The Pronunciation of American English Specialization Course Syllabus

Overview (80-120 words) describing structure and time commitment.

Module 1: Consonants of American English

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Identification of 24 consonant sounds in American English
• Minimal pair discrimination for challenging contrasts
• Tongue and lip positioning using anatomical diagrams
• Waveform analysis for real-time speech feedback
• Practice with /r/ vs. /l/ and /θ/ vs. /s/ distinctions

Module 2: Vowels of American English

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Mouth positioning for 15 vowel sounds
• Distinguishing tense and lax vowels
• Production of diphthongs and schwa
• Spectral analysis of vowel formants
• Repetition drills for vowel reduction in connected speech

Module 3: The Music of American English

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Pitch contour exercises for intonation patterns
• Thought group chunking in spoken sentences
• Focus word emphasis and stress placement
• Analysis of rhythm in native speech (TED Talks)
• Sentence-level stress and timing practice

Module 4: Advanced Pronunciation Techniques

Estimated time: 12 hours

• Connected speech: linking and assimilation
• Flap/tap variations in casual speech
• Dialogue recording and self-assessment using rubrics
• Recreation of Hollywood scenes for authentic practice
• Personalized feedback on pronunciation accuracy

Module 5: Applied Pronunciation in Real-World Contexts

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Applying rules to professional conversations
• Listening discrimination for accent reduction
• Building confidence in social and academic settings
• Using proprietary speech tools for improvement

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Recorded dialogue demonstrating improved pronunciation
• Self-assessment using provided rubric
• Final review with acoustic analysis feedback

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of English phonetics
• Access to a computer with audio recording capability
• Consistent daily practice commitment (20-30 minutes/day)

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Master all consonant and vowel sounds of American English
• Improve speech clarity using articulation techniques
• Apply natural rhythm, stress, and intonation in speech
• Reduce non-native accent through targeted exercises
• Communicate with greater confidence in professional and social contexts