February 2025 Vol 7 Issue 02
Tell Your Story Newsletter (TYSN):
Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to Economic Immigrants
Let us help you tell your story!
Welcome Mid-February 2025!
As I pen this month’s issue of “Tell Your Story Newsletter,” most of Saskatchewan is blanketed in a month-long cold spell, with temperatures nearing -40 degrees Celsius.
The “deep freeze” in our weather feels apropos, as so much of the news these days conveys challenges we all face–such as respiratory viral infections in workplaces and senior care homes; healthcare and education sectors groaning under the weight of patient and student needs; homelessness in our communities that is not easy to address; and an outright economic war on Canada, declared by a tariff-happy, US President Donald Trump, to name only a few.
And yet, we Canadians are a stalwart and resilient people, finding ways to serve our community (and maintain sovereignty, as a nation) better than ever before, even under challenging conditions that sometimes arise.
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To maintain our ground, we need to stay confident. So in Article One of this
month’s issue, I visit seven tips on how to improve your assertiveness at work,
from productivity and leadership specialist (and an Orthopedic surgeon), Dr.
Alexander Young.
And in “Storytellers’Corner,” I return to an “evergreen” posting from four years
ago, on the worrisome development of “accent hallucination” and “accent bias.” American “GrammarGirl,” Mignon Fogarty, weighs in on the concepts.
Equally important are steps we can take to stop racism directed at those who speak differently than we do. They deserve to be confident speakers, too.
As we surpass the half-way mark of this, the coldest month of Saskatchewan’s
winter, may each of us find gratitude for the blessings that we sometimes fail to notice (e.g. the support of friends, neighbours or loved ones, this Valentine’s Day), but which continue to grace our lives.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Shih
Principal
Storytelling Communications
www.elizabethshih.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
ARTICLE 1: How can you sound (and be) more assertive, with Dr.
Alexander Young
STORYTELLERS’ CORNER:
On “accent hallucination” and “accent bias,” from “Grammar Girl,” Mignon
Fogarty (revisited from 2021)
SHOP NEWS
ABOUT US
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Article One:
How can you sound (and be) more assertive, with Dr. Alexander Young
As a teacher who is also an introvert, I often find myself feeling slightly shy when I first meet a non-native speaker of English in a professional or business setting. Those who study with me often say that they, too, felt nervousness in those first few moments. But we quickly find confidence in our ability to gain and use language skills in ways that respect ourselves and each other.
This month, I’m sharing some phrases that help professional speakers, teachers, students and executives (like my students and me) sound more assertive.
These pointers started on the desk of productivity and leadership specialist (and US orthopedic surgeon), Dr. Alexander Young. I’ve also deepened them.
Young often argues about the importance of sounding assertive in boardrooms; I would add this is needed in classrooms, libraries and really, in every room.
This issue is especially of concern to women professionals and newcomers who (in current political times) find themselves undervalued, or worse, shut out of decision-making and promotions, altogether. We might ask, how have the gains of women in the 20th C (which I studied faithfully as an undergraduate student 25+ years ago) been forgotten or undermined in the 21st?
The question of assertiveness affects some men, and non-binary people, too. How can all of us who work with integrity, talent and diligence (as the subscribers to this newsletter do) gain more confidence at work?
Young says that assertiveness is necessary but “isn’t about being aggressive. It’s about speaking with confidence and clarity.”
As in so many psychological processes, a lot comes down to language. Young
shares seven phrases to help all of us sound more assertive:
1 “I believe . . .”
–> Instead of: “I just think…”
→ “Just” weakens your statement. Removing it makes you sound more confident.
Similarly, “think” sounds tentative, whereas “believe” is more assertive.
“How to” Action: Start your sentences with conviction. Say “I believe” or “I know” to assert your point.
2. “Let me know if you have any questions.” Or, better yet, as intercultural communication coach/trainer, Lauren Supraner, recommends, “What questions do you have?”
→ Instead of: “Does that make sense?”
→ “Does that make sense” suggests doubt. The alternatives instead open your
presentation for discussion.
“How to” Action: Young says to assume your presentation was clear and “invite
engagement rather than seeking validation.”
3. “Do you have a moment?” or “I’d appreciate a moment.”
→ Instead of: “Sorry to bother you…”
→ Young says that “apologizing unnecessarily makes you sound less confident. Asking directly is more professional.”
“How to” Action: Remove unnecessary apologies and ask straightforward
questions.
4. “I’ll find out and get back to you .”
→ Instead of: “I’m not sure, but…”
→ “I’m not sure” undermines your credibility. “I’ll find out” shows initiative.
