What would be like to work with Aiko Hemingway?

Etsuyo

Aiko sanと高島まきさんの対談をPodcastで拝聴したことがきっかけか、またはAiko sanは有名な発音・ビジネスコーチなので、それより以前にYoutubeで存じ上げていたかもしれません。もともと英語の発音に興味がありましたが、Aiko sanから発音をきちんと学びたいと思いコンタクトをとらせていただきました。

発音コーチングを取ると決めた理由は次のレベルに行きたかったからです。Aiko sanご自身がご自分に投資して学び続けていらっしゃること、また、英語発音に関して情熱を持ち後進の指導にあたられるなどの姿勢に感銘を受けました。

かなり細部にわたって丁寧に指導してくださるので、発音が変化し英語の理解度も向上しました。また、言語だけではなくアメリカの文化やコミュニケーションスタイルについても学ぶことができて楽しいです。英語で行うビジネスにも自信が持てるようになりました。上級者のかたばかりのコミュニティなので、プレッシャーも大きいですが、得るものも大きいです。

真剣に次のレベルに行きたいと思っているかたにおすすめします。

Tsuyoshi Yamashita

I found Aiko on a free pronunciation course and I thought I wanted to take her coaching. I joined her free session and I was impressed that she is still learning pronunciation and impressed by her passion.

The opportunity to talk over the phone in English has increased a lot. Since I took her coaching, I can discuss with my clients without any setback. Also, I have more freedom in my US life.

Her advice is very accurate, easy to understand and very practical. I recommend her coaching to friends of mine who want to improve their pronunciation seriously.

Atsuko

As you know there are a plenty of English pronunciation coaches everywhere. I had actually taken some other pronunciation courses in the past and achieved the advanced level there, but I still had difficulties communicating with English speakers for some reason.

One day, I found Aiko-san through Facebook and was surprised how clear her English was even though she was born and raised in Japan until she was 23 years old and 100% pure Japanese. I was truly inspired and I would like to know how I can be like her, and soon, I knocked on the door of her course.

I believe my listening skill is improving as now I could even tell the articles, such as ‘a’ and ‘the’ in the sentences, while I couldn’t hear before.

By the way, I could distinguish the difference between ‘ear’ and ‘year’! I was so excited when I could make ‘Y’ sound properly with Aiko-san’s advice!

She teaches us not only the English sounds, such as consonants and vowels, but also the English intonation and rhythm. It really helps me to speak English naturally at work.

My coworkers who speak English don’t ask me to repeat what I said so far.

If you are struggling with your pronunciation, why not take her course?

She has a nice and relaxed mood (as she lives in Hawaii??) with great analytic skills of English pronunciation. If you have no idea why you can’t make the proper sound of English, as I used to, she will clarify what your problem is. She has great ears, amazing!

For sure, you will be surprised that it makes it easier for you to communicate with English speakers after taking her course!

Rika Miyoshi (Principal & Founder of an International Preschool)

“You sound like an American.”

“Your English is so natural”

毎日のオンライン英会話で度々こういうコメントをもらうようになりました。

1年半前、Twitter でAiko先生を見つけました(笑)

インターナショナルプリスクールの園長である私は毎日英語漬けです。

でも、職員からは何度も”What did you say?" "Can? Can't?" "13?30?" などと聞き返される毎日でした。ネイティブスピーカーの保護者の方たちに説明する機会もたびたびあり、いつも自分の英語に自信がありませんでしたが、自信があるように振る舞っていました。

もちろん、保護者の方から聞き返されることも何度もありました。

今まで何冊も発音の本を購入し、動画なども見て、さんざん発音の練習をしてきましたが、なかなか成果が見られませんでした。

Aiko先生と、他の先生とのコラボ体験セッションのようなものでお話をする機会を得て、Aiko先生の12週間の発音プライベートレッスンを申し込みました。

それは今まで学んできたものと違うアプローチで、舌と空気の流れにフォーカスしたレッスンでした。初めての体験に戸惑いながら練習を続けてみると自分の発音が変わっていくのを感じました。Aiko先生は不思議なことに私の舌がどのように動いているのか、英語を聞いただけでわかるのです!!!　そのため指示が的確ですぐに矯正することができます。

