Shadowing Practice: B1 English Listening Practice - Creativity - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hey everybody!
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Welcome to this B1 English listening practice video.
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You can use this video to practice your listening and comprehension as I speak.
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Before we start, remember to sign up for our $1 listening practice seminars at polyglossa.com
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and download my free Listening Time podcast so you can practice your listening skills.
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So today, I'm going to talk about creativity.
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I feel like this is a topic that doesn't get discussed much outside of certain artistic communities.
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However, I think it's something important that plays a role in all of our lives.
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First of all, let's try to define creativity.
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One of the definitions I found was the following.
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The use of the imagination or original ideas.
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This is exactly how I'd describe it.
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When you produce something original,
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whether it be an idea,
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solution, game, or work of art, you're being creative.
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So that would mean that the opposite of being creative is doing things
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or copying things that other people do or tell you to do.
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In many situations this isn't a bad thing.
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There are a plethora of situations that don't call for creativity.
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In these cases, the best thing to do is to follow orders,
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plans, or processes that are already laid out for you.
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When you're on the job,
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it's probably not good for you to always try to be creative.
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You might actually end up making things worse that way.
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However, there are many situations in which creativity is good,
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and so we should try to foster that in ourselves and in our children.
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I mention children because in my opinion,
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creativity is an essential part of being a child.
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For example, when I was a young kid,
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I played outside practically every day with my neighbors,
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and the games we played involved a lot of creativity on our part.
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We had to imagine certain scenarios,
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think of rules to follow,
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and invent many aspects of these games as we went along.
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This called for creative thinking because we had to make these games interesting and fun.
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However, nowadays, this type of play isn't quite as popular as it used to be.
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Sure, many kids invent games and play outside,
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but it's becoming increasingly normal for kids to spend hours in front of a screen every day.
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Their source of entertainment comes from what they're shown on this device,
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and so they don't have to be creative to have fun.
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Some people might not consider this that big of a problem, but I do.
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I've worked with many kids in different contexts and I've definitely seen the importance of creativity in kids' lives.
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I've taught many kids that don't have this tendency to be creative
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and in my opinion this has had some negative effects on their lives.
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In many cases these kids have worse communication skills and they seem to have less self-confidence.
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However on the other hand I've known some kids who probably had too much freedom in their creativity
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and this also seemed to have some negative effects.
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For example, these kids sometimes had trouble following rules.
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In summary, I think that we should create an environment for our kids that fosters creativity,
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but I also think that we should reign in that creativity at times.
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So how can we train our creativity and become more creative in general?
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I think the best way to do this is to do creative activities.
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There are plenty of artistic activities that we can try our hand at.
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For example, you might want to try drawing or painting.
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I'm certainly not good at either of these,
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but I do engage in them from time to time,
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and I think it really benefits me.
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It takes me out of my comfort zone and forces me to think
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and move in a way that's not too familiar to me.
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Another creative activity that you might want to try is creative writing.
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Not many people engage in this activity on a regular basis, but they should.
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It makes you think of words and phrases that you might not normally use,
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and it forces you to describe things in a way that you're not used to.
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Needless to say, fiction writers are some of the most creative people out there.
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I'm sure there are also many other activities that you could think of that could help you train your creativity.
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Okay, now I'm going to ask you three questions about today's video.
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Write your answers in a comment down below.
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Number one, what's the opposite of being creative?
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Number two, what's one reason why many kids don't play creative games nowadays?
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And number three, what's one activity that you can do to train your creativity?
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Alright, before we go, remember to sign up for our $1 listening practice seminars
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and download our Listening Time podcast to practice your listening skills.
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And of course, subscribe to the channel,
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click on the bell, and follow us on Instagram.
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I'll see you next time.

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Context & Background

In this B1 English listening practice video titled "Creativity," the speaker addresses the significance of creativity in our everyday lives. Though often associated with artistic communities, creativity is essential across various aspects of life. The speaker emphasizes that creativity involves using one's imagination and generating original ideas—concepts that are crucial not only for personal expression but also in developing essential skills such as communication and self-confidence, particularly in children. The discussion explores the decline of creative play in modern childhood, suggesting that the increasing screen time diminishes opportunities for imaginative thinking and problem-solving.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "When you produce something original..." - A great way to discuss creativity and innovation.
  • "It’s important that plays a role in all of our lives." - Useful for emphasizing the relevance of a topic.
  • "Creative thinking because we had to make these games interesting." - A phrase to highlight the necessity of imagination in engagement.
  • "The importance of creativity in kids' lives." - A statement that sparks discussions on child development and education.
  • "We should create an environment for our kids..." - Useful when discussing support for personal and educational growth.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

If you're looking to improve your English listening and speaking skills, using a technique known as shadowing can be particularly useful. Here’s a step-by-step guide to effectively utilize the shadowing technique while watching this video:

  1. Initial Listen: Begin by watching the video without any subtitles. Focus on absorbing the overall message and tone of the speaker.
  2. Identify Key Phrases: As you listen to the speaker discuss creativity, jot down key phrases that resonate with you. Phrases like "use of the imagination" and "essential part of being a child" can serve as great starters.
  3. Repeat in Real-Time: Play the video again, but this time, pause after each sentence or significant phrase. Try to repeat exactly what the speaker says. This is the core of the shadowing technique and will help improve pronunciation and intonation.
  4. Active Practice: Use the identified phrases in your conversations. For instance, when discussing creative projects with friends, mention "producing something original" to directly apply what you've learned.
  5. Feedback Loop: Record yourself speaking those phrases and listen to the playback. Compare your pronunciation and rhythm to that of the speaker. This will provide insights into areas that may need improvement.

Using this shadowing site method, you can enhance your IELTS speaking practice while also practicing your listening skills. Engaging with content like this not only makes learning more dynamic but also helps solidify your English usage in daily life. If you want to further amplify your learning, consider integrating additional resources like podcasts or dedicated listening seminars. Start learning English with YouTube today!

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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