The InFluency Podcast

Episode 200! Woo-hoo! In this podcast-convo, I’ll share with you what I loved most about making the previous 200 episodes and what I’m hoping to do more in the next 200 episodes! I’ll also share with you a list of the 10 most downloaded episodes of the InFluency podcast, and what I think about them!  And here they are!!  The Schwa: How One TINY Sound Can Make a HUGE Difference How to effectively practice your intonation in English Why I Quit Acting and Became an Accent Coach | My story 10 Things You Should Stop Doing if you Want to Speak English Fluently American Intonation: What They Don’t Teach You In School How to Stay Motivated When Learning English Why pronunciation is important when learning a language Why Perfectionism Will KILL Your Fluency How Small, Smart Choices Can Transform Your English | The Compound Effect Why do I feel like a fraud every time I speak English? | The Impostor Syndrome If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

In this ‘Ask Hadar’ podcast episode I’m answering Silvana, an English learner from Brazil, who wants to become an English teacher. Silvana isn’t sure she can do it, because she still has a lot to learn herself. I get asked this question a lot – whether non-native speakers of English should teach the language. And I always say – absolutely. If pursuing a teaching career is what you want, don’t let anyone – teachers or colleagues – put you down because you’re not a native speaker of English. Because teaching is so much more than transforming knowledge, especially in this day and age. In this episode, I share some thoughts on how to know you’re doing a good job teaching English, whether you’re a native speaker or not. Want to ask me a question on the podcast? Submit your audio recording here: https://hadarshemesh.com/ask-hadar/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://theaccentsway.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://theaccentsway.com/influency-community/

In this interview, I have the opportunity to speak with my student, Laura, who shares her remarkable journey of transformation, from feeling shy and introverted with social anxiety, to being an active member of my community, hosting conversation groups, and organizing in-person events. In this conversation, Laura shares her limiting beliefs she overcame, the social anxiety that once made even simple interactions feel impossible, and the mindset shifts that helped her break free from self-doubt. I hope you enjoy this interview! P.S. you can buy Laura’s vocabulary planner here! https://laclaulab.com/ Get on the waitlist for New Sound: https://bit.ly/3I9wNkY Join the Beyond Community: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

In this episode, we'll explore different linking words that you can add to your English vocabulary. You’ll get more ideas to express your thoughts differently, beyond words like "however" or "or"! You’ll learn how to connect your ideas more naturally and fluently, making your speech and writing more dynamic and engaging.

Confidence doesn’t magically appear overnight, it’s something you build, one step at a time. The truth is, confidence is a skill, and just like any other skill, you can learn it, practice it, and get better at it. In this episode, I’ll share the most common things that get in the way of your confidence when speaking English, so you can finally recognize and overcome them. You’ll discover practical tips, mindset shifts, and real-life strategies that will help you stop second-guessing yourself and start speaking with clarity, ease, and impact. PLUS, I’m inviting you to join my brand-new 7-Day Confidence Challenge! Click here to start: https://bit.ly/3UmzZMY

Have you ever used music to boost your English pronunciation? 🎶 In this week’s video, I’m introducing you to Olivia Rodrigo’s song Traitor to practice the different T sounds in American English… especially the Flap T! I’ll break down lines from the song, show you how to pronounce them, and I’m certain you won’t be able to resist singing along with me 😉 Want to keep practicing prosody? Check out this playlist: https://bit.ly/4fx9j4t Here are the lyrics of the part we did together: Brown guilty eyes and little white lies Yeah, I played dumb but I always knew That you'd talk to her, maybe did even worse I kept quiet so I could keep you And ain't it funny How you ran to her The second that we called it quits? And ain't it funny How you said you were friends? Now it sure as hell don't look like it You betrayed me And I know that you'll never feel sorry For the way I hurt, yeah You'd talk to her When we were together Loved you at your worst But that didn't matter It took you two weeks To go off and date her Guess you didn't cheat But you're still a traitor Listen to the full music video here: https://youtu.be/CRrf3h9vhp8

Pronouns in English: I, you, he, she, we, they: It’s one of the first things we learn when starting to study English, but do you know how they are REALLY pronounced? The answer might surprise you. In this episode, we’ll uncover the real pronunciation of English pronouns in everyday speech, and spoiler alert! It’s probably NOT the way you learned them in English class. Download the free PDF (+ audio) to practice pronouns in English! https://bit.ly/4nOhXkf

Now with the rise of AI, everything has become FAST. We look for short videos, quick wins, and AI tools that do everything for us. And while that’s amazing in so many ways, it can also make us believe that fluency should be something that’s easy, instant, or effortless. But here’s the truth: some things still take time, intention, and consistency. And English is one of them! In this episode, I talk about the five must-have qualities you need to truly master English. Not tools. Not grammar rules. Not hacks. Qualities. The kind that no app or AI can give you. Because over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed something, not just in my own life and business, but in the lives of my students and the people I work with. It’s becoming harder to stay consistent. Harder to follow through. And easier to expect results without really doing the inner work. So in this episode, I want to shine a light on what’s actually holding people back from fluency, even when they’re doing “all the right things.” Even when they’re using amazing tools like AI. If you’re ready to go deeper and get the kind of support where you can bring these 5 qualities to LIFE I’m inviting you to learn more about my membership, Beyond! Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

