SANTA BARBARA, California—December 30, 2006—FluencyNow.com today announced the launch of a specialized resource designed to help those preparing to interview or work in a second language practice their speaking skills.
One-on-one tutoring sessions with a native language speaker allow a client to practice speaking and comprehending their target language. FluencyNow offers instruction in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Nepali, Russian and Ukrainian, with new languages being added regularly. According to Rachel Ballard, a co-founder of FluencyNow, “Studying grammar and vocabulary is a very important component of learning a foreign language. But to truly speak another language with confidence, nothing can replace practicing one’s skills with native speakers.”
FluencyNow has worked with Human Resource professionals to develop appropriate curricula for job seekers preparing for interviews in a second language. “Interviews are challenging enough when conducted in your native language,” says Laura Creasey, a co-founder of FluencyNow. “We’d like to take some of the anxiety out of the process by helping people practice and perfect their interview skills in a second language, whether that be in English for native Japanese speakers or in Japanese for native English speakers!” Given the importance of first impressions, demonstrating one’s language skills during an interview is critical to landing a job. When signing up for a class, clients can specify that they are interested in interview practice and indicate the industry, company and desired position, so that sessions can be individually tailored.
Businesses can also offer their employees language training to facilitate their international activities, from relocation to just an occasional business trip abroad. The service is especially useful for international employees in need of English conversation practice.
FluencyNow is internet browser based and uses Macromedia’s Flash plug-in. This means no application downloads to the client’s computer, eliminating any security risks to their computers or network. All that is needed is a high-speed internet connection and a headset with microphone. Each tutor uses a high quality webcam so the client can see, hear and converse with their tutor. The system has been designed for ease of use and good audio/video quality, without the need for specialized software and hardware.
The company is based in Santa Barbara, California. For more information, please visit www.fluencynow.com .
Press Contact:
Jonathan Lipsitz
FluencyNow
805-456-0397
jon@fluencynow.com
