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ENGLISH LESSONS: Accent Reduction & Understandability Improvement (san jose downtown)
offered virtually
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"She literally changed his life." ~ Janet Andrew, Executive Career Coach
This training program is designed for English learners who want to reduce their accent and improve their understandability. Individual 60-minute sessions focus on diction, fluency, rhythm, pitch, and syllabic stress to create a voice that is uniquely yours. Teaching techniques include video analysis, "singing along," tension reduction, minimal pairs, and speaking exercises. The objective is to ensure that you are understood -- not to eliminate your accent.
Lessons are lively and FUN with exercises designed specifically for you! Materials are prepared for each session with your special needs in mind. You will be presented with a handbook especially made for you at the completion of the program.
You can't improve your spoken English in a classroom. You need someone who will listen carefully to you, and just you, and make specific adjustments. I have a lot of experience working one-on-one with clients, and they make great progress.
Sessions are private and confidential. They are conducted online or in person in a safe and supportive environment. Evening and weekend appointments available. Sessions are 60 minutes long and cost $50.
I have had clients from Apple, Microsoft, OpenAI, Qualcomm, Intuit, Teradata, Biogen, MIT, UCSD, Uber, Costco, Kroger, Dow Chemical, Amgen, government agencies, and lots of biotechs and engineering companies. We love working with technical people, financial professionals, STEM folks, scientists, lawyers, real estate agents, students, HR professionals, CEOs, customer service representatives, and doctors!
Professionals who are looking to improve their verbal skills are good candidates for this program. We have good experience with Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Japanese, as well as Farsi, Hindi and Arabic speakers. We've worked with Russian, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian people. We have also had a significant number of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking clients, so we have learned how to help them make progress. It has been a real pleasure to work with them all, especially professionals who have been working in the US for a long time and are hoping to soften their accent.
The key instructor, Jennifer Crittenden, has a B.A. in Linguistics and French, an MBA in Finance, and a CELTA certification to teach English as a second language, as well as over twenty years of corporate experience. She is the owner of the Discreet Guide®, a professional development training company. She has been teaching English learners for over ten years. She speaks fluent French, some Spanish, and a bit of German.
Testimonials:
"My English improved so much because of her. I highly recommend her program if you want to speak proper English and use correct pronunciation for your school or career. Her lessons are fun and helpful." ~ Risa S
"Jennifer is a great teacher. It is extremely helpful learning English from her, and her expertise helped my work a lot! She identified where my weak areas were and taught me how to improve my pronunciations and words connections as well as how to become a fluent English speaker. After learning several months from Jennifer, I am more confident than ever to communicate with my peers/workmates worldwide, and the communication efficiency is also greatly improved." - Stanley J
“I would highly recommend Jennifer Crittenden. English is my second language and I have had the pleasure of being her student. Jennifer is a very patient and organized teacher. Her ability to connect with her students and her talent at teaching complicated concepts and sounds in a simple way are truly superior. She always has great initiative and positive attitude. Jennifer’s dedication to teaching makes her an ideal candidate for a teacher.” ~ Marina B.
"My wife found Jennifer online and arranged our first class. I had my doubts about taking the accent reduction classes since I have been working in the USA for many years. But I am from Spain and had noticed people having difficulty understanding me sometimes. By the end of the first session with Jennifer, I had a good feeling so I purchased a package of 10 lessons. She sent me recordings of our sessions which were helpful. By the 10th lesson, I noticed some improvements in my pronunciation and confidence so I continued my classes with Jennifer. She is dedicated, patient, and professional. I definitely recommend her. " ~Alfredo G.
“My husband and I both admire Jennifer because she is an excellent teacher. She did a lot for me, and I would like to study more with her in the near future.” ~ Jane Li
“Jennifer is a very professional English teacher. She is so friendly, kindly, nice that I am always very glad to have English conversation with her. She cares about not only my language skill, but also my career growth and personal feelings. She is more than a teacher to me. I can’t wait to see her every week. Absolutely recommend!” ~ Katie C.
"I worked with Jennifer for a span of four months in her program Your American Voice. I can attest that I benefited considerably from her coaching, dedication, and encouragement. Jennifer devised a program specifically tailored to my needs, which were to find a way to improve the way I present myself as a financial professional. Through practice and other creative approaches, such as adopting the speaking styles of some well-known individuals, I was able to identify the issues associated with my speech and alleviate them. In our sessions, Jennifer was patient and made me feel comfortable to not be afraid of making mistakes and correcting them. Jennifer was always prepared and open to new ways of helping me with my business speech. I would recommend Jennifer and the American Voice program to anyone who is looking for a way to improve his or her executive presence in business settings, and find a speaking style that would be in line with his or her personality."
~ The Program's First Graduate
I sent one of my clients to Jennifer to help with some speech issues that were impeding his job search and after four months was frankly blown away by his transformation. He spoke with such confidence, and his articulation and fluency were much improved. I was astounded with the positive change that I observed, and how she literally changed his life."
~ Janet Andrews, CEO, A Career Above / Executive Career Coach
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