You’ve met a lot of challenges in your life. You were probably born in a different country; probably learned English there (one of the most complicated languages in the world); made your way to the United States; and have accomplished a great deal in this country’s workforce.

But one thing still seems to be missing. You’ve realized that the English you learned is a lot different here than in the classroom where you studied it, and now you frequently find yourself in situations where communication is difficult. And, you suspect, it could have to do with how clearly you speak. Maybe some of these things have happened to you…

• You find that people ask you to repeat yourself, often several times.
• Your instructions to superiors, peers, and employees are frequently misunderstood.
• Colleagues go to others for information they could get most readily from you.
• Your manager has suggested that you seek out a program in “accent reduction.”

At Communication Excellence Institute, we know the challenges non-native English-speaking adults face in work and social situations. That’s why we’ve created the program called Communication Clarity for ESL Speakers™. We’ve observed that many otherwise confident managers and professionals shy away from wonderful interpersonal experiences and business opportunities for fear of not making themselves clear in speech.

In CEI’s Communication Clarity for ESL Speakers™ program, Dr. Neal Larsen Palmer, a well-known specialist in linguistics and communication skills, works with you one-on-one to help you convey your ideas with new clarity and impact. This method is not your typical “accent reduction” program. Many times, accent isn’t the underlying reason for someone’s communication challenges. Your “foreign accent” is a major part of what makes you you, reflecting your background, experience, and personality. In fact, in today’s diverse world, it is often seen as conveying your unique charm and distinction.

But you must be understood! So this is how we at CEI approach spoken clarity for non-native English speakers. We:

• Assess your current level of overall fluency in American English.
• Look at your current work situation to discover where communication for you seems to be most problematic.
• Identify, usually based on your language family, the particular pronunciation issues giving you the most trouble.
• Design pronunciation and speech exercises geared specifically for speakers of your native language.
• Pinpoint the sounds in American English that give foreign-born speakers the greatest challenges.
• Examine the role other speech features, such as volume, pacing, rate of speech, and emphasis, play in your total communication.
• Observe your nonverbal communication and inform you as to the meanings of many gestures in mainstream American business and academic culture.
• Use state-of-the-art audio and video equipment to monitor your progress toward clarity.

Throughout our time with you, we will bring in solid research in communication theory and practice as well as our extensive experience helping managers and professionals achieve extraordinary success.

The fee for CEI’s Communication Clarity for ESL Speakers™ program is $350 per hour. We start with a preliminary two-hour assessment and planning meeting, then we recommend additional sessions, as needed. Most ESL speakers achieve a significant improvement in communication clarity in 8-10 hours of individual coaching.

Don’t let clarity stop you from moving to the next level. Call CEI at (800) 410-4CEI (4234) or e-mail us at cei@talk2cei.com to get started on a new life of effective communication.