English Tutor Vancouver

Before I answer this question at the bottom of the page, allow me to give you some background on how we learn our first language:

When we learn our mother tongue as a child, the sounds of our native language get imprinted on the brain. During puberty, the plasticity of our brain changes and after that time, it becomes very difficult for most people to learn a new language without the particular accent of their mother tongue.

When we learn a new language as an adult, we might become very good at grammar and vocabulary, but many people notice that their accent doesn't change or improve. Remember that it’s ok to have an accent; it only becomes a problem when other people can't understand you. However, some people are motivated to completely lose their accent, have the talent, and decide to put in the work.

Many teachers don't feel comfortable working on English pronunciation simply because they are not sure how to. Even if you attend a class in which accent reduction is a topic, students from various language backgrounds experience challenges with different English sounds.  As a consequence, the teacher would have to cover different sounds for each language group. 

In addition, even speakers with the same language background might individually experience difficulty with different sounds, so the teacher has to divide their attention between them, which means that there might not be much time for your unique needs. Thus, a general English class, even one that incorporates pronunciation may not address your individual pronunciation needs.

In a one-on-one class with me as your private tutor, you are the focus of our class, and I help you get started on the sounds that you can work on. We first identify the particular areas in your pronunciation that could be improved. We then explore the vocal tract and how particular sounds are produced, so you understand what you need to change in your articulation in order for the sounds to become closer to the Canadian original (your target sounds). I will also give you exercises that you may use to practice your English pronunciation.