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Hi! It's Lisa Scott with losemyaccent.com where I help you speak English more clearly
and be understood more easily.
When most people think of ways to improve their spoken English, they think of listening
to audio recordings, reciting practice words and sentences, and having a conversation with
others. Rarely do they think of using their sense of touch as part of their practice routine.
Rubbing smooth stones, twisting a bracelet, or moving a watch may not seem to have anything
to do with improving your American accent, but for some people, those activities can
provide just the incentive they need to make practicing their pronunciation a natural part
of their day.
Everyone needs reminders of some sort when learning a new habit, and each of our five
senses can provide different ways of cueing, or reminding us, to do something new. We can
see a note reminding us, or listen to a phone message, or perhaps touch something that triggers
our brain to engage in the new behavior. You may not think about using your sense of touch
as a way to improve your spoken English, but I want you to try this activity and see how
it works. You may be surprised at what you learn about how your brain remembers best!
Choose a day that is an ordinary day, and choose just one sound to practice. Make a
list of 10-20 words that have your target sound in them, and either memorize them or
keep the list with you. Find a small smooth stone that you like the
feel of to keep in your pocket for the day. If you don�t have pockets, wear your watch
on the opposite wrist or wear a stretchy bracelet that you�re not accustomed to. The idea
is to have something unfamiliar touching you during the day so that you will notice that
it is there, but not be too uncomfortable. (This rules out wearing your belt too tightly
or wearing an itchy sweater, as those are too much of an irritation!)
Every time you feel the stone in your pocket, or stretch the bracelet, or think about moving
your watch back to the other wrist, use that momentary interruption in your day to practice
a few of your words out loud. As you continue to practice throughout the
day, you will find that almost without trying, you are thinking more about your target sound
and using it correctly in more situations. You may find that you like wearing your watch
on the other hand or carrying that stone because those simple reminders begin to make a big
difference in your pronunciation. Experiment with different items in your pocket
or jewelry on your wrist until you find the item that you feel works best at reminding
you to practice and improve your spoken English. Before long, you will begin to notice a big
change in your American pronunciation.
But what if you don't know which sounds to practice? One way to find out would be to
record your speech by following the links for the free accent screening on my website
at losemyaccent.com. I will listen to it and send you suggestions for improvement so that
you can begin speaking English more clearly and confidently.
I'll see you next time!