Bellevue Community College, Spring 2008

Accent Reduction

Instructor:        Caroline Crolley

Telephone:     (425) 453-8633

Email:             ccrolley@bcc.ctc.edu (This is the best way to reach me.)

Class Room:  R106B

Class Dates:  Monday & Wednesday, 9:30-11:20, April 2 - June 11

                        No class on May 26 (Memorial Day)

The goal of this class is to improve your accent when speaking in English.  We will do this by a variety of speaking activities practicing:

· The intonation patterns of English

· The way sounds are combined in English

· The individual sounds of English

The textbook for this class is:

American Accent Training by Ann Cook.  Academic textbooks are usually not available at ‘regular’ bookstores.  You can buy this book in the BCC bookstore in the southwest part of Building B.  The book comes with a set of CDs and costs about $50.  It is also available at amazon.com.  If you order your book, please place the order as soon as possible because it will take some time to arrive. 

There are no grades, tests or required homework in this class.  I will give optional homework every class.  Buying the book is also optional, but you will not be able to participate well in the class without a book.  You will improve more if you buy the book and do the homework, so I encourage you to do both.

Students who attend 75% or more of the class will receive a certificate on the last day of class.  This class meets 20 times, so students who are absent for more than 5 classes will not receive certificates. 

As much as possible, we will spend time on the topics that you, as a group, want to study.  Please feel free to tell me what you want to study so that you get what you want from the class.

To be successful in this class:

· Come to class!  If you miss a class, come to the next one. 

· Ask questions and tell me if you do not understand.

· Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  That is how you learn!

· Be friendly and respectful to the other students.