Shadowing Practice: how I leveled up my social skills as an introvert. - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Becoming confident is the first change I did to improve my social skills.
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I used to worry that the person I was talking to would judge me, thinking they were better than me.
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However, as I started gaining confidence, I noticed it became easier to engage with other people.
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So how can you gain confidence?
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There are many ways to achieve it.
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For me, the most effective approach was to adjust my biggest changeable insecurity and then change it.
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If you work on your biggest changeable insecurity and take care of yourself, both mentally and physically, I can almost guarantee that you will become more confident.
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Getting comfortable with discomfort is also a step towards getting confidence but it's also a step in itself.
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By consistently exposing yourself to uncomfortable situations, you will become more at ease with discomfort.
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There's this clip of Kobe Bryant that really explained what I mean with this, so I will link the video below.
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The shorts, where he says Is that? confidence comes from cooperation he says
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that when the game is online he's not asking himself to do something he hasn't done thousands of times before.
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If we apply the same principle to improving our own social skills.
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It can mean frequently exposing ourselves to the same uncomfortable situations to make them comfortable.
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We all have unique strengths, so it's better to leverage them than try to change them.
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And that's what I did.
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Instead of trying to act like an extrovert, I used my introverted qualities to enhance my social skills.
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For example, being quiet not only makes you appear more confident, but also helps you become a better listener.
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response while others are talking, try to pay more attention to what they actually are saying.
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So in conclusion, 1 getting confidence,
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2 getting comfortable with discomfort and 3 focusing on enhancing your strengths rather than changing them.
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These are the main areas I would focus on if I were starting over again.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice enhancing your social skills, particularly if you identify as an introvert. By exploring the concepts shared in a YouTube video about gaining confidence, embracing discomfort, and leveraging unique strengths, you will learn how to effectively engage in conversations. This practice will not only aid you in your IELTS speaking practice but also help you learn English with YouTube. By shadowing the speaker's delivery, you can improve your English pronunciation and become more comfortable in social interactions.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Confidence - a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities.
  • Discomfort - a state of unease or mild pain, often experienced in unfamiliar situations.
  • Engage - to participate or become involved in a conversation or activity.
  • Insecurity - uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; a lack of confidence.
  • Listening - actively paying attention to someone speaking and considering their words carefully.
  • Leverage - to use something to maximum advantage.

Practice Tips

To effectively improve your speaking skills using the material from the video, consider the following shadowing tips:

  • Start by watching the video at a slower speed to grasp the content and pronunciation clearly. This will aid in mastering the vocabulary.
  • Focus on the intonation and emotion in the speaker's voice. Shadowing not just the words but the feeling will support your overall communication skills.
  • Repeat key phrases aloud after the speaker, mimicking their rhythm and tone. This exercise helps in building a natural flow in your speech, essential when practicing for the IELTS speaking test.
  • Don't shy away from moments of discomfort when practicing. Engaging in conversation, even if it feels uneasy, is a vital part of improving your social skills.
  • Utilize online resources and platforms that encourage shadow speech techniques. This practice will reinforce what you learn from the video and lead to significant improvements.
  • Record your shadowing sessions to listen back. This will help in identifying areas where your English pronunciation can be enhanced.

Remember, becoming comfortable with social interactions takes time and consistent practice. Embrace your unique qualities as an introvert and allow them to contribute positively to your conversational skills.

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.