Would you like to improve your English pronunciation and communicate more clearly in English?
Well, you’re in luck because on today’s podcast, we have a very special guest. Pronunciation coach Hadar is a non-native speaker of English who is going to share with you some valuable advice about how you can take your pronunciation to the next level.

One YouTube channel that I always recommend to learners who want to improve their pronunciation is Hadar’s channel Accent’s Way English with Hadar. So, naturally, I was really pleased when Hadar agreed to come on the podcast to help you with some pronunciation tips and advice.

There is so much useful information for you in this episode on pronunciation. Hadar explains how to use shadowing and how you can train yourself to improve your pronunciation.

Where’s your accent from? How would you describe it?

Hadar is a non-native speaker of English. Part of her accent is from the East Coast. She studied standard American during her acting studies. She describes her accent as general American with some American East Coast and international English influences.

A lot of your focus is on native-speaker pronunciation. How important is it to sound like a native speaker?

Hadar doesn’t think it’s important to sound like a native speaker. Her aim is to help students optimise their English and their ability to communicate.
She prioritises clarity over accuracy.

Why do people come to you for coaching and help with their pronunciation?

They feel insecure. They want to bridge the gap between how they think they sound and how they should sound when they speak.
They also experience communication challenges in certain situations.
Improved pronunciation helps fluency due to lots of repetition and it also builds confidence and helps students to tap into their potential.

How to start if you are a Spanish speaker with ingrained pronunciation errors due to having Spanish as a first language?

Pronunciation is a speaking habit. Some sounds are transferred to English from the speaker’s first language.
Hadar believes that good pronunciation is a healthy foundation for speaking.
There should be an emphasis on clarity and using clearly pronounced consonant sounds.

What is prosody? How would you describe it? How can prosody make learners more effective speakers?

Prosody is intonation, rhythm, stress, connected speech, pauses etc.

What is shadowing/echoing? How would you describe it and how can learners use it to improve their pronunciation by themselves?

You listen and repeat a second after a person, or you pause and repeat after a very short piece of audio or video.

Practise shadowing with Hadar and the TV series THE WHITE LOTUS.

What other tips and advice do you have for learners who want to improve their pronunciation by self-study?

You need to listen to understand the differences between how English sounds compared to your language. Perception is key.
Then, you need to practise producing the sounds of English.
Start with single words and then practise the sounds in phrases. Then compare similar sounds like sheep and ship, cut and cat etc.
And then practise sentences and texts.
Practise with lots of repetition and then in free speech, but be aware of the sound.
Be intentional about your practice and record your voice to listen to how you are pronouncing certain sounds.

How can people make pronunciation practice a habit?

Do it daily. With only 10 minutes of practice per day, you will notice the difference over time.
Stack habits so that one connects to another. For example, always do your pronunciation practice after breakfast.
Attach a small reward to your habit so that you look forward to doing it.
Track your progress and be intentional about it.
Create a safe space for your pronunciation, like in your car or a separate room in your house.

What have you changed your mind about recently?

Camping! Hadar used to really dislike it. Maybe she still does. She has planned a camping trip with her family so, time will tell!

What one thing, if you were to tell someone about yourself, would they find difficult to believe?

She once flew a plane.

Thank you, Hadar for sharing such useful and practical advice. hadarshemesh.com is where you can find out more about Hadar.

Hadar’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@hadar.shemesh

Hadar’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hadar.accentsway/

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English. Do you have your own method, techniques and resources to improve your pronunciation? We’d love to hear them. We’d also like to know if you enjoyed this episode and if you have any ideas for future podcasts. So, why don’t you practice your pronunciation and send us a voice message? Don’t forget what Hadar said about repìtion. Record your voice message many times until it’s the best it can be and then send it! https://www.speakpipe.com/inglespodcast

Send us an email with a comment or question to craig@inglespodcast.com or belfastreza@gmail.com

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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’