In this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Karen Taylor as my guest. In 1999, KAREN created an amazing teaching tool called the Color Vowel Chart when she realized there had to be a better way to help students with pronunciation. The Color Vowel Chart took off, and in 2011, she co-founded ELTS (English Language Training Solutions) in response to popular demand. Karen holds an MA in TESOL from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a BA in English Literature from Georgetown University, as well as an International Baccalaureate from the United World College (US campus). A former Fulbright TEFL Specialist, Karen was the Practitioner in Residence at American University for nine years. She received Ed Tech’s 2020 Visionary Leader award for her work as Head of Education and she is now CEO at Blue Canoe Learning Inc. And if you’re wondering what the name Blue Canoe has to do with teaching pronunciation, you’re about to find out in this episode. On a personal note, I’m especially excited to have Karen here today because I’ve been meaning to interview her for quite some time. So many teachers have raved to me about the Color Vowel Chart and how it has completely transformed their ideas about teaching pronunciation. There was one instance in particular when a teacher I’ve worked with was telling me all about her experience with the Color Vowel Chart and how she uses it in her classroom, and I asked her if she’d be willing to join me on the podcast to introduce it to our listeners. She said, sure, but wouldn’t you rather interview to Karen directly? I’ll give you her email address! I was shocked that someone who has accomplished as much as Karen would be so accessible, but I reached out to her and here we are! So what you’re about to hear is our first conversation (of what I hope will be many!) and I’m so grateful that Karen gave so much of her time to talk pronunciation with me in this episode. I was very much looking forward to this interview, and I have to say that it was an even more fascinating and fun conversation than I could’ve anticipated. So if you’ve ever wanted advice for how to make pronunciation easier and more fun for your students, get ready, because this is the episode for you.