Pratique du Shadowing: English Podcast for Beginners - How to Think in English | Stop Translating in Your Head Now - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo
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Hello everyone and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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And I'm Paul.
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Hello Emily, how are you today?
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I'm doing great, Paul.
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The sun is shining and I have my cup of tea.
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It's a good day.
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How about you?
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I'm fantastic.
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I'm really excited for our topic today.
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It's a big one.
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It is.
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But before we start, everyone, please remember to give this episode a like.
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Yes, click that little thumbs up button.
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And if you are new, welcome.
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Please subscribe to our channel.
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And share it with your friends.
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It helps us a lot.
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Yes, it does.
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Okay, are you ready, Paul?
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I am so ready.
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What are we talking about today?
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Today, we are talking about a big challenge for many English learners.
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We are talking about how to stop translating in your head.
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Ah, yes, translating.
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I remember this.
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You hear something in English.
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Yes, and then your brain goes, wait, what is that in my language?
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Exactly.
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You think about it in your language, and then you try to find the English words to answer.
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It's a lot of work for your brain.
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It's like a three-step process.
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English to your language, then your language back to English.
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I'm tired just thinking about it.
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Me too.
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And what is the problem with that?
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Why is it a challenge?
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Well, the biggest problem is that it's very, very slow.
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Oh yes, very slow.
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While you were thinking and translating, the conversation is moving on.
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Exactly.
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Someone asks you, how are you?
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And you are busy translating, and they are already talking about something else.
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Right.
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It makes conversations difficult.
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You feel like you are always one step behind.
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That's a perfect way to say it.
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And another problem is that sometimes words are not the same.
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Hmm.
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What do you mean?
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Well, one word in English might have many meanings, or one word in your language might not have a perfect word in English.
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Ah, I see.
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So, if you translate word for word, it can sound strange.
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Very strange.
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And sometimes it's just incorrect.
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So, translating in our heads is slow, and it can cause mistakes.
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Yes, exactly.
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The goal is to think in English, to make a direct connection.
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A direct connection.
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I like the sound of that.
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Like a direct road from your brain to your mouth, all in English.
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That's the one.
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No little detours to another language.
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Okay, so this is a big problem.
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But we are here to help.
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We have solutions, right?
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Of course we do.
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We have some simple, easy tips to help everyone start thinking in English.
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Fantastic.
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I'm ready for tip number one.
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What is it?
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Tip number one is to start small.
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Very, very small.
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Start with single words.
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Single words?
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Okay.
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Like what?
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Look around you right now.
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What do you see?
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Hmm, I see my desk, I see a lamp, I have a pen in my hand.
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Perfect.
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So, when you look at your pen, don't think of the word for it in your language.
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Just think the English word, pen.
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Ah, so I see the object, and my brain thinks pen directly.
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Yes.
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See the object, think the English word.
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Look at your door, think door.
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Look at the window, think window.
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I get it.
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It's like you are labeling the world around you in English.
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What a great way to put it.
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Yes, you are your own English labeling machine.
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I like that.
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So, I can walk around my house.
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Kitchen.
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Table.
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Chair.
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Cup.
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Yes.
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Do this every day, for just five minutes.
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Look at things and say the English word in your head.
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This builds that direct connection we talked about.
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The object is now connected to the English word.
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No middleman.
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Exactly.
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No translation needed.
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It's a very powerful first step.
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Okay, I love that.
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It's easy and I can do it right now.
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What's tip number two?
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Tip number two is to use pictures.
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Pictures!
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Everyone loves pictures.
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How do they help?
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You can use flashcards.
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You know, those little cards for studying?
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Oh yes, I know flashcards.
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On one side of the card, you have a picture.
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For example, a picture of a sun.
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Okay, a picture of a bright yellow sun.
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And on the other side, you write the English word, sun.
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Ah, I see where this is going.
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So you look at the picture of the sun… And you think the word, sun.
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You don't think of the word in your language.
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You see the image, and you think the English word.
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That's brilliant.
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It's the same idea as the objects.
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But you can carry the flashcards with you.
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Right.
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You can learn about animals.
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A picture of a dog, a cat, a bird.
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You can learn food.
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A picture of an apple, a banana.
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The picture helps your brain remember.
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A picture is universal.
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An apple looks like an apple everywhere in the world.
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Yes, exactly.
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So you connect that universal image directly to the English word.
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It's a It's a very fun way to build your vocabulary without translating.
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You can even make it a game.
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See how many pictures you can name in one minute.
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That's a great idea, Paul.
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Making learning fun is so important.
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OK.
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So we have naming objects and using pictures.
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These are for single words.
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What about sentences?
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Sentences are harder.
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They are.
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So we start with very, very simple sentences.
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That's tip number three.
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Simple sentences.
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How simple?
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Think about how you feel.
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Are you happy?
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I am very happy right now.
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Great.
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So you feel this emotion, this happiness, and you think the English sentence, I am happy.
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So I connect my feeling directly to the English phrase.
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Yes.
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Don't think, how do I say I'm happy in my language?
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Just feel it and connect it to I am happy.
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I like that.
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So if I feel tired, I can think I am tired.
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You got it.
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Or I am hungry.
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When your stomach makes a noise, think I am hungry.
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My stomach makes a lot of noise.
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This is good practice for me.
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Me too.
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And you can do this for simple actions.
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Actions?
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Like what?
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When you drink a glass of water, think to yourself, I drink water.
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As I'm doing it?
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Yes.
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At that exact moment.
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You are lifting the glass, you are drinking, and in your head the English sentence is, I drink water.
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Wow!
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That's like a little narration of my life in English.
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It is.
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When you open a door, think, I open the door.
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When you sit down, think, I sit down.
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This makes so much sense.
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You are connecting the action to the English phrase.
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Again, no translation.
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You see the pattern, right?
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It's all about creating those direct links in your brain.
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I do.
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It sounds like it just takes practice doing it over and over.
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That's the key.
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A little bit every day.
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It feels strange at first, but then it becomes natural.
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Okay, so we have words and we have simple sentences.
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What else can help us?
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What is tip number four?
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Tip number four is a fun one.
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Watch and listen to a lot of simple English.
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Like what?
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This podcast?
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Yes, absolutely like this podcast.
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But also things with pictures, like cartoons for children.
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Cartoons!
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That's a great idea!
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Why are they so good for learning?
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Because they are visual.
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You see the characters moving.
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You see them talking.
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You see what is happening in the story.
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And the language is usually very simple.
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Exactly.
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The characters say things like, Hello, let's go, or look, a ball, and you see the ball on the screen.
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Ah, so your brain connects the sound of the word ball with the picture of the ball.
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You got it.
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You don't have time to translate because the cartoon is moving fast.
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You just watch, listen, and understand from the pictures.
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This is a passive way to learn.
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You are just enjoying a cartoon, but your brain is learning.
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Yes, the same is true for simple English songs, especially songs for kids.
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They have actions.
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Head, shoulders, knees, and toes.
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You hear the words, and you see the actions.
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That's a classic, and it really works.
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You remember the words because you are doing the movement.
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So, find a simple cartoon you like or some fun children's songs.
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Watch them for 10-15 minutes a day.
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It's not studying.
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It's fun.
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And it trains your brain to understand English directly.
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I love all these tips.
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They are so practical.
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But, Emily, is it easy to do this? to stop translating?
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That's a very important question, Paul, and it brings us to our final tip.
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Tip number five.
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Okay.
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What is it?
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Tip number five is be patient. Be patient.
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Hmm.
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Yes.
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Learning to think in a new language is like learning to walk.
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At first you fall down.
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You make mistakes.
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It feels hard.
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That's true.
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You don't just stand up and run a marathon.
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No, you don't.
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You take one small step, then another, and it's the same with thinking in English.
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You have been translating in your head for a long time.
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It's a habit.
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And it's hard to change a habit.
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It is.
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So you need to be patient with yourself.
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Don't get angry if you start translating.
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It's okay.
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It's normal.
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So if I'm talking and my brain translates, I shouldn't say, oh, I'm so bad at English.
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No, never.
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You should say, oops, I translated.
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Okay, let me try again with a simple word.
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Be kind to yourself.
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Kindness is important in learning.
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So just a little bit every day, five minutes of naming objects, one cartoon.
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Yes, small, consistent steps.
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Progress is more important than perfection.
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Every time you connect an object to an English word directly, that's a victory.
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I like that.
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A little victory every day.
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And remember that mistakes are okay.
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Mistakes are how we learn.
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They show us what we need to practice more.
