London Speech Workshop

What makes London Speech Workshop unique from other courses out there?

At the London Speech Workshop, we pride ourselves on really caring about each individual student, their progress and development, and making sure that everyone gets the attention they need to really improve. Communication is so central in our world, and we understand that it can feel so difficult if you have all the words you need to articulate your thoughts, and yet are held back by difficulty in transmitting them. We specialize in not only teaching the correct sounds of English Pronunciation, but in teaching how to communicate with a sense of confidence, and really use the words you are saying to their greatest effect.

How do I know the LSW Accent Softening course is right for me?

Our Stage One Accent Softening course is for fluent English Speakers who have experienced any kind of difficulty with their accent and English pronunciation. It is suitable for you if you who answer YES to two or more of the following:

• You find you are misunderstood quite often
• You cannot always understand others
• You are asked to repeat yourself sometimes when talking with English colleagues or friends
• You are unsure how to pronounce certain words when you read them
• You have lived in London for less than ten years

If none of the list above apply to you, but you are aware of having an accent or not feeling as confident as you would like when communicating, then chances are you will benefit from some private classes. Usually a bundle of three to five private classes will suffice.

If you are still unsure of whether the course is the right level for you, please do call on 07951 588 622 or email info@londonspeechworkshop.com, and we will give you a quick telephone assessment.

How are your classes structured?

We use a variety of different exercises and approaches to cover the different aspects of learning a new accent, as we have found this to be key to the learning process, and also make it more fun.  Role plays, worksheets, audio and word recognition exercises, pronunciation tests, presentations and games are all used. As well as practicing making the sounds, you will improve your listening skills, and your ability to recognise the sounds through written and audio exercises.

In each session three to five sounds are covered. We work on sounds that get easily confused with each other, ensuring the mouth shape for each sound is accurate, and then work on words and sentences for each sound. Then we put all the sounds together and work on keeping them distinct. Throughout the process there is feedback on the sounds you are making, but also on word stress and intonation so that you improve your pronunciation of sounds and your communication skills concurrently.

What happens if I miss a lesson?

If you miss one lesson, it is usually not too much of a problem, it is only if you miss two that it starts to feel a bit tricky. You can usually catch up very well with the worksheets and a ten minute chat at the beginning or end of the next class. There is also the option of recording the class with your voice recorder (if you leave this with us the week before we can do this for you). Finally there is the option of taking a private class at the subsidised cost of £60 for the hour. If you felt you really needed that lesson and couldn’t catch up through the other means, this is a possibility, but because of the small size of the class people tend to feel pretty safe they can catch up without it.

I want to book the London Speech Workshop Stage One Accent Softening course, what do I do now?

Great, we would love to have you. To book your place simply send us an email from our contact form by clicking on the link below stating the course you wish to do. We will then call you to confirm your accent level, and officially register you for a place. We look forward to hearing from you!

http://www.londonspeechworkshop.com/contact/

Why are accents so difficult to shift?

Each language engages different vocal muscles and rhythms that are learnt over time until they have literally shaped your mouth and therefore shaped the way you speak. When you are learning a new language, you learn the words, but unless you have specific training, you don’t learn how to shape the new sounds. By the time we are adults, the habits of our own language are so strong that they are very difficult to break. LONDON SPEECH WORKSHOP specialises in helping you develop new habits, and to lose the accent of your native language when you speak English.

Why is accent softening necessary?

Our main client base are overseas nationals living and working in London. The people who come to us work in all areas of industry, from business, through to medicine and teaching. Our clients all speak fluent English, and yet many feel restricted by their accents, either from getting a job or promotion, or feel less confident than they would like when giving presentations or communicating at work.  Our courses are developed to build confidence and provide a handle on spoken English, so that our clients feel that their conversational ability matches their fluency.

Why do people still have accents after studying English for several years and reaching a high level of fluency?

It is so annoying for a person to know they are not understood, and yet be unsure of what they are doing wrong and how to improve. This happens because each language has a different set of sounds and a different set of rules. Often these unique sounds aren’t taught in an English teaching course, so students may well emerge with fluent English and yet have little idea of the various pronunciation rules that exist. For example, our sound ‘I’ from ‘hit’ , is a very rare vowel sound, and several languages don’t have it. Instead they will substitute this ‘I’ sound for its closest neighbour the sound ‘ee’ (as in heat). This can lead to all kinds of confusion. Think about how many times you have heard someone say ‘thees’ instead of ‘this’.

Do people from different countries have specific accent difficulties?

Each language brings with it specific challenges to learning the English accent. Native French speakers for example often confuse the vowel sound ‘i’ and ‘ee’ so ‘hit’ and ‘heat’ are difficult to distinguish. While a native Arabic speaker often confuses the sounds of ‘f’ and ‘v’. Cantonese speakers meanwhile confuse ‘l’ and ‘r’ with ‘l’ often being used for both sounds.

Look at the chart below to see some common troublesome sounds for different nationalities. (please note, this is only a small sample of sounds for each nationality).

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN	TROUBLESOME SOUNDS
FRANCE	The vowel sound I, (as in hit) doesn’t exist and so ‘ee’ is used instead. ER (as in fur) causes problems. TH and THE, R, D, T are all troublesome.
GERMANY	W and V are confused, V often used for both. A (as in hat) often gets confused with E (as in pet) The sound OE (as in toe) is also tricky.
CHINA	L, N, R all get confused. V can be replaced by W or F. B, D, G, don’t exist, and so P,T, and K are used instead.
ARABIC	F and V may get confused. R’s are often rolled. E (as in pet) is often used instead of I (as in pit)

Is it possible to change your accent?

It is possible, but it takes a lot of hard work. We can give the tools, exercises, methods of learning, and enhance listening skills, but our work won’t be of much use without your work too. It helps if you have a good ear, but regular practice is the most helpful tool, and we teach in several different ways so while one person may pick it up by listening, another can go a more technical route. Our courses also provide you with worksheets, exercises, and a methodology for you to continue your practice long after the course is over. A London Speech Workshop CD completes this package, giving you a constant reference point to return to.

How do I know if I should take private or group classes?

Both private and group classes have their different benefits, and while some people work better in a group environment, others find that one to one suits their learning style better. Financial considerations are also a factor, and how much time you have available. We are more than happy to advise over the phone to help you decide the best option for you…

Just call Emma on 07951 588 622 or email info@londonspeechworkshop.com

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