Accent training, also called accent modification or accent reduction, is a method of helping people change their accent, learn to speak with a new accent, and gain greater control over their pronunciation. People who pursue accent training often want to be more easily understood, gain confidence as communicators, or speak with an accent that more closely matches the accents of the people they often communicate with.
I teach my clients to speak with an accent that some people call General American English or Standard American English. This doesn’t have a strict definition, but the idea is that it doesn’t sound like it’s from any particular region. This is one of most popular accents to learn since it’s so widely recognized and understood around the world. Through accent training, you can learn the skills needed to speak clearly in a way that closely matches this accent. The exact focus of this training depends on the individual, but common targets include mastering English vowels and consonants; adjusting patterns of stress, rhythm, and intonation; and increasing overall intelligibility.
Accents are extremely complex and often difficult for people to change. As a result, providing accent training takes considerable expertise. I combine my experience, education, and training in several fields, including linguistics, accent and dialect studies, speech therapy, and speech science to effectively teach my clients. Because I have this varied background and in-depth knowledge, I’m able to target every aspect of a General American English accent. I keep up on current research and carry out my own investigations into accents and speech patterns, so I can continue to fine-tune my training.
My approach starts with the basics, including the anatomy and physiology of producing different speech sounds. From there, we build skills through a variety of levels, from individual words to natural conversation, with the goal of eventually making new skills automatic. Everyone has different goals and learning styles, so I often experiment with several approaches to see what works for each individual. These can include focusing on different aspects of speech physiology, examining subtle differences between the client’s native language and English, and using apps to get feedback outside of sessions.
Alex is an awesome coach. … I feel dramatic difference in my pronunciation now. My American friends ask me to repeat what I've said less and less frequently, which is a great sign.
Peter (Russia)
[Alex’s] help was enormous and my pronunciation improved dramatically (I know this because of the feedback I got from a native speaker, after taking the class) … I really think asking a professional like Alex is the way to go when it comes to learning pronunciation. I highly recommend him!
Miko (Japan)
Alex is the best English teacher I have ever had in my life. … He helps me a lot on accent reduction and articulation. … [H]e's extremely patient, responsive and he pays strong attention to details.
Camille (China)
[Alex] also introduced me to various tools that help me practice by myself and has meticulously prepared guides with examples. A special shout out to Phonofinder, which has been immensely helpful. … Alex's friendly and attentive demeanor has made the sessions extremely enjoyable, and I would strongly recommend his services to anyone who wants to improve their English speaking skills.
Arjun (India)
For more impressions from current and past clients, please check the Testimonials page.
Vowel variables
Vowels (like the sound that ea makes in seat and the sound i makes in sit) are especially challenging to master in a new accent. For many people, the common method of simply listening and repeating is not enough. Instead, it can be helpful to discuss the different variables that affect the sound of a vowel, particularly tongue and lip position. By going over these physiological variables and then practicing together, many clients immediately begin adjusting the sounds of their vowels and start to form new habits.
Consonants and combinations
Consonants (like th in the and the r in really) present their own challenges. If your native language doesn't have these sounds, they might be difficult at first, but, as with vowels, if you learn what to adjust physically, you can master them. For some people, certain consonants are fine on their own but tricky when they’re combined (like the ths combination in paths and cts in projects). In these cases, we use different strategies depending on the combination of sounds, including shortcuts that native speakers tend to use without even realizing it in some cases (like dropping the t in projec(t)s).
Spelling patterns
In addition to learning to produce the sounds of English, it’s important to be able to recognize which words contain which sounds. English spelling can be pretty confusing. It may be surprising, for example, that for many speakers in the US, the first vowels in genre, audio, broad, and knowledge are all the same. To overcome this challenge, we use lists of words that illustrate different spelling patterns and go over rules to help decode tricky cases.
Word and sentence stress
Accents are not just about pronouncing vowels and consonants. Another important skill is stress, which involves emphasizing certain syllables within words (like necessary and engineer) and words within sentences. Since different languages and accents have different systems of stress, and since stress isn’t always clear from just looking at a word or sentence, this can take some practice. I often go over some stress rules and patterns with my clients, but another useful approach is to build a personalized list of words that are not stressed correctly. With a list like this, we can make practice more efficient and look for additional patterns to investigate.
Pricing
Please contact me for pricing details. I offer an initial consultation over the phone and a quick assessment via email free of charge, so feel free to get in touch even if you’re not yet sure you’d like to start.
Format
Most of my accent training is carried out via Zoom these days. Some people are surprised that you can do this remotely, but thankfully, these sessions are just as effective as in-person ones, and they’re much more convenient for many people. As long as your computer has a camera and you have a decent internet connection, this format should work well.
Scheduling
Many of my clients work or study full time, and I do everything I can to provide flexible scheduling. If you prefer consistency, I’m happy to set up a weekly meeting time. If your schedule varies too much for that, feel free to decide about training each week. If anything comes up, you can always cancel or reschedule a session with 24 hours’ notice.
If you’d like to learn more or get started with a free initial accent assessment, please send me a message. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about accent training, either via email or over the phone.