Do others say “what?”, “could you repeat that?” or “I’m sorry I just don’t know what you are saying”? If you answered yes to this question, then foreign accent reduction therapy may be for you.
What is foreign accent reduction therapy all about? It is a special form of speech therapy designed to improve someone’s clarity of speech and confidence in their ability to speak well.
In therapy the following areas are targeted:
· Ability to listen to your own speech and self-correct.
· American English intonation and phrasing.
· Improving the accuracy of various sounds during speech.
· Respiratory training for speech and voice production.
· Improving skills that decrease social connection such as body posture, volume, pitch and understanding cultural phrases and language.
This type of therapy moves fairly quickly for many individuals and can positively affect their relationships and effectiveness at work. I began working in this area when I worked at an acute care hospital and the hospital chose to send residents from overseas to the speech pathology department to help with doctor and patient relations and understanding. Give us a call if we can answer any questions you may have in this area; we are happy to help!
