Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States.  It's a day of family and friends and eating a lot.  But the most important thing is that it is based on the idea of being thankful for people, things, and situations in our lives.

So I would like to ask you...  What are you thankful for?

Share your feelings with us in the comment box.

I really thank you for that.

Are you ever misunderstood when you spell your name or something else?  This video will show you how to pronounce the names of each of the letters of the English alphabet.

Although it is the middle of August and summer is still in the air, September is just around the corner and since that's when kids go back to school, a lot of adults feel it is a good time start learning something new as well.

Are you ready to start learning how to sound great when you speak English?  Are you ready to polish your accent so people start listening to what you say and not how you say it?

We have room for 3 new private students in our American Accent Coaching program.  If you feel that you are ready to smooth out your English, we are ready to teach you (one-on-one, via internet and webcam) everything about pronunciation and accent that no one ever even thought to teach you before.  AND... we will make sure that you see the results that you are looking for.

For more information about this limited program, please visit us at http://accentonspeaking.com/americanaccent/coaching.htm and let us know ASAP.

Here is how the word gotta came to be.

On Tuesday, August 11, 2009 we will begin a new online class for native Spanish speakers who would like to improve their pronunciation.

In this live online class we will go over all of the sounds of English that cause problems for speakers of Spanish.

The class will run for 6 weeks and will be held from 5:00-6:30 Pacific time/ 8:00-9:30 Eastern time on Tuesday nights.

If you would like to know more about the class please contact us as soon as possible at info@accentonspeaking.com.  If you are ready to get started you can sign up at English Pronunciation Trouble Spots for Spanish Speakers.

In this video, I explain how to pronounce the word chocolate.  Even though the word may be similar in your native language, there is a good chance that the pronunciation in English is pretty different.

This is the first of many quick tips on pronouncing English "American Style."

In this video you will learn how native English speakers pronounce the modal have to.

I've been working with adults who speak English as a second language for a really long time now, and I've had the opportunity to see some people really succeed and become comfortable with English.  I've also seen a lot of others who never really get better no matter how long they have lived in an English speaking country.

Here are some of the things that I've noticed and some possible solutions.

First, people who have learned English for years and are still having a hard time with it almost never have enough real, meaningful English conversations.

Think about this- when I was a kid I took a 30 minute piano lesson every week.  This was my learning time.  During the week I was supposed to practice everyday.  But the truth is... I sometimes only practiced during the lesson, not on my own.  Did I learn how to play the piano?  Kind of.  Did I ever get really good?  No.

Speaking English can't be just a sometimes thing.  You have to use it often.  And when you use it, you have to "be in it."  Be in it?  What I mean is when you use English you have to think in it.  Translating is deadly.  And you have to feel it.  Don't just think of grammar rules and things like that.  It's about communication.

Another problem people have is even though they use English, they feel they keep using the same vocabulary and sentence styles over and over again.  (Does this sound like you?)

Something that can help (believe it or not) is reading.  When you read novels and newspapers, and magazines, and history books, and more, you pick up new vocabulary naturally and you see it within normal grammatical structures.

You may want to write down new vocabulary and phrases you come across and go back and read them out loud often.  Let new ideas and ways of saying things sink into your head.  Then you may be suprised at how often you start to hear some of those things in everyday conversations.  It's like having a new awareness of English.  Try your new words and phrases in your own speech.  That's how you can develop your English tremendously.

A third problem that people have in English is they are never really sure if they are using it right.  The good and bad thing about North Americans is usually they don't want to embarrass you or interrupt you when you make a mistake.  So sometimes you keep making the same mistakes and don't even know that you are doing it.  Often the native English speaker will say, "Your English is great."  And maybe it is.  But maybe they are just being polite.

If you have a trusted native-English-speaking friend or spouse who would be willing to point out your errors (in a friendly manner, of course) this can be very useful.  When the person points things out, don't be offended.  EVERYBODY makes tons of mistakes in a new language.  The only way to get better is to gradually make changes- one thing at a time.

