Shadowing Practice: Listening is *the only* skill you need to become fluent (here's why) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

C1
Shadowing Controls
0% completed (0/155 sentences)
When I first started learning English, I tried to master everything.
⏸ Paused
All Sentences
155 sentences
1
When I first started learning English, I tried to master everything.
2
Vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, and listening.
3
And I was completely overwhelmed.
4
Looking back, I wish I had focused on just one skill.
5
The one that makes everything else easier.
6
And the thing is, most language learners just don't spend a lot of time improving this skill.
7
And this skill is listening.
8
And that is why I created a free downloadable guide that walks you through everything.
9
It tells you how to build a consistent, focused, and enjoyable listening practice.
10
All you need to do to get the guide is click the link in the description, share your email with me, and I will send you the guide straight to your inbox.
11
So let's start and talk about why listening is the most important skill and why it is also the foundational skill that other language skills build upon.
12
I think this very common problem that I see nowadays when it comes to learning a language is that a lot of people think it has to be difficult.
13
If you're not struggling when it comes to your language learning, you're not actually improving.
14
But that is obviously not true.
15
Yes, all of those skills like your pronunciation, your memorization skills, your vocabulary, they are all important.
16
But I would say there is one core fundamental skill that we really need to develop when we're learning a new language.
17
And to be honest with you guys, there is a lot of debate online about what is the most important skill to master, the two most common answers are usually speaking and listening.
18
But in my personal experience, when I was learning English and then I was learning Chinese in college and now I'm learning Spanish, the most important skill for me has always been listening.
19
And it's not just my opinion, it's backed up by research and even famous polyglots like Steve Kaufman.
20
You can even read his article on Medium.
21
There he says, I believe that listening comprehension, not speaking, is the most important skill in language learning.
22
If you can achieve a high level in comprehension, all other skills will follow.
23
The speaking will come.
24
The grammar and correct usage will come.
25
And I think as a language learner, it is so important to hear this because we're all busy, you know, we all have work,
26
family responsibilities, hobbies we're interested in and for me personally, I can't say that language learning is the biggest hobby of my life.
27
Sure, I do love learning Spanish but it doesn't mean that I want to study Spanish like 10 hours every single day.
28
It is absolutely not realistic.
29
I don't have 10 hours every single day to dedicate to Spanish and I really do want to focus on a skill that I know will translate to all of my other skills in this language.
30
And that is why every single time I sit down to practice my languages, I try to focus on my listening comprehension.
31
Because if I'm listening to a material that I can mostly understand, that is just a little bit difficult for me,
32
that I am truly interested in, I know that my pronunciation is improving in the process because I'm listening to a native speaker,
33
I'm also repeating a few phrases after them, I'm noticing some interesting grammar patterns, I'm memorizing new vocabulary, and practicing what I already know.
34
So for me, listening is the skill that I always prioritize.
35
And yes, when you're learning a language, you can't just wait for your skills to magically develop.
36
You have to intentionally build them.
37
Whether it's improving your listening skills or even developing better habits, the key is to treat learning as a process, not just something you do and then forget about.
38
And that is why I love Skillshare.
39
It's an amazing online learning community designed specifically for creatives,
40
freelancers and lifelong learners and i want to say a huge thank you to them for sponsoring a portion of today's video whether you want to
41
get better at time management master a new hobby or even start a side hustle skillshare has thousands of classes to
42
help you get there for example i have been recently working on optimizing my daily schedule and reducing distractions and I have found an incredible class on Skillshare called Chaos to Calm, Google Calendar Workshop for Creatives.
43
It completely changed the way I structure my day now because instead of feeling overwhelmed by my endless tasks, I now use a system that works for me and that is what makes Skillshare so different.
44
The classes aren't just about passive learning, you actually get to put what you learn into practice.
45
Many classes even have projects where you can apply what you have learned and share it with a creative community.
46
So it's not just about consuming knowledge, it's about making real progress.
47
If you're an artist or a writer or someone who just wants to be more creative in their daily life, like me, investing in your creativity becomes super important.
48
And Skillshare makes that easy by giving you access to high quality expert-led classes that fit into your schedule.
49
If you have been thinking about learning something new, there's no better time to start.
50
The first 500 people to use my link in the description will get a one-month free trial of Skillshare.
51
That means you can take as many classes as you want and see for yourself how powerful it is to invest in your learning.
52
Alright, so let's get back into the video and talk about how you can actually improve your listening skills as a language learner.
53
So the first thing that I do is I combine listening with reading.
54
I love reading books.
55
I usually read before I go to bed.
56
It's a part of my nighttime routine.
57
And so what helps me stay focused when I'm reading a book is actually listening to an audiobook at the same time.
58
Because sometimes the language is a little bit too difficult.
59
The words the author is using in a particular book might be weird or interesting or new to me.
60
And I want to make sure I know how to pronounce them.
61
And I also want to make sure that I don't get bored and I don't get distracted.
62
The way I usually do it is I use my iPad because it's bigger.
63
Reading on my phone is a little bit more difficult but right now I'm using my iPad for the script so that I can see what I need to talk about in this video.
64
So I'm going to use my phone to show you guys how I do it.
65
So I go to my books app and I choose the book I'm currently reading.
66
Right now, the book that I am reading is How Not to Age.
67
So I click on it and then I go to Audible because I use Audible for all of my audiobooks.
68
The next aging pathway is inflammation.
69
In recent years, one of the most medically important discoveries was recognizing the potential role of inflammation in many chronic diseases, including at least eight of the top 10 leading causes of death.
70
Okay, so basically what I do is I listen to the audiobook and I read.
71
I kind of skim with my eyes at the same time, but I make sure that I understand like all the words, everything the author is talking about, especially in this book.
72
I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty complicated and so sometimes I'm like, what is happening here?
73
What is he talking about?
74
And I think without the audiobook, I would just lose the train of thought very quickly.
75
So the audiobook really helps me stay focused and engaged with the book I'm currently reading.
76
