Shadowing Practice: Empathy, Education, Inclusion: A Guide to Real Friendship | Emma Liu | TEDxYouth@GrandviewHeights - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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I'm sure we've all noticed this in our school.
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I'm sure we've all noticed this in our school.
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A student sitting alone at lunch,
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staring across the room like an astronaut lost in space.
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All around are other kids,
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happily chatting, laughing, and maybe even sharing food in their own circles of friendship.
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Sadly, not everyone has friends.
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And not everyone belongs in circles of friendship.
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Some of us are quietly facing loneliness and challenges that make us feel different.
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Today, I want to talk about something that's really close to my heart.
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Friendships and making friends.
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But not just any friends.
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Friends who don't look like us,
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talk like us, or maybe even have a disability.
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Now, I know what you might be thinking.
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I already have friends.
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Why should I make more friends?
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it's easier to stick with my friends right now.
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It's easier, but not better.
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Because what if that lonely person was you?
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Sitting alone at recess, struggling to connect with others because of who you are and what you can or cannot do.
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It's definitely not a great feeling.
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But guess what?
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We have the incredible power to change that.
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You have the incredible power to change that because each of us can create a world where everyone is accepted,
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loved and included.
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So today, we're embarking on a mission to reach out and touch more lives.
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He'll explore the wonders of inclusion,
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empathy, and education to spread kindness and make friends in a world that sometimes feels a little too lonely.
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Let me tell you about my friend, Ben.
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Ben is a little different from most kids in our class.
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Sometimes he is so full of energy that he runs around in class,
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and it makes it hard for all of us to concentrate.
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Everybody seemed afraid of him and stayed away from him.
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But I thought I should give him a chance.
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And I'm so glad I did.
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As I got to know Ben better,
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I realized something awesome about him.
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He was an incredible writer.
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He could put words together in the most amazing way.
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And his poems always sounded so beautiful.
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Ben would write letters just for me.
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And it made me feel so special.
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But here's the thing.
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Nobody else seemed to appreciate Ben's talents.
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No one would invite him to their birthdays or include him in their group of friends.
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It made both me and Ben really sad.
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I knew he was such a kind person,
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and it hurt to see him left out.
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When it was his birthday,
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he invited me over to his home.
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We played some games, had some sushi.
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Ben was so happy.
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He felt included and valued.
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and I felt like I had made a change in his life.
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Being friends with Ben taught me to be inclusive,
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which means including everyone and not leaving anyone out.
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It means looking beyond the differences and seeing the awesomeness in each person.
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Ben's ADHD didn't define him.
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It was just a small part of who he was.
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By being his friend, I showed him that he mattered and that he was seen and valued for who he truly was.
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So no matter how different people like Ben may seem, let's be inclusive.
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Let's open our hearts and reach out with a friendly hand.
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Let's be open-minded and give everyone a chance to shine.
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Next, I want to talk about my best friend, Mikayla.
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Now, Mikayla is like super tall.
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I mean, seriously tall.
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When I first met her,
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I actually thought she was the teacher's helper.
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But when she sat down,
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I realized that she was one of us.
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Just like with Ben, my classmates didn't want to talk to Makayla.
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They thought she was different because she was big and tall.
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And it made them afraid to talk to her.
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But I did.
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And I'm so glad I did.
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Because Makayla is one of the nicest people I know.
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I also found out that she became super tall just because her parents were tall.
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It's as simple as that.
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It doesn't make her any less awesome or any less deserving of friendship.
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In fact, her height is what makes her unique and special.
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Here's the cool part.
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Mikaela is fantastic at spelling.
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She's like a spelling superhero.
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Whenever I need help practicing my spelling,
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she's right there ready to learn.
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And she's also always so kind and generous, especially with treats.
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Being tall, short, or anything in between doesn't define who we are.
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It's the kindness, generosity, and unique talents we have that really matter.
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Being friends with Michaela taught me a lot about empathy.
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Empathy is putting yourself in someone else's shoes and understanding how they feel.
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So let's celebrate our differences.
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Let's spread empathy like confetti.
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And let's create a safe place where everyone is welcomed as who they really are.
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Finally, I want to share about my friend, Roy.
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Roy is what some of us call a special needs student,
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which means he learns in a different way and needs a special teacher's help.
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It's not easy for Roy to communicate,
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so he often feels left out.
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there's so much more to Roy than meets the eye.
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One thing I discovered about him is his incredible sense of humor.
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One time during a game of Toss the Ball,
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he did something that made us all burst into laughter.
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He put the ball on his head and started wobbling around like a silly robot trying to entertain us.
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We couldn't help but laugh together.
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In that moment, I found that Roy has an amazing personality,
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full of fun and a desire to connect with others.
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Sadly, many people find it hard to talk to Roy.
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They may feel uncomfortable or unsure of how to talk to him.
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That's where education and support comes in.
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By educating ourselves about those with special needs,
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we can learn about different ways to communicate with them and have a greater understanding about them.
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But more than education, we should support them.
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We should stand up for their rights,
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their dignity, and their happiness because everyone deserves equal opportunities.
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So no matter how different people like Roy may seem,
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Let's educate ourselves about those with special needs.
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Let's stand up for them.
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And let's be their allies and champions.
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I am so glad to have Ben,
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Michaela, and Roy as my friends and be a part of my life.
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We learned so much about each other.
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We understand the challenges we all go through.
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And we all became a better person because of it.
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Inclusion, empathy, education and support.
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These are important things that can build bridges of friendships and change lives for the better.
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So let's be inclusive and have more friends like Ben.
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Let's practice empathy and understand what kids like Michaela are going through.
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And let's learn more and support those like Roy,
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who are trying so hard to keep up with the rest of us each day.
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But more importantly, Let's take the lead and be role models for other kids.
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Because this, this can be our superpower that can make a real change in someone's life.
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Thank you.
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Context & Background
In the TEDxYouth talk titled "Empathy, Education, Inclusion: A Guide to Real Friendship," Emma Liu addresses a universal issue faced by many students: loneliness and the struggles of forming friendships in school environments. Emma emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and empathy, encouraging listeners to reach out to those who may feel different or isolated. By sharing her personal experiences, particularly with her friend Ben, she highlights the need for compassion and the beauty of understanding one another, regardless of differences. This dialogue serves as a powerful reminder of how our actions can influence the social dynamics around us, motivating English learners to engage not only in language acquisition but also in building connections with others.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "What if that lonely person was you?" - A thought-provoking question that can foster empathy.
- "We have the incredible power to change that." - A motivating reminder of our potential to impact others positively.
- "Friends who don't look like us." - This phrase encourages understanding and acceptance of diversity.
- "It's easier, but not better." - A phrase that challenges the status quo and promotes active engagement.
- "He was an incredible writer." - An affirmation that can build confidence in others' unique talents.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively enhance your speaking skills using this video, follow this structured shadowing method to practice and improve your English proficiency:
- Choose the Right Tool: Use a shadowing app or a shadowing site where you can access the video with transcripts. This will allow you to listen and read simultaneously.
- Watch and Listen: Play the video once without pausing. Familiarize yourself with the speaker's tone, pace, and emotion. Pay particular attention to how Emma expresses complex feelings, such as empathy and loneliness.
- Practice Repetition: Playback the video in small segments. Listen and then repeat Emma's phrases aloud. Focus on mimicking the intonation and rhythm of her speech. This technique, known as shadowspeak, will enhance your pronunciation and fluency.
- Reflect on the Language: After shadowing, write down new phrases that stood out to you. Consider how you can use these phrases in your daily life to express empathy and kindness.
- Engage in Conversation: Try to incorporate the learned phrases into conversations with friends or during your IELTS speaking practice. This will reinforce your learning and help you become more comfortable using them in appropriate contexts.
By following this step-by-step shadowing guide, you'll not only improve your spoken English but also gain valuable insights into the importance of empathy and connection in 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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