🐾 Your foot in the door: pronunciation or writing? 🐾

My recent quest for a pronunciation coach gave me a lot of food for thought.

One discovery was that pronunciation classes are surprisingly expensive. But why? I asked my students. One opinion voiced was, “Pronunciation is what makes a good impression because it’s the first thing people hear from you. The stakes are high, and so are the prices.”

I wish I could say, “Can’t argue with that.” But I can argue with that – and I have experience to support my case.

Let’s consider some of my achievements – four random choices off the top of my head:
1. My 💎 application
2. My ELEX application
3. My grant proposals
4. My TESOL 2024 talk proposal

The first two had an interview stage, a stage where you can let your pronunciation shine. But it was the second stage, a stage that you get to if and only if you pass the first one – writing.

The remaining two did not have any interview or speaking stage at all. The decision was made based entirely on writing.

It’s not just beautiful pronunciation that makes a good impression, you know. Writing can be your foot in the door for some awesome, life-changing experiences too.

🐾 What is your experience? What was your foot in the door – pronunciation or writing?