Resources

Videos:

• Value of Accent Modification Services video on YouTube
• Intro. to Accent Reduction- phenomenal video from Dr. Kay Herbert (South Carolina CTE)

The Sounds of Language:

Many online resources offer the opportunity to see and hear how American English sounds are produced.

• The Sounds of Spoken Language (choose American English) animates production of each sound in isolation and in all word positions.
• FunEasyEnglish visualizes pronouncing English sounds, with practice words for each sound.
• The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines and pronounces words.
• Jennifer's Free Language Tutorials include 35 pages of English vocabulary words in print (PDF) and audio (mp3).
• Eva Easton's "Authentic American Pronunciation" clearly pronounces words with all the sounds of American English, with many practice lessons.
• My "Vowel Practice" pronounces words and sentences loaded with all American English vowel sounds.
• LanguageGuide.org teaches vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation of English and other languages through pictures and clear pronunciation.
• English Pronunciation/Listening includes interactive lesson plans and worksheets focused on problem sounds for second-
  language learners.
• American Clear Speech Sounds has good illustrations and exercises.

Audio:

• Audio samples of accent improvement from the Institute of Language and Phonology are short before-and-after sound files of speakers from 11 countries.
• Listeners can hear audio examples of all phonemes at the word level for nine English-speaking countries at fonetics.org

Websites:

Sounds of American English Website (fantastic tool from Univ. of Iowa)

- this is an interactive site that shows you how and where sounds are made

- the audio and visual features of this site are very useful

Phonemic Inventories Across Languages (compiled by ASHA)

each language has its own unique sound system. Check out different phonemic inventories and

pay attention to similarities and differences between that language and your own native one.

Practice:

Minimal pairs can focus attention on pronunciation differences between 2 languages:

• Perfect Your English Pronunciation with Minimal Pair Practice.
• American English Pronunciation Practice.
• Minimal Pairs for English by John Higgins.
• Caroline Bowen's Minimal Pair Wordlists.

*special thanks to Judith Kuster

for many of these wonderful resources listed in her 2010 ASHA leader article on Accent Modification