Improve Your English Pronunciation with Accent Reduction Therapy
Accents are a natural part of spoken languages. Everyone has an accent, and no one accent is better than another. They reflect the unique characteristics and background of a person. Accents are definitely not a speech or language disorder, and many people take great pride in their accents. Unfortunately however, some accents make it difficult for people to communicate. When people find it difficult to understand you, you may:
- experience frustration from continuously having to repeat yourself
- avoid social interaction with those who have trouble understanding you
- focus on your accent more than on what you are trying to say
Such communication difficulties may negatively impact on job performance, educational or career advancement and everyday life activities. For these reasons, some people may want to modify or change their accent to improve their English pronunciation.
If you feel your accent is interfering with your daily communication, a speech pathologist is able to help you. At Designed 2 Shine Speech Pathology we can complete an assessment on your current speech patterns. From this information, we will tailor an individual treatment plan specific to your needs. We then conduct weekly or fortnightly sessions to provide you with the information and feedback you need to improve your English pronunciation.
You can have individual training sessions or small group sessions with others from the same international background as yourself. We have rates for individual sessions and small group sessions.
If you have any questions or would like to have your speech assessed, please contact us or send us a message now. We would love to chat to you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It will take dedication and lots of practice, but with the help of a speech pathologist you can learn how to change your speech pronunciation. Changing your accent is most typically known as “accent modification” or “accent reduction”.
Most typically, non-native English speakers and business and medical professionals who want to improve their English pronunciation because of a foreign accent.
Your first session will involve a thorough assessment of your individual speech patterns. The speech pathologist will listen to your speech while you are talking and reading given words, sentences and paragraphs. The following aspects of your speech will be analysed:
- Your sound pronunciation (consonants and vowels)
- Your stress, rhythm, and intonation of speech
Based on the results, the speech pathologist will determine what can be done to modify your accent and improve the overall clarity of your speech. Individual goals will be developed, and consequent sessions will provide you with training and feedback to help you achieve your speech goals. Between sessions, you will be given tasks to practice at home. Home practice will enable therapy to be more effective and efficient and will increase your rate of improvement.