Speak Excellent English Cultural Simulation Modules
Dr. Priscilla Akpaita [Native English Speaker]
Conversational English Language Learners
Conversational English Language Learners
Promotional Class (30 Minutes)
Your first lesson will focus on pronunciation of words, sounds, listening skills, and practicing casual English. When you collectively combine reading with these skills you will be well on your journey to Speaking Excellent English. Within the very first few minutes you will receive strategies to help you summarize simple/complex sentences to convey meaning to the listener. The ability to read with fluency and summarize is designed to build your confidence and to encourage you to participate fully in your passion to Speaking Excellent English.
Classes are tailored to meet the student need
A la carte Classes
15 minutes $ 6.00 US
30 minutes $15.00 US
45 minutes $20.00 US
60 minutes $25.00 US
Exams/Research/Specific Purposes
--Will Be Negotiated With Individual Teacher/Tutor
A la carte Classes
15 minutes $ 6.00 US
30 minutes $15.00 US
45 minutes $20.00 US
60 minutes $25.00 US
Exams/Research/Specific Purposes
--Will Be Negotiated With Individual Teacher/Tutor
All Cultural Simulation Modules offered by Speak Excellent English are created for non-native speakers of English. They are 1-1 sessions with a Personal Coach designed to achieve results quickly and create transformational change using the 4 core areas of Communicative Competence: Grammatical, Discourse, Socio-linguistic, and Strategic. The materials are customized to match the individual’s needs, goals, and abilities.
All of the courses are short, directed and to-the-point. The classes are focused on results and achievement. Theory is used; however, all skills and techniques learned will be practiced throughout the course. Courses are intended to empower participants to be successful rather than to rely on the instructor or other native speakers. For this reason, resources and techniques are emphasized so that the participant understands how to continue to progress after the course has ended.
Courses are typically 10 – 20 sessions in length, two classes per week for 10 weeks. After each course, the student has the option to continue at an hourly rate in the subject matter of the course as often as s/he feels the need to reinforce the new patterns and insure that progress is being made.
Learn to Speak with Confidence! 20 Sessions
Course Outline: This course starts with a linguistic evaluation based on a verbal diagnosis of free speaking, reading text, and reading a dialogue. Based on the evaluation, key areas of focus are determined to include: pronunciation of individual vowels and consonants, word stress patterns, and intonation patterns, as well as rhythm, linking, articulation and resonance exercises, and breath work.
Course Outline: This course starts with a linguistic evaluation based on a verbal diagnosis of free speaking, reading text, and reading a dialogue. Based on the evaluation, key areas of focus are determined to include: pronunciation of individual vowels and consonants, word stress patterns, and intonation patterns, as well as rhythm, linking, articulation and resonance exercises, and breath work.
The three areas of focus include:
Pronunciation of individual vowels and consonants:
Pronunciation of individual vowels and consonants:
· Learn the International Phonetic Alphabet
· Practice articulating both long and short vowels
· Learn how to pronounce consonants in all environments: initial, medial, and final
· Tongue twisters & articulation exercises
· Breath exercises
Word stress patterns:
· Rules of English
· Dividing words into syllables
· Syllable length
· Stressed and unstressed syllables
· Word form stress shift patterns
· Nouns, adjectives & adverbs vs. verbs
· Compound nouns
Intonation, rhythm, and linking:
· Neutral or “unmarked” patterns for statements and questions
· Contrastive stress and usage
· Content vs. function words
· Rhythm and linking
· Word clustering/grouping and Powerful Pauses
Most Importantly, Speak Excellent English will help with: transfer and error correction techniques and exercises to support change!
Delivering a Presentation in American English – 10 sessions
Deliver with Confidence!
Course Outline: This course is a powerful short course in how to deliver a presentation to an audience. The participant prepares each part before the session, which may be one or two weeks apart, and then comes to the sessions prepared to discuss the material or present his or her presentation to the personal coach. The coach then works with the participant to determine intent, message, delivery, and communication style, providing feedback and suggestions where necessary. The goal is for the participant to feel comfortable and confident in presenting in front of an audience in American English.
Session 1 (2 Classes): Exploration & Clarification: Assess areas of concern and interest, including strengths and weaknesses as a speaker, and take an in depth look at audience, content, delivery, requirements, and expectations.
Session 2 (2 Classes): Presentation Practice: The client delivers the presentation so that the coach can point out patterns in his/her speech, make suggestions, give feedback, clarify issues, and help the client to apply techniques and strategies learned in Accent training to presentations.
Session 3 (2 Classes): Content, Structure & Wording: The coach helps the client to work on specific problem areas in language used, choosing correct wording, focusing on pronunciation and usage, talking freely without reading the presentation, and using clear transitional language with a variety of options.
Session 4 (2 Classes): Delivery: Continued practice and feedback gives the client another opportunity to practice the introduction, body and conclusion of the presentation, delivering points with clarity of intent, image, and voice quality, receiving feedback and suggestions and adjusting to incorporate best practices and correct repetitive errors.
