Speaking English on the telephone can be challenging for nonnative English speakers whether you have spoken the language briefly or at a native level. If you are intimidated about talking on the phone in English, or have communication shortfalls in doing so, these three tips should help improve your phone skills with others.
Talk Slowly
Without any visual cues, it can be hard getting your point across through the telephone, especially if you have a strong accent. By talking at a slower rate than you would in person, you can focus on the words coming out of your mouth more cautiously, and allows the receiver more time to “decode” your message.
Don’t Abbreviate
While you may be familiar with slang terms such as ‘def’ and ‘totes,’ using abbreviated words over the phone can be confusing for native English speakers. Using words in their correct context and without abbreviating your wording can make the difference between “totes got it,” and “Yes, I understood what you said.” While it may seem elementary, by saying words in their proper form, you can increase the efficiency of your communication and limit the amount of repeats required to get a point across as you work on reducing your accent in English.
Focus on Your Accent Confidently
Trying to talk on the phone with an American English accent can not only help your American English pronunciation but it can create a clear communication channel between you and your “receiver” on the other end of the phone as well. By focusing on certain target words during a conversation, you can build up awareness of proper English pronunciation, and prevent forming a habit of incorrect pronunciation down the line.
If talking on the phone in English is intimidating to you, working with an online Speech Pathologist to learn English and reduce your accent can help you work on your areas of concern, and improve your American English pronunciation to use both on the phone, and in person. Visit PronunciationPro.com to sign up for a free one week trial and see how working on reducing your native accent and improving your American English accent can be achieved for better communication.
