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If you are a foreign born professional, we would like to hear from you. We are very interested in the story of how you are overcoming self-doubt and learning new skills.
We would be happy to feature your story in a future issue.
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trOur Mission is to help our clients transform their accents from a communication barrier to a charming cultural flavor using "listener friendly" speech that is as close to Standard English as possible for them.
Order Mastering Meaning from Lulu.com today online. For an autographed copy contact Judith Bergman through our web site. (Pay for autographed copies with check by mail or credit card phone order only).Reduced from $19.99 to $10.00 + S & H and applicable sales taxes.
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We help our bilingual clients gain a competitive edge.
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Triangle Speech Services is the private, professional practice of Judith L. Bergman, a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP) who specializes in foreign accent and regional dialect modification and related communication skills. I offer customized, individual tutorials to corporate-sponsored and self-enrolled individuals who speak English fluently but with moderate to severe accents that create challenges and frustrations in the workplace.
When I contacted him last week, U.L., a very recent client, was happy to tell me that he HAD landed his dream job and sent me his story. A 25 year old student in the last semester of his two-year M.S. program, U.L. contacted us in August and enrolled in our intensive seven-session tutorial with sessions every two weeks after his initial comprehensive evaluation. He was an "ideal" client, demonstrating determination, dedication and drive and his post-test scores on November 26, 2014 were spectacular showing better than an 80% reduction in measured accent features.
We've reordered his account so that, like the plots of my favorite movies, the ending comes first and is followed by the "back story."
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"I was in my last semester of a two-year Master's in Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering with a concentration in Logistics at NC State University. My goal was to be hired as a Supply Chain Consultant and my first choice was an organization based in Atlanta that intends to enter the emerging markets of Latin America such as Colombia, Mexico and especially Panama where logistics hub development is booming as a result of the expansion of the Panama Canal. I am from Caracas, Venezuela so Spanish is my native language.
"The ideal candidate profile required excellent communication and presentation skills to complement superior creative problem-solving skills. You can imagine the value of being a native Spanish speaker who is also able to communicate clearly and effectively in English (with the least amount of accent possible compared to other job candidates). After interviewing with several companies, I finally landed the job that was my first choice, with the Atlanta corporation. During the process I went through intensive telephone screening and in-person interviews with seven different people within the organization with different backgrounds and accents (Texas,Georgia, India etc.). I did not have a single communication breakdown during any of the interviews. I never had to repeat myself!! "
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How I Obtained the Competitive Edge I Wanted
" I learned English in the United States when I was 11 years old. My father was a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. My mother and brother who was four years old and I came with him and I spent one year in American schools in a totally English speaking environment. We returned to Venezuela and I eventually got my bachelor's degree from Andres Bello Catholic University. In a totally Spanish environment until two years ago, I was not able to maintain my best "listener friendly" English although my brother "absorbed" the pronunciation and still has a clear American accent.
"During my final semester at NCSU, I realized I needed to reduce my accent to improve my chances of getting my ideal job. I was encountering "communication breakdowns" as Ms. Bergman calls them, especially while talking on the phone, which is the first step in almost any interviewing process. I would be competing with other bilingual speakers for a position with a U.S. company.
"My training at Triangle Speech Services was not easy but it was definitely worth it. I practiced for an hour or more five to seven days a week, all while I was taking classes, preparing my thesis, job searching and working as a Research Assistant. The PESL (Pronouncing English as a Second Language) online program allowed me to receive valuable and important written and recorded feedback from Ms. Bergman the next day and make corrections right away. I didn't just work on the correct pronunciation of sounds, but also the right intonation and linking of words and Ms. Bergman was pushing me closer and closer to speaking Standard, not just "listener friendly," English. I learned to use intonation coding, the IPA, the Longman Dictionary App and the U. of Iowa Phonetics App. These are great tools that allow me to continue to correct and improve my speech.
"I would definitely recommend the Triangle Speech Services training to anyone like me if you want to become more competitive in the job market and enhance your career IF you are willing to commit the time for the program."
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We invite you to click on Triangle Speech Services to visit our informative website. Our goal is always to provide information, inspiration and encouragement since these are essential components of any successful learning experience. If you are seriously considering enrolling yourself or an employee in an individual tutorial with us or simply want to talk to us about our programs, please contact us through the contact page of our web site. Sincerely,
Judith L. Bergman M.A. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist and Corporate Speech Trainer
Founder & Director of Triangle Speech Services |
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