I am from Taiwan and a native Chinese speaker. When I was at school age, students started learning English in middle school. There were not many resources available such as English TV shows or radios. Cassette players were not common, and cassettes for English lessons were expensive. Students learned pronunciation mainly from their teacher, who might never be in any English environment for the whole life. It is challenging to be able to learn and speak good English. After coming to the U.S to study and work, I depended on watching TV and listening to the radio to improve my English. I naively believed that my pronunciation would gradually close to native speakers, and my accent would be gone in an English environment. Therefore, I didn't seek an expert's help. Looking back, my advice to new immigrants is to get help as early as possible. A good communication skill is a key to career advancement. A strong accent means that listeners need to spend extra effort to understand words to be expressed. It's like a speed bump for people to believe and trust you. With a friend's recommendation, I met with Michelle. When working with her, she could point out the differences between my speech and a native speaker's. She patiently directs my tongue, vocal cords, and airflow to produce sounds. Before taking the lessons, I only knew vowels and consonants and tried to speak sentences by composing those. However, speaking English is more than letter sounds. In 10-week lessons, besides vowels and consonants, she walked me through intonation, rhythm, word endings, linking words, and contraction. The curriculum opens my eyes to English speaking. It is essential to have a language expert's help. My children speak perfect English. When they laughed at Dad's accent or couldn't understand my talking, I asked them what's wrong. They usually responded with, "I don't know. It sounds strange." Language requires muscle memory. If the brain needs to instruct the tongue and mouth frequently, it will never sound like a native speaker. Muscle memory can only be achieved by practicing repeatedly. After the lessons with Michelle, I read one or two articles out loud every day and record them. With the new-gained knowledge, I can hear the problems with my speech. By focusing on where I go wrong and doing it again and again, I can reduce my accent and speak English more clearly and confidently. read more

I'm an export coordinator from Mexico. I just completed a ten-week course with Michelle. My goals were to get more fluent, to feel confident when I say something for both the grammar and pronunciation. I wanted to get more vocabulary, be able to use phrasal verbs, idioms, and prepositions more: not only be able to understand them but be able to use them. When I started the course, I didn't talk much. I'm too strict so I was limiting myself because I wanted to be really good and didn't feel confident. Even though I had everything in my head it wouldn't come out right. Now I have stopped over-thinking, just let it flow, and it works! I have learned so much from this training. I have learned the simplest pronunciation of each vowel, combinations of consonants, where to put the emphasis on phrasal nouns and verbs, and the rules of word stress. I have learned how to say /z/ and /i/ correctly, I have an understanding of phrasal verbs and I use them more often. I learned some idioms, but I need to learn more. I've also improved my grammar, especially when I write emails at work. I don't hesitate now and I use different words in my emails too. Now I just need to keep practicing what I have learned. My pronunciation has also improved. Words I thought I was saying right before, I was not! I feel more confident now. It has helped me to socialize more in English, to ask more questions. My fluency and accent have all gotten better. I'm using a lot of new words that I hadn't used before. If you are thinking about doing this, go for it! It's worth it because you always learn something new. You'll get what you need because the coach is experienced and will give you what you need for your level and interests. She does this with conversations, exercises, suggestions, how she explains words and answers questions. The readings and materials were interesting and appropriate for my level and interests, and the Ted Talks she recommended really caught my attention. I discovered new and interesting things I didn't know about word meanings and pronunciation. Now when I hear conversations I notice these things, so you discover new things with this course. She will also teach you how to stick with what you learn. She guided me on how to absorb and apply what I learned. read more

I'm a sales service representative in a multi-cultural company. My native language is Spanish. I wanted to have more fluency, vocabulary, and tools to have better communication in my job and in my social life. Also, I realized when I was doing the course how important pronunciation is for having people understand you and to have better communication. Since I did the ten-week course, my pronunciation is much better. For example, I can say -s and -y words more clearly now. I learned about words which are close, like "mill and meal". I am more aware of differences and can catch my errors and correct them. Also because of the readings and conversations I have an improved vocabulary, and I understand the verb tenses more. I notice that now every time I make a mistake, because of the tools I now have, I can self-correct, and I have a better social and work life. When I'm speaking with people, at work or with friends, I notice a difference. It's easier to speak; I don't feel so shy. I feel more confident now. I correct my own mistakes! I used to depend on my sister to help me say things, but now I don't need her. I totally recommend this course. Michelle is a super understanding teacher, and above all, she really knows our needs, gives us the choices, exercises, and practice that help us to improve. And we have great conversations on important topics. I think that the one-on-one classes are more helpful since you get all the attention that you need and learn exactly what you need to learn. Every class is different because you think you already know a lot, but you get surprised because there is even more. read more

