The InFluency Podcast

👉 DOWNLOAD THE 14-DAY ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION PLAN https://bit.ly/3YAWcJ5 What's the best way to study pronunciation? What sounds should you start with? How do you really get results? I'm going to share all of that with you here with the 14-day plan I've created!

We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. As an English learner, you must have wondered – what are the things that are preventing me from reaching a breakthrough in English? You may think it's just more vocabulary or phrasal verbs, and maybe all those fancy tenses that people use… When in fact, it's something a lot more basic and primal. It's not what ELSE you need to learn, but instead – it's how YOU think about yourself when speaking English. Yes, how we think about our English has a big part in how confident we feel when speaking English. Are we thinking kind and empowering thoughts? Or are we being harsh and critical? In this episode, I'll dive deep into explaining how you can reach a breakthrough simply by changing the way you think about your English. More useful episodes on the topic: Want to improve your speaking vocabulary? STOP LEARNING NEW WORDS ✋ https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/improve-speaking-vocabulary/ How To Learn New Vocabulary | Build Pronunciation Confidence? https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-learn-new-vocabulary/

Take the free quiz and determine your speaker stage in English https://bit.ly/3YaFq4e If you think that progress is only about going from A1 to C2 – think again! Your progress as a non-native speaker goes beyond your proficiency level. In a person's language journey, there are 5 typical speaker types, each characterized by a certain behavior and mindset. And guess what – no one has tried to identify those types before – UNTIL NOW!! In my BRAND NEW QUIZ, I'll tell you your speaker type … And share my *secret* tips to get to the next stage so your fluency can go from 🐌 to 🚀!!! Click here to take the quiz! 💃 https://bit.ly/3YaFq4e

In this episode, I spoke with Alastair, the host of the podcast, English Learning for Curious Minds. Alastair is originally from the UK but now lives in Sweden. We talked about his experiences moving from London to Malta and then to Sweden, and what's exciting and challenging about relocating. Alistair also talks about his podcast, English Learning for Curious Minds, where he combines cool stories and history with language learning. He shares how he makes difficult ideas easier to understand and explains why listening is such an important skill. Get useful tips and advice for building confidence in your English! Listen to my interview with Alastair on his channel: https://youtu.be/a9jL3MqfVMw Listen to some of Alastair's favorite episodes from his podcast here: Liquid Gold | The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Robbery: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/maple-syrup Fredric Tudor | The Ice King: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/ice-king The Affair Of The Diamond Necklace: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/affair-diamond-necklace The Haitian Revolution: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/haitian-revolution How TikTok Took Over The World: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/tik-tok The Marvel Universe: http://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/marvel-universe Prince Andrew | The Black Sheep of The Royal Family: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/prince-andrew Learn more about Alastair and his work by visiting his website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/

Have you ever wondered why your grammar is nearly perfect when you write, but when you start speaking, you can't use any of it? In this episode, I'll dive into why this happens and share tips on how to change it. We'll explore why you struggle to apply grammar rules in real-time, the difference between writing and speaking, and how you can train your brain to make grammar automatic when you speak. For more grammar exercises, check out my program, Sprint Master, where you will improve your grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and more in short, 10-minute daily exercises. https://bit.ly/3zGqKQX

We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. What happens when you make great progress in something, but then… You're stuck. You no longer move forward. It happens in so many different areas in life; losing weight, working out, in relationships… but also in English. You learn new words, build your confidence, improve your pronunciation… but after a while… you feel like nothing else is changing and again you find yourself on that silly hamster wheel. How can you get to the next level? In this episode, I'll share with you 5 ways to reach a new peak and get out of that annoying plateau. Full transcript and more information is here: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/25/

I had the chance to interview Craig Wealand, the host of InglesPodcast, and an English teacher for more than 20 years! He shared his experiences as a teacher, Spanish learner, podcaster and more. I really enjoyed this episode, and I hope you will too! Listen to Craig's podcast: https://inglespodcast.com/ Learn with Craig: https://www.englishcraig.com/

We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. I've been an accent and fluency coach for over 10 years. It hasn't always been easy but it was always gratifying. I've learned new things about English and about my teaching, and I want to share these things with you. Full transcript and more information is here: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/07/

Can we schedule a meeting for Monday at 9 AM? I'm sorry, I'm going to have to cancel our meeting. Whether you're scheduling, confirming a meeting, or canceling a meeting, today we're going to talk about essential phrases you can use in everyday English – with a focus on pronunciation and connected speech! Download the FREE practice sheet with even more useful phrases to practice along with: https://bit.ly/3MOxYp4

The end of 2024 is near – maybe you set some goals for yourself back in January, and even though you'd really love to achieve them, you're not sure HOW exactly to do that. The good news is…we still have a quarter left in the year! If you're wondering how to turn around your practice and get inspired, motivated and determined to achieve your goals, there is a way. 💪 My membership, Beyond, is now open until Tuesday, September 17! We've been keeping it a secret for a while now, because we've been making big changes inside. Today, I'll tell you about what's inside and how it can help you stay on track and achieve the goals you set for yourself in 2024. Click here to learn more https://hadarshemesh.com/beyond/

We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. Taking small actions every day leads to great results. Author Darren Hardy calls it "The Compound Effect", and it holds for a lot of things in life. In this episode, I'll discuss how I've realized it's deeply relevant to English learning and speaking. I experienced it in acting school, in the accent training courses I took, and in the past decade in teaching and building my business. I see it in my students as well, as they put in the work day in day out, not seeing immediate results but then reach a breakthrough and impact other people around them. See more information and links here: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/15/

What exactly is a syllable? You may have heard this term a lot, but were never sure how to identify it on your own. Understanding syllables is essential to building a foundation for your pronunciation practice. So today, I'll explain what a syllable is in English, how to divide a word into syllables, and how it will help your English practice. Get your FREE syllables practice sheet here! https://bit.ly/3Z9DauZ For more syllable practice, check out these videos: Schwa – the BEST vowel sound in English https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/schwa/ How to Find the Primary Stress in Words https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-find-the-primary-stress-in-words/ How to find the stress in long words (words with suffixes) https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/long-words/

I'm hosting a FREE 5-day challenge from September 2 - 6. Join us here! https://bit.ly/4dYqfjC We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. Like any other challenge or thing we need to work on, improving your fluency is first and foremost about developing the right mindset. In this video, I'll discuss some of the things that hold you back and that you really need to let go of if you want to achieve a breakthrough in English. Download 30 English affirmations that will help you reach a breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4739Kkl

We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. I mention the schwa almost every time I speak about American English. That's because this vowel is all over the place, and once you hear it, you never stop hearing it 🙂 The schwa is a very short and "relaxed" kind of vowel. It's a pretty tricky vowel for non-native speakers but if you get it, you get the secret to American English pronunciation and you become SO much clearer. Also, you will find yourself investing much less energy in speaking, which is also important 🙂 Tune in and learn more about this special vowel and how to use it. And let me know what you think in the comments below. Check out a new episode about the schwa here: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/157/ You can also watch my older video about the schwa: https://goo.gl/tvDJ6o And you'll also find my video on American Intonation helpful: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/american-intonation/

We're revisiting some of our most popular and favorite episodes on the podcast. In this podcast episode I elaborate on how to practice it effectively and integrate it into your day-to-day speech. Because forming a sentence is not enough. And making the right sounds isn't enough. It's the intonation that determines the meaning of the sentence: is it a question or a statement? Is it a joke and you're just being sarcastic? This is also where culture and your inner feelings are thrown into the mix. Intonation conveys ALL of that. To do that you need to know how to practice! This is why I also share my most effective practice techniques that I've used myself and with my students, that are going to help you improve your intonation and deliver your message in a clear way. If you haven't listened to my previous episode about American intonation, don't miss out on it: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/12/ How not to be monotone when speaking English: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/intonation-pitch/

The R sound is NOT an easy sound to pronounce. Even if you've been practicing it for a while, you may feel frustrated that you STILL can't use it as consistently as you would like. So today, instead of telling you how to pronounce the sound, I'm giving you the best strategies to practice the R sound and make it STICK! Download the free R sound PDF to practice with me: https://bit.ly/3Alq9Eq More episodes about pronouncing the R: 👇🏽 R in English - make it easy with this 10-min daily practice https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/american-r-sound/ Make the American R! | American English Pronunciation https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/the-american-r/ The R sound in English: The most in-depth lesson you'll ever hear https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/17/

Are you watching the Olympics? Today you'll learn how to pronounce 10 of the most popular sports in the Olympics, so you can say them like a pro.

