KAMMS World Wide Blog

It seems that many people are realizing the benefits of learning a second language, like obtaining a better job, getting a promotion, communicating well with co-workers, customers or neighbors, etc.

But recently, I thought about the many people that tell me all of the reasons that they should not learn a new language. I’ve heard it all: I can’t learn languages. I’m no good at it. I failed that class in high school. Why should I have to learn? I tried, but it’s too hard. I get bored. I don’t need to know another language. And so on…

I’d like to ask these people: If learning languages was completely “easy” would they feel the same way? Probably not. It seems those antiquated foreign language classes in high school and the old school techniques used in most self-paced language programs has put a sour taste on learning a new language.

It’s going to take some undoing, but KAMMS plans to help change the bum rap language learning has earned. People need to understand it’s like anything else; it’s all about how you learn. Just like when you had a bad teacher in school. If they don’t know how to teach, it makes for a bad experience and you don’t want to go to class.

I always go for the simplest, easiest and most direct way to do something. That’s the way people can learn a second language too. I don’t want to digress to a shameless plug for KAMMS, but I don’t want to leave you hanging either. So how can it be easy? Well, that’s the way KAMMS‘ Spanish and English on the Job programs are designed. It can be so easy!

I wish you great success! Stacey Kammerman CEO KAMMS

If you have any ideas about how to change the perception about language learning to show people it is easy and fun, please comment below.

If you want a good job and live in the US, you need to know English! If you already have a good job, you better start learning English before you possibly lose it!

Learning English will allow you to write “excellent knowledge of English” on your résumé. Knowing English is essential for many jobs. You’ll be able to communicate with customers, employees, co-workers, vendors and your supervisor. Knowing English will give you that something special that stands out on a résumé.

Additionally, all else being equal on resumes, knowing more than one language gives you an edge over monolingual applicants competing for the same job. You’ll have an asset that employers are looking for.

Knowing English also makes you indispensible at work and because of this, you may be able to command a greater salary. You will be the one who interprets for your co-workers, customers and supervisors. You’ll be crucial to the successful daily operations at work. You’ll have an asset the boss won’t want to do without! This creates great job security for you!

You could even become a world-class business person.  Many businesses today are international and international business is done in English. So if you want to do well in business, you have to know English — to contact other businesspeople, meet them at conferences, read international business newspapers and magazines, and obtain information for your business on the internet.

One of the most important benefits to knowing English is simply improving communication at work; you’ll be able to speak with your clients, customers, employees or co-workers. Plus if everyone at your job speaks English you’ll be more productive and possibly even safer if everyone can understand each other clearly. Besides it being essential to speak English at work- it’s just plain fun to communicate with someone in their language! Check out www.ingleseneltrabajo.com for programs that help you learn English for your particular job.

As far as excelling in your career and making more money: Knowing English is simply the best way to increase your chances of obtaining your dream job and earning more money. And this could give you and your family a better life!

Please feel free to comment below. Thanks!

Research shows that knowledge of other languages boosts our understanding of languages in general and enables us to use our native language more effectively. Second language learners have stronger vocabulary skills, a better understanding of the language, and improved literacy in general.

People who learn a second language also gain enhanced listening skills and memory abilities. They show greater ability in areas such as creativity, and higher order thinking skills, such as problem-solving, conceptualizing, and reasoning.

Additionally, learning another language exposes you to unfamiliar cultural ideas, so you’ll be much better equipped to adapt and cope in a fast-changing world. You’ll learn to effectively handle new situations and it will improve your ability to understand and communicate with people from different walks of life.

If you have children, you can help them learn another language. Children who have studied a language at the elementary level score higher on tests in reading, language arts, and math. By you learning a second language, you can help your children improve their lives as well!

Please feel free to comment below.

I just received an email from a gentleman about an article I wrote for Virgina Beach Woman magazine. Although the comments were less than flattering, I am grateful for him taking the time to state his position. I hear people make comments like his all the time, which is exactly why I feel so strongly about what we do at KAMMS.

He began the email by telling me how “misguided” I am. In the article, I presented a metaphor about learning a little Spanish. I suggested that we offer an olive branch to Spanish-speakers. The idea is that we learn a few Spanish phrases to communicate and since they are also learning English, communication becomes easy. Not only can this help to improve communication in many different circumstances, i.e. work, school or in the community; it also brings many other assets to our lives. Besides being fun, studies have shown that learning another language has countless benefits to our lives in general, i.e. increased memory ability, better test scores, etc. There’s so much to write about these facts, it will have to be another article.

So, his opinion that he believes I am misguided doesn’t concern me, but the next part of his comment does. He goes on to say that he “resents” people who speak their native language around him. He says this makes him “suspicious” of them and that this is scary at a time like these.

I know that many people are against other languages being spoken in America. You hear it on the news everyday. Companies prohibit employees speaking their native language at work, or laws are made about language usage. But to feel resentful, suspicious and scared. That really is a shame.

I can’t imagine living my life this way. There are 337 languages spoken in the US. It must be hard to get through the day resenting everyone. There are so many things to worry about in the world. Peaceful people speaking their native language, communicating with each other, shouldn’t be one of them.

I’ve heard all the reasons people create to rationalize their fears about different languages spoken in the US.  No matter how strong they feel about them, they simply aren’t based on facts. You could write a whole book on this irrational fear. (There’s an idea:)

I know there are many people out there who feel disconnected from their fellow Americans because of language barriers. For now, my company, KAMMS World Wide will continue to make efforts to improve the situation. Our goal is simple: help to improve communication among all our citizens and by doing so: promote unity, strength and peace in our country.

Wishing you all great success! Stacey Kammerman

Please feel free to comment below.

“Hispanics account for over 50% of job growth in the United States; they have the highest rate of labor force participation across any race or ethnicity and by the end of 2010 it’s estimated over 16 million more persons will be added to the U.S. workforce.” Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics

Over half of all Hispanics report they do not speak English well. Why the concern? Breaking down language barriers is critical to maintaining a safe work environment. As the number of employees with English as a Second Language (ESL) has increased over the past decade, the number of workplace injuries has risen disproportionately. Even the U.S. government has recognized this trend and earmarked more than $2.2 million in funding for education.

Our country’s workforce has a critical need to learn essential language skills in order to avoid accidents, poor service, frustrated customers, mistakes, misdiagnosis, etc.  They need an immediate solution and they don’t have time to spend months or years studying a second language.

In response to this pressing need, KAMMS has created two series of convenient, affordable and effective job-specific language learning programs: Spanish on the Job & English on the Job. These audio, video and workbook programs immediately help to build a bridge of communication between Spanish and English speakers in the workplace.  As opposed to other expensive and time consuming language learning programst; we provide an affordable, convenient and instant solution by helping people to quickly and easily learn the essential short and simple phrases they need for a particular profession, situation or industry.

KAMMS’ Language Learning Collection (Spanish on the Job and English on the Job) now available through our new global partner, Franklin Electronics Publishers, Inc. KAMMS joins Franklin’s other distinguished content providers such as: Merriam-Webster, Oxford University Press, Bertelsmann, EncyclopediaBritannica, HarperCollins, Larousse, Langenscheidt, The Princeton Review. Check it out at this link! http://www.franklin.com/handhelds/language_learning/kamms/

1. Hispanics constitute the largest minority group in the United States.
2. Over 45 million Hispanics/Latinos live in the United States.
3. States with the largest population of Hispanics: California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada.
4. North Carolina, Arkansas, and Georgia were among the states that experienced the greatest growth in their total Hispanic populations.
5. The Census Bureau estimates that of 8.7 million unauthorized migrants were living in the U.S. in 2000, 5.4 million (62%) were Hispanic, and 3.9 million (45%) were from Mexico.
6. The Census Bureau predicts that whites and minority groups overall would be roughly equal in size by 2050, with the Hispanic and Asian populations tripling by that time.
7. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the projected Hispanic population of the United States in 2050 is 102.6 million people, 24% of the nation’s total population on that date.
8. Hispanics population growth- 3 percent a year, vs. 0.8 percent for everyone else.
9. “Over 400,000 documented Latino immigrants enter the US every year. This is the highest flow of Spanish-speaking immigrants in the history of the U.S. Most of these immigrants are filling low-skilled, blue-collared jobs.” Pew Hispanic Center
10. Even though Hispanics make up only 14% of the U.S. population, they are currently 22% of the nations workforce. This number is expected to increase to 55% by the year 2050.                                                                                           Now you know why the Spanish on the Job and English on the Job series are so crucial for our nation’s workforce.

Please comment below. We’d love to hear you thoughts.

Basically, there are two ways we experience language: input and output. “Input” is what we take “in”, i.e. reading and listening. “Output” is what we put “out”. For example speaking and writing. Input is the most effective way to learn (internalize) a new language. When you are first learning a new language, concentrate on listening and reading everything possible in the target language. Once you feel confident that you have internalized the new vocabulary, then start to use “output” and speak and write what you have learned.

