Shadowing Practice: English for the workplace | vocabulary and conversation for hotel housekeeping - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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This lesson is going to be all about working in the United States and specifically it's connected to housekeeping.
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This lesson is going to be all about working in the United States and specifically it's connected to housekeeping.
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So what do we mean by housekeeping?
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Housekeeping is normally connected to working at a resort or a hotel,
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maybe a bed and breakfast.
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The job basically involves cleaning the rooms and preparing the rooms for the next guest.
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Now let's practice a conversation.
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We are going to imagine a situation.
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The situation is it's your first day at work in housekeeping.
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So let's imagine you go to the hotel,
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you go to the staff,
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the workers office, and there you meet with your manager.
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Now your manager is going to prepare you for your day.
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You sit down with your manager and she says,
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Today is Mark's first day,
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so I'm going to show him the ropes.
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On the roster, I have rooms 25 through 50 this morning,
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so I'll take Mark and he'll shadow me today.
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today is Mark's first day
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so I'm going to show him the ropes on the roster I have rooms 25 through 50 this morning
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so I'll take Mark and he'll shadow me today
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now she said to show you the ropes this is a
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common expression in English it basically means to show somebody how to do a job
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if they don't know how to do it.
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She also says to shadow her.
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By shadow what we mean is to follow them around for a day
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or maybe a few days to watch exactly what they do
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so that you can repeat it yourself and do the same job.
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So you go with your manager
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up to the rooms and then she says let's check the housekeeping cart is fully stocked and then we'll get started
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let's check the housekeeping cart is fully stocked and then we'll get started
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the housekeeping cart is the cart you take with you to
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the rooms it has all of things you need to do the job.
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Things like the cleaning products.
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It has the linens, the towels.
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It has the replacement coffee,
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the toiletries for the bathroom.
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The manager says you need to make sure that the cart is stocked.
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To stock means to make sure something is full, it's complete.
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So the cart has all of the things you need for preparing and cleaning the rooms.
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When you get to the room your manager says,
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Okay, Mark, here's your checklist.
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Let me go through what you need to pay special attention to.
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Okay, Mark, here's your checklist.
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Let me go through what you need to pay special attention to.
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A checklist is a piece of paper that has a list of all the jobs you need to do in each room.
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It also has a list of all the things you need to replace,
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all the things you need to clean.
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So your manager says she wants to go through what you have to do.
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And when we say go through,
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what we mean is to show somebody exactly what they have to do and make sure that they understand everything.
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So you go through the checklist,
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which might look something like this.
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And then she says, Make sure to vacuum and dust each room and always change the bed linens.
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We'll take a break around 8.30,
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so come meet us back at the staff room on the ground floor.
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Make sure to vacuum and dust each room and always change the bed linens.
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We'll take a break around 8.30,
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so come meet us back at the staff room on the ground floor.
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And that's it.
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Now you start your day working in housekeeping keeping.
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Look at the pictures on the screen.
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Your manager comes to you and tells you that you need to take something to one of the rooms.
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Choose the correct picture.
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We need clean towels in room 378.
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We need clean towels in room 378.
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Can you take clean bathrobes to room 220?
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Can you take clean bathrobes to room 220?
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They need fresh linens in room 400.
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They need fresh linens in room 400.
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Your manager tells you she needs someone to go to a room to do a job for her.
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Look at the pictures.
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Choose the correct job.
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Can you vacuum the carpet in room 203?
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Can you vacuum the carpet in room 203?
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Can you dust in room 293?
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Can you dust in room 293?
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Now remember, if you need to,
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go back, listen to it again.
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This is great practice learning new words,
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especially if you're going into the workplace.
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If you start working in housekeeping,
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here's some useful work-connected words that you probably need to know.
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The daily roster will basically tell you exactly what you're doing for that day.
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So if you go into work and they say,
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okay check your roster, what they mean is to check what jobs you have to do that day.
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The schedule.
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The schedule is basically what days you're working and how many hours you're working in each day.
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If you going to work
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and somebody says hey check your schedule what they mean is check how many days
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and how many hours you're working
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when you're at work you might get a checklist a checklist is normally a sheet of paper
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that has the names of all the jobs that you need to do
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or it might have the names of all the things you need to clean or replace
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Now let's get a little practice looking at that checklist.
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I'd like you to listen carefully.
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Look at the housekeeping checklist.
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What are the jobs they completed?
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Okay, let me look over my checklist.
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Let's see.
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I changed the bed linens.
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I cleaned the toilets, sinks, and showers.
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I vacuumed carpets and area rugs.
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I dusted all surfaces including the shelves and the furniture.
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I swept and tidied outdoor areas such as the porches and the patios.
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I wiped down cabinets and drawers in the kitchen and the bathroom.
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I swept and mopped the floors.
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one job they didn't complete.
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What was it?
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Okay, let me look over my checklist.
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Let's see.
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I changed the bed linens.
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I cleaned the toilets, sinks, and showers.
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I vacuumed carpets and area rugs.
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I dusted all surfaces including the shelves and the furniture.
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I swept and tidied outdoor areas such as the porches and the patios.
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I wiped down cabinets and drawers in the kitchen and the bathroom.
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I swept and mopped the floors.
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Well, that's it for today.
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I hope this lesson is useful for you if you're going into the workplace and you're starting a new job in housekeeping.
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And please remember, if you enjoy the lesson,
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give me a thumbs up,
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leave me a comment and click to subscribe.

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Context & Background

In this lesson, we focus on essential English vocabulary and conversation skills specifically tailored for those pursuing a career in hotel housekeeping. Working in this sector, particularly in the United States, requires familiarity with industry-specific terms and practices. Housekeeping roles generally entail cleaning guest rooms and preparing them in a welcoming manner for incoming visitors. Our lesson simulates a scenario where a new employee, Mark, begins his first day in housekeeping. The dialogue involves his interaction with a manager who guides him through the start of his training, providing important insights into the tasks expected in this role.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Show you the ropes - This common expression means to teach someone the fundamentals of a job or task.
  • Shadow - To follow someone while they work, in order to learn how to perform the same job.
  • Housekeeping cart - A mobile cart used to carry cleaning supplies and items necessary for room preparation.
  • Stock the cart - To ensure that the housekeeping cart is filled with all required supplies before starting work.
  • Checklist - A written list of tasks and items to monitor while cleaning the guest rooms.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English speaking practice using the shadowing technique demonstrated in the video, follow these steps:

  1. Watch Actively: Begin by watching the video closely, focusing on how the manager communicates essential instructions and key phrases.
  2. Listen and Repeat: Utilize the shadow speak method by pausing after key phrases and repeating them aloud. This will help you gain confidence in pronunciation and intonation.
  3. Role Play: Practice the scenario with a friend or language partner. Take turns being the manager and the new employee, which will deepen your understanding of how to use the vocabulary in context.
  4. Create Your Own Checklist: Draw up a checklist of tasks you would do in a hotel housekeeping role. Write down your own phrases to describe each task, enhancing your learning.
  5. Engage in Self-Reflection: After practicing, analyze which phrases felt natural and which didn’t. Repeat those phrases frequently and incorporate them into your daily English speaking practice.

By following this structured approach, you can improve your English speaking capabilities and gain a comprehensive understanding of the vocabulary related to housekeeping, making your learning journey more engaging. Remember to leverage resources like "learn English with YouTube" to supplement your practice!

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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