Contrasts

When something is clearly black or white, or obviously large or small, or even hot or cold, the differences are quite obvious. However, the differences in American Standard pronunciation of vowel sounds are not so obvious and require some “ear training” to hear. Many of the vowel sounds in American Standard English do not even exist in other languages. Contrasts are easy to confuse when learning English.

Before even beginning to teach how to say the vowel sound, I always start by having the client listen to me say a simple, one-syllable word two times. I will randomly say it the same both times, or once the correct way and once the way the client would typically produce it. All they need to do is listen and tell if the two words were the same or different.

For instance, if I was teaching the short ‘i’ vowel, I might say “bit” then “beat” or, on another time, “bit” then “bit”. Once it becomes clear to the client that these are two distinctly different sounds, I teach them how to make the “new” sound. Again, I find it extremely valuable for them to practice words containing the “new” sound, and then contrasting it by saying it in their “old” way. This method of contrasting different pronunciations of the same sound proves to be a valuable step in learning to pronounce new sounds.

Does it matter what country the client is from, what their native language is, or how old they are?

Absolutely not! The same principles for teaching Accent Reduction apply, no matter what country you are from or the language you speak. As far as age, I feel that you can learn something new at any age. If you’ve already learned how to speak English, you can also improve and learn how to speak it better.

I would love the opportunity to work with you! My goal is to help people feel comfortable and confident in their speech. It is so valuable to have the ability to communicate more effectively in your career and social environment. I look forward to working with you soon!

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!