English for Conferences and business

This class is for researchers who need to attend an international conference and give a lecture or presentation in English, as well as for individuals who do international business, typically involving a conference call, sometimes with teams from different countries all speaking in the common language of English. If English is not your first language, and you do not live in a country where you get to speak often in English, this class will help "wake up" your English and boost your confidence. We simulate you presenting your research, with me giving  feedback on pronunciation, grammar, word choice, and other issues that would help improve your presentation. Sometimes this involves me editing slides in a Powerpoint presentation or listening to your presentation, and sometimes it it involves a simple dialogue where I ask about your research and work, and you explain it to me, and I give feedback on their presentation.

 

In addition to specific lessons on pronunciation and speaking, this kind of class incorporates feedback and editing of the text that is being presented. This could involve editing conference posters, abstracts, research papers, or a text that will be read. This typically involves just a few classes, depending on the needs of the customer. 

 

I offer pronunciation coaching for presentations at international conferences, as well as for business and professional meetings, studying or traveling abroad, conference calls, job interviews, etc. My goal is not to eliminate your accent since accents are common even for natives speakers of English, but instead I focus on accent and pronunciation patterns that may prevent you from being understood by a native speaker of English. This class could involve no text, and simply rely on my feedback throughout the class. Yet for individuals looking to master American pronunciation, the main text for the class is The American Accent Guide.