もちろん、練習が必要ですが、練習をすればするほど成果が出ます。

12週間のコースが終了しぐっと私の発音は変わっていきました。

まだまだ自分は変われると感じて、初めの12週間コースを復習しようと思ったのですが、やはりFeedback が必要だと感じたためAiko先生に続きの12週間のコースを作ってもらいました。

2回目のコースで、自分の中に確実に身についていくのがわかりました。

自信がついて話し方も変わりました。

Aiko先生は一つ一つの発音だけでなく、アクセント、アメリカ英語の話し方の特徴、考え方、文化まで含めて教えてくださいます。

その事がより発音に良い影響を与えています。

発音は練習をやめてしまうと自分の癖がついてしまっても気が付かないのではないかなと思い、今でも月に2回のプライベートレッスンを受けて、練習を続けています。

現在は職員に聞き返されることも全くなく、自信をもって保護者の方に話すこともできます。アメリカのToastmasters にも入り、英語を意識せずに使えています。

様々な発音指導法がありますが、これほど有効な方法を体験したことがありません。

ただ、本当に発音がよくなりたいという気持ち、努力を惜しまないことが大切です。そうすればAiko先生によって世界が変わります。大げさなようですが、本当にConfidence,　Mindset が変わります。Aiko先生ありがとうございます。そしてこれからもよろしくお願いします。

Yoshiki Hata

I found Aiko-sensei on YouTube. I wanted to learn from her who has experienced many hardships to become a coach. I decided to take her coaching because I'm not good at listening, but I felt it was important to learn my pronunciation first to improve my listening skills.

I learned that if I don't properly pronounce vowels and consonants, which I hadn't paid much attention to before, the other person won't understand me at all. Of course, I'm still developing, but Aiko-sensei encourages me to keep practicing.

I liked her coaching because there is no other way I can learn English from a Japanese teacher, who learned English the hard way overseas, to teach me in such a detailed way.

I'm still in the process of developing myself, but I think that when I get to a higher level, people will naturally ask me how I learned it. That is where I want to be.

Hisako

Aiko-san's video popped up when I was watching videos on Youtube app. I took her short lesson in May 2020 and it was an eye-opening experience for me.

I can produce English sounds more confidently now. Also, I can handle negotiations with suppliers more smoothly.

Aiko-san's listening skill is amazing! She can pick up my challenging points precisely and advise me how to correct them. I recommend her coaching to people who are eager to improve their English pronunciation.

Akiko

I found Aiko on YouTube. I wanted to know if my English pronunciation is good enough as a pronunciation coach. I decided to take her coaching because her courses accepted a limited number of people and also people with a good command of English.

Before taking her course, I didn't know what to improve, which nobody in my workplace let me know. During the course, I realized that my consonants were too weak. As I practiced pronunciation, I came to be able to hear consonants that other people were making, which was a benefit as a pronunciation coach.

I liked her coaching because 1) the curriculum is systematic. 2) I can get one focus point to practice every lesson.

I recommend her coaching to  people who know their pronunciation is not natural but don't know what to start with.

Tomoko

I have kept looking to improve my English pronunciation. I've tried several methods and materials before, but I've never be able to be satisfied. When I took Aiko's trial lesson, I realized that this was what I wanted.

Her teaching method is unique and different from others, but also effective.

I came to be able to hear English sounds I have never been conscious of before. Now I feel and hear the air and vibration that English speakers make when they speak.

I learned English pronunciation from her, but my listening skill improved greatly at the same time. I came to be able to make myself understood better in English, even over the telephone conversation. Native English speakers understand me without asking me to repeat words and sentences.

I recommend her coaching to somebody who is struggling with his/her accent and does not have clues how to improve it.