Shadowing Practice: Vol 3 - test 4 - section 4 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Les maken...
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Now turn to Section 4 on page 7.
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Section 4.
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You will hear part of a talk about research into learner persistence given by a university lecturer to her colleagues.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40 on pages 7 and 8.
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Thank you.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
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My talk is about a research study I did over a period of five years on learner persistence,
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why some people stick at academic study better than others.
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As teachers, you will know that there is a tremendous variation in the learner's response to certain things.
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For example, a short period of illness might completely destabilize some students and cause them to give up their degree studies.
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Other learners might overcome tremendous difficulties to stay the course.
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I am particularly interested in this second group, who are the ones with learner persistence.
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What I decided to do was design a research study using a sample of my university's third-year undergraduate students,
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295 in all who obviously had already stayed the course pretty well.
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The sample was drawn from a range of ages, but there was deliberately a significant number of mature students,
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and all respondents were living at home in the local region.
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I wanted to have this element of consistency, not having some coming from outside the area and living in university accommodation.
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It should be noted, though, that there was significant variation in home background to reflect the variation in our student population.
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I designed questionnaires which were devised to elicit what their concerns had been as they started the course
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and what had sustained them throughout the three years.
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Findings from the first section indicated that their worries when they started varied from financial concerns,
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though this had not been as strong as I expected, to career prospects.
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but mature students with children tended to emphasize uncertainties about their relationship with them
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the second section of my questionnaire looked at learner persistence under three main headings social
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and environmental factors other factors and intrinsic
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or personal characteristics I identified three levels of importance for each
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of these at the first level those points identified by participants
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as most important in learner persistence for social factors many respondents
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said how crucial it had been to have good support though
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there was no one specific source it could be family
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or friends as regards other factors students are heartened not
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so much by high grades but by what they regard as success in study
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and for personal characteristics many respondents reported that they took pleasure in challenge and
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that this was regarded as very significant at the second level
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of importance in the first category a sizable percentage talked about the fact
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that they had enjoyed themselves in school as an important social
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factor in the second column other factors a number of people said
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that what was of most importance was decent health this had
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a fairly strong influence on their persistence in their studies
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and then under the heading of personal characteristics there were quite
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a large percentage of respondents who who mentioned they felt it was important to have lots of interests in their everyday lives.
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This gave them a depth and sense of perspective, which less persistent learners might lack.
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And then, on to the third level.
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Under social factors, several respondents talked about good relationships with their tutors.
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For other factors, they mentioned lack or absence of any problems in their families
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and Finally under column three they identified an ability to juggle several roles what we might call their capacity for multitasking
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Now these findings obviously helped inform the design of activities as I mentioned
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But in addition a number of further recommendations emerged
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firstly I propose
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that the department distributes questionnaires to first-year students to help get an idea of their maturity
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when starting the course this is really our overriding concern secondly
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I recommend we look into ways of offering induction courses for
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some selected students to allow them to take on the role
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of advisors we think they are the best people to act in
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that role this policy will make support much more accessible to
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our students thirdly this help is often most needed in the evening
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and night when offices are closed and
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so we should set up online services instead of the more traditional telephone services research has shown
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that these services are actually more accessible to the majority of students.
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And finally, it is often important to be proactive.
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If students are not meeting deadlines, then someone should contact them rather than wait for them to come to us.
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Now, are there any questions about the points that you have to ask?
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That is the end of Section 4.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Thank you.

Why This Video Is Great for English Speaking Practice

If you’re looking to learn English with YouTube, this video is a goldmine. The lecturer’s clear, conversational tone—mixed with academic vocabulary—makes it perfect for practicing both fluency and precision. The natural flow of her speech, with pauses and emphasis on key points, mirrors real-world communication, helping you get used to how native speakers structure ideas. Plus, the topic of learner persistence is relatable, so you’ll stay engaged while improving your listening and speaking skills.

Breaking Down Natural English: 3 Key Phrases

Let’s explore why the dialogue sounds so authentic. Here are three standout examples:

  • “a short period of illness might completely destabilize some students”: The phrase “completely destabilize” is a vivid, specific choice. Native speakers often use such dynamic verbs to convey impact, instead of simpler terms like “upset.” Notice how “might” softens the statement, making it sound speculative—not absolute.
  • “students are heartened not so much by high grades but by what they regard as success in study”: The structure “not so much by… but by…” is a common way to contrast ideas. It sounds natural because it mirrors how we speak when explaining preferences. “Heartened” is a less common word, but its use here feels organic, showing that formal vocabulary can fit in casual academic speech.
  • “this gave them a depth and sense of perspective, which less persistent learners might lack”: The relative clause “which less persistent learners might lack” smoothly adds extra information. Native speakers often use such clauses to connect ideas without starting a new sentence, creating a flowing rhythm. “Sense of perspective” is a collocation—words that often go together—making the phrase sound polished.

A Simple Shadowing Routine for This Clip

Ready to practice? Try this shadowspeak exercise, perfect for building fluency. First, watch the video once to understand the content. Then, play a 5-second segment, pause, and repeat it aloud, mimicking the lecturer’s tone, pace, and stress. Record yourself using a shadowing app or your phone. Compare your recording to the original—notice if you missed any pauses or emphasized the same words. Repeat this loop for 10 minutes daily. Over time, you’ll start to internalize natural speech patterns. For extra challenge, try shadow speech with longer segments (10–15 seconds) to build stamina. This routine works because it trains your mouth and brain to work together, making English feel more intuitive.

Whether you’re using a shadowing app or just your phone, this video is a fantastic tool to learn English with YouTube. Dive in, notice the details, and let the lecturer’s voice guide you toward more natural speaking!

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?

Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.

Shadowing-techniek: lees de volledige stap-voor-stap-gids →