Language Line Services' - Cross-Cultural Update for January 2010

Useful Cultural News, Tips and Timely Information

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Predicting a rise in the need for Creole:

Many news reports point to a potential increase in the number of Haitian immigrants to the United States.   Haitians have already been trying to come to the U.S. by boat for more than three decades, and according to FOX News, U.S. officials are preparing for a potential new refugee crisis after last week's devastating earthquake.  In addition to new arrivals, the White House announced that the government is halting the planned deportation of 30,000 illegal Haitian immigrants.  The step was supported by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as a way of helping the embattled island nation deal with a worsening humanitarian crisis. Now there is a movement afoot to grant the estimated 125,000 illegal Haitians in the U.S. Temporary Protected Status.  Any combination of these scenarios means the U.S. will be hosting an increasing number of Creole speakers on U.S. soil.  A Language Line spokesperson is available to discuss the impact of this influx of Creole speaking immigrants and how government, businesses and other entities can prepare for an increase in need for language assistance in the coming years.  For more information contact Chris de la Huerta at 305.448.7535 or christine.delahuerta@rbbpr.com. 

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U.S. Census Launches $340 Million Marketing Campaign Aimed at Multicultural Residents: 

Knowing that minorities and limited-English speaking U.S. residents have traditionally been underrepresented in the Census due to distrust of government or lack of knowledge of the Census, on January 15, the Census Bureau unveiled plans for a four-month, $340 million marketing campaign that will include advertising, social media and gorilla marketing initiatives delivered in more than 28 languages to encourage greater participation in the 2010 Census. If this is a topic you’d like to pursue I can connect you with a representative from Language Line Services, a leading interpretation and translation services company that works with local government agencies across the country, who can discuss why it’s critical for the messages in this campaign to be delivered with accuracy and cultural competency, as well as how easily mistakes can be made in multi-language campaigns.  Contact Jeanine Karp at 305.448.3754 or jeanine.karp@rbbpr.com for more information or to arrange interviews.

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School struggle with influx of limited-English speaking students:

As more schools welcome limited-English speaking students throughout the school year, a new issue is arising besides the language barrier – students who have had interrupted schooling for as long as years in their native lands.  In New Jersey, for example, school officials have had to increase their bilingual education and ESL programs, and this December several schools in the state began participating in “Port of Entry” and ACES programs, which specifically target students with limited-English proficiency and interrupted schooling.  School officials are also working towards developing stronger communication with the parents of these students, who often make the situation more difficult for schools by withholding information regarding their child’s lack of school time out of fear that their child will be turned away.  Language Line Services, the leading provider of interpretation services, works with school districts across the country to enable communication between parents and school officials.  If this is a topic you’d like to pursue, a Language Line Services representative is available to discuss the importance of providing language assistance between parents and school officials to discuss their child’s education.  For more information, contact Julie Jimenez at 305.461.5794 or julie.jimenez@rbbpr.com.  

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ABOUT LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES

Language Line Services, the world’s leading provider of language-based services, is a trusted partner to thousands of organizations whose focus is to effectively serve the rapidly expanding market of limited English speakers. The company delivers a dynamic suite of solutions spanning translation, transcription, phone and video interpretation, interpreter certification, localization and localized software and devices, enabling clients to communicate with customers in their preferred language. Through its leading-edge technology infrastructure, Language Line Services provides support for more than 170 languages to its industry-leading portfolio of clients across markets including health care, financial services, government, telecom, manufacturing, insurance, entertainment, travel, and more. For information on how Language Line Services is helping clients achieve their strategic multi-cultural marketing and regulatory compliance objectives, please call 1-800-752-6096.