Over the summer, we're revisiting some of my FAVORITE episodes and stories that I've shared with you over the past several years on the podcast! Pronunciation is the door to understanding and mastering spoken English. It's the secret of speaking with confidence and communicating clearly. In this episode, I pinpoint the reasons why learning pronunciation is crucial if you want to make an impact and not compromise your message. Because this is really what it's all about. It's not about you sounding more American and losing your identity. It's about you feeling amazing in your own skin when you communicate in English. Full transcript: https://hadarshemesh.com/transcript/podcast-04/

Are you curious about how you can improve your writing in English? In this interview, I speak to teacher, author and non-native speaker, Fabio Cerpelloni as he shares tips for writing, expressing yourself in a second language, and the contradicting rules he writes about in his book, Any Language You Want. Read more about Fabio's work here: https://fabiocerpelloni.com/about/

Over the summer, we're revisiting some of my FAVORITE episodes and stories that I've shared with you over the past several years on the podcast! In this episode, I'm re-sharing with you how I transformed from being a timid speaker of English to a pronunciation expert and fluency coach who runs a thriving online business, and how I get to do what I love teaching students from all around the world who inspire me every day. This is my story. Full transcript: https://hadarshemesh.com/transcript/podcast-02/

Summertime is in full swing, and it has been busy! Summer camp, road trips, weddings and family visits are on the calendar over the next few months. Today I'll talk about navigating it all, the definition of 'feeling at home' and the idea of homesickness.

When you read out loud, do you feel monotonous, like everything you say sounds the same, and there's no emotion or expression? Whether you're practicing for a presentation, reading to your kids, or you just want to have more expression when reading, this video is for you. We'll walk through different ways you can unlock more expression in your voice to sound more engaging when reading out loud.

This week my sister and her children gave us a surprise visit in Barcelona so I sat down with my niece Gaya to talk about our relocation, feelings and plans.

Do you pronounce it day-duh or daa-duh? Or should you pronounce 'route' as root or rowt? Today we're talking about words that have 2 (and sometimes more!) different pronunciations in English. You'll learn the different pronunciations of words including data, pecan, adult, envelope, often, and more! Let's go

This week, I asked on social media if you had any questions for me about what relocation has been like. I got a lot of questions, so we're splitting it into 2 parts! You ask, I answer. Part 1 Enjoy!

What is a limiting belief in English? Do you have one, or maybe even several? Today, I'm talking all about what those beliefs might sound like, and most importantly, how you can overcome them to step into your full potential and reach limitless fluency in English. (free!) 30 powerful English affirmations to change your limiting beliefs for good https://bit.ly/41UMrpr Learn more about my 30-day audio course, My English Mindset https://bit.ly/47wXuYD

It's been 6 months since we've relocated to Spain – I can barely believe it! I'm spending some time today reflecting back on the past few months, comparing my own progress, the progress of my daughters, and sharing how DIFFERENT things look and feel since we arrived in January.

I'm interviewing Jennifer from JForrestEnglish on the show today. Jennifer shares how her own experience as a "failed language learner" inspired her to begin teaching English and helping others improve their listening skills, confidence and mindset. I enjoyed this talk with Jennifer, and I hope you will too! Watch my interview on Jennifer's channel here: https://youtu.be/0ntWvSE8cDI Check out Jennifer's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@JForrestEnglish Join my InFluency Community to practice speaking with others for free: https://bit.ly/47tinnp

Getting away from the city, reconnecting with family and nature…I had a chance to do all of that this week and let me tell you, it was much needed!

Hmm, a-ha, eww! Huh…chances are that you've come across interjections in English before when reading, but you may not know how to pronounce all of them! In this episode, I'll share some of the most common interjections in English.

I've been teasing it for the past few weeks, but on June 1, we finally had our student meetup! We had 80 students come from all around the world to meet each other – most of us meeting for the very first time in person! It was so incredible, emotional, and special to connect with the students that I've known over the screen (some of them for more than 5 years!) and finally hug them in real life. If you want to join the magic of this community, what are you waiting for? Join our free InFluency Community https://bit.ly/47tinnp

Easily distracted when studying English? Learn how to tune out distractions and laser in on your English to get the results you're after.

This week I'm talking about all the things that I'm currently planning. The thing is, since the moment I arrived in Spain, I haven't stopped PLANNING! And even though it seems like a simple thing, I feel it's one of the most energy consuming things we do! From planning a holiday, to a birthday party for Amalia, a community meetup, team activities, play dates, it's so. much. planning. In today's episode I'll also share with you my tips for how to plan well, and other exciting updates about my community retreat.

