The Vanderway Method™

What’s Learning an Accent with The Vanderway Method™ Like?

There are five main steps to mastering an accent with The Vanderway Method™. I share them here in the order you’ll usually experience them, though some naturally overlap:

Accent Targeting – First, we identify the exact accent you need. This isn’t just about sound — we also look at the psychology and the social impact of the accent. This step lays the foundation for all the work to come.

Accent Recognition – Next, we train your ear (and eye!) to notice the specific features of the accent. Adult brains are trained to focus on what someone is saying, not how they’re saying it. So we retrain your perception, helping you hear style as clearly as content.

Accent Mechanics – Here, we focus on physical awareness and flexibility of the body parts that create speech. You’ll learn to guide your lips, tongue, soft palate and jaw in the exact ways needed to produce the sounds of your target accent.

Accent Flow – Making the sounds is one thing; linking them together naturally is another. In this step, we develop strategies to connect individual sounds into words and phrases so the accent flows smoothly in real communication.

Accent Integration – Finally, we connect sound with meaning. Through guided exercises, your new accent becomes more than something you “put on.” It becomes a natural way for you to express yourself — effortless, responsive, and available at a moment’s notice.