Mary I. Berger was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. For over twenty-five years she has taught nonstandard English-speakers to become bi-dialectic, so they can master oral standard English without giving up their own speaking styles and pursue the academics and professions that are commensurate with their real intelligence, talents and interests.
Ms. Berger designed, and - for eighteen years - taught a bi-dialectic standard English-acquisition course for the diverse student-body of Chicago's Columbia University. The course's nonjudgmental and systematic curriculum has been replicated nationally in educational, corporate and outreach settings and has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles and radio/TV talk shows.
In 1991, Ms. Berger founded Orchard Books, Inc. Through the auspices of this company, she has written the curriculum for our seminars, workshops and classes. In addition, Mary authored our books and CDs, which include two sets of nationally distributed programs: SPEAK STANDARD, TOO: Add Standard English as a Second Dialect to Your Talking Style - a per student or self-help text/tapes/CD program; and TEACH STANDARD, TOO: Teach Oral and Written Standard English as a Second Dialect to English-Speaking Students - a teacher's manual, which includes the 95 SchoolTalk/FriendTalk scripted lessons, and the accompanying Write Standard, Too student journals.
Ms. Berger's five-step methodology, her books and the curriculum for our workshops, seminars and classes grew out of her Northwestern University undergraduate and graduate degrees in Speech-Language Pathology, her extensive linguistic research and the practical knowledge and experience she gained as a public school speech therapist, university instructor and educator/corporate trainer. Mary continues to conduct training workshops for undergraduate and graduate students in University Departments of Education, for school districts, outreach programs and national conferences.
Mary welcomes calls at 800.528.5244 and email at mberger@orchardbooksinc.com .
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