Accent Modification
About
Speakers of
English as a Second Language (ESL) may demonstrate an accent that varies from
Standard American English (SAE) accent. The sound system of a speaker's native
language may influence pronunciation of English in at least three ways:
- Sounds
in English may not be a part of a speaker's native language.
- The
rules for combining sounds into words are different in a learner's native
language.
- The
patterns of stress and intonation in a native language may be transferred into
English.
Given the
biological, socio-cultural, personality, and linguistic factors which affect
acquisition of a second language, eradication of a foreign accent may be an
unrealistic goal. However, training in pronunciation may enhance a speaker's
ability to be understood, and may be a personal goal of the client. It is
possible for adult ESL learners to improve their pronunciation of English.
Who can this affect?
People for whom English is a second or foreign language.
Evaluation services
Assessment of:
- hearing
- oral-motor mechanism and function
- production and discrimination of English vowels
and consonants
- intonation
Management services
- training in discrimination (hearing
differences) of sounds
- production of sounds in isolation
- production of sounds at the word,
sentence, and conversational level
- intonation training