Shadowing Practice: Klassenkampf im Königreich: Wie unfair ist das britische Schulsystem? | Weltspiegel - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Everyone knows Harry Potter and Hogwarts in Germany and thinks it’s cool.
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Everyone knows Harry Potter and Hogwarts in Germany and thinks it’s cool.
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But very few people know how unfair the British school and university system really is.
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These private schools and universities cost up to 60,000 € per year and only very few parents can afford that.
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Only 7% of British parents are.
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But they are happy to pay because they assume that their offspring will later become part of the political elite.
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Because only three of all British Prime Ministers have not been to Oxford or Cambridge or the British super boarding school Eton, which advertises itself like this: With pictures that are meant to remind us of Harry Potter.
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The teaching is at a very high standard and it is very innovative.
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They push you to reach that full potential.
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It looks great, but it also costs money.
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And the 93% of British students, whose parents cannot afford it, they then have to go to state schools and they look a little different here.
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Often it is not just the name that crumbles, but also the ceiling from the inside, because many public schools are often dangerously poorly built.
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Last year, 65 such schools had to be evacuated.
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The biggest problem, however, is that the vast majority of students not taught here like in Eton, that they could ever make it to the top.
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Someone who has been upset about this for years, is Alastair Campbell, whom I meet on the way to one of these state schools.
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Former press secretary to Tony Blair and now political podcast star.
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He visits regularly deliberately poorer state schools, to drum up support for the fact that they too should be involved in politics.
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That a celebrity like Alastair Campbell visits them, seems to be a completely new experience for many here.
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Or? Yes, for us at a school like this, that's not normal at all.
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For many, the fact that Alastair Campbell comes here is the first time, that they even meet a life, a politician.
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This is totally normal at private schools.
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But can Campbell really inspire the students here?
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For a whole hour?
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It is important to get involved in politics.
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Otherwise others will control you.
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You must never say that nothing will change anyway.
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Im here today asking you: Please be bothered!
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They listened until the end, but did his message get through?
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That they in particular have to get involved in politics, because otherwise the children of richer parents will later rule over them?
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I am angry.
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Some people take it as motivation.
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And these are the people that have, like, a hard skin.
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But many here simply have the feeling we can't make it anyway.
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That can just demotivate you so much.
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Alastair Campbell knows this.
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What annoys him most is that so many clever Students simply go under, while the richer ones are automatically pushed to the top.
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I would argue, some of the most famous products of our private schools, who then became prime minister, they are no smarter than the kids here.
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But they get something that the kids here don't get.
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You have a better start in life and then they are told again and again that they are better than everyone else.
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And they believe it?
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Why wouldn't you believe that?
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You're inclined to believe something like that when you hear it, aren't you?
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I would too.
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On the other hand, this means for the poorer children here in Britain This makes it twice as difficult to get to Cambridge or Oxford.
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But is that really still the case?
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Some time ago I read in the Guardian that There are now more and more colleges here that are consciously try to recruit working class kids.
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Really active.
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And that's why I went to Oxford to take a look at one.
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Specially highlighted Mansfield College was repeatedly mentioned and that's why I've arranged to meet the director there.
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But first we took a look around the college itself.
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Today, several classes from state schools are held here.
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Students for whom it was completely unthinkable for a long time, to be able to study in Oxford.
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In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful libraries in Oxford.
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The aim of this tour to take away from them all the fear and awe of these holy halls, the feeling that they could never belong here.
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But we do not want to diminish the magic of Oxford. The thing that I would say to students is: rather than bringing the Oxford all down, is to bring their own character up.
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Which I think is very very important.
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And something this university equips us to do.
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Mansfield is the only Oxford college truly representative of British society as a whole.
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More than 93% come from public schools.
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The tours are only part of the overall strategy.
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Megan for example from Yorkshire in the north of England is only here because Mansfield had sent an ambassador to her school, who actively recruited them.
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It was always just very like people from the south go that people.
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Rich people.
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Yeah, rich people.
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And no matter whether I was getting top grades, I never thought I'd be smart enough to be here, which is totally is totally wrong.
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But it's very much the culture.
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Director Helen Mountfield has been fighting for years to ensure that Oxford does not remain a place for the upper class.
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But this is not just about changing Oxford, but also about who will govern the country in the future.
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All but two prime ministers in the last 50 years have been to Oxford.
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I think there's a deep sense that that's what a Prime Minister looks like.
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That's where this deep submissiveness comes from.
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And what I would like to do is to break down that sense of deference and to say you choose the cleverest person and not somebody, because we have a kind of caste system, because that's the sort of person who should be the prime minister, but because that's the person who argues well and has good ideas and understands things socially and intellectually, that's what I think we should be looking for.
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Downton Abbey doesn't really help in that.
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Downton Abbey doesn't help.
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It's part of the romanticized idea of old England, isn't it?
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And yes, and it does get romanticized in in drama and on television. Yes.
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I think it's detrimental to give people positions because of who they are, not what they do.
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A passionate plea for a different England beyond class barriers.
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But Mansfield is still a pioneering project.
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Does this still change anything in the rest of Oxford?
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What do Meghan and the others think about this?
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I know people from the other colleges, where I think it is a little bit more...
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High class, like they are more known for being a bit posher where they won’t look at me, who wont look me in the eyes.
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To trying to, like, react against like the whole class structure that has really been like making up like British society for the past few decades.
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That's really difficult to dissolve.
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But I think the people who come from private schools, they just believe it's their birthright to be here.
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So a lot of them just mess around.
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There was a boy in my class who went to Eton.
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I didn't see him a single lecture or any classes.
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In fact, he boasted to me at the pub that he'd never gone to a class.
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And what did that make you feel?
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I don't know. It just made me feel.
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It made me feel angry.
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But in a sense, it made me feel proud as well, because I know that I did better than him in my exams and in a way, like I worked so much harder to be here than you did.
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Which, yeah, makes me feel proud sometimes.
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And if you now you want to know more about British class society.
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How this is gradually changing, but how deeply rooted it is nonetheless here on the island, in society.
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There's a whole documentary I made about this.
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And here is the link:

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Why practice speaking with this video?

The video titled "Class Struggle in the Kingdom: How Unfair is the British School System?" offers a rich context for English language learners, particularly those interested in social issues and education. Engaging with this material through the shadowing technique provides an excellent opportunity to practice speaking while gaining insights into a significant topic. By listening to the speaker's arguments and perspectives on the disparities within the British educational system, learners can improve their ability to articulate complex ideas.

Practicing speaking alongside the video allows learners to not only enhance their fluency but also develop a more robust vocabulary related to education, politics, and societal structures. By repeating the speaker's phrases and intonations, English learners can build their confidence and gain a deeper understanding of persuasive speaking techniques.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

This video features several key grammatical structures and expressions that are particularly useful for English learners:

  • Conditional Sentences: Phrases such as "If you don't get involved..." emphasize the consequences of inaction and encourage critical thinking.
  • Comparative Structures: The speaker contrasts different educational experiences using structures like "more..." and "less...," which help in discussing inequalities and differences.
  • Direct Quotes: The use of direct speech, such as “You must never say that nothing will change anyway,” illustrates how to express urgency and importance in a conversational manner.
  • Phrasal Verbs: The phrase "get involved in politics" shows how phrasal verbs can convey action in a way that sounds natural and engaging.

Incorporating these expressions into your own speech through practices like shadow speech can significantly enhance your command of the English language.

Common Pronunciation Traps

English learners may encounter specific pronunciation challenges while listening to the video:

  • Unfamiliar Vocabulary: Words like "evacuated," "politician," and "demotivate" may be difficult to articulate. Focus on each syllable to ensure clarity.
  • Intonation Patterns: Pay attention to the speaker's intonation, especially in emotional segments. Emphasizing certain words can change the meaning; practicing shadowspeak can help you master these patterns.
  • Accent:** The speaker's British accent might pose a challenge; listen closely to mimic the pronunciation and rhythm for improved English pronunciation.

By practicing the shadowing technique, learners can actively work on overcoming these pronunciation traps, leading to more fluent and accurate speech.

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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