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Course Offerings 

 

Workshops

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Patti.

HAVING FUN WITH PHONETICS

Are you interested in a fun and interactive way to develop or deepen your understanding of ... 

  • the production and perception of speech sounds to help beginning and struggling readers 'feel the phonemes' of American English? 

  • the difference between phonetics, phonology, phone, phoneme and allophone? 

  • the phenomenon of coarticulation? 

  • the effect of dialectal and accented English on teaching reading and spelling in multilingual and multicultural classrooms? 

  • using the International Phonetic Alphabet to visually represent the relationship of phonemes to graphemes?                                                                                       

                                                                                                     ....then this is the course for you!

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While taking courses in strategies to help beginning and struggling readers, Patti observed that many reading practitioners, educators, and home-school parents were not familiar with the production and perception of speech sounds or the International Phonetic Association (IPA) symbols often used to represent those sounds. This workshop was developed to fill that void. Having Fun with Phonetics is designed to help you learn, practice, and gain confidence using IPA symbols, while learning about sound production and perception. 

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In this live, interactive workshop, with weekly practice assignments, you will learn: 

  • the differences between Phonetics and Phonology 

  • how speech sounds are produced and perceived, and how to use that information with your students 

  • how to listen for stress and intonation patterns in words & sentences 

  • the symbols of the IPA, and how to​

    • transcribe speech sounds and use the symbols in your investigations with your students, 

    • represent speech sounds to struggling readers and spellers to help them “see the sounds of speech” as a useful tool in your own teaching and study

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

CURRICULUM:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

TUITION:

 $300 this self-paced online course includes

live interactive virtual sessions, handouts, and resources,  practice exercises, access to recorded materials, and membership in private FaceBook group

Next cohort begins January 16, 2025

  • Five weekly releases of videos that include all the content of the original live program presented in a series of 10-20 minute easily digestible mini lessons;

  • Six weekly 75-minute live Zoom meetings to answer your questions and build on what you’ve learned in the weekly lessons;

  • Practical and useful charts to support your learning and use of the IPA symbols

  • Significant practice exercises, and suggestions for practical ways to implement your learning with your students.

EXPECTED RESULTS:

By the end of this course, you will:

  • Grasp the key differences between Phonetics and Phonology and why they matter.

  • Understand how phonemes shape meaning, combine, and change in combination.

  • Explore language differences and their impact on the multicultural classroom.

  • Confidently use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to enhance students' reading and spelling.

  • Get comfortable with stress and how it influences pronunciation in words and sentences.

  • Gain hands-on practice with IPA transcription to simplify teaching phonetics in the classroom.

Connected Speech

After completing Having Fun with Phonetics,

extend and apply your phonetic transcription skills with... 

CONNECTED SPEECH, DIALECTS, AND ACCENTS: MORE HAVING FUN WITH PHONETICS

Topics include:

  • Transcribing Connected Speech vs Single Word Citation

  • Coarticulation: Assimilatory and Non-Assimilatory Processes

  • Suprasegmentals

  • Dialects of American and International English

  • Accents and Language Transfer

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DATES:

FEES:

Tuition: $50 for a single session 2.5 hour class

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

All courses are held in EST time.

Class size is limited to allow for individual attention and practice.

Future Dates

Sunday

TBA AM - TBA PM

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When students completed Having Fun with Phonetics, they wanted more information and additional opportunities to practice. This course takes your understanding of Phonetics to the next level.                                                          

 

Prerequisite: Having Fun with Phonetics

The A.R.T. of Communication

THE A.R.T. OF COMMUNICATION

For improved diction and accent modification.

 

Having "an accent" refers to the way we pronounce sounds in words. Accents are usually associated with a particular nation or locality (for example, a French accent, a British accent), or a regional accent (for example,  a Southern accent, or a "New Yawk" accent.)

 

While everyone has an accent, people sometimes want to change the way they sound.  

The A.R.T. of Communication is a course in Accent Reduction Training, designed to help you reduce or modify your national origin or regional accent.

