Your Accent Isn’t a Problem—But Clarity Can Be Empowering

I recently was asked if I offer accent modification services. The question stirred some conflicting feelings within me, because my first instinct was to think, “Aw, man, someone somewhere is making them feel like they need to get rid of their accent - something that is part of their identity”

But then I reminded myself—maybe it’s not about erasing an accent, as it never should be. Maybe it’s about being understood more easily, genuinely avoiding the frustration of repeating yourself over and over, and overall having the confidence to speak English in any context.

The truth is that research shows that people with non-standard accents are more likely to be overlooked for jobs, interrupted in conversations, or assumed to be less competent—regardless of their actual skills. These experiences can wear down a person’s confidence, making them feel like they have to "fix" something that was never broken in the first place.

When I work with adults, my goal is not to make them sound native-like or “American.” In fact, having been born and raised in Chile, I have an “accent” when I speak English, and I now embrace that with pride. I want others to feel that way about their accents as well - not to erase them but to instead feel confident in their speaking English honoring who they are and where they came from. I don’t really even believe in “fixing” accents—because accents aren’t problems, but I do believe in equipping communicators to speak more confidently, implementing changes in their speech to reach THEIR goals.

As a specialist in speech sound development and multilingualism, with training in dialectal biases, my goal is to equip communicators with the tools and strategies to communicate with confidence, on their terms.

If you're considering accent modification, my approach is not about changing who you are—it's about small, effective shifts to enhance clarity while honoring your linguistic identity.

Research:

Kim, R., Roberson, L., Russo, M., & Briganti, P. (2019). Language Diversity, Nonnative Accents, and Their Consequences at the Workplace: Recommendations for Individuals, Teams, and Organizations. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 55(1), 73-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886318800997

https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2022/11/18/accent-discrimination-is-still-a-pervasive-issue-in-the-workplace-research-finds/

Deprez‐Sims, A. S., & Morris, S. B. (2013). The effect of non‐native accents on the evaluation of applicants during an employment interview: The development of a path model. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 21(4), 355-367.