Accent Modification Program
Success in our society depends upon one's ability to communicate clearly and effectively. While many people may have strong mastery of English, individual speech patterns or accents may impact one's ability to be understood in conversational American English.
Program Features
Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center's Accent Modification Program combines the Compton Pronouncing English as a Second Language (P-ESL) program with instruction in patterns of rhythm and intonation of speech, word and syllable stress, and "everyday" or "casual" language, to modify a foreign accent in order to be better understood in English. The program begins with a personal analysis of the client's speech. This analysis reveals how their pronunciation varies from Standard American English, and identifies specific areas of focus. A trained speech professional then teaches the client the appropriate speech modification techniques, as well as the basic sounds and principles of American English. The client learns to discriminate between different speech sounds, with special emphasis placed on pronunciation, complete word projection, and voice projection. These fundamentals are then practiced in conversational speech and giving presentations!
Do You...
- Feel your accent interferes with job performance, job advancement, education, or even everyday social activities?
- Have difficulty communicating because someone couldn't understand your accent?
- Have a hard time understanding the American English accent?
- Feel frustrated by having to repeat yourself?
- Have people misunderstand what you are trying to say?
- Have people focus on your accent instead of what you are trying to say?
- Avoid social interaction with people who may not understand you?
- Have a hard time understanding casual American English or slang?
To modify an accent takes hard work and dedication. It cannot be done in the classroom alone. To achieve the greatest improvements possible, the client must practice outside of the class using Compton E-PSL accent modification training materials and complete any supplementary assignments. These training materials include a practice workbook, and cassette tapes, audio CD or a CD-ROM, which is a unique, interactive aid for practicing accent modification techniques.
Upon completion, the clients speech is analyzed again. The results are then compared to the initial analysis so the extent of the clients improvement can be determined. Past comparisons have shown that students who attend all the appropriate sessions and practice diligently can expect to experience at least 50% change in their accent or dialect using the Compton P-ESL method. Effective and confident communication can be achieved!
For more information contact:
Amy Bamrick - 716-885-8318 ext. 2240 or email abamrick@askbhsc.org
