I have a lot of clients coming to me to work on accent modification in order to be understood more clearly overall. Some even have the goal of wanting to sound like they are from Canada and have their accent sound more like a native speaker. Most often, after discussions with the client during the initial consultation, they usually mean that they want to sound more clear, confident, and be easier understood by others.
Over the years, I have worked with many different clients from various backgrounds. Some have moved to Canada recently, while others have lived in Canada for many years. Some may speak English fluently but still get nervous when they have to public speak, such as during presentations at work. Some have also expressed avoiding speaking up for fear of being judged or not understood and always having to repeat themselves. Some clients have also stated that they feel like they are perceived as less intelligent when speaking English, but have confidence and many ways of expressing themselves in their first language.
So many people come to me and say, “I want to sound more like a native speaker,” or “I want to have more of a Canadian accent.” Though this goal of sounding native is not always realistic or even necessary. The final goals should be to become a more effective communicator, be more clearly understood, and feel confident and comfortable speaking out loud without constantly overthinking everything that is being said.
Accent Is Normal
Having an accent is normal, especially in Canada. An accent is influenced by your first language and where you grew up. Canada is a place with many immigrants from around the world, so accents are very normalized and accepted here. Our accent is deeply connected to our identity and culture, so trying to completely get rid of it can also create unrealistic expectations.
It is important for anyone seeking accent modification to understand that having an accent is not something negative. It reflects your culture, adaptability, and life experience. Even within Canada and the United States, there are many regional differences in pronunciation, communication style, and vocabulary, which also creates diversity among native English speakers.
When learning English as a second language, it is very natural for speech patterns from your first language to transfer over into the new language you are learning. This can be seen in pronunciation, pacing, and intonation. Speaking with an accent does not mean that it is wrong, it simply shows that English was learned through different speech patterns influenced by another language background.
It also shows that you are most likely fluent in more than one language, which many people would admire. Those who use more than one language on a daily basis are achieving something very complex: switching between languages, organizing thoughts through different grammar systems, and constantly communicating in environments where they may not always feel comfortable.
Though being bilingual or multilingual is often viewed as a great skill, many people who strive to reduce their accent say they feel perceived as less intelligent or less confident. Often, however, this may actually stem from anxiety and fear of being judged.
Speaking Clearly Is More Important Than “Getting Rid” of Your Accent
Having an accent and speaking clearly are not the same thing. Improving certain speech sounds that are unclear and affecting understanding can absolutely help with communication. However, even if someone improves specific accent-related speech sounds, if they are still speaking too quickly and not enunciating, they may continue being misunderstood. This is why, when clients seek out accent modification, I often also work on pacing, breathing, enunciation, and intonation.
Some people may have a strong accent and still speak very clearly and effectively, while others with only a mild accent may still be difficult to understand. I have had clients tell me there is someone at work who has an accent but communicates very clearly, effectively, and confidently. This usually means that they have mastered many of the other communication skills needed for strong overall clarity.
The biggest communication barriers are often:
- speaking too fast
- not breathing enough while speaking
- low volume
- poor enunciation
- speaking with tension
- rising intonation
- filler words
- fading at the ends of sentences
- anxiety when speaking
These are all areas that can be worked on directly without having the goal of sounding like a native speaker. Many of my clients are surprised to learn that once they focus more on slowing down and moving their mouth more while speaking, they become much easier to understand, even though they still have an accent.
Many clients also have a strong emotional component attached to their accent, and it is not always just about pronunciation. Many clients describe experiences such as having to repeat themselves, feeling embarrassed in conversation because they said a word incorrectly or used the wrong word, and avoiding speaking situations whenever possible because of these past experiences.
Other clients mention needing to speak up because they speak too quietly or sounding unconfident when speaking. Over time, negative experiences can create negative inner thoughts and anxiety around communication. This can lead to becoming overly aware and monitoring every word being said, which can actually affect overall communication. Overanalyzing speech takes attention away from forming smooth and coherent thoughts.
When someone becomes overly focused on sounding “correct,” speech often becomes less natural. This is when clients mention that they lose their train of thought or cannot find the words they want to say. I often tell clients that once they begin to feel more confident when speaking, their speech clarity often improves as well because their speech sounds smoother and more organized overall.
What Accent Modification Therapy Should Look Like
When working on accent modification, having the goal of sounding like a native speaker is often unrealistic, as this can be very difficult to achieve. For someone like an actor looking for accent modification, with a great deal of practice it may be possible to achieve a native-like accent, but this can take at least a year of consistent daily practice and motivation.
Even actors often only need to learn one script in that accent, which is much easier than transferring those speech patterns into everyday spontaneous conversation across different environments. Practicing one script repeatedly allows the same speech patterns and words to be refined until they sound natural.
Because of this, the goals should not only focus on accent, but also on overall speech clarity. I often target specific consonant and vowel sounds, especially the sounds that are least clear and most affecting overall understanding. This can help improve intelligibility because certain speech sounds may affect comprehension more than others depending on the client’s language background.
However, this should always be approached in a realistic and functional way, alongside work on:
- speech clarity
- projection
- strengthening breath support
- improving pacing
- intonation
- reducing communication anxiety
The goal shouldn’t be to sound perfect, but to communicate more clearly, confidently, and with greater ease.
Final Thoughts
Instead of asking, “How can I sound like a native speaker,” the question should become: “How can I communicate more clearly and confidently while still sounding like myself?” This is a very different mindset, and shifting into this way of thinking is important.
Accent modification can be extremely helpful when approached in a functional and realistic way, pairing treatment not only with speech sound work but also with overall communication clarity and confidence as a whole. The key goal of communication is connecting with others in an effective way, not communicating perfectly.