As a tech worker whose native language is Mandarin and has spent the first 20+ years of their life in China, I had never felt comfortable and confident enough to speak English in the US, especially in a work environment where good communication skill is highly regarded and expected. I had some English coaches on and off since I came to the US, and had been trying to learn from online materials (such as Youtube tutorial videos), but that was never sufficient enough to make me feel happy about my English. One Day I decided to look for an accent coach and I ran into Michelle. She was amazing. She helped me to correct my pronunciations, along with grammar correction and some cultural education. She has a systematic approach, and she knows very well what is difficult for Mandarin speakers. She could always pinpoint my problem and help me to speak in a way that people could understand. The coaching sessions have greatly improved my confidence when talking with my coworkers, now I feel more comfortable expressing my ideas and thoughts in a business environment, and I'm able to do more meaningful small talks (haha small talks are hardly meaningful regarding of how much information is being conveyed, but now I'm able to keep a small talk last longer and more fun). Now I'm happier and the best thing is that I have a systematic tool that I could use to keep improving myself even without weekly coaching sessions. But those coaching sessions are great, I'll definitely come back for single sessions whenever I have a big presentation or I want to brush up my skills! read more

I had the pleasure of taking an accent and pronunciation course with Michelle Deya Knoop at EnglishWorks Accent & English Coaching, and I can honestly say it was one of the most valuable learning experiences I've had. What impressed me most about Michelle is how methodical and well-structured her teaching approach is. She doesn't just tell you what to do -- she explains the logic behind it. Through a deductive method, she breaks down how English actually works, making even complex pronunciation rules feel clear and intuitive. Every lesson felt purposeful and thoughtfully organized, which made the material easy to absorb and build on. Thanks to her guidance, I gained a much deeper understanding of the subtleties of spoken English -- things like the hidden mechanics behind how words are pronounced, how rhythm shapes meaning, and how to read and speak with a natural North American intonation. These are the kinds of details that most courses simply overlook, but Michelle brings them to the forefront in a way that truly transforms how you speak. Beyond her expertise, Michelle is warm, patient, and genuinely invested in her students' progress. Her professionalism shows in every aspect of her work, from the clarity of her explanations to the precision with which she gives feedback. If you are serious about improving your English pronunciation and want to work with someone who combines deep knowledge with a structured, logical teaching style, I highly recommend Michelle. She is exceptional at what she does. read more

I originally came from China. I am a chemistry professional, and my bad English skill has always been an obstacle to communicate with other people in my work and in my life. I am so lucky that I found Michelle and this EnglishWorks course. After two secions of systematic training I believe I got significant improvement. Even though I cannot say that right now my English is good enough but I think I am on the right track for further improvement after Michelle's coaching. Michelle diagnosed my problems and tailored syllabus accordingly, and patiently corrected my grammar mistakes. She taught me so many English skills that I had never known or heard before, and more importantly, she taught me how to speak English elegantly and beautifully, and enjoy the fun of communicating. Before the course, I thought speaking English well is a skill, and now I believe it is more like a piece of art. After this course, I am able to speak English more clearly, more confidently, and got a habbit of paying attention to how other people speak English and how beautiful the way they deliver information and emotions is, and I am eager to learn more in a daily basis. Learning English is a long journey, and this course is definitely a compass to mark the right direction. By the end of this course, I cannot believe that I am able to make one-hour-long presentations to clearly address complicated topics. Thanks Michelle, couldn't do it without your help! read more

