Shadowing Practice: Public speaking means speaking to - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Now turns to part 4.
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You will hear a talk given by Dr Miranda James.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 35.
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Now, listen carefully to the talk and answer questions 31 to 35.
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Good afternoon everybody
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and welcome to the first in a series of talks we have arranged for the Overseas Students Association this semester.
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Dr. James has very kindly agreed to speak to us today on the topic of public speaking
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and judging from the large numbers of you here, it's clearly a subject of great interest and relevance.
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Dr. James.
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hello it's good to see so many of you here
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and hopefully what I'm going to tell you will be useful to you both here at the university
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and in your future employment Many people avoid speaking publicly,
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by which I mean in front of say 10 or more people.
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Yeah.
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not because they lack the ability but mainly because they lack confidence which is really only due to lack of practice
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I Today, as a consequence of the influence of television,
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audiences expect speakers to be relatively brief and to the point,
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in addition to being well informed and interesting or entertaining.
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Thank you.
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Probably the most important part of public speaking is what you do beforehand.
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by which I mean preparation.
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Thank you.
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this includes practical details such as knowing precisely what your topic is and exactly how long you are expected to talk for.
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- You should also plan the content thoroughly.
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Yes.
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A good strategy is to write out the content as you intend to say it, and then make brief notes,
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preferably on small cards, which you use to talk from.
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this way you sound more natural you incorporate pauses
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while you look at your notes and you can then look at your audience while you are speaking
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Never read your speech without looking at the audience.
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Eye contact is a very important part of communicating with an audience.
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So deliberately move your head and look around at your audience.
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Okay.
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Pauses are important, as most people, when they are nervous, tend to rush through their speech.
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Now you have some time to look at questions 36 to 40.
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Now listen and answer questions 36 to 40.
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Practice speaking slowly.
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This gives you more time to pronounce your words correctly.
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Thank you.
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It's always easier for your audience to listen to someone whose speaking is clear and calmly paced,
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so that they can understand the ideas being explained.
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and the bigger the group the more slowly you should speak.
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Remember to project your voice, speaking clearly to the person furthest away from you.
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It's a good idea to rehearse and record yourself.
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So, Pay attention to your intonation when you listen to yourself.
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- Okay.
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It's even harder if you're speaking in a second language, I would imagine.
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But there's nothing worse than listening to a flat, monotonous voice.
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So try to vary your tone and rhythm.
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Thank you.
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This will add meaning to your words.
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lastly pay attention to both your posture and your gestures.
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A confident person stands, or sits in a small group, with their head up, chin out and shoulders back.
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Try to avoid scratching or fiddling with your hair or beard, or pens, jewellery and so on.
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These movements can distract and irritate your audience.
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Yet you may be unaware of them yourself.
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Another reason for rehearsing, preferably with feedback from a friend or better still, on video.
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I hope these few tips will make your experience of speaking in public a little easier.
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Remember, practice makes perfect.
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That is the end of part 4.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Context & Background

In this video featuring Dr. Miranda James, the importance of public speaking is highlighted, especially for students who may need to present in front of groups during their time at the university and in future careers. Dr. James addresses common fears surrounding public speaking, such as lack of confidence. She emphasizes that these fears often stem from insufficient practice rather than a lack of ability. By encouraging preparation and effective communication techniques, she provides valuable insights that are crucial for mastering the art of public speaking.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Good afternoon everybody and welcome to..." - A friendly way to greet an audience.
  • "Thank you for being here today..." - Expressing appreciation is a great way to engage your listeners.
  • "I hope what I'm going to tell you will be useful..." - Acknowledging the relevance of your information can capture attention.
  • "Remember to project your voice..." - A reminder about speaking techniques is helpful and promotes clarity.
  • "Practice speaking slowly..." - This phrase encourages mindfulness about delivery speed.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Engaging in shadow speech, where you mimic the speaker in real-time, can significantly enhance your speaking abilities. Here’s a step-by-step guide to effectively use shadowing with this video:

  1. Listen Carefully: Watch the video attentively and identify key phrases and intonation patterns.
  2. Segment the Speech: Break down the talk into smaller segments. Focus on one segment at a time for better retention.
  3. Use a Shadowing App: Consider utilizing a shadowing app to record yourself mimicking Dr. James's delivery. This will assist you in noticing aspects of your pronunciation and intonation.
  4. Practice With Pauses: Pay attention to strategic pauses in Dr. James's speech. Practice incorporating these pauses into your shadowing to sound more natural.
  5. Feedback Loop: After shadowing, listen to your recording. Compare your speech to the original by focusing on voicing, clarity, and rhythm. This allows you to improve your English pronunciation effectively.

By incorporating these techniques into your routine, you can not only learn English with YouTube but also bolster your confidence and fluency in public speaking. Start today with Dr. James’s talk and embrace the challenge of becoming an engaging speaker by mastering the art of shadowing.

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 →