Training Archives - Dialogue

How to ride the ChatGPT & AI wave

Robert Shimwell — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:29:45 +0000

From ChatGPT taking the world by storm, to perhaps taking over the world altogether (so say the AI developers themselves), should we be worried? Or excited? At least a little bit curious…

So, what are the benefits and limitations of Generative AI models like ChatGPT? How might we work with them as we ride the wave of changing times? Here at Dialogue, we’ve pulled together some helpful pointers for you to see just what AI & ChatGPT can do well and where there is room for development:

Translation

Machine Translation (MT) can process large volumes of text quickly and in multiple languages – ideal for time-sensitive projects. With a human post-editor, plenty of reliable MT engines such as DeepL, Microsoft Translator & Phrase NextMT can already be used for non-complex texts.

MT is not to be used for legal, medical or really creative texts – it struggles to preserve nuance, accuracy, cultural references and idiomatic expressions. ChatGPT is not yet able to translate accurately and without mistakes; instead, its strength lies in copy generation. It is, however, able to translate speech reasonably well. This is because ChatGPT has access to a wealth of speeches recorded and written online and is designed to imitate human speech in its answers.

Transcreation

ChatGPT can generate creative copy and marketing content from scratch in different languages without making mistakes. It is already a good tool for a linguist to use to help them come up with different creative ideas and options during the transcreation process; they simply need to feed and refine ChatGPT with the appropriate prompts.

The marketing copy it can generate still needs a human touch to add more spark to the generated text. In the future, machine transcreation with human ‘post-creation’ may well be a service – let’s see!

Interpreting

One-directional machine interpreting is great for getting the basic gist of speech at events or meetings where you just need a translation of what the speaker is saying.

It’s not so good for conversations or sensitive business meetings, as AI cannot facilitate conversation in the same way that human interpreters can. Check out this video to see AI interpreting in action! Machine interpreting is also not to be used in medical or legal contexts.

Automated Services

AI is really good at speeding up subtitling, transcription and voice-over processes and it already provides a valid, cheaper alternative. Automated, AI-generated services are just the job for any internal content, training & meetings.

Automated services are not good for creative films, games, ads, and marketing content for an external target audience. AI might speed up the transcription process, but it can’t create the style, humour and creative cultural input needed in these contexts.

Language Learning

Duolingo has teamed up with GPT-4 to create a language learning app where AI can correct the learner’s grammar and speech. The metaverse also allows you to learn the basics of a language in a creative, virtual reality!

Without human feedback, training & interaction you can only go so far with your language learning; who do you ask if you don’t understand something? What if it teaches you the wrong thing…?

The tech research giant, Gartner, reckons that Generative AI’s real impact will be really understood within the next three to six years; predicting that by 2025, 30% of marketing content will be created by generative AI with post human editing. So, let’s watch this space!

If you’d like to know more about the tech services we already offer, you can download this 1-page guide detailing our language & tech options to date. We’re watching this AI trend with interest and are adapting our services as we speak, whilst always ensuring that human touch.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you may be putting AI to use in your company – or not – and would be happy to chat through the language options available to you in this fast-paced, digital era! So, don’t hestitate to get in touch!

The post How to ride the ChatGPT & AI wave appeared first on Dialogue.

The reality of relocating: language barriers and culture shock

Robert Shimwell — Wed, 17 May 2023 14:04:35 +0000

Ever wondered what it’s like to relocate? To use another language more than your native language? To experience culture shock and – yes, it’s a thing – even reverse culture shock?

Moving from one country to another is no mean feat and there are lots of things that must be taken into consideration. To give yourself just a flavour of what it’s like to live and work in a new country and culture, take a read of this exclusive interview with our translation project manager, Arianna Esardi. And if you’re planning a trip to Italy anytime soon, get ready to be spontaneous, have answers prepared to fend off direct questions and be sure to take some cash with you!

Ari, what is one thing you wish someone had told you before you first moved to the UK?

So, I first moved into the UK when I was 17 and I was still in high school. Back then, I wish someone had told me was how different the school system was. Because obviously from outside, all your knowledge about the UK is from TV shows or films. When I was 17, British pop culture was really big, you know, One Direction boyband kind of thing… Everyone was completely in love with the idea of the UK and London without understanding what it might be like to live there day in day out.

Moving to the UK was a big change for me, especially as our school systems are so different. The fact you get to choose your subjects was one of the main differences and the concept of dropping a subject was completely new to me. I had friends that started taking, like, four subjects at A-level and then dropped down to only three, which again, for teenage-me, used to 12 subjects in Italy, that was quite a shock. Also, back at home, you are awarded your final grade as an average of your exam results throughout the year and you don’t need to worry about your end of year exams being the be all and end all. Interestingly, although the school year runs from September to June, it’s the year that you’re born (January to January) that determines what school year you’re put in!

Has language ever been a barrier for you in the UK?

When I first moved here, language was definitely a barrier. At the age of 17, I had my English just from what you learn in school; some songs, you know, that kind of typical, very basic English. Actually, the very first thing that happened to me in the UK was that I got on the train from Gatwick to Hastings where I was staying for the year, and it was one of those trains that splits up at a station and only one half was continuing to Hastings… not my half…

They must have announced it, as now I know that that’s how it works, but I didn’t fully understand the speaker, maybe it wasn’t very audible or maybe the fact that my English wasn’t that good is why I didn’t get what was going on. So, I sat there in an empty carriage that was going to stay at the station and I did nothing. Thankfully though, the guard walked down the train to make sure everyone had left. I don’t really remember what he said but I do remember he was extremely nice and he got me off the carriage, walked me through to the right part and even allowed me to sit in first class. He later came back to check on me and told me when to get off the train. The bottom line is that I was completely lost; I was a teenager terrified of going to a new county. And he was, honestly, my saviour in that situation!

