Month: July 2020

Growing Up Bilingual as a Heritage Language Speaker

Who is considered a heritage speaker? Heritage speakers are those who have been exposed to their heritage language (i.e., their first language) at home. They are introduced to a second language beginning at a very young age through contact with people outside their home or when they start going to school. Having grown up speaking […]

Why Businesses Should Test Heritage Speakers’ Language Skills

Your company’s business depends on the professional communication skills of bilingual employees. How does this play a role in the hiring process? According to the resumes reviewed, many candidates are heritage language users of the languages needed. If these applicants already speak the desired language, why is it important to test their language proficiency? The […]

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Languages Can Help Reopen the United States

The COVID-19 crisis has caused drastic lockdowns of major sectors of the American economy in order to stop the spread of the virus. As the curve begins to flatten and states are allowing a phased reopening of local economies, we cannot forget how important qualified language professionals will be in helping ensure that the reopening […]

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Closing the Communication Gap on COVID-19

COVID-19 may be “coronavirus” in every language, but how we, as a global community, address it requires healthcare professionals who speak the native languages of the patients they care for and the diverse communities they work in. Language proficiency has become a fundamental skill for healthcare teams charged with communicating and sharing coronavirus precautions more […]

Leverage Your Credit Union’s Language Skills

As our communities become more diverse and connected to the global commerce, credit unions will need to ensure they leverage their language skills to remain competitive. Languages are not a “nice-to-have” skill but an absolute necessity for succeeding in diverse markets and reducing risks associated with language miscommunication. Languages will be among the most important […]

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Language Proficiency: A Matter of Life and Death

Let’s face it, there is a strong and growing demand for multilingual talent as a natural result of the evolving demographic shifts in the United States. According to a study by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Making Languages Our Business: Addressing Foreign Language Demand Among U.S. Employers, “American employers are […]

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Language and Beyond

As customer demographics change, companies and hiring managers need to look closer at language and culture as part of the customer service experience. Language proficiency is an indicator of an individual’s ability not only to connect with a customer but also to identify cultural nuances in a shared language that would create trust and customer […]

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