Your Accent as an Asset 🗣️ – I Now Agree More Than Ever!

For a long time, I believed I needed to minimize my German accent when speaking English- especially as an ESL teacher. I wanted to sound as close to a native speaker as possible for the sake of my students. Years ago, while living in the UK, I even invested a few hundred pounds in a very effective accent reduction course. It helped shape a more British-sounding pronunciation, although, after more than two years back in the U.S., that accent has naturally faded.

Recently, in my current role as a museum educator, I received feedback that truly shifted my perspective. After a guided tour, a visiting teacher thanked me for an engaging and captivating session. What stood out was his comment that my German accent had helped catch and hold the students' attention- it made them more curious, more attentive, and more engaged.

This wasn’t the first time I heard something like this, but it struck me differently this time. It reminded me that our uniqueness- including our accent- isn't something to hide. It's part of our story, and it can be an unexpected strength.

💡 Have you ever received surprising feedback about your accent, and how has it shaped the way you see yourself?