American Accent Training |
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· No long term commitment - pay weekly
· Study from anywhere - 100% online · Individual, personalized instruction · Flexible schedule |
Ready to change how you speak English?
We'll focus on individual sounds, syllable stress, liaisons, rhythm and intonation to improve your overall pronunciation, soften your accent and boost your confidence when speaking English. Our goal is to provide the best accent reduction classes for the most affordable price!
We offer three subscription plans for accent reduction, all based on 25-minute Skype sessions. If you prefer a longer session, you may schedule two 25-minute sessions back to back to create one 50-minute session. After purchasing a subscription, we'll set up a schedule for you to have class regularly each week, but with the flexibility that allows you to reschedule a session if necessary. Or contact us to set up a schedule before purchasing a subscription.
Important: These subscriptions renew each week automatically. Please order just one per person.
Sessions must be scheduled during the week of the active subscription as session credits do not roll over to the next billing cycle.
There's no commitment. Skip a week or cancel anytime, for any reason.
Individually-paid sessions (without a subscription) are also available on the scheduling page.
If you're not sure which option is best for you, schedule an evaluation session with Bob.
Sessions must be scheduled during the week of the active subscription as session credits do not roll over to the next billing cycle.
There's no commitment. Skip a week or cancel anytime, for any reason.
Individually-paid sessions (without a subscription) are also available on the scheduling page.
If you're not sure which option is best for you, schedule an evaluation session with Bob.
Comments from accent reduction students:
"Robert is an incredible instructor who gives you a very friendly and comfortable environment to learn and speak proper English. Highly recommend his accent reduction classes!"
Emma - China
"O my god, i cant tell how much i am enjoying this course ..... Robert has also been so patient with me and will never let go until i dont say it correctly .... i am in very good hands and will strongly recommend his name to anyone interested in learning english which is tricky but Robert makes it easy."
Goral - India
“I thank you for your excellent explanation about differences in 'ed' pronunciations. I enjoyed the lesson very much!”
George Shalom, Engineer - UAE
See current reviews on Google.
Emma - China
"O my god, i cant tell how much i am enjoying this course ..... Robert has also been so patient with me and will never let go until i dont say it correctly .... i am in very good hands and will strongly recommend his name to anyone interested in learning english which is tricky but Robert makes it easy."
Goral - India
“I thank you for your excellent explanation about differences in 'ed' pronunciations. I enjoyed the lesson very much!”
George Shalom, Engineer - UAE
See current reviews on Google.
One-on-One Training in American English with Accent Coach Bob Dower
- Do people constantly ask where you are from?
- Do you often have to repeat yourself?
- Has anyone ever asked, "Are you on vacation here?" even though you've been speaking English for several years?
- Does is seem as if people focus more on how you speak rather than what you have to say?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you could benefit from taking accent reduction lessons. But before mentioning anything else, let me make something clear: having an accent when speaking a foreign language is perfectly normal and okay. Most people who are able to speak a foreign language with little or no accent were exposed to the foreign language early in their childhood years. Others who are successful with foreign accent acquisition have 'good ears' and pick up the nuances easily. Not all of us are so fortunate, and that's where accent softening lessons can be a tremendous help.
If you feel that your accent is getting in the way of being understood then, by all means, schedule an Accent Evaluation with me and we'll meet over Skype. During the lesson, I'll ask you a series of questions to determine how I can help you achieve your goals.
Defining the real issue
A foreign accent can be an obstacle, holding you back in your career and preventing you from enjoying communication with others. This course will help you overcome that obstacle and soften your accent in English.
How will we do this? The solution is partly physical, the mechanics of speech. You'll learn how to produce certain phonemes (sounds) that probably don't exist in your native language, as well as eliminate other phonemes that exist in your native language but not in English.
It's also partly theoretical - the 'why' of American English pronunciation. Why do we link certain words in a phrase and not others? Why is the regular past tense not pronounced as it is written?
Additionally, there's often a psychological aspect to it; personal identity with your native culture and/or negative feelings regarding certain aspects of North American culture. I understand because I've been there myself. I know what it's like to live in a foreign culture and have my pronunciation scrutinized.
Many speech language pathologists, accent reduction and dialect coaches have never even studied a foreign language and, if they have, it was likely only for a short time in high school or college. They probably haven't had to face the day-to-day challenges of living in a foreign culture where the native speakers are predominantly monolingual.
A foreign accent can be an obstacle, holding you back in your career and preventing you from enjoying communication with others. This course will help you overcome that obstacle and soften your accent in English.
How will we do this? The solution is partly physical, the mechanics of speech. You'll learn how to produce certain phonemes (sounds) that probably don't exist in your native language, as well as eliminate other phonemes that exist in your native language but not in English.
It's also partly theoretical - the 'why' of American English pronunciation. Why do we link certain words in a phrase and not others? Why is the regular past tense not pronounced as it is written?
Additionally, there's often a psychological aspect to it; personal identity with your native culture and/or negative feelings regarding certain aspects of North American culture. I understand because I've been there myself. I know what it's like to live in a foreign culture and have my pronunciation scrutinized.
Many speech language pathologists, accent reduction and dialect coaches have never even studied a foreign language and, if they have, it was likely only for a short time in high school or college. They probably haven't had to face the day-to-day challenges of living in a foreign culture where the native speakers are predominantly monolingual.
For someone to be able to help you improve your accent, that person should understand where you're coming from. That person should understand your struggles.
What I can do for you
Depending on your current understanding of English phonetics and prosody, the resultant accent reduction can be dramatic. While the focus would be on accent reduction, because I'm also an English as a second language teacher, I can help you with grammar if necessary, too. Please visit the 'About' page to see my credentials.
An honest assessment
It's imperative to get an unbiased opinion of how well you pronounce English. When we rely on our own ears to judge our pronunciation, they often fail us. Asking the opinion of friends and colleagues will likely only get you a polite response.
- I will make an assessment of your current pronunciation, recording it as it is today (with your permission), during normal conversation and while reading a short passage.
- I'll then listen carefully for how it can be improved and implement a strategy for accomplishing your goals.
- Each lesson we will focus on improving your accent by learning the mechanics of pronunciation, linking of words, rhythm, intonation, pauses, speed and more.
- After one month, I'll record your speech again and compare the two recordings to assess your progress.
Depending on your current understanding of English phonetics and prosody, the resultant accent reduction can be dramatic. While the focus would be on accent reduction, because I'm also an English as a second language teacher, I can help you with grammar if necessary, too. Please visit the 'About' page to see my credentials.
An honest assessment
It's imperative to get an unbiased opinion of how well you pronounce English. When we rely on our own ears to judge our pronunciation, they often fail us. Asking the opinion of friends and colleagues will likely only get you a polite response.
Accent training online with a dedicated accent reduction coach will give you an honest assessment of your current English pronunciation and allow you to improve your accent in a relaxed and secure environment while getting instant feedback which cannot be obtained when using automated systems or video. And it's a lot more fun!
Technical Requirements
If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!
- a computer or laptop with a webcam (a tablet or cell phone can be used only if you are certain of a good Wi-Fi connection)
- a broadband Internet connection, preferably connected by Ethernet cable directly from the router to the computer
- a Skype account (free)
If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!