“How to” Action: If you don’t know something, acknowledge it and commit to
finding the answer. No one has all the potential answers.
5. “I recommend we try …”
→ Instead of: “Maybe we should try…”
→ “Maybe” sounds hesitant. “I recommend we try” positions you as a decision-maker.
“How to” Action: Be decisive. “If you have a suggestion, ” Young says, “own it
with confidence.”
6. “Here’s what I think .”
→ Instead of: “I could be wrong, but…”
→ Don’t undermine your point “before you even make it.” Young’s alternative is
more confident and likely to meet more respect.
“How to” Action: Remove self-doubt from your speech. Present your ideas with certainty.
7. “Let me know if you have any concerns .” Or, “What concerns does this
raise?”
→ Instead of: “I hope that’s okay,” which begs for approval.
→ Young’s alternative phrasing “invites feedback while you keep control.”
“How to” Action: Assume that what you say has value, until others object or
qualify. Young says: “Don’t undermine your own authority” or you risk inviting
others to do the same.
But always remember, Young says, that the “the way you speak to yourself matters just as much as the way you speak to others.” Negative self-talk spawns self-doubt and poor self-esteem.
Don’t forget to consider self-respect, in the silent talk that runs through our heads, daily! Plenty of recent Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), such as the classic book, Mind Over Mood, addresses that issue.
Making small changes in the phrasing you use—and your tone of voice–can make a big difference in how you’re perceived—in every room, for women, newcomers, indeed for everyone.
Thanks to US-based, intercultural communication coach/trainer, Lauren Supraner, for sharing Young’s posting on Linkedin.
Lauren’s book on accent modification for Chinese speakers of English has been tremendously helpful to my ESL students, which is important because accurate pronunciation is more likely to be understood and respected by others.
And now it’s your turn: do you already use some of these seven, improved phrases?
How can you incorporate them into your next presentation or consultation?
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STORYTELLERS’ CORNER . . . .
STORYTELLERS’ CORNER:
Words, stories, riddles and more on writing and editing . . .
On “accent hallucination” and “accent bias,” reported by “Grammar Girl,” Mignon Fogarty (revisited from 2021):
Mignon Fogarty (America’s “GrammarGirl”) recently shared some findings on
issues raised by accented English, from the research of Professor Valerie Fridlund (Department of Linguistics, U of Nevada, Reno, NV).
Fogarty began by saying that research shows that people tend to prefer those who sound like we do. This leads to what linguists call “accent bias” (AB).
AB occurs when someone feels negatively about another’s (different) accent and develops resistance or prejudice toward it.
Fogarty goes on to report that AB can make it harder for those with minority
accents to succeed in school or at work. Those with different accents also may not find legal recourse for such discrimination.
Even the belief that people (who may be perceived as non-native speakers) have an accent, rather than the accent itself, can create a barrier to comprehension and acceptance. So some speakers are discriminated against or suffer accent bias, without even having an accent!
The increased processing time (a small amount more of cognitive functioning) that we need to understand a non-Native speaker of English, or even the anticipation that we will hear an accent, can lead to problems in comprehension.
That might be challenging enough for a non-Native speaker. But the phenomenon that someone who looks different will have an accent can lead to “accent hallucination.” Here, a native speaker is heard to have a foreign accent, when they actually don’t (e.g. such as a speaker who is a second-generation Canadian)!
Fridland’s research shows that online, oral comprehension among university
students of a lecturer believed to be an international graduate student Teaching Assistant (TA) can be reduced, when students are simply shown a photo of the TA as an ethnic minority. Here there is a perception (“hallucination”) of accent, not an actual one.
Just being shown a minority person’s photo made it harder for students to
accurately transcribe what a Native Speaker TA was saying! “Accent
hallucination,” indeed!
The bias is believed to pertain to the listener’s resistance to making extra cognitive effort to decipher another’s accent, which diverts attention from their transcribing process. Processing efforts and inaccurate hearing of listeners may affect how comprehensible speakers are found to be, whether or not they actually speak with minority (non-native speaking) accents.
Hearing something unexpected, like a foreign accent, can have other detrimental consequences, such as finding such a speaker to be less trustworthy or believable (credibility).
In the face of racist implications from linguistic misperception, Fogarty does have some good news: she says that “fortunately, we are [or can be] fast and flexible learners” of others’ accents and speaking styles. She shares these insights:
(1) Recognizing listeners’ bias, we must park some responsibility on the listener’s efforts and not only the speaker’s. (I can remember learning to adjust to understand a South African professor, 25 years ago, whose accent was quite new to me. Within the two hours of our first seminar, my comprehension level had vastly increased.)