Obviously, the language barrier has got smaller as my English has got better with time. I have got to the point where I would say my main language has changed to English as, you know, I work in English and, at home, my partner is British, so we are always speaking English. There are still times where I’m absolutely convinced that a word means something when it doesn’t, though. I mean, even the other night a calque from my Italian crept in; I was talking about anticipating a meeting. Because the word ‘anticipare’ – which is similar to the English ‘anticipate’, actually means to bring forward. I was talking about bringing a meeting forward from 4pm to 3pm but kept going on about anticipating it until I realised, after some funny looks, what was wrong!

Being able to speak two languages is a blessing and a curse! Do you think it’s possible for a person to lose their fluency in their native language the more they learn a new one?

When I was 17, I would translate in my head from Italian into English, but now I find myself having to do it the other way around, having to translate from English to Italian. That’s what happens when you move abroad and when you don’t use your language that much. And that is why when it comes to reading, for example, I do prefer reading in Italian. I’m a big reader and I can read in English, but reading in Italian allows me to sort of tap back into my language and rebuild my vocabulary in my native language. And sure, reading in English allows me to do the same with English, but if I were to drop reading in Italian in favour of reading in English, then I would lose that kind of vocabulary in my native language, because if you don’t use it, you do tend to lose it.

Now, let’s get down to the juicy stuff: what are some of your pet peeves about British people?

One thing that I don’t want to say drives me mad, but let’s say, one thing that I’ve noticed… is I just don’t get the need to have everything planned. Some things are ok, you know, I plan my holidays months in advance. But when it comes to social stuff and seeing your friends, in my opinion, you don’t need that level of planning. When we go back home to Italy, it might be that I get a message to a group chat at 6pm saying, who wants to meet up tonight at 10pm? I might not answer until eight and then say, yeah, I’ll see you in a couple of hours. And that’s all you need. You can also drop by someone’s house unannounced, and perhaps stay for a coffee or just chat for a bit – this depends from person to person of course – but I wouldn’t be like, no, I’m not letting you in unless you send me a letter in the post first…!

Sounds like you’re definitely more spontaneous than we are in the UK! So, how do people's attitudes and mentalities differ between the two countries?

I’d say the UK is a bit more open in terms of mentality. There’s a bit more conservatism back at home over certain topics, but then again, I guess it just depends on where you are. If you’re In London, you’re going to have a more international and open mindset than if you live in some really small village in the middle of nowhere – generally speaking. And I think it’s the same in Italy. If you’re in Milan, you’re probably going to gain a different mentality to the ones you might find in some sort of, like, tiny little town.

For example, again, back to when I was a teenager, I used to have blue hair. I’ve always had coloured hair, really bright and everything. To have blue hair hadn’t exactly caught on back then and I was one of very few in Italy to have blue hair. I was getting stares – even in Milan! But stares nonetheless, and when I moved here, my mum was concerned I was going to get the same kind of thing. So, because I was going to be in the UK alone and I was not yet eighteen, I dyed it back to a very dark brown and left my much-loved blue hair behind. But when I moved here, I was surprised to find that one of the professors in college, while I was doing my A-levels, had bright pink hair! So yeah, I regret that I dyed it, I really wish I had kept it blue!

And what are some of the main cultural similarities or differences between the UK and Italy in the workplace?

One thing that I’ve noticed is that I can talk about money a little more openly. I won’t ask people how much they earn, but I have no issues discussing my salary. I’m not sure if it’s an Italian thing or a me-thing, but generally speaking we are certainly more direct and can get to the point quicker than most English people!

Another difference is how you write emails. I think we are a lot more formal in our writing, just like how French emails and writing is very structured, and very formal. Whereas, in the UK, it’s not quite a text message, but your emails are a lot more like a conversation and you can use emojis and so on. Every now and then I still need to get my emails checked here in the UK to make sure that they don’t sound too formal just because I don’t want to come across as rude in English to British people. But if I were to write an email like I do in English in Italian, I would definitely come across as rude to the Italian person. There are different pronouns in Italian that you can use for addressing people and you should always address people that you don’t know using the formal address in Italian.

Have you ever experienced culture shock in the UK or reverse culture shock when you go back home?

When I go back to Italy, I experience reverse culture shock for sure. So, credit cards and debit cards. Up until a couple of years ago, they were still not very widely accepted. I think there was a law that was passed maybe six months to a year ago that says shops have to accept them. But up until then, there was no obligation. And actually, banks tend to charge quite a bit extra on any transaction done by a credit or debit card. And that’s why up until the new law came into effect, they weren’t that widely used. You can still see some shops now where they don’t take card or there’s a minimum amount, for example, no card payments under 10 quid. Obviously, in the UK I’m used to being able to pay even 10p with a card or being able to split a bill 6 ways in a restaurant, and so going back home I’m forever having to scramble for cash!

I’m hoping it’s going to change because I do find it a lot more convenient and safer here in the UK. So, if anyone here wants to go on holiday to Italy, be aware, it’s really important! Take some cash. There will still be places that don’t take card at all, like taxi drivers. I mean, now with the law, they sort of have to, but do take some cash with you, as you never know!

And finally, is there any advice you might have for people planning to relocate to the UK?

Check out the UK government webpages. There is a lot of really clear and helpful information. You don’t have to call people, as it will take a long time to get through to anyone on the phone and actually you can find what you need online. Chat to people who have already relocated, if you’re moving with work, definitely get some language and cultural training arranged. And yeah, documents take time. Be prepared to wait but stick at it! Living and working in another country and culture is worth the wait!

If you want to find out how Dialogue can help you with relocating for work or study or you just want to brush up on those language skills before an upcoming business trip, get in touch with our training department today!

The post The reality of relocating: language barriers and culture shock appeared first on Dialogue.

Improve employee performance and achieve results with Kudos

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 08:49:27 +0000

I’ve always been a chatterbox. When I was about twelve years old, the dentist once asked my mother, “Mrs Atkinson, can your daughter talk under water?”

I always object when my mum retells this story; I mean, the dentist did ask me how my school day went, so I decided to tell him! It didn’t matter to me that he was already making a note of my teeth “from the upper right, 18 – partially erupted…” with a couple of dental tools wedged into my mouth. I was busy (over)sharing what I’d learned in my French lesson period 1: J’adore le goût du dentifrice // I love the taste of toothpaste…

Communication is so important. It is the answer to so many problems – at home, in the workplace and even on an international level. To be able to express yourself freely, make your thoughts heard and be clearly understood is a basic necessity. And it’s why at Dialogue, communication is at the heart of what we do: offering language services to break down communication barriers and grow your business. One distinctive way in which we do this is through our language and cultural training services, in particular, our very-own business English ed-tech platform, Kudos.

What is Kudos?

Kudos is a unique library of business English and cultural training that includes over 30 hours of online lessons plus 18 hours of live group training sessions – monthly webinars on additional topics – for people whose first language isn’t English. Blended learning is widely recognised as the most effective and engaging way to fully absorb all of the material. Its focus is on developing business skills: presenting, negotiating, using formal/informal English and more.

Who is Kudos for?

If you have an international team, or offices in countries around the globe, providing language and cultural training to your colleagues or employees is essential in order for them and for your business as a whole to succeed. And I’m not just talking about the obvious benefits of improved communication, and all that that entails (a bigger market reach, improved language skills for securing client deals, easier team integration, smoother internal interaction, fewer misunderstandings…) but about the knock-on effect of improved employee confidence and wellbeing.

As a naturally chatty person, a language lover with a passion for communicating with other people, imagine how I felt when I was first thrown into an environment as a working adult, where I couldn’t communicate easily. Working in a Russian office with only Russian-speaking colleagues was, at first, immensely difficult for me. It completely knocked my confidence as a natural communicator: I was often tongue-tied and unable to find the right words. It was hugely frustrating and, at times, humiliating when I’d say the wrong thing or had only just built up the confidence to say something in a group meeting, but the conversation had moved on.

So now imagine the sense of achievement and how rewarding it was when, thanks to a combination of training, studying and immersion, I managed to get my Russian language to a level at which I could communicate confidently on a daily basis. I could answer the phone, build a rapport with clients, write emails without batting an eyelid, present ideas to my colleagues and even present client-pitches entirely in Russian. As cliché as it sounds, I’d never grown up imagining that many of my biggest achievements, memorable conversations and dearest friendships would ever be a result of communicating in a language other than English…

Why should you invest in Kudos?

So, L&D managers, HR managers, decision makers, listen up! You have a unique opportunity at your fingertips. By introducing Kudos to your employees, not only will you have more confident team players, but more loyal ones for having invested in them.

According to the recent LinkedIn 2023 Workplace Learning Report carried out amongst L&D managers & learners around the world, 93% of organisations are currently concerned about employee retention. And the number 1 way that organisations are working to improve retention is by providing learning opportunities.

Kudos is that learning opportunity you have been looking for. As employees can learn online, anytime, anywhere, Kudos is a brilliant tool to facilitate – buzz word alert – LITFOW. Learning In The Flow Of Work. A bit of a mouthful, but LinkedIn research suggests that employees who spend time learning at work are actually 47% less likely to be stressed, 39% more likely to feel productive and successful and 23% more ready to take on additional responsibilities.

According to a report based on research from Deloitte, companies that foster a growth-mindset, and implement LITFOW, will witness increased productivity, increased profit and decreased employee turnover. What is stopping you from signing up right now?! Ah yes. Cost of living is on the rise and my HR budget has already been reduced, halved and now squeezed again.

But I would argue that it’s not about the budget – however small or miniscule it currently is – it’s more about priority. Let’s face it, the budget is there. The question is, is training, up-skilling and investing in your employees a priority? Do you want to develop a stronger and more cohesive team that thrives at work, is more effective and loyal to you, their employer, at a time of economic instability and high employee turnover rates? I imagine, your answer to that is quite simply – yes!

So, if you’re committed to improving employee performance and achieving greater company results, why not give us a call today to chat about how Kudos may just be the answer you’ve been looking for…?

The post Improve employee performance and achieve results with Kudos appeared first on Dialogue.

Can I really learn a language in the metaverse?

Robert Shimwell — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 11:00:51 +0000

VR - hype, fantasy or the future of training?

“You vill never learn German if you don’t TALK to us!” yelled my exasperated exchange host as I cowered, aged 14, in his Bavarian home, desperate to talk but terrified of making a daft mistake! Of course, he was right.

I was desperate to speak fluent German but the thought of making a fool of myself really did cripple me. If only, back then, there had been some kind of program that could have given me the opportunity to practise the language in an interactive way but without embarrassing myself in front of real humans!

Almost 40 years on, are we on the brink of what was then inconceivable? With a current value of ca. $8bn, some forecasters put a $35bn value on the global metaverse training market by 2025. Others report dwindling interest in ‘a passé buzz word’.

The pandemic put a stop to travel enhancing our language acquisition. But, this in turn, gave tail wind to the language buffs behind VR metaverse language apps including Mondly, ImmerseMe and Immerse.

PWC research indicates those undergoing VR training in the metaverse are 275% more confident in applying knowledge acquired. But is this really true for language learners? I thought I’d better put VR language learning in the virtual metaverse to the test – if nothing else to see if I’ll be out of a job soon!

Did I make it out alive from Mondly's VR language training universe?

