IS YOUR ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION HOLDING YOU BACK?
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Have you been flagged by the FAA as not meeting mandatory ICAO English Proficiency Standards?
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Are you preparing to meet ICAO English proficiency requirements?
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Are you facing expulsion from your airline job or flight school due to your English proficiency?
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Are you looking to advance your career, but your English pronunciation is holding you back?
IMPROVE YOUR AMERICAN ENGLISH ACCENT TODAY
Alpha Speech is the cutting-edge solution for aviation professionals looking to improve their English pronunciation. Our patent-pending technique provides personalized coaching to ensure your English accent never stands in the way of your ICAO English exam.
Clear English pronunciation and being understood using Aviation English is an international requirement for pilots, air traffic controllers, and flight crew.
If you need help, contact Dr. Pierson today.
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
PILOTS & AVIATION PROFESSIONALS
BUSINESS
PROFESSIONALS
Alpha Speech ensures accented speech never limits your professional opportunities The sky is the limit with Dr. Pierson's patent-pending methods.
Many traditional accent reduction methods do not take into account each person's unique pronunciation. At Alpha Speech, we personalize our approach based on each client's specific speech patterns, delivering the most effective speech therapy available.
IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH ACCENT PROFICIENCY TODAY
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Together we will create an action plan so you
can achieve your goals in a timely manner.
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A proven method to enhance your speech intelligibility.
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This methodology works for all professionals including healthcare providers, business professionals, public speakers, and airline professionals.
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Understand how to repair a communication breakdown.
CONSULTATIONS & COLLABORATION
FLIGHT SCHOOLS >>
Dr. Pierson collaborates with flight schools to provide direct accent modification training for pilot students who are at risk of failing the FAA’s English Proficiency Requirements. By partnering with Dr. Pierson and Alpha Speech, flight schools will better prepare their students to meet ICAO and FAA English Requirements, which will make their training quicker and more efficient.
Dr. Pierson provides training and consultations for flight schools throughout the United States and overseas. Many flight schools benefit from having their instructors trained on what to do when they do not understand their students and recognize that their student’s accent may impact their ability to become licensed. Dr. Pierson will work with your staff to establish parameters for addressing accents within your program.
AIRLINE PARTNERSHIPS >>
AIRLINE PARTNERSHIPS >>
Research funded by the FAA indicates that miscommunications between pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC) are a common reason for fatal commercial aviation accidents (Prinzo et al., 2010, Reports 1-6). It was reported that “Regardless of how frequently they experienced problems with word meanings, for them, accent, speech rate, and pronunciation adversely affected their ability to understand word meanings to a greater extent than radio technique and the quality of ATCs radio equipment” (Prinzo et al., 2010, Report 2, p. 31). Unintelligible English can contribute to costly aviation accidents in terms of tremendous financial payouts and human loss of life. The cost of aviation accidents in the United States alone ranges from $1.64 billion to $4.64 billion a year (Sobieralski, 2013). Improvement in pilot’s intelligibility will assist in the maintenance of ICAO Level 4 English Standards and improve aviation safety margins.
Alpha Speech partners with airlines aiming to increase safety margins related to pilots’ communication abilities. The benefit of Alpha Speech’s patent-pending program is that it increases safety margins via intelligible speech. Assisting pilots to clearly communicate during an unforeseen emergency minimizes the risk of tragic loss of human life.
Prinzo, O. V., Campbell, A., Hendrix, A. M., & Hendrix, R. (2010). United States Airline Transport Pilot International Flight Language Experiences Report 2: Word Meaning and Pronunciation. Federal Aviation Administration. doi: 10.1037/e733862011-001
Sobieralski, J.B. (2013). The cost of general aviation accidents in the United States. Transportation Research. Part A, Policy and Practice, 47, 19-27.
RESEARCH >>
RESEARCH >>
Dr. Pierson welcomes the opportunity to partner with organizations within the aviation industry to further investigate what can be done to decrease miscommunications between pilots, ATC, and crew. Whether you are looking to collaborate on a more extensive study or interested in investigating the impact of accents within your organization, Dr. Pierson looks forward to speaking with you.
