Coming:Video Tutorials Sample SST AUDIO Lessons Sample SST & TST Lessons Customer & Educator Reviews

Customer and Educator Reviews   TEACH STANDARD, TOO   SchoolTalk / FriendTalk Write Standard, Too Just a short time after initiating daily implementation of the SchoolTalk / FriendTalk scripts, our teachers noted that our students were demonstrating improved reading and writing. Then, when the end-of-the-year standardized test scores were reported, the results reflected a cumulative increase of thirty percentile points on our students' test scores! We attribute this - in large part - to our daily use of the SchoolTalk / FriendTalk lessons!  Sharon Sweet, Former Principal, Avalon Gardens Elementary, LAUSD I should like to congratulate you for hitting homeruns in the areas of linguistics, acquisition-curriculum and compassion. Although nonstandard speech should be a linguistic issue, it is political ... you solved this problem beautifully by showing that (standard English acquisition) is non-racial, and important for anyone of ethnic origin who wants to get ahead in the business world. I am in awe of the comprehensiveness of your Teach Standard, Too manual and the SchoolTalk / FriendTalk program. In addition to explaining the scientific justification for differences - rather than superior vs. inferior language patterns - you give an exhaustive list of the phonological and grammatical problems nonstardard speakers face. Bravo!  Dr. Henry Parker, Professor of Education, U. of TN, Martin I used the SchoolTalk / FriendTalk curriculum with high school freshmen.  This method worked better than traditional grammar books did. The students regularly did mini-lesson drills from one of Berger's ninety-five lessons that contrast features of Standard English with various vernacular dialects of English. (I also noticed) that students monitor their own language and the language of their friends better than with traditional grammar drills. (I) heard them say to one another, 'Hey, you're using Friend Talk and we're in school now. You have to use School Talk.'  My students appreciated the frank discussion about dialects, how dialects come about, and how they achieve status - or the lack of - which accompany the SchoolTalk / FriendTalk drills. They also appreciated the status that these lessons accorded to the way they talk at home. It's not denigrated. As a result, they are ready to listen to discussions about 'School Talk.' They also responded to the explicit contrast between academic English and the way they talk at home. (I) am quite pleased with the program and its results. We contrasted Bobby's vernacular grammar with formal, Standard English grammar as Berger suggests. Bobby made remarkable improvement in his ability to proofread over the semester ... comparing speaking to writing and vernacular English to Standard English helped Bobby and accelerated his learning.        Excerpts from an article by Julie Hageman, English Journal - March, 2001 Our faculty and students love the ST/FT lessons ... and we are charting impressive carry-over into reading and writing. It's awesome ...Thanks!  Principal, LAUSD Elementary School - Ten Schools Program Thank you for this course. One of the reasons why our faculty loves the ST/FT lessons is that we have a very diverse student-population, but it doesn't matter because the lessons apply to everyone. We are confident that this course will benefit all of our children.      LAUSD Faculty                                                     Teach Standard, Too is the most useful tool I've worked with in years, and now that we've been 'schooled' on how to use it, I can't wait to get my own 'big blue book!' ... I'm probably speaking for thousands when I say that I'm so happy to finally have a method to use for my students for English - we will definitely use TST.    LAUSD Faculty                                                           TEACH STANDARD, TOO: Teach Oral and Written Standard English as a Second Dialect to English-Speaking Students. The heart of this teacher's manual are the 95 SCHOOLTALK / FRIENDTALK scripted lessons for oral and written mastery of standard English. Includes 1 WRITE STANDARD, TOO student journal. $65.00 WRITE STANDARD, TOO: My SchoolTalk / FriendTalk Writing Journal. A per student journal, with cued pages, which helps to implement the SCHOOLTALK / FRIENDTALK writing lessons. Students love having their own journals. Sold in a 10-Pack. $50.00 Call 773.528.6200 or email mberger@orchardbooksinc.com. SPEAK STANDARD, TOO Text & CDs   I finally have an answer, and a way to learn to speak and to write standard English. The best part of the approach is how the lessons clearly contrast each nonstandard rule with the corresponding standard English rule - encouraging us to repeat the old way and contrast it with the new way. Now, I can see and hear the difference, and for the first time, it all makes sense to me. I've been making so much progress and have gained so much self-confidence!  I only wish that I had known about these materials when I first started out professionally so I would not have been so afraid of saying something "wrong." Thank you so much!  Tammy D. Hamilton, MS-RD/LD, 2009 Speak Standard, Too is easy to read, easy to understand, easy to apply, believable, courteous, respectful, energetic, gentle, practical, motivating and user-friendly! I highly recommend it for students who need their speech to become more standard. Dr. Harold Mitchell - Chair of Speech Department, Tennessee State U. SST is a thorough and attractive book ... I especially like the arrangement of the materials into pronunciation and grammatical differences. Dr. Joyce Elliott - Professor of Speech, Cowan University, North Carolina I had to write you to tell you that Speak Standard, Too is an excellent book which could be invaluable for helping students to master standard English. Fay M. Thomas - Highschool English Teacher, Chicago, IL I am thrilled that you managed to be so thorough ... I was already pleased with the organization, but seeing SST in my students' hands has made me notice the nice style of the print and how appealing the glossy, colorful cover is. Thanks! Dr. Doris Bucher - Speech-Language Pathologist, Atlanta, Georgia A review of the 150-page Speak Standard, Too text-manual, complete with lesson illustrations and worksheets, suggest that it could be an invaluable way for tutors, school volunteers - and others who work with children - to come to a better understanding of the perfectly valid grammar, syntax and vocabulary of nonstandard forms of English, and how they relate to standard English. SST can help teachers and tutors do what its program does - show appreciation for their students' native speech, while encouraging use of standard English in situations where it would be to the child's advantage. "Partners in Education" SPEAK STANDARD, TOO: Add Standard English as a Second Dialect to Your Talking Style. Used in Middle School/High School/College classrooms, a variety of Continuing Education settings and as a Self-Help text. PLEASE NOTE: This Revised Edition replaces the original text (ISBN 0-9630778-0-5), which is out of print. 20% discount for participation in a SPEAK STANDARD, TOO class or TEACH STANDARD, TOO workshop. $20.00 SPEAK STANDARD, TOO TEXT/CDs SET. The book and 5 CDs are encased in a sturdy, convenient and attractive vinyl album. You save $5 on the set of CDs or the text, if either is ordered separately. This is our most popular - and effective - SPEAK STANDARD, TOO item. $75.00 SPEAK STANDARD, TOO CDs. The set consists of 5 CDs that accompany the text's pronunciation lessons, including grammatical differences that are influenced by pronunciation differences. You save $5 on the cost of the CDs when you purchase the Text/CDs Set. $60.00 Call 773.528.6200 or email mberger@orchardbooksinc.com