Q:   What is an accent?
A:   Sam Chwat defines an accent as a pattern of speech, unique to a particular region or particular group of speakers. It comprises vowels and consonants, some of which do not occur in Standard American English. When a speaker substitutes a non-standard vowel or consonant in spoken Standard American English, an accent is heard by the listener.

Q:   What is Standard American English?
A:   Standard American English, or “the accent without an accent,” is defined by Sam Chwat as an accent of American English which does not distract the listener with, or reveal any, regionalisms. It comprises 44 vowels and consonants, many of which do not occur in non-English languages.

Q:   How can I replace my accent with Standard American English?
A:   The Sam Chwat Method is a unique, fast-paced and effective program designed to help you replace the accented sounds of your speech with the sounds of Standard American English. We will train you to hear the differences between your pronunciation and the target sound, and you will be able to incorporate the new sounds into your conversational speech.

Q:    How long does it take to eliminate my accent, and how much does it cost?
A:   We begin with a FREE consultation to provide evaluation of your speech to determine your aptitude, and how we can individualize a program for you. When you and your therapist determine which of our services are right for you, we will offer several options concerning the duration and cost.

Q:   Who are the instructors at Sam Chwat Speech Center?
A:   Each of our instructors are state-licensed speech-language therapists with, at minimum, a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Our therapists have extensive experience working with accent elimination, acquisition of Standard American English and voice improvement.

Q:   Will losing my accent mean losing my ethnic heritage?
A:   Absolutely not. Learning a new accent is a tool of communication, and will offer a new skill for you to use as you choose. You will always have the ability to speak with your “new” or your “old” accent.

Q:   Is there a Sam Chwat Speech Center near me?
A:   Our headquarters are in New York City. However, we also offer online video classes and telephone classes – the next best thing to visiting us in person.

Q:   I am a speech-language therapist. Does Sam Chwat Speech Center offer any training in the Sam Chwat Method? Or employment opportunities?
A:   The Sam Chwat Speech Center hires only speech-language pathologists with a Masters Degree in speech pathology and state licensure. Training in the Sam Chwat Method is available through our periodic ASHA-sponsored Continuing Education Workshops for Speech-Language Pathologists in Accent Elimination. If you’re interested, please send us your name and address and we will contact you with our schedule of workshops around the country. We’re especially interested in candidates for our new web-based services. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer internship or CFY positions at this time.