OK, so… I’m sitting in my virtual restaurant enjoying some live Muzak played by a very smooth pianist, surrounded by a few desperate-looking lone diners. Suddenly, my German avatar waitress approaches. As she clicks her heels, beads of sweat start to run down my virtual forehead.

She asks me what I want to drink and I reply in German ‘I’d like a glass of orange juice please’. Blank face. She tells me she doesn’t understand me (is my Bavarian accent still that bad?!) and just keeps blinking at me. I try a few other options until ‘beer’ seems to be an acceptable drink. She smiles, turns around and goes off to pour one.

While there are clearly still limits to VR (voice recognition) tech as well as having to communicate within pre-programmed Q&A parameters, it’s not all bad. Mondly’s app is intuitive, parachutes you into real-life scenarios, gives feedback on pronunciation and caters for different levels in 30 languages. It also offers a daily lesson to build up vocab and sentences in thematic blocks – even if my somewhat wooden animated trainer was slightly reminiscent of Thunderbirds’ Tintin.

What is the best VR learning app in the metaverse?

Of the few current products on the VR/AR market, for me, Mondly stands out as the most advanced, accessible, wide-ranging and user-friendly. BUT, if you go off their pre-programmed script or use correct language that isn’t recognised by the AI you simply get stuck. Your receptionist blinks blankly at you and shrugs her shoulders. Your taxi driver stops dead and you’re simply not getting to the airport on time. I had similar gripes with New Zealand-based ImmerseMe – despite their helpful academic team who are proactive in helping with issues.

Most of all, neither offers human input. Unlike Immerse (currently only in Spanish), they don’t offer virtual classes with real humans behind them, offering feedback and correction. Immerse is still in its infancy but offers much more promise and sophistication with virtual classrooms and social interaction with classmates thrown in.

This is my top choice for L&D professionals to keep an eye on as it can bring together colleagues from different departments and countries into a virtual classroom, with more languages to be added soon. My main issue with Immerse, however, is that everyone appears legless… and not because of an overindulgence in gin!

So, what’s the upshot?

The top 4 things you will get from VR language learning

1. Immersive experience: you can interact in real-life scenarios and build confidence with native speakers.

2. Accessibility: the metaverse is accessible from anywhere. You can boost your language at your own pace, in your own time, from wherever suits.

3. Interactive learning: VR offers role-playing games, simulations and virtual tours to keep learning fun and engaging.

4. Good for basics: at an elementary level you should make progress but in its current state, you are unlikely to progress much beyond the basics.

What 4 things do you need to be wary of?

1. Limited feedback: blank looks from avatar waiters won’t help you understand why they aren’t responding. Your mistakes won’t be corrected.

2. No communicating off-piste: it will teach you set sentences and responses but won’t prepare you for any deviations from what you’ve learned.

3. Technical expense: you’ll need a VR headset. A big investment for an L&D manager looking for a company-wide training solution.

4. Tolerating the unreal real: undoubtedly the somewhat clunky visuals will become more sophisticated but current offerings still have some way to go. At the very least, avatars need to have legs!

Who should be considering the VR language leap?

All in all, if you’re looking to learn a language from scratch or at a basic level, I think it’s definitely worth exploring, bearing the limitations in mind. For quicker and deeper progress, I’d recommended a blended learning approach, combining virtual learning with a human trainer who will help you come unstuck if you end up banging your head against a virtual wall. The added bonus is that your trainer is likely to have legs!

Cathy Branson
Business Development and Marketing Director
& German/Russian/English Language Trainer

Feel free to give me a call on +44 (0) 1865 596980 if you’d like to discuss.

The post Can I really learn a language in the metaverse? appeared first on Dialogue.

Surviving Valentine’s Day in the City of Love

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 15:04:46 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today at Dialogue, we’ve got an exclusive interview for you with our very own, Arianna Esardi – our wonderful project manager and talented linguist who was born and raised in the same city as Romeo and Juliet – Verona, the city of love. Having spent the last 8 or so years going back and forth between the UK and Italy, Arianna is our in-house expert on the differences and similarities between Italian and British culture. So read on for some top tips on how to survive Valentine’s Day in Italy and some interesting facts about the Italian language and romantic traditions…

What traditions do you have in Italy on this day?

Well, something that has always been a tradition, but it became more and more popular after a particular film came out in the 2000s, are the locks with your name on. The film was called 3 metri sopra il cielo and the meaning is the equivalent of your ‘cloud nine’ expression – that you’re really, really excited or happy and it translates literally to ‘three meters above the sky’. So that’s a classic romantic gesture that couples often like to do on Valentine’s Day – attaching a padlock with your names on it to a bridge and then throwing the key away into the river as a sign of love.

But it’s not that straightforward! If you take a look at the picture of Juliet’s courtyard in the picture above, you can see that there is a gate to the left of her statue. This was once a favourite spot for attaching locks to, but over time, it got covered in so many locks that it wasn’t possible to even open the gate anymore! So, they have all been removed and now, it is actually classed as an act of vandalism to attach locks to any historical monument, including the city centre bridges – which are from the medieval or Roman era. So, if you want to celebrate your love in this way, best to find a more remote place that isn’t going to damage or weigh down any historical monument! You’ve been warned!

Do you think Italian is a romantic language?

I like to think so… I like to think so! We have a lot of poets and authors… it’s quite a nice and melodic language. It sounds really beautiful as are the sounds of many of the words as well. I think we have a wonderful vocabulary and you can say and create wonderful things with our language.

What do you think are some of the most romantic Italian phrases? Let’s start with ‘I Love You’. That must be a romantic one…

That is actually an interesting one. So, there’s two ways of saying I love you in Italian; one is more directed towards your partner or your loved one. You’ll find people occasionally saying it to their parents, but it tends to be really a romantic kind of I love you, which is Ti amo. And the other one is more directed towards your friends or your family, the people that you love in a different way, which is Ti voglio bene.

Another phrase that I personally really like, which comes from La Divina Commedia (Dante), is the phrase l’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle, which means the love that moves the sun and the other stars. It conveys the idea of love being the driving force behind a lot of what we do – our motivations, emotions and actions.

Do you think English is a romantic language in comparison?

I love English poetry and I love literature. So, I think you have a really nice language that you can do a lot with as well. I love the British accent and I might be biased because my partner is British, but I think it sounds really nice! Um… a part of me wants to say no though; it’s certainly not as romantic as Italian, because you know, my language comes first! But I think you definitely have ways of saying things and idioms that are brilliantly descriptive and can be so delicate at the same time, so the language can be romantic when you want it to be!

Speaking of idioms, Valentine’s Day isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so what’s your advice on how to survive Valentine’s Day today in Italy?

There’s going to be a lot of love hearts about, lots of couples going round, especially in Verona and in the more touristic cities like Venice. You might see a few proposals as well; Valentine’s Day seems to be a great day for getting engaged. But as for surviving the day and the all too visible PDAs, I’d just say go and do something fun with your friends – it doesn’t have to be a day just for romance. Go and celebrate your friendships – have dinner, go for drinks, go to the cinema with the people you love – your family, your friends, on your own – why not? Just enjoy being in a beautiful place in a beautiful part of the world.

Are you interested in having cultural training classes with Dialogue? Then get in touch today to find out more about how we can help you survive any day, meeting or occasion in your language and culture of choice!

The post Surviving Valentine’s Day in the City of Love appeared first on Dialogue.

The Life of a Foreigner

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:56:34 +0000

28 November 2012, Poland

The cat woke me up before an alarm clock this morning. Half awaken, I went to the kitchen to feed my furry friend and what a surprise… the box with his wet food was empty! I must have forgotten to buy a new one yesterday… Oh my Lord! The cat is miaowing like crazy, my eyes are still barely open, but I need to get ready at a breakneck pace and in the emergency mode run to the local shop for some more cat food so he could stop sending me those “SOS” signals. Why everything needs to be so complicated! Why can I not just put my shoes and coat on, forget about the make up and go to the shop on the corner of the street? I don’t know why I keep asking myself this question when I know the answer so well… I only have to think of those judgmental looks every morning at the bus stop… No matter how “normal” I look, I will never be able to join the people standing there unnoticed if I don’t get ready. Not to mention the shock of most of the crowd at the sight of a girl with neon pink hair and a heavy metal man … so if I don’t want to risk someone calling the police, of course I have to get ready NOW!

5th July 2013, England

“England, a rainy and foggy land with people half asleep from this aura and where the time flows phlegmatically from one cup of tea to another…”

That’s what they say in Poland… Such a cliché … or not so much… It’s now been several months since I moved here, but it has taken a while to remember that an umbrella is your best friend and NEVER EVER forget about it, at least if you do not want to be soaked to the bone. When it comes to tea…. the ‘tea o’clock’ seems to be a sacred ritual of savouring a taste of a life-saving elixir and a remedy for all problems. I learnt about it from my very first day at work – “let’s have a break, let’s have a cuppa”, “we will discuss it, but first let’s make a cup of tea” and so on… There is one thing that I still cannot understand – how can they drink tea with milk?! Still cannot forget an embarrassed grimace on a face of my English co-worker when I asked if she had accidentally made me a coffee. However, something that no one in Poland told me about (and what could be some life-saving information) was that I should be extremely careful with the double water taps! I cannot remember how many times I had burnt myself before I learnt this painful lesson…

So here I am in this different place, in this country of foreign people for whom I am a stranger as well. They keep asking me “where are you from?” And when I am telling them that I am from Poland they say “oh there is a lot of Polish people here in England” – which I never know if I should treat as a sign of sympathy or rather as unexpressed irritation. I don’t know if it’s because of my accent, the linguistic lapses that I keep making, but I feel that I am all the time reminded that “I am not from here” and thus, I attract interest like a tropical animal in a zoo whose history we try to learn as much as possible about… However, this is nothing compared to my reaction when one day in the middle of the High Street I was passed by a girl wearing pyjamas! BUT there were no looks nor discrete smiles… This lack of any reaction from the public surprised me to a degree where I had to stop and look around to confirm that I am not in fact hallucinating! Finally, I decided to ask my sister who has been living in England much longer than me. So, there I go… “She was wearing… she was wearing…” which irritated my sister to the point that she finished for me: “…PYJAMAS, YES! And stop staring because here no one makes a big deal out of it!”.

8th September 2022, England

I was about to watch the Polish national volleyball team playing the semi-final of the world championship, this sport is BIG in Poland! National treasure… but I was not in the mood. The Queen had just passed away and I don’t know why this sad information touched me so much. Time flies so fast and I didn’t notice when England became my home and its culture, history and people are not foreign to me anymore.

Of course, Poland has a special place in my heart and this is never going to change, I will honour it’s history and values! Yet, being here allowed me to look from afar at the country of my origins and notice so many aspects of Polish mentality I don’t align with anymore, and if I ever had to return to my country, I would feel like a foreigner again! What a paradox!

Someone might even say that I’ve lost my identity, but nothing could be so far from the truth! Indeed I am just creating a new one… Combining everything that is so precious for me in the Polish culture, like openness to other people and hospitality (it is not without reason that it is said that in Poland the doors of our homes are always open) and everything that I learnt here, in England – the right to be ourselves and to express ourselves in the way we want, and no one can judge us for that.

The sight of a stranger wearing his PJs on the street or a woman having rollers in her hair while doing her shopping in a supermarket no longer shocks me. I haven’t done any of these things yet, but multiple times I went to the shop without makeup only in my loungewear and absolutely no one cared! What a fantastic feeling – not having to get ready to go out like an actor before going on stage, but just being yourself, the girl next door!

