Shadowing Practice: Đừng đánh giá con cá bằng khả năng leo cây của nó - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B2
Albert Einstein once said, everybody's a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree,
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Albert Einstein once said, everybody's a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree,
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it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
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Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, today on trial we have modern day schooling.
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Glad you could come.
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Not only does he make fish climb trees, but also makes them climb down and do a 10 mile run.
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Tell me, school, are you proud of the things you've done?
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Turning millions of people into robots, do you find that fun?
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Do you realize how many kids relate to that fish swimming upstream in class, never finding their gifts, thinking they are stupid, believing they are useless?
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Well, the time has come, no more excuses.
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I call school to the stand and accuse him of killing creativity, individuality, and being intellectually abusive.
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He's an ancient institution that has outlived his usage.
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So, Your Honor, this concludes my opening statement, and if I may present the evidence of my case, I will prove it.
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Proceed.
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Exhibit A.
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Here's a modern-day phone.
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Recognize it?
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Here's a phone from 150 years ago.
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Big difference, right?
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Stay with me.
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Here's a car from today, and here's a car from 150 years ago.
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Big difference, right?
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Well, get this.
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Here's a classroom of today, and here's a class we used 150 years ago.
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Now ain't that a shame?
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In literally more than a century, nothing has changed.
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Yet you claim to prepare students for the future?
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But whatever that's like that, I must ask.
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Do you prepare students for the future or the past?
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I did a background check on you and let the record show
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that you were made to train people to work in factories.
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Which explains why you put students in straight roles, nice and neat.
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Tell them sit still, raise your hand
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if you want to speak Give them a short break to eat
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and for 8 hours a day tell them what to think Oh, and make them compete to get an A A letter which determines product quality Hence, grade A of meat I get it,
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back then times were different We all have a past, I myself am no Gandhi
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But today we don't need to make robot zombies The world has progressed And now we need people who fit creatively,
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innovatively, critically, independently With the ability to connect See, every scientist will tell you that no two brains are the same.
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And every parent with two or more children will confirm that claim.
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So please explain why you treat students like cookie cutter frames or snapback hats, giving them this one size fits all crap.
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Watch your legs.
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Sorry, your honor.
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But if a doctor prescribed the exact same medicine to all of his patients, the results will be tragic.
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So many people would get sick yet.
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When it comes to school, this is exactly what happens.
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This educational malpractice.
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Where one teacher stands in front of 20 kids, each one having different strengths, different needs different gifts different dreams And you teach the same thing the same way that's horrific
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Ladies
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and gentlemen the defendant should not be acquitted This may be
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one of the worst criminal offenses ever to be committed and let's mention the way you treat your employees Objection overruled.
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I want to hear this.
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It's a shame.
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I mean teachers have the most important job on the planet yet they're underpaid?
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No wonder so many students are short-changed.
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Let's be honest, teachers should earn just as much as doctors, because a doctor can do heart surgery and save the life of a kid.
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But a great teacher can reach the heart of that kid and allow him to truly live.
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See, teachers are heroes that often get blamed, but they're not the problem.
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They work in a system without many options or rights.
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Curriculums are created by policy makers, most of which have never taught a day in their life.
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Just obsessed with standardized tests.
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They think bubbling in a multiple choice question will determine success.
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That's outlandish.
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In fact, these tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned.
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But don't take my word for it.
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Take Frederick J.
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Kelly, the man who invented standardized testing, who said, and I quote, These tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned.
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Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if we continue down this road, the results will be lethal.
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I don't have much faith in school, but I do have faith in people.
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And if we can customize healthcare, cars and Facebook pages Then it is our duty to do the same for education To upgrade it,
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change it, do away with school spirit Cause that's useless
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Unless we're working to bring the spirit out of each
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and every student That should be our task No more common core Instead, let's reach the core of every heart in every class Sure,
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math is important, but no more than art
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or dance Let's give every gift an equal chance I know this sounds like a dream, but countries like Finland are doing impressive things.
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They have shorter school days, teachers make a decent wage, homework is non-existent, and they focus on collaboration instead of competition.
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But here's the kicker, boys and girls.
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Their educational system outperforms every other country in the world.
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Other places like Singapore are succeeding rapidly.
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Schools like Montessori, programs like Khan Academy.
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There is no single solution, but let's get moving.
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Because while students may be 20% of our population, they are 100% of our future.
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So let's attend to their dreams, and there's no telling what we can achieve.
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This is a world in which I believe, a world where fish are no longer forced to climb trees.
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I rest my case.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will engage with powerful ideas presented in a thought-provoking video that critiques modern education systems. Through this content, you will practice your English speaking skills by shadowing the speaker's tone, pace, and emotion. By the end of this lesson, you should feel more comfortable articulating your thoughts on education and creativity, which will significantly enhance your english speaking practice and overall communication skills.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Genius - A person with exceptional intellectual or creative power.
- Creativity - The use of imagination or original ideas to create something.
- Intellectually abusive - Causing mental harm or distress through education or criticism.
- Cookie cutter - A term used to describe something that is unoriginal or standardized.
- Educational malpractice - The failure to educate effectively based on the varied needs of students.
- Competitive grading - Assessing students in a way that pits them against each other rather than fostering individual learning.
- Innovatively - In a way that introduces new ideas or methods.
- Shadow speech - A technique where learners mimic a speaker to improve language skills.
Practice Tips
To make the most of this lesson, here are a few practice tips that will help you utilize shadowing techniques effectively:
- Start Slow: Begin by watching the video at a slower speed to familiarize yourself with the speaker's rhythm and vocabulary. This is crucial for improving English pronunciation.
- Listen and Repeat: Focus on shadowing each sentence immediately after you hear it. Mimicking the exact phrasing and intonation will help refine your shadow speech.
- Record Yourself: Use a shadowing app to record your practice sessions. Compare your recordings with the original audio to identify areas for improvement.
- Practice Regularly: Make this shadowing exercise a regular part of your routine. Consistency is key in enhancing your english speaking practice.
- Use Emotion: Emphasize the emotional undertones of the video while you practice. This will not only improve your pronunciation but also help you connect with the content at a deeper level.
By following these tips, you will be well on your way to mastering the art of shadowing, enhancing your English speaking capabilities, and enriching your learning experience.
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.
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