"I've had over 500 hours of Spanish instruction and no one has ever given me productive pronunciation feedback until now... This class is far more valuable than I expected."

"Eli is a terrific instructor. In just our first lesson, I am already much more confident and aware of pronunciation."

Class content:

1. Finding stress in words + vowels

-In this class we review how Spanish words are stressed and how this affects the vowels sounds.

For example, understanding why the “cha” is stressed in the word mu-cha-cho and how this affects the pronunciation of the final o.

We also will review why some words have accent marks, how to pronounce the 5 vowels in Spanish and cover the #1 marker of an English accent in Spanish

2. Syllable breakdown + vowel clusters

-In this class we cover how syllables divide in Spanish, how vowels join together in a syllable (ie. pue-do) and begin to link words

3. Word Linking

-In this class we cover the complexities and rules regarding how words are linked together in Spanish to create continuous sounds. For example, Los Angeles is pronounced: lo-san-ge-les (not los-an-ge-les).

4. Tricky Consonants

-In this class we will start covering what a consonant is and go over some of the trickiest consonants in Spanish, such as B, D, G, L, RR and R sounds

Homework:

After each lesson you will be given two homework assignments. One is a set of written exercises. The second is a set of audio recordings. You complete these between sessions and we will go over these at the beginning of the next lesson.

"I know exactly what I’m pronouncing wrong and he’s given me the tools and feedback to improve."

About Me:

Hola, I’m Eli! I’m passionate about guiding students to speak clearly and confidently. My lessons are informed by my MA in Spanish Linguistics/BA in Spanish, teaching in both the US and abroad and time spent living in Madrid, Spain.

FAQ:

Will classes focus more on Spanish pronunciation in Spain? Will they translate well to Latin America?

My classes are designed specifically for English speakers who want to achieve clearer pronunciation and more effective communication in personal and professional settings in Spanish. The content is universally applicable and will help you speak more clearly in any Spanish speaking country.

Certain sounds, such as the Z, can be tailored to either Latin American or Spanish accents. We can cover both options or just focus on which accent you’re interested in. If you want to learn a certain accent (ie. Spanish or Mexican) we will incorporate that into our classes!

How are the lessons conducted?

The lessons will be held on Pensight entirely in the web browser. No need to download anything. If you want you will have access to a recording of each lesson in your Pensight account (completely free to set up).

Do I have to schedule a class every week?

No! When you buy the package you buy the 4 initial classes. We can schedule them in a way that works for you. We don't have to schedule them all at once.

What if I’m a total beginner?

That’s totally fine! Almost no one at any level (A1-C2)  has studied Spanish linguistics and everyone’s pronunciation benefits from this information. If you’re relatively new, it’s good to have good pronunciation habits from the beginning.

What equipment do I need for audio recordings?

You just need a phone, either a voice memo app (on iPhone by default) or the IG app/FB messenger app.

How long will it take to see results?

You’ll start seeing changes in your accent as soon as the first lesson! After our 4 lessons, you'll see a more noticeable change in your accent, clarity, and overall Spanish speaking confidence. The more consistent you are in completing assignments/recordings and applying them in conversations the quicker the results will come.

Policies:

If you need to reschedule a session, let me know at least 24 hours in advance. No shows will not be refunded otherwise.

Here's what people are saying:

"Eli is a terrific instructor. In just our first lesson, I am already much more confident and aware of pronunciation. I received a detailed feedback regarding my own accent, learned very important core concepts of phonetics, and had a ton of reps practicing with his feedback. His style is very clear and straightforward, and because there's so much opportunity to practice, everything began to click throughout the lesson. I also appreciate that he gives homework that addresses exactly what we covered in the lesson, so we can circle back on our progress and continue to develop quality sounds and repetitions. Looking forward to the next session!"

"Classes with Eli are high value. Not a minute is wasted, the presentation is information-dense, and the slides are excellent for review later. The homework assignments are useful and the feedback is helpful. Eli is very responsive to messages between classes. My pronunciation is improving with every class and I'm learning not just how to say things but why as well, so every thing I learn can be generalized. It's not an easy course but it's well-worth the effort. I'd recommend it for anyone, but especially for people who have trouble understanding spoken Spanish. Knowing how things are supposed to sound makes it much easier to understand what you're hearing."

"Working with Eli 1 on 1 has completely changed the way I hear Spanish now. His lessons about pronunciation have given me a different lens (one that I didn’t even know existed) to look at the language with and I feel myself understanding native speakers in a different way. I know exactly what I’m pronouncing wrong and he’s given me the tools and feedback to improve. I already feel more confident speaking!"