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Sheila Lebedenko

If you want to know everything about consonants and won't settle for just an overview, then this course is for you.  If you've taken other courses and still don't feel confident with your pronunciation, then this course is for you.    It is dense with  detail about every consonant, so you may have to watch certain parts more than once to make sure you've got it.    Example sentences are from every day life as well as high tech or business fields, so you will be exposed to a variety of vocabulary.  The course includes repetition audio practice so you can repeat the sentences over and over again to develop muscle memory.  This course has lessons for learners from various language backgrounds.  It will be beneficial for Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Persian speakers and more.  The instructor has free office hours on Zoom once a month, so you are invited to meet her for questions and to have her check your pronunciation and whether you are incorporating the information properly.

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If you want to know everything about consonants and won't settle for just an overview, then this course is for you.  If you've taken other courses and still don't feel confident with your pronunciation, then this course is for you.    It is dense with  detail about every consonant, so you may have to watch certain parts more than once to make sure you've got it.    Example sentences are from every day life as well as high tech or business fields, so you will be exposed to a variety of vocabulary.  The course includes repetition audio practice so you can repeat the sentences over and over again to develop muscle memory.  This course has lessons for learners from various language backgrounds.  It will be beneficial for Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Persian speakers and more.  The instructor has free office hours on Zoom once a month, so you are invited to meet her for questions and to have her check your pronunciation and whether you are incorporating the information properly.

What you'll learn

  • Adjust your voice to sound more like a native speaker of American English.

  • Speed up your tongue movements with precision.

  • Make each consonant clearly and articulate clearly.

  • Produce and distinguish between all the English consonants at the beginning, middle or end of a word.

  • Speak from a detailed theoretical understanding of the consonants.

  • Understand different spelling patterns for each consonant sound.

  • Identify and avoid common pitfalls for each consonant sound.

  • Connect consonants to other consonants and vowels.

  • Expand your vocabulary through high tech and professional examples.

  • And much more.

Requirements

  • A computer with internet connection is all you need.

  • You should be willing to practice several minutes a day

  • You do NOT need any knowledge or experience of pronunciation techniques.

  • Ask me ANY questions by messaging me. I'm here to help you at any time.

Description

You can speak American English clearly and sound like a native English speaker.

I will show you how all the consonants are related and different using a chart that compares different types of consonants  We will get your tongue moving the way an American moves his/her tongue.   You will stop confusing tick with thick and shit with sit.  We will go through all the different types of consonants and learn how they're related and different.  We will  practice each consonant in sentences, and you can keep practicing the sentences with repetition audio recordings.   You will learn skills and knowledge that will benefit you for the rest of your life. 

Who this course is for:

  • Beginner who want to learn without any bad habits right from the beginning.

  • Intermediate students who have started to learn pronunciation the wrong way

  • Advanced Students who want to challenge themselves with nuanced detail and high tech vocabulary

When to take this course:

Get started before you feel ready. There will never be a perfect time to start something.  There is no better time than now. You have a lot to learn.   See you in class :)

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Learn how to produce all the english consonants
  • Learn how to distinguish commonly confused consonants
  • Reinforce your practice with repetition audio practice
  • Learn to self-correct.

Syllabus

Introduction

Print out the written lesson so you can follow along and take notes.

Consonant Chart Overview
Stop Consonants
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Learn to distinguish between P and B and how to pronounce their subtle variations at the beginning, middle and end of a word. 

T and D part 1
T and D part 2

Learn the nuances of CH and J in different positions in a word.  Learn to distinguish them from ZH, Z and other sounds.

Learn the differences between K and G at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of a word.  Learn different spelling for rules for K and G and X.

This lesson covers Final P, T, K, B, D and G.

This lesson covers Final CH and J.

Become more precise by quickly moving between three different parts of your tongue.

Continuant Consonants

Fan, Van or Wan?   Learn to stop confusing them.

"This" and "thick" don't have the same th.  What?  Learn how to tell which th you need and stop confusing th with t, d, s or z.

S and Z are often confused, but they help you distinguish princes from princess.  Learn the rules and tips for saying each.

S and Z are so tricky we needed two lessons to cover it.

SH and ZH are often hidden in a word and not obvious from the spelling.  Learn the spelling rules and how to distinguish these from S and Z, or CH and J.

We needed 3 lessons to cover this topic!  Don't skip S and Z at the end of a word.

H comes from the throat.  Let's not confuse it with a vowel.

Let's avoid this classic error of F vs. H.

Y, W ,R and L

Y is often hidden in the middle of a word and not obvious from the spelling.  Let's look for it!

Let's eliminate the Y vs J error once and for all!

W requires working your lips more than you might think.  Let's get to work.

Let's learn the American R, which is different from other R's. 

R is so tricky we needed two lessons to cover it.

Let's not confuse L with R or N.  Make L clear and beautiful.

Yes, the dark L is different from the clear L and has remained elusive for too long.

Nasal Consonants

N and M are tricky for learners of Asian language backgrounds.   N at the end of the word needs to be just as loud as all the other sounds in the word.

NG can be absolutely foreign to a Russian speaker and speakers of many other languages as well.  Let's access the back of your tongue!

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Students who aspire to sound like native speakers
Learners of all experience levels, from beginners to advanced
Students who want to enhance their pronunciation and distinguish between commonly confused consonants
Students from various language backgrounds who may struggle with English pronunciation
Students who want to expand their vocabulary through high-tech and professional examples
Students who need repetition and audio practice to develop muscle memory

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in American English Consonants for All with these activities:
Explore Pronunciation Guides
Fill knowledge gaps and refine your understanding of consonant pronunciation with structured tutorials.
Show steps
  • Search for pronunciation guides online
  • Review the phonetic symbols and rules
  • Compare different pronunciation variations
  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Incorporate the guidance into your practice
Practice Pronunciation Drills
Minimize pronunciation errors by sharpening your vocal precision.
Show steps
  • Download the repetition audio recordings
  • Listen to a target sound
  • Repeat the sound out loud
  • Repeat sentences that include the target sound
  • Practice speaking freely using the target sound
Volunteer as a Pronunciation Tutor
Reinforce your understanding by sharing your knowledge and helping others improve their pronunciation.
Browse courses on Mentoring
Show steps
  • Identify opportunities to volunteer as a pronunciation tutor
  • Prepare lesson plans and materials
  • Provide guidance and feedback to students
  • Assess student progress and provide encouragement
  • Reflect on your teaching experiences and incorporate insights into your own learning
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Record and Analyze Your Pronunciation
Objectively assess your progress and identify areas for further improvement through self-recorded pronunciation exercises.
Browse courses on Self-Assessment
Show steps
  • Record yourself speaking sentences with target consonants
  • Listen to your recordings and identify strengths and weaknesses
  • Compare your pronunciation to native speakers
  • Seek feedback from a pronunciation coach or qualified speaker
  • Develop targeted practice exercises based on your analysis
Contribute to Pronunciation Resources
Contribute to the wider pronunciation learning community and solidify your knowledge by creating or improving pronunciation materials for others.
Browse courses on Open Source Projects
Show steps
  • Identify a need or gap in pronunciation resources
  • Develop or contribute to open-source pronunciation tools, apps, or websites
  • Collaborate with other pronunciation enthusiasts
  • Share your knowledge and insights with the community
  • Reflect on your contributions and how they have enhanced your own learning

Career center

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