In this interview, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Katya, one of my amazing students who started learning English from scratch seven years ago. What’s even more incredible is that she did it all without ever living in an English-speaking country!! Katya takes us through her journey, from feeling stuck and frustrated to finding the breakthrough that led her to become a leader in our communities. We dive deep into how pronunciation work, especially prosody, not only helped her speak with confidence but also transformed her mindset and life. In this conversation, Katya shares her challenges, wins, and the powerful role our community played in her success. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure of your own learning path, her story will inspire you to keep going and find joy in the process. I am so honored to share this interview. I dearly love Katya, and I know you will love her too!  Learn with me: Join my membership, Beyond: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N  Get on the waitlist for my 3-month program, New Sound: https://bit.ly/3I9wNkY

Improve your vocabulary, pronunciation and pace while reading a book out loud with me! We’re reading the ‘Let Them’ book by Mel Robbins. Not only is it an excellent practice, it’s also a great way for us to understand how WE can adopt this theory in our lives. Download the PDF here to follow along and improve your vocabulary [Free!] https://bit.ly/4likIrM More ‘read out loud’ videos: https://bit.ly/4fx9j4t

Shadowing is a great way to practice your pronunciation, prosody, grammar and so much more, but the key is knowing what to focus on. Today, we’re going to focus on a few key sounds, and connected speech from the hit show, The Last of Us. I also prepared for you a free PDF with the shadowing analysis and notes so you can practice this speech on your own. Download my shadowing analysis from the hit show The Last of Us: https://bit.ly/4kGPz1k

In this episode, we’re tackling some of the trickiest words in English pronunciation, like ‘queue’, ‘colonel’, ‘subtle’ and more! These words are especially tricky because of their confusing spelling. But today, we’ll practice them out loud together to build your pronunciation confidence and be able to say these words with ease. Want more practice? Get my FREE 14-day pronunciation plan to keep practicing! https://bit.ly/3YAWcJ5

There are 50 states in the US. Do you know how to pronounce all of them? In this episode, I’m teaching you how to pronounce each one…and some might just surprise you! A quick side note, there can be many different regional pronunciations of each state, so in this episode, I’ve covered the most common! Check out a list of all the states with IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription on my website: https://bit.ly/3YR2zc1

Get ready to read Atomic Habits by James Clear out loud with me! Follow along and improve your vocabulary and pronunciation with an excerpt from Atomic Habits! Personally, I love this book. It’s such a great book all about building habits that last (and these tips are great for language learning too!) Get a 30-day Audible free trial using my referral code and get Atomic Habits for FREE: https://adbl.co/2ESq3ro Read Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits Practice with my Sprints: https://bit.ly/419T61z

Have you ever tried to practice rhythm in English before? In this episode, we're diving into the rhythm of English, an essential part of speaking with fluency and confidence. English is a syllable-timed language, meaning that the rhythm is based on the time between syllables, not on individual words.  Let’s practice together today with a metronome to help you develop rhythm in English in several different exercises! More episodes on rhythm:  Rhythm of English words: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/116/  Practice rhythm in a speech: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/47/

Struggling to show up with authority in English? In this episode, you'll learn how to build authority and confidence as a nonnative speaker: without trying to sound perfect. Discover practical tips to own your voice, speak with impact, and get the respect you deserve in any conversation. Learn more about my audio course, My English Mindset here: https://bit.ly/47wXuYD Get started with my free 14-day pronunciation plan: https://bit.ly/3YAWcJ5

Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss. Read along with me and improve your pronunciation in English! This is no easy challenge. Are you up for it? For more pronunciation practice, grab my free 14-day pronunciation plan https://bit.ly/3YAWcJ5

ChatGPT is a game-changer for English learners. Whether you’re working on speaking, writing, or pronunciation, this guide will help you unlock its full potential. Today, follow along with me and learn just how you can use it for your English practice! Looking to improve your English with ChatGPT? I’ve got you covered! Get my brand-new ChatGPT English Practice Guide here https://bit.ly/3FPT5qJ This step-by-step guide includes: ✅ 4 video trainings on optimizing grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, writing, and fluency with ChatGPT. ✅ 200+ ChatGPT prompts to enhance your practice. Get it now! https://bit.ly/3FPT5qJ

Let’s read out loud together! Reading out loud is an excellent way to improve your vocabulary, pronunciation and pace. We’re reading a scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. Download the PDF to read along with me and learn the vocabulary from the episode! https://bit.ly/4bZJx8B

Practice 12 of the best tongue twisters in English to improve your pronunciation! Tongue twisters are some of the best ways to warm up your articulation muscles, get you ready for speaking, and you know what, they’re just fun! For more tongue twisters, click here https://bit.ly/41U4Epj