How My Personal Accent Journey Shapes My Approach to Teaching

When it comes to accent training, I've walked the walk.  Or maybe I mean talked the talk.  Yeah, that’s more like it. 

Here’s how it happened.

My career as an accent and dialect specialist began over 24 years ago at New York Speech Improvement Services, later known as The Sam Chwat Speech Center, the largest private practice in the U.S. specializing in accent modification (back then it was called “accent elimination” …yikes!) and dialect acquisition.

The director of the practice believed that a completely neutral accent was necessary for providing effective speech services to others, so I was required to “lose” my Western PA/Pittsburgh accent and adopt what was then referred to as the Standard American Accent.

Now, this was way back in 2000, and this was the prevailing attitude toward speech patterns at that time.  People believed and were taught that certain accents and dialects were “better” than others.  The “Standard American Accent" was considered the “best” accent and was even taught in many public and private schools.

Fortunately, times have changed. Today, there is a much greater acceptance of diverse accents, dialects, and speech patterns, which is a positive shift. Changing the way we speak is now a personal choice, not a requirement—and that’s exactly as it should be.

But back to my story.

Before I was permitted to work with students, I was guided through the entire accent training process by my own accent coach —learning, practicing, and ultimately mastering this new, neutral American accent to the point of being able to use it all the time, in any speaking situation.

So, I know what it’s like to change the way you sound because I’ve done it myself.

But recently, I’ve been thinking about the changes I made to my speech.  Would I make the same choice today?  Should I have embraced my original accent?  Have I somehow erased a part of my heritage?

I guess it’s different for everyone.

For me, I think some of it was about rewriting a part of my backstory. I didn’t love the small town where I grew up, and I couldn’t wait to get out of there and move to New York City!  After moving, I quickly grew tired of comments on my regional accent—people calling it “cute” or assuming I was from the South, even though Pennsylvania isn’t a southern state.

Then there are all the stereotypes associated with a Pittsburgh accent.  They didn’t resonate with me at all.  Though I guess I shouldn’t complain.  My husband is from West Virginia, and he has to put up with a lot worse when it comes to the stereotypes (why is that ok, BTW?)

In any case, if I’m going to be honest, I’m glad I worked on my speech.  I was relieved to have a choice when it came to my accent, and I do mean choice because... 

I didn’t really “lose” my old accent. 

I can still use it whenever I want, but I like being able to have the choice and control the way I sound.  It gives me confidence and I actually think the new accent sounds more like…”me” or at least the “me” that I want to present to the world.  I love to hear myself speak (is that a good thing? haha) and I love the way I sound in audio and video recordings (most people don’t.)

I’m glad that I learned the skill of code switching, so that I am able use the more neutral accent whenever I want, especially with new people.  This allows me to reveal my story and my background when I’m ready, not let my accent tell the story for me, and this makes me appreciate the accent training I received.

So, while my initial decision to change my accent wasn't entirely my own— for me it was a job requirement —I eventually embraced the change.

And yes, I’d do it all again.  I’m grateful for having gone through the process, so I can share that experience with my students.  While my accent change may not have been as drastic as that of someone who grew up speaking a completely different language, I still understand what it takes to go through the accent training process. This personal experience gives me a unique perspective that I bring into my work with students.

My personal journey with accent training has profoundly shaped my approach to teaching. I offer more than just technical expertise—I offer understanding, empathy, and motivation. And I believe this makes a significant difference in the outcomes my students achieve.

If you’re an accent coach, remember that your own experiences can be a powerful tool in helping your students. Share your journey and use it to guide and inspire those you work with. The impact will be tremendous.