Accent Reduction in English
Strong communication skills advance careers, deepen personal connection, and enhance life quality.
Strong oral communication skills can build and advance careers, improve personal life, and enhance quality of life in general.
Pronunciation is the very first thing people notice when you start speaking. Most people unconsciously judge your English based on how you sound. Even if you have perfect grammar, impressive vocabulary, and impeccable spelling skills, all are diminished by unclear pronunciation.
Who benefits from my services?
If English your academic or professional success is limited by your unclear speech or heavy accent, my services are for you. My clients come from various walks of life: university students and professors, software engineers, teachers, accountants, realtors, a lot of businessmen and women, many other seeking to advance their careers in the US.
It all starts with a free 1:1 intro call.
During this 15-minute zoom call, we will discuss your goals, I will give recommendations on the learning plan, and answer your questions.
Plans
Intensive Coaching Program
6 week program-
Diagnostic test
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Personalized learning plan
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Two 20-min. 1:1 sessions per week, 12 sessions total
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Daily personalized intensive practice with pronunciation App
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Access to 3 workshops
Benefits: rapid progress
Time commitment: 3-4 hours weekly
Clear English Membership
Monthly subscription-
Diagnostic test
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Personalized learning plan
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30-min 1:1 coaching session weekly for the duration of the subscription
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Daily/regular personalized practice with pronunciation App
Benefits: steady progress at your own pace
Time commitments: minimum of 1.5 hours weekly
Note:
Many employers reimburse the cost of this program. Check with yours!
Program Overview
Brief Description: the program is designed to address the most challenging oral communication issues of English language learners.
The program includes group workshops, extensive individual coaching, and the use of appropriate software programs.
Duration: 10 weeks
Objectives:
1. Improve speech clarity, reduce accent
2. Boost communication confidence
3. Improve communication and presentation skills
Description of Each Track and Challenges Related to Them
Each track begins with a group workshop. If a program participant cannot attend a workshop, he/she will be given a recording of it. The tracks of the program can be taken individually or combined and can be as intense as desired.
Accent reduction is all about changing old speech habits by building new ones. At this level, participants train the muscles of their speech organs to do their best in imitating native English speakers. After completing intensive sound articulation workshop and attending the first 1:1 coaching session, participants use pronunciation app for their daily practice. Weekly individual sessions allow faster progress as many pronunciation challenges are being addressed in live coaching sessions.
Many English learners are ineffective communicators because of intonation issues. Intonation is, unfortunately, an ignored area of the second language acquisition pedagogy in many educational systems, and in reality, it is one of the primary areas to address in order to improve oral communication skills. Intonation (or speech “melody”) varies from language to language, and its patterns are deeply engrained in our mind by our mother tongue. When we speak a second or a foreign language, we transfer native language intonation patterns there. These patterns are especially hard to override for those whose native language is a tonal language – Mandarin, for example. Working on intonation takes time and effort. Unfortunately, there is no effective app for it, so individual approach plays a key role here.
This level can be challenging for native speakers as well, but the struggles for international students on this level stem from their lack of language experience to “feel” the message they are delivering in the second language. Second language learners are somewhat “detached” from their messages. They “don’t feel” the words the way native speakers do, and this causes a problem with emphasis. In order to overcome it, students are trained to put a conscious effort in emphasizing what is REALLY important in what they are saying.
Meet your instructor Dr. Katerina Belik
Meet your instructor Dr. Katerina Belik
PhD in Linguistics, my specialties are phonetics and psychological aspects of language. I have more than 2O years of experience teaching English as a Second Language, and for the last 12 years, I have been teaching international graduate students in one of the best private universities in the USA.
Throughout my career, I have helped hundreds (if not thousands) international students and professionals. Among them are engineers, researchers, doctors, university instructors, politicians, and plenty of PhD and Master’s degree students preparing themselves for successful careers in various fields.
Originally from Russia, English is my second language too. I know very well what your struggles are, and what you are going through linguistically, culturally, and psychologically.
I love what I do, and I am looking forward to helping you to succeed!
Dr. Belik quickly identifies the problems that prevent me from communicating well. In some cases, she will point to the issues I never realized I have.
Bei Wu
I found this program very beneficial although I have lived in the US for 7 years and got my Bachelor degree here.
Bin Huang
Dr. Belik worked on MY individual problems and gave me individual recommendations. Her feedback gave me confidence and helped to progress quickly.
Ziyi Zhao
It is a wonderful program! I really want to recommend it to my international PhD friends.
Soobin
Just within 6 weeks, you can improve your speech clarity more than you were able to do for years on your own. You will become aware of some aspects of language you never knew existed. I will equip you with tools to continue improving your spoken English skills even after you complete the program.
Cost of the Program:
$1,300
Register before April 14, 2023 and get $400 OFF.
Notes:
- Many employers can reimburse the cost of this program. Check with yours!
- If you are an employer or a university wanting to enroll a group larger than 20 students at a time, please send us your request here.
What happens after I register?
After you register, you will be invited to my first workshop discussing common pronunciation challenges. If you can’t attend the workshop, I will give you a link to the workshop recording. You will also be given a link to start scheduling your 1:1 sessions with me. During our first 1:1 meeting, you will gain access to the pronunciation app and will start daily practice.
Notes:
- Many employers can reimburse the cost of this program. Check with yours!
- If you are an employer or a university wanting to enroll a group larger than 20 students at a time, please send us your request here.
What happens after I register?
After you register, you will be invited to my first workshop discussing common pronunciation challenges. If you can’t attend the workshop, I will give you a link to the workshop recording. You will also be given a link to start scheduling your 1:1 sessions with me. During our first 1:1 meeting, you will gain access to the pronunciation app and will start daily practice.