Like a makeover for your speech
That’s how you’ll feel after experiencing the results and change in clarity that are possible with a little guided effort.
You’ve watched design experts transform rooms in people’s homes. You’ve seen talk show audiences react in amazement at hairstyle and apparel makeovers done by style experts. How about a speech makeover with the help of someone who can determine specifically what needs to change to make your spoken communication sparkle?
You’ve already become comfortable with American English vocabulary. Why leave it at the difficult and sludgy pronunciation stage you’re stuck at?
Your personal speech coach (speech stylist?) will know what’s wrong, what needs to change, and exactly how to change it so you can put your best self forward when it matters most.
Like the home owner who hosts the first dinner party after the new furniture, paint and fixtures are in place… like the guy or girl who goes out on the town (or just in to work) with a new hairstyle, a bold and edgy new look, and a little extra spring in their step… you’re going to take that next critical situation in which your customers, students, or co-workers are counting on communicating with someone who understands what they need – and they will understand you. Your confidence and certainty levels will have a little extra bounce of their own.
It doesn’t cost as much as a kitchen upgrade, but you might want to hit the mall or salon for a new look after experiencing your new speaker confidence levels. Call Joe at (800) 249-1936 (in the US) or send him an email. Take the quick-start route by submitting your Speech Screening recording now with a couple of clicks and a microphone.
We all judge on first impressions. Ready for your transformation? You’re going to like the way you sound.
Read Moreis your accent Sexy?
Sexy accents are easily understood by everyone. They are attractive, charming, intriguing.
Chances are you don’t believe your accent is sexy because you’ve been experiencing the opposite. Instead of attracting people to your voice and words, it makes people reluctant to interact with you since they know it’s difficult to get clear information from you. Instead of charming, people may find it bothersome and unappealing. It attracts negative attention.
It is completely possible to remove those characteristics from your spoken English. Although some people find it challenging to remove every trace of their foreign accent, many are able to change their speech patterns to achieve much higher levels of clarity and accuracy in their pronunciation. There are many foreign-born professionals in the United States who speak with detectable accents that do not interfere with intelligibilty. When they speak, the message is clear.
With guided practice and instruction, this is exactly what P-ESL students achieve. When you know what sounds need to be changed and how to go about changing them and using them, the rhythm of your speech begins to sound appealing, intriguing, and maybe even just a touch sexier! Many professionals who invest in changing their accents have personal motivations, too! It’s not always all about the business.
Curious? Your first step toward clearer, more accurate (and maybe sexier sounding) speech is always a click away. Get meaningful feedback from a real instructor and coach by trying a complimentary screening assessment (click here and a new window will appear).
(MySpeechCoach.com offers no guarantee that your new clearer speech patterns will enhance your social status or make your phone ring more often. It is likely that after you eliminate at least half of the pronunciation obstacles that are making your speech sound heavily accented – a typical outcome for many P-ESL students – you will find it much easier to connect with people in all settings… whether you need to impress someone on the job or after work.)
Got 5 minutes and a microphone?
Complete a Compton P-ESL online screening test to get real feedback and an introductory analysis of the clarity and accuracy of your American English. If you’ve been thinking about finally doing something about the trouble your accent is giving you, this is the perfect first step.
There’s no obligation to invest in an expensive training program.
With one more click of your mouse you can begin a short set of tasks that will send a sample of your recorded speech to a live American English accent instructor. You’ll be given easy-to-follow instructions on how to record a short set of words, a short reading selection, and a brief recording of your own spontaneous, conversational-style speech. When you complete the tasks, click the submit button at the end to send your recording to a certified Compton P-ESL accent modification instructor.
Ready to start?
You’ll need to have a microphone plugged into your computer, or use a laptop computer that has a built-in microphone. Click here to go to the test page. Follow the instructions that appear on the next screen.
What’s the point?
The instructor who listens to your recording will identify specific sounds and patterns that are making your speech sound accented to American ears. The test is short because it’s designed to help the instructor give you a quick rating that describes your accent as mild, moderate, heavy or severe.
A mild accent is generally easy to understand. Although there may be room for improvement, typical speaking situations are not a challenge for the mildly accented speaker. Making the changes that will remove the most mildest indicators of an accent can require the most intensive and consistent practice. Just like the “final 5 pounds” that dieters often complain about, the final few traces of an accent can be the hardest to eliminate. Most people seeking an accent instructor are concerned with their general levels of clarity and accuracy.
A heavy or severe accent creates confusion for the listener and frustration for the speaker. If you are frequently asked to repeat yourself, and if people often tell you they have difficulty understanding you, your accent is probably heavy or severe.
