The mission of Triangle Speech Services is to help individuals, who are willing to practice with patience and persistence, transform their accents from communication barriers to charming cultural flavors.

 

Confident


Articulate


Clear


Dynamic


Successful

  

 


  "Accent on News"  is our new monthly e-mail newsletter designed to provide information and inspiration. See the sign-up box below.

 

Articles by Judith L. Bergman:

 

 "Mastering Meaning: Harnessing the Power of American English" is Ms. Bergman's new monthly column published in Sathee: A Features Magazine for the South Asian Community of the Carolinas beginning in February 2008.

"Accents: Communication Barriers or Cultural Flavors?"
Saathee, June 2005

"Reaching Across  the Accent Barrier"
Saathee, Jan. 2006

"Four Common Errors in Spoken English Made by Native Speakers of Hindi, Telugu or Marathi."
Saathee, Nov. 2006

"Accent Reduction Programs: Do They Really Work?"
Saathee, Feb. 2007

"Mastering Metaphors and Understanding Idioms"
Saathee, Dec. 2007

"Understanding Foreign Accents"
Southern Neighbor, Nov. 2005

"The Sounds of English: Clear Signals or Static?"
Southern Neighbor, Feb. 2006

 


 


ASLHA.png
All Triangle Speech Services staff hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

 

 

 
Join Our Mailing List
Email:

 

Specializing in foreign accent and dialect modification for non-native and regional speakers of English in the business, scientific, academic and health care professions.

 

Serving individuals, corporations and the university and medical communities in "The Triangle" of Central North Carolina including Raleigh, Durham, RTP, Cary and Chapel Hill.

 

We provide:

  • Free telephone interviews
  • In-person information sessions and screens
  • Seminars on corporate sites
  • A NEW powerpoint talk about foreign accents and regional dialects suitable for diversity training for both American and foreign-born professional staff
  • An in-depth, individual evaluation
  • Individual or small group tutorials
  • Training on corporate sites or in our office in Durham

 

Offering the Compton Pronouncing English as a Second Language Program (P-ESL) based on thirty years of ongoing research at the Institute of Language and Phonology,  Medically Speaking: Accent Modification for the Medical Profession developed by Lynda Katz Wilner M.S. CCC-SLP Speech and Language Pathologist and Corporate Trainer, Speak Standard, Too and the MEEC (Mastering Effective English Communication) programs from LDS & Associates. Speak Standard, Too, by Mary I. Berger, is a program for regional speakers of English who wish to speak business standard English in corporate settings. The MEEC, developed by Lorna D. Sikorski, is an advanced program which we are offering to graduates of the P-ESL by recommendation of the instructors only. 

 

wbenc.jpg

Certified as a Woman's Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.

 

 

In our life we constantly make decisions.  I would say that my determination to work on accent modification was one of the smartest investments I have made. Jennie De Gagne, PhD (c), MSN, MS, RN-BC. Associate Director of Nursing Education: South Korea, Korean.

 

This outstanding program combined with experienced instructors really helped me understand my specific communication barriers and reduce my accent. Triangle Speech makes it easy and tailors the course to the individual's requirements. They also provided tools to help me continue to improve on my own. This is a must course for all non-native English speakers to succeed. Information Systems Business Applications Manager: India, fluent in Telugu, Kannada, Tamila and Hindi as well as English.

 

The course taught me how to make sounds properly. Ms. Bergman's lessons were very practical: Where to put the tongue, how to move muscles and how to use the breath. Yumi Tsuda Ph.D. Asst. Professor of English and American History, Sapporo Gakuin University and a UNC 05/06 Visiting Scholar: Japan, Japanese.

 

I received invaluable help from this course. Now I can say many words which I was never able to pronounce correctly. The instructor has incredibly keen ears and can capture every mistake in the student's talk. She offers many key techniques to help the student pronounce American English correctly and comfortably. Chemical Engineer: China, Mandarin.

 

This is an eye-opening experience! I never believed before that it would be possible to improve my spoken English, especially in such an efficient way.  My co-workers have already started giving me compliments about my improvement. IT Manager: China, Mandarin.

 

Thank you for copying me on the final report for XXX.  His improvement in the sound files and in our interactions here at work is clearly evident.  Manager of Advanced Technology & Design (American) regarding a client's improvement.

Read more client testimonials .

WHAT DO I LOOK FOR IN A GOOD ACCENT MODIFICATION PROGRAM?

  • It does not offer a "quick fix!" You cannot "Lose your accent in 28 days." If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Accent reduction requires time.
  • It begins with a diagnostic, prescriptive, individual evaluation and a written report.
  • There is a customized, individualized curriculum, even in a group format.
  • Vocabulary and speaking tasks unique to each client's profession are included.
  • Practice materials include audio CDs, interactive CD-ROM or audio recordings.
  • Instructors are licensed, certified and experienced speech-language pathologists.
  • Distance learning formats require real time web based interface with live audio and video feeds. You must weigh the cost of investing in this equipment vs. the cost of an in-person tutorial format.
  • Self-study DVDs, CD-Rom and audio CD formats do not offer opportunities for live instructor shaping and real time feedback but are good for follow-up review.
  • Telephone training loses essential information about body language and speech motor patterns.

 

See About Accents and Accent Modification.

judith1.jpg

Judith L. Bergman M.A. CCC-SLP

Founder & Director of Triangle Speech Services

jennifer4.jpg

Jennifer Lord M.Sci. CCC-SLP
Associate Instructor

Read more about the instructors.

 

  

 


Triangle Speech Services • 5500-74C Fortunes Ridge Drive • Durham, NC 27713 • 919-489-5464
© 2008 Triangle Speech Services in Durham, NC