Press Information

English, baby! Fact Sheet

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Versation, Inc.
519 S.W. 3rd Ave.
Suite 805
Portland, OR 97204

Tel: (888) 418-8021
Fax: (503) 827-8114

Web site: www.englishbaby.com

Management Team

John Hayden, Co-founder and CEO

Philosophy

English, baby! (aka Ebaby!) is an American-English instruction and social networking website for students worldwide learning English as a second language (ESL). About 1.5 billion people, approximately 25 percent of the global population, are currently learning English. Rather than focusing the curriculum on grammar and memorization—instruction that students already receive in textbooks—the website virtually immerses students in American language and culture.

English, baby! references popular culture, including movies and music, to teach colloquial language for effective real world communication. The site provides English learners a chance to see and hear real examples of the language as well as a place to put their knowledge to practice. By connecting English learners from around the world, the site provides a venue for students to share experiences and discuss topics of interest, connecting with and practicing a common language.

Timeline

1999 - An early version of English, baby! is launched from Japan. Later the same year, the English, baby! business plan is written and the search for funding begins.
2000 - English, baby! is officially established in Portland, Ore., by John Hayden and Miguel McKelvey
2001 - The events of 9/11 take a toll on foreign student enrollment at American universities, and English, baby! focuses on student recruitment software to generate revenue.
2003 - English, baby! achieves profitability.
2005 - Versation, Inc., is introduced as the parent company of English, baby!
2006 - Web 2.0 features are added to English, baby! as an experiment, and online membership takes off.
2007 - English, baby! membership tops 600,000, and more improvements are planned to enhance the learning experience and the networking feature.

Key Features

More than 600,000 registered users
More than 2,000 archived English lessons
Vocabulary database exceeding 15,000 words
Unlimited amount of grammar and vocabulary quizzes
English chats and forums
Search tools to find ESL programs/universities in the United States
Social networking features
“Go Super” – enhanced membership for $5 a month

Demographics:

Most Popular Countries
China
United States
Turkey
Brazil
India

Age	% of total
16-20	16%
21-25	31%
26-30	20%
31-35	7%
36-40	5%

Lesson Format

English, baby! keeps lessons fresh and interesting by offering a new lesson each day of the week. Continuity is provided by following a broad theme assigned to each day. Lessons highlight and define new vocabulary, discuss social rules and behavior, offer examples of new words used in context, and test comprehension with vocabulary and grammar quizzes.