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powerspeaK12
Please visit powerspeaK12's website here:
www.powerspeak.com
Contact Information
Todd Stevenson
Business Development
1682 West 820 North
Provo , UT 84601
Office: 801.373.3973 x26
Cell: 801.830.6760
Email:
tstevenson@powerspeak.com
PowerspeaK12, formerly Power-Glide Languages
Inc., is a Provo, Utah based company that is
the leader in foreign language training materials
for independent learners and schools. PowerspeaK12
is also a fully accredited foreign language school
serving the "foreign language for credit" market.
This market includes public, private,
and charter schools, homeschool, third-party
training companies (private labeled), corporations
and individuals. Our products offer a "whole family" solution
and are specifically designed to fit children
Pre-K through grade 12 and adults.
PowerspeaK12 was acquired by K12 Inc. in October
2007. The unique story behind PowerspeaK12 began
in the 1950's when Dr. Robert Blair was a linguistics
student at Indiana University.
During his 35
years of study, teaching and experimenting with
over 48 languages, he began to see a disturbing
pattern with traditional teaching methods. Even
students who had studied a language for years,
in the end, remembered very little. Subsequently,
Dr. Blair set about studying the best teaching
methods for foreign language from around the
world.
Through his study of best practices
and the development of his own methodologies,
the PowerspeaK12 method was born. Once developed,
Dr. Blair knew he had created something special.
The PowerspeaK12 concept had little market value
until an entrepreneur could find a way to turn
the ideas into something tangible and salable.
James Blair, one of Dr. Blair's sons, started
such a company in 1992.
PowerspeaK12's financial beginnings were truly
humble. The company started in a file cabinet,
moved to one room in a basement, then two, and
now occupies 5,000 sq. feet of office and warehouse
space, complete with multi-division offices and
a communication center.
In the summer of 1996,
James Blair began working on the business full-time
during college, and in the first full year turned
a profit. The company has since grown to become
an Inc. 500 Fastest Growth in America Company
and the winner of many state and local business
awards for growth, profitability, and good business
practices.
Being an accredited foreign language company/school
through the Northwest Association of Schools,
Colleges and Universities makes PowerspeaK12
unique. Accreditation gives the assurance of
quality and ease of credit transfer among educational
institutions. The ability to provide learning
support with board-certified foreign language
teachers, as well as to grant credit through
our school, has greatly enhanced the PowerspeaK12
offering to all types of learners.
Why are PowerspeaK12 Programs so Effective?
They are a Blend of the Best Innovations Based
on Up-To-Date Understanding of Linguistics and
Learning Psychology.
With few exceptions, language-learning methods
have not changed much in the past 50 years. What
you typically find today is the old "listen-and-repeat" methods
done with new technology: tapes, CDs, computers,
etc., packaged and worded to make them seem new.
But they usually aren't new at all. They are
the same old "uglies" of language learning
repackaged to look new. The essence hasn't changed.
Occasionally a few creative geniuses have made
breakthroughs in language learning. For example:
Each breakthrough has added something to language
learning effectiveness. But, each method focused
on its own approach almost exclusively. Then
one linguist, Dr. Robert Blair, took the most
revolutionary step of all.
He put the best of
them together into a systematic learning process,
added his own innovations, and tested and validated
it with thousands of students. This integrated
and improved result is now known as the PowerspeaK
12 method.
PowerspeaK12 programs are revolutionary because
they do not limit themselves to one type of learning
strategy, but utilize the best practices from
around the world. Most developers of language
training have one primary strategy that they
use. It might be listening and repeating, or
role-playing, mnemonics, games, Diglot-Weaves*,
or any number of other approaches.
While these
methods might be good for certain situations,
the PowerspeaK12 programs use each strategy for
its best application. Thus, the overall learning
is accelerated exponentially. Also, the variety
of learning activities and approaches make it
easy for all types of learners to absorb the
language faster than with traditional methods.
The self-paced nature of the courses makes it
possible for teachers or parents who do not know
the target language to help a child learn without
any prior training. Our courses actually offer
teacher/parent guides that are filled with ideas
to keep students motivated and progressing.
English as a Second Language:
Previously, the PowerspeaK12 method has been
offered to English-speaking learners who are
interested in speaking Spanish, French, German,
Latin, Russian and Japanese.
Now this revolutionary
method is being used to teach English as a Second
Language for Spanish speakers. Because learning
English is so vital in the world today, and most
methods currently used are slow, cumbersome,
tedious and boring, PowerspeaK12 programs will
permanently change the way the world learns English.
* The Diglot-Weave ™ story is another effective
technique used in the PowerspeaK12 Courses. This
technique smoothly weaves a new language into
the native language of the learner. The principle
behind the Diglot-Weave, bridging from the familiar
to the unfamiliar, characterizes the PowerspeaK12
learning philosophy.
