Conversation.
Work, travel, a story you want to tell. Practice developing your thoughts and keeping a conversation going.
Individual English lessons · Adults B1–C2
American English.
With Matt.
Conversation, natural phrasing,
and a voice you feel comfortable using.
A few words before the day.S. E. Lane for American Journal
A note from your teacher
You know the words.
Let’s find your voice.
I’m Matt. I teach American English and edit this journal.
Maybe you can follow a conversation, but answering takes a little longer. Or the sentence makes sense, yet it doesn’t quite sound like something you’d say.
That’s what we work on: the words, the rhythm, and the small choices that help you sound more like yourself in English.
Individual lessons · Adults B1–C2
Your English.
Your conversation.
We start with what you want to say.
Your goals give the lessons their direction.
Phrasing & tone.
Find words that fit the situation. Explore what sounds warm, direct, thoughtful, or a little too formal.
Pronunciation & listening.
Sounds, stress, rhythm, and connected speech. Work on how you speak and what you hear.
Beyond the lesson
Something to take with you.
After each regular lesson, you receive a PDF booklet with the lesson material and my voice recordings of that material, so you can listen and practice again.
60 minutes$29.99per lesson
90 minutes$39.99per lesson
Prices in USD · Individual · Online · Taught personally by Matt
A first conversation
Let’s meet.
A free, 30–35-minute introduction. We’ll talk about your English, your goals, and how the lessons work.
The independent Journal
Stories. Language.
A little closer.
Short fiction, everyday English, and a few places to pause. Read at your own pace.
01 · American Stories
The collection
A place to spend a while.
Pops showed me that speaking into a microphone meant paying attention to more than the words.
All the stories02 · Field Notes
The collectionAmerican Journal ✦Tone and connectionLet your voice mean it.
The words can be right while the welcome is hard to hear. Pay attention to the voice carrying them.
Words. Rhythm. A little warmth. ↗American Journal ✦Tone and meaningActually: a change of direction.Actually can correct, surprise, or change a plan. Listen to what surrounds it.
Words. Rhythm. A little warmth. ↗The small things you notice.
An ordinary phrase. A little warmth. The choices that make the conversation yours.
All the notes03 · Postcards
The collection
Somewhere to linger.
A harbor before sunrise. A porch at the end of the day. A seat at the counter. Stay a little longer.
All the postcards