Speak2Me Adopted by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

October 2, 2008 12:35 PM EDT

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 2, 2008) - Lingo Media Corporation (TSX VENTURE: LM)(OTCBB: LMDCF) ("Lingo Media" or the "Company") a leader in online and print-based English language learning products, is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Speak2Me Inc. ("Speak2Me"), a state-of-the-art online English language learning service has been approved by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (the "Academy") as a key element in its effort to promote spoken English skills among its researchers, students and administrative staff.

Founded in 1977 with support from the Ford Foundation, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is the premier academic research organization in the fields of philosophy and social sciences of China, and a major training centre for leaders at the highest levels of government, business and the sciences. With 31 research institutes and 45 research centres around China, the Academy is home to over 7,400 staff and full-time scholars and nearly 3,000 researchers in Beijing alone. "Scholarly exchange is a critical part of the Academy's mission," said Wang Xiaoming, Director of the Academy's English Language Center (ELC). "More and more of this exchange is done face to face with foreign scholars, whether it's here in China or abroad at academic conferences. English is the international language of science and research, and we need our scholars, students and administrators to be able to converse easily and fluently in English to make the most of every opportunity."

The ELC first introduced Speak2Me as a pilot program in June 2008. "Speak2Me directly addresses some key concerns of our students," said Wang. "Our researchers normally have excellent English reading skills, but have not had much of an opportunity to develop their speaking skills. This can cause difficulties not only when working with foreign scholars, but also with the day-to-day challenges of traveling abroad during conferences and research." For the initial pilot program at the ELC, Speak2Me selected courses specific to foreign travel, helping the Academy's staff develop their skills and confidence in negotiating hotels, taxis, airports, restaurants and shops in English.

The pilot was open to a group of 60 researchers and post-graduate students who were scheduled to attend academic conferences abroad. In a survey of returning students, 85% indicated that they felt that their ability to communicate in English with their foreign counterparts was improved by their use of Speak2Me. "The students in the pilot indicated that working with Speak2Me not only helped them develop their skills, but also gave them a boost of confidence to help initiate conversation more than they otherwise would have," said Wang.

Now, with the pilot complete, ELC will open up the system to its staff of over 10,000 scholars and researchers in Beijing, and recommend adoption of Speak2Me by its satellite institutions around China.

Through speech recognition and animated avatars, Speak2Me provides an immersive simulation experience - the closest thing students in China can have to the experience of living and working abroad, but without the expense or time commitment an actual overseas trip would require. "The key to our system is that it allows you to develop your spoken English skills in highly practical contexts, but without the pressure of having to speak to a real person," said Speak2Me President Jonathan Brody. "Students use our system to develop their skills and confidence to the point where they feel confident to speak to native English speakers."

Over the past 20 years, the ELC has emerged as one of China's most influential research institutions for developing curricula, instructional materials and training for English as a Foreign Language. The ELC's training and teaching materials are used across the spectrum of China's government ministries and agencies, large national corporations, colleges and universities, and by multinational corporations within China such as IBM and Siemens. "Once we've completed our internal validation processes on Speak2Me, we hope to share this service with the organizations and companies that ELC regularly advises and supports in English language learning." said Wang.

About Speak2Me

Speak2Me Inc. offers a groundbreaking online service designed to address the rapidly growing need for conversational English learning around the world. Using speech recognition technology, Speak2Me provides more than 250-targeted language lesson modules involving interactive conversations with a virtual teacher. A unique social-network infrastructure allows students to form study groups, creating an environment that, along with contests and prizes, engenders co-operation and competition, just as in a conventional classroom. Beta launched in China in April 2008 - the largest market in the world for English language learning - Speak2Me is a free, advertising-based portal and is available at www.speak2me.cn.

About Lingo Media (TSX VENTURE: LM)(OTCBB: LMDCF)

Lingo Media Corporation is a diversified print and online education product and services corporation.

Lingo Media's Speak2Me Inc. subsidiary is a new media company that focuses on online advertising in China via its Internet-based English Language Learning portal.

In China, where the Company has extensive industry and Government contacts built up over the past decade, Lingo Media continues to expand its legacy business via its subsidiary Lingo Media Learning Inc. ("Lingo Learning"), a print-based publisher of English language learning programs in China since 2001. Lingo Learning has an established presence in China's education market of 200 million students. To date, it has published 244 million units from its library of more than 300 program titles in China.

In Canada, Lingo Media focuses on early childhood cognitive development, through its subsidiary A+ Child Development Ltd. ("A+"), which distributes educational materials along with its unique curriculum. A+ has been operating in Canada for over ten years through its four offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver. Lingo Media plans to introduce A+'s learning system and products to parents of pre-school children in China.

Portions of this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from management's expectations and projections and thus readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Certain factors that can affect the Company's ability to achieve projected results are described in the Company's filings with the Canadian and United States securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        Lingo Media
        Michael Kraft
        President & CEO
        (416) 927-7000 ext. 23 or Toll Free: 1-866-927-7011 ext 23
        Fax: (416) 927-1222 (FAX)
        Email: investor@lingomedia.com
        Website: www.lingomedia.com

        Speak2Me
        Jonathan Brody
        President
        (86) 136 01242048
        Fax: (86) 10 5900 1801 (FAX)
        Email: jonathan@speak2me.com
        Website: www.speak2me.cn

Source: Speak2Me Inc.

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