Unfortunately, many “accent reduction” coaches have no certification for accent reduction. So, don’t just surf the net hoping to get lucky by finding a coach that is skillful and competent… no matter how professional their website looks. If you are going to take the time required to modify your accent, please take a little time to ensure your coach is qualified to teach you.

One of the largest and most reputable organizations that trains accent modification coaches is Compton PESL (Pronouncing English as a Second Language). You can find them on the web by googling “accent reduction certification” or “accent modification certification”. They will come up on top. The organization was founded over 30 years ago by Arthur J. Compton, Ph.D. If you want to find experts like Cindy who are PESL Certified coaches in Minnesota (or anywhere in the world), click here.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national certifying organization for people interested in working in the field of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.  This field encompasses speech and hearing issues of many kinds, and supports work in accent modification with proper training. For more information about ASHA and accent modification, click here.

Cindy has been certified by Compton PESL since 2005. She has also been certified by ASHA as a Speech-Language Pathologist since 1982 shortly after graduating with a B.S./M.A in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University/University of Minnesota. Cindy has worked in many areas of Speech-Language Pathology that nicely support her work in accent modification.

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