Needs Assessment & Consulting
MLS language and cultural specialists provide needs assessment, testing and consulting services to advance organizations’ cross-cultural communication and training objectives. Drawing on our industry-specific experience, MLS advises on measures to improve internal communications as well as external marketing and outreach efforts. Our staff develop customized plans of action that are in line with organizational goals, capabilities, resources and regulatory requirements. Through onsite visits, interviews and focus groups, MLS analyzes needs and offers practical strategies for ensuring effective cross-cultural communication and positive professional interactions.
MLS compliance experts are also available to assist organizations in meeting federal Limited English Proficiency (LEP) requirements that ensure meaningful access to programs. Following a needs assessment, MLS can develop cost-effective LEP compliance plans for entities receiving federal funds.
Services
- Language and cultural needs assessment
- Cultural consulting for marketing, outreach and advocacy campaigns
- Proficiency testing
- Customized training design
- Program development and evaluation
- Language Access Plans
- LEP and regulatory compliance
Solutions for Business
To ensure competitiveness in a global environment, MLS provides independent assessment, consulting and training to firms with diverse foreign language and cross-cultural needs. For example, MLS partners with corporations to prepare personnel for international assignments, including developing customized training that aligns course content with specific professional duties. To complement such foreign language support, MLS also offers ESL and cultural training for organizations seeking to improve their employees’ ability to communicate effectively and perform their jobs in English-speaking environments.
In addition to training, MLS consulting services focus on the development of materials that are culturally appropriate for the intended audience, whether creating marketing brochures and DVD’s, designing an eCommerce website, or preparing remarks for conference presentations.
Solutions for Government
MLS provides tailored needs assessment and consulting services for government organizations, for example, assisting with development and implementation of Language Access Plans for law enforcement, social services agencies and public healthcare providers. As a result, agencies are able to communicate more effectively with their constituents and satisfy important regulatory requirements. In support of federal agencies such as DoD and Department of State, MLS also develops customized training plans based on organizational needs and resources to ensure proficiency targets and mission objectives are met in a timely fashion. Whether pre-deployment cultural training for military attachés or in-country language instruction for Foreign Area Officers, MLS offers training solutions that are geared to achieving the best outcome at a reasonable cost.
MLS also regularly assists agencies in ensuring that their public information and outreach materials are culturally appropriate. Experienced native linguist teams advise on word choice, graphics, color, font and other issues that shape the accuracy and effectiveness of the message.
We invite you to contact us to discuss how MLS can help meet your global communication and operational objectives.