The terms moderate, heavy and severe don’t really describe why your speech patterns are difficult to understand, but a more throrough assessment (or evaluation) will reveal all of the specific speech patterns you are using that make your speech difficult to understand. When you know what the problems are, your instructor can begin to help you fix them.
Take the short test beginning on the next page. A P-ESL certified instructor will respond via email within 48 hours with your test results and recommendations for the most appropriate next steps. The test is free and there is absolutely no obligation for you to enroll in a training program.
The information is yours to keep.
Read Morewhere do accents come from?
As a foreign-born speaker of American English in the United States, you are first equipped with your original native language. That language depends on a specific set of sounds with which you create words. Every language uses it’s own unique set of sounds. Some language share sounds, and some sounds are unique, or exclusive, to a specific language.
You can use the sounds of your first language without giving much thought to how you produce them. The movements of your lips, tongue and jaw form those sounds (with the aid of your voice) with tremendous ease because those movement patterns were formed when you were very, very young. Your brain has memorized them just like the muscular patterns you use when signing your name or tying your shoes.
When you begin direct your focus to improve the clarity and accuracy of your American English pronunciation (or any other new language), you are forcing the movement of some new, unfamiliar patterns. Your first attempts will be a little awkward and “off-target” just as if you were to switch hands while signing your name.
If you don’t learn the sounds of American English and how to connect them with rhythm and intonation, you are only trying to create something that sounds like English using the sound set of your native language, which most likely does not match the sound set of American English. By the way, speech professionals use the term phonemic repertoire to refer to the set of sounds that comprise a language. They also call sounds phonemes.
It’s like trying to cook a great recipe even if you’re missing some of the essential ingredients. It might be edible, but everyone will know with one taste that it is not authentic. When you use only the phonemic repertoire and rhythm of your original language to produce American English, it results in what others perceive to be accented speech.
By the way, there are 21 consonants and 5 vowels in English, but these are only letters. They do not reflect the number of sounds used in English. The letters, alphabet and spelling of American English are not much help for learning the pronunciation of American English. The 26 letters of the English alphabet can be used to represent over 42 different spoken sounds. There are many instances of spelling that does not in any way seem to represent the spoken pronunciation of a word.
Read MoreResults.
Great Coaching… Measurable Results. Personal Accent Teleclasses, Accent Coaching Classes and Corporate Training Events can all be delivered in either your office, home office or by phone.
Your personal consultant, coach and trainer will guide you toward your goals of accent modification, voice improvement and better presentation skills.
Personal Accent Teleclass sessions are for native and non-native speakers of American English. We’ll “meet” once per week to work on individualized accent modification sessions that are custom designed to meet the specific challenges of your current accent production patterns. No two individuals receive the same training. Every coaching experience is unique, yet highly structured. The result is clear, effective and more powerful speaking skills. Successful professionals who need to change their heavily-accented speech, speak with influence, and deliver thoughts and ideas with a more polished and inviting style – those are my best clients.
Book a private consultation or arrange a training event for your corporate team by calling 1-888-249-1936.
Accent Coaching Classes can be conducted as private sessions or small group classes (for up to 5 individuals). Participants will receive instruction from an experienced accent modification trainer licensed by the American Speech-Hearing & Language Association and certified in the Compton P-ESL Accent Modification Method. The training is effective, motivating and delivers measurable “Before and After” results. Each participant begins with a personalized assessment to mark a starting point for change, and completes the course with a measurable, unquestionable follow-up analysis that clearly shows the amount of change, improvement, and accuracy gained. Expect results of at least 50% fewer speech errors with approximately 12 hours of guided coaching.
Book a private consultation or arrange a training event for your corporate team by calling 1-888-249-1936.
Corporate Training Events can be offered at your workplace.
“I speak for a living, but my Southern/Mid-western/New York/etc.. accent is always a distraction.”
“Our team presents to critical decision makers, but our presentations are awful.”
“I need to present to corporate groups on a weekly basis, and I suck at it.”
These statements have been made by real clients in real situations. Better speaking is a skill that anyone can work on, but few initiate. That’s why those who do stand out from the crowd and get remembered. Your coach will show you and teach you what the best speakers do, and what they don’t do. We’ll start with a snapshot of where you are, what you do, and how you feel about speaking today, and finish with a recorded instance of you using your new skills and looking like you were born doing it.
CSC – Capital Speech Consultants – the company behind MySpeechCoach.com
helping you acquire the clear communication skills that success demands.
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