Online speech training for a clear, confident voice. 

The way you speak can influence every part of your life. Your voice is one of the greatest tools you have to inspire and connect with people, and at San Diego Voice and Accent, you will learn the skills to master the American accent and become a compelling and effective communicator. 

 

I'm Julie Cunningham, the owner and instructor of San Diego Voice and Accent. I specialize in fully customized and comprehensive speech training programs that can target English pronunciation, accent reduction, public speaking and presentation skills, and professional voice coaching. I'll help you to speak English with a balance of clarity and naturalness, and you'll learn the best techniques to engage with your audience and make them excited to listen to you. All services are completed online to offer you the most flexibility and convenience. 


I can provide private, one-on-one training, or if you'd rather join a class, check out my weekly conversation group Julie's Conversation Club (receive your first month free if you sign up by December 4, 2021!). I can also come into your corporation and lead workshops, classes, or seminars. In addition, I offer self-study accent courses that can be completed at your own pace (first full course is expected to be published in January 2022: The American English Vowels for Native Speakers of Hindi / Urdu).

 

If you'd like to get started right away, schedule a free, New Client Consultation below so we can discuss your speech and communication goals. I'm excited to work with you! 

 

 Areas of Practice

Accent Reduction

Accent reduction can help those who wish to improve their English communication skills by developing a deeper awareness of the American accent and learn how to be a more effective communicator. My accent reduction courses are fully customized to your specific needs and concerns, and each course offers rigorous study materials that will teach the American accent at all levels of language and settings.  


You'll learn how to pronounce American English vowels, consonants, stress and intonation, and sentence-level linking and word reductions. You'll also improve your conversational English skills through role playing and presentation activities. All courses include regular, personalized feedback and access to weekly office hours between sessions to keep you on track to reach your goals.

Professional Voice and Executive Skills Training

Learn how to project a clear and confident voice in the most stressful of settings - public speaking. Professional voice and executive skills training can teach you techniques to improve the strength, quality, and clarity of your voice, and help you to conquer the anxiety of public speaking. 


Everyone can benefit from public speaking and voice projection training, as the voice is used in all forms of oral communication, across all languages and accents. This course can benefit both native speakers of English and non-native speakers of English, and it can be added onto any accent reduction course if desired.

Classes and Courses

If learning in a group is more your style, SDVA offers live, weekly group classes on the American accent at Julie's Conversation Club! Participants come from all around the globe for fun and engaging lessons on the American accent. You can also practice your English conversation skills with Julie and receive detailed feedback on your pronunciation skills.  


You can also study at your own pace with one of SDVA's premier online courses on the American accent! Whether you're a beginner of English or more advanced, a working professional or a student, SDVA has an online course that can benefit you!

⭐ Rave 5-Star Reviews ⭐

"I recently finished a 10 sessions program with Julie and I am completely satisfied with the results. Since the first class, it was clear that she was an expert on the subject and created a safe space to practice and ask. The program is completely structured to your needs and based on an initial feedback on your English level, which is probably affected by your mother tongue. It was quite helpful to know the aspects that I needed to improve, but at the same time to be versatile enough to focus on the points you feel less confident. Julie is very organized, so you are aware beforehand of how the class will be, together with feedback of your assignments. I totally recommend Julie if you are looking for a coach that helps you improve those details of your accent that limit your communication or make you feel less confident. My best piece of advice is take the leap to reach your English goals!"  — Juan V., PhD student, Spanish
"Julie provided key information on American English pronunciation. Before I attended her 4-week seminar, I thought my pronunciation was pretty good. After the first class, I realized that there are still many things I can improve on. She provided information and feedback on how I can improve my pronunciation skills. I liked very much her practice in the class. The information I learned in her classes helped me to hear and understand better what others are saying. And with practice, I can feel others can understand me better as well. Julie has a great way of helping me to realize how the muscles in my mouth can move in a way to fulfill the need for the word at hand. This is exactly what I need to improve."  — Hong, Senior Scientist, Mandarin
"Working with Julie was awesome! She helped customize the syllabus as per the feedback from my initial performance review, which helped me focus on my weak areas such as understanding intonation, consonants, and American English pronunciation. The course gave me a jump start on becoming a better story teller."  — Sunit V., Electrical Engineer, Hindi
"So thankful for Julie! She is an outstanding instructor; organized, flexible, knowledgeable, dependable, objective, honest, and committed to help her students succeed. Despite being unable to complete the 16 lesson course due to other commitments. I was able to improve my pronunciation during our 9 sessions, and most importantly, increase my awareness of speech patterns that as an ESL student was not familiar with. Working with Julie has significantly improved my overall confidence in speaking the English language. I particularly appreciate her honest feedback, and all the resources provided during our sessions. I highly recommend working with Julie for anybody wanting to improve their pronunciation and understanding of American speech patterns. So worth it!"  — Lupita H., Registered Nurse, Spanish
"Before I worked with Julie, I had trouble pronouncing words with vowel sounds - I’d either carry over a sound to another word or swap the starting sounds of two consecutive words. This made me a little conscious and I asked her for help. She broke down the pronunciations and word linkings over a few video sessions, and helped me master the pronunciations. As a result, I became proficient at pronouncing sounds I previously had trouble with, and now I’m much more confident while speaking. I’ve also gained more awareness of my pronunciation. Julie is an excellent and a patient communication coach, and I highly recommend her to anyone who wants to work on their pronunciation and accent reduction."  — S.J., Tamil
"I had the pleasure of working with Julie on my standard American accent. Her knowledge and supportive instruction style made the experience truly enjoyable and worthwhile. Her professional yet easy going manner made me feel comfortable from the outset. Julie was encouraging, enthusiastic and most of all patient. I have renewed confidence in my accent capability and I have her to thank for it."  — Stephen L., Voice Over Actor, South African English
"I am a college student and have taken Julie's classes for over six months. Julie fixed my Chinese accent and improved my speech skills. She is one of the most responsible teachers I have ever had. Julie is VERY ORGANIZED. She would make a plan every time before class and give good feedback after. Julie would always upload helpful practices in Google Drive with an organized format. I also had a practice sheet that tracked my practice time. All of these small details made me study and make progress spontaneously. Julie is also extremely precise and experienced. I had a Chinese accent and she was able to find my minor flaws and give me efficient ways to fix them. I was always able to see my improvement after each class. I am very fortunate to learn from Julie. If you want to fix your accent precisely and efficiently, Julie will be your best choice."  — Aaron Z., Student, Mandarin

"Everything becomes a little different
as soon as it is spoken out loud"

— Hermann Hesse

 

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