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Tutoring for Accent Reduction in English

Accent reduction training is a form of systematic speech training that seeks to reduce the prominence of a person’s accent as well as adopt a new speech accent. When one is learning English as a second language, it’s hard to cut back one's accent which sometimes makes it harder to speak clearly. Non-English speakers also tend to develop speech patterns that can be distracting, which makes conversations in professional settings a bit more challenging. These situations can really take a toll on a person’s confidence, which can keep them from socializing or speaking in front of others.

Although an accent is nothing to be ashamed of, one can always benefit from having clear speech that is easy to follow and understand. It’s for this reason that tutors around the United States work with people of different ages and help them further develop their English pronunciation. Accent reduction is a great way to help someone work through their fear of public speaking and unlock their full potential with English language learning. So if you’re someone that is thinking about investing in Accent Reduction lessons, we highly suggest you get started as you’ll gain a lot more than just English speaking techniques.

The Best Way to Reduce Accent in English

The best way to reduce an accent when speaking English is by consistently taking classes with a native speaker. It doesn’t have to be long sessions, but instead aim for shorter classes that you take often so you get used to their style of pronunciation. Listening to conversations is also a great method, which can include watching English films and shows and focusing on every word they are saying and repeating after them. If you constantly expose yourself to English native speakers their manner of speaking will rub off on you in the same manner it would if you moved to London. In that case, you would develop more of a Cockney accent which is the dialect of the English language spoken by working-class and lower-middle-class Londoners.

Another great way to work on your pronunciation of words is by slowing down your speech and paying attention to where you emphasize each word. This step is highly recommended because speaking fast can cause higher vocal pitch with less tone and power as well as lower clarity and articulation. You can also work on clear enunciation by recording yourself taking and playing back to see what changes you need to make in your speech.

Accent Reduction and Its Effectiveness 

Accent reduction training or lessons are highly effective as most people see improvement within 2-4 weeks. People can even achieve noticeable changes in their accent, clarity, and enunciation within 3 short months which is impressive. Of course, it can also vary depending on the person's age since kids or younger adults tend to adopt a new form of speech quite quickly since their prefrontal cortex is still developing. They will also learn to speak with the English accent in which they are spoken to by the kids and teachers around them. In this case, research shows that accents can become fixed or changed between the ages of nine and eleven, but can also be done with hard work and consistency. For older people, it can just mean more practice and repetition but will also see drastic changes in their speech within six months.

The Importance of Improving Your Accent

Improving one's accent has numerous benefits and one of them being to have the ability to understand others and in turn, communicate intelligibly. A good accent will impact the way others view you and can even positively influence your perception of language learning. Most importantly, if others don’t understand you when you’re speaking you might get discouraged to speak English and avoid it altogether! Which is the last thing you want after putting so much time and effort into learning a second language that will help you in the long term.

Improving your accent will also impact the way in which you communicate with others because a confident person is captivating and you want to have the ability to hold people’s attention. Who knows maybe one day you want to become a public speaker or you’ll get a job that requires you to speak to others on the phone. Or better yet, you might want to take on a leadership position and want to make sure people can completely understand your every word. There are just so many benefits to accent reduction training, but the main reason is for you to gain confidence and become a powerful communicator!