So what I would say, if someone asks me again this question, “Where are you from?”, I would definitely say that I am a citizen of the world, a cosmopolitan* (a person who has lived and travelled in many countries, one who is free of national prejudices) as every experience of living in another country completes me like a missing puzzle, which I put together sometimes like at this moment, drinking a cup of tea… with milk of course!

Here at Dialogue, we offer cultural training so that your employees are able to adapt to a new environment, just like Jo did in this article.

The post The Life of a Foreigner appeared first on Dialogue.

How Cultural and English Training Can Lead to an Increased ROI

Robert Shimwell — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 13:27:19 +0000

It’s always nice to know there is someone new on the way. It’s fresh, exciting, and stressful. No, I’m not talking about babies, but a new employee.

We all know how much time, energy and money companies can place in ensuring a new member of staff is found that can do the job. And I’m sure we have also all had experience employing or working with someone who, for whatever reason, left almost as soon as they arrived.

But why?

It may be that on paper, your new employee is golden. Absolutely capable of doing the job and is making you money. But they already want to leave. Their reason: They don’t feel at home. In order to take this job, they’ve moved to a different country, which speaks in a different language and even eats dinner at a different time. Their emails are “unclear”, they’re constantly being told to repeat what they’ve said and to top it off, they’ve upset a colleague and they have no idea why. They’re lost, confused and stressed.

It can be completely overwhelming.

As an employer, your first thought might be, “I need to ensure our new employee receives support in learning the local language” and you’ll work towards setting them up on a course. This will, in time, help massively – breaking the language barrier will ensure clearer communications, a reduction in errors and a more cohesive team. You may also extend this to their family members, to assist them in fitting in at school, or going about their general day-to-day tasks.

But what about the cultural implications? Would your new employee know that during a meeting, new ideas may take longer to discuss before reaching the approval stage? Or that there is a hierarchy system that must be adhered to? That “Yes” could mean “Maybe” or even “No?” That during meals, it’s preferable (not) to burp/leave cutlery open on the plate or not use their left hand?

If your new employee isn’t aware of the “usual way of doing things around here”, it can cause embarrassment, feelings of exclusion, low morale for the and the team and leave them wondering if they’ve made the right decision in working for you. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure that as an employer, enough preparation and thought is given to ensuring your recruit feels at home – both in and out of the workplace.

Language isn’t the only way in which we communicate.

Understanding a new language and culture isn’t something that can be learned in a day. It requires patience and the understanding that errors will be made, but they will be learned from. If you know you have the right person for the job, start your preparations early and talk to them:

Have they relocated before? Are they bringing their spouse / family members?
How do they feel their language skills are? Are they (or you) aware of any areas of weakness?
What do they already know about the culture of the country they are moving to?
Would they feel less anxious if support was given in the form of language and cultural training?

Preparation is key to success.

Post-pandemic, more and more people are working from home or adapting to a hybrid working style. The benefits of this, from a recruitment perspective, have removed somewhat the location barrier and so your new team could consist of those based anywhere within the UK – and beyond – meeting up in person only every now and again. This new way of working has highlighted more than ever the importance of communication – clarity in emails and on phone calls is vital and on a video call, it’s not always so easy to see and interpret body language, that would usually be picked up on if you were in an office together.

So, if you have a new member of staff who doesn’t use English as their first language, and does not yet have the experience in understanding UK business culture, think about how you can support them further. By investing that little extra time, money and energy into their individual needs, you could be rewarded with a dedicated, long-term member of staff, who is a clear communicator, and effective team member and (unfortunately for them) understands the poor office Dad-jokes and will roll their eyes with the rest of us.

Training isn’t always just about being shown how to use a piece of software. It’s about how to feel at home.

The post How Cultural and English Training Can Lead to an Increased ROI appeared first on Dialogue.

How is Halloween Celebrated in Different Cultures?

Robert Shimwell — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:31:45 +0000

A true Halloween Story

Once upon a time, on a dark and stormy night… a group of friends huddled together in a dimly lit restaurant in central St Petersburg. Drinking cups of tea and hot chocolate to keep warm, the group were happily chatting away, sheltering from the biting cold and northerly winds that blow through the city’s streets.

I remember that night as if it were only yesterday. We were sitting together, laughing and joking, about to order some food. As the waiter approached, the lights suddenly flickered on and off.

“Don’t worry,” said the waiter dismissively, “we’re getting an electrician in tomorrow. Those lights have been playing up all week. What can I get you?”

We all smiled, turning back to our menus. My friend Sasha started to order: “I’ll have the –”

The lights flicker on and off again. Then a crash is heard from the kitchen. We hear the sounds of pots and pans being thrown around and animated voices coming from behind the kitchen door. The whole restaurant has stopped eating now and we all watch as a young chef strides through the door, yelling behind him – between expletives – that he is handing in his notice. The door swings open again as another chef follows him out, yelling at him and brandishing a kitchen knife. They start arguing. The lights flicker on and off. A nearby waitress tries to take the knife off the second chef, urging him to calm down, as suddenly the lights go out altogether.

A screech. The lights are back on. Blood. Lots of it. Confusion. The lights go off. Panic. We rush blindly towards the door. Have we just… witnessed a murder…?

The History of Halloween

Now, you may be wondering – and rightly so – what does this spooky story have to do with Halloween? Well, we’ll get to that shortly, but before we do, let’s firstly take a look at where our trick-n-treating, pumpkin-carving celebration actually comes from.

