Elevate your English with a premier online course from San Diego Voice and Accent

 

Whether you're a beginner of English or more advanced, a student or a working professional, SDVA has an online course that will benefit you! To view all course offerings, visit San Diego Voice and Accent: Courses

American Accent: Top 10 Essentials

Course details

 

What will I learn? 

You'll learn the top 10 essentials of the American accent through detailed lessons on American English syllable stress, word reductions and unstressed syllables, and how to pronounce the most common vowels and consonants of American English. Each chapter includes pronunciation videos, helpful text explanations, downloadable worksheets, and chapter quizzes to test your knowledge.

 

Who should take this course? 

This accent reduction course was designed to improve the clarity and fluency of non-native speakers of American English. However, if you are a native speaker of English who grew up speaking another dialect or accent and you want to learn more about the American accent, you will also benefit from this course. 

 

What English skill level should I have before I take this course?

The material in this course is best for a skill level of intermediate and above. However, I would encourage beginners of English to enroll (all videos come with captions). It's never too early to start learning about American English pronunciation!

 

Why should I take this course on the American accent?

Pronunciation can't be learned from a book. Once a word is spoken out loud, its pronunciation often changes, and the only way to learn about that pronunciation is to listen to native speakers and then imitate them. This course will give you the opportunity to do just that - listen to and imitate native speakers of American English, with helpful pronunciation tips and guidance along the way. 

 

But even more important is this course will teach you the rules that govern American English pronunciation, such as:

 

  • How a vowel is different from a consonant
  • Which words to stress and destress in a sentence
  • How to reduce vowels in unstressed syllables

 

As you become more aware of the sounds and patterns of spoken American English, your pronunciation skills will greatly improve!

 

How much does this course cost?

The American Accent: Top 10 Essentials course is free!

 

Enroll now - it's free!

Six Steps to a Stronger Voice

Course details

 

What will I learn?

You'll learn how the voice is made in the body, starting with the lungs and ending with the lips! Then you'll strengthen each vocal body system with guided exercises specific to each system. You'll also learn how to keep your voice in top shape with daily vocal warm-ups.

 

Who should take this course?

Anyone who uses their voice will benefit from this course! From professional voice users (teachers, CEOs, performers, actors) to typical, everyday voice users (students, working professionals, homemakers) - anyone who wants to improve the sound of their voice should take this course.

 

Why is it important to learn about the voice?

We use our voices every day to communicate our thoughts, emotions, and motivations. Yet for many of us, the inner workings of the voice remain a complete mystery. This course will unlock the mystery of the voice, and then teach you techniques that will help you to speak with your ideal-sounding voice.

 

How much does this course cost?

The Six Steps to a Stronger Voice course is free!

 

Enroll now - it's free!

Master the American Accent: The American English Vowels for Hindi / Urdu Speakers

Course details

 

What will I learn? 

This comprehensive online course will start by teaching you the differences and similarities between American English vowels and Hindustani vowels. Then you'll learn about key vowel considerations that impact the accurate pronunciation of all vowels, such as vowel reductions, nasality of vowels, and vowel length. Then the practice: You'll practice each vowel of American English with over 1,500 audio files, 60+ videos, and detailed instructions on "What to do / What not to do" when pronouncing that vowel. Every chapter has quizzes to test your knowledge and end-of-chapter pronunciation challenges to maximize your learning.

 

Who should take this course? 

This vowels course was specifically designed for native speakers of Hindi, Urdu, and the related Indian languages. The course material was written from the perspective of a native Hindustani speaker and the typical pronunciation differences that person may have when speaking American English. If you are ready to dive deep into the American English vowel system and master both the theory and the pronunciation of American English vowels, then this course is for you!

 

What English skill level should I have before I take this course?

The material in this course is best for a skill level of intermediate and above. However, I would encourage beginners of English to enroll (all videos include captions). It's never too early to start learning about American English pronunciation!

 

Why should I take this course on the American English vowels?

Pronunciation can't be learned from a book. Once a word is spoken out loud, its pronunciation often changes. This is even more true for vowels because English is not a phonetic language - the spelling of a word doesn't always match up to how it is pronounced (cough, though, and bough all have different "ough" pronunciations!)

 

The only way to learn about vowel pronunciation is to listen to native speakers and then imitate them. This course will give you the opportunity to do just that - listen to and imitate native speakers of American English - with powerful practice material and instructions that were written from the perspective of your native language. 

 

And even more - this course will teach you each vowel of American English with over 1,500 audio files, 60+ videos, and detailed instructions on "What to do / What not to do" when pronouncing that vowel. You'll have all the information you'll need to master American English vowel pronunciation!

 

How do I receive extra help during the course?

You can participate in the online SDVA Facebook community if you have questions or want extra help along the way. 

Additionally, you can purchase discounted private accent training with Julie if you want more personalized coaching and pronunciation guidance as you complete the course. You can add these one-on-one sessions at the time of purchase, or contact Julie for more information (julie@sandiegovoiceandaccent.com).

 

How much does this course cost?

Please click HERE to learn more about the cost of the American English Vowels for Speakers of Hindi / Urdu course.

 

Enroll now

⭐ 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

Please note: The services provided by San Diego Voice and Accent are not clinical, and thus, clients do not receive a speech-language diagnosis or participate in insurance-based speech-language therapy.

 

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