We are developing a new series of game-based learning tools designed to help non-native English speakers develop critical skills quickly. These games have proven to be incredibly popular with individuals and institutions since they allow users to work at their own pace and practice some of the most difficult parts of speech on the go. The games are available as iPhone apps or for Windows PCs.

The audio for all of our accent reduction games is recorded by professional voice actors without regional accents for clarity.

Is ERnie an attORney?

Our first accent reduction game focuses on vowel sounds. American English vowel sounds present a real challenge for ESL students. With only five vowel letters but many more sounds, pronunciation is confusing. Experts agree that “perception precedes production”, so correctly hearing these sounds is a critical first step to pronouncing them well.

Is ERnie an attORney? is a great game to learn how to really hear and reproduce these sounds. You select one of 15 characters. Each character is associated with a single vowel sound. Then you answer realistic questions that come up in everyday life — the game scores over 700 responses. You get points based on your correct answers and you hear the correct pronunciation for each sound along the way. All audio is recorded by professional voice actors without regional accents for clarity.