Master the foundational concepts of American English in this introductory course! You'll learn about American English Placement, Intonation, Stress, Linking, Imitation Skills, and the basics of vocal anatomy and voice production!

"Take the leap to reach your English goals!"

"I recently finished a 10-session program with Julie, and I am completely satisfied with the results. 

Since the first class, it was clear that she was an expert on the subject and created a safe space to practice and ask questions. I totally recommend Julie if you are looking for a coach who helps you improve the details of your accent that limit your communication or make you feel less confident. My best piece of advice is to take the leap to reach your English goals!"


Juan V., PhD Student, Spanish

Watch this video to learn more about the course!

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to the course!

    2. How to use this course / FAQs / Troubleshooting

    3. Before we begin...

    4. [REPLAY]: Live Class: Thursday, June 16 @ 5:00 p.m. PST

    1. How to Practice: Imitation and Repetition

    2. How to Practice: Make a Recording

    1. The Placement of American English

    2. Basic Vocal Anatomy and Physiology

    3. Placement Exercises

    4. Placement: An Advanced Lesson

    1. An Introduction to American English Intonation

    2. Intonation: The Basics of Statements and Questions

    3. Intonation: Everyday Conversations

    4. Intonation: An Advanced Lesson

    1. An Introduction to American English Stress

    2. Stress: Content Words and Function Words

    3. Stress: Sentences

    4. Stress: Shifting Focus

    1. An Introduction to Linking

    2. Vowel to Vowel Linking

    3. Consonant to Vowel Linking

    4. Consonant to Consonant Linking

About this course

  • $89.95
  • 24 lessons
  • 2.5 hours of video content

"I have renewed confidence in my accent capability."

"I had the pleasure of working with Julie on my standard American accent.

Her knowledge and supportive instruction style made the experience truly enjoyable and worthwhile. Her professional yet easy going manner made me feel comfortable from the outset. Julie was encouraging, enthusiastic and most of all patient. I have renewed confidence in my accent capability and I have her to thank for it."


Stephen L., Voice Over Actor, South African English

American English Foundation

Course details

What will I learn? 

Do you want to improve your American English rhythm? Fluency? Smoothness? Naturalness? Placement? Then this course is for you! 

This course is comprehensive. You'll learn the foundational skills that are necessary to speaking clear and natural English with lessons on American English placement, intonation of words and sentences, common stress patterns, and linking. 

All lessons are taught by Julie Cunningham, an industry-leading American accent coach and licensed speech-language pathologist. Julie has developed innovative practice methods that have been shown to maximize your progress and quickly help you to reach your goals.

Then the practice: You'll practice each foundational area with over 500 audio files, 25+ videos, and detailed instructions on "What to do / What not to do" when pronouncing that specific speech pattern. All audio files can be downloaded to your device or computer, as well as additional exercises in PDF format.

But that's not all! In addition to learning about each foundational area of American English, you'll also learn about vocal anatomy and physiology (e.g., what the voice is made of and how it works) and the best practice techniques that will get you the results you're looking for.


How do I receive extra help during the course?

There are many ways you can receive extra help during the course!

#1: You can participate in the online SDVA Discord community if you have questions or want extra help along the way. Julie will be there to answer your questions and give you feedback.

#2: You can also post your questions on the Discussions page of each chapter if you want help on a specific lesson or exercise.

#3: You can purchase discounted private accent training with Julie if you want more personalized coaching and pronunciation guidance as you complete the course. This discount is only available to students who enroll in this course! You can add these one-on-one sessions at the time of purchase, or contact Julie for more information ([email protected]).

#4: And don't forget: SDVA offers LIVE ENGLISH CLASSES! You can join Julie for a live English lesson every week at Julie's Conversation Club! Come to a meeting, ask questions, and receive live feedback on your pronunciation! Learn more about Julie's Conversation Club here: Julie's Conversation Club.


Who should take this course? 

This course is appropriate for anyone who wants to crack the code to sounding clear and natural when speaking English. 

Good pronunciation isn't just about vowels and consonants. If you focused on only these two areas, you'd sound like a robot, which is the opposite of what you want!

Good pronunciation also includes everything else besides the vowels and consonants - the rhythm, intonation, stress, reductions, and linking. These areas are just as important, if not more important, to sounding clear and natural when speaking English.

If you are ready to dive deep into the various foundational areas of American English pronunciation, then this course is for you!

Click here to learn about the other courses offered by San Diego Voice and Accent.


What English skill level should I have before I take this course?

The material in this course is best for a skill level of intermediate and above. 

If you're a beginner of English, focus on improving your English vocabulary and language skills before you try out this course. You can always enroll once you're ready to advance your English pronunciation skills!


