by Vivienne Zhao | Oct 10, 2022 | Accent Facts, Accent Tips, Blog, FAQ
“How much should I practice to reduce my accent?” is a very frequently asked question from my clients. To answer this question, we first need to understand the principles of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to form new...
by Vivienne Zhao | Sep 18, 2022 | Accent Facts, Blog, FAQ
There exist many misconceptions about accents and accent training. In this article, I will bust some frequently-encountered myths. Myth #1 – It’s difficult/impossible to change my accent Have you been trying to improve your English pronunciation and accent by...
by Vivienne Zhao | Aug 12, 2022 | Accent Tips, Blog, FAQ
Effective communication drives workplace success. As our work environment becomes increasingly multicultural and multilingual, and with English being the global lingua franca, it is not uncommon to hear many native and non-native accents at a workplace. An accent...
by Vivienne Zhao | Aug 6, 2022 | Accent Facts, Blog
The smallest bone in the human body is the stirrup, which is located in the ear. Teachers are most at risk for developing a voice disorder due to overuse. Many famous people have or had speech and language disorders, including U.S. President Joe Biden (stutter),...
by Vivienne Zhao | Jul 30, 2022 | Blog, FAQ
“Kids learn languages fast because they’re not afraid to make mistakes.” Mmmm… wrong. I’ve heard on many occasions these types of statements, which are often used as encouragement for adults learning a second language, to inspire the learners to practice their new...
by Vivienne Zhao | Jul 23, 2022 | Blog, FAQ
Raise your hand if you hate the way you sound on video and audio recordings 🙋🏻♀️ As an accent coach, I routinely record my clients and have them listen to the recordings. Many of them grimace at this exercise and claim to dislike how they sound. Some have even asked...