Halloween – which takes its name from ‘All Hallows Eve’ – is a day that many believe stems from the Christian celebration of All Saints Day on the 1^st of November. This is a day where the church remembers those who have died, whether they are known saints or simply loved ones that have passed away. Now, we wouldn’t be a very good language services provider if we didn’t tell you a bit about the etymology of the word ‘Halloween’ or ‘All Hallows even’, as it was referred to in the 16^th century… Hallow finds its roots in the Middle English word ‘halwe’, meaning a holy person or a saint and the Old English word ‘even’, meaning the end of the day, or eve, was shortened by the Scots in the 18^th century to become ‘Halloween’.

As for the bonfires, scary costumes, ghosts and your classic haunted house stuff, these are more likely to come from the Celtic celebration of ‘Samhain’, an ancient pagan festival that marks the start of the winter months. This time of year was considered to be the darker half of the year – and on this night in particular, as the harvest season ended, the veil between our world and that of the ghosts and ghouls was thought to be much thinner. People would light fires to scare them off, or wear masks to disguise themselves in case they were to meet one of these scary spirits face to face – or so the story goes… It’s not hard to see how this has evolved into our current British Halloween traditions.

How is Halloween Celebrated in Different Cultures?

So, how is Halloween celebrated in other cultures? As it is predominantly a British celebration, it isn’t really celebrated very differently in other cultures. The concept of Halloween was later taken to North America by Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 19^th century and has since spread across the world. It has been imported, so to speak, or adopted and popularised by TV and films in many other countries but isn’t actually as big a celebration as it is in Great Britain or in the USA. But it is certainly growing in popularity.

The real variation between cultures is how All Saints Day, or a day of remembering dead souls is celebrated in each country. This of course, is often around the same time as Halloween, like Día de los Muertos in Mexico (The Day of the Dead). This day is often associated with vibrant street parades, but interestingly, many people create mini alters, called ofrendas, adorned with the favourite food of the deceased family member, to entice them back to the home to have a snack. It is a time to come together, and reminisce, telling stories and remembering those who have departed. This day is celebrated in many countries, each with their own unique twist.

In Guatemala, they have a giant kite festival. In Spain, roasted chestnuts are associated with this day, whilst in the Philippines, it’s rice cakes, handed out to children who sing at their neighbours’ doors. Some countries, such as China, have their own celebration to remember the dead on an entirely different day of the year. People in China float lanterns along rivers in memory of the dead at the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’ around the 14^th and 15^th of July, and Romania has a Halloween-style day on the 30^th October, called the Feast of St Andrew – the patron saint of Romania.

In many European countries, Halloween sees people dressed up in scary costumes, an increase of pumpkins in the shops or horror films in the cinema, some trick or treating and that’s about it…

Unless, of course, you are witnessing the prank of your lifetime in a badly lit Russian restaurant…

As some of the kitchen staff started to drag the limp body back through the kitchen doors amidst the screams of the restaurant diners scrabbling for the exit, my friend suddenly started laughing.

“What’s so funny?!” I asked, heart-racing, palms sweating.

“Today’s date,” they replied, as the lights came on and some unusually jolly music started to play.

“Happy Halloween!” shouted the restaurant staff, as they came back out of the kitchen, grinning and bowing…

Find out more about our cultural training programmes here.

The post How is Halloween Celebrated in Different Cultures? appeared first on Dialogue.

School’s Out. But Is That Any Good For You?

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 13:22:44 +0000

Ahh, the school holidays.

If you’re a kid, that “Ahh” is one of excitement – eating your body weight in ice cream and a week cannonballing into the pool at Butlins.

For the parents, the “Ahh” is more likely pronounced, “ARRGGHH” – for many, many reasons. I’m sure it’s a relief for all to return to some sort of normality when the holidays are over.

For as long as many people can remember, the UK summer holidays are set at six to eight weeks from June through to August. It’s ingrained into society – every year, businesses are left wondering how they’ll survive knowing 80% of the adults won’t be there, and your drink in a pub is likely to be served by a student who has just woken up.

But the roads will be lovely and clear at 8am…

How do the summer holidays compare to other countries? Here are some examples:

Finland – 11 weeks, June to August

Italy – 13 weeks, June to September

Japan – 6 weeks, July to August

USA – 8-12 weeks, May to June (varies within state and region)

Why are school holidays so different in each country?

So who decided on 6 weeks for the majority of students in the UK? According to this article from Oxford Royale, for the UK, it may go as far back as the Middle Ages and their holy pilgrimmages – a chance to take some time off work and travel across the world and back.

Elsewhere, Italy has the longest summer holiday period of 13 weeks. It’s believed this dates back to farmers following the wheat cycle and having their children around to help.

Both are very good examples of the past continuing through to the present day – it’s been the same for so long, why amend it?

But just like the annual changing of clocks in the UK, one could argue – if something introduced hundreds of years ago is no longer relevant, why is it still being done?

Are 6 weeks of school holidays too long? Or not long enough?

These days, the UK summer holidays are centred around education. The school year is factored around it, with the new academic year starting in August. The kids are back, with a brand new pencil case, lunch box and their name written on EVERYTHING. They’re excited to meet up with their friends again, although it soon dawns on them that they have to get their thinking heads back on, followed by the sudden realisation that they can’t really remember much.

So if no-one can remember anything, do we need to have such a long break in the first place? Let’s look at this in more detail:

The Good: The positives of school holidays

From an educational view, multiple weeks off allows schools the time to revamp curriculums for the following year, to mark exam papers, and for some teachers, to attend their own classes to keep their qualifications up to date.

And (arguably) more importantly, it allows for everyone to have some well-earned downtime. As we all know, taking a break is so important for our mental health and having the time to invest in your own personal interests, catching up with your friends and family and even just sitting in the garden knowing you don’t have to be anywhere is priceless.

