Want to sound different?
MODIFY your accent
Some migrants to Australia want to learn the Australian accent as soon as they can, while many just wish they could “fix” a few things that cause problems, rather than sounding particularly Australian. Over time, long-term residents may find that there are things about their English that they want to change.
Ear & Speak can provide accent modification training to speed up the learning of a more local accent, or to just neutralise some aspects of a foreign accent. We don’t assume that everyone wants to speak exactly the same way, so we tailor our training to suit the actual needs of our clients. We listen to your concerns or goals and try to make these achievable.
FINE-TUNE your pronunciation
People aren’t always happy with the way they sound when they speak, and those who have learnt to speak English confidently or are speakers of a specific dialect/accent of English, may still want to adjust some aspects of their pronunciation or accent.
A few changes are easy to make on your own, using helpful feedback from friends, or self-study resources on the internet. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to “hear” their own pronunciation, so expert pronunciation training can make a big difference.
Accent and pronunciation issues can be very subtle and quite difficult to change. Not everyone is able to reach their ideal target, so we help these clients find a level that they can still be comfortable with, or devise strategies for making certain communicative tasks easier.
Overseas and mixed English accents
Sometimes Australians who go overseas for a while come back with a mixed. They can find that people react strangely to it. If it’s a problem, we can help you change your English pronunciation to get rid of some of the more conspicuous “foreign” sounds, or if you really want, we can work with you to sound 100% Australian again.
Occasionally, people from other English-speaking countries come to Australia and find they have problems being understood, or that people make comments about the way they speak. With the help of Ear & Speak, you can learn to “soften”, or “neutralise” your accent.
Make yourself UNDERSTOOD
Many clients come to Ear & Speak because they are tired of people asking them to repeat things, or embarrassed or uncomfortable when speaking on the phone.
Whenever people who speak with different accents come together, problems can arise that make it difficult for them to understand each other. The problems are usually fairly mild, but sometimes they are strong enough to make it hard to find a job or to communicate with customers.
It is frustrating to be told that your accent is hard to understand. It can be equally frustrating when listening to an accent that is very different from your own. Unfortunately, it is usually the speaker who has to find the solution to this intelligibility to problem, even if it’s sometimes the listener who is at fault.
Language SKILLS and ELOCUTION
If you are concerned about how to speak/communicate in a manner which is appropriate for your role, or which will help you fit into an environment better, we can provide language mentoring or elocution training.
The goals that people have are very diverse — most want to sound more professional, refined, or even “posh”, but others may want to sound more blokey or informal. It’s a matter of choice, and we’re here to help you achieve it. Read more about training here.