MATI 2018 Webinar Series - American English Pronunciation/Listening

American English Pronunciation/Listening 

Your English 's probly preddy good, b' you c'n always learn sum'n new! This presentation, an up-close listen to the production of American English, will show you why and how it sounds like it does. We will cover the hidden rules of pronunciation of verb and noun forms, the curiosities of vowels and consonants, common rhythms at the syllabic and sentential levels, "contractions" in the flow of everyday speech, and tips on building spoken prosody through parallel structures and consistent tenses. Participants will be able to improve their listening comprehension of ordinary American English and reduce any foreign accent in their spoken work by identifying and practicing the "rules" and tendencies of American speech patterns. Level: advanced. 

Colleen Keating, BA, ITP, RID CI & CT, licensed in WI & IL 

Colleen is a Wisconsin native and holds degrees from UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee. Colleen has been an English and American Sign Language interpreter for the last 16 years in southern Wisconsin including a staff position at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, video relay work, and community work. Prior to interpreting, Colleen taught English as a Second Language for 10 years in Madison and abroad. She has supervised and mentored numerous student and early-professional interpreters, consulted with interpreting agencies, rated state interpreter tests, and helped pass the state's first sign language interpreter license. Originally from Milwaukee, Colleen now lives in the village of Sharon with her husband and second-grade son.