arning a new language or any skill can be daunting , especially when it is as personal as the way we speak.HOW we say what we say can either off-put our listeners immediately ,often with recipients instantly saying 'Where are you from ' and marking us territorally according to where we come from and the stereotypes that go with it. BBC documentary and recently Breakfast news featured elocution coverage and interviews in media by myself followed last year as The Tutor pages reported on the rise in demand for elocution lessons.My lesson delivery has certainly improved due to use of skills and enquiries varied needs.Barriers to spoken communication are prevalent at all levels of life , and assumptions made on the basis of how we sound need to be reduced indeed enhanced to overcome cultural , and 'socio-linguistic' challenges in modern everyday life Helen Hendrickson The Speech Specialist has developed ways of teaching online that use multi media and free fresources screened by myself as an expert and to be used to support lessons via Skype or face to face.Packages of online learning via email and occasional consultation can be designed as long as there is a real committment to learn by students, using email and self recording for example.My packages are designed for all budgets and are based on enskilling learners You get back what you put in and as speech is ACCOUSTIC .LISTENING AND AWARENESS are THE FONDATION Sound awareness and auditory discrimination are the 1 st skills. Secondly rhythm , rhyming and tone /stress and intonation need to be elaborated on as concepts with worked examples.A knowledge of basic grammar helps too ! PHEW not much to ask . Students are encouraged to draw from Arts and Sciences, making learning varied and enjoyable. Students wishing to change accent improve more rapidly if they read around the subject , get a basic grasp of phonetics (with my help ) keep a reflective diary and make up their own additional practice sentences , then use occasional sessions for a sounding board and reminder from the 'elocution expert ' .It simply does not make accent change to copy me parrot fashion for half an hour or think that there is a magic wand the tutor can wave in the hour.Lasting accent change requires the student to be a keen partner and do elocution homework set online and via email. The best students work intensively for 8-12 weeks then space sessions out for monitoring/refresher sessions after they have done some independent learning.NOTICING accent and being aware is the first step then gradually changing your pronunciation at syllable , word , phrase and sentence level.Getting a British accent perfect in everyday life is not an overnight feat - think of it like learning to drive or play an instrument . Throwing money at this elocution and accent training route does not work , hard work , being open to learning and practice do !! Trust an old fashioned academic .

1. THE VOCALTRACT
http://www.yorku.ca/earmstro/journey/index.html
Eric Armstrong
Thisstudyof the productionof articulate soundcanbe thoughtof as a journeythroughaseriesof
processes.Alongthe journeywe willencountermanyphysical landmarks,the anatomy,andsee
some amazingevents,the physiology.Hopefullyyouwill come to understandhow the different
stepsalongthe path of voice and speechleadtothe utterance thatcreatesspokenlanguage.
However,one mustrememberthatvoice,inreality,isnotlike alinearvoyage thatgoesthroughone
thingat a time:manyof these processesworkatonce,and the actionof speakingiscomplexand
integratesmanyactionsatonce.
The Journey'sItinerary
•This voyage beginswithunderstandingthe structuresthatsupportthe muscles,cartilagesand
bonesthatproduce the sound,the Frameworkof the voice.It'sa bitlike lookingatthe mapof the
roads andinfrastructuresthatwe will use onour trip.
•Next,we board"the Respirationtrain",the processwherebythe breathstreamisengaged.
•Once the breathisin motion,we can examine how the vocal chords,nowadayscalledvocal folds,
move to create sound,as we passthroughPhonation.
•Our nextstopon thisvocal voyage allowsusto explore the Resonationof the basicsound.

2. •Articulationisthe partof the journeywhere we shape the soundintounderstandable language.In
manyways itis the mostcomplex partof the trip,involvingavarietyof muclesandarticulatorsto
shape the soundand breathintolanguage.
•Our journeyendswithaquicktrip to studyhow to Care for your voice.Here youwill visitthe
museumof vocal trauma and irritants;onyourway out be sure to visitourlibraryof voice remedies
and some suggestionsof soothingsyrupsandlovelylozenges.
Thisvoyage may seemalittle intimidatingatfirst - many of the structureswe'll be visitinghave big,
foreignsoundingnames(mostlyLatinorGreek) - andsome of the processesare hardto get a handle
on.If youhave any problems,pleasedon'thesitatetoaskquestionsbyemail,atearmstro@yorku.ca
or evenbyphone at (416) 736-2100 x77353
Bon Voyage!
More on Anatomy,PhysiologyandCare of the Voice
Book:SpeechandHearingScience : AnatomyandPhysiology
by WillardR.Zemlin
The definitivebookonthe AnatomyandPhysiologyrequiredforthose studyingSpeechandHearing
Science.Also,see StudyGuide/WorkbooktoAccompanySpeechandHearingScience Anatomyand
Physiology.Highlyrecommended.
Galleryof Laryngeal Pathology

3. The Centre forVoice Disordersof Lake ForestUniversityhousesagalleryof gruesome images,and
gorgeousvocal foldsondisplayforall tosee.See whatdamage those nastycigarettescanreallydo.