Shadowing Practice: TOEFL Listening Practice | Lecture | Learning a Foreign Language - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Learning a foreign language is no easy task.
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Researchers into the field of language acquisition have been trying to establish the most efficient ways in
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which learners can retain new words.
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Kathy Wright reports.
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Language learning is all about exposure.
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For example, the more you see, hear, and use a word, the easier it will be to remember it.
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A certain amount of vocabulary acquisition occurs through what is known as incidental learning.
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whereby you pick up words without paying any special attention to them.
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But in order to achieve native speaker fluency, learners must adopt a variety of techniques.
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Professor Chris Johnson has been investigating what we call vocabulary acquisition strategies
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that student learners can use as they make a conscious effort to acquire words and expressions that don't come so easily.
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We tend to classify such acquisition strategies on a scale ranging from shallow to deep.
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Shallow strategies, such as repetition of a word or memorizing a list of words, activate short -term memory.
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Though these methods are quick and easy, the words are forgotten again within a matter of days or weeks.
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Fixing a word or expression in long -term memory requires deeper strategies.
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As you pointed out, Kathy, repetitive exposure is essential, so a number of different strategies should be employed.
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These include reading a variety of articles on the same topic, where key vocabulary appears frequently.
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In addition, using dictionaries to get a stronger sense of how a word is used and in what context, coupled with practice of these words,
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leads to long -term retention.
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Also, familiarizing yourself with word families or other words that combine with the one you're learning helps.
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Some students keep notebooks to help them organize this kind of information.
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More importantly, recent research indicates that fluent speakers have a large amount of prefabricated language at their disposal.
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In other words, the ability to speak fluently is based on the knowledge of collocations and memorized chunks of language.
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These language chunks include a wide variety of phrases and expressions, such as, As far as I know,
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my point is that, Have a nice day!
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This challenges the traditional view of learning discrete words so students should develop deep strategies particularly for learning language chunks.
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But how can learners be sure they are activating long -term memory?
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Well there is a theory called decay theory which contends
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that unless we retrieve and utilize information stored in our memories on a fairly regular basis it will be forgotten.
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New words or phrases need to be encountered in a variety of forms.
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If you read a phrase, try and use it when speaking or in writing and review it at regular spaced intervals.
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After a few hours, the following day, a few days later, and so on.
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Long -term memory has a much greater capacity for storing information, including language items, than short -term memory.
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Furthermore, research has shown that
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But to make the most efficient use of all this storage space, students should focus on learning chunks of language,
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because a chunk is stored in the brain as one item, though it may be made up of five or six discrete words.
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Strategies like these demand effort on the part of the learner, but according to the language experts,
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they do pay off and are crucial for anyone wishing to become truly fluent in a foreign language.
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Number 1.
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What are vocabulary acquisition strategies?
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Number 2.
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What is an example of a deep learning strategy?
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Number 3.
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What is a key finding of recent research?
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Number four.
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What does decay theory suggest?
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Number five.
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What does research into long -term memory indicate?
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Professor Chris Johnson has been investigating in what we call vocabulary acquisition strategies
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that student learners can use as they make a conscious effort to acquire words and expressions that don't come so easily.
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Fixing a word or expression in long -term memory requires deeper strategies.
52
In addition, using dictionaries to get a stronger sense of how a word is used and in what context, coupled with practice of these words,
53
leads to long -term retention.
54
In other words, the ability to speak fluently is based on the knowledge of collocations and memorized chunks of language.
55
These language chunks include a wide variety of phrases and expressions, such as, as far as I know,
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my point is that, have a nice day.
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This challenges the traditional view of learning discrete words, so students should develop deep strategies,
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particularly for learning language chunks.
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Well, there is a theory called decay theory,
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which contends that unless we retrieve and utilize information stored in our memories on a fairly regular basis, it will be forgotten.
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Furthermore, research has shown that to make the most efficient use of all this storage space, students should focus on learning chunks of language,
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because a chunk is stored in the brain as one item, though it may be made up of five or six discrete words.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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I love you.
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We'll be right back.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “TOEFL Listening Practice”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: word, language, strategies, learning, chunk. This video has 69 sentences and 843 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:13. The speaker talks slowly, about 75 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 79% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| chunk noun | /t͡ʃʌŋk/ | A part of something that has been separated; a generally squat, thick, irregular piece of something, e.g. wood or stone. |
| acquisition noun | /ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/ | The act or process of acquiring. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| efficient adjective | /ɪˈfɪʃənt/ | Making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time or energy. |
| decay noun | /diˈkeɪ/ | Rot; any processes or result of organic matter being gradually decomposed, especially by microbial action. |
| exposure noun | /ɪkˈspəʊ.ʒə(ɹ)/ | The condition of being exposed, uncovered, or unprotected. |
| indicate verb | /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/ | To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known. |
| investigate verb | /ɪnˈvɛs.tə.ɡeɪt/ | To inquire into or study in order to ascertain facts or information. |
| furthermore adverb | /ˈfɜː(ɹ).ðə(ɹ)ˌmɔː(ɹ)/ | In addition; besides; further; what's more (i.e. to denote additional information). |
| conscious adjective | /ˈkɑn.ʃəs/ | Alert, awake; with one's mental faculties active. |
| acquire verb | /əˈkwaɪɚ/ | To get. |
| fixing noun | /ˈfɪksɪŋ/ | The act of subverting (fixing) a vote. |
| shallow adjective | /ˈʃæloʊ/ | Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide. |
| dictionary noun | /ˈdɪk.ʃəˌnɛ.ɹi/ | A reference work listing words or names from one or more languages, usually ordered alphabetically, explaining each word's meanings or senses, oftentimes also… |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pay off verb | To bribe, especially to deter oversight. |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
| point out verb | To identify among a group of similar subjects, or in a scene where the subject might not be readily seen or noticed, with a gesture of the body. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | have been trying · has been investigating |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is known · are forgotten · should be employed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has shown |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, we'll, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: acquisition /ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/, efficient /ɪˈfɪʃənt/, exposure /ɪkˈspəʊ.ʒə(ɹ)/, conscious /ˈkɑn.ʃəs/, shallow /ˈʃæloʊ/
- Long words — get the stress right: acquisition /ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, investigate /ɪnˈvɛs.tə.ɡeɪt/, dictionary /ˈdɪk.ʃəˌnɛ.ɹi/, importantly /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like chunk, acquisition, vocabulary.
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.