Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Accent Modification Seminars and You: 6 Reasons People Enroll

Over the years of teaching foreign (and regional) accent modification seminars, I have heard a lot of reasons why people enroll. Here are 5 of the most common - and 1 more unique one!

 1. I can't stand the puzzled looks people give me when I speak to native speakers; they can't understand me easily. 2. I want to improve my speech - but I don't know how. 3. For my career development, I need to talk better to either keep my current job or be considered for the job I really want in the company. 4. I have to be able to be understood clearly in a hurry or when my listener is stressed or sick. I'm in the medical field. 5. I'm about to give a speech. Listeners need to understand my diction better so they can focus on my message. and finally, number 6! I use Dragon Dictation at work- and it doesn't understand me. Can you help me speak so my computer will understand me better?

Whatever your reason, know that intensive speech improvement seminars are available! Each comes with a follow-up plan of some sort, depending on where you live and the type of training you have had. Upcoming seminars in American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals, in October 2014, and Speech Rate Reduction, for speedy talkers,, are now enrolling learners! Click here for details. Other seminars, individual coaching and e-books are also offered.

What's YOUR reason for wanting to enroll in an intensive speech improvement seminar?

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Accent modification training - what is it?

Are you frustrated with your pronunciation of American English and the impact it has on your communication at work and in the community? If so, accent modification training may be a great help. An experienced accent modification coach or a corporate speech pathologist first analyzes your speech, and then designs a plan to improve it. Accents involve pronunciation, speech rate and the speech intonation (how your voice goes up and down). Your plan should include all of this. It may also include help with grammar and American idiomatic expressions if time is available. Training can range from 3 (full) days plus follow-up to one hour once a week. It can be done in a small group or individually. A good quality program should not be a large class, where everyone learns all the sounds again. Many of you already know most of the sounds, and should not have to practice what you know already. In a small group, the instructor has time to listen for your errors, which is vital. Another indicator of an excellent program is the availability of time to help you practice your professional and other important words. As one of my clients reported recently, "I'd been saying those business words wrong for a long time - and I didn't know it!" Business Speech Improvement offers seminars on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals; sign up today! E-books on business communication are also available.