Session 5 (2 Classes): Next Steps: The coach helps the client to apply concepts, techniques, and strategies learned to improve comfort and confidence in presenting in general, responding in a Q&A, and dealing with challenges, fears, or problem areas, as well as identifying best practices for continued improvement and practice.
Deliver with Confidence!
Course Outline: This course is a powerful short course in how to deliver a presentation to an audience. The participant prepares each part before the session, which may be one or two weeks apart, and then comes to the sessions prepared to discuss the material or present his or her presentation to the personal coach. The coach then works with the participant to determine intent, message, delivery, and communication style, providing feedback and suggestions where necessary. The goal is for the participant to feel comfortable and confident in presenting in front of an audience in American English.
Session 1 (2 Classes): Exploration & Clarification: Assess areas of concern and interest, including strengths and weaknesses as a speaker, and take an in depth look at audience, content, delivery, requirements, and expectations.
Session 2 (2 Classes): Presentation Practice: The client delivers the presentation so that the coach can point out patterns in his/her speech, make suggestions, give feedback, clarify issues, and help the client to apply techniques and strategies learned in Accent training to presentations.
Session 3 (2 Classes): Content, Structure & Wording: The coach helps the client to work on specific problem areas in language used, choosing correct wording, focusing on pronunciation and usage, talking freely without reading the presentation, and using clear transitional language with a variety of options.
Session 4 (2 Classes): Delivery: Continued practice and feedback gives the client another opportunity to practice the introduction, body and conclusion of the presentation, delivering points with clarity of intent, image, and voice quality, receiving feedback and suggestions and adjusting to incorporate best practices and correct repetitive errors.
Session 5 (2 Classes): Next Steps: The coach helps the client to apply concepts, techniques, and strategies learned to improve comfort and confidence in presenting in general, responding in a Q&A, and dealing with challenges, fears, or problem areas, as well as identifying best practices for continued improvement and practice.
Business Conversations through Roleplaying – 20 sessions
Anticipate the obstacles and practice your speaking strategies!
Course Outline: This course is a structured approach to having conversations in the workplace. The student works 1-1 with the instructor to explore a variety of topics that are likely to come up in the workplace in a variety of environments from the boardroom to the lunchroom. Topics may include sales conversations, manager to employee conversations, meeting conversations, negotiations, dealing with arguments, inappropriate behavior-stopping, or encouragement discussions. Strategies on how to deal with difficult topics and difficult people will be practiced, as well as how to say these things in American English effectively and clearly! Students have the opportunity to be on both sides of the conversation.
Roleplay environments may include:
Anticipate the obstacles and practice your speaking strategies!
Course Outline: This course is a structured approach to having conversations in the workplace. The student works 1-1 with the instructor to explore a variety of topics that are likely to come up in the workplace in a variety of environments from the boardroom to the lunchroom. Topics may include sales conversations, manager to employee conversations, meeting conversations, negotiations, dealing with arguments, inappropriate behavior-stopping, or encouragement discussions. Strategies on how to deal with difficult topics and difficult people will be practiced, as well as how to say these things in American English effectively and clearly! Students have the opportunity to be on both sides of the conversation.
Roleplay environments may include:
· Formal Meetings
· Informal Meetings
· Business Discussions
· School Discussions
· Recreation
· Social Events
· Sales Conversations
· Talking to your Boss
Possible Topics may include:
· Negotiation
· Helping a Problem Employee
· Voicing a Difficult Problem
· Reporting an Issue
· Collaborating with Others
· Being Heard in a Meeting
· Getting Recognized
· Asking for something
· Refusing to do something
· Approaching someone
· Getting someone to Stop
· Getting someone to Help
The cultural components of each topic will be discussed as well as other elements that arise during the roleplays. The student will have the opportunity to play both his/her role “in real life” as well as the role of the other person. After each role play, the instructor and the student will have a dialogue about what occurred including relevant points of English (pronunciation or structure) and strategy to improve the conversation or devices take it in a different direction linguistically.
The goal of this course is to empower the participant to feel that s/he is in control of any conversation and can voice what s/he wants to say clearly and effectively in a culturally-acceptable way.
The goal of this course is to empower the participant to feel that s/he is in control of any conversation and can voice what s/he wants to say clearly and effectively in a culturally-acceptable way.
American English in the Workplace – 20 sessions
Structures, Expressions & Style in Common Usage
Structures, Expressions & Style in Common Usage
Course Outline: This course is designed to follow accent modification. It focuses on areas of speech as they relate to the workplace. This encompasses the grammatical structures commonly used in speech, as well as idiomatic expressions that have a figurative meaning, and subjective areas of speech, such as style, level of formality, and communicative approach. The program is designed to help non-native speakers of American English feel more comfortable and confident when speaking one-on-one in person or by phone or in teleconferences, in meetings, social gatherings, or challenging workplace situations.
Prerequisite: This course follows accent modification. A knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), word stress patterns, neutral intonation patterns, and use of breath and air flow is expected.
