Shadowing Practice: 6 Problems with our School System - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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There is a growing feeling today that something is wrong with our system of education.
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There is a growing feeling today that something is wrong with our system of education.
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But what is it?
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Well, we send our children to school to prepare them for the real world,
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which is changing very, very fast.
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But our schools haven't changed much for hundreds of years.
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In fact, thought leaders from around the world agree
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that the current system of education was designed in the industrial age mainly to churn out factory workers.
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And this industrial age mentality of mass production and mass control still runs deep in schools.
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Industrial age values.
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We educate children by batches and govern their lives by ringing bells.
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All day long students do nothing but follow instructions.
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Sit down.
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Take out your books.
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Turn to page 40.
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Solve problem number 3.
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Stop talking.
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At school, you're awarded for doing exactly what you are told.
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These are industrial age values that were really important for factory workers.
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Their success depended on following instructions and doing exactly what they were told.
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But in today's world, how far can you get by simply following instructions?
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The modern world values people who can be creative,
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who can communicate their ideas and collaborate with others.
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But our children don't get a chance to develop such skills in a system that's based on industrial age values.
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Lack of autonomy and control At school,
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our children experience a complete lack of autonomy and control.
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Every minute of a child's life is tightly controlled by the system.
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But in today's world, if you're doing important work,
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then you're managing your own time.
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You're making your own decisions regarding what to do and when to do it.
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But life at school looks very different.
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The system is sending a dangerous message to our children that they are not in charge of their own lives.
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They just have to follow whatever is laid down instead of taking charge and making the most of their lives.
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Experts believe autonomy is incredibly important for children.
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It's no wonder then that our children are bored and demotivated by school.
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Can you imagine how you would feel if you were told exactly what to do for every minute of your life?
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inauthentic learning.
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Most of the learning that happens in schools today is not authentic because it relies on memorization and rote learning.
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The system defines a generic set of knowledge that all children must know
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and then every few months we measure how much has been retained by administering exams.
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We know that such learning is not authentic because most of it is gone the day after the exam.
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Learning can be much deeper and more authentic.
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It can be so much more than just memorization and retention.
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But that's the only thing we measure,
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and test scores are the only thing we value.
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This has created an extremely unhealthy culture for students, parents and teachers.
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Children are going through endless hours of tuitions,
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staying up all night memorizing useless facts that they will forget very soon.
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No room for passions and interests.
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We have an extremely standardized system where each child must learn
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the same thing at the same time in the same way as everyone else.
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This doesn't respect the basic fact of being human,
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that each of us is unique and different in our own way.
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We all have different passions and interests.
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And the key to fulfilment in life is to find your passion.
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But do the schools of today help our children find and develop their passion?
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There seems to be no room in the current education system for the most important questions in a child's life.
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What am I good at?
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What do I want to do in life?
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How do I fit into this world?
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The system doesn't seem to care.
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There are so many greatly talented people who failed in the traditional school system.
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Fortunately, they were able to overcome these failures, but not everyone can.
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We have no measure for how much talent,
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how much potential goes unrecognized in the current system.
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Differences in how we learn.
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Each of us is also different in how we learn,
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in how much time we take to learn something,
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and what tools and resources work best for us.
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But the system has no room for such differences.
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So if you're a bit slow in learning something,
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you are considered a failure.
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When all you needed was a bit more time to catch up.
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Lecturing.
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In the current system, children are lectured for more than five hours a day.
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But there are a few big problems with lecturing.
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Sal Khan from Khan Academy calls lecturing a fundamentally dehumanizing experience.
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30 kids with fingers on their lips not allowed to interact with each other.
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Also, in any given classroom,
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different students are at different levels of understanding.
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Now, whatever the teacher does,
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there are bound to be students who are either bored because they are ahead or confused because they are behind.
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Because of the internet and digital media,
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our children have at their fingertips all the information in the world.
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technology has made it possible for anyone to learn anything.
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But for fear of losing control,
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the system is not leveraging these incredible resources.
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Our system of education, which evolved in the industrial age,
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has become outdated and ineffective.
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If we want to prepare our children for the modern world,
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if we want learning to be effective and engaging,
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then there's no doubt that we need to fundamentally change our system of education.
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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking with the video "6 Problems with our School System" offers valuable insights into the current educational landscape while simultaneously enhancing your English speaking skills. The context provides a platform for learners to tackle relevant and contemporary issues, making the practice feel meaningful and engaging. By discussing complex topics like the limitations of traditional education, learners can expand their vocabulary and learn to express nuanced opinions during IELTS speaking practice.

Furthermore, when you learn English with YouTube, you not only improve your linguistic abilities but also gain confidence in your speaking skills. Targeting your pronunciation and intonation while shadowing the speaker can help you articulate your thoughts clearly and effectively, a skill invaluable in both academic and professional contexts.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The speaker in the video employs several key structures that are effective in conveying ideas and arguments. Here are a few examples:

  • "There is a growing feeling that..." - This phrase sets up a discussion and indicates that the topic is widely recognized, which can be useful in both spoken and written discourse.
  • "But what is it?" - This rhetorical question engages the audience, inviting further reflection and is great for English speaking practice. Asking questions can enhance interaction during conversations.
  • "The system is sending a dangerous message..." - This structure is excellent for expressing opinions. Learning to formulate strong assertions like this can help when discussing controversial topics.
  • "Can you imagine how you would feel...?" - Using hypothetical scenarios can deepen conversations, making your speaking more relatable and impactful.

Common Pronunciation Traps

In the video, some words and phrases may pose pronunciation challenges for learners:

  • "Autonomy" - The stress is on the second syllable (au-TON-o-my). Practice this word to convey confidence when discussing themes of independence.
  • "Inauthentic" - The tricky part here lies in articulating the vowel sounds clearly: in-au-THEN-tic. This word can be crucial when expressing thoughts on genuine learning experiences.
  • "Demotivated" - Make sure to emphasize the "mo" syllable while reducing the others; this will make your speech sound more fluent.

Utilizing shadow speech techniques, repeat these phrases after the speaker to enhance your pronunciation and intonation. This practice not only aids in refining your accent but also builds a natural rhythm in your speaking patterns.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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