Hello,
Full disclosure: I LOVE teaching dialects!
Since I've taught theatre, I've seized the opportunity to teach dialects with my level 3 kids. They truly love the unit to learn British, Cockney, New York, and Southern dialects. Some kids really struggle with the placement of their sounds, but just getting them to try something that's out of their comfort zone is fun, and it helps them be more aware of speech patterns and of their own dialect. The students in my classes come from all over the country and the world, so there are some VERY interesting dialects and pronunciation happening.
That said, since dialects aren't your thing, I don't know if there is a college/university or theatre nearby that might send in a guest "artist" to teach dialects to a group of students. This may be a fun rehearsal activity for an expert to do with your students. How much the better if one of the dialects is Russian? This way that boy can be an expert and a novice at the same time.
If you are able to do some basic projection and enunciation exercises (out of context of a text) to help all students hear and feel where sound is made and where it resonates, that can be really helpful. Ask them to make nasal, breathy, throaty sound. Ask them to use high pitches, low pitches. Can they feel where this sound his happening and how the different qualities not only feel different but sound different.
Last ditch effort, maybe do a show that utilizes Russian dialect (some Chekhov?) to really highlight and challenge the kids to learn new skills and learn from each other.
Best of luck!!
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Lisa Dyer
Henrico VA
Original Message:
Sent: 06-29-2016 07:05
From: Greg Alldredge
Subject: Student accent
Congratulations with having someone so interesting to teach. "Getting rid" of an accent I equate to teaching an accent. I would go with the idea you don't want to fix the way your student currently speaks but you want to give him more control over his voice.
Not being there it is incredibly hard to know specifically how to help, but I will make some suggestions.
If it is simply a matter of one or two consonant sounds, or maybe ENGLISH DIPHTHONGS AND TRIPHTHONGS sounds maybe some tongue twisters might help. If the student is motivated to learn an American accent just time and his concentration while speaking to his friends will help.
If you don't have a good English pronunciation dictionary and an International phonic sound chart you can find apps for short money, I have one of each on my IPad and the IPA app will show you how to make every sound humans make for communication via video, the dictionary has RP and American English pronunciations.
The last two choices would be a speech coach or maybe even a speak therapist. There might be something other than just learning a new language.
Accents are hard, just watch most movies and you can find Americans murdering regional dialects, and these are professionals with voices coaches.
If you are looking for names of voice teachers I have a few I could suggest. I know they will travel for workshops if you have money of course. You could check local universities to see if their theatre departments have voice instructors.
Hope this helps
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Greg Alldredge
Future Theatre Director 晨山学校 Chenshan School Huangshan City, China
Former Cypress Springs Theatre Director