American Accent Training for all Nationalities

2013 The Chinese New Year of the Snake

 

 
On February 10th, 2013 the Chinese New year of the black snake begins!  This 2013 year of the snake means that focus and discipline will be necessary for you to accomplish your accomplishments.  The snake represents intelligence, wisdom, and self control.  The snake is the 6th sign of the Chinese Zodiac and is one of the most intuitive and refined of the Animal signs.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 will be a year of Big changes and some of the best opportunities we've seen in a very long time. 

 

 

7 Weeks Better American Accent Workbook helps my student

Huge Help for My Students

As an instructor with over 12 years of teaching English as a second language, formerly at two of the City Colleges of Chicago, and who presently teaches privately in Evanston, I highly recommend this program to my Chinese students.  The course starts out with a good foundation and examples.  The practice stories are entertaining and effective.  The author also has useful resources that can help improve presentation skills, which can be difficult for students who are not American.

I've seen the confidence of my students improve using this program.  The audio follows along with the workbook.  Overall, this is a great start to this new series and I look forward to volume 2.  

D. Satler, M.S .(English as a Second language Instructor

The 7 weeks series will give you specialized Strategies to Improve English

 


TESTIMONIAL

7 Weeks to  a Better American Accent Series will help give you specialized strategies to succed in speaking American English correctly

"Speaking English is always frustrating for us Mandarin native speakers.  However it will be a totally different story if we really master those tricks with an Insiders help.  I am glad Tracey wrote this book just for us. She knows well of the difference between Mandarin and English and gives very good advice on how to improve English accent in a short period.  I would like to recommend this book to my Chinese fellows hoping they will enjoy speaking English and benefit from their new American English accent."   Lin Gong, M.E.  Former Language Teacher

Testimonial - 7 weeks to a Better American Accent

7 weeks to a Better American Accent for Native Mandarin Speakers - Volume 1

"Many Native Chinese speakers can master English grammar but are not able to get rid of their accent no matter how many years they practice.  Tracey's book offers a well laid out 7 week course that could improve your communication with native English speakers dramatically."  Sam Fong

 

7 weeks to a Better American Accent for Native Chinese speakers

7 weeks to a better American Accent  Native Chinese speakers – volume 1

“这本书使我说英文的时候中文口音减少了，英文也说得更好了”。

陈松乔

 

7 weeks Better American Accent Book Review

Native Chinese Improve American English Pronunciation in 7 Weeks - Written by David Yontz

7 weeks to a Better American Accent for NativeMandarin Speakers - Volume, 1, published by Sovereign Language Press, is a new resource for native Chinese professionals and students hoping to improve his or her English pronunciation.  The series is divided into 16 tracks specifically targeted towards rectifying common struggles that Chinese speakers face when learning how to effectively speak English.  The audio delivers helpful speaking exercises designed to improve aptitude and confidence.

Professionals will enjoy the series as they polish their business English skills, while students will be able to use the series to improve their daily interactions with Americans.  This 16 track audio follows along with the 70 page workbook available from the publisher, Sovereign Language Press or Amazon.com. As the author Tracey Ingram, M.A., M.S., states in the introductory track, this audio and workbook promises to ,".....increase your understanding of the American accent, but encourages you to do the talking."

7 Weeks to a Better American accent breaks down the basics of American stress patterns, and idiomatic expressions in a step-by-step model that allows the user to work at his or her own pace in developing a competent command of American English.  Upon successful completion of the seven week program outlined in this audio publication, Native Chinese speakers will have internalized a foundation of basic tools to help them improve business relations, personal interactions, and day to day understanding of American English.

Greater presentation skills and a stronger command of business English will open the doors to native Mandarin speakers searching for increased job opportunities and, more importantly, provide a renewed sense of confidence.  In short, 7 Weeks to a Better American Accent for Native Mandarin speakers is an accessible and comprehensive audio guide along with the 70 page workbook to speaking American English with confidence.  This affordable series  is worth exploring by any native Chinese speaker wishing to improve their American accent. 

