I trained in Phonetics at the University of Westminster, London and gained the International Phonetics Association Certificate of Proficiency in the Phonetics of English in June 2000. I have twelve years' experience of teaching accents and elocution/communication skills. My clients include both native and non-native English speakers, such as actors who wish to master a particular accent as well as business people and others who wish to improve their speech and communication skills in their working and daily lives. I have helped many non-native speakers reduce a strong accent so as to make themselves more easily understood and communicate more effectively in English. I offer one-to-one online lessons via Skype video, with each course carefully tailored to the needs of the individual, ensuring that my clients receive consistent, dedicated and high-quality tuition. Aside from teaching accents and voice, I also have extensive experience of teaching English Communication courses to groups and individuals, having been a qualified EFL teacher for the past 14 years. From 1995 to 1999 I taught at the Cambridge Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark, preparing adults for Cambridge English Examinations. For the past 8 years I have taught Business English Communication courses in various London-based companies, such as Bloomberg Television, Walt Disney, Korea Development Bank, UBS Warburg, Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young and Investec, helping clients to brush up their communication skills for presentations and meetings.

I have been a full time language and speech trainer for the past 13 years. My work teaching on Skype ranges from teaching accent reduction, English pronunciation, voice, speech and accent to teaching English as a Foreign language. My professional background includes the teaching in Executive Language Tutors, London, Business English Trainer & Consultant ELT Training & Development Contracts, Nano-Marketing LLP, Japan, Mubadala Investment & Development Company, Abu-Dhabi, UAE, Espirito Santo Investment Bank, London & Portugal, Business English Trainer, Greenlight Marketing, London, Business English Trainer, iTeach, Canterbury University – PGCE TESOL Online Teacher Trainer, Mitsubishi Utilities & Securities International, London, Business English Trainer, BRE Bank SA, Warsaw, Business English Trainer, Shoko Chukin Bank, London, UK Executive English Language Assistant.

Vanessa is currently doing a Masters in Applied Linguistics to develop her knowledge further. As she has lived, studied and taught in both Italy and Spain, she is well aware of how difficult it can be to learn another language and feel confident using it as a tool of communication. Having taught English for nearly 20 years, Vanessa has helped many people to develop their language skills and has trained dozens of trainees to become successful English Language Teachers. During the last decade, she has successfully set up, written and delivered a range of Teacher Training courses. In addition to this, she as worked as an Academic Director in both London and Spain. Vanessa utilises her experience and her skills to help students obtain their linguistic goals using creative methodologies and confidence building strategies. She now lives in London and holds Enhanced Disclosure CRB to work with young learners and vulnerable adults. As a Teacher and Teacher Trainer, Vanessa is constantly developing and perfecting her methodologies to deliver tailor made classes for a range of learners. She designs a great deal of the material she uses in the classroom herself and is currently writing a resource book for teachers.

I specialize in teaching American and Canadian Accents. I am fascinated with the way phonology, speech rhythm and intonation vary in such a subtle but distinct way between accents. I’ve worked with students of various nationalities who wish to soften a strong accent and attain the American and Canadian accents, and helped my students gain a more natural sounding tone through voice placement, phonetics, speech rhythm and tone/inflection practice. Furthermore my experience in business has allowed me to develop extensive skills in teaching business English communication skills to various levels of student, ranging from topics such as writing formal letters and advanced phrasing techniques, to intonation and elevator pitches in public speaking situations. In addition, I’ve worked to help individuals with articulation clarity and overcoming the tendency to mumble.