Maria Procaccino

Over the years, I have worked with students from many different levels of proficiency, backgrounds and countries; from teaching high school students many years ago to working with corporate executives around the world. What has always been a great satisfaction to me is when a student "gets it" and realizes they "got it"... not the verbs, not the conjugations, not the structure but get the "sense" of the language and is able to communicate effectively and clearly with coworkers and friends.

When I was young, my culture and community status gave me only two choices: teach or get married. I chose teaching. Languages came naturally to me since I was raised in a bilingual home. I also have a terrible character flaw: I LOVE to talk to people, any where, any time. The most frustrating thing is NOT being able to talk with them, share ideas or interests because of a language barrier. I needed to learn and speak more languages and then share that desire with as many people as I could.

Speaking English is not a political statement, it's an economic necessity. We live in a global society; English is the key to entering into new worlds, new possibilities, new opportunities for everyone. However, business English is not a merely a matter of verbs, nouns, and pronouns. Business language is built of culture, idioms, and industry specific vocabulary. If you are working in the international finance industry, it's not productive for an adult to focus on literature or perhaps fine arts. I always site the example of my own experience. I was fluent in Italian and had done a maste

How difficult is English? Here are a few examples:

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce .

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the obj

A uniform version of American English does not truly exist. American English, as most languages, is regional and idiomatic. It is also heavily influenced buy the dominant European, Asian, or African culture that settled the various areas of the country. New York English is markedly different than Chicago English or St. Louis English. Not in the formal sense of grammar but in the use of language and meanings and cultural context of words.

Curiosity and desire.