It is exactly because of my experience with English learner- and because of my own experiences learning languages- that I started Accent on Speaking.  While we mostly focus on the American accent (that's another story) I realized that people really need to have the opportunity to USE the language and get friendly feedback on how they are doing.

So in addition to the American Accent Workshop, we started ESL Talk Time classes so people could have real conversation and real help.

In ESL Talk Time (www.esltalktime.com)...

  -you can pratice speaking English in a friendly environment

  -you can get feedback and advice on how to improve from a professional instructor

  -you can meet and discuss topics with 2-3 other people from around the world. (Personally, I LOVE this.)

  -you can join a class from anywhere, as long as you have a computer, the internet, and a microphone and headset.

I am always looking for ways to make English learning easier for you.  I guess that's why I'm in this business.  I know how it feels to be the person who speaks the second language.

If you would like to tell me your story, I would be happy to hear it.

If you would like to join one of our English programs, I would be delighted to have you.

Attending classes is only part of your English education.  To become proficient in English you have to take responsibility and be active in acquiring it.  You have to live and breathe English.  How well you succeed is really up to you.  Here are some suggestions for making English your own.

Think of English as more like an art than a science-  Many people study English as if it were a math or science.  They often feel they are trying to solve a problem.  Yes, you can study rules, but there are often more exceptions to the rules than there are rules.  This doesn't mean you shouldn't study them, but language is living.  It breathes, it moves, it grows, it changes.  You have to learn to live it, to feel it in your soul.  You have to make it your own.  It has to become a part of you.  It has to feel natural.

Don't hold on to your dictionary so tightly-  Your top priority in learning English should be to think in English.  Our brains slow down when we are constantly translating English to and from our language.  The first thing you should do is stop translating new words you hear directly into your native language.  Most people immediately go to their electronic dictionaries when they come across something new.  Don't do it!  Try this instead:

1. Try to understand the new word or phrase from context.  The words and ideas around them should help you make a good guess.  If you still don't understand...
2. Ask someone to explain what it means in English.  If you still don't understand...
3. Consult an English-English dictionary*.  If you still don't understand...
4. Consult a dictionary in your own language.

*  I recommend using a paper English-English dictionary.  Many teachers have noticed that their students remember words much longer when they are forced to search for them in the dictionary.  Also, dictionaries in book form generally give more detailed examples than electronic dictionaries.

Keep a list of new words and phrases in your own notes-  Make your own vocabulary lists and review them often.  Write sentences to help you remember what they mean.  Use these new words and phrases in conversations and writings whenever you have a chance.  The more you use the words, the more they become your own.

Surround yourself in English-  Listen to radio in English; watch TV and movies in English; read newspapers, magazines, books, and the internet in English; join a class, club, or any gathering that is conducted in English.  The important thing is that you are around English as much as possible.  When you spend time living a language, it comes to you more naturally like it does for a child.

Members of the American Accent Workshop enjoy-

Our powerful American Accent Course +
LIVE weekly online classes +
LIVE weekly Question and Answer sessions +
Videos on pronouncing every sound of English +
Free ebooks +
Articles +
Mini Lessons +
a LOT more!

www.AccentWorkshop.com

I asked a LOT of people what questions they had about Speaking Better English and this podcast is a response to the questions that were asked.

There are 3 parts to the audio (about 15 minutes each).  This is Part 1.

If you would like to read along with the audio, you can download the 22 page transcript (with all 3 audio sections) for just $3.99 at www.AccentonSpeaking.com.

Need to speak better English?  Well, that's what we are here to help you do.  Accent on Speaking is dedicated to helping you speak better English, no matter where you are in the world.

Very shortly we will be giving you tips and advice on how you can improve your English.  If you would like more information about our online English programs, please visit us at www.AccentOnSpeaking.com