Kyle Larson

I once taught a sixth-grade student who had been learning English for years. He was not a newcomer, and in everyday conversation, his English did not immediately reveal the depth of his reading difficulties. But when I looked closely at the data, the gap was hard to ignore. Many of his reading skills were still around the second- and third-grade levels. He struggled with foundational skills such as vowel patterns, diphthongs, manipulating sounds within words, and decoding unfamiliar...

Hotels depend on dozens of small conversations happening correctly every day. A housekeeper needs to understand which room must be cleaned first. A maintenance employee needs to explain when a repair will be completed. A front-desk employee needs to respond calmly when a guest is frustrated. A supervisor needs to give instructions that are understood the first time. When employees know little English, they may still be dependable, skilled, and capable of doing excellent work. The problem is...

You do not need to speak fluent Spanish to communicate more clearly with Spanish-speaking employees. In many landscaping companies, supervisors and crew members find ways to work around a language barrier. They point, demonstrate tasks, rely on bilingual employees, use translation apps, or repeat instructions until the message gets through. That may keep the job moving, but it also creates unnecessary friction. A small misunderstanding can mean wasted materials, repeated work, a frustrated...