Shadowing Practice: Can AI Replace English Teachers? - Learn English Speaking with Video

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So lately everyone's been talking about learning English with AI.
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And I know that a lot of English learners are actually wondering, can AI really replace a human teacher?
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Or, and this is the real question, can it really help me feel confident when speaking English?
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Hi everyone, my name is Rodica I am from Republic of Moldova and I taught English one-on-one for many years I learned English in school, I spent two summers in the US, and in 2018 I left Moldova and moved to Canada specifically Vancouver which is an English-speaking city.
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So as you can see, English is my second language.
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My mother tongue is Romanian.
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Although at this point in time, I feel like I'm much more comfortable speaking in English just because I do it so much more.
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I don't speak Romanian as much.
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I only speak it with my friends and my family.
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Even at home with my husband, we speak English pretty much 80% of the time, I would say, even though he's also from Moldova.
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We both are, so we speak Romanian.
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I post a lot of videos about my students and my own experiences while learning English.
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So if you want to follow me on my other social channels or support my work, you can check out the Stan store link in the description below.
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So because I've seen both sides of learning English from a teacher perspective and a student perspective, I want to share my opinion today about AI learning and teaching.
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Because learning grammar and vocabulary is one thing, but speaking confidently and without fear is a completely different thing.
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So AI is everywhere.
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It's available to you at any time, day or night, which makes learning so much easier and accessible.
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When I was learning English, I didn't have a phone, I didn't have a computer, I didn't have internet, and I definitely did not have AI.
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This was a thing of the future.
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And it's amazing how now you can learn something and immediately put it into practice and have actual conversations with different AI bots, right?
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Who give you instant feedback and pronunciation correction and suggestions, it's amazing.
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And you can do this literally at midnight or whenever you have time for an unlimited amount of time.
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But there's something AI still can't give you and that is human connection.
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Because confidence doesn't come just from knowing words and practicing them by yourself.
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It comes from using these words in emotional conversations with real human beings and their energy around you.
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And that's where the human element becomes irreplaceable in my opinion.
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Do you wanna be in the video?
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What? Before I explain how you should work with AI and human teachers, I want to thank today's video sponsor, italki for supporting this discussion.
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And actually it fits perfectly with what we're talking about today because italki combines both AI and human teachers.
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And just so you know, I only recommend tools or platforms that I find really useful and italki is one of them.
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So if you've never heard of it, italki is a popular online language learning platform where you can take one-on-one lessons with native speaking teachers from all over the world.
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Hi Maria, how are you doing?
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Hi teacher, Amanda, I'm good.
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Great, let's start.
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So what are you doing this weekend?
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You can pick from over 150 languages, it's fully personalized and you can find someone who fits your goal, your personality and your level.
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italki is also flexible and affordable because you pay per lesson, so it's easily adjusted to your budget and your schedule.
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And with italki teachers, you can improve your listening and speaking skills through real conversation.
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They will give you real time feedback and guidance, which makes the learning process so much easier.
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What I personally really like about it is the commitment side.
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So when you book a lesson with someone, you're committed.
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It's on your calendar, it's on that person's calendar, someone's waiting for you, so you're more likely to show up.
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And that accountability really helps you stay consistent, which is half the battle in language learning.
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And now with italki's AI learning tools, you can practice between lessons, you can review your mistakes and learn so much faster.
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So if your New Year's resolution is to improve your English, this is your sign.
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italki has a special promo, so click the link in the description below and use the code RODICA2026 buy $10 and you'll get $5 for free for your first lesson.
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But the discount is only available for the first 50 users, so hurry up.
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So big thanks to italki for supporting the kind of learning that builds real confidence, both through people and technology.
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And now let's talk more about how to make AI and human learning work together.
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Now let's start with what AI does really well.
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AI is amazing for practicing your writing and sentence building, reviewing grammar or vocabulary, getting fast feedback and learning at your own rhythm without any pressure or judgment.
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When I first tried AI for language learning, I thought it was such an amazing way to practice at any time, in a calm way, whenever I was in the mood, whenever I wanted to.
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And it's also great for people who feel shy or they're terribly afraid of making mistakes.
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So you can build a lot of knowledge very quickly, but only knowledge on its own doesn't really create that confidence you need when you speak to real people.
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So here's where things get really interesting.
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AI can help you form perfect sentences, but it can't see you.
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It can't really notice your hesitation or tell when you're a little nervous.
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It can't really say, "Hey, your tone sounds a little unsure." Confidence is not about speaking perfectly.
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It's about feeling comfortable speaking when you know you're not perfect.
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And that comfort grows only through repeated human interaction.
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I've had students who practiced English every single day with AI, but when it came to talking to real people, they still froze.
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They were really good at English.
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They had a lot of vocabulary.
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They knew the sentence structures.
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They knew how to work with tenses.
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But when emotions run high and you start getting anxious and nervous, that knowledge evaporates.
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But after a few weeks of genuine conversation, laughter, just pure human interaction, they got so much more comfortable doing it, and they were much more okay with making mistakes because they knew nothing terrible would happen.
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And you can only find that out through trying and talking to people a lot.
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So how are human teachers different and what can they offer compared to AI?
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So a human teacher doesn't only correct your grammar.
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They can read your energy.
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They notice when you're unsure.
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They challenge you.
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They push you.
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They can read you.
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So then in return, they can adjust to your personality.
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They can encourage you and make you feel safe when you're speaking a foreign language.