For more tips like these visit our newsletters page at: http://www.kammsworldwide.com/newsletters.php

Over 500 million people in the world speak Spanish. It is in the top four most common languages spoken on the planet, along with Mandarin Chinese, English, and Hindustani. In the U.S., over 45 million people speak Spanish and over 6 million more are learning it. There are more Spanish speakers in the U.S. than speakers of Chinese, French, Hawaiian, and the Native American languages combined. We are the second-largest Spanish-speaking community in the world, only following Mexico. Chances are very good that you work with or come into contact with Spanish-speakers every day. Wouldn’t it be great to communicate with them? You don’t have to be completely bilingual to do it. Here’s a little secret: most Spanish-speakers in the U.S. know some English. About fifty percent of Spanish-speakers report that they speak English well, but many more know a little English. If the Spanish-speakers you’re meeting aren’t talking to you in the English they know, there could be a simple reason. It’s possibly because of a language theory called: Language Ego, originally defined by Guiora in 1981.

The general idea of the Language Ego theory is that we feel we have a different personality when we speak in a different language. We also feel less confident speaking in our second language. This is the reason most people prefer to speak in their first language. They’re afraid they will look stupid or will say the wrong thing. The reality is that when someone tries to speak in a second language the listener is usually very patient and thrilled that they are trying to communicate. They’re not concerned at all if it comes out perfectly.

So what can we do about this conundrum? It’s really quite easy; we can speak a little Spanish. It’s like offering an olive branch to a Spanish-speaker. You’re saying: I want to communicate with you and I’m willing to use the limited Spanish I learned to make a connection with you. You’ll be amazed how this will break the ice. You’ll instantly put the other person at ease to speak English with you. Then, before you know it, you’re speaking a little Spanish and they’re speaking a little English. The flood gates of communication will be open!

It really is that simple. People complicate the issue by trying to instantly become fluent in a second language. They try the time-consuming and boring language learning programs that teach the entire language with grammar lessons. Those are great for people with the time to dedicate months and years to learning Spanish. For the majority, this is too difficult and they give up quickly. The key is to start communicating with short and simple phrases. It’s like anything else, the more you do it the more you’ll learn.

You don’t have to become fluent to improve communication with your Spanish-speaking neighbors, customers, co-workers, etc. All you have to do is learn some common Spanish phrases that apply to the situation and voila-you’re communicating. Why not start today? Next time you meet a Spanish-speaker say: Mucho gusto. (moo-chō goo-stō) It means: It’s a pleasure to meet you. Go out there an offer a Spanish olive branch!

If you want to learn more common phrases for specific jobs and situations, check out www.spanishonthejob.com

Illegal immigration in the U.S. comes up on the radar every so often in the political arena. There is no question that we need a solution in order to make sure all of our citizens are documented. The bigger issue, that everyone seems to be missing, is the way the immigration debate is influencing people’s perceptions about immigrants, in a negative way. I believe that it is affecting the unity and strength of our country. I’m not saying that illegal immigration itself is causing this breakdown. It’s the fact that the issue has become intertwined with other issues that are completely independent of the immigration debate. We all know that America is considered the melting pot. Most people accept this description and are proud of it; until one ingredient seems to be dominating the pot. Then we get worried. Then we start to worry that our way of life may change. Right now, Hispanics are causing this worry for many, because they are the largest and fastest growing minority group in the pot.

One of the biggest concerns for people is that Hispanics are not learning English. This is simply not true for the majority of Hispanics. Across the country, English as a second language classes are overcrowded and have waiting lists backed up for months. Additionally, millions of English language programs for self-paced learning are sold in stores each year. They are learning English in schools, in libraries and at home.

Among the many arguments discussed in the ongoing debate over immigration, there is at least one on which most agree: learning English is crucial to economic and social success in the United States. Speaking and understanding English means obtaining a better job, better communication with doctors, improved relationship with teachers, etc.

Regardless of your stand on the immigration debate, it is really an independent and separate issue. The majority of Hispanics are willing to work hard, learn English and contribute to society. They come to America for the same reasons all other immigrants came here throughout history; they are looking for opportunities and a better life for themselves and their families.

Helping Hispanics achieve this success, will benefit not only Hispanics, but our entire society . The Latin American Dream site was created to provide Hispanics the free information they need to improve their lives in the US.