Shadowing Practice: The Elves and the Shoemaker | Ladybird readers | level 3 |Educational video - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Read it yourself with Lady Bird.
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Level 3 The Elves and the Shoemaker Illustrated by Virginia Allen
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Once upon a time, there was a shoemaker and his wife.
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He cut the leather and left it in the shop and went to bed.
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But the next morning it became a pair of shoes to his surprise.
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His wife didn't make them, neither did he.
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Then who did it?
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We must find out who is making these shoes for us.
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The next night he cut the leather and they hid in the shop.
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Two little elves dressed in rags came into the shop.
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When the shoes were made, they picked up their bags and ran out of the shop.
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The elves have helped us, but how can we?
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I know what we can do.
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They made two pairs of little green shoes, some little clothes and hats.
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At midnight, the door opened, and the elves came in.
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When they saw the little shoes, the little clothes and hats, they put them on at once.
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The little elves went on helping them to make beautiful shoes.
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That's the story of how they lived happily ever after.
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Once upon a time, there was a poor shoemaker and his wife.
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This is all the leather I have left, said the poor shoemaker.
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I can make just one pair of shoes.
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That night, the shoemaker cut the leather.
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I'll make these shoes in the morning, He said.
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He left the leather in the shop and went to bed.
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The next morning, the shoemaker came downstairs.
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To his surprise, the leather had been made into a pair of beautiful shoes.
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The shoemaker called his wife.
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Did you make these shoes?
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No, said his wife.
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I didn't make those shoes.
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Meow.
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Just then, a rich lady came into the shop.
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She picked up the shoes.
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These are the most beautiful shoes I have ever seen, she said.
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She said, she gave the shoemaker three gold coins.
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With the money, the shoemaker bought some more leather.
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That night, the shoemaker cut out two pairs of shoes.
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He left the leather on the table and went to bed.
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In the morning, there were two pairs of shoes on the table.
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The shoemaker called his wife.
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Did you make these shoes?
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No, said his wife.
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I didn't make those shoes.
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That very morning, a rich man came into the shop.
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What beautiful shoes, said the man.
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I must have them.
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I will pay you six gold coins.
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The shoemaker bought some more leather.
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Now I can make three pairs of shoes, he said.
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He worked late into the night, cutting the leather.
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Then he went to bed.
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The next morning, the shoemaker came downstairs.
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On the table were three pairs of beautiful shoes.
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The shoemaker called his wife.
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We must find out who is making these beautiful shoes for us.
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Said the shoemaker.
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The next night, the shoemaker worked very hard.
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He cut the leather for four pairs of shoes.
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But this time, the shoemaker and his wife hid in the shop.
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At midnight, the door of the shop opened,
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and in came two little elves dressed in rags.
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They jumped up onto the table and opened their little green bags.
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The elves stitched and sewed and hammered all night.
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By morning, they had made four pairs of shoes.
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Then they picked up their bags and ran out of the shop.
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The shoemaker said to his wife, The elves have helped us,
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but how can we help them?
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I know what we can do, said his wife.
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The shoemaker and his wife worked very hard.
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They made two pairs of little green shoes,
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some little green clothes, and two little green hats.
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That night, they left the little green shoes, hats, and clothes in the shop.
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Then, they hid again.
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At midnight, the door of the shop opened, and the elves came in.
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When they saw the little green shoes,
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the little green clothes, and the little green hats, they were very surprised.
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They put them on at once.
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The little elves went on helping the shoemaker and his wife to make beautiful shoes.
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And the shoemaker and his wife made more clothes for the little elves.
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And the shoemaker and his wife and the two little elves all lived happily ever after.

Context & Background

"The Elves and the Shoemaker" is a delightful and educational tale that highlights the transformative power of kindness and collaboration. The story centers around a poor shoemaker and his wife who discover that their hard work is magically aided by two elves during the night. This engaging narrative not only entertains but also provides ripe opportunities for English learners to practice their listening and speaking skills. By watching this video, learners can immerse themselves in the English language and practice through the shadowing technique, where they imitate native speakers to improve fluency and pronunciation.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “Did you make these shoes?” - A question that can be adapted for various contexts in daily conversations.
  • “To his surprise,” - A useful phrase to express unexpected outcomes.
  • “What beautiful shoes!” - A way to offer compliments.
  • “I can make just one pair of shoes.” - A simple sentence structure that can be used to discuss capabilities or limitations.
  • “They lived happily ever after.” - A phrase that describes contentment and satisfaction in life.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadowing technique with "The Elves and the Shoemaker," follow these steps:

  1. Watch the Video: First, watch the entire video without interruption. This will help you understand the plot and character voices.
  2. Listen and Repeat: Play small sections of the video, pause, and repeat after the speaker. Focus on mimicking their intonation and pronunciation. Use a shadowing app if it helps you follow along with transcription features.
  3. Emphasize Key Phrases: As you repeat, pay special attention to the top phrases listed above. Integrating them into your practice will enrich your vocabulary and improve your conversational skills.
  4. Record Yourself: Use your phone to record your shadow speech. Listening to your own voice will help you identify areas of improvement.
  5. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key in language learning. Make it a daily habit to spend at least 10-15 minutes on english speaking practice using videos like this one, focusing on shadowing and speaking until you feel comfortable.

By incorporating these techniques into your learning routine, you will significantly enhance your English speaking abilities, making each storytelling experience both educational and enjoyable. Let each session be an opportunity to learn English with YouTube while immersing yourself in captivating stories.

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.