ABOUT DR. KATIE PIERSON
Dr. Katie Pierson, ClinScD, CCC-SLP, PESL-C
Dr. Pierson was drawn to the field of speech-language pathology after teaching English while living in Southern Spain. She recognized that most misunderstandings within a professional setting occurred primarily due to accents.
After returning home to the United States, Dr. Pierson earned her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Pacific University. She went on to earn her Doctorate of Clinical Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, where she was awarded the University’s 2019 Top Scholar. She graduated from RMUoHP in December 2020 after completing doctoral research within the aerospace industry. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) named Dr. Pierson a 2020 Distinguished Early Career Professional for her work with Chinese pilots. In 2021, her article, “Taking Speech-Language Pathology to 35,000 Feet” was featured as the “Academic Edge” in the ASHA Leader. In 2023, she was selected by Women in Aviation International to attend the Harvard Emerging Leaders program where she gained the necessary skill to further research and her career within the aerospace industry. Her article, “Vowel Centered Accent Modification in Mandarin Speaking Chinese Pilot Candidates” was published and selected for the 2024 New Year special issue by the Journal of International Aerospace Psychology. The article is the first of its kind to introduce the unity of two unique fields, to improve global human error safety standards for everyone who gets on an aircraft worldwide.
Recently, Dr. Pierson founded Alpha Speech, a trailblazing practice that uses her patent-pending accent modification approach to improve intelligibility in international pilots and pilot candidates. Dr. Pierson’s goal is to ensure one’s way of speaking never prohibits their professional or educational opportunities. She is also deeply committed to increasing safety margins for airlines and their passengers by ensuring the pilot is intelligible at all times.
Dr. Pierson continues to pursue ongoing research and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with flight schools, airlines, and larger organizations to continue advancing knowledge around accents in aviation.
Being understood using Aviation English is an international requirement for pilots, air traffic controllers, and flight crew. Dr. Pierson's research has primarily focused solely on the study of accents in aviation. Alpha Speech is her way of delivering her patent-pending methodology to everyone who needs it.
GETTING STARTED WITH
STEP ONE >>
Contact Alpha Speech and speak directly with Dr. Pierson. We will discuss your needs and make a plan to begin improving your English pronunciation immediately.
STEP TWO >>
Attend your first session over Zoom where Dr. Pierson will assess your unique speech patterns. Dr. Pierson will identify what specific patterns and differences in your speech are having the largest impact on your English intelligibility.
STEP THREE >>
Regular sessions for up to 3 months will create new speech patterns and positively change your English intelligibility. Every client will experience improved speech clarity and confidence in their communication.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Alpha Speech awards two scholarships every year to pilot candidates who demonstrate financial need and are at risk of professional repercussions due to their English intelligibility. Please use the contact information to inquire about scholarship opportunities.
CYRIL SCHOLARSHIP
Cyril was a spitfire who did not appreciate rules and was loved by many. He experienced many hardships growing up in extreme poverty. He worked hard for all of his accomplishments and remained an independent go-getter throughout his lifetime.
If you have failed the ICAO/FAA English proficiency requirements, are facing poverty or extreme hardships, please provide Dr. Pierson with a 1-2 page essay as to why you are applying for the Cyril Scholarship for free speech therapy (up to 8 sessions).
This scholarship is available to pilot candidates worldwide.
JAMES SCHOLARSHIP
If anyone ever had a beautiful mind, it was “Jim.” While he grew up in rural America, he became an important silent figure in molecular metallurgy. He developed a method to fabricate titanium airplane parts faster than anyone else in the world. His method was used to assist with the development of the SR-71 Blackbird, which can reach speeds of 2,193 mph and remains the world’s fastest aircraft to date.
Please provide Dr. Pierson with a 1-2 page essay about how improving your intelligibility will help you contribute to the world around you. This scholarship is for free speech therapy (up to 8 sessions).
This scholarship is available to American citizens only.
"I look at the individual's unique speech patterns, diagnose what is different from Standardized American English, make a plan to change those differences, and work with the client for up to three months to see a change in their intelligibility."
— Dr. Pierson on her patent-pending methodology