Shadowing Practice: Is it possible to become FLUENT in a language BY YOURSELF? - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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So is it possible to be fluent in a language by yourself?
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So is it possible to be fluent in a language by yourself?
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Let's answer that question here
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So if you're really motivated to learn a language learning the basics of a language is completely Possible to do by yourself.
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This is why whenever I start to learn a new language from zero I usually just rely on the internet
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and my Google searching abilities to get started
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This is because a lot of basic stuff in a language is just
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so widely available on the internet that you can just really get for free.
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So in the beginning, I prefer not to be too troubled with looking for other people
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or looking for a teacher to teach me the basic stuff.
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Because a lot of times I can teach myself the basic stuff.
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So even with speaking skills,
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as a beginner, I can do that by myself.
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I can talk to myself in the mirror or I can record myself,
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I can mimic native speakers that I see from videos or something.
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So as a beginner, starting to learn a language by yourself is actually quite possible.
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However, comes a time where you actually do need to rely on other people to get your language to the next level.
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Because the thing is, the goal of learning a language is to be able to communicate, right?
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And usually, you know, normally when you communicate,
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you need at least two people for communication to happen.
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Although not always.
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Now that in the YouTube era,
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I'm actually communicating with you guys,
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but in reality, I'm just talking to myself and to an inanimate object camera here But in a way,
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you know what I mean.
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So yes, eventually you do need to rely on other people to get better
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Especially when it comes to building your confidence in your speaking abilities
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If your end goal is to be able to speak confidently with native speakers
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Then you cannot really rely on yourself to build that confidence Because confidence is built by doing that thing repeatedly
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So in order to get good at speaking with native speakers,
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then you're gonna have to speak with native speakers repeatedly And of course this way,
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you cannot really do it alone And then this way,
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then you would either have to go look for a tutor
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or to find a language partner or something like that So learning a language alone is completely possible
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up until a point where you have to build your speaking confidence talking to real people.
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If your goal is to talk to real people,
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then you're going to need real people to speak with.
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So in my premium coaching program ESA made for intermediate learners,
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I actually talked about the different levels of speaking confidence for language learners.
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So by the way, if you guys fit this criteria,
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I welcome you guys to apply for the program.
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I think the next batch will start in August
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So I encourage you to apply as soon as you can
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Because I have a lot of people applying and it's just a little overwhelming
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So do apply here while you can
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if you're interested Check out the website here
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and let's get back to the video So I came up with this concept of different levels of speaking confidence.
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So when it comes to developing your speaking confidence,
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there is this thing called low-pressure environment and high-pressure environment.
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So low-pressure environment in which you can practice your speaking skills include having inner dialogues with yourself,
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or speaking to yourself out loud.
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And then next level is to record yourself in a camera like this
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because it adds a bit more pressure So a level above
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that is actually talking to other learners of English
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or other target languages that you're learning
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because then it gives you a bit more pressure to talk to other people
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But at least you can take comfort in the fact
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that they're also learning So they kind of understand where you're coming from
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and your nervousness in speaking in your target language or in English
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So speaking with other language learners is actually a good place to start
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if you want to slowly build your confidence to speak your target language with other people
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So a level beyond that is to speak with fluent non-natives
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So that would be kind of like me I'm a non-native English speaker,
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but I am fluent So if you are learning English
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and then you feel quite comfortable speaking with other English learners Then next level to
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that would be speaking with someone like me who is not really a native speaker,
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but you feel more comfortable speaking with me because you know that I have been through the process of learning English,
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so I kind of understand where you're coming from and my accent
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and my language is a lot easier to understand
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so it's definitely a little bit more challenging than speaking with other language learners to speak with someone like me,
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a fluent non-native speaker.
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Then the next level, the highest level there is,
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is to be able to speak with native speakers.
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So I would say this is the highest pressure environment that you can put yourself in to really build your confidence.
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Of course, speaking with native speakers makes you feel a little bit more nervous, right?
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Because you're also a bit afraid
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that you won't be able to catch everything they say or they won't be able to understand your accent,
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yada yada yada.
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That's why it's high pressure.
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So of course, as a beginner,
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when you're just starting out,
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it's a good idea to start small first.
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Having inner dialogues in English,
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speaking to yourself, speaking with a camera or whatever by yourself because it's the lowest pressure environment.
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These things you can do by yourself.
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However, if your goal is to build your confidence to speak with others,
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then you're gonna have to slowly level up by speaking with other learners,
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with fluent non-natives, and with native speaker.
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And these things you cannot do alone.
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You're gonna have to find another person,
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be it a tutor or a language partner, to build that confidence.
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So, short answer to my video is
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that you can definitely become fluent in your language without having to rely on other people,
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but only to a certain level.
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So, I hope that helps guys.
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I hope that this clarifies a lot of your doubts,
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and I hope you guys learned something new.
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If you guys like it,
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give it a thumbs up,
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and I will see you next week in another video.
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Until then, goodbye and take care.
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Bye.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, we explore the concept of achieving fluency in a language through self-study. While starting to learn a language by yourself is entirely feasible, it's essential to recognize when you need to transition from self-learning to engaging with others. This lesson will guide you through the initial steps of language acquisition, particularly focusing on English speaking practice, and how to effectively build your confidence by interacting with native speakers. Whether you're using resources like YouTube or practicing inner dialogues, we will equip you with strategies to enhance your skills.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Fluency - The ability to speak a language smoothly and effortlessly.
- Inner dialogues - Conversations you have with yourself to practice language skills.
- Communication - The act of exchanging information; requires at least two participants.
- Confidence - The self-assurance that comes from practicing speaking skills.
- Language partner - A person who practices a language with you, providing real interaction.
- Basic structure - The foundational elements of a language, often learned through online resources.
- Shadowing - A technique where you imitate the speech of a native speaker to improve pronunciation and fluency.
- Self-study - Learning a language independently without a formal teacher.
Practice Tips
To enhance your English speaking practice and effectively employ shadowing techniques, consider the following tips:
- Start Slow: Begin by watching YouTube videos that feature clear and slow speech. This allows you to grasp pronunciation and intonation before speeding up.
- Record Yourself: Practice shadowing by repeating phrases or sentences you hear in the video. Record yourself to identify areas for improvement in your pronunciation and rhythm.
- Engage in Inner Dialogues: Practice speaking to yourself about daily activities or thoughts. This will help solidify your vocabulary in a low-pressure environment.
- Mimic Native Speakers: Choose native speakers from videos that resonate with you. Imitate not just their words but also their expressions and emotions for a more natural sound.
- Use Shadowspeak Techniques: Focus on repeating phrases immediately after hearing them, trying to match the speaker's pace and tone. This is particularly effective in a structured speaking practice.
As you progress, remember that interacting with a language partner is crucial for building confidence in real-life conversations. Utilize shadowspeaks methods alongside your IELTS speaking practice to further enhance your journey in learning English with YouTube.
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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