Want to sound different?
MODIFY your accent
Some migrants to Australia want to learn the Australian accent quickly, while many just wish they could “fix” a few problems, rather than sounding particularly Australian. Over time, long-term residents may find that they want to change some things about their English.
Ear & Speak can provide accent modification training to speed up the learning of a more local accent, or to just neutralise or reduce 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 each client. 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, 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.
With helpful feedback from friends or self-study resources on the internet, a few changes might be easy to make on your own. Unfortunately, most 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 accent. 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 try 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 either “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. Accent reduction can be the right step to make life easier.
Whenever people who speak with different accents come together, problems can arise. These are usually fairly mild, but sometimes accent differences are strong enough to make it hard to find a job or to communicate with customers.
It’s frustrating to be told that your accent is hard to understand, but it can also be a frustrating experience for a listener who isn’t used to your accent. Unfortunately, it is usually the speaker who has to find the solution to this intelligibility problem, even if it’s sometimes the listener who is impatient or intolerant.
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 towards your goal. Read more these services here.