I'm so glad I found Michelle! She is kind and easy to work with--always patient, and I've gained immensely from working with her. I came to the US as a teen and have lived here for more than ten years. This to say that although I didn't have a strong accent, there were noticeable traces of an accent and repeated mistakes in my pronunciation of certain words. And the lessons helped me both technically and psychologically. Technique-wise, our sessions clarified all the implicit rules that I had subconsciously picked up but was never quite sure of. English is a language notorious for having spellings that aren't obvious from their sounds (and vice versa). Nevertheless, I came to realize that there aren't an infinite number of sounds, which is quite liberating. Psychologically, I'm much less hesitant when vocalizing a sound, which helps me with the tone and sounding more confident. I've also developed the habit of writing down words whose pronunciation I'm not sure of and making a list of them. Of course, as a non-native English speaker, this is a lifelong journey. But working with Michelle was, proverbially speaking, like learning how to fish. I can always refer back to her book and the worksheets. Thanks, Michelle, and I highly recommend her to everyone who's considering working with her--just do it! read more

I am a graphic designer and I wanted to take courses to perfect my accent, my grammar, and basically improve my overall English.. I looked for a few weeks before finding Michelle's course. Her announcement on yelp seemed honest and very professional. It is hard to do justice to Michelle's courses, how good they are. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the classes, as well as pronunciation, grammar, spelling. Learning a new language includes learning new cultures. In that sense, Michelle provides topics about the world which are extremely interesting and chalenging. American English requires learning very specific ways to move the lips, and to accentuate certain parts of the words. It's really learning a new way of talking, and that fact Michelle teaches very well. Michelle is very attentive to the details, and has also a great experience in the teaching field, which makes things easier. She has developed intelligent courses and I think they can help many people.  In everyday life my English is better and more fluid, even though I know I still have more to progress. read more

I am a software engineer that moved to US from South Eastern Europe 5 years ago. My written communication and comprehension were generally good but I was not a particularly fluent speaker. Often I would struggle with unexpected breaks while talking (until I find the right word) or sometimes would have to start the sentence from beginning to explain the idea better. Even when I was speaking somewhat fluently my talk wouldn't be concise enough and I could notice audience was losing focus. I took 20 lessons from Michelle to improve fluency and accent and be more confident and succinct when speaking in public (nowadays zoom meetings). This paid off really quickly and I have already received direct peer positive feedback that my communication has improved and that they are able to follow my technical presentations much better than before. I also feel that I am able to express my thoughts much better than before and am looking forward to giving more public presentations at my company. I don't have to avoid complex topics anymore. read more

I had the chance to work with Michelle for over 20 weeks and I was very much impressed by her attitude of openness, her heartfelt passion for teaching and skilled cross-cultural communication. I believe that these are the qualities that make Michelle a truly great teacher for this special type of class. For anyone who has lived in a new culture, perhaps, the most difficult thing to overcome is the fear of opening up. Talking to Michelle, you will quickly realize that she is always willing to listen without judgment about your view of the American culture. Her genuine curiosity gave me the trust to share my true thoughts and see the cultural difference in a positive light. Michelle has great attention to details when it comes to accent training. She always insisted on me paying attention to even the smallest pronunciation mistake. Despite being a challenging topic, an accent training session with Michelle is always light-hearted and full of laughter. All thanks to her positivity and patience. read more

I am a founder and a CEO of a biotech startup based in the Bay Area. I started working with Michelle when I had an event to attend as a speaker in Paris in October of last year. Michelle helped me a lot to identify where my main mistakes were, and not only in my pronunciation but also in the word stress patterns, the rhythm, the differences in the vowels sounds and so on. Being aware of what I should improve made a huge difference for me. Now, when I speak I pay much more attention to some specific points, sounds, or words. Michelle has a great methodology to train you how to breathe correctly, how to practice sounds that are not present in our original language and this is really helpful for you to become more clear and understood in general. Michelle is a great coach, I am glad to have learned so much with her, and I will keep working to get to the level that I aim for. It takes time, you need to commit yourself and have disciplin to see the results. read more

