About the
Lessons
Who is this course for?
Return to top
The lessons offered at the American Accent Workshop
are designed for adults 16 year of age and older who are learning English as a second
language. They are also for people who have spoken English for a long
time but need to improve their accent.
Since all lessons are conducted in English, we
recommend that people have at least an intermediate level of English to
understand what is going on.
What kind of lessons are they?
Return to top
The lessons we offer are audio and video classes and
they focus on speaking English more clearly. They include
pronunciation, rhythm and intonation, and linking words together. Some
lessons are more drill oriented, some are more informative, and others are
more artsy. For example, you may learn the way your mouth moves to
make the R sound and later learn about intonation through a poem or a
song.
How long is each lesson?
Return to top
Each audio lesson is approximately 30-45
minutes. The video lessons are between 5 and 15 minutes.
What is a Help Session?
Return to top
A help session is a time when your instructor will be available to answer
any specific questions you have. You can call or use Skype to get in
touch with the instructor and ask about English pronunciation and accent or
English in general. We currently hold 2 practice sessions per week.
Who are the instructors?
Return to top
Your instructors are Sheri Summers and Mark Bev. Each has been in the
English as a second language field for nearly 20 years. They each have
substantial experience in teaching and coaching speaking and pronunciation
skills to international English language learners.
Changing
Your Pronunciation
Is it really
necessary for me to change my accent?
Return to top
Language is communication.
If you feel that your accent is getting in the way of your work, school,
or life, making some changes would be very necessary to ensure that real
communication is happening.
If not everyone understands you, and if
you understand others, then accent training is useful for you if you want
to sound more like a native English speaker.
If I enroll in this course, will I speak like a native English speaker?
Return to top
The purpose of the American
Accent Workshop is to make
you better understood when you speak English. How close you become
to sounding like a native English speaker is up to you.
Can I really change my accent?
Return to top
Yes. If you follow the lessons
and commit to better pronunciation, you will see a big difference in the
way you speak and how others understand you.
Why should I learn an American
accent?
Return to top
Let us begin by saying that
we don't
believe any accent is right or wrong, good or bad. While you will
probably never lose your native language accent completely, you can learn
to sound a lot more American, British, Australian, etc. if you work on it.
Which accent you choose to use is up to your personal preferences, who you
are working with, and the reasons you are using English.
American English is especially useful when you are
living in the United States or Canada, or doing business with North
Americans. American English is widely understood around the world
due to the prevalence of American movies.
Won't learning an
accent make me sound fake?
Return to top
Actually, the opposite is true. Most people won't
even realize that you have changed your accent. They'll just think
that finally you are speaking well.
How long
will it take to see improvement in my speaking?
Return to top
Making a change in your accent does take time and
commitment. But a lot of progress can be made in a very short time
with the right training and commitment to learning.
Enrolling in
the American Accent Workshop
I don't have a credit card. How can I
enroll?
Return to top
Our current pay processor is
PayPal. PayPal can accept major credit cards as well as bank payments
from most countries. If you find that PayPal doesn't work for you,
just contact us and we will try to make alternate arrangements for you.
What if
I need to drop out of the course?
Return to top
One of the nice things about a course like this is you can
keep and review the classes as often as you like. Even if you put it aside
for 5 years, it will still be there ready and waiting for you to proceed.
But if you feel that you need to drop out, you may do so
within one month of enrollment. Your course fee will be refunded minus a
$30 processing fee. No refunds are offered after one month.
What happens if I still need your help after the course finishes?
Return to top
You can remain a part of the American
Accent Workshop for as long as you like after the first 9 months for just
$19.95 a month.
As long as you remain within our
community you will receive access to Help Sessions, weekly feedback, and
more.
