Anyone with conversational command of English who wants to improve his or her professional grammar, diction, or American English pronunciation. Communication skills training can benefit professionals from a wide range of industries and occupations, for example:
Real Estate Information Technology
Health Care Insurance
Banking Education
Hospitality Training and Development
Teleservice Travel
How are courses structured?
Private instruction, 9 or 14 weeks – consists of an individual pre-assessment followed by customized, weekly classes and a post-assessment to measure progress. Training is available either at AMC's office or via telecourse. Pre- and post-assessments for telecourses are completed at AMC’s office.
Small-group instruction, 9 or 14 weeks – consists of individual pre-assessments followed by customized, weekly classes and individual post-assessments to measure progress. Training is available at AMC's office, at the group’s worksite, or via telecourse. Pre- and post-assessments for telecourses are completed at the group’s worksite.
Mid-size group instruction, 8 or 12 weeks with up to 12 participants - includes individual pre-screenings and weekly classes. Training is provided at the group’s worksite.
What about Fees?
Why make the investment to enhance your communication skills? For the return on your investment! Think about the job you’ve set as your ultimate goal. What will your annual salary be? Your AMC tuition will help you present your qualifications and accomplishments as strongly as possible, whether you’re within reach of that job now or are still working toward it. Your AMC tuition fees will amount to a small fraction of what you’ll get back in the first year – not to mention for many years (and perhaps even better jobs) to come.
Can I get the same training from a CD-ROM or ESL teacher for a smaller investment than I would make with a speech-language pathologist (SLP)?
You will get different types of training depending on the investment you're willing to make. Books and CD-ROMs are probably your least expensive alternative. But you're on your own, with no trained listener to provide the feedback you need. Every lesson will probably not be of equal value to you, but you'll have no way to know for certain which lessons to focus on. And, you must be disciplined enough to consistently walk yourself through the lessons.
You can work with an ESL teacher at a college or learning center, but you'll want to consider several factors. First, there are no standard qualifiications for accent modification instructors. So ask what specific training and experience your prospective teacher has in teaching not only the mechanics of the English language, but also in speech evaluation and training. Second, are there pre- and post-tests to establish your current pronunciation skills, guide training activities, and measure your progress? Third, how large is the class you'll be joining? Large classes give the instructor less opportunity to give you one-on-one feedback. Last, how much time will be spent on sounds or other skills that aren't relevant to your needs?
You can also choose to work with an SLP. Speech-language pathology is a regulated profession in which a master's degree is the minimum requirement, and applied phonetics and anatomy of the speech mechanism are an integral part of their training. Some SLPs also obtain additional specialized training in accent modification.
Your employer may be willing to pay all or part of the course fees, so consider investigating that possibility. How important is communication to your career advancement or other goals? If you want a highly trained professional, customized goals, and individual attention and feedback, you'll want to consider this level of investment in yourself.
FAQs
Who can enroll in training?