Accent reduction is an area of Speech Therapy that is becoming popular in diverse cities like Toronto. Whether you are a longtime English speaker looking to improve your confidence, or you’re new to English and want to improve your speech clarity, one of our therapists can help you reach your goals!
What is an accent?
An accent is the specific way that members of a certain group say sounds and words. Someone might have an accent depending on their country of origin, or the characteristics of their first language. Often, non-native English speakers try Speech Therapy in order to modify some of the features of their accent, and be better understood by friends, family, co-workers and customers.
Why should I try Speech Therapy for accent reduction?
Sometimes having an accent means you have trouble saying a common sound (e.g. ‘r’ ‘l’ or ‘th’). Other times, having an accent means you’re not sure which part of a word should be stressed or emphasized (e.g. “PROject” vs. “proJECT”). When you try accent reduction therapy, your speech therapist will help you to produce sounds properly (by placing your lips, tongue, and jaw in the right place), teach you to emphasize the right syllables, and help you be better understood.
What can I expect in Speech Therapy for accent reduction?
Following an assessment to determine your needs, your Speech Therapist will create a personalized program. You may practice pronouncing single sounds or words, work on adding more melody to your speech, or practice sentences that you say all the time (such as your phone greeting at work or your Tim order coffee speech therapy Horton’s order). Speech Therapists also know a lot about the social conventions of English speakers. Your therapist may help you understand idioms, improve your eye contact, or answer your questions about colloquialisms and slang.
Call us at 416-490-1720 to speak with an experienced Speech-Language Pathologist about your child’s communication needs!