Accent Modification

WHAT IS ACCENT MODIFICATION?

“Accent Modification” is an aspect of ESL instruction that focuses on improving English speech pronunciation, rhythm, intonation and syllable/word stress. The goal is to enhance a speaker's ability to be easily understood by English listeners, without aiming to eliminate their accent.

Having an accent is a natural result of applying the speech patterns and sound rules of a first language to a second language. Accent modification is considered an instructional service - not a clinical or therapeutic intervention--because it supports community clarity rather than addressing a communication disorder.

WHO PROVIDES ACCENT MODIFICATION INSTRUCTION?

Accent modification services are offered by professionals from various backgrounds. Speech-Language Pathologist (SLPs) are particularily well-equipped to provide this instruction due to their extensive training in:

Speech sound production and articulation
Verbal intelligibility and communication effectiveness
Assessment and measurable goal setting
Breaking down complex skills in achievable steps

SLPs are also regulated health professionals, meaning they provide all services within the ethical and clinical guidelines set by their governing body. In Ontario, this is the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO).

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A STRONG ACCENT’?

Some first languages differ greatly from English in terms of:

Speech sound categories (phonemes)
Where sounds can occur in a word
Intonation and pitch patterns
Syllable and word stress rules

The more these elements differ, the more likely a person may have a strongly accented form of English that affects how easily others understand them.

Other factors that influence accent strength (Compton, 1983) include:

The age at which the individual first learned English
Whether English was acquired through formal instruction or independently
The pronunciation model used during learning (e.g., a native English speaker vs. a non-native speaker)
Individual aptitude for acquiring second-language pronunciation

'STRESS TIMED' VERSUS 'SYLLABLE TIMED' LANGUAGES

A well-rounded accent modification program doesn’t just focus on sound production. It also helps speakers understand and apply English stress patterns, which can dramatically improve clarity.

English is a Stress-Timed Language.

In stress-timed languages, certain key words or syllables in a sentence are emphasized more than others. These stressed elements help listeners quickly grasp meaning.

English, Russian, Arabic, German, Swedish, and European Portuguese are examples of stress-timed languages.

In English, stress is applied by:

Lengthening the vowel or syllable
Slightly increasing volume
Raising pitch

For example:

Boy walks home
The boy is walking home
The boy will be walking home

Although the number of syllables increases, the time to say each sentence stays roughly the same. Key words—boy, walks, and home—are stressed, while the rest are said more quickly.

If an ESL speaker stresses every word equally, it can sound unnatural or even abrupt to native English speakers, leading to misunderstandings—even when the content is polite or appropriate.

Syllable-Timed Languages:

In syllable-timed languages, every syllable receives roughly equal emphasis. The more syllables a sentence has, the longer it takes to say. Examples include: