For some non-native English speakers in Australia, having a strong accent can at times feel like a bit of a burden - and the same can be said for Australians who have quite broad accents themselves.
A solution for many of those who feel this way can be to take accent reduction classes in order to get useful tips and improve their pronunciation of the English language, to speak more clearly, and to boost their confidence.
If English is your second language it's likely that the intonations, pitches, and sounds of the Australian accent are quite different from your first language, which can make it harder to pronounce words clearly and communicate efficiently.
This particularly becomes an issue for many at their place of work as clear communication between clients and colleagues is essential in business environments.
Professional development is one of the main reasons people seek out accent reduction training, but of course everyone is unique and will have their own personal reasons.
If you are looking to reduce or modify your own accent, read further into this article where we will take a look at the resources that are available for you to use to your advantage.
If you need to further brush up on your English language skills, find out more about online lessons here.
Why Choose Accent Reduction?
As we mentioned before, everyone will have their own reasons for wanting to partake in accent reduction classes, and no reason is less valid than any other.
However, changing your accent isn't something to be taken lightly - An accent is part of your history and heritage after all!
It's important to hold on to our personalities, and if your accent is a big part of that you will need to be sure you are making the right choice when you start training to change it.
That being said, let's take a look at some of the reasons why many people look to accent reduction classes:
- Professional Development - To communicate with clients and colleagues, and perform well in interviews
- Personal Development - To improve confidence when speaking with friends and going about daily life
- Past Experiences - Some people you encounter in life might hold prejudices based on accents and be quite rude
- Day to Day Life - To improve confidence when speaking on the phone, going through bureaucratic processes, or simply when checking out at the grocery store
You may relate to some of these reasons or you may have entirely different ones, whatever the case if you feel strongly enough about them then it's important to get the help and support you need.
Take a look at accent reduction courses run in your city or online, to see what options you have in terms of training programs.
There are many well-respected accent and linguistics institutes around Australia that can provide you with a quality service to help you on your way, many are lead by speech pathologists or therapists.
Another way you can look to get started is by working alongside a private tutor.
Tutors are a flexible and stress-free way to get the help you need, we'll take a closer look at working with tutors later but for now let's dive into the helpful resources you can use to get started on perfecting your pronunciation and sounds of the English language.
Find English classes Sydney on Superprof.
Accent Reduction Resources to Use at Home
Whilst very useful and effective, taking a course of study at an institute isn't for everyone, and the fees of such courses can also prevent people from enrolling. Fortunately, there are plenty of free or cheap resources that you can access from your mobile phone, laptop, or computer that can let you get started from the comfort of your own home!
Mobile Apps
There's an app for anything these days, so it's no surprise that there's a couple for accent reduction. What resources you use will depend on your goals, what accent are you aiming to produce - A standard Aussie accent? An American English accent?
Whatever it is, double-check your resources to ensure that you are getting the right information.
ELSA: Learn and Speak English
This is one of the most popular free English learning apps on iPhone and Android. With over 3,400 reviews, ELSA has a 4.7 star rating and plenty of feedback that you can research yourself.
The app contains over 1,600 short lessons to keep you practising in your downtime and to make it easy for you to study English and learn proper pronunciation at the same time.
It features a microphone ability in which you can practice your pronunciation and the app will tell you how well you pronounced the word or if you made the correct sounds, and how to improve upon this.
(How To) Pronounce
This is an app that is very simple to use with great results. On the Apple store, this app has 800 reviews and a 4.7 star rating, the app itself is free but it does have optional in-app purchases within it.
The premise is simple - Type in a word or phrase in English and the app will tell you how to pronounce it! This is especially useful for learning how to pronounce difficult words or phrases when you are out and about, or just to get in some practice every day.
The app supports the English language with British, American, and Australian accent options. The app can also teach you how to pronounce words in 10+ other languages if you are interested!
Regarding storage, the app is just 10MB so it won't take up any room on your phone.
Podcasts
The AussieEnglish Podcast
AussieEnglish is a well-established institute that provides many useful services for those looking to learn Australian English and its pronunciations, including:
- A weekly podcast
- A weekly Youtube Channel
- An academy which you can enrol in several courses
- Online and in-person courses on - Australian Pronunciation, Spoken English and more, including a free 5 day course!
Pete, the creator of AussieEnglish, has this to say on their website:
My goal here is simple: to help you rapidly improve your English whilst learning about Australian history, culture, current affairs, and more!
This is an excellent choice for anyone wanting to improve their English speaking skills and Australian pronunciation, all whilst having fun and learning more about the country you live in!
Youtube Channels
Voice Science
This Youtube channel provides free resources in the form of videos explaining difficult to pronounce words and sounds, in the aim of helping to build confidence in non-native English speakers and allow them to communicate effectively and clearly.
These short videos will give you tips on anything from accent reduction, to voice projection, and even tips on workplace behaviours like reacting to feedback.
Speak More Clearly
Speak More Clearly is an accent reduction institute that is lead by a speech pathologist with 35+ years of experience in her field.
The Youtube channel has many helpful videos on pronunciation and the Australian accent. Speak More Clearly also runs an online training program all over Australia, where you can access self-taught and paced lessons which have been made by Esther, the speech pathologist.
Working With a Superprof English Tutor
Superprof works with tutors all over Australia to bring you access to quality education and lessons to help you in whichever subject you need. There are over 300 English tutors with Superprof who offer accent reduction lessons as well as English language classes for both kids and adults.
Many of these tutors host their classes via webcam as well as in person, meaning that if you find a tutor you like on the website but they live in a different state, chances are you can still study and learn how to change your accent with them!
The cost of working with a tutor varies greatly depending on their qualifications and experience, and you can always find reviews left by previous students' of their course to give you more insight into them as a teacher.
Thousands of Australian students choose to study with Superprof tutors every year, and nothing is stopping you from doing the same! Tutors' are flexible to your schedule, and will tailor your classes to your own level of skills and your learning goals.
Hopefully, this article has shone a light on some of the easily accessible and free resources that you can use to get started on your journey to clear and confident speaking.
However you decide to embark on your journey, be it through a training course or on your own using the resources available to you, we wish you the best of luck and all the best!
Find a great English speaking course on Superprof.
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