sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States
This lesson on word stress gives you practice in reducing the first syllable of many common English words. The trick is to employ /ə/ (schwa) as a weak, shortened half-syllable that contrasts with fully stressed syllables.
Once you've understood the individual sounds of English (consonants and vowels), it's time to focus on the music of English pronunciation. Alan gives an introduction to English rhythms with this lesson on word stress.
Feel Like You Belong is a sometimes serious, sometimes funny, always “touch-your-heart” real conversation about fitting into the American culture. It introduces guests who have made the immigrant journey to the United States. The stories–of both struggle and success–will help newcomers feel more confident in sharing their opinions and expertise, more likely to want to stay in the U.S., be more productive in their jobs, and fully invest in their communities.