This course is 20 sessions in length and includes the following topics:
Prerequisite: This course follows accent modification. A knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), word stress patterns, neutral intonation patterns, and use of breath and air flow is expected.
This course is 20 sessions in length and includes the following topics:
· Common structures of expression
· Idioms & expressions
· How verb tense creates nuances in meaning
· Alternative expressions: gerunds vs. infinitives, tone & style
· Role-play dialogs
· Mechanics: prepositions & phrasal verbs, article usage, and integrating new expressions
· Small talk and making conversation
· Reinforcement of accent modification concepts
· Communicative approaches
· What to say in bad situations
· Asking questions and speaking in meetings
Personalized 1-1 sessions with the instructor provide the opportunity for the participant to ask specific questions, gain risk-free practice using new structures and expressions in various situations, and explore alternative forms of expression. This also allows for introspection to discover which style, tone, structures and expressions are appropriate in a variety of diverse workplace situations. This course includes a manual with exercises to reinforce concepts.
Each one hour session consists of a discussion on one or more of the above topics, along with the opportunity to relate the concepts to a specific workplace situation. Role-plays allow the participant to experiment with new approaches and strategies and get feedback. Participants are also encouraged to bring specific situations or language examples from the workplace to discuss with their personal coach.
The goal of this course is for the participant to leave feeling empowered to have discussions with any number of people in a variety of situations and environments with comfort and confidence level necessary to communicate effectively.
Each one hour session consists of a discussion on one or more of the above topics, along with the opportunity to relate the concepts to a specific workplace situation. Role-plays allow the participant to experiment with new approaches and strategies and get feedback. Participants are also encouraged to bring specific situations or language examples from the workplace to discuss with their personal coach.
The goal of this course is for the participant to leave feeling empowered to have discussions with any number of people in a variety of situations and environments with comfort and confidence level necessary to communicate effectively.
Vocabulary Building Course – 20 sessions
Increase your Vocabulary by 1000 words in 2 months!
Course Outline: Participants increase their vocabulary in their field of choice by identifying the body of vocabulary they want to focus on and then preparing word lists from their readings that include pronunciation (using the International Phonetic Alphabet or IPA) for each session. In addition, the instructor provides word lists in context with examples for practice during the session. The student chooses the most relevant words and expressions to move from their “passive” to their “active” vocabulary each week. All of the words are kept in one “growing” document or database that the student can easily access for review.
Fields of Choice:
Increase your Vocabulary by 1000 words in 2 months!
Course Outline: Participants increase their vocabulary in their field of choice by identifying the body of vocabulary they want to focus on and then preparing word lists from their readings that include pronunciation (using the International Phonetic Alphabet or IPA) for each session. In addition, the instructor provides word lists in context with examples for practice during the session. The student chooses the most relevant words and expressions to move from their “passive” to their “active” vocabulary each week. All of the words are kept in one “growing” document or database that the student can easily access for review.
Fields of Choice:
· General
· Academic
· Medical
· Scientific
· Computer-related
· Legal
· Political
· Economic
· Business
· Real Estate
· Specialized (industry)
All new words are discussed in the following manner:
· pronunciation (if you can’t say the word, you won’t use it)
· discussion of meaning in various venues --- identifying all related word forms (including plurals, past tenses, gerunds, and adjective and adverbial)
· common collocations & idioms (literal & figurative meanings)
· usage – example sentences
· selection of words to migrate from “passive” to “active”
· speaking and writing assignments that involve using the new words in context
Students are encouraged to keep a “running lists” “active journal’ of words they hear others use in the media and at work to add to their “growing list” of new vocabulary words.
For each session, the student submits an article to the coach and one for personal use. The student should have read the article before coming to the session and highlighted at least 10 words for the “growing list”. Together with the instructor, 5-10 words will be discussed (as described above) and added to the “growing list” of vocabulary words. Words from the article or from the “running list” of words the student hears during the week may be selected. The instructor will also provide the student with an exercise or an article with an additional 5 words to add to the list. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the master list and to bring a copy of the 15+ words highlighted in an article of the student’s choosing for use at each session.
This allows the student to select 200 root/key words for learning from his/her preferred area. Since the student will not only be learning the word as it appears in the text, but also the word in typically 5 additional forms, the 200 key words becomes 1000 words for new usage.
For each session, the student submits an article to the coach and one for personal use. The student should have read the article before coming to the session and highlighted at least 10 words for the “growing list”. Together with the instructor, 5-10 words will be discussed (as described above) and added to the “growing list” of vocabulary words. Words from the article or from the “running list” of words the student hears during the week may be selected. The instructor will also provide the student with an exercise or an article with an additional 5 words to add to the list. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the master list and to bring a copy of the 15+ words highlighted in an article of the student’s choosing for use at each session.
This allows the student to select 200 root/key words for learning from his/her preferred area. Since the student will not only be learning the word as it appears in the text, but also the word in typically 5 additional forms, the 200 key words becomes 1000 words for new usage.
