Accent Reduction Institutes

1. Accent Reduction Institutes Instructional materials Mindy, Alexis, Lavan and Bridget

2. What is the purpose? To help ELLs speak with an “American accent”. It allows an ELL to adapt a new accent in an easy program. This method allows these individuals to alter their speech more closely to represent the ideal American accent*. These programs are expensive and can range from $360-$700 for only 10 lessons. One session can range from $30-$50 for only 45 minutes. *There is no ideal American accent. People in America have variations of accents, from a Boston accent to a Southern Accent. Standard American English speakers follow the same technical and grammar rules, but we all have different accents.

3. Benefits & Negatives BENEFITS: • Easier to understand • Able to fit in (boost self esteem) NEGATIVES: • Pay a lot of money for it • Makes them think that all people don’t have an accent-when every American does • Devalues them

4. Example of an accent reduction lesson online • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AI3wsuAH10

5. Bias 1. Invisibility: “White accent” –only show the white women, but no other races 2. Stereotypes: they don’t understand so she speaks slowly 3. Unreality: create an unrealistic reality of the perfect American accent and that it is possible to attain it 5. Isolation: makes white people and English “American accent” as dominant and everything else needs to be changed

6. http://www.lessaccent.com/index 1. Invisibility: You only see Ethnic groups. They’re not trying to correct the “pretty accents” of British or French accents of the white population 2. Stereotypes 3. Imbalance: Mostly companies represented on the website. The website shows a list of companies that benefited from them, but not personally people http://www.lessaccent.com/accent-reduction-case-studies#globalsoftware 4. Unreality 5. Isolation 6. Linguistic bias:their mission statement.. 7. Cosmetic bias: advertising ideal type of speech, you will become a better English

7. Their methodology • “Our goal isn't to remove accented speech from the workplace, but to teach a diverse, multi-lingual workforce how to communicate confidently and effectively.” • If that were the case, everyone would have to learn the same exact dialect • They are trying to teach diversity in the workforce, but in fact making everyone similar by teaching them the same accent

8. http://www.wimp.com/americanenglish/ • Each one of us says water differently and we are all from the same state, so how are accent reduction institutions across America going to be able to teach the “correct” pronunciation of this word

9. How to make it better for ELLs? • Change the name: reduction has such a negative connotation to it • Pronunciation institutes • Not market them as American accents, but more as Linguistic pronunciations of English phonemes

10. Or… Eliminate them all together!! • The information Industry Selling America to Americans • “This mantra of cultural homogenization, a world in which we are all the same because we buy the same things and eat the same food, is repeated so often by the media that it has come to be accepted as a common-sense truth. The irony of this plaintive cry is that the news media is financially dependent on selling a homogenous national culture; if successful (whether in real or perceptual terms) the media mourns its own success… They have convinced us that they have the right to do this, and we do not challenge that right”

11. If they are eliminated… • ELLs will have more confidence in their language abilities • More diversity in language speakers, and more of a desire to be diverse • There wouldn’t be one idea of an “American accent”

12. Other sites • http://accurateenglish.com/ • http://www.eltlearn.com/accentreduction.htm?gclid=CLfl7bjGs70CFeMSOgod4CMA9Q • http://www.pronunciationworkshop.com/englishpronunciationvideo.htm?gclid=CIOc8LnGs70CFYN0Ogod3EYAYQ • http://www.voicepowerstudios.com/coaching1/private-accent-reduction-coaching-program.html?gclid=COnns7vGs70CFa47Ogod8HcAGA • http://www.accentmaster.com

13. "Excuse me"
"Can you repeat that?"
"I'm sorry I didn't understand" Do you hear these comments too often? Then it's time to learn English pronunciation. You will be speaking with confidence knowing that your accent is no longer distracting from your message. Make the most of your life and career don't just be heard, be understood!