Shadowing Practice: A2.1 - U19 - A different way to learn - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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A different way to learn.
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Manor Park School in California has a gym, 10 classrooms, a library, and a kitchen.
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However, there are no timetables, no homework, and no exams.
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Teachers don't give students marks for their work, and they never give them tests.
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There are lessons, but students don't have to go to them.
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They can choose what they do and how they spend their time If they don't want to study, they can play video games,
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talk with friends or watch TV They can cook a meal
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if they're hungry or bring food from home and eat it
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when they like If students want to do a project or learn something, they can ask for lessons Anyone can go to these classes,
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from the youngest student, who is 5, to the oldest students, who are 18 Often students teach the classes themselves.
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13-year-old Lewis taught a class on cosmology to a group of older students last week.
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He says he's very interested in space and reads a lot about it.
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He's going to give more classes over the next few weeks.
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Other subjects available at the moment are Chinese, nature study, maths, bike repair,
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filmmaking, art, music, and photography.
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The head teacher says it's not very important for children to learn hard things like chemistry or physics.
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They just forget it, she says.
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Instead, they need to learn how to learn.
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Then, when they're interested in something, they know how to find out about it by themselves.

About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "A2.1 - U19 - A different way to learn" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.

Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →