I hope you had a Happy Halloween. Mine was very quiet at home. Here's a belated Halloween lesson on the 2 double "oo" sounds of English. Many of my clients have trouble with the relaxed "oo" for book, would, cook, took. Leave me a comment and let me know if this video helps you with these two different sounds.
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I've been busy setting up lots of new courses and free groups to help people network and improve their spoken English. Have you been learning new skills while you've been at home and working remotely? Strange not to be sitting in traffic anymore and I like it. I sure miss seeing people in person, though. Check out my Meetup Group, American English Conversation Hour and my new Eventbrite American English Pronunciation Coaching Webinar.  NEW LIVE Coaching Call on Eventbrite: Monday, September 7, 7-8:00 p.m. CST on Zoom
 English for Interviews is a Live Monthly Webinar Coaching Series that meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday, from 6-7:00 p.m. CST. If you are looking for a job and need pronunciation practice, interview and job search skills, this group provides the support you need.
We meet this Thursday, September 3. Join us. Friday, I was working with Danilo, a private 1 on 1 pronunciation client, I asked how he was doing.
Danilo said, “I coped pretty well the first 3 months of the pandemic, but now it’s getting harder.” I replied, “I think this “new normal” is going to last much longer until we get vaccine.” Have you tried to create a “new normal,” by changing a bad habit like not smoking, or starting a good habit like exercising, eating healthy, or speaking a 2nd language? Before Covid, I went to the YMCA 4-6 times a week to exercise. It didn’t start that way. When I first joined the YMCA, I paid for three months before I even attended a class. That wasn’t doing me any good, I decided! What changed? I had to change. Exercise only became a habit, or my “new normal,” when I consciously added the classes to my calendar and went. I hate to admit that today, my exercise routine has suffered because of this Covid “new normal.” I’m taking action to start a new habit by walking in the park every day. The goal of my accent reduction course, the ABC’s of an American Accent, is to help you create a “new normal,” to speak English effectively with confidence. You’ve accomplished the hard part by learning English grammar, vocabulary and reading. So, what’s next? Update your English Pronunciation to equal your technical skills. How would reducing your accent transform your life? Would it?
If you’re serious about creating a “new normal” for speaking English, take action today and enroll in my dynamic interactive 8-week online course, the ABC’s of an American Accent. Don’t hide your talent. The world needs you. ENROLL TODAY to start your "new normal." Cheers, Donna How are you coping with this challenging times? Last Thursday, I didn't want to get out of bed. The days all seem to be the same since I've stayed in lockdown. I miss seeing my friends. And this appears to be the new "normal." So, I'm staying motivated by helping others.
So many people have lost their jobs. So many of my clients are looking for a job. Every time I finish a project or a class, I'm out of work, so I know how that feels to keep starting over. Lonely. Scary. Stressful. When I take action, I start to feel better. So, here's what I've created to get unstuck. Join me. English for Interviews starts Thursday, August 20. Enroll Today. This is a live webinar coaching course to support your interviewing. Each month, we will meet on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays from 6-7:00 pm CST. We will rehearse your interview questions and answers, learn how to make "cold calls," present your "elevator speeches" with style and master job search skills. Using correct pronunciation during interviews, sounding confident and making a memorable good impression will gain you a competitive edge in today's global work market. You do not have to do it alone. join the group, get energized and go to work. Cheers, Donna  Houston Public Library - Free online classes, films and resources I want to share with you a fabulous FREE resource for free classes, films, books, ebooks and more.... I started watching, "Building a Better Vocabulary" by Kevin Flanigan, in the library's, The Great Courses, section on Kanopy.com.
I'm learning new vocabulary (yes, words, I did not know) and how English words are structured. Kevin teaches you new vocabulary, morphology, related words, how to remember them, and how to use it. Fascinating and Fun! All you need is a library "MY LINK" card. Which is free and available online. Join me and let's learn together. Let me know what you think in the comment section below. Hello everyone,
I hope you are safe. The unrest across the nation is extremely distressing. It's hard to describe the range of emotions I am feeling about the U.S. now. I stand for peaceful radical change. All lives matter. Your lives matter. Let's stand up for each other and positive change. Now, to get off my "Soapbox." (Idiom: a thing that provides an opportunity for someone to air their views publicly.) On the 1st Monday of each Month, I have a free Zoom accent reduction hour, Talk with the Coach, for the students enrolled in my 5 Day Accent Reduction Challenge (http://www.clearenglishcoach.com). The next one is July 6, 7-8:00 p.m. CST. We were talking about ways to practice speaking, so I thought I'd share these with you.
$100 Scholarship Coupon Code: STAYHOMEJUNE -available for the first 4 people who use it on the Full Price option See you on June 11, 7-8:00 p.m. CST. Remember to pre-register. Cheers, Donna  Register Today
The ABC's of an American Accent: June 15 - August 9, 2020. If you're serious about speaking so Americans can understand you, this course is for you. I will guide you through the building blocks of American articulation and intonation to speak American English clearly. Start today to increase your fluency and comprehension. Let's get started. Cheers, Donna How the 8 week course works:
[You can see Mr. Obama’s remarks, beginning 1 hour, 47 minutes into the video below.]
OBama is an example for the American Culture I want to live in. Mr. Obama gives an inspirational commencement speech for the new high school graduates of HBCU during the two-hour event for historically black schools, “Show Me Your Walk H.B.C.U. He is an ideal role model speaking with clarity, good pronunciation, pauses and meaningful, thoughtful and positive content. Take a few minutes to listen. I believe Mr. OBama delivers the words for hope, moral values and positive direction for the best that American culture and humans can be in the world. Cheers, Donna #hope #AmericanCulture #Obama #speech #English  New Meetup Group: American English Conversation Hour Hi everyone,
I hope you are safe and healthy during our pandemic STAY HOME situation. I'm guessing that you are not speaking much English. I've started a new online Meetup Group, American English Conversation Hour. This is an opportunity to meet new friends, practice conversational skills and reduce our loneliness. Our 1st online event is Thursday, May 14 from 7-8:00 p.m. on Zoom. Join the group. It's free and RSVP to attend. Talk to you Thursday.  Challenges in life help us examine our priorities and use our creative resources to find new solutions to adjust to change. I have spent the last two weeks packing and preparing for my move into a new apartment. Fortunately, I was too tired to become fearful about the world news. Maintaining my peace and faith in the "good of human nature" to work together towards a common solution is what sustains me. I trust we will emerge from this world health and economic challenge with compassion, care, cooperation and a closer connection to each other. Blessings to you, Donna
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About Me:I coach non-native speakers to speak with clarity and confidence. My speciality is accent reduction and American Pronunciation. Archives
January 2026
Categories: Spoken English, Global English, Accent Reduction, Online pronunciation courses, ABC's of an American Accent, Foreign professionals, Language courses, English for Interviews, Small Talk, Foreign accents, How to learn, Business English, Successful habits, accent reduction, American Idioms, Group Classes, phrasal verbs, American English pronunciation, podcasts, Facebook Live events, Houston events, art exhibitions, Meet and Speak English, code switching, English class, online English class, Free Accent Reduction Class, language, Houston, Private coaching, speech training, |
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