Accent Reduction

Accents are cool. Like eye color and sense of humor, everyone has one, and they are a unique part of us. And while an accent is in no way a disorder, it can sometimes get in the way. As a non-native English speaker, even though you’ve mastered vocabulary and verb tense, you may still feel that your accent is hindering your communication. If so, accent reduction training is for you.

What are Accents?

Broadly speaking, an accent refers to the way a person pronounces the sounds of a language. There are two types: foreign accents and regional accents. A foreign accent occurs when someone applies the rules of their native language to their second language. A regional accent refers to how people from the same country might pronounce the native tongue differently based on where they live (Texans vs. New Yorkers, for example). When a non-native speaker pronounces the sounds of the language in a way that’s different from what a native speaker expects to hear, an accent is perceived.

What is Accent Reduction?

Accent reduction sometimes referred to as “accent modification” or “accent training,” instructs non-native speakers in how to pronounce the language in a way similar to native speakers. At Speech Leader, we specialize in training our clients to speak English with an American accent.

What Does Accent Reduction Training Involve?

Initial Assessments

In your first session, your accent coach will get to know you — what your first language is, where you’ve lived, how long you’ve been speaking English, where you learned English, your perceived difficulties, and, of course, what your goals are. They will then administer an assessment in order to get an idea of what specific issues need to be addressed for you to better develop an American accent.

During the evaluation our accent coaches will make notes of particular sounds that are detracting from intelligibility in words and sentences, focusing both on consonants and vowels. However, while mastering the specific sounds of American English is important, there are other areas of communication that are perhaps even more significant for sounding like a native speaker.

Instruction

Based on the assessment results, your accent coach will develop a plan to address your needs, starting with the most significant areas first. While training will include instruction on specific sounds, it will also include many other aspects that are important to sounding more native, such as intonation, pitch, rate, volume, and emphasis. The length, frequency, and duration of sessions will vary depending on the individual’s need; a general timeframe for many would be weekly sessions for an hour each, for 14-16 weeks.

Who Teaches Accent Reduction Classes?

While people from different backgrounds can teach accent reduction courses, at Speech Leader, each of our coaches is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) certified through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the credentialing association for American SLPs and audiologists. They have extensive training in all aspects of communication and especially in what’s needed for accurate American English pronunciation. Learn more about what speech-language pathologists do.

Why Do People Want Accent Reduction?

The goal of accent reduction is not to completely eliminate your native accent, but rather provide you with tools to help increase your confidence and clarity in your American English pronunciation. Many clients who have received accent reduction training report that people understand them better the first time they speak, an increased feeling of fitting in, more respect in the workplace, and increased confidence with public speaking.

Accent reduction can be beneficial for a variety of individuals, including CEOs, healthcare professionals, actors, telemarketers, professors, university students, receptionists, broadcasters, and IT professionals.

Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?

Speech Leader offers online, personalized accent reduction lessons. We work with people from all around the world from a variety of language backgrounds.

By working with an American accent coach one-on-one, rather than using a book or pre-recorded accent reduction courses, you can be sure you’re getting a program tailored to your individual needs and receiving feedback about habits you may not even realize you have. You and your accent coach are partners, working together toward the goals that you specify at the start.

While it’s important to have realistic expectations (it’s unlikely you will sound completely native by the end of your sessions), the ultimate goal of our training program is to produce more effective communication and give you confidence as a speaker. It’s a process, but we can help you get there!

Contact us to learn more about how you can get started with accent training today. One of our instructors would love to talk with you about the features of our program and how we can help you meet your speech goals.