Why should I take this course on the American English Foundation?

Pronunciation can't be learned from a book. Once a word is spoken out loud, its pronunciation often changes, and the only way to learn about that pronunciation is to listen to native speakers and then imitate them. This course will give you the opportunity to do just that - listen to and imitate native speakers of American English - with powerful practice material and instructions presented to you in an effective and easy-to-follow format.

Now's your chance to gain the confidence and fluency that you're looking for. Enroll today! 

Start learning today!

Lifetime access. 10-day money-back guarantee.

Watch this video to hear from my students!

Do you want the same transformation?

Meet your course instructor

Hello! My name is Julie Cunningham, and I've trained thousands of people on their American English pronunciation and voice projection skills. Here's how I can help you.

I've been helping people with their American English pronunciation skills since 2007, when I moved to the Czech Republic to teach English. This experience sparked a desire to return to school and earn a graduate degree in speech and language pathology, then pursue specialized certifications in American English pronunciation and American accent training.

Then I founded my company San Diego Voice and Accent, where I work one-on-one with professionals who want to perfect their American English pronunciation skills, project a clear and confident voice, and maximize their speaking potential.

But I didn't stop there! I've also created online courses on the American accent that target all areas of American English pronunciation and professional voice projection, and I run live English classes every week at my flagship group class called Julie's Conversation Club.

Over the years of working as an American accent coach and professional voice trainer, I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't work when training your pronunciation skills and voice projection. It's not enough for you to simply "repeat" what you hear; that isn't going to get you the results. You need to practice with the right technique and with the most effective methods, and you need someone there to guide you along the way.

That's why I created the premium online classes and courses from SDVA - to help professionals from all areas of the world and at all levels of English to speak with clarity and confidence, and to reach their goals of becoming a powerful and effective communicator.

The online classes and courses from SDVA give you everything you need to train your American English communication skills successfully, including effective practice techniques, pronunciation help and feedback, and access to the SDVA online community for guidance and support along the way.


Julie Cunningham

Founder of San Diego Voice and Accent

"This course has so many great nuggets of wisdom!"

"I've crammed down the first four and a half chapters of the Master the American English Vowels for Spanish Speakers course.

This course has so many great nuggets of wisdom! I'm sure other Spanish speakers will love it, too. So far, the part that I love the most is the reduced vowels in sentences as I know it makes such a big difference in speech. And having the chance to repeat each sentence as many times as I want in normal and slower pace is just brilliant!"


Rocio P., Software Engineer, Spanish

FAQ

  • What's included in my course enrollment?

    1) You will have instant access to the full course material, which includes over 500 audio files (all downloadable), 25+ videos, and detailed instructions on "What to do / What not to do" when you pronounce that specific speech pattern. 2) Full access to the SDVA Discord community: Ask questions and receive help from Julie and the rest of the community! 3) Special discounts on private accent training (discount is only offered to those who enroll in this course!).

  • My payment was declined, but I entered the correct credit card information. How can I purchase this course?

    This is a known issue for students in India or students who are using credit cards that are attached to banks in India (and potentially other countries). You may need to contact your bank to authorize this transaction, then return to this course website to purchase the course.

  • Can I download the practice materials?

    Absolutely! All audio files are downloadable, so you can practice your English pronunciation anywhere and at any time! Many exercises also come in a PDF format in addition to the audio format, so you can download and print out specific exercises you'd like to practice when you're away from your computer or device.

  • How long will I have access to this course?

    You will have lifetime access to the course through the San Diego Voice and Accent Courses platform (hosted on Thinkific).

  • How long will it take me to complete this course?

    The course was designed to be completed in 4 - 6 weeks, though this may be different for each person. You are encouraged to spend as much time as you need to on each chapter, and you can also repeat any chapters in order to maximize your learning.

  • What if I am unhappy with the course?

    Oh no! I don't want that! I offer a 10-day money back guarantee, no questions asked. If you are unhappy with the course for any reason, let me know within the first 10 days and I will refund your payment.

  • I want to learn more about my specific pronunciation patterns. Can I complete a speech evaluation?

    Yes! If you want to know your baseline pronunciation skills, SDVA offers a comprehensive speech and pronunciation evaluation. You can add this to your cart at the time of purchase.

  • Can I pay with PayPal?

    Yes! On the checkout page, select the PayPal button under the section "Select a payment method".

"The course gave me a jump start to becoming a better story teller."

"Working with Julie was awesome!

She helped customize the syllabus as per the feedback from my initial performance review, which helped me focus on my weak areas such as understanding intonation, consonants, and American English pronunciation. The course gave me a jump start to becoming a better story teller."


Sunit V., Electrical Engineer, Hindi