What you will learn
- Master sounds of American English (vowels, consonants, stress patterns)
- Improve speech clarity through articulation techniques
- Develop natural rhythm and intonation
- Reduce accent through targeted exercises
- Build listening discrimination skills
- Apply pronunciation rules to real-world conversations
- Gain confidence in professional and social speaking
Program Overview
Consonants of American English
⏱️ 4 weeks
- This foundational course systematically covers all 24 consonant sounds through minimal pair exercises, tongue placement diagrams, and real-time speech analysis.
- Students practice challenging contrasts like /r/ vs. /l/ and /θ/ vs. /s/ using waveform visualizations.
Vowels of American English
⏱️4 weeks
- Focusing on the 15 vowel sounds, this course teaches mouth positioning for tense/lax vowels, diphthongs, and the schwa.
- Includes spectral analysis of formants and intensive repetition drills for vowel reduction in connected speech.
The Music of American English
⏱️ 4 weeks
- Covering prosodic features, this module implements pitch contour exercises, thought group chunking, and focus word emphasis.
- Students analyze TED Talks to practice native-like rhythm patterns and sentence-level stress.
Advanced Pronunciation Techniques
⏱️ 4 weeks
- This capstone applies all skills through dialogue recordings, self-assessment rubrics, and personalized feedback.
- Students master connected speech phenomena like linking, assimilation, and flap/tap variations through Hollywood scene recreations.
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Job Outlook
- Career benefits: 40% improvement in perceived professionalism (UC Berkeley study)
- Industry demand: Required for ESL teachers, customer-facing roles, broadcasters
- Salary impact: 11-18% wage premium for clear communicators (Harvard Business Review)
- Certification value: Recognized by language schools and corporate trainers
Specification: The Pronunciation of American English Specialization
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