(2) We can reduce listener’s bias (and delay in comprehension) by (i) increasing
our exposure to non-Native speech and (ii) by receiving more information about what to expect before we hear a non-Native speaker.
For instance, prior exposure to, or training on, speech with a foreign accent
reduces the cognitive processing listeners must do and can decrease negative value associations (e.g. the belief that “accented” speakers are less credible than “non-accented” ones). In truth, all speakers of every language are accented, according to our backgrounds; when living in the UK, I found my “neutral, North American accent” was unfamiliar to an Australian student, who ungraciously and frequently asked me to repeat myself.
Tolerance can be found when listeners are willing to make additional effort
and not if they are unwilling or refuse out of racism.
Telling open-minded listeners that they’re about to hear a foreign accent, prior to exposure, can help them adapt more quickly. This is likely because less of a
mismatch arises between listeners’ expectations and what they actually hear (which pertains to at least some of the results of “accent hallucination” studies).
Likewise, when subjects in linguistic processing studies were told, before hearing and rating non-Native speakers, that the process could affect the believability of the speakers, listeners no longer judged those with mild accents to be untrustworthy.
(3) Broader exposure to other, non-Native linguistic communities also improved listeners’ processing.
Encouraging listeners to have a “growth mindset” whereby they will improve in
their ability to understand and transcribe non-Native accents by increased
exposure, helped to decrease resistance and accent bias.
Dr. Fridland’s findings on “accent hallucination” and “accent bias” can improve
communication between Native and non-Native speakers globally, thereby
reducing racism.
As Mignon Fogarty concludes, it is our responsibility to “prime a positive
mindset” and to give listeners more contextual information about who they are
listening to, when we teach, introduce, or translate speakers with foreign accents, so as to reduce negative outcomes for both listeners and speakers, alike.
Do you have a concept, idea, or problem involving any aspect of language?
Please share it with me; I’d be delighted to hear from you.
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SHOP NEWS:
I want to thank deeply the medical team at Saskatoon City Hospital (the preferred hospital of most Saskatonians) for caring for me, during a health “blip” at the very end of January.
Although the government has long needed to consult frontline healthcare workers to create change, the doctors and nurses who treated me were very respectful and professional. They’ve earned my gratitude, many times over.
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Equally important thanks to Parish Nurse, Laura Van Loon (RN), for helping my
family navigate the choppy waters of hospital care, when specialists sometimes forget to share knowledge with family.
Laura is a discerning, wise, and powerful advocate for many–truly an “unsung
hero” of physical, mental and spiritual health in our community.
I thank her deeply, too.
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My advisor and colleague, Community Health Nurse, Joan Stephens, recently
shared that she will retire in April.
I thank Joan for her career-long advocacy for patients who find challenges
navigating the complex bureaucracy of our health care system.
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On the more familiar topic of entrepreneurial training, here is a renewed call to
readers with entrepreneurial instincts: If you (or someone you know)
is entrepreneurially minded or simply has “an idea for a business,” programs
developed and offered by The Praxis School of Entrepreneurship will help you
make it a reality.
Besides core training on entrepreneurial concepts and processes, such as in the growSMART program, the PSE also offers deep instruction on complementary topics.
Furthermore, you’ll benefit from gaining a network of engaged colleagues that
continues to provide support, long after formal programming concludes.
The PSE is a training ground for fruitful relationships with talented leaders,
entrepreneurs and alumni, under the visionary leadership of Monica and Brent
Kreuger, and their deeply talented and experienced team.
To learn more, contact the PSE program administrator at (306) 664-0500, or
email elainem@globalinfobrokers.ca
(Full disclosure: Several years ago, I facilitated business writing seminars for
Praxis programs, startSMART and digiSMART.)
There are always new businesses and programs to promote.
Please write me to share your success stories!
For now, this is a wrap for mid-February!
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ABOUT US:
Between 2011 and December 2018, Elizabeth Shih Communications
chronicled the stories of B2B marketing and communications on the
Prairies and across the country.
Effective January 1, 2019, I rebranded as “Storytelling Communications.” I
now help economic immigrants to land better jobs and secure larger
contracts by improving their English skills; And I help major companies
write and edit their legacy stories.
Interested in learning more? Please contact me through my CASL-compliant website (www.elizabethshih.com).
After I receive your message, I’ll be pleased to discuss projects with you!
Please visit my website for more information (www.storytellingcommunications.ca).