"I came to this country as a teenager because of my American relatives, became a naturalized U.S. citizen, attended college and graduate school in the U.S., and finished a PhD in mathematics, only to discover that despite the fact that I wrote better than many native English speakers, something very important was missing.

Knowing tons of fancy words, philosophy, history, psychology etc, simply did not help when I left the ivory tower. In the real world, the issue is not even the accent, but the actual flow of communication. The actual static pronounciation of individual words is simply secondary to the flow of the groups of words.

Ms. Ann Cook has a very unique system that has dramatically improved the way I construct and present my entire pattern of communication. She has an astoundingly efficient system that is both intuitive and scientific at the same time. I feel that this course has literally changed both my business and personal life."
-- Dr. I., Software Consultant
 
 

We accept credit cards.

Classes provide the feedback necessary for you to make significant progress in spoken American English. You will be tape recorded at the first session, and throughout the course.

The program covers all aspects of your accent -- intonation & phrasing (the rhythm or 'speech music' of English); liaisons (the word connections between spoken words in fluent speech); and pronunciation (all the vowels and consonants).

Although the course is primarily accent oriented, grammar and vocabulary points do come up. At these times, each point will be clearly explained and incorporated into your speech.

There is also a fair amount of homework each week; writing, listening and speaking. The more committed you are to putting the necessary effort into the course, the more successful you will be in standardizing your accent.
The course has three main parts: 

1 American Accent Training book
The American Accent Training book and five audio CDs (Barron's, 2000) cover the three major accent components: Intonation, Word Connections and Pronunciation. There are many detailed exercises, both spoken and written. With this book, you will learn to hear the sounds and rhythms of standard spoken American English.

2 Pronunciation Power Software
Pronunciation Power is an excellent software program that allows you to record and compare your speech with the standard model. You also see the exact lip and tongue positions, both from the front and the side. The waveform gives a visual representation of your speech pattern. When you register for the class, this software will be sent to you at no extra charge.

3 Individual materials
Fax, email or mail in a technical text or a script -- we then apply the American Accent Training techniques to your own material. We will also read it onto a cassette for you, so you can practice a speech or presentation on your own for as much time as you would like. This way, when you go back to the workplace or in front of an audience, you are that much more prepared with the specific professional terminology you need. For more information, or to receive a free brochure, call (800) 457-4255 or (661) 254-0590. You can also fax (661) 254-1498. 

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Last Updated 06-DEC-2000