-
Unlike most language training programs, PowerspeaK12
courses are designed for speakers of specific
languages, rather than the "one size
fits all" approach. This takes advantage
of what each language community knows and
avoids wasted effort.
-
Based on up-to-date information/research
on linguistics, learning psychology, etc.
While the PowerspeaK12 method is new, novel,
and to some, even "different," it
is based on solid research and the most
up-to-date information on the relevant
disciplines.
-
Involves learners in immediate use of the language
in contextually correct situations. PowerspeaK12
courses avoid the drudgery of the rote memorization
of words and rules by immediately involving
the learners in practical use of the language
in real situations. This tactic keeps learner
interest, confidence, and motivation high.
-
Uses adventure stories and activities
From the beginning, students are involved
in an exciting adventure story and activities
that are designed to feel more like a fun
game than a lesson. Learners subsequently
enjoy the process and the story-like narrative
motivates learners to continue learning as
they wonder, "What
will happen next?"
-
Uses multiple methods of learning: music, stories,
activities, etc.
People have different learning styles. By using
various methods, music, stories, etc., everyone's
style is included and interest is increased.
-
Uses Diglot-Weaves™
Students start with familiar stories in their
own language and gradually transition into
the new language. By placing words and phrases
from the new language wrapped in words they
know, the context provides meaning and makes
the learning an almost effortless, natural
process.
-
Takes learners from the known to the unknown
along the most effortless path. While learning
a foreign language can be challenging, it
does not need to be brutal. The PowerspeaK12
method guides the learners through the most
productive and intuitive paths.
-
Uses memory devices and phonemic approximations
Learning pronunciation and remembering words
and phrases of another language are greatly
facilitated by memory devices and approximations
from the users own language. This also reduces
the "fear" of learning that many
people experience by introducing new language
through familiar means.
-
Starts with young children before their language "compartments" solidify
While PowerspeaK12 programs can be used by
anyone at any age, particularly effective are
our courses for young children whose minds
are still open to learning a language as a
native speaker. By giving them the tools to
speak a foreign language while they are young,
the language will feel natural, like skin,
rather than attached like clothes.
-
Teacher doesn't need to know the language
One of the greatest advantages of PowerspeaK12
courses is the fact that the teacher, parent
or facilitator doesn't need to know the language
in order to assist the learner in the process.
An added bonus is that the person assisting
also learns while they help the student move
through the course.
-
Uses tests and gives academic credit
By working with school systems, many PowerspeaK12
courses include academic tests that are recognized
as, and can qualify for, school credit. This
systematic testing also provides additional
motivation and evaluation for the learner.
-
Other innovative strategies
PowerspeaK12 offers learners more learning
methods than any other training provider. With
over 25 different methods in the PowerspeaK12
course, learners are guaranteed the highest
likelihood of retention, enjoyment, and desire
to progress.
-
Awarded full accreditation by the Northwest
Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities,
PowerspeaK12 is the only Independent Study
Foreign Language School which has the authority
to grant credit to students who complete
our K-12 Foreign Language Courses.
-
PowerspeaK12 was named to the Inc. 500 list
in 2001, receiving straight A's in the area
of financial health.
-
PowerspeaK12 was named as one of the Utah 100
for fastest growing companies in the State
of Utah in 2001.
-
PowerspeaK12 has received the coveted Practical
Home Schooling Reader's Choice Award for
five consecutive years.
-
Awarded by the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial
Forum in 2001, PowerspeaK12 has been named
as one of the Top 25 Companies in Utah Valley
at under $5 million revenue
From our founding, our mission has been to revolutionize
the way people learn foreign language. Our courses
are based on methods developed by innovative
language teachers and used by students from elementary
age to adult.
Our course designer, Dr. Robert
W. Blair, is foremost among his peers in language
teaching. His passion for how languages are learned
permeates his courses and inspires everyone who
works with PowerspeaK12 or uses our products.
The world is shrinking. From consolidating economies
to third world development to the need to understand
and communicate with other cultures, more and
more people of all ages need to be able to communicate
across borders.
At PowerspeaK12, we are a company
of revolutionaries passionate about filling the
need to connect people around the world.
We also understand the challenge learners face
with a diminishing supply of language teachers
and increasing class-sizes. We believe we have
the solution. Our PowerspeaK12 courses have proven
that we know how to make individualized learning
work. Our courses are book and audio-based and
are also delivered in electronic formats.
We
offer learners, teachers and schools the ability
to meet their foreign language needs in a new,
affordable and effective way.
With methodology
based on decades of research from world-leading
teachers, as well as accreditation from the Northwest
Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities,
we stand alone as the leader in for-credit foreign
language instruction.
We invite everyone to see what learning a language
was meant to be with PowerspeaK12
Sincerely,
James G. Blair
Founder & CEO
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