The next super interesting approach you guys can use if you want to improve your listening skills is you can record audio messages and then listen to them as your own podcasts.
77
For example, you need to remember something in your current language.
78
Maybe it's a grammar rule or maybe it's a few words.
79
You can just record like a voice note of yourself going through all of this vocabulary or maybe this grammar rule.
80
And then when you have some free time, when you're commuting, when you're washing the dishes, when you're mopping the floors or vacuuming the floors,
81
you can listen to your own podcast like with all of the words all the grammar rules that you have to remember i
82
think it works especially great when you're trying to prepare for a test like when you actually have to
83
memorize a very specific piece of information and you have a deadline and you're just tired of cramming
84
everything into your brain what you can do is you can use your phone the voice memo app or something like that and
85
just record yourself speaking it can be about anything if you don't really have a test if you're learning a language for yourself
86
maybe it's the words you're trying to memorize right now maybe it's how you've been feeling lately and you can use this
87
audio recording as your own podcast to listen to over and over again the next fun and unique thing you can
88
do if you want to improve your listening skills is you can create fake interview clips of yourself so you're
89
just gonna pretend that you're a guest on a podcast and you're being interviewed in your target language let's say you're trying
90
to learn english and somebody is gonna ask you tell us about your daily routine what do you love about your hometown describe your
91
dream vacation you can honestly talk to chat gpt about it because you're gonna be improving your listening skills and also your
92
speaking skills or as i said before you can just record yourself and then use your recording as a little podcast to listen to and to actually analyze your speech.
93
When you listen back, you're gonna notice all the mistakes you've made, some of the clunky phrases you used and that is absolutely okay.
94
Like even when I am re-watching this YouTube video I'm recording right now when I'm editing it, I can notice some of the, you know, phrases that I have use that I no longer like and that is absolutely okay.
95
The thing here is to become an active listener, to actively listen to everything you're consuming.
96
Not just, you know, put it in the background, forget about it and think that somehow you're magically learning a language.
97
No, if you're not understanding, if you're not paying attention, most likely you're not learning.
98
The next thing you can do if you want to improve your listening skills is you can do weekly recaps.
99
The same thing, you're going to be recording yourself.
100
It can be a video.
101
It can be an audio message.
102
It doesn't have to be, you know, on camera.
103
Every Sunday, you're going to record a one-minute recap of what you have learned this week.
104
Three words or phrases you want to remember.
105
Maybe you're going to have a whole list of all of the vocabulary you want to remember.
106
But instead of like reciting all of these words and being like, okay, here's the word I want to remember.
107
Here's the second word.
108
Here's the third word.
109
Try to maybe create sentences, like create some context around all of this vocabulary so that when you're actually listening to your recording, you also listen to the context that surrounds all of these words, not just a list of some random vocabulary.
110
And the final thing you can talk about here is how you felt using the language this last week.
111
So maybe you have encountered some challenges, maybe you decided to talk to a native speaker but forgot a certain word.
112
Talk about it.
113
Express your concerns.
114
What happened to you?
115
Have you even practiced the language this week?
116
Because maybe you haven't.
117
And finally, of course,
118
I understand if you're trying to improve your listening skills you actually need to listen and watch but the reason why i decided to
119
mention all of this at the end of today's video is because i think you guys already know that so i wanted to give
120
you some other creative and new ways to help you improve your listening skills and when it comes to this the final tip
121
that i want to give you guys i always say that you have to choose content that you like and that you can mostly understand.
122
Like if it is a YouTube video that is so freaking complicated that you cannot understand anything, maybe just a few words, you're not there yet and that is absolutely okay.
123
Like one day you will be able to understand this video.
124
Maybe you can save it as this big goal.
125
You can always go back to it and check your progress and see how much more you can understand right now.
126
Language learning doesn't have to feel hard to be effective.
127
I would even say it has to be easy so that you can find it interesting, so that you can sustain that interest, turn it into curiosity, and continue improving.
128
The way in which I usually search for content online on YouTube to watch when I want to practice Spanish, for example, is I ask myself this question.
129
What are my hobbies?
130
Like what am I interested in in life and right now i'm very interested in yoga for example or
131
maybe i am planning a vacation and i want to see like another person exploring this city this town so
132
i'm just gonna search for this type of content on youtube and i'm gonna watch all of those videos but in
133
the process of watching those videos i'm gonna see if i actually like the video if it's too difficult for me if I can understand most of the information and then some of the words that I can't understand.
134
I'm gonna pause, I'm gonna write them down, save them in my Notion.
135
I usually use Notion to keep track of all of my language learning.
136
My templates, like what I actually use on Notion, is available on my website if you guys want to check it out.
137
The most important thing is I try to be very intentional about my language learning because intention goes a long way.
138
Not how hard you're sweating in your one single language learning session, how much you are hating the process, and how much you just want to quit.
139
No, like all of this is not sustainable.
140
It is not going to lead you to good quality sustainable results.
141
What it will lead you to is hating language learning and thinking that you're just not good at languages.
142
That's it.
143
And you're just gonna give up.
144
And obviously, that is not what I want for you guys.
145
So I think it's going to be it for this video.
146
I really hope you liked it.
147
If you did, don't forget to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
148
Just a reminder, if you guys wanna get my free intentional listening blueprint, you can do so by clicking the link in the description.
149
I will send you the guide, all the information to your inbox.
150
For those of you looking to improve your creative skills, maybe you want to start a new hobby, I highly recommend Skillshare.
151
If you are one of the first 500 people to use the link in my description, you will get one month of Skillshare completely for free.
152
At the very beginning of this video, I said that there is this debate online about whether listening is the most important skill when it comes to learning a language or maybe it's speaking, and I know that a lot of you guys want to improve your speaking skills.
153
If that is the case, I highly recommend this video right here.
154
In this video, I talk about why your speaking skills are not improving and what you can do to change the situation.
155
So just click right here and keep on watching.
📱

Shadowing English

Now available on mobile devices, download now!

5.0
Download on theApp Store
GET IT ONGoogle Play

Context & Background

In the journey of mastering a new language, many learners find themselves overwhelmed by the multitude of skills to tackle—vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, to name a few. However, the speaker in the video emphasizes one pivotal skill that serves as the foundation: listening. This insight emerges from personal experiences and supported by research, suggesting that effective listening comprehension not only enhances speaking abilities but also fosters vocabulary acquisition and grammatical understanding. For anyone looking to learn English with YouTube, focusing on listening can transform your language learning experience.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Can you repeat that, please?” - A crucial phrase for ensuring understanding in everyday conversations.
  • “I’m still learning, so please bear with me.” - Useful for setting expectations with native speakers.
  • “What does that word mean?” - Encourages learning and vocabulary expansion directly in conversation.
  • “Could you speak a little slower?” - A polite way to request clarification while practicing English speaking.
  • “I understand most of what you said.” - A great way to express comprehension while you engage with the speaker.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively apply the shadowing technique from the video, follow these steps to enhance your English speaking practice:

  • Select Your Materials: Choose a video or audio source that interests you and challenges your listening comprehension.
  • First Listen: Focus solely on understanding the content without trying to repeat. Pay attention to intonation, pauses, and emotions conveyed.
  • Segment the Audio: Break the transcript into manageable parts. This allows you to concentrate on smaller sections of dialogue, making the practice less daunting.
  • Shadow the Speaker: Play the audio and repeat the phrases immediately after the speaker. Use the technique known as shadowspeak to mimic their pronunciation and rhythm.
  • Record Yourself: Capture your voice while shadowing to evaluate your progress and adjust your pronunciation. Listening to your recordings can reveal areas needing improvement.
  • Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Set aside a few minutes each day for this practice to build up your skills gradually, making IELTS speaking practice more manageable and effective.

By applying this method, you will improve your listening comprehension and pave the way for more fluent spoken English. Remember, the goal is to make language learning enjoyable and effective, focusing on listening as the core skill.

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee