Shadowing Practice: [Luyện nghe Tiếng Anh cùng VOA] - Songs teach language - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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I'm Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Education Report.
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I'm Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Education Report.
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Songs teach language.
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Consider a song like Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega.
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An American teaching English overseas once told us that students love that song.
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Recently, we asked people on the Special English Facebook page to suggest other songs that English learners might like.
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Noemi Nito wrote, I'm one of those English students who love Tom's Diner.
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I started learning English with Lemon Tree by Fool's Garden.
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Another favorite is Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden.
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Another person, Asi Tambunan, suggested the song God Only Knows by Orianti.
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Jungi Jako wrote that ABBA's songs from Sweden are perfect for class work.
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Other good songs for learning English are songs by The Beatles and John Lennon,
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as well as Louis Armstrong's Wonderful World.
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Paul Cifuentes says Bob Marley's songs are amazing for teaching.
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Another teacher, Joseph Deca, says songs by Johnny Cash have always worked in his classroom.
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He says his students can hear the words,
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plus the songs often have stories.
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He also likes We Will Rock You by Queen and Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston.
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He says young children love Sea is for Cookie by Cookie Monster from the TV show Sesame Street.
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Nina John Smith suggested these songs,
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It's My Life and We Weren't Born to Follow by Bon Jovi.
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Also, Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.
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Aurelio Lorenzo Costa Guzmau says he began to like English after his teacher played the Westlife song,
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I Have a Dream.
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He wrote, That was eight years ago.
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I was in the seventh grade.
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And from that day on,
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my dream of improving my English skills became attached in my mind.
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Teachers can use this song to convey the message to their students that they should have their own dream for the future.
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Aurelio's story was no surprise to another commenter, Katya Kavenko.
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She especially likes songs by Michael Jackson and Queen.
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She wrote, When you listen to your favorite songs,
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you feel emotionally high, and it moves you to action.
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For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villareal.
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Do you have any favorite songs for learning English?
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You can share other music suggestions for English learners at our website,
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voaspecialenglish.com, or on Facebook at VOA Learning English.
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We are also on Twitter and iTunes.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, inspired by the VOA Special English Education Report, you will learn how to use music as a powerful tool to improve your English language skills. Songs not only enhance vocabulary but also assist with pronunciation and comprehension. By practicing with popular songs mentioned in the video, you’ll engage with authentic English used in various contexts, helping you to learn English with YouTube effectively. Pay attention to the rhythm, emotional content, and storytelling aspects of these songs, as they all contribute to language mastery through a fun and enjoyable medium.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Tom's Diner: A popular song by Suzanne Vega often recommended for English learners.
  • Emotionally high: A feeling of joy or excitement that can motivate you to perform better.
  • Have a dream: An important phrase that encourages setting aspirations for the future.
  • Storytelling: A technique songwriting often employs, making it easier to remember vocabulary and phrases.
  • Shadowing: A language learning technique where you repeat what you hear in real-time.
  • Favorite songs: Personal preferences that can make learning enjoyable and relatable.
  • Learn English with YouTube: A method of utilizing video content to enhance language learning experiences.

Practice Tips

To effectively enhance your speaking skills, consider using the shadow speak technique with the songs mentioned in the video. Here’s how to do it:

  • Choose a song: Start with a song that resonates with you, like "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega or "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Familiarity with the song will help you feel comfortable.
  • Listen and repeat: Play the song and listen carefully to the lyrics. Repeat phrases immediately after you hear them to practice shadow speech. This technique helps improve pronunciation and intonation while enhancing your listening skills.
  • Adjust speed: If the song's tempo is too fast, use a music player that allows you to slow it down. You can gradually increase the speed as you become more confident in your abilities.
  • Focus on emotion: Pay attention to the emotional expressions in the song. Try to convey similar emotions when you repeat the lines. This will help you sound more natural and convey your feelings when speaking English.
  • Discuss your experience: Share your learning journey with others, whether through social media or language exchange communities. This interaction can inspire other learners and strengthen your understanding of the material.

By integrating music into your shadowing practice, you can not only learn English more effectively but also make the process enjoyable and engaging.

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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