Accent Modification Q&A with Derra Huxley

If you have questions about my accent modification program, you’re in the right place! If you have any other questions after reading this accent modification Q&A, please contact me. I will be happy to answer your questions and help you figure out if Accent Reduction is right for you!

What is your professional background in teaching Accent Reduction?

I’ve been a licensed California speech pathologist for over 25 years, and I also trained with the Compton P-ESL course, which stands for Pronouncing English as a Second Language. I have been specializing in Accent Reduction for over 20 years and have developed some of my own materials as well.

I think being a speech pathologist has really been helpful for me to be able to use my training and hours of experience in being able to analyze people’s speech and figure out exactly what sounds they’re making that do not exactly equate to the American Standard pronunciation. Then I help people to understand how to physically make those sounds.

Why are people interested in reducing their accents?

Most of my clients come from all different parts of the world and can already speak English fluently. With a strong accent, clients find they are embarrassed or can’t communicate as effectively as they want. They feel this is holding them back in terms of getting a job, having better social relationships, or getting a promotion at work. They want to learn to communicate as clearly as possible in a listener-friendly way.

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.

Do you help people with regional accents as well?

Yes, I do! I work with people from the southern United States, New York, and other places where the population speaks with a strong or identifiable accent. I also have many actors with accents come to me. Sometimes, accents can limit the performer’s chances of being considered for a role because the role they auditioned for does not need the accent they naturally speak with.

Are there any sounds in American English that are most commonly mispronounced by your clients?

In my experience, I have seen people from other countries have problems with the TH sound because it does not exist in their language. For example, the “thumb” is often mispronounced as an F, “fum”, as a T, “tum”, or sometimes as an S, “sum”.

Vowels also present a big challenge. Many of the vowels in American English do not exist in other languages. The sound ih is commonly mispronounced as an e. Instead of saying “slip”, or “I’m going to slip on that”, it might be pronounced as “sleep”, or “I’m going to sleep on that”.

Do employers ever cover the cost of Accent Reduction training?

Many companies will cover the cost of Accent Reduction training for their employees to improve their communication skills. Clear communication is very important when employees make presentations or interact with people on the phone and in person. Accent modification and reduction courses have several additional benefits outside of clearer pronunciation.

How does the course begin?

I begin my courses by doing a full evaluation of your speech. You will record yourself saying certain words and sentences, reading out loud, and answering some general questions spontaneously. I will use this recording to analyze your speech and devise an individualized plan to work on the sounds you struggle with.

What happens after the initial evaluation?

During the first lesson, I will share the results of your speech evaluation and individualized plan so you can know the sounds we will be working on. The next step is to help you hear the difference between how you make the sound and how the sound is pronounced in standard American English.

From there, I will teach you how to make the sound by practicing. You will learn how to make the sound itself, then in words, and then in sentences. After each lesson, I will give you homework to practice what we covered. Each class lasts about an hour. Depending on the course you select, we will meet once a week for either 7 weeks or 13 weeks.

What materials are used for the course?

With the class, we have a few different materials. We will primarily use the book, Pronouncing English as a Second Language by the Compton company. You will also have unlimited access to an online practice lab where you will record yourself practicing directly onto your computer. These recordings also get sent to me so that I can review them and give you feedback on how you are progressing.

How can people that are interested in your course contact you?

You’ve found my website because you’re reading this now! You can reach me via phone or email. My phone number is (818) 385-1216. Complete this form to get in contact with me via email. I will call you back if you include your phone number. If not, expect an email in your inbox.

A message from Derra

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