Clear and effective communication is a key requirement for success in today's global workforce. The Accent Reduction Institute (ARI) offers customized instructional courses and services designed to meet the pronunciation needs of the varied language backgrounds reflected in a multi-national workforce.
ARI's internationally acclaimed curriculum is based on the proprietary Ravin Method for rapid accent reduction as well as Ravin's best-selling "Lose Your Accent in 28 Days" book and CD-ROM. The Ravin Method TM has been successfully used by Fortune 500 companies across the country and featured on CNN.com, CBS Radio, Yahoo!Finance, NPR, Computerworld magazine, and media forums around the world.
ARI provides:
- Half-Day Seminars
- Full-Day Seminars
- Full-Day Executive Seminars
- The Sound of Success
- Customized Courses
- Customized Online Courses
- Assessments
- Diversity Training: Tuning Your Ear to Accents
All programs can be given at your organization, at the Accent Reduction Institute located in Ann Arbor, MI, or using teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or web-conferencing formats.
Half-Day Seminars:
Participants:
- Are taught the visual, sensory, and auditory techniques necessary for clear articulation of the most commonly mispronounced sounds in English.
- Become familiar with the patterns of rhythm, stress and intonation specific to American pronunciation.
- Receive guided practice and individual feedback.
- Receive a copy of "Lose Your Accent in 28 Days" book and CD-ROM.
Full-Day Seminars:
All course material in the Half-Day Seminar PLUS:
- Learn the pronunciation techniques necessary to articulate all Standard American Pronunciation sounds. Specifically: 15 vowel sounds, 24 consonants, and 23 patterns of rhythm, stress and intonation.
- Receive intensive practice and coaching using ARI's proprietary materials, customized to each individual participant and their needs.
- Are taught industry specific words, idioms, and jargon which professionals use on a daily basis.
Full-Day Executive Seminars:
All course material covered in the Full-Day Seminar PLUS:
- Class size is limited to five participants. Participants receive individual, pre-seminar assessments delivered via telephone, video conferencing, web-conferencing, or using our proprietary online technology. The assessments enable ARI to develop supplemental curriculum material to match the specific needs of each participant.
- The Full-Day Executive Seminar includes three follow-up, half-hour private sessions for guided practice. These sessions can be delivered via telephone, video conferencing, web-conferencing, or using our proprietary online technology.
- After EACH follow-up private session, participants receive a customized practice guide which addresses the individual's specific American accent needs. These guides provide both written and auditory guidance for rapid and long-term language acquisition.
- All Executive Seminars are taught by Judy Ravin, President of the ARI.
ARI develops customized corporate courses that:
- Provide the option to learn privately or in small groups with colleagues.
- Provide live training: on-site, at our office, or using teleconferencing, video-conferencing, or web-conferencing formats.
- Teach the pronunciation techniques necessary to articulate all Standard American Pronunciation sounds. Specifically: 15 vowel sounds, 24 consonants, and 23 patterns of rhythm, stress and intonation.
- Use the proprietary methods, books, software and curricula of ARI. As such, participants master American speech patterns rapidly; typical programs are between 10 to 15 hours of instruction.
- Participants have the option to receive customized practice guides which address the individual's specific American accent needs. The customized practice guide consists of both written instruction and auditory guidance for rapid and long-term language acquisition.
Customized Online Courses:
ARI develops corporate online courses that:
- Allow for self-paced study.
- Use industry specific words, idioms, acronyms, and jargon that company employees use on a daily basis.
- Provide visual and auditory feedback using state-of-the-art interactive software.
- Use the proprietary methods, books, software and curricula of ARI.
- Teach the pronunciation techniques necessary to articulate all Standard American Pronunciation sounds. Specifically: 15 vowel sounds, 24 consonants, and 23 patterns of rhythm, stress and intonation.
- Highlight which sounds are most important for foreign nationals according to language background.
The Accent Reduction Institute (ARI) has developed customized software learning tools for professional foreign nationals in the following areas: consulting, healthcare, IT, automotive, government, education, banking and finance, call centers, and universities.
Assessments:
The Accent Reduction Institute (ARI) assessments provide both a metric for determining the areas in which a person struggles with effective communication and the instructional feedback to solve the problem. ARI assessments include:
- A 45 minute live session with a certified ARI accent reductionist. Interviews are given either on-site or using teleconferencing formats.
- A comprehensive assessment detailing the specific areas required for pronunciation proficiency.
- Immediate feedback and instruction regarding the techniques necessary to speak with clarity and precision.
- A customized roadmap for self-study. This roadmap ties directly to ARI's proprietary materials.
Please contact us at:info@lessaccent.com or (734) 665-2915 to schedule a customized ARI proficiency assessment.
Diversity Training:
Building Bridges: Tuning Your Ear to Accents TM
The Accent Reduction Institute (ARI) helps corporations eliminate language barriers among their multinational workforce. ARI provides seminars to help English speakers understand foreign accents and commonly mispronounced sounds and words. In so doing, employees capitalize on better communication, team building, and productive employee relationships.
Diversity training includes a two-hour intensive seminar teaching people how to:
- 'Tune their ear' to foreign accents.
- Substitute correct sounds for mispronounced ones.
- Address language barriers with foreign national colleagues.
- Learn appropriate and culturally sensitive terms: foreign nationals, non-native English speakers, standard American pronunciation, etc.