My Accent is Bad....is it too late to change it??

This is the most common question that I hear from students of all nationalities.  Everyone tells me that they have been told that after a certain age it is IMPOSSIBLE to change their accent.  I am here to tell you that it can be done.  It will take focused practice, good materials, and finally an American accent coach to provide feedback and guidance. 

I have experience working with students who recently arrived from Mainland China, and professionals who have lived in the U.S for many years who had difficulty learning the American accent.  When you are born and start learning your native language, you learned the language with ease and without thinking.  When you start learning another language, the rules you previously taught often act as an obstacle to the pronunciation of the new langauge.  Mandarin is a precise langauge where word order is very strict.  The words are never modifced and everything is based on word order.  American English is totally the opposite. To learn more and to start improving your American accent, check out www.7weeksbetteramericanaccent.com on Amazon.com .    Once you have purchased your copy, you will receive a 25% discount on customized American accent lessons taught by an experience American accent coach online. 

7 Weeks to a Better American Accent for Chinese Speakers - week 7

 WEEK 7  - Tips on building an Advanced Level Vocabulary





It is possible to communicate effectively without using a lot of very big words.  In fact, one never complete vocabulary acquisition; it is a lifelong process for everyone!!  So what is the BIG deal anyway about building an advanced level vocabulary?  Any time we start using new words and phrases we start expanding our minds into new areas.  Every day we use new words, we become more fluid as we continue to explore the world around us. 

One of the best methods to build a vocabulary for a second language successfully is to use word memorization techniques.  If one word is visually or phonetically associated with another word, it is a lot easier to remember.  Visualize the word in its printed form.  Say the word a loud, and spell it aloud.  Say a sentence aloud that uses the new word. Make up an image in your mind that will help you remember the word. 

There are many more tips on building an Advanced level vocabulary and improving your English pronunciation in the workbook series, "7 weeks to a Better American Accent for Native Mandarin Speakers,"  volume 1.  Be sure to pick up the workbook and audio on Amazon.com or check out, www.7weeksbetteramericanaccent.com   

7 Weeks to a Better American Accent for Chinese Speakers - week 6

WEEK 6  - You'll start discovering the sercrets of using common American idiomatic expressions in everyday conversations.




Like it or not, the American workplace and most social scenes are full of colorful idioms and expressions.  People don't begin a project; they get a project off the ground.  Many professionals who work in teams don't just talk about ideas or brainstorm; they like to run some ideas by us!

Many foreign born individuals who speak English as a second language, including the Chinese don't recognize how important idioms are.  You'll need to get comfortable using idioms.  There is no one way to do this, however it takes time and practice.  You can ask a trusted American who speaks well to explain the meaning.  Check out online newspapers, for example the Wall Street Journal, and business sections of the daily newspapers are full of these idioms.

How often have you heard these common expressions, "they pulled the plug", "lets keep in touch, or it slipped my mind"?  The use of idioms will had color and excitement to your language, help you develop a deeper meaning of the English language, and make you sound more like a native speaker. 

Learn more idioms and improve your American accent by visiting www.7weeksbetteramericanaccent.com.  The website will have articles and information on enrolling in an American Accent online program. 

7 Weeks to a Better American Accent for Chinese Speakers - week 5

WEEK 5 - You'll learn to optimize fluency and word associations







Learning how to optimize fluency and word associations can be difficult for many native Mandarin speakers.  Chinese characters start with consonants and end with either a vowel or a nasalized consonant (n or ng.) When learning how to differentiate between voiced and unvoiced final consonants,you'll need to work on your pronunciation and shorten them.  For more details on how to improve this important aspect of your speech, contact the Institute of Accent Modification for a free speech analysis.  The analysis which is presented by the American Accent coaches is one of the many tools that will be used to help customize a program for you which will  improve your English pronunciation online.  Get your free analysis today and a bonus speech class by visiting, www.instituteofaccentmodification.com/contact.html.