American Accent Training for all Nationalities

Global Aviation & Accent Modification

Global aviation is here to stay, however when you have pilots from all over the world trying to communicate with each other confusion often occurs.

Sometimes it's just amusing, like a 2006 recording of exchanges between an Air China pilot and an air traffic controller at Kennedy Airport in New York.  The controller becomes increasingly exasperated by the pilot's terrible word English pronunciations, to the point where you can almost hear the steam coming out of his ears.  That recording on You Tube as Air China 981, is a favorite among air traffic controllers and pilots. 

It's the most amazing example of the problem, because it's simply very funny and no one got hurt through the obvious miscommunication.  On the other hand, the list of aviation catastrophes around the world that were caused primarily by language misunderstandings between air and ground is long and very tragic.

In 1977, for example, two Boing 747's collided on a runway at Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.  The disaster, in which 583 people died occurred in dense fog.  Complicating the situation were misunderstandings of orders and acknowledgments between the aircraft on the runway and the air traffic controllers.  After that incident, International aviation authorities later drafted more strict requirements for the use of standard, clear common English prases in aviation operations.

As global aviation continues to grow, concerns are rising about English language proficiency among foreign pilots and air traffic controllers.  The Civial Aviation Organization, an agency of the United Nations that promotes international air travel safety and development, issued new recommendations to improve English language training, in response to fatal accidents in which the lack of proficiency in English was identified as a contributing factor. 

It is obvious that accent modification lessons for pilots and airtraffic controllers be mandated so that lives can be saved in the future.  Pilots and airtraffic controllers often work long hours, however with the use of web cameras and the internet, it would be easy to set up an online learning academy emphasizing pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation. 

How a Speech analysis can reduce your Accent

Happy New Year!!

Start the New Year with confident English pronunciation.  Confident English pronunciation is probably the most powerful skill you could ever learn.  It can open doors for you and lead to multiple opportunities.  The need for comprehensible spoken English is everywhere and will continue to grow in schools, call centers, management, and in social situations.

Imagine the new opportunities you would have if you could improve your American English pronunciation!!  By improving the way you speak you could gain new respect from your boss, your co-workers, and get a better job.  People who are able to speak English clearly and confidently will be the one's who will advance and achieve personal and professional success in our global economy.

Learning how to do this can be challenging.  Written and spoken language don't always seem to work together very well.  English is not a phonetic language, so there is not always a close relationship between the letters in the English alphabet and spoken sounds.

Here are some facts:

• In spoken English there are many words linked together and many sounds are deleted or reduced 
•  The 26 letters in the English alphabet make up over 50 different sounds!!
• The spoken sound of a vowel or consonant changes according to it's position in a word
• Sentence stress and intonation is CRITICAL to comprehensible spoken English

Many people are aware that they need to improve their English pronunciation, but don't know how.  They look at free programs and workbooks and wonder why their speech is not improving.  Often people will try tapes and CD's and get very frustrated with the process. 

If you are serious about improving the way you speak English a speech analysis is critical.  A qualified speech professional specializing in accents will be able to listen and analyze your speech to isolate the specific problems you are having.  The professional will be able to customize a program to help you reach your goals faster and provide the much needed feedback the other programs don't provide for you. 

Don't waste another day on programs that don't work, visit www.instituteofaccentmodification.com or CLICK here to get your Speech analysis and consultation by an experienced speech professional for FREE.  Once you take the analysis, which is completed on your computer, it is sent to the professional to be analysed.  Once the analysis is complete, you will be contacted to select a time to review the results. 

It's really that simple.  You can start the New year working on improving your speech with a qualified professional who has years of training. The programs are flexible and cost effective. 

 

 

 

Chinese New year of the Dragon 2012

Happy New year Everyone!!

The Chinese New year of the Dragon is a very special year.  The dragon historically is a symbol of power from heaven. Let this year be your special year to take at least 1 step to enhance your life.  The Chinese New Year officially starts January 23, 2012

Many people may want to change their eating habits and lose weight.  Others may have a goal to get a better job.  For those individuals who want to improve their speech you have come to the right place. Why don't you make a point to speak to an experienced Speech and hearing professional about your goals??

Perhaps you want to improve your speech to get a better paying job or to get a promotion.  Perhaps you feel you want to go back to school and take additional courses. Perhaps you want a better apartment or house.  It does not matter if your native language is Urdu, French, Russian, Spanish, or Mandarin.  If you are serious then don't let another day go by without taking a step forward to accomplishing your goal.

Accent Modification courses are flexible, affordable, and most of all come with an experienced professional who can give you feedback, challenge you, and keep you on track towards speech that is clearly more understandable.  The courses can be conducted easily using your web-camera in our virtual classrooms. 

Make this your personal YEAR OF THE DRAGON and make your goal to have Powerful, Clear, Understandable Speech in 2012.  I'm here to help.  Contact Tracey the Director www.instituteofaccentmodification.com

Just go to the CONTACT US page, you don't even have to call.  Send me an email, and lets set up a time to get your goal accomplished.  Make 2012 your special year. 

For those of you who have not picked up a copy of "7 Weeks to a Better American Accent for Native Mandarin Speakers - Volume 1", along with the 16 track Audio, you are missing out on a series that was specifically designed to help the Native Chinese improve their American English pronunciation.  www.7weeksbetteramericanaccent.com

 

Top 3 strategies for Improving your American English pronunciation

Strategy #3  Use the Schwa vowel sound in reduced syllables

The vowels in reduced syllables are not pronunced long and clear, instead these vowels have the schwa sound.  For example, when you say the word STU-dent the e in the second (or reduced) syllable sounds like "uh", so the word sounds like STU-duhnt.

As I mentioned before, the schwa sound is the most frequent sound in spoken English but many learners are unaware of it.  Learning to use the schwa sound for vowels in reduced syllables is one of the very best ways to improve your accent.  By studying the three accent reduction strategies that I have described you can begin to feel more confident and enjoy speaking English with your American business colleagues. 

3 Top Strategies for Improving your American English pronunciation

Strategy #2  Lengthen the Vowel Sounds in Stressed Syllables

The vowels in stressed syllables take on a special quality in spoken English.  These vowels must be lengthened and pronounced with a high pitch in order to make words comprehensible to American listeners.  Lengthening vowel sounds in stressed syllables is vital to the rhythm of spoken English so you must do this if you want to improve your American English pronunciation. 

For example, when you say TEAcher, you need to lengthen the EA and say it with a higher pitch. 

Be sure to check in tomorrow for the final strategy

Top 3 Strategies for Improving your American English pronunciation

Strategy #1:   Learning to use the Schwa Sound - Use Syllable Stress

In the next 3 days you will learn what is the Schwa Sound, why it is important, and how this can greatly improve your American English pronunciation for all nationalities.

What is the Schwa Sound?  

Here are some examples......

The schwa sound is the most common vowel sound in North American English.  The schwa sounds like "uh".  It is pronounced with the mouth very relaxed.

The schwa sound can be represented by any vowel.  For example: The vowel sound in each of the words below sounds like a schwa or "uh".  You can see that there are many written vowels that may represent this sound. 

was, done, does, us, what tough, a

Here's how the schwa works in words with more than one syllable.  The vowels in stressed syllables usually have a long clear sound.  However, the vowels in unstressed syllables are frequently pronounced with the schwa sound.  In the upcoming words, the first syllable is stressed and is in a dark (bold font),  and vowel in the second syllable sounds like a schwa or "uh". 

WOman, BREAKfast, HOStage, MUFfin

In spoken English the combination of long clear vowel sounds in stresssed syllables in contrast to the schwa sound in unstressed syllables creates a speech rhythm that helps American listeners identify words! Using the schwa sound for vowels in unstressed syllables will greatly improve your pronunciation and allow people to understand you.  Practcie using a good dictionary, such as the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, will show you which syllables receive stress.

Invest in a Bilingual Electronic Dictionary

My students often will ask me what can help them with pronunciation when we are not meeting in class.  I highly recommend purchasing a bilingual electronic dictionary. Try to get the best that you can afford.  You will also want to get a dictionary that supports handwritten input.  This can help you with pronunciation while you are "on the go", however there are some internet online free services that can also help you. 

If pronunciation is important, make sure the dictionary has a "talking" function, which is useful for learning pronunciation.  Some dictionaries even allow you to repeat after it and record your own voice to see if you have got it right.  Look for good quality dictionaries such as Oxford, Brittania, and Cambridge, etc. 

Please post a comment if you have other suggestions that can help with pronunciation when not in a classroom/tutor. 

Top Strategies for English as a second language (ESL) Students using American Idioms

Many of my English as a second language (ESL) students have asked me how they can best use idioms and everyday phrases in their conversation.  When you learn American accent, it is important to also learn some of the most commonly used phrases.  The correct use of idioms and these everyday phrases will help you sound more like a native speaker. 

How is this Best Accomplished????  When idioms come up in conversation and you don't understand, be sure to write them down. You can ask an American who you know about the meaning or look them up so you're not out of the loop!!

Try to familiarize yourself with these expressions and look for them everywhere.  Newspapers like the Wall street Journal and business sections of the daily newspapers are full of these idioms. Eventually, when they come up in conversation, you'll soon be prepared to respond confidently, instead of becoming silent whilie thinking to yourself, "What are they talking about now".  The use of idioms will add color and excitement to your language and help you develop a deeper meaning of the English language. 

 

 

How to Improve your American English Accent - Tip #8

Improving your American English Accent - Tip #8

How to Practice your American English Pronunciation

My accent coaches and I often get asked, "How long should I practice to improve my accent"? Regarding the frequency of practice.  It's better to practice several times a day, in 15-20 minute sessions, than one long session.  Always look for opportunities to practice.  I have had students tell me they would practice while driving to work, by listening to CD's.  I have had students tell me they would practice in the shower!!  How's that for creativity, and making the time to work on what is important. 

At the Institute of Accent Modification, we often will go to coffee shops with our graduates, and give them assignments to ask the waitress for certain items, using their target sounds.  For example, if the target sound is "r", in the initial position.  I would ask a student to ask the waitress for a Raisen bagel with Raspberry jam!!  Anything that would get the student to initiate conversation with a stranger, and ask a question.  You can judge from the waitress if she/he has to ask you to repeat it, or if they ask for clarification.  You can also practice using the telephone, by calling businesses and asking for certain items, using your target words.

Practice listening to CNN or the evening news, and record it.  Take the time to practice the intonation patterns and how they pronounce the words will help you tremendously.  Be sure to visit the Institute of Accent Modification website for your Free Consultation and speech analysis to learn how to improve your speech.  Our program has over 20 years of field research and application with students who speak over 65 different languages.  SIGN UP TODAY

 

 

How to Improve your American English Accent - Tip #7

Improving your American English Accent - Tip #7

How to get comfortable using Idioms

Many of my students tell me that when they hear groups of Americans talking, they have difficulty keeping up with the conversation.  Many report that everything seems "so fast", and that it is difficult to know what to say, so many stay silent. 

Like it or not, the American workplace, academic environments, and social scenes are full of idioms and expressions.  You will want to familiarize yourself with all of them.  HOW??  You might ask?   When you hear something come up in conversation that you are not familiar with, listen to it, and write it down.  You can ask an American who you are comfortable with, privately about the meaning and the context in which it was used.  When these phrases come up in conversation, you'll be prepared to respond naturally and confidently. It takes time to get familiar with these expressions, and you may want to contact a speech coach to take a short customized course to "get you up to speed"!

How often have you heard these common expressions, "That was a shot in the arm", "I'm fed up", "He's stopping cold turkey"?  You will want to start listening for idioms everywhere, and start using them.  The use of idioms will surely add color and excitement to your language and make you sound more like a native speaker.

 

Ho