The 13-week program is designed for people who already have a sound command of English grammar, said speech pathologist Melita Huitt. She said one of the main goals is to make the accent less heavy. I especially try and work on the words that they would use everyday. Jane Black, the audiology and speech manager at Sutter Memorial Hospital, said the program is careful only to focus on improving the patients' English. We want to improve their communication with the English language.
Improvement depends on how much each patient practices at work, school and at home.
Huitt went on to say that she suggests watching the news, getting help from coworkers and friends, and asking a lot of questions. The 13-week program is divided up into two sections, according to Huitt. The first six weeks are dedicated to drills and the last half of the program focuses on the implementation of the sounds into everyday life. Huitt added that the people who take her course are professional, motivated and have a real desire to improve their communication skills. The end result that we are looking for is effective communication.