Confidence in speaking English with an accent comes from practice and accepting your unique way of speaking. Instead of feeling embarrassed, we encourage you to consider your accent as part of your identity, even as you focus on improving your clarity. Instead of thinking about getting rid of your accent, put your focus on making sure your audience can understand you.

Here are some strategies that may help you to feel and sound more confident:

1. Slow down. If nerves get in your way, you may find you speak too quickly. If you slow down and articulate your audience may be able to follow you better, and you will be able to articulate better.

2. Pause. It’s OK to pause a bit if you need to think of the correct word, and your audience may appreciate a moment to reflect on what you just said. Pause after each slide, or even more often.

3. Speak up. If your voice is soft because you are unsure about your language or the appropriate words to use, it makes it harder to understand. Increase your volume for better clarity and confidence.

4. Record yourself speaking. Reading out loud is great anytime, but even better when you record and listen to your voice. Children’s books, voice mails, or rehearsals of your presentation are key opportunities to record and listen.

5. Put key words on slides. Your slides provide another opportunity for clarity. Just don’t put too much on each slide or you may end up reading it.

6. Use language learning apps and resources. There are many ways to learn and practice another language and build your fluency and clarity. Check out YouTube or Ted Talks for plenty of resources.

We hope you embrace your unique voice and focus on clear communication to successfully overcome the challenges of public speaking with an accent. This way, you can deliver a powerful and engaging presentation with confidence.