Shadowing Practice: Social mobility and education: DISCUSSION - BBC Newsnight - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
85 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
When you're teaching, how much priority do you find yourself giving to the more gifted disadvantaged students as opposed to the others?
2
Well, it's not really as opposed to the others.
3
It's got to be as well as the others.
4
We can't just single out that one group.
5
And, you know, philosophically and morally as a teacher, every student in the room is gifted.
6
In terms of our higher ability, obviously, we do need to push as much as we can.
7
Do you give them extra lessons?
8
Do they hang about after school?
9
Yes, we do.
10
Do you try and give them...
11
We look to do extra lessons after school.
12
It is an issue for us because of funding and because of staffing.
13
Being able to actually afford that resource is an issue for us.
14
We put on extra classes during registration times, throughout the day as well.
15
At certain times of the year, we might collapse a subject and intensify our maths and English and so on.
16
Of the kind of set who are being represented in this documentary, of the more academically bright students,
17
let's say, from the less advantaged backgrounds, preschool meals, basically, what sort of number do you think should be going to university
18
and what sort of number do you think will go to university?
19
Well, I suppose in a year group of 200,
20
a good 40% on paper should be able to go to university from our school given our intake and their predicted grades.
21
in terms of how many will go to university, it's often a very different picture.
22
Much lower, though.
23
Much lower, much lower, yeah.
24
And there's obviously such a broad range of factors that mean that that is an issue for them.
25
Let me turn to you, Selina, because we have a traditional notion of social mobility.
26
My perception is people think it is a good thing, and social mobility is about basically helping people whose talent might otherwise be wasted and giving them that leg up,
27
making sure they get to exploit their potential.
28
Now is that the right notion of social mobility?
29
Is that the desirable notion of social mobility?
30
No I'd argue
31
that part of the real problem with social mobility is it's been used by successive governments as really an opposition to equality.
32
I mean what's being described here is excellent practice in a non-selective school that seeks to value every child, that says every child matters.
33
But in fact what What we've seen with the kind of political
34
and media discourse around social mobility has been the idea
35
that there are only a few who are talented and somehow we have to get them on.
36
Now, historically, that just doesn't work.
37
The place where it was absolutely enshrined, one of the teachers on the documentary mentions the grammar schools,
38
we saw between 1945 and the 70s an education system which was all about selection at 11, selection of the so-called brightest.
39
Yes, which was taking them out.
40
Taking them out and giving them a particular kind of education.
41
Now what that was predicated on was the idea that children from working class backgrounds are disadvantaged, a word that has been used tonight, that their background doesn't give them anything,
42
that they need to be taken out of that, and that they can be assessed on brightness and prepared for university.
43
The fact is it didn't work and it didn't work
44
because we now know that you cannot test or define brightness at 11
45
or even 16 but also it didn't work because the fact is that education alone cannot lead to social mobility.
46
Are you saying it's not desirable to get those youngsters into university?
47
I mean you're not arguing that are you or are you arguing that?
48
No, I think that everybody who wants to go to a university should be able to go to a university.
49
And if I had my way, I would elect Jeremy Corbyn tomorrow.
50
I would see an end to these pernicious tuition fees.
51
I would properly fund comprehensive education.
52
And I would say, let's all rise up as a society and get rid of this ridiculous inequality.
53
Now, you see, and what do you do?
54
I mean, just suppose Jeremy Corbyn doesn't win an election tomorrow and can't deliver that, where resources are limited in a school like John's.
55
I mean, do you focus on some of the brighter ones and say, let's get you to university or not?
56
I don't think that that is what's being done in John's school.
57
And I think that that's absolutely right.
58
And the reason why it's right is because the fact is that these kids are not lacking aspiration.
59
They are lacking material resources because of government cuts.
60
Is that true, John?
61
Is it aspiration or material resource?
62
There's an element of aspiration, but I think that's a knock-on And of the material resources, I think Selina's absolutely right.
63
Social mobility for our students isn't just about getting a group to university.
64
It's got to be about improving the housing, improving the income of the families, and actually wrapping around the whole child.
65
We're seeing cuts constantly with mental health and wellbeing
66
and all of those other aspects that are so vital to getting these students.
67
When I ask you, what's the main barrier to progress of those children?
68
Is it home?
69
Is it chaotic lives?
70
Is it the teaching resources?
71
Is it the school?
72
What do you see as the critical I think this is the crux of the issue, which is why there isn't a magic bullet to solve this problem.
73
It is everything, you know.
74
They have home lives which are chaotic, which are difficult.
75
I mean, I know through my own children, if I've had a stressful day, I'm not necessarily going to be devoting the time to educate at home in the way that I should.
76
So if your life is constantly chaotic, if, as we see with Shakira on the documentary, there's a disability at home,
77
you know, her mum desperately wants better for her, but is totally at a loss as how to do that.
78
And, Selina, just to very briefly pin you down, basically, you're telling people don't go with the notion of social...
79
The notion of social mobility that's popularly talked about is not the right metric against which to judge success.
80
If we are saying that success means that people can lead lives
81
that they find fulfilling and where they can provide for their family,
82
then we need to expand employment opportunities and stop asking schools to do the work that government should be doing.
83
The education system at the moment isn't obviously doing that fully.
84
Thank you both.
85
Thanks both very much indeed.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B21
67 sentences
The problem of education inequality | CNBC Reports
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B2202
34 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Cities, Housing and Transport
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
132 sentences
How young is too young for criminal responsibility? | A Current Affair
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepHigh School Students
C19
193 sentences
Amartya Sen interview (1999)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B22
136 sentences
The inequality of life why people turn their heads from it.
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C15
24 sentences
English vocabulary in use Advanced Unit 2
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
B217
107 sentences
ENGLISH SPEECH | SHAKIRA: Education Changes the World (English Subtitles)
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B22
38 sentences
It Keeps Happening
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B28
163 sentences
Study Abroad Dreams: Reality vs Mindset | What No One Tells You Before Studying Abroad
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepInterview English
C16
233 sentences
UK universities are being killed by deliberately designed neoliberal government policy.
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B27
242 sentences
Burnham: National Security ‘Can’t Come at Expense of Social Security’ at PMQs
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
This video’s lively discussion about social mobility and education is perfect for shadow speech practice! The natural back-and-forth between speakers—with its mix of questions, opinions, and real-world challenges—mirrors the kind of conversational English you’ll use in IELTS speaking practice or daily life. Shadowing this dialogue helps you master pacing, intonation, and how to express complex ideas clearly. Plus, the topic is relevant and thought-provoking, making it easier to stay engaged as you repeat phrases and build confidence.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Let’s break down key structures to boost your speaking skills:
- “It's got to be as well as the others”: The phrase “as well as” is great for balancing ideas. Use it to show you’re not choosing one option over another—e.g., “I need to study hard as well as take breaks.”
- “What sort of number do you think should be going to university?”: “What sort of” is a friendly way to ask for specifics, softer than “what kind of.” Try it in IELTS speaking practice: “What sort of challenges do you think students face?”
- “That’s predicated on the idea that…”: “Predicated on” means “based on,” and it’s a sophisticated alternative to “depends on.” Impress examiners by saying, “My plan is predicated on finishing my research first.”
Common Pronunciation Traps
Watch out for these tricky words in the video:
- “Pernicious”: Pronounce it “per-NISH-us,” not “per-NEE-shus.” The stress is on the second syllable—practice saying it slowly with a shadowing app.
- “Intensify”: Don’t skip the “s” sound! It’s “in-TEN-si-fy,” not “in-TEN-fy.” Repeat after the speaker to get the rhythm right.
- “Philosophically”: This long word can trip you up. Break it into “phi-lo-SOF-i-cal-ly” and focus on each syllable. Shadowing the dialogue will help you say it smoothly.
Whether you’re using a shadowing app or practicing on your own, this video is a goldmine for improving your English speaking. Dive in, repeat the lines, and watch your fluency grow!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is gifted · being represented · be wasted |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | it's been · we've seen · has been |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | system which was · Yes, which was · issue, which is |
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.