PronounceSmart Customer Testimonials

Working with Ms. Anninge has been one of the most transformative experiences of my professional life, not only as a speaker, but as a teacher.

I hold a master's degree in English writing, and I have spent ten years in the classroom. Yet despite my academic background, spoken English was always the area where I felt least sure of myself. In China, English education has long prioritized examinations, and the schools where I previously taught were no exception. Reading comprehension, grammar, written composition: these were the pillars of every curriculum I had ever followed. Spoken English was, at best, an afterthought.

When I joined my current school, I discovered that every class was required to include one dedicated speaking lesson per week. I understood the importance of this, and I supported it completely. But privately, I was deeply anxious. I knew that my own spoken English had weaknesses I had never been properly guided to correct, and I was acutely aware that I could not teach what I did not fully understand. What troubled me most was not my own embarrassment, but the thought that I might be passing my mistakes on to my students. Several of their parents are professionals at international companies who speak English fluently and would notice if something were wrong.

It was my dear university friend, who had recently relocated to Australia, who first mentioned Ms. Anninge to me. She had worked with Ms. Anninge herself before emigrating, and she spoke of the experience with great warmth. I am so grateful that she shared that recommendation.

From our very first session, I understood why. Ms. Anninge has a remarkable ability to identify exactly what a speaker is doing incorrectly and to explain it in language that is both precise and accessible. Each week, she would focus on a specific area with me, and her explanations were so well-structured that I could hold them in my mind long after our session had ended. As someone who has spent years studying the craft of written language, I deeply appreciate clarity of expression, and Ms. Anninge's teaching met that standard beautifully.

What I did not anticipate was how naturally her approach would translate into my own classroom. Each week, as we worked on a particular problem together, I would introduce the same concept to my students. The exercises she gave me were thoughtful and practical, and I found them easy to adapt for younger learners. For the first time, I felt that when I demonstrated something at the front of the class, I was demonstrating it correctly, and that confidence, I believe, my students can feel.

I no longer dread parent meetings conducted in English. I no longer feel that I am offering my students something incomplete. Ms. Anninge gave me far more than better pronunciation. She gave me the confidence to teach fully, honestly, and well. For that, I am truly grateful.

Before Ms. Anninge, I had three English teachers, and not one of them could help me with my L and R sounds.

My first teacher never said anything about it, so for a long time I did not even know I had a problem. My second teacher was the first person to tell me. He tried to help, but his explanations were difficult to understand, so I did not improve. When I started with my third teacher, I told her directly that I wanted to fix my L and R. But she said that this is a common problem for Korean speakers, and that most of us will never be able to say the R sound like a native English speaker. After hearing this, I felt very discouraged. I started to think that maybe she was right.

When I told Ms. Anninge about this, she said that she has heard this kind of story before, and that some of her other Korean students had the same experience. Because this problem was making me so anxious, she decided to work on it with me first.

From the beginning, I felt hopeful. Ms. Anninge explained that I was already making both sounds correctly. The real problem was that I was using them in the wrong places. When she explained it like this, it was much easier to understand. Before, I always thought there was something wrong with my mouth or my tongue. But actually, I just needed to learn when to use L and when to use R. We practiced together with some activities that were enjoyable, and now, most of the time, I use the correct sound without thinking about it.

I really wish I had found Ms. Anninge sooner.

The speech classes with Anninge were really the best investment I ever made. Within a month of starting lessons I noticed that my customers were not asking me to repeat myself as much. This made me feel very happy. I was also surprised because I found it easier to understand them too.

I just finished a three-month course with Ms. Anninge. Now I feel so much more confident when dealing with customers in English. My biggest surprise is that my turn-over has nearly doubled!

Before, I did not realise how many problems came from misunderstandings. Sometimes I could not understand my customer. Sometimes they could not understand me. We wasted a lot of time. I thought this was just a normal problem. But now I know it does not have to be like this.

I am very grateful to Anninge. She really changed my life.