 

Why would people want to change the way speak?  Some find it difficult when others don’t understand them; some get frustrated having to repeat themselves; and some feel the accent holds them back personally and/or professionally. 

 

After an initial evaluation of the sound differences between your national/regional accent and General American English, a program of speech sound production and practice will be designed specifically for you.  Group and Individual trainings available.

 

Sounds Good Communication helps your communication Sound Good too!

FEES:

Evaluation: $200

Group: $500 per participant

Ten 60-minute classes with weekly home practice

(minimum of 3 and maximum 5 participants)

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Individual Classes: $800

Ten 45-minute classes with weekly home practice

Home Practice Program only: $400

(includes two 30-minute individual follow up sessions)

DATES:

Future Dates

TBD based on group and individual needs

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TBA AM - TBA PM

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CURRICULUM:

Vocal Awareness for Vocal Wellness

VOCAL AWARENESS FOR VOCAL WELLNESS

For professional voice users: singers, actors, teachers, attorneys, clergy, salespeople, and You!

 

Professional Voice Users are at high risk for voice problems. Some of the occupational hazards of elite voice users include vocal nodules, polyps, hoarseness, and chronic laryngitis, to name just a few.   If you use your voice to make a living as a singer, actor, teacher, lawyer, clergy, or salesperson, and more…then this course is for You.  

 

Don’t wait for these problems to occur when they can be Prevented!

 

Sounds Good Communication is now offering courses in

Vocal Awareness for Vocal Wellness.

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Topics include: 

 

  • How your voice works and how to make it work for you

  • H2O 101: The Importance of Hydration

  • Be Nice to Your Neck: Your Voice Depends on It

  • Laryngeal Reflux: Spice Ain’t Nice and Other Laryngeal Irritants and more!

DATES:

FEES:

4 Sessions: (4) 45- minute sessions $150

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Voice Therapy: $80 per 30-minute session

Please Note:

  Individual voice therapy instruction requires medical clearance from your ENT, and a formal voice evaluation   is conducted before individual sessions can begin. 

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The number of therapy sessions will be determined and agreed upon after the completion of formal evaluation.

Future Dates

TBD based on group and individual needs

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TBA AM - TBA PM

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CURRICULUM:

Public Speaking for Beginners

PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR BEGINNERS: PREPARING, PRESENTING, AND OVERCOMING SPEAKING ANXIETY

"There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars."

Mark Twain

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Course Description

Everyone experiences some degree of nervousness at the thought of standing up in front of a group to make a presentation. According to the National Institute of Mental Health public speaking anxiety, or glossophobia, affects about 73% of the population. 

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But fear of public speaking or poor public speaking skills, in general, can have a negative impact on your career and income. A 2014 survey of employers found the top skills recruiters look for ranked "oral communication" as number one and "presentational skills" as number four. 
(More traditional management skills such as "managing administrative activities" came down at the bottom.) 

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Despite the high value employers place on oral communication and presentation skills, a 2014 survey of workers found that "12% would willingly step aside to let someone else give a presentation, even if it lost them respect at work."

 

Further, 70% of employees that did present stated that it was "critical to their success at work." 

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What to do if you are one of that 73% with glossophobia? And if you are part of that group, just how much fear do you experience? Speech anxiety can range from a slight feeling of "nerves" to a nearly incapacitating fear.

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No matter where you are on the continuum of "stage fright," you can overcome your speech anxiety with coaching and practice.

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In this course you will learn to: 

 

  • Write speeches that demonstrate, inform, and persuade

  • Identify the source of speech anxiety and use tools to reduce and eliminate it

  • Prepare and practice using strategies that guarantee success

FEES:

$750 for 12 weeks of 90 minute- Zoom sessions

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Please Note:

Class size limited to 8 participants to ensure individual needs are met.

DATES:

Future Dates

TBD based on group and individual needs

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TBA AM - TBA PM

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SPEECH, LANGUAGE, READING AND VOICE MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY

TBD

Speech, Language, Reading, Voice and Myfunctional Therapy
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