Shadowing Practice: Shadowing English with Barack Obama | Motivational Speech | Shadowing Exercises - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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The truth is, being successful is hard.
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You won't love every subject that you study.
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You won't click with every teacher that you have.
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Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute.
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And you won't necessarily succeed You've repeated everything the first time you try.
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That's okay.
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Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures.
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J.K.
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Rawlings, who wrote Harry Potter, her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published.
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Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
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lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career.
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But he once said, I have failed over and over and over again in my life, and that's why I succeed.
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These people succeeded because they understood that you can't let your failures define you, you have to let your failures teach you.
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You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time.
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Truth is, being successful is heart.
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Truth is, being successful is heart.
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Truth is, being successful is heart.
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You won't love every subject that you study.
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You won't love every subject that you study.
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You won't love every subject that you study.
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You won't click with every teacher that you have that you have.
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You won't click with every teacher that you have.
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You won't click with every teacher that you have.
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Not every
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homework assignment will
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seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute.
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will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute.
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Will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute.
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And you won't necessarily succeed at everything.
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And you won't necessarily succeed at everything And you won't necessarily succeed at everything
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the first time you try.
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That's okay.
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The first time you try.
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That's okay.
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The first time you try.
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That's okay.
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Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures.
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Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures the most failures.
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Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures.
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J.K.
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Rawlings, who wrote Harry Potter.
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J.K.
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Rawlings, who wrote Harry Potter wrote Harry Potter.
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J.K.
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Rawlings, who wrote Harry Potter.
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Her first Harry Potter book was rejected.
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Her first Harry Potter book was rejected.
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Her first Harry Potter book was rejected.
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Twelve times before it was finally published.
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Twelve times before it was finally published.
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Twelve times before it was finally published.
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Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
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Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
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Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
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He lost hundreds of games and misses.
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He lost hundreds of games and misses.
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He lost hundreds of games and misses.
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He lost hundreds of games and misses.
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Thousands of shots during his career.
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But he once said...
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Thousands of shots during his career.
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But he once said...
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of shots during his career.
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But he once said, I have failed over and over and over again in my life.
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I have I have failed over and over and over again in my life.
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I have failed over and over and over again in my life.
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And that's why I succeed.
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And that's why I succeed.
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And that's why I succeed.
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These people succeeded because they understood that these people succeeded because they understood that
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these people succeeded because they understood that who do not interfere with their safety or are you as their student.
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You can't let your failures define you You can't let your failures define you You can't let your failures define you
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You can't let your failures define you You have to let your failures teach you
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You have to let your failures teach you You have to let your failures teach you.
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You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time.
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You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time.
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You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will engage in practice using the shadowing technique inspired by a motivational speech by Barack Obama. This method involves listening to his words and simultaneously repeating them to improve your English pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. You will focus on understanding the themes of perseverance and success, essential topics for IELTS speaking practice. By the end of this session, you will have enhanced your ability to articulate thoughts clearly in English, cultivating a growth mindset that values learning from failures.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Success - Achieving desired goals or outcomes.
  • Failure - Lack of success in achieving a goal.
  • Relevant - Closely connected or appropriate to what is being done.
  • Motivation - The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.
  • Understand - To grasp the meaning, significance, or nature of something.
  • Learn from mistakes - Gaining insight and knowledge from one's errors.
  • Persistence - The firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
  • Perseverance - Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Practice Tips

To effectively utilize the shadowing app or any audio source, follow these tips tailored to the pace and tone of Barack Obama's speech:

  • Listen Actively: Before you begin shadowing, listen to the speech once entirely to grasp the overall message and emotions conveyed.
  • Break It Down: Divide the speech into shorter segments. Focus on one section at a time, repeating it until you feel confident in mimicking the pronunciation and rhythm.
  • Pay Attention to Tone: Notice the changes in tone and emphasis. Obama uses variation to highlight important points. Practice this to enhance your english speaking practice.
  • Record Yourself: Use your device to record your shadow speech. Listening back allows you to identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time.
  • Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Make shadowing a daily habit, dedicating time specifically for IELT speaking practice or communication skills.

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.