South African Pronunciation!!

[waikiki]

Hey
 I am a South African and teaching  Middle school. My teacher told me that some of the students have some difficulties understanding me since I do not have an American accent. The students were a bit confused but my teacher explained to them that nowadays fluency is more important and it is a good thing for them to hear different accents and also different pronunciations.Have anybody else also experienced this?

[Sharon_SA]

I am also a South African, teaching middle school in Daegu. My co-teachers told me that they breathed sighs of relief when they heard me speak for the first time - apparently, when they heard I was South African, the first thing they assumed was that they would never be able to understand my accent. My students understand me perfectly well - or as much as their English proficiency allows them to - my accent does not even feature as an issue...

[waikiki]

I think the reason that they had some trouble is because they are not used to it, since they only had American NT's before me. But I must admit that they are getting use to it.

[DMZ]

They will adapt very quickly. Trust me - mine are even saying "ja" now Do NOT change your accent. Rather say things slower or repeat yourself 1000 times.

[baram1218]

After 1 month, they'll get used to it. Trust me! 

[waikiki]

I am teaching my co-teacher some Afrikaans words and she just loves it
She can already say "LEKKER".

[Tentacle]

I often found that I had to repeat everything I said with my best impression of an American accent for the lower level middle school kids to understand me. I was shocked to find it was actually becoming a habit really quickly!

I mean when talking to my girlfriend after school, I started talking with a bit of an American accent ..and only after 3 weeks of teaching!!

So I decided screw that, the kids are going to have to get used to the South African accent.

[Alxolira]

Maybe just explain the difference as in when I say Can't like this but americans say it like this but its the same thing....once they get that you'll have no problems especially with those types of words ask, answer ...you know the regular stuff... 

[Middle school teacher]

I am also a South African teacher teaching at a middle school. On the very first day I was told that I sounded British and that I had to speak American English. My co-teacher told me that I should say: "Enswer" (American pronunciation) rather than Answer. I refused. I am happy to report that my students adapted quite quickly to my English and  fully understand my "British" English.

[foreverJ]

I'm S.African, English first Language, and have never had a problem. I sometimes Americanise some words when teaching the elementary syllabus.

[taeyang]

it always sounds weird when my students repeat some things i say in a british accent (being from england originally and all). i usually have them say things like "can't" in "american" (canadian, actually, since i live there now!!!), but i've stopped doing it as much as i used to.

[Jediwish]

I'm curious how South African English compares to American English.  Is it really similar to British English or does it have it's own trademark sounds?  I remember hearing Z = "Zeht" instead of "Zee".  Have your kids ever challenged you with not speaking "English" the proper way?  I've had kids tell me that I don't know how to play Rock Papers Scissors the right way lol.  No teacher it's Rock Scissors Paper!

[DMZ]

I'm curious how South African English compares to American English.  Is it really similar to British English or does it have it's own trademark sounds?  I remember hearing Z = "Zeht" instead of "Zee".  Have your kids ever challenged you with not speaking "English" the proper way?  I've had kids tell me that I don't know how to play Rock Papers Scissors the right way lol.  No teacher it's Rock Scissors Paper!

South African English is very similar to British English but it actually sounds quite similar to the Australian accent. I'm South African and I've been caught out when watching an American TV show and identifying an Australian accent as a South African one or vice versa. Let's just say it's a commonwealth thing!

SA English has it's own "twang" and colloquialisms from Afrikaans and other languages, for example, we say "ja" which means yes in Afrikaans instead of "yeah"

[leo.dk]

I think this whole English program is a good idea, and every school that does have a South African or any other part of the world teacher should be very happy. The people in this country got so use to how the Americans pronounce their words and their accents. There are other accents to, and it’s good for them to hear and try to pronounce words like that, to help them when they travel around the world. Even thou my co-teacher also said she doesn’t always understand some the words, I still pronounce words the South African way and just speak slower.

[Missmame]

I am from America and to be quite honest some (but not all) South African accents are hard for me to understand. They were quite of few South Africans at the EPIK Orientation and some of there english were bad

[Kwassa]

You mean some of 'their English', right? Can't really generalize people. There are many foreigners here who can't spell. I a know a few and they're not South African.

[sunshinefiasco]

I am from America and to be quite honest some (but not all) South African accents are hard for me to understand. They were quite of few South Africans at the EPIK Orientation and some of there english were bad

that has to be extremely subtle trolling, right? Also I was at the same orientation, and while there were times I needed some of the south african kids to repeat something, I look on that as more of a failing of my ear.

[Vidhartha]

I felt I had to change the way I say things to sound more American in my previous school.Sometimes I was asked to say words differently.
At my new school the teachers really love my accent and pronunciation, they think the children take very well to it. I have heard of some people (South Africans) having issues at their schools in this regard.


 

[biancapotgieter]

My accent is extremely mild apparently. When I first got here I changed it so that my students understood me, but I regretted it pretty much instantly. The fact is that students find any different accent dificult to understand and it takes a while to get used to, but in the end, it is much more beneficial for them to be exposed to as many accents as possible. 

[kwartas]

I am from America and to be quite honest some (but not all) South African accents are hard for me to understand. They were quite of few South Africans at the EPIK Orientation and some of there english were bad

You say 'They were quite of few...". Nice, brilliant English...
The thing is, S.A. English is plain and straight forward; no twangs and rolling of the words and so forth. I was complimented by my co-t for my English (I'm a Saffa too), because it was so plain and easy to understand. She told me she has to listen carefully to understand everything when Americans speak (when watching CNN for example), and also previous NET's.
Tip for all teachers, do it slower!
Lekker dag peeps...