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"Long E" and "Short I" are just names. The truth is, the length of these vowels don't matter. I can say "sit" as long as I want, and "seat" as short as I want. The sound of the vowel changes when you change your tongue position, not the duration. Most languages only use the Long E, but not the short I. Is your first language one of them? Download this one pager to for practice material for these 2 vowel sounds.

The truth behind the Long E and Short I

This course is designed to help internationally trained professionals understand fundamental differences between their current pronunciation and clearer English pronunciation. By understanding the nuances of English sound production, you'll not only improve your clarity, but you’ll also experience an improved sense of belonging in English-speaking environments. Gain the most valued soft skill that will last you a lifetime - communication clarity.&nbsp; 👩‍🏫 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥 Angela Chung is the founder and clinical director of Speak Fluent Inc., a Toronto based online communication coaching practice specializing in communication training for working professionals.&nbsp; As a certified speech-language pathologist with a Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Alberta, Angela’s expertise lies in her technical knowledge and intentional work to make long-lasting impact on a person’s communication habits.&nbsp; Angela’s passion is helping professionals to achieve their desired speaking voice and overcome language barriers, enabling them to fully participate and build stronger connections in cross-cultural workplace environments. If you’d like to learn more about 1 on 1 coaching from me or my team, you can contact me at angela@speakfluent.ca. 💡 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘 The presence of a different accent can significantly increase the cognitive load and listener effort required to understand speech. Research shows that even mild accents cause the listener to expend more cognitive resources to comprehend the message. This increased processing demand can lead to fatigue and comprehension breakdowns, especially in noisy environments and for complex/abstract topics. Just as an English speaker would have to learn the different sounds and tones in Chinese to make themselves more intelligible, a lot of immigrants/foreign trained professionals seek out accent training to reduce friction in their English communication environments.&nbsp; Each cohort will be specific to one language background. I recognize that there are MANY dialects of one language that can have different patterns; however, I have taken their similarities and created a dedicated program for you to follow. ❗16 CRUCIAL SOUNDS, STRESS PATTERNS, INTONATION, OVERALL CLARITY The rules of your first language will affect how you speak English. Each language has a different set of sounds and patterns that they work with, which differ from English, This course will guide you through a comprehensive exploration of a total of 16 essential sound patterns - 8 essential sound pairs in English, including consonants and vowels. By focusing on minimal pairs and sound patterns as a whole, you'll develop the ability to differentiate between words that previously caused confusion, even for words that we don’t cover during the course.&nbsp; You’ll learn how to produce these sounds accurately in various words and sentences with me during the live sessions. Sometimes English has a different use for stress patterns and intonation patterns compared to your first language. English can use any tone for the same word in English and it'll still have the same meaning. English tone helps add additional information about the word's importance. By the end of this course, you can expect to see noticeable improvements in your English pronunciation and overall clarity.

Unlock clear and confident English when your first language ISN'T English
 

Course syllabus

Saturdays

July 6, 13, 20

Daily practice is essential to building muscle memory for long-lasting changes.

Weekly practice

Course schedule

You speak a Chinese dialect (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese) as your first language and other resources were too general and too basic for you.

Clarity in English is crucial for your role and you want to get your message across the first time, without needing to repeat yourself.

You're a Chinese speaker and you want to sound more natural speaking English.

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

You will understand how to control your speech system - your lip and tongue movements, and your voice - for patterns of sound that don't exist in Chinese.

Describe key differences between English and Chinese

We'll be reviewing minimal pairs to help highlight sound contrasts. You will distinguish between sounds in real words, like "sit" vs. "seat", in both production and comprehension.

Differentiate between commonly confused English sounds and their correct pronunciation

Self awareness and self monitoring are key skills to be able to make changes in your own speech. Listen, compare, and make adjustments to the sound you produce for increased accuracy.

Self-assess your pronunciation through comparison with audio recordings to identify at least 3 specific sound patterns for practice

Learn common intonation patterns that can be applied across words and sentences. Be able to place stress in the right place within words and emphasize them in a sentence.

Use English stress patterns to make words and sentences sound more natural

Intonation requires control of the variation in pitch across a sentence. Practice emphasizing keywords using dramatic high-low pitch patterns to make it easy for listeners to pay attention to your intended message.

Use English intonation patterns to emphasize key words in everyday conversations

Use at least 3 strategies to improve listener comprehension without modifying your accent. These strategies will also set a good foundation for learning English pronunciation.

Apply techniques to improve clarity of your overall message for unfamiliar listeners

This course helps internationally-trained professionals improve their clarity and confidence in spoken English.

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English Clarity for Internationally-trained Professionals

Resources

The truth behind the Long E and Short I