In this episode I talk about the impostor syndrome, what it is, and how it affects non-native speakers of English. This is an episode I published 3 years ago, and I wanted to bring it back for all the new people who joined my world recently! Full transcript: https://hadarshemesh.com/transcript/impostor-syndrome/

We all know that speaking a language fluently has tons of advantages. Better communication! New friendships! Less misunderstandings! Life is easier when you understand everyone around you, no doubt. But today, I wanted to think of it from a COMPLETELY different perspective. What are the advantages of NOT being fluent in a language? I've noticed quite a few things that I've experienced since moving to Spain where I can't understand everything that's being spoken around me…and that's what I want to share with you today.

Can I get that to go? Can I get the dressing on the side? There are tons of useful expressions to know when you go to a restaurant. Today, we're going to practice 20 of them focusing on pronunciation, rhythm and intonation so the next time you go out to eat in English, you can ask for the specials with confidence and clarity. Download the free PDF to practice the phrases here! https://bit.ly/4bzjJib

This week, I started taking Spanish classes, and as you can imagine, I have a LOT of thoughts. It's been a while since I was a student, and being on the receiving end of a class has taught me so much about how important pronunciation, mindset, and strategy are when learning a second language. Here's the vocabulary method I developed and am now using to learn and remember new words and grammar structures: https://bit.ly/4ammPFf

It's been about 4 months since I've moved, and now I'm starting to feel like I've "settled in". Today I'll share updates about my Spanish, and some funny miscommunications that I'm sure you can relate to

Oh, the horror of pronouncing the word horror!! Today, I'm teaching you how to pronounce words that end in -RROR. Words like error, horror, mirror and more. Join me for this fun practice.

Last week, we visited our family and friends back home. Today, I'll share about how it was to return home, the way I tried to maximize our time there, and what it felt like returning back to Barcelona.

In today's episode, we'll practice connected speech in 25 of some of the most common, daily expressions that you can use in your everyday conversations. Wadaya-think? Download the free practice sheet with audio here to see the transcript and follow along: https://bit.ly/49SSm1s Check out my other episodes to learn the basics of connected speech: Connected speech in English: How to use it to sound even clearer: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/274/ How to Connect Words and Sounds in English: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/connected-speech/

I hit a million followers on YouTube! Today, I want to share some of the lessons I've learned over the past several years, with hundreds of videos later, and how I view this milestone.

I've been promising I'd tell you this story for several weeks now…and I won't hold you in suspense any longer. Here's the story of my refrigerator, and a much bigger story about dealing with circumstances completely out of your control. If you're living in Spain and looking for a moving company, this is the company that I can't recommend enough! http://www.mudanzasdiagonal.com/

I got really sick. In this episode I talk about why it was different to be sick in a different country, what was the hardest thing for me, and the funny thing that happened at the pharmacy

Do you know the 5 most common words in English? Are you actually pronouncing them the RIGHT WAY? You might be surprised! Tune in to this episode to learn about how to actually pronounce the most common words that appear in the English language. Practice more of these words in phrases and sentences on my website: https://bit.ly/3THEdOw

Relocating can bring up all kinds of emotions – happiness, sadness, loneliness, hopefulness…and sometimes all of the emotions can all happen at once. Today I want to share with you how I'm dealing with different emotions, and some of the ways I'm processing them. How do you process your emotions?

Sign up for my FREE live class: https://bit.ly/3U0xuk9 Do you ever feel fake in English, especially when it comes to pronunciation? This is something that I've seen many of my students struggle with. Today, I want to talk about why you might feel fake, and how you can feel more authentic, and like yourself when you speak. I'm talking about this and more in my free live class, grab your spot here! https://bit.ly/3U0xuk9

In today's episode of My Relocation Diaries, I share an update with you about my journey to getting certified as a Life Coach through The Life Coach School. It was most definitely a challenging and humbling experience, but I learned a lot – and that's what I want to talk about today. Check out the Life Coach School podcast: https://thelifecoachschool.com/podcast/

Did you know there's not actually a U sound in words like audio and author? It's true! In this episode, I'll show you how to pronounce words that have an AU and AW spelling pattern in English.

In this episode I talk about friendships. I will take you through what friendships looked like for me before I moved here, what has changed, and how I'm making new connections here now. I'll also talk about how we change over the years in the way we make friends and the way we find the right people for us. This episode was recorded with enormous love to all my friends here and there. I'm grateful for having you in my life.