She trusted my judgment completely, never hovering over me. This trait alone created a trusting work relationship between us.

Give public recognition

At her farewell party given by her friends, Barbara invited me to attend. Toward the end of the party, she surprised me. Although I did not ask her for a recommendation, she wrote one anyway, AND read it aloud to her friends to acknowledge my qualities. She wrote about my personality traits so it would be helpful for any prospective employers.

Even after we both left the organization, we stayed in touch because of the strong work relationship that we built.

Barbara Dunbar-Burke is a tough act to follow. It would be hard not to compare future employers with her. Yet, Lady Luck brought me another wonderful leader to work with–Jim Hendricks.

Jim Hendricks

A colleague told me that the university she taught at was looking for an ESL instructor. I called Jim, and talked for half an hour. At the end of the phone call, he invited me to visit the campus.

When I got there, I could tell he had already hired me in his mind. The face-to-face was just a handshake to say I got the job.

Jim managed the ESL department. His leadership style was to support when teachers needed it, and to be hands off so they can do what they do best.

Supporting employees

When international students told me that the TOEFL exam was difficult, I told Jim I would take the test myself to find out why it was hard for them. I thought it was easy when I took it as a foreign student. But perhaps things have changed. Jim said he would get the funding to pay for the exam. He felt I should not have to pay out of my own pocket, which I was prepared to do.

Skip forward a few years. I had been teaching at a different college, and decided to call the department secretary where Jim worked, and check if there was a need for ESL instructor. Linda Mitchell connected me to the new manager, Bill. The next day, I received a card in the mail from Jim Hendricks saying, “Linda told me you called and sent you to Bill. I caught Bill in the hallway, and told him to put you to good use. In fact, if there is something besides ESL that you’d be interested in talking about…stop by and we’ll chat.”

Paving the way to employee success

I visited Jim at the university. He introduced me to the new manager as well as the new director. He was helping me make connections. Do you know how good it feels to have someone pave the way for you like that? It feels GREAT!

That particular quarter, the ESL department was fully staffed, so there was no need for additional instructors. However, that was how I got to experience the most generous gift from an employer.

One afternoon, Jim called me and said, “I have to teach an evening class, and then I have to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed the next day for early morning meetings. It would be very helpful if you could take my evening class.”

Jim gave me his OWN class. Talk about graciousness and generosity! I really do have the BEST luck in encountering the kindest people.

Barbara Dunbar-Burke and Jim Hendricks were exceptional leaders. They were there to provide support whenever I needed it. And they showed complete trust in me to do my job well.

There’s another leader who was very much like Barbara and Jim in terms of leaving people alone to do what they do best. I worked as an independent contractor for his company. Rich Bradley hired me to create a customized ESL program for the immigrant employees so they can advance in the company.

There’s a lot to say about Rich, even though I did not work closely with him. The article Rich Bradley – compassionate business leader goes into his story in depth. His kindness toward his employees is extraordinary. I think you would feel touched by his generosity.

These are just a few of the wonderful leaders I have worked with. I would love to hear about your experience with exceptional leaders. Please email them to me at support@englisharoundtheworld.com.

If you find this blog inspiring, here is another one you might also enjoy reading Caring Resources in Seattle.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Examples Of Leadership Styles appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

Study ESL with a tutor or by myself?

When to work with an ESL tutor or coach

Some professionals need to fine-tune their English in a short time because of work. They need to understand American co-workers, participate in meetings, or talk with customers.

If you are in this situation, working with an ESL tutor / coach can help you achieve your goals more quickly. However, not all ESL tutors have the training to meet your specific needs. So when you interview a few, ask them if they have specific experience working with someone with your needs. From their response, you will know whether to continue the conversation or to thank them for their time.

For example, if you need to prepare for a presentation to speak to an American audience, you want to work with a coach with experience fine-tuning presentation skills. Someone with an eye for making subtle changes to increase effectiveness. A coach who understands what your audience looks for in a presentation. Working with someone who has these skills will help you get to your goal faster. That is the advantage of working with an ESL tutor/coach.

When to study English on your own

If you have no time pressure to improve your English immediately, you might consider studying English on your own. But it would be a good idea to have some guidance so you can use your time efficiently.

One advantage of studying on your own is cost. And that depends on the experience of the ESL tutor. The more experienced they are, the higher the cost because they can help you reach your goal faster.

Another advantage of studying on your own is flexibility. There are so many ways to improve your English. Book learning is only one way. For example, when you join meetup groups with your interests, you’ll find it easier to speak with confidence because you are among friends who share your interest.

Since most people want to improve their spoken English in order to converse with anyone, giving yourself opportunities to speak with different people at social events will help you accomplish that purpose far better than learning from a book. It’s the interaction, the listening, the non-verbal signals that contribute to successful communication. That’s why learning from books alone is less effective if your goal is conversational skills.

If you enjoy watching television or movies, you can also learn English on your own. Did you know you can google “script name of movie or television show” and you can see the entire transcript? The TV series “Friends” is popular among ESL students. There is transcript for every episode. So, when you watch an episode and cannot understand what they are saying, you can pause and read the transcript, then watch that part again. That helps to train your ears to fast speakers.

Here are some recommended posts to help you study English on your own. How to learn English effectively, How to learn discussion skills, Writing tips for ESL learners, and Easier ways to study a foreign language.

I hope these tips help you decide whether to hire an ESL tutor/coach or to study on your own. If you think of some questions after reading this blog, feel free to email me at support@englisharoundtheworld.com.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Should I Hire An ESL Tutor Or Study On My Own? appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.

How companies can better serve their ESL employees

How HR managers can better support ESL employees

The article Tips for HR managers to better support ESL employees recommends providing social activities to help international employees feel welcomed. Also, English classes, either as a group or for individuals, would benefit the newcomers. One reason is that even though they may already speak English, it’s not a language they use daily in their country. Listening to the pace of a native English speaker is often a challenge, not to mention various accents from different states.

Individual or group classes can also help international newcomers better understand the local culture so they can interact with American co-workers more effectively. Some cultures may not emphasize discussions, as often take place in American schools or companies. It is a good idea to ease these employees into the “disorder” of brainstorming, where team members interrupt each other in order to add to the discussion.

Helping ESL employees understand company benefits

Another area to assist international employees is understanding benefits. The article How to help ESL employees understand company benefits goes into depth on the topic. This is especially true if the employee has limited English reading skills. HR staff can help to make sure these newcomers fully understand what the company offers them and their family.

Facilitating meetings with international employees

If you are the manager of a multi-cultural team, then the article How to facilitate meetings with international colleagues may be of help to you. It offers strategies on how to get these employees involved and participate in discussions. And these suggestions are easy to implement.

Building rapport with international newcomers

You may already be familiar with relating to friends from high-context cultures. There are nuances that you learn only by being around the natives. The article How to improve communication with international colleagues goes into depth on this topic.

Experiment with these ideas. If you have questions, just send me an email at support@englisharoundtheworld.com.

If you find this blog helpful, here is another one on Building friendships with international co-workers.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com

The post Tips For Companies With International Employees appeared first on How to Improve English as a Second Language.