Active listening tips for different accents of English

In many countries, English has become the standard language of education, business and government. Regardless of English being your first or additional language, it’s likely that you will encounter people at university from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds that speak English with a variety of accents. Understanding all the different English accents can be overwhelming. However, applying active listening strategies and deliberately listening to different English accents will improve your ability to decipher what is being said.

Be patient with the speaker and yourself

Listen to different English-speaking voices. Listen to native speakers with Australian, British, American, Canadian and New Zealand accents. Listen to English accents produced by Indian, Chinese, Malaysian, European and other non-native English speakers.
The following ideas are some ways to help you increase your exposure to different English accents:
- Watch and listen to news programs as news reporters speak a formal standard English with conventional pronunciations. Do an internet search for English language news services in different countries. To listen to Australian news programs you can try ABC and SBS news services. To listen to British programs you can try BBC and for American programs you can try CNN.
- Search for podcasts, TED talks and other spoken English media (e.g. songs).
- Watch a documentary on a topic of your interest which is presented in spoken English. This will most likely use standard English with conventional pronunciations.
- Watch a series or film of interest to you which is presented in spoken English. This is most likely to use non-standard informal spoken English.

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Active listening tips for different accents of English

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