

Sonya's profile and their contact details have been verified by our experts
Sonya
- Rate $81
- Response 12h
-
Students4
Number of students Sonya has taught since their arrival at Superprof
Number of students Sonya has taught since their arrival at Superprof

$81/h
Unfortunately, this tutor is unavailable
- Public speaking
Recommended
Sonya is a respected tutor in our community. They have been highly recommended for their commitment and the quality of their lessons — an excellent choice to progress with confidence.
About Sonya
- What kind of experience do you have?
Since gaining my MA in Voice Studies in 2006, I have been working steadily as a voice, speech and accent coach: 12 years and counting!
I spent some years working in London drama schools and voice coaching companies, teaching voice, accents and phonetics, and have now been working independently as a coach and consultant for 4 years. As well as coaching, I have drawn up many bespoke programmes for individual clients and groups, as well as creating my own worksheets and audio & video materials.
Before my MA, I taught Business English as a Foreign Language for 4 years.
- Do you have an up-to-date DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service, formerly CRB) Certificate?
No, I work only with adults.
I previously held a CRB for a volunteer befriending position in a charity.
- Where and with whom did you train?
I trained under Joe Windley at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama on the full-time MA Voice Studies 2005 - 2006.
- Tell me about some of your current students.
My clients are often executives in financial services, insurance, sales, PR, tech, as well as actors, authors, designers, doctors, entrepreneurs, lawyers, lecturers, musicians and students. They have a wide variety of language backgrounds: Italian, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Romanian, German, Portuguese (Brazilian and European), Spanish (South American varieties and European) and French, to name but a few!
About the lesson
- All Levels
- English
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
I am a professional voice, speech and accent coach who is passionate about helping you make the most of your spoken voice.
I work on all aspects of the voice, but specialise in Accent Reduction for non-native speakers of English.
- Which subject(s) do you teach?
Accent Reduction, Accent Softening, Elocution, English Pronunciation, Received Pronunciation, British Accent, Clear Speech, Articulation, Vocal Confidence.
I help you work physically to make the most of your spoken voice. We may look at breathing habits for a more confident vocal delivery, or we will look at the movement of the mouth to improve pronunciation clarity. During the sessions, you will get to know your voice and its habits more, as well as some exercises designed to help you develop the vocal habits you need to meet your objectives.
- Tell me about your qualifications.
I completed my MA from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2006, then gained a first class Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English Phonetics in 2008. My undergraduate degree was in English Language from the University of Edinburgh (2001). I have spent my life studying and teaching language, phonetics, speech and voice!
- How much do you charge?
For one-to-one sessions, my basic fees range from £50 - £70 per hour, depending on the location of the lesson: Skype, north London or central London.
We start with a one-off introductory session, which involves full assessment and introductory teaching, and is at a slightly lower fee of £40 to £60, depending on location.
I offer a 10% discount on any advance block bookings of five sessions or more.
For quotations for closed, small groups e.g. a group of colleagues, please contact me.
A travel charge of £10 per session may be applicable for sessions taking place outside Zone 1.
My fees include tuition and my own written, audio and video support materials.
My full fee structure is set out on my website, which can be found on this listing.
- Where do you teach?
I am based in north and central London, and am happy to travel in and around London.
In some cases I can teach in clients' workplaces or homes.
I regularly teach in: the City of London, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Embankment, Bloomsbury, among many other locations.
I also offer training over Skype.
- When are you available?
I am available Monday to Friday in north and central London. Lessons can be arranged between 8am and 8pm, depending on availability.
I am also available on Saturdays 9am - 4pm in Crouch End and over Skype only.
- Which ages and levels do you teach?
I teach adults, 18+.
My clients are both native and non-native speakers of English.
Non-native speakers working on Accent Reduction generally already speak English at a high level and are ready to focus on pronunciation.
- Which qualifications do you prepare your students for?
My training does not lead my clients towards any formal qualification.
However, I have helped clients prepare for: drama school auditions, the oral parts of IELTS, CPE and other English Language exams, PhD vivas, presentations and interviews.
If required, I can provide a certificate stating the number of hours a client has trained with me, but this is for information purposes only and is not a recognised qualification.
For clients whose training is sponsored by their employer, I regularly produce detailed progress reports and recommendations for further training.
- Describe your arrangements for online tutoring.
To set up a Skype lesson, we arrange a mutually suitable date and time, carefully taking time differences into account if applicable! I then send a confirmation email with the session slot, my Skype ID and the invoice for the session. Payment is due at least 24 hours before the session and can be made by PayPal or Bank transfer. I always acknowledge receipt of any payment once received.
Electronic materials such as worksheets and recordings are shared before, during and after the session where appropriate.
Internet connection quality: if sessions are interrupted or rendered impossible due to a poor connection on the client's end, the session is normally still chargeable and would end at the originally scheduled time. I have an excellent, reliable fibre optic internet connection, but in the highly unlikely event that my internet fails, the time will of course be made up or the session rescheduled at no extra charge.
- Do you have a personal message for students?
Whether you are interested in working on accent, voice, both, or even if you are not sure, it is my job to see you as an individual and advise you on the best course of action to address your vocal needs. Working with the voice can be interesting, fun, challenging and even life-changing, so if you have any questions at all about how I can help you, please get in touch for an informal chat. I look forward to helping you make the most of your spoken voice!
Rates
Rate
- $81
Pack rates
- 5h: $405
- 10h: $810
online
- $81/h
Details
Hourly rates:
Skype £50 (Intro session £40)
Crouch End £60 (Intro session £50)
Central London £70 (Intro session £60)
10% discount for advance block bookings of 5 sessions or more e.g. 10 x Skype sessions = £450
£10 per session travel charge applies for sessions at client's workplace or home.
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