Shadowing Practice: Children in Gaza return to school after years without formal education | BBC News - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Now children in Gaza are going back to school for the first time in two years,
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Now children in Gaza are going back to school for the first time in two years,
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with many not having stepped inside a classroom or had any formal education since then.
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According to UNICEF, more than 97% of schools have been damaged or destroyed.
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But after a ceasefire was announced,
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and despite continued hunger and displacement,
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many Palestinian families are choosing education first.
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Shama Khalil has more.
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For two years, they learned firsthand how fear,
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hunger and death can shape their young lives.
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As they step back into classrooms,
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their smiles carry something fragile but powerful,
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the sense that life might finally begin to move forward.
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This makeshift school stands on the ruins of an old one.
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Rital was a pupil here before the war.
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This isn't really a school now.
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It's made of tarps and tents.
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Before we were in a proper school building and we used to study every day.
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Now it's every other day.
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The thing I miss most about school before is my teachers,
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my friends and the education.
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Run by UNICEF, the school brings together children from the original classrooms and those displaced by war.
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It teaches the basics.
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Classes run in three shifts,
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trying to reach thousands of children forced to flee again and again,
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while tens of thousands more still have no access to education at all.
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So much is still missing.
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Education supplies have not been prioritized to enter the Gaza Strip.
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So what I'm talking about is paper, notebooks, pens, erasers, rulers.
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So all this needs to enter in the Gaza Strip.
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It's the same for mental health and psychosocial recreative kits,
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you know, toy kits that can be used to do mental health activities and recreational activities with the children.
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These are also supplies that cannot enter for the moment.
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An Israeli security official referred us to the prime minister's office,
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who did not respond to our questions.
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In the wasteland of Jabalia in northern Gaza,
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a small space is carved out amid the wreckage.
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Children watch as a large tent is raised to be their
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classroom for now despite the ceasefire Israel's bombardment of Gaza continues
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with almost daily strikes in response to what it says are Hamas violations of the deal not at the end
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and that the that education there is no debate
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that is the foundation of our lives as Palestinians it is our capital in this life
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that we lose homes we lose money we lose everything but knowledge is what we invest in our children
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So much has been taken away from them,
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their homes, their safety, their loved ones.
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What remains is the belief that learning still matters.
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For these children, education is a lifeline to a future you still dare to imagine.
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Shaima Khalil, BBC News, Jerusalem.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English language skills by using a compelling transcript from a BBC News video titled "Children in Gaza return to school after years without formal education." You will focus on enhancing your listening and speaking abilities by engaging in shadow speak techniques. This practice will help you develop a deeper understanding of the vocabulary related to education, resilience, and the implications of war. By the end of this exercise, you will be more confident in discussing challenging topics while improving your IELTS speaking practice.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Formal education - Structured learning provided by institutions.
  • Displacement - The process of being forced to leave one's home.
  • Humanitarian - Related to the promotion of human welfare and social reform.
  • Psychosocial - Relating to the interrelation of social and psychological factors.
  • Ceasefire - A temporary suspension of fighting.
  • Resilience - The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
  • Lifeline - A vital connection that provides support or help.
  • Education supplies - Necessary materials for learning, such as paper, pens, and notebooks.

Practice Tips

To effectively utilize this video for your learn English with YouTube journey, follow these shadowing practice tips:

  • Listen and Repeat: Play the video segment slowly and pause after each sentence. Try to mimic the speaker’s tone and intonation to capture the emotional nuances of the content.
  • Record Yourself: Use a recording device to capture your voice as you attempt to shadow the transcript. Compare it to the original after recording, focusing on pronunciation and rhythm.
  • Focus on Context: While shadow speaking, pay attention to the context in which certain words and phrases are used. This will help you grasp their meanings more profoundly and use them naturally in conversation.
  • Speed Variation: First, shadow at the same speed as the speaker. Once comfortable, try speeding up your shadowing practice to build fluency for smoother conversation skills, especially useful in IELTS speaking practice.
  • Engage with the Topic: Reflect on the themes discussed in the video. Ask yourself how education impacts lives in different circumstances. This mature engagement will enhance your critical thinking, allowing for richer conversations.

By practicing regularly with these techniques and using videos like this one, you can refine your shadow speech skills and become more proficient in English communication.

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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