What's happening at Dialog and in language training worldwide.
ABA Journal March 7, 2014
Bilingual Lawyers Have a Leg Up in Many Niche Practice Groups
Lawyers looking for a leg up in hiring might consider talking the talk of foreign language. According to a survey commissioned by Robert Half Legal, 42 percent of 200 lawyers who are hiring officers see a need for more bilingual attorneys. Most needed (88 percent of those who saw a need) were Spanish-speaking attorneys, while Chinese-speaking skills ranked second at 9 percent.
The New York Times March 6, 2014
A New SAT Aims to Realign With Schoolwork
Saying its college admission exams do not focus enough on the important academic skills, the College Board announced on Wednesday a fundamental rethinking of the SAT, ending the longstanding penalty for guessing wrong, cutting obscure vocabulary words and making the essay optional.
The Independent March 6, 2014
Students with English as a second language 'outperform native speakers' in GCSEs
Lord Nash, the Schools Minister, said students who speak English as an additional language (EAL) scored better grades in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) than native speakers. The worst performing group was...
The New York Times January 28, 2014
Translation as a Performing Art
Thirty years ago I moved to Milan to work for an Italian art magazine called FMR. It was an odd and ambitious enterprise...
The New York Times January 21, 2014
The 'How Are You?' Culture Clash
The question my Moscow-born friend Galina was referring to had nothing to do with Putin, or Pussy Riot, or the culinary ethics of adding ketchup to your pirogi. And yet, it is the back across which Russian-American relations are broken.
CNNMoney January 16, 2014
The Hottest Job Skill is...
The Army, NYPD and State Department can't get enough workers with this job skill. Neither can Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, local courts and schools.
The Financial Times December 26, 2013
Business is creating new forms of English
Bridgestone, the Japanese tyremaker, has announced that it is making English its official language, joining Rakuten, also Japanese, Lenovo of China and European companies such as Nokia and Airbus. But whether they make an official announcement or not, English is now part of the day-to-day life of any business with international operations, used almost every time people have a ...
The New York Times December 26, 2013
Why Other Countries Teach Better
Millions of laid-off American factory workers were the first to realize that they were competing against job seekers around the globe with comparable skills but far smaller paychecks. But a similar fate also awaits workers who aspire to high-skilled, high-paying jobs in ..
The Financial Times December 25, 2013
Learn Some Mandarin But Master English Too
Ditch your French and German textbooks and start learning Mandarin, David Cameron told the UK's school pupils after his return from a visit to China last week. The UK prime minister should be happy with any language skills his young compatriots manage to pick up. But it is true that...
The Independent December 10, 2013
Ditch French and German lessons for Mandarin, says David Cameron as his visit to China draws to a close
David Cameron has thrown his weight behind efforts to prioritise the teaching of Mandarin in UK schools. The Prime Minister, speaking on the last leg of his visit to China, urged them to...
The Independent December 9, 2013
Play's the thing: Globe Theatre wants learning Shakespeare to be fun, not a chore
The days of pupils sitting in rows reciting Shakespeare plays in the classroom may be numbered. Instead, teachers are being encouraged to use interpretive dance and drama to bring the Bard's words to life. These include using...
St Georges November 18, 2013
Business English Common Mistakes
Business English common mistakes should be eliminated, so that...
St Georges November 17, 2013
Steve Jobs Presentation Skills - VIDEO Business English
Steve Jobs Presentation Skills - something to marvel at. His keynote speeches were like a concert or a show, rather than the CEO of a big corporation speaking at an AGM. He elevated the art of public speaking to a new level with his own unique style. Can you imagine...
Financial Times October 30, 2013
Who Owns English in a Global Market
Are the rules set by people who grew up speaking the language or those who learnt it later?
The Guardian October 30, 2013
For Who the Bell Tolls: One Man's Quest for Grammatical Perfection by David Marsh -
Book Review
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BEWTEEN "LET'S EAT, GRANDMA" AND "LET'S EAT GRANDMA"
The New York Times October 23, 2013
Test Yourself | E.L.L. Practice
When have you ever seen a magician perform? What tricks do you remember? How do you think the magician did those tricks? Tell a partner what you saw.
The Financial Times October 20, 2013
Fluent in English, Greek, French, Italian and dollars
Sir, On the subject of being bilingual or multilingual (Letters, October 17 and October 18) in response to Michael Skapinker's column ("Mystery of acquiring another language", October 17), the language...
The Financial Times October 19, 2013
Ultimate Test for the (almost) Bilingual
Sir, While agreeing with Michael Skapinker ("Mystery of acquiring another language", Comment, October 17) that some people do appear able to learn languages more easily than others, and that the reason remains something of a mystery, I would add two further complications to the story.
The Financial Times October 18, 2013
Dinner for Eight Mother Tongues
Sir, Michael Skapinker ("Mystery of acquiring another language", October 17) quotes an expert on bilingualism: "When you meet people who tell you they speak four or five languages fluently ... don't take this claim very seriously." The expert has clearly never visited...
The Financial Times October 17, 2013
Mystery of Acquiring Another Language
Neurology helps to learn a language, but hard work is what matters
In 1987 I interviewed Robert Maxwell, the publishing and printing magnate, at his London headquarters in Holborn Circus. His death and disgrace were some years away. As well as the Mirror newspaper group, Maxwell headed the biggest...
The Guardian October 15, 2013
Letters of Note: the Website That Revived the Fine Art of Correspondence
In our age of email and texts, letter-writing seems set for extinction. But millions have been flocking to a website to pore over the correspondence collected by blogger Shaun Usher
The Telegraph October 10, 2013
Student Life: The Benefits of Studying in London
With many higher education institutions set in and around the city, London is certainly an attractive place to study, says undergrad James Connington.
The English Blog October 7, 2013
Crossword: British Slang
Do you know what a plonker is? And how would you react if someone said they wanted to snog you? Improve your knowledge of British slang with this crossword. It's ace!
The Guardian September 28, 2013
10 Grammar Rules You Can Forget: How to Stop Worrying and Write Proper
Guardian Style Guide author David Marsh set out to master perfect grammatical English - but discovered that 'correct' isn't always best. Here are the 10 grammar laws you no longer need to check.
The New York Times September 26, 2013
How Do You Say 'Blog' in German?
WE Germans owe the English language a debt of gratitude. If English didn't lend us one or two little words every once in a while, we would probably call blogs "digitale Netztagebücher" and apps "Anwendungen für mobile Endgeräte." Even for German speakers, those don't exactly roll off the tongue.
The Guardian September 24, 2013
Lunchtime Briefing: the 10 key stories of the day
Get up to date with today's news agenda.
The Guardian September 23, 2013
Talk the talk: Maximise Your Prospects Using Languages
Personal endorsements from leading figures in the arts, sport, media, business, and politics demonstrate how learning languages can open doors to an array of careers and life experiences.
The Guardian September 22, 2013
Quiz: How Much Do You Know
About lLanguages?
How many Welsh speakers are there in the UK? Who invented Newspeak? Where is Blackfoot spoken? Take our quiz and test your language knowledge.
The Guardian September 21, 2013
Russian Literature is Best Sex Education for Young People, Says Ombudsman
Pavel Astakhov opposes introduction of sex education in schools and suggests reading the classics as an alternative
The Independent September 21, 2013
Degree Overseas: The Pros of Studying Abroad
The idea of going overseas to study can be daunting, with visions of baffling languages or nights spent in isolation while you are gradually forgotten by your friends and family. However, the benefits of studying abroad...
Express September 20, 2013
"We agreed disarm him"
The United States and Russia have agreed a plan to destroy Syria's chemical weapons by the middle of next year. The American Secretary of State, John Kerry, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, meeting in Geneva, announced that...
The Telegraph UK September 17, 2013
Internet Security: 10 Ways to Keep Your Personal Data Safe From Online Snoopers
The internet has changed our lives in countless positive ways, but it has a dark side. Personal privacy has been lost, leaving you at risk from shady individuals, companies and security agencies. But there are steps you can take to limit your exposure
The Telegraph September 12, 2013
How to Eat in Restaurants on the Cheap
(Video)
Food critic and journalist Matthew Fort shares his secrets on how to get the most from any visit to a restaurant. From the importance of looking locally to understanding how to read a menu, he explains what to keep in mind in order to come away from a meal with great memories rather than a nasty aftertaste
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