Is Your Accent Holding You Back?
Achieve clear communication through personalized accent reduction coaching
Gain More Confidence
Don't let fear of being misunderstood keep you from speaking up in meetings, making phone calls, or giving presentations.
Access 1-on-1 instruction to reduce your accent. You know what you want to say; feel confident in how you say it.
Achieve Better Clarity
Are you frustrated by constant requests to repeat yourself? By those looks of confusion? By the dreaded "huh"?
Learn customized tools to address your specific speech needs so that you can be understood the first time.
Make the Right Impression
Do you feel your accent causes others to make false assumptions about your intelligence, competence, or education?
Get personalized coaching to improve your communication. Don't let delivery interfere with your message.
Reduce Your Accent in as Little as 3 Sessions
Has your accent prevented you from getting a job? From getting promoted? From delivering a punchline well?
Speech Leader accent reduction services can help you achieve clearer communication in as little as 3 sessions. When we say accent reduction (also known as accent training or accent modification), we are talking about how to pronounce particular sounds in American English, but we’re also talking about a lot more. Sessions will cover:
- inflection
- pitch
- rate
- rhythm
- emphasis/stress
- idioms
Everyone has an accent and no one accent is superior to another. However, the reality is also that accents can sometimes distract from the message you’re trying to communicate, simply because of the different patterns inherent in your native language.
There are tools you can learn for more effective communication in American English. We can give them to you.
Speech Leader offers:
- 1-on-1 coaching, tailored to your needs
- Online sessions from the comfort of your home or office
- Evening and weekend availability
- Homework with instructor feedback between sessions
- Handouts with visuals
- Clear, patient instruction
- Free initial consultation
Tailor-made, customized sessions just for you
We provide personalized 1-on-1 coaching, rather than using a “one size fits all” curriculum.
In the first session, your coach will conduct an assessment to determine what specific areas you need coaching in and what your speech goals are. You and your coach will talk about scheduling and what works best for you. Typically you will meet with your coach once a week for 14-16 weeks, 60-90 minutes each session, although this can vary greatly depending on different factors.
Because each language has its own rhythm and inventory of sounds, and because everyone has different experiences with where and how they learned English, as well as their personal goals, the structure of sessions will vary from person to person. At Speech Leader you will get the individualized accent reduction training you need to address your specific concerns.
Between sessions you’ll get homework so you can practice what you learned in the session that week. We know — no one likes homework — but in our experience the people who spend a consistent amount of time practicing each week make the most progress in the least amount of time. And that’s our goal for you! We want you to meet your goals and leave feeling more confident in the way that you communicate.
"Now I'm not held back by how I speak English"
You don’t have to sound just like a native English speaker in order to be understood. The goal of accent reduction services is not to completely get rid of your accent. Through sessions we will give you customizable strategies to implement so that your communication is clear and intelligible.
Clients who receive these services report feeling more confident in their ability to lead and participate in meetings, give presentations, communicate clearly over the phone, and connect socially. No matter your profession, your communication is essential to your daily life.
You have questions? We have answers!
What is accent modification/accent reduction/accent training?
Accent modification, accent reduction, and accent training are all terms referring to the same idea — services that help people speak their second language in a clear and effective way. This can be for any language; at Speech Leader, we specialize in teaching American English.
Who is accent training for?
If you’re someone who feels like your native accent is interfering with your professional or personal life and you’re motivated to learn strategies for clearer communication, you’re likely a good candidate for accent training. It is usually best to pursue this training only after you have a high level of proficiency in your second language, as training will focus more on pronunciation and intonation, rather than on grammar.
Accent training can be useful for people in a range of fields and professions, including healthcare professionals, IT professionals, public speakers, professors, teachers, university students, service industry workers, sales representatives, CEOs, telemarketers, and actors.
When do sessions take place?
Sessions can be set according to your schedule! Evening and weekend availability provided.
What happens in an accent reduction session?
In your first session with your coach, she will conduct an assessment to get a better idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are so they can develop individually crafted classes. The frequency and duration of sessions will vary from person to person. A typical schedule could be weekly sessions for 14-16 weeks, 60-90 minutes each.
Your accent coach will target a range of topics related to oral communication, including pronunciation, stress/emphasis, pitch, volume, rate, and intonation, as well as body language , gestures, and presence. Between sessions you’ll be given homework to give you the opportunity to practice what you worked on in the session that week. Consistent practice is key to timely improvement!
Is it possible for me to lose my accent?
Although you may feel like you want to completely “lose” your accent, this is not a realistic or even a necessary one. Likely, what you’re really after is the ability to communicate your thoughts clearly without having to repeat yourself or feeling like your listener is hearing your accent rather than your message. You can certainly reach this goal without being mistaken for a native speaker of American English.
Why Speech Leader?
Good question! There are many options when it comes to accent reduction training. However, unlike other companies, when you sign up with Speech Leader, you know exactly who you’ll be getting as your coach. Danielle C. Smith, our founder, is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist with years of experience. This background gives her an in-depth understanding of pronunciation and the rules of American English, so you know that your instruction will be individualized to you, not based on a “one-size-fits-all” curriculum.