As a non-native english speaker and working in tech, I didn't quite feel the need to speak like a native speaker. However, it took a while for me to understand how not having the fluency was at times holding me back in my career. I explored a few English instructors and decided to sign up with Michelle right away after my initial conversation with her! Michelle accurately assessed the areas I needed to improve on and suggested the right course I needed. I really liked Michelle's workbook that she shipped at the beginning of the course, and how the weekly sessions were building on top of each other. This course definitely helped me be comfortable watching and listening to my own voice, and the changes incorporated from the sessions we've had. Michelle is a great instructor and it was such a pleasure learning from her. Sometimes I wish I had signed up with Michelle much earlier than I did. read more

My American friends have told me that my speaking has improved a lot since I finished Michelle's American accent course! Even though I've been speaking English every day for the past five years living in the U.S., I knew my communication still wasn't where I wanted it to be. I wanted to sound more confident and be easily understood. Michelle is incredibly knowledgeable and clearly an expert in her field. She was able to spot the specific sounds I struggled with--like /th/, -ed, and -s endings--that I didn't even realize I was pronouncing wrong. She also taught me how to use intonation to make my speaking sound more natural and interesting. If it weren't for her trained ear, I wouldn't have noticed what I was doing wrong. I'm super grateful for everything she taught me and how much more confident I feel speaking now. read more

To improve my communication--particularly in professional settings--I enrolled in accent training. The instructor provided clear, practical feedback and helped me make specific adjustments to the positioning of my mouth and tongue to improve sound accuracy. The training went beyond individual sounds and included lessons on intonation, rhythm, word stress, and linking--all of which made my speech more natural and improved both my speaking and listening comprehension. This active, hands-on approach was far more effective than previous courses I had taken that focused primarily on passive listening. Thanks to this training, my pronunciation has become noticeably clearer to native speakers, reducing communication barriers. I now better understand native-level English in meetings, presentations, and media. read more

I can't recommend EnglishWorks highly enough! Michelle Knoop is a powerhouse--patient, knowledgeable, and deeply attuned to each learner's strengths and challenges. What stood out: * Tailored 1-on-1 instruction: Michelle designs every lesson to target exactly the sounds, rhythm, and intonation that trips students up--making sessions feel both intense and surprisingly fun. * Practical homework: Between-session videos, custom worksheets, and the American Accent Workbook ensures you practice the right way between lessons. * Noticeable results early on: Within weeks you'll feel more confident. * Cultural insight & support: Michelle creates a warm, judgment-free space. Her curiosity about her clients' background makes it easier to open up and truly change speech habits. read more

I 100% recommend EnglishWorks to everyone especially immigrants who can speak English fine but they want to improve it and not worry about it at all. I am a Construction Manager from Iran. CM people have meetings almost every day, it's really important for them to properly communicate with other people and sometimes even stand their ground. I was ok before but I noticed a HUGE improvement in my English Speaking since I started improving my English with Michelle. People now understand me better and it feels amazing! I no longer have that barrier between me and real me ;) if you know what I mean. Do not hesitate I did a huge research before starting with Michelle. Good Luck! read more

I have completed 20 sessions guided by Michelle using the remote meetings. As a person living in the United States for more than 17 years, these sessions are proved to be extremely useful. I like the way that the sessions are organized. The coach will provide the diagnosis report and training plan based on the individual's need before the sessions start. After that, timely feedback will be discussed during each session. A recording will be set out on the same day for the after-session practices. Michelle is passionate. She is very good in observing any English speaking problem and finding a way to fix it. I highly recommend the training session that EnglishWorks offers. read more

I learned vowels, consonants, intonations, rhythm, and linking with Michelle. She is excellent at explaining how and where to place my tongue when I struggle with certain words (such as gone, tongue, eaten). After a session on intonation and rhythm, whenever I listened to news podcasts, I would think, Oh yeah, these are the patterns I just learned--gliding, pausing, falling intonations, etc. When I shared this with my husband (who is a native English speaker), he was really impressed because he had never noticed these patterns before. I highly recommend this course with Michelle if you want to speak like a real American! read more

I'm an engineering manager who moved to U.S. 6 years ago. I can speak English but always wanted to make an effort to improve my pronunciation. To everyone who have the similar challenges, I would highly recommend Michelle. Michelle is very experienced in this area. She has a very systematical way to help the candidates like me. She will start with teaching the right technical skills on pronouncing different vowels. After that, she will teach you on how to apply those skills during the learning process. It was a very short time period but I had learned a lot from her. read more