For example, in South Korea, their summer holiday only consists of 4 weeks, and pretty much everyone takes their holidays at the same time – to the point where even general shop owners shut down to go on holiday themselves. After all, what’s the point of being open, if there is no-one to sell your wares to? So let’s down tools, we ALL take a break, and then get back to it. It’s a very good example of the collectivist culture of this country.

The Bad: The negatives of school holidays

Ever heard of Summer Learning Loss? There’s been so much research into this but in a nutshell, taking a summer break causes you to forget what you’ve learnt – one month’s worth per year, to be precise.

So, in the same way that leg muscles need time to “remember” how to bounce back from injury and get back into running a 10k, the brain also requires time to return to learning mode and recall what’s been taught. This leads some to argue that 6 weeks is too long as it causes schools to backtrack a month’s worth of content before they can even begin to start teaching the new academic curriculum.

There have been campaigns in various countries for change. In Italy, where the summer holidays are 13 weeks long, Minister Giuliano Poletti proposed a shortening of the holidays and bringing back a month to the education system in 2015. However, this didn’t work, with a counter argument that keeping children in school during the hottest periods of the year would be detrimental to their health – especially for those who live in the more southern areas of the country.

The Ugly

Finally, let’s not forget the financial burden of the holidays. Not only do holiday agencies exploit and raise the price of a week away to astronomical levels, the use of food banks is becoming much more commonplace as parents struggle to afford to feed their children for such a long period of time, never mind taking them away on a holiday. Children from a low income family will have less access to educational resources and they fall into the highest risk category when it comes to learning loss, including experiencing a decline in their mental health.

It just goes to show how fundamentally important the school system is to society, and why it’s so important to get it right.

The solution: It’s all about balance

So, is having multiple weeks off worth the Summer Learning Loss that seems so commonplace? I suppose it depends on how it’s taken. For example, whilst sharing the same 6-week timescale as the UK, Japanese children are issued with “Summer Holiday Homework”, which not only focuses on recapping the year just taken but builds in tasks such as developing observational skills by detailing the growth of a plant or musical skills by practising the recorder. When comparing the national average learning outcomes of the two countries, Japan comes out above the UK, which seems to indicate the importance of continuing the learning process throughout the summer season.

And there are also anomalies. For example, Finland has one of the longest holiday allowance of 11 weeks, but the country consistantly ranks high in worldwide educational performance tables. Why? This report suggests 10 reasons why – overall, it suggests that as Finland’s approach and attitude towards the quality and delivery of the education provided to the students is so effective, taking an 11 week holiday is having next to no detrimental effect on students whatsoever.

Whilst it sounds like a no-brainer to immediately implement the Finnish education system asap, we all know it’s not that easy. The time, money and resources required to change something so deeply engrained in society would be huge – although that’s not to say it couldn’t be done.

So what do you think? What’s the situation in your native country and do you think it works? Are you a teacher and do you see the effects of Summer Learning Loss? Are you a parent and feel the summer holidays are too long / short? What do you think should be changed?

We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The post School’s Out. But Is That Any Good For You? appeared first on Dialogue.

The Power of Language Training: Increased effectiveness of your workforce

Robert Shimwell — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 15:17:22 +0000

Q: What connects: George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde and Winston Churchill?

A: They’re all supposed to have created the famous quotation along the lines of:

Great Britain and America: 2 nations separated by a common language

Now, if getting 2 sets of people who supposedly speak the same language to understand each other seems to have worried these 3 famous gentlemen, what about when the companies have speakers whose languages are different? Apart from the obvious errors of misunderstanding, three other things can occur:

Them and us syndrome

Inevitably, people feel most comfortable speaking in their own tongue. But when there is a multi-national environment, a lack of language skills can lead to cliques, and feelings of distrust and fear – ultimately, a break-down in team ethos and a drop in morale.

Never underestimate the pressure that this puts on the international workforce. Even someone with ostensibly great language skills is working like a swan on the water: elegant on the surface but working its metaphorical socks off underneath to keep up, to communicate in a way that’s sophisticated enough for the given audience. It’s physically demanding too.

Knowing that someone else can understand your language (or indeed that you speak theirs!) levels the playing field beautifully, brings harmony to a team and greater effectiveness. Especially if both sides realise that the burden of being the ‘foreign body’ amongst a group of natives is shared.

Feeling of being judged

I used to teach English to the MD of a large international car manufacturer which had a subsidiary in the UK. His English was really very good, but he refused to speak publicly in English for the first 2 months for fear of being judged – not on his ability to do the job, but on his ability in English.

I worked with an overseas global sales manager who so lacked confidence in herself and her English comprehension that she would use the captions option in Teams meetings rather than rely on her advanced, if occasionally accented, English.

“I just want them to see the real me at work,” was her understandable lament. “Not a 2^nd rate version of me.” Nobody seemed to consider this pressure in the workplace, and nobody considered speaking to her in her native tongue every now and then.

Not taking into consideration a foreigner’s limitations (and of course we don’t include ‘shouting more loudly’ to get yourself understood as a way of helping) can have a negative impact on the team.

Empathy goes a long, long way. And if you’ve felt pressure trying to communicate in a language that’s not your own, you are bound to sympathise more.

Language and Culture

Even when language levels are high, people often forget language can impact on culture and can cause discomfort at best, and offence at worst.

“Sorry, Jim. I don’t suppose you could possibly pass me that file, could you? Thank you. Thank you very much.”

is rendered in some languages simply by:

“Pass me that file!”

“Ooh they’re so direct, the XYZs aren’t they?” – I can hear it now!

Profanity or cursing is another prime example of this. What one country finds offensive, another may not – and by the time you discover how wrong it is, it’s often too late.

Learning a foreign language provides insight into why international colleagues speak the way they do – and then hopefully allows us to cut them some slack when they do it differently from us. Not better, not worse, just differently.

So, what are you waiting for? Get some language skills under your belt – bring that team together.

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