If they're coming from a country like China, Japan or Korea, no class participation occurs there. Only the most respected person or head of the group does the talking. So it's hard for them to participate in a class or business meeting because they're waiting for the elder to do all the talking. Michael Palm, marketing director for Berlitz International, Inc., a worldwide language training firm, says instruction on cultural differences like verbal vs. nonverbal communication, dress code and dining etiquette disparities are included in a fairly new Berlitz accent modification class designed specifically for people working in the IT industry. Cut to the money chase The Berlitz program offers two options.
Palm points out that in most situations, the company pays the tuition.
Indeed, the federal government's Shiau approached her boss with the bill, and the agency picked up the tab, says Shiau. It's in their best interest. If the training is job related, it is not only a benefit to yourself, but also to the company. Shiau's tuition at the Accent Modification Center was a little bit less than the Berlitz fee, in part because the course wasn't tailored to IT workers. But the lessons learned were worth the dollars spent, says Shiau, who referred her husband and neighbor to Heffley's program.