Shadowing Practice: Train Your Brain To Get Smarter | Dina Halaseh | TEDxAmman - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

C1
Reza Zahra Reviewer
⏸ Paused
66 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Reza Zahra Reviewer
2
Reza Zahra Reviewer Reza Zahra
3
Reviewer Reza Zahra Reviewer Reviewer Every time I say I'm a brain trainer,
4
everyone looks at me and says, what's that?
5
I say I train memory, focus, attention, and other mental skills.
6
I make people smarter.
7
But the funny thing is, I'm standing right here looking at all of you, and I can't remember my speech.
8
Okay, so before we start, let's just go back to our school days.
9
Can you remember when you were in a classroom with a teacher having a list of facts just written on the board and you have to remember every single word.
10
You were tested for facts.
11
If you remember them, then you're smart.
12
Everything is OK.
13
And if you don't, well, that's unfortunate.
14
We live in the world of AI.
15
Our small devices in our pockets can get any information in a matter of seconds.
16
But we were never taught how to use that information, how to be creative with it, how to analyze it, how to remember it, and how to focus.
17
So today, I'm going to tell you three facts about your brain.
18
Fact number one, are you guys ready?
19
You can, yeah?
20
Okay.
21
You can actually train your brain, alright?
22
So in order to explain that, we're gonna try it first hand.
23
Let's assume we're going to the store and we have to buy a list of things and you have one minute to remember that list.
24
What do you think?
25
Is that easy?
26
Can you do it?
27
Okay, let's try it my way.
28
Alright, so the first word is milk.
29
Let's imagine us, we're just pouring milk into a cup.
30
The milk splashes.
31
One of those splashes turns into an egg.
32
Alright, the egg breaks on a bread.
33
all right cheese that feels sticky the bread feels sticky and sticky and we have to go wash it off
34
in a river of cheese all right then apples can you imagine like those apple slices turning into
35
a boat there's a chicken riding the boat okay and the chicken is just so excited
36
throwing confetti of rice everywhere rice everywhere the rice hits the tomato and the tomato explodes into
37
the cup of coffee there's coffee all over the table we need to wash that soap oh it's juice
38
we just give up and let's just have some ice cream all right now I want you to try
39
it let's try it my way what was the first word mail it all right what did what happened the splashes eggs then bread
40
exactly river of cheese, apple, all right what was riding the apple?
41
chicken, rice everywhere, tomatoes, explosion of coffee,
42
we have to clean it with soap, oh oh, juice and finally let's just have a break with ice cream.
43
What do you guys think?
44
yeah yeah that was easier right that's how you train your brain this takes me to point number two if you can
45
train your brain then you can become smarter I'm just gonna share a story of one of my students this was like 13
46
years ago his name was Sammy he was only nine and he had so many learning difficulties he couldn't read write focus and do math when he first came to me the first word he said was,
47
I'm stupid, I can't do this.
48
Can you imagine how heartbreaking that is?
49
Can you imagine a mom or a dad seeing their kids say that?
50
Sorry.
51
Can you imagine seeing your kids say that they're stupid and there's nothing that you can do to fix that?
52
Think that's just horrible.
53
It's heartbreaking.
54
That kid we trained every day and towards the end that I'm stupid turned into I'm a genius.
55
A kid that was nine, turned into a genius.
56
He now finished off his school, and he's actually finishing his engineering certificate now.
57
Yeah.
58
And that takes me to point number three.
59
You need to make sure that you treat your brain like a muscle.
60
Make sure you spend every day just a little bit of time to put your brain as a priority.
61
Give your brain the time of day to train your focus, your memory, your logic, your speed, just like you would do any other muscle.
62
So try something hard, practice it till it becomes easy, and then try something harder.
63
And keep doing that.
64
With time, I promise you, your brain will thank you for it.
65
Thank you.
66
Thank you.

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

Context & Background

In the TEDx talk by Dina Halaseh titled "Train Your Brain To Get Smarter," the speaker explores the fascinating capabilities of our brains and emphasizes the importance of training our mental skills. She introduces innovative techniques for memory enhancement, attention improvement, and creative thinking, departing from traditional methods of rote memorization that many experienced in school. The lecture invites audiences to rethink their learning strategies in an age dominated by technology and instant access to information. Halaseh illustrates her points with interactive examples, making it easier for learners to grasp complex concepts while engaging their imaginations.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “You can actually train your brain.” - This phrase encourages the idea of cognitive development and persistence.
  • “How to remember it, and how to focus.” - This emphasizes the necessity of attention and memorization in effective learning.
  • “Can you imagine…?” - A great way to prompt creative thinking and engagement in conversations.
  • “Let’s try it my way.” - Useful for introducing new methods or suggestions in group settings or discussions.
  • “Can you do it?” - This phrase invites listeners to participate actively in the conversation or task.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively integrate the teachings from Dina Halaseh's talk into your English practice, follow this step-by-step guide to enhance your skills using the shadowing technique:

  1. Select Key Segments: Begin by identifying key segments of the talk that resonate with you or contain important phrases. You can choose sections that feature the top phrases for daily communication.
  2. Watch and Listen: Play the video while paying close attention to Halaseh’s pronunciation, tone, and pacing. This can be done through learn English with YouTube resources or directly on TED's platform.
  3. Shadow the Speech: Pause the video and repeat what Dina says immediately after her. This helps to practice fluency and reinforces memory retention.
  4. Use Your Imagination: Engage with the method demonstrated in the talk by incorporating visual imagery into your learning. Imagine the scenarios Halaseh describes as you shadow her speech to make the experience more memorable.
  5. Practice Consistently: Regularly set aside time for english speaking practice using the shadow speech method. This consistency is crucial for improvement and builds confidence over time.

By utilizing these strategies in conjunction with Halaseh's insights on brain training, you can enhance your English language skills effectively and creatively. Embrace the process of learning and remember that, like any skill, mastering a language requires practice and dedication.

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee