CONTENTS

A Firm Foundation in Speech Pathology

National Scope, Personal Focus

Customozed Programs

Language Based Communication Barriers and Teamwork

Employees With Real Speech Pathology Needs

Diversity or Disorders?

Positive Results

Return To ETHCOM Main Page

e-mail Ethnic Communication Arts

A FIRM FOUNDATION IN SPEECH PATHOLOGY

In 1973, speech consultant, Marlene Schoenberg, obtained her master's degree in communication disorders from Boston University. For many years she worked in hospital and rehab settings helping aphasic adults relearn sppech and language skills after the had suffered a stroke.

In1985, she assisted two employees with head trauma return to work for a national manufacturing company. By teaching them to compensate for their speech and language deficits and by modifying the language load of their jobs, Marlene helped these employees successfully return to their positions as an executive and a veterinary assistant.

Ms.Schoenberg soon noticed that the communication strategies she used with aphasic clients were helpful to her friends with foreign accents. She then obtained some additional training in Pronouncing English as a Second Language and in 1987 her consulting firm, ETHNIC COMMUNICATION ARTS, was born.

Return to Table of Contents

NATIONAL SCOPE, PERSONAL FOCUS

Ms.Schoenberg now developes customized communication training programs for employees of companies based in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, area. The employees have ranged from janitors to engineers to vice presidents.

In addition, Ms. Schoenberg has given workshops and consulted across the country. She provided intensive training for Hispanic employees at a major utility located in the Hartford, Connecticut, area. She has presented papers at the national conventions of the American Speech and Hearing Association in California, Michigan, and Florida. She has also consulted with IBM Special Needs Division on the development of the speech biofeedback program Speech Viewer III for Windows.

Return to Table of Contents

CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS

Ms. Schoenberg's long-time association with several national insurance companies has seen the growth of her programs according to employee's needs.

She is the author of the text book, Pronunciation for Professional Growth. What began as a program in Pronouncing English as a Second Language for foreign-born employees has expanded into several different communication skill modulaes under the umbrella of Personal Business Communications.

The Honeywell ACE program sponsored a pronunciation course for foreign-born employees as well a course called Voice Power for Effective Communications. Ms. Schoenberg has also provided customized programs for many foreign-born Honeywell professionals.

When native-born Americans began enrolling for the pronunciation classes at the insurance company, Ms. Schoenberg found the they needed a different focus on speech skills. She discovered an unusual, but common, thread connecting employees with different cultural background. Some of these employees had mild,but undetected, learning disabilities, which interferred with their career growth!

Their symptoms were difficulties pronouncing and reading long words as well as problems with spoken grammar. This sound-sequencing issue limited their vocabularies. As a result, they often felt intimidated by people who use big words.

Return to Table of Contents

LANGUAGE-BASED COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AND TEAMWORK - Teamgrowth |x|

Another type of communication conflict occurs when supervisors or team leaders try to apply their own communication style to a new high-risk culture in an atmoshpere of downsizing. They often require customized mentoring to feel the synergy that they need to create in their teams.

Semantics or reframing becomes important as team leaders redefine their strengths in a new context. By strengthening or softening their voice skills, using non-verbals in more effective ways, and understanding how their communication styles may affect team members, these clients begin to thrive in their work environment. Team leaders who took the class for their own development reported that they then taught these communication skills to their employees, thus creating a positive ripple effect.

Return to Table of Contents

EMPLOYEES WITH REAL SPEECH PATHOLOGY NEEDS

The corporate speech pathologist can best use her rehab-related training with employees with voice issues or fluency disorders. These clients are usually grateful for the opportunity to improve their speech on site in job-related situations. Also communication training and adaptations can be developed for employees covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The speech pathologist can help hearing-impaired employees improve their speech or grammar skills. She can also help dysarthric employees improve the clarity of their speech when they use the telephone.

Return to Table of Contents

DIVERSITY OR DISORDERS

Marlene Schoenberg has devleoped programs that look at diversity from a speech pathologist's perspective. She can answer the following issues that may be raised in a work setting.

• Do employees have speech disorders or merely speech differences that should be appreciated?
• Should foreign languages be used on the work floor when co-workers may not understand?
• How can we better understand accented speakers?
• Do certain cultural voices intimidate other employees and how can we get beyond these barriers.

Return to Table of Contents

POSITIVE RESULTS

Clients who have leaped over these communication barriers have good things to say.

• One executive voice client mentioned that she really liked the customized and individual attention. She heard greater strength in her voice after receiving the training.
• A client with sound sequencing and grammar difficulties learned to take more risks as she improved her skills. She was rewarded with promotions and the confidence to take college classes.
• Another professional who experiences fluency issues feels much more comfortable speeking at meetings with new business acquaintances.
• One charming and enthusiastic associate with hidden-learning disabilities said, after completing the program, "I never thought anyone could he me with this! Now I'm so grateful."
• A manager, who frequently encourages her staff to take these cources, sums it up well. She said, "When employees have more confidence and fewer personal conflicts, teams can come to decisions faster. Participants have more energy to contribute to the organization and that impacts the bottom line."

Return to Table of Contents

Return To ETHCOM Main Page

e-mail Ethnic Communication Arts