The Institute of Language & Phonology is comprised of several independent yet intrinsically linked business entities:

• the non-profit ILP Research Division, led by Dr. Arthur J. Compton, who designed the P-ESL method and remains active in the study and provision of accent training. Visit the Research Division website.
• the ILP Training Division, offering certification, continuing education units and marketing training opportunities to speech professionals in a variety of formats. You’re viewing our website right now.
• the ILP Design & Technology Team, creators of Compton PESL Online – the online version of the original Compton Assessment of Foreign Accent created exclusively for teachers who have completed PESL certification training and wish to take advantage of the speed and convenience of web-based assessment options. Visit the PESL Online Assessment site.

The Institute of Language & Phonology Training Division currently offers two live courses for ASHA Continuing Education credit:

• The Compton P-ESL Accent Modification Certification Workshop
• Marketing Essentials for Speech Professionals

Joe Comeau, M.S.

Lead Instructor and Director of the ILP Training Division

Joe is the founder and president of Capital Speech Consultants, LLC located in Clayton, North Carolina. He was appointed Director of the Institute of Language and Phonology – Training Division in 2008, succeeding the 20-year leadership span of Dr. Compton, and the three-year training leadership of former Director Shelly Wallace.

Joe graduated from St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Arts, and continued his education with a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. Joe was awarded the Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA in 1998 and is a licensed speech pathologist in North Carolina.

Joe has been using the Compton P-ESL program in his successful accent modification practice since 2005, and has delivered professional training and coaching services to corporate and individual clients around the country. Joe uses the results of his practice-building, networking, and marketing techniques as a guide in instructing other speech professionals desiring growth in their practices.

In addition to accent modification, Joe delivers presentation coaching in which he guides participants in developing a compelling presence, vocals that carry a room, and organizational skills that keep everyone on the same page and completely focused.

In addition to leading the ILP Training Division, Joe currently owns and operates his own independent business, Capital Speech Consultants, LLC.

Dr. Arthur J. Compton, Ph.D.

Creator of the P-ESL Method

Dr. Arthur J. Compton is the founder of the Institute of Language and Phonology – Research Division and the pioneer behind the Compton P-ESL method. Dr. Compton has a Bachelor degree in speech pathology and a Doctorate of Linguistics from Ohio State University.

Dr. Compton’s impressive background includes teaching at the University of California, Berkeley and California State University, Hayward. Dr. Compton’s experience in education also includes an associate professorship at the University of Iowa, where he developed academic programs in Psycholinguistics and Child Language.

For more than two decades, Dr. Compton has developed numerous tools to test the linguistic skills of children and adults and has enjoyed having much of his work published in professional journals and books. Dr. Compton received the Editor’s Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for his phonological research with children. Dr. Compton’s San Francisco, California practice focuses on accent modification and child phonology.

Mark Edwards, Systems Analyst and Lori Edwards, Speech-Language Pathologist

Their combined professional experience of 50 years is behind the creation of the online version of the original Compton Assessment of Foreign Accent.  In cooperation with Dr. Arthur J. Compton this tool is now available for teachers who have completed the PESL workshop and wish to take advantage of the speed and convenience this online tool offers.  They are committed to making this a valuable resource for accent reduction specialists and are available via email or telephone to answer questions.

Click here for more detail on the P-ESL Accent Modification Method.