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And that is the real foundation of confidence.
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A human tutor or a human teacher will help you build rhythm, tone, the correct melody.
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They know when to push you.
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They know when to pause.
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AI might give you instant answers, but a human will give you emotional feedback.
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And that's the difference between knowing English and owning your English.
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And I'm not even talking about small talk or humor or sarcasm or backhanded compliments or sounding rude or unnatural or too dry.
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These are delicate and complex things that you can only pick up through human interaction and that experience that you have while talking to people.
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But here's my honest belief.
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AI isn't replacing teachers.
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It's enhancing learning.
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You can use AI to practice daily, to explore new words, and to review everything you learned after a lesson.
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Then use your time with a real human teacher or a speaking partner to apply all that knowledge.
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Practice your melody, your rhythm, your tone, your fluency, and your confidence.
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Because people are a little bit unpredictable, right?
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You don't really know how they will react and what they'll throw at you every time you say something.
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Are they gonna make a joke?
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Oh, how do I reply to that?
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Are they gonna make a sarcastic remark?
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Oh, what do I say to that?
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And then you start second-guessing yourself.
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Did I hear that right?
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Is that what they meant?
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What do I say back?
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What do I say so it doesn't sound rude?
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And then you get those emotions, those feelings going on, and they interfere with your knowledge.
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So you only get better at interacting with humans by interacting with humans.
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AI gives you unlimited practice, but humans give you emotional and personal growth.
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But put them together and you're quite unstoppable.
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And when somebody wants to start learning English and they ask me if they should use AI, I always say yes.
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Doing something is way better than nothing.
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But I always encourage students to do both.
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Let your AI be your 24/7 language assistant.
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Use it to prepare, review, explore, practice, but you need real people to guide your progress.
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Because that's where your real voice and personality develops through human interaction and not automation.
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And another thing I wanted to mention here is choosing the right AI tools.
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There are so many online platforms and apps right now that it's quite overwhelming to just pick one.
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Like how do you know which one's good?
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And a lot of people filter these based on the price criterion, right?
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If it's free, I'll just download it immediately.
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And I'm the same, who doesn't like free stuff?
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But when you download something for free, you're kind of subconsciously expecting it to be good, but know it won't.
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Because how many times have you downloaded a free app only to find that it is extremely limited and it's not even close to what you expected and it just sits there cluttering your home screen?
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Take a chair, for example.
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You get a free chair from your neighbor from Facebook Marketplace or you find it on the side of the road.
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It's a pretty good chair.
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It doesn't look like new.
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It's clearly used, but it does do the job.
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You sit on it, you don't fall.
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But you also don't expect it to be shiny and luxurious and look like new because come on, you got it for free.
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The price reflects the value of the chair.
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Therefore, you don't really have high expectations.
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And the same thing applies to language learning apps.
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A free app can introduce you to online learning, to new words and phrases and what a structure looks like.
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But if you really want to improve, especially your speaking skills, you're gonna need real humans to create that app.
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And real humans need to be paid.
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Finding something that you can actually benefit from, that it's well-designed, it's effective, the structure makes sense, the material is high quality.
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Someone had to plan, test, create, build and refine that app so it does exactly what you expect it to do and more.
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And here's the thing, when you pay for something, even a little bit, you already feel more committed to it because before you made that decision to buy it, you were probably convinced by someone you trust or you looked into it and it looked really good.
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And because of that, you're more likely to show up, you're more likely to stay consistent and you're more likely to have actual real progress.
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But when you get something for free, you don't really care about it.
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This being said, I do think that there are a good few free platforms or tools that bring a lot of value to you.
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So I'm not putting everybody in the same bowl but just be aware of it.
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This is just to make sure that you know that there is high quality AI and low quality AI.
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And typically, if you really like something, if something resonates with you, it's relevant to you and you really find yourself benefiting from it, it's most likely created by humans with AI's help nowadays.
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So before choosing a tool or a platform that you want to learn a language with, just do a little research, read some reviews, just so you don't waste your own time.
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The best way to learn English nowadays is to combine a human teacher with AI tools because each one covers what the other one can't.
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AI is amazing for consistency and speed.
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You can practice your pronunciation at 2 a.m.
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Get instant grammar corrections, repeat dialogues endlessly.
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It's like you have a human teacher or a speaking partner always awake near you, ready to help.
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And then humans are going to help you feel the language, sense when it sounds awkward, when you can be a little bit more polite, what's customary in one country, what you shouldn't say in another country.
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That's something that only real human experience and human intuition can offer, for now at least.
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And there's also the question of motivation.
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When you book with a real teacher, you feel accountable, you show up.
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That human connection helps you stay consistent.
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With some apps on your phone, you might find yourself ignoring them a lot of the times.
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You know, you can always get back to it later and then you never do.
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So if you've been wondering which one is better, AI or human teachers, the truth is, neither of them wins alone.
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The best results come from combining them nowadays.
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So let me know in the comments what you think about learning languages with AI, which one you prefer, or how you combine them both.
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If you liked this video, make sure you subscribe and hit that notification bell so you know when I post new videos.
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Thank you so much for watching and I'll see you in the next one.
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Bye!

