Shadowing Practice: Bart Simpson's First Day of School - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Bart Simpson's First Day of School”. This video has 36 sentences and 234 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:01. The speaker talks at a steady 116 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 74% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| honey noun | /ˈhʌni/ | A sweet, viscous, gold-colored fluid produced from plant nectar by bees, and often consumed by humans. |
| meal noun | /ˈmiːl/ | Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity. |
| ugly adjective | /ˈʌɡli/ | Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing. |
| nurse noun | /nɝs/ | Anyone performing this role, regardless of training or profession. |
| introduce verb | /ˌɪntɹəˈdus/ | To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else). |
| goodbye | /ɡʊdˈbaɪ/ | Farewell; a formula used to another person or persons when the speaker, writer, or person addressed is departing. |
| mighty adjective | /ˈmaɪti/ | Very strong; possessing might. |
| homer noun | /ˈhoʊmɚ/ | A home run. |
| bully noun | /ˈbʊli/ | A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or… |
| traumatic adjective | /tɹɔˈmætɪk/ | Of, caused by, or causing trauma. |
| sweetheart noun | /ˈswiːtˌhɑːt/ | A person who is always very kind. |
| bingo noun | /ˈbɪŋ.ɡoʊ/ | A game of chance for two or more players, who mark off numbers on a grid as they are announced by the caller; the game is won by the first person to call out… |
| administer verb | /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stə/ | To apportion out, distribute. |
| clap verb | /klæp/ | To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound. |
| kindergartner noun | /ˈkɪndɚˌɡɑrtnɚ/ | A child who attends a kindergarten. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| pass along verb | To deliver a message or item to its intended recipient. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: administer /ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stə/, kindergartner /ˈkɪndɚˌɡɑrtnɚ/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like honey, meal, ugly.
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.