The Need for Accent Training while learning English
The 21st century heralds an era in human civilization where individuals, societies, organizations, and business entities are connected globally and instantaneously through a ubiquitous service network of internet connectivity and social media platforms. Hence, both livelihood and socialization beget the need for every individual to speak fluent and correctly pronounced English, the globally recognized language of communication. In such a day and age, learning the English language becomes a lot more than just grammar and spelling. The most important element of it all is to be able to pronounce words in the accent that allows people to comprehend what is being communicated- hence the need for accent training.
Online Spoken English Classes and Training
The accent of any language has variations across different dialects, regions and local groups depending on how the same is spoken in those societies. The accent of a language is the way we enunciate the language. It is more than simply pronunciation which is related to individual words and is a lot more comprehensive to express emotion and meaning of words beyond its banal usage. Our online English speaking classes help in understanding this difference and help cultivate an accent that is universal and doesn’t sound artificial either. We train people in this niche skill set where one develops the ability to speak the language in an accent that is built on the foundation of one’s own speaking abilities and improved to a level that is comprehensible to all.
So What do we do?
For most individuals who are learning English from our online English tutors, it is not their first language and hence both technique and fluency is missing. We teach the techniques and our routine classes help build the fluency that is necessary to cut across the inherent accent one is born with and imbibe the elements of the new language. As an online English speaking course in India, Speechify uses a combination of different concepts that are foundational to accent training such as punctuation, use of different intonations, syllables, phrasal pauses, variation in sound and stress and articulation.
Modifying your Accent
One of the most common questions asked by individuals who enroll in our online English speaking course is whether it is possible to modify one’s natural accent. The answer is yes, and our trained online English tutors use multiple techniques and a routine speech evaluation program to track the progress of accent development. We use a mix of accent reduction and modification to be able to build one’s new and improved accent of speaking the language. The interesting part is that while no two individuals have the same learning curve, our exhaustive training program helps all to reach the end goal and perfect the same.
Tips and Tricks to neutralize your accent
A completely exhaustive accent training session would involve a mix of online English classes as well as practicing offline in your social environment. While the methods, logic and technique can be all used while learning English online, there are a few ready tips that individuals can work on while they practice getting more fluent in the language
- Reading out Loud The most efficient and irrefutable method of developing one’s own accent is practicing reading. One of the best sources for reading are either newspapers or novels. Sit with someone who is already good at the language or try to identify the meaning and words that would require emphasis. Highlight those words and practice reading knowing where to pause and where to move forward. In the early days, start recording yourself while you read and play back the same. This will help you realize how natural or practiced you sound and accordingly get better at it. The beauty is in practice which leads to perfection.
- Listening
While reading and listening to oneself is a form of self-correction and improvement, it is also crucial to practice listening to those who already speak the natural English language. Listening to people who are talking about general topics helps to imbibe enunciation better since one doesn’t need to focus a lot on comprehending the meaning. One example is to listen to talk shows. The conversations are usually funny so the discussion isn’t too complicated and pronunciation and expressions are well observable. News channels are another modicum of listening to native English speakers. They usually have a versatile amount of content on a broad range of topics such as sports, politics, general affairs etc.
- Specific Vowels, Words and Consonants In your course of learning, you will come across certain specific words that require individual focus and stress while pronouncing the same. These can be interconnecting words or general vowels and consonants that need emphasis to truly express the meaning of the word. Whenever you come across such a word, make a note of it and the usage of the same so that the next you come across the same, you can use it correctly. This is fundamental to accent training since most of these subjective cues are often extremely exhaustive and can only be practiced and learnt over time.
- Phrasal Pauses The important part of adding an accent to the element of vocalization is that it embodies a sense of feeling associated with the meaning of a word. This is best captured when we use commas as a signal to pause and use intonations where required and share the real essence of the words in use. For example - He could have done well, but it was not meant to be. The pause after comma is used to bring a change of tone and a contrasting meaning to the original start of the sentence.
- Mispronounced Words There is a lot of content on how certain words are mispronounced due to their affiliation with a native language. Since most people tend to repeat the same mistake colloquially, it inherently becomes the norm and is assumed to be the correct usage. These are crucial outliers that one needs to be specifically mindful of since these mistakes are very hard to get rid of without dedicated attention.
If language is the mode and words are the transport, then accent is the soul of communication. With practice and training, every individual can master the art of the English accent.
Related Article: Neutralizing vernacular accents | Why is having an accent not so bad?