An “Ah Hah” Moment in Accent Reduction Training
While recently working with a new Accent Reduction training client, who happened to be from Romania, I was able to teach her something that astounded her and produced an overwhelming reaction.
This client had been consistently pronouncing all words ending with an ‘ng’, such as ‘string’, ‘long’, ‘sang’, and ‘lung’, with a pronounced hard ‘g’ at the very end of the word. When I demonstrated to her that the ‘g’ should not be pronounced and that the end of the word should be produced with the air coming through the nose, she looked at me with her eyes wide open and said, “Wow!!! I’m really shocked! This is the first time in my life that I ever heard this way of pronouncing this sound! I never realized how it is supposed to be.”
After teaching her the Standard American way of saying the “ng”, which she caught on to quickly, she had a lot of fun contrasting her “old” and “new” ways of producing this sound. By the time we finished the course, she was starting to use the “new” sound most of the time.
Do you have a similar story?
Are there English words you commonly pronounce differently than those who know English as their first language? Let me help you see the light! The most important goals of accent modification are speaking English with improved pronunciation and being clearly understood by others. While retaining the charm of your native accent, you will be able to:
- Be understood at work and at school
- Enhance your social communication
- Achieve greater career and professional advancement
- Build your self-confidence
Are you ready to get started? The customized Accent Reduction training program designed for you will address voice projection, grammar, intonation issues, and Standard American English pronunciation. Learn more about the program and enroll here. If you have any questions, please reach out! I’d be happy to answer all your questions.
Visit my Instagram or YouTube page for fun pronunciation exercises!
About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist
I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you!