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So mistakes are not bad guys.
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They are good guys.
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They are our teachers.
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What a wonderful way to think about it.
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Yes, Paul.
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Mistakes are our friends.
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They help us get better.
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Wow.
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This is all great advice.
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So let's do a quick review of the five tips.
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Great idea!
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What was tip number one?
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Tip number one was to start small with single words.
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Look at objects around you and think the English word.
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Chair, table, book.
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Perfect!
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And tip number two?
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Use pictures.
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Flash cards with a picture on one side and the English word on the other.
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Connect the image to the word.
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Excellent.
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Tip number three?
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Think in very simple English sentences.
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Connect feelings like, I am happy, or actions like, I drink water, directly to the English words.
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Good job.
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What about tip number four?
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The fun one.
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Watch and listen to simple English.
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Cartoons and songs for children are perfect because you can see what is happening.
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Yes.
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And the final, most important tip?
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Be patient with yourself.
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It's a new skill.
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It takes time.
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It's okay to make mistakes.
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Be kind to your brain.
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That's it.
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You summarized it perfectly, Paul.
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It's all about practice, patience, and making those direct connections.
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And over time, that fast road in your brain gets bigger and stronger.
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Thinking in English becomes easier and more natural.
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It really does.
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And your conversations will be so much better.
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You'll be able to listen and respond much faster.
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That's the goal for everyone listening, I think, to have real, natural conversations.
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Yes, exactly.
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And it all starts with one word, one object.
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Your pen.
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My pen.
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I'm looking at it now.
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And just thinking pen.
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That's great.
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You're doing it.
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This was a fantastic topic.
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Thank you, Emily.
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Thank you, Paul.
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And a big thank you to all of our amazing listeners for joining us today.
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Yes, thank you everyone.
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We hope these tips help you on your English journey.
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Please don't forget to subscribe to Mr. English Channel so you don't miss our next episode.
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And if you liked this episode, please share it with a friend.
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Sharing is caring.
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It is.
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And we have a question for you.
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Please leave a comment below.
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Tell us one thing you see right now.
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Oh, I love that!
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Look around you and write one English word in the comments.
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Is it a window, a phone, a plant?
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We are so excited to read your answers and see what you see.
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It will be so much fun!
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Okay, everyone, that's all for today.
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Keep practicing and be patient.
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Yes, you are doing a great job.
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See you next time.
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Bye for now.
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Bye, everyone!
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you
Why practice speaking with this video?
Learning to speak English can be daunting, especially when you find yourself translating in your head. This video addresses a crucial aspect of language acquisition — how to think in English rather than relying on your native language. When you engage with content like this, you not only improve your understanding but also enhance your speaking skills. By practicing the dialogues or repeating phrases after the speakers, you adopt the shadowing technique, which helps you to develop a more natural flow in conversation and boosts your confidence. Additionally, using this method allows you to respond in real-time, narrowing the gap between comprehension and speaking. This practice is invaluable as it prepares you for everyday conversations, making your interactions more fluid and enjoyable.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the video, several key grammatical structures and expressions are highlighted, which can aid in your everyday English communication. Here are a few examples:
- Direct Questions: The use of straightforward questions like "How are you?" demonstrates essential conversational phrases that can foster engagement.
- Present Continuous Tense: Phrases such as "I am doing great" illustrate the use of the present continuous to describe ongoing states or feelings.
- Transition Words: Terms like "but" and "yes" signal shifts in conversation and are crucial for maintaining the flow of dialogue.
- Common Expressions: Expressions like "It's a good day" showcase informal greetings and responses, making your speech sound more natural among native speakers.
By familiarizing yourself with these structures while watching, you’ll find yourself better equipped to form sentences in real conversations.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Pronunciation can be one of the most challenging aspects of learning English. In this video, several words may pose difficulties for non-native speakers:
- “Great”: The /g/ sound can be tricky; ensure to articulate the hard 'g' effectively.
- “Excited”: Pay attention to the stress on the second syllable – it should sound like “ik-SITE-ed.”
- “Shining”: The 'sh' sound is crucial; practice it separately to ensure clarity.
Listening closely and repeating after the speakers using the shadow speak method will help you improve your English pronunciation significantly. Try recording yourself to identify areas for improvement. The more you practice, the clearer your speech will become, enabling you to carry on conversations more smoothly.
Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?
Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.