Speaking with an American Accent: Becoming a Native Speaker

Accent modification, also known as accent learning or accent acquisition, is the systematic approach to learning a new speaking pattern to help a speaker communicate more effectively. Clients often ask what are the steps to becoming a native speaker. The answer is quite simple.

Becoming a Native Speaker

The truth is that changing one’s accent is hard work and takes time. Research shows that individuals who learn a language after the age of 12 will have an accent (Granena & Long, 2013).

Therefore, the patterns of their first language will influence their production of a second language, which is important to keep in mind for clients who come to you wanting to ‘sound like a native speaker.’ There are some ‘exceptional learners,’ but this goal is likely unachievable for most. However, clients who focus on accent modification and professional speaking can become more effective speakers.

Reasons for Accent Modification

There are many reasons a client may choose to enroll in accent modification. These include:

🗣 Intrinsic motivation to sound more native
👉 Needing to switch between dialects of English for their profession
😕 Frequent communication breakdowns
🌟 Increase confidence with professional speaking skills
👄 Be more proficient in communicating in English
🎉 Gain new professional skills

Benefits of Accent Modification

After accent modification training, clients report benefits such as
🎉 Increased self-confidence
🌟 Being more proficient communicators
🙌🏼 Gaining new professional skills

What are the reasons your clients enroll in accent modification?

References

Granena G, Long MH. Age of onset, length of residence, language aptitude, and ultimate L2 attainment in three linguistic domains. Second Language Research. 2013;29(3):311–343.

Lim, Kari. (2022). Speaking with an American Accent: A Guide to General American English.