Context & Background

In today's increasingly digital world, many English learners are exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool for language acquisition. Rodica, a seasoned English teacher and learner, shares her unique perspective on the intersection of AI and human teaching. Having experienced the nuances of learning English as a second language herself, she emphasizes the importance of not just language mechanics, such as grammar and vocabulary, but also the significance of emotional connections in conversations. This balance between AI and human interaction is pivotal for building confidence in speaking English.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

Mastering common phrases can significantly enhance your English speaking skills. Here are five essential phrases extracted from Rodica's discussion, which you can practice using the shadowspeak technique:

  • “How are you doing?” - A friendly greeting to initiate conversation.
  • “What are you doing this weekend?” - A great way to engage with someone about their plans.
  • “I’m looking forward to...” - Use this to express anticipation for upcoming events.
  • “Can you help me with...?” - A polite way to ask for assistance or clarification.
  • “That sounds interesting!” - An encouraging comment that shows you're engaged in the conversation.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English pronunciation and speaking confidence, consider using the shadowing technique. This method involves listening to a speaker and mimicking their speech patterns. Here’s how to apply it step-by-step:

  1. Choose a Video: Select a segment of a video focused on conversational English, like Rodica’s. Ensure the video is slow enough for you to catch the nuances of pronunciation.
  2. Listen and Understand: Watch the video once without speaking. Get familiar with the context and key phrases, such as those listed above.
  3. Practice Shadowing: Play the video again, and as you hear each phrase, repeat it immediately after the speaker. Focus on mimicking their intonation and rhythm to improve English pronunciation.
  4. Record Yourself: For effective feedback, record your shadow speaking practice. Listen back to evaluate your pronunciation and fluency.
  5. Apply What You Learned: Try to incorporate the phrases into real conversations with friends or in language exchange settings for practical application.

By using the shadowspeak technique, you create a powerful learning synergy between AI tools and human interaction. This approach not only enhances your vocabulary but also builds the emotional confidence necessary for engaging conversations in English.

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.