It’s not easy to improve your accent. Your first language has a big influence on how fast you talk and how you make specific sounds. So, as long as you speak English fluently and clearly, having a strong accent is nothing to be concerned about. Here are some suggestions for enhancing the accent without being too technical or finicky. The idea is to view accent improvement as a journey rather than a series of little setbacks.
Enhance your accent in a non-technical method
When it comes to correcting your accent, speech therapy should be your final resort.
In today’s popular media, there are several stories of Hollywood superstars seeking speech therapy to assist them to modify their accents to match the various characters they are working on. This strategy has some scientific merit, as muscle memory plays a large role in pronunciation. However, most actors seek short-term accent changes from a speech therapist. Speech therapy, for example, makes perfect sense as part of the preparation for an American actor trying to speak with a South African accent for a film. The majority of us are seeking a more long-term solution that will allow us to improve our accents over time.
Furthermore, speech therapy is demanding and necessitates a high level of commitment. And it certainly isn’t cheap! So, if you want to improve your accent in general, don’t go to a Speech therapist right away!
Make a recording of yourself speaking in English and listen to it
Nothing is more vital than self-awareness when it comes to developing an Accent! Do you have any idea which words you have trouble pronouncing? Do you believe that when you speak quickly, your pronunciation becomes distorted? When you record and listen to how you speak, you’ll notice all of this.
Most importantly, make it a habit to follow this procedure. It’s easy to revert to bad pronunciation habits, so keep recording and correcting yourself until you’re satisfied with the results.
Spend time watching English-language movies or YouTube videos
Improving your accent requires you to listen to the “correct” accent. Invest your time to see high-quality English films. You can also get your hands on nearly any TV series thanks to the popularity of services like YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu.
Not sure where to begin? Here are a few good old places to consider:
-Boston Legal
-The West Wing
-Modern Family
-TED Videos
-NPR (National Public Radio)
Practice speaking English with native speakers
The best technique to genuinely improve your accent, much like any other long-term improvement in speaking English, is to practice conversing with natives. Our Discord server, for example, allows you to do this and practice your spoken English online in real-time!