Revisiting the Orientation Session – The Origin of Accents

The Perfect Starting Point A good way to kick off your orientation session is to present the handout titled The Origin of Accents and ask questions such as, “Ever wonder about why you are speaking with an accent? How do accents happen?” The best answers or explanations to those questions include: An accent “happens” to any adult who learns a second language. Your American English is accented because you are using the pronunciation rules of your first/native language. Everyone, EVERYONE, speaks with an accent. There is no such thing as unaccented speech. An accent can “happen” to any adult regardless of age, education, or cultural background. You might tell your… Read More

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