Shadowing Practice: Personal Best A2 Learning Curve Unit 2 pt. 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Hello, I'm Simon Collins and welcome to our web show, Learning Curve.
2
We bring you interesting cultural topics and talk to people from around the world.
3
Join me and my co-host Kate McRae in London, and our hosts Penny Abernathy and Ethan Moore in New York City.
4
Today we want to know, are you happy in your job?
5
And what do you love to do in your free time?
6
Sometimes people have jobs they love.
7
They're lucky people.
8
What is your job?
9
Are you an accountant or businessman or woman?
10
And do you love maths? Are you a nurse? Or a doctor? Or a hairdresser?
11
Do you cut or colour hair and really enjoy it?
12
Some people love their jobs, and they're very happy at work.
13
So where are these happy workers in the world?
14
A study of jobs in 35 countries shows that a lot of Colombians enjoy their work.
15
Another study shows 67% of Canadians really like their jobs.
16
And in Holland, it's 57%.
17
In the US, about 51% of people love their jobs.
18
But everyone agrees that a balance, or a mix, between life and work is important.
19
Who has fun at work because they love their jobs?
20
Pablo Rapun is an Argentinian dance teacher.
21
He loves to dance.
22
Pablo teaches at a tango dance school in Florida.
23
This is Marcus Willis.
24
He's English.
25
Marcus isn't a famous tennis player, but he likes Wimbledon.
26
Actually, he played Roger Federer there.
27
Wimbledon is a popular place to play and watch tennis here in the UK.
28
Marcus teaches tennis to children and he loves the sport and his job.
29
Wow, I love playing tennis, but I don't play at Wimbledon.
30
Are you a fan of the cinema?
31
Well, Maggie Correa Aviles loves it.
32
She's a lawyer from Puerto Rico and she has a great job, great job, but she watches films in her free time.
33
Maggie is probably the world's number one film fan.
34
She has the world record for watching 1,132 films in one year.
35
Wow, she really loves movies.
36
Do you love your job?
37
What do you do in your free time?
38
Let's hear from our viewers.
39
Kate is on the street.
40
Kate?

About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "Personal Best A2 Learning Curve Unit 2 pt. 1" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.

Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →