I say it’s time to raise the bar on accent reduction training and accent modification training. English language training and communication coaching must include more than traditional two-dimensional approaches to solving communication problems. And that means looking beyond accent reduction and accent modification.
Confidence is a huge factor for evaluating clients’ speaking skills in the context of accent reduction and pronunciation improvement. Evaluating confidence and working with people to achieve greater confidence does much to improve communication skills. It is crucial to balance how much of a role accent reduction will play when working to take business English communication skills to the next level. And this applies to people from any language background and any profession.
For English language improvement and development, sometimes, or even oftentimes, accent reduction, or accent modification, must be a component of communication and speaking skills coaching and training. Not taking this holistic top-down approach, or big-picture approach, to accent reduction could cause people to miss out on what they may really need. More than accent reduction, what is it that some internationals really need to be more effective and efficient speakers? They need an approach that addresses business English speaking skills and communication skills. And while that certainly includes accent reduction and pronunciation training, it must include more. International professionals require an approach that incorporates everything into training and coaching that is beneficial for their specific communication needs, objectives, and goals. Sometimes that’s just accent reduction, accent modification, or pronunciation improvement. However, other times it’s not, and recognizing when someone requires more than accent reduction is a highly significant and key factor in reaching professional communication objectives and achieving business communication goals.
Automatically limiting training and coaching to accent reduction, or accent modification, causes a great risk. What is that risk? The risk is that someone’s requirements for professional communication advancement may not be satisfied. Don’t let accent reduction limit your progress.