Episode Summary: All Ears English Podcast – AEE 2546: Why Repetition is Key With Hadar Shemesh

Date: January 12, 2026
Hosts: Aubry Carter (for Lindsay, Michelle, and team)
Featured Guest: Hadar Shemesh (Accent and Fluency Coach, Host of the Influency Podcast)

Overview

In this episode, Aubry welcomes back Hadar Shemesh to dive into the crucial role of repetition in mastering English as a second language. Drawing from her vast experience coaching global organizations, public speakers, and millions online, Hadar breaks down how and why repetition builds speaking habits, accelerates learning, and boosts confidence. The discussion offers actionable strategies for busy adults who want substance and results from limited practice time.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Repetition Matters for Language Learning

• Building Speaking Habits (02:50 – 05:51)

  • Hadar stresses that fluency in your first language comes from habits: you don’t consciously plan each word, structure, or sound. Replicating this automation in English requires repetition.
    • “Habits are things that you do automatically without thinking about it... When we learn a second language, we want to build the same habits so we wouldn’t have to think about the grammatical structure or the words that we want to use. And definitely not the sounds. Because once we start thinking about it, it kills fluency.” — Hadar [03:31]

• Making Practice Effective for Busy Learners (06:09 – 09:12)

  • Hadar acknowledges the time pressure on adult learners, recommending targeted repetition drills if your time is limited.
  • She introduces the concept of “sprints”: focused, daily drills of high repetition, even for just 10 minutes, which are more efficient than random free-speaking practice.
    • “If you add repetition every day, drills, exercises... What happens is that you make those connections faster.” — Hadar [07:40]

• Intentional Practice and Brain Connections

  • Repetition helps ingrain new knowledge, turning vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from passive to active use.

2. The Power of Repetition Metaphors

• Running and Music (08:41 – 09:55)
  • Aubry and Hadar explain that, like sprint training for athletes or practicing scales for musicians, language repetition feels tedious but is essential to developing true ability.
    • “...Just like for a runner, doing those sprints... that is where the skills are built more quickly.” — Aubry [08:41]
    • “I used to play the piano... I had to do the scales to train my hands... That’s the thing with pronunciation, with grammar, with vocabulary. The repetitions help you build the skill, make the connection, and then when you speak freely, it’s there for you.” — Hadar [09:24]

3. Repetition as a Confidence Builder

• Transforming Knowledge into Spontaneous Speaking (11:08 – 13:36)
  • Hadar highlights how repetition doesn’t just aid retention, but self-belief.
    • “A huge part, a huge component of speaking freely and of fluency is confidence, is the feeling that you can do something. And a lot of times, we feel confident in things that we’ve already done.” — Hadar [11:16]
  • Using new words or structures repeatedly reduces anxiety and hesitation. Confidence comes from practice and familiarity.
    • “The repetitions help you build confidence as if you’ve said it, you know, 10, 20 times already. So it makes you feel more comfortable...” — Hadar [12:13]

4. Bridging the Gap: Passive vs. Active Knowledge

• Taking Action on What You Know (14:05 – 14:54)
  • Hadar observes that learners often crave more knowledge, but the real leap is making previously learned language accessible and spontaneous—by practicing it actively until it sticks.
    • “The bigger the gap is between the English that you know and the English that you speak—and at the end of the day, what helps you minimize that gap is you take all that passive knowledge ... and you turn it into active.” — Hadar [14:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On fluency and habit:
  “Once we start thinking about it, it kills fluency.” — Hadar [03:40]

• On why one-time practice isn’t enough:
  “If you do it once, it will never be a habit.” — Hadar [05:05]

• On maximizing small practice windows:
  “If you only have 10 minutes and you’re not able to spend that speaking with someone, this is the best way you can spend that time.” — Aubry [09:08]

• Confident usage arises from repeated experience:
  “We don’t have the confidence because we don’t have a lot of experience using [advanced vocabulary or grammar]...so the repetitions help you build confidence as if you’ve said it, you know, 10, 20 times already.” — Hadar [12:05]

• Advice for frustrated learners:
  “Instead of just learning a whole bunch of new things, why don’t we focus on what you already know and making it just a bit more accessible? Less work for more impact, which, you know, I love the goal.” — Hadar [14:47]

Practical Tips from Hadar

(Summed up throughout the episode)

• Repeat target words, grammar, and sounds in short, focused sprints (even just 10 minutes a day).
• Don’t chase endless new vocabulary—convert what you already know from passive to active usage through repetition.
• Drill intentionally: Use example sentences, not just isolated words.
• Remember, repetition not only increases fluency, but also your ability to speak confidently and naturally.
• Consistent small practices (like daily piano scales) lead to real, lasting change in language ability.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:50] — Why repetition builds habits that automate language usage
• [06:09] — How to make brief, daily practice effective through drills ("sprints")
• [09:24] — Musical metaphors: scales and skill-building
• [11:16] — The role of repetition in building confidence
• [14:17] — Turning passive vocabulary into active by focusing less on acquiring new knowledge, more on practice

Resources and Where to Find Hadar

• Website: hadarshemesh.com
• YouTube Channel: Accentsway English with Hadar

“Check it out. And thank you again for coming, Hadar, and for these amazing tips.” — Aubry [15:35]

This episode is essential for anyone feeling stuck or plateaued in English learning. Hadar’s practical, actionable approach—grounded in both brain science and real-world teaching—shows that the secret to progress is not necessarily working harder, but working smarter and more consistently through targeted repetition.