The U of A Speech and Hearing Clinic is now accepting clients for dialect and accent training services.  

Dialects and accents are intimately tied to a person's sense of identity and community, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Although accents are a natural part of spoken language in all speakers, they can present a challenging communication barrier. Some speakers choose to enlist the help of a speech-language pathologist to learn how to facilitate clearer academic, social and business exchanges through accent modification. Speech-language pathologists are licensed and certified healthcare practitioners specifically trained in the prevention, assessment and intervention of communication disorders and differences. 

Individuals who benefit from accent training services include teachers, working professionals, students, medical practitioners and more. The clinic offers individual and group therapy sessions, both of which are customized to the specific and personalized needs of each client. Sessions are typically 30 minutes and include training on articulation techniques and communication strategies.

About the University of Arkansas Speech and Hearing Clinic: The U of A Speech and Hearing Clinic is a university-affiliated practice that has been offering comprehensive speech, language and audiology services since 1960. Located on campus, the clinic serves as a clinical training and research laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program. The clinic has faculty with a wide range of experience who provide intervention to individuals with communication disorders while also teaching and supervising graduate and undergraduate students.

About the provider and clinical educator: Larry Aslin, M.A. CCC-SLP, leads the accent modification program at the U of A Speech and Hearing Clinic. Aslin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and dramatic arts from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1970 and a master's degree in speech pathology-audiology from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1973.

To learn more about these services or to schedule an appointment, call the clinic at 479-575-4509 or email Kester Olson at spclinic@uark.edu.