Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nobbyken]

A recruiter has recommended that I try to change my accent, as most Korean's who have learnt American English cannot understand me.

I have already had an experience of a hagwon owner's listening level, not being good enough to hear me correctly. They were the first person in SK who has not been able to understand me, and is probably down to their English level. Everyone else I have spoken to has been able to understand OK.

However, does anyone have suggestions for making my English more universal?

Thanks
Ken

[daz1979]

[semphoon]

Im from Scotland (Edinburgh) but have travelled a bit so I have lost some of the accent.

My recommendation is to fake an American accent. I know if feels so stupid but I have got it down. Some people think im American/Canadian. One person though I was from Germany (obviously they were drunk).

Where in Scotland are you from? There are some pretty outrageous accents inthe UK - Glasgow and Newcastle come to mind.

[Mea]

If you're Glaswegian I don't think you'll ever be understood...

[semphoon]

[jinks]

I grew up speaking with a Welsh accent, but when I moved to NZ I soon got rid of most of it. Now I am teaching in Korea I speak a moderately stadard British English, but I write with U.S spellings in the classroom. Some proponents of ESL (like CELTA) say that if you ditch your native accent, you are also ditching your native speaker status. I disagree, I think aiming for a clearer standard pronunciation in the classroom makes it easier for beginner students. I know people say learners should be exposed to a wide range of accents, and I agree, but most of our students will do most of their English speaking with other non-native speakers - there are now more L2 English speakers than L1 English speakers.
OP, have you tried to mimic a posh/educated Scottish accent? That might be less fake and more do-able than trying to speak like some sort of American, and hopefully easier for your students / boss / Korean co-teachers to understand.

[crazylemongirl]

Koreans actually can't tell! I sound North American and am here on my Canadian passport, however I also have resided in New Zealand for a long time and have a Kiwi passport. A teacher at one of my friends schools remarked that she wasn't looking forward to going to New Zealand because she can't understand me because I'm from New Zealand!!!

My friend was taken aback as most people who hear me speak including native speakers, class me as sounding North American. Seems like Koreans see a label, non-american, and their minds shut off as we're too hard to understand.

[poet13]

Switch to a korean accent. Add 'uh' after every third word and for the words without 'uh', don't pronounce the end of the word.

[Boodleheimer]

the last teacher at our school was from Oz, but he put on an american accent to teach.

but scottish--- damn, that's sexy. (i even think sir alex fergueson sounds sexy)

[frankly speaking]

I think that enunciation is more important than ones accent. I have met many people from many different English speaking countries and I couldn't understand a word that they would say. Besides the occasional swear word thrown in.

Don't try and pretend to be something you are not but clearly articulate your words. Understanding how your students hear and comprehend you will aid you in how to speak to them. I think that anyone who has a clear sounding voice and can clearly articuluate his/her words shouldn't have any problem.

[Adventurer]