In 2004, I, Olga Smith, was looking for an elocution tutor. My American husband could not understand some of the words I was saying. People often asked me to repeat what I said. Then I was saying it in the same way; it was a vicious circle. I felt my foreign accent was a nuisance for me and others.
After a long, difficult search and failed attempts with numerous "elocution tutors”, I found Linda James, a qualified phonetician with 20+ years of teaching speech in London drama schools and accent reduction to international professionals. From the very first lesson, I fell in love with Linda's teaching method and could see the progress straight away.
In 2006, I told Linda I wanted to write a book based on her method and asked her to co-author it. I wanted to make Linda's exclusive and very enjoyable lessons available to a wide audience. This is how the international bestselling book Get Rid of Your Accent, Part One (Audible/Amazon) was born.
Linda and I later co-authored Parts Two - Advanced Level and Three - for Business, and our most recent book is Get Rid of Your Accent for Beginners.
We recently created accompanying video courses for the mentioned above apps:
All our books have been converted into iOS and Android apps by developer Yury Kravchenko. Yury himself had a strong Russian accent, and his elocution tutor recommended our Get Rid of Your Accent book. He enjoyed the book and the progress he was making with it. Yury proposed turning the entire series into apps:
British English
4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause
American English
Today, nearly 20 years later, what started as my personal struggle has become a global resource.
If you've ever felt held back by your accent — in meetings, on stage, or simply in conversation — I want you to know: clear, confident speech is a skill. And like any skill, it can be learned.
Whether you prefer books, apps, video courses, or 1-to-1 coaching, we have a path for you:
📗 Bestselling books on Amazon & Audible
📱iOS & Android apps (British & American English)
🎓 Video courses on Udemy
🎙️ Online & in-person coaching in London
Find free tips on www.batcsglobal.com
Warmly
Olga Smith