[godfingers]

Dear,
Sometimes people talk about accents like they're talking about a very unimportant thing. Actually, as far as you are a native speaker, there is probably NOT much you can do about your accent or else you will sound unnatural, but if you are not a native English speaker, you better practice a stnndard American or British Pronunciation - not accent - because accent is a combination of three major features:
1. Pronunciation
2. Word Connection
3. Intonation

All you can do - in case you are a non-native speaker - is to correct your pronunciation first. Learning the IPA ( International Phonetic Alphabet ) helps a lot, although you can forget about the traditional method and easily get your hands on talking dictionaries available on CD or DVD for computers. Second, you need to use any chance to listen to general American/British accents - you can choose - to work on the second and third elements (WORD CONNECTION AND INTONATION). Listening to BBC or CNN news could help you a lot to improve your second and third elements of a standard British accent. Watching CBS news, Good Morning America, or ABC news could help you a lot improve your General American accent. Remember that you need to be very patient.
Finally, your standard and general accent will make your students even more motivated, and believe it or not, helps them improve their listening unbelievably in general!!!
Good luck


Ruholla Kazemi
EFL Teacher
EAP Teacher
English Teacher Trainer