Shadowing Practice: 'Remember to Dream, Ebere' read by Cynthia Erivo - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Welcome to Storyline Online brought  to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
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I'm Cynthia Erivo, and today I'm going to  read "Remember to Dream, Ebere" written by me and illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow.
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When it was time to go to sleep, Ebere’s mother always kissed her on the cheek and said, “Remember to dream, my love.” And when it was time to go to sleep… ...Ebere usually had a hard time staying asleep.
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She often crept out of bed and went looking for her mother.
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“Mommy,” she said one night, “I had the most amazing dream. I dreamed of a rocket ship!” “Oh my. How big was this rocket ship?” “I don’t know,” said Ebere.
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“You’d better go back and dream some more.” And she did.
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“Mommy, the rocket ship is as big  as two houses!” Ebere exclaimed.
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“That’s wonderful. And what  color is the rocket ship?” “I don’t know,” said Ebere. “Go back and dream, my love.” And she did.
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“Mommy, the rocket ship! It’s as big as two houses- and as red as a fire engine.” “That sounds wonderful. Does the rocket ship have a name?” “I don’t know,” said Ebere.
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“Go back and dream some more, my love… ...and dream it in the biggest letters ever.” And she did.
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“The rocket ship is as big as two houses and as red as a fire engine- and it’s called The Light Chaser.” “That is a beautiful name, my love.
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It would be a shame for such a beautifully named rocket ship to have no captain.
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Who is the captain of the ship?” “I don’t know, Mommy. I’d better go dream some more.” “Great idea.” “Mommy, I dreamed again, and guess what?
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I am the captain of the ship! I can go anywhere in the universe.” “My love, you are the captain of all your dreams.
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And I want you to have as many dreams as you can- “Just remember to always dream them as big as two houses, as bright as bright as fire-engine red, and as bold as the name The Light Chaser.” "Remember to Dream, Ebere " is a gift  from me, a self-professed dreamer, to you.
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You, whose imagination deserves to fly and  soar. You, who should be taught to dream dreams bigger than you can contain. This little  book is to celebrate you. I wrote it for you, so that when someone tells you to think a little  smaller, tells you to be quiet, to be less bold, to fit in, you come back here to this little  book and my words, and remember to dream big, big gargantuan dreams in the brightest colors.
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Because without you and your big dreams this world  would cry. We need you because you are special.
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With love, from me.
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Thank you for watching Storyline Online.  Make sure to check out all of our stories.
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Keep watching and keep reading.
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Speaking Goals for This Clip: Building Fluency Through Narrative Flow

This video is perfect for learners aiming to improve conversational storytelling—a key fluency milestone. The dialogue between Ebere and her mother follows a natural, repetitive structure, helping you practice how to extend a story with details (size, color, purpose) while maintaining a smooth, conversational rhythm. It also trains you to respond to questions in context, a critical skill for real-world interactions. Whether you’re using a shadowing app or practicing alone, this clip’s gentle pace and clear phrasing make it ideal for building confidence in expressing ideas step-by-step.

Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Daily Conversations

  • “I had the most amazing dream.” – A vivid way to share excitement about a thought or experience.
  • “You’d better go back and [verb] some more.” – A kind suggestion to continue an action, useful in giving advice.
  • “It’s as [adjective] as [noun].” – A powerful comparison structure to describe size, color, or quality (e.g., “as red as a fire engine”).
  • “Guess what?” – A playful way to introduce surprising news, great for engaging listeners.
  • “I want you to have as many [noun] as you can.” – A warm expression of encouragement, perfect for supporting others.

Fix Your Weak Spots: Mastering Rhythm and Intonation in Questions

The video shines a light on question intonation—a common challenge for learners. Notice how Ebere’s mother raises her voice at the end of questions like, “How big was this rocket ship?” and “Does the rocket ship have a name?” This upward inflection signals curiosity and keeps the conversation flowing. To practice, try shadowing (or “shadowspeak”) the mother’s lines, focusing on matching her tone. A shadowing app can help you compare your rhythm to the original, ensuring you don’t rush the questions. Additionally, the repetitive phrases (“and dream it in the biggest letters ever”) train you to stress key words for emphasis, making your speech more engaging. By mimicking these patterns, you’ll learn to sound more natural and confident in both questions and statements.

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 →