Shadowing Practice: Want to THINK in English?…Here’s How - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Today we're going to work on your skill of thinking in English while training your vocabulary.
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Thinking in English.
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Why?
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Because if you don't have to translate in your head anymore, you'll be able to join into the conversation faster and speak more naturally.
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And today we're going to train with visual flashcards.
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The strategy we're going to use today is naming objects in English, and we're going to use our visual flashcards.
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We're going to take a picture, and you'll be prompted to name different things within that picture.
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You won't see the word written, you won't hear it in your own language, you'll just have the picture, and your mind will recall the word in English.
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I'm Rachel, I have a background in opera singing, and I've been teaching the American accent to non -native speakers for over 20 years.
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I want to make sure you know about Rachel's English Academy.
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Rachel's English Academy is absolutely hands down the best place to improve your American accent and English speaking skills.
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Over 50 ,000 students from all over the world, in every profession you can think of, and of nearly every native language out there,
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English and enjoyed the life that opened up for them.
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If you're curious about becoming one of my students, scan this QR code or visit rachelsenglishacademy .com.
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I'm accepting new students right now and I would love to have you as a student.
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Ask your mind to get into English mode and to let go of your native language.
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A lot of these will be words that you know, so you can see it, Think it.
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See it, think it.
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Build that connection to thinking in English.
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What was that like for you?
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Was it easy?
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If so, that's great.
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That means you're already well on your way to having the habit of thinking in English.
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I'm gonna see if I can stump you with some vocabulary later in this video.
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If that was hard for you, don't worry.
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Wherever you are, your starting point is okay, and the training starts now.
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Doing this, doing the training, is how you will get better.
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Let's review the words now.
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I'll say it out loud in case you don't know the word.
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speaker saying it.
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See the object, hear the word, repeat the word in your head, think it.
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River.
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bridge, horizon, bank, - Pylon.
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Bend.
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When a river turns, We call that a bend.
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A bend in the river.
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Shadow.
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Okay, so this is how it's going to go.
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We're going to train your mind to think in English.
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Let's go to the next picture.
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Music Were there any words there you didn't know?
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Don't worry, in the second half of this video, we're going to go over all the words.
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But for now, we're just going to go through a bunch of scenes in a row with objects for you to name.
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Some will be pretty easy, and some words might be harder, a little bit less common.
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Don't get frustrated if you can't do all of these, that is your starting point, and by investing the time here now, You're taking your first step to improving.
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All right, let's do it you How are you doing?
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I'm checking in on you.
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Are you doing okay?
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We're halfway through.
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Let's keep it up.
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Thank you. do I'm
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going to go to the next video.
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Thank you.
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I'm going to go to the next video.
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Oh Are you still thinking in English?
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Great!
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Okay, let's review.
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There might have been some words in there that you don't know you Glasses.
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Tablet or iPad.
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Dirt, or maybe you said earth.
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hole or rip pointer finger.
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leaf, leaves.
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For the plural, we change the F to a V and add ES.
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leaves.
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Fork.
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Knife.
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T -shirt.
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- Table, watch, water or glass.
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Juice.
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Man, or maybe you said dad.
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"Boy," or maybe you said "son." couch window,
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end table, or you could have said side table.
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Placemat.
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Camera.
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Notice for this word, it looks like it's pronounced cam -er -uh, but forget that e in the middle.
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It's just two syllables Camera.
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Ring.
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"bracelet." Hat.
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brim, lens, thumb.
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Ear Sky.
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Viewfinder.
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Laptop.
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Lettuce.
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Hat.
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Farmer, or maybe you said gardener.
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Okay.
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Apron.
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Thank you.
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Greenhouse.
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Thumbs up.
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Plaid shirt.
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window box - Succulents.
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Or maybe you just said plant.
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Window, or maybe you said screen.
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Thank you.
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bricks, mortar, Balcony, or maybe you said railing.
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roof.
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Or maybe you said, tile The front face of a building is called the facade.
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Or maybe you said, Wall.
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"cap." or baseball hat.
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Collar Dog.
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Tag.
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Tail.
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paw snout Road.
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Mountain "building," or maybe you said, "tower." Skateboard.
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Blake.
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Reflection Backpack.
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woman Hood.
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Jacket.
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Fence.
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Trees, or maybe you said forest.
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Mountains Snow.
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Sapling.
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A sapling is a young tree.
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strap.
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Chairs.
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Refrigerator or fridge.
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Oven.
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Hood.
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Kitchen.
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Wall.
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Thank you.
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Flooring.
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- Planter.
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Table.
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Light, or maybe you said pendant.
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window, freezer, salt Salt cellar.
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Eggs.
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Bread, or maybe you said toast.
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Thank you pancakes.
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Multiple pancakes like this together are often referred to as a stack.
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bacon, Coffee.
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Butter.
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When you have a square of butter like this, it's called a pat.
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a pat of butter.
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pitcher or creamer.
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Juice.
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Yolk.
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Whites or egg whites.
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Plate.
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Handle.
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Okay, did you learn some new words?
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Were you able to keep your mind going in English?
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If this was easy for you, great!
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That means you're well on your way to having the habit of thinking in English, you're comfortable with it, and maybe your English vocabulary is quite large.
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If this was hard for you, don't worry, you can build the skill by doing it.
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Walk into a room, look at the objects, name them in English.
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If you don't know them, look them up, learn the definition,
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and then remember saw where you were looking when you first saw that word to help you remember it.
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If you don't already know, I run an online school called Rachel's English Academy.
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We focus on accent reduction and listening comprehension and just basically boosting your confidence in speaking English and joining conversation.
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Check it out at rachelsenglishacademy .com if you haven't already.
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I'd love to have you there.
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Please subscribe with notifications video you should watch is this one which YouTube has handpicked just for you.
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They went through all my videos, they picked the one they thought you would like the most, so please click it now to keep watching, to keep learning.
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That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.
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Context & Background
In a recent video titled "Want to THINK in English?…Here’s How," expert English teacher Rachel shares valuable insights on the importance of thinking in English rather than translating from your native language. With over 20 years of experience, Rachel focuses on helping learners develop their vocabulary and enhance their speaking skills through practical exercises, such as using visual flashcards. This method encourages learners to connect images to English words directly, fostering a more natural way of speaking. By eliminating translation in one's head, learners can engage in conversations more fluently and confidently.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “See it, think it.” - This phrase emphasizes the connection between visual stimuli and verbal expression in English.
- “Your starting point is okay.” - A reassuring reminder that everyone has a different level of familiarity with English, and it's perfectly fine to begin wherever you are.
- “Let go of your native language.” - This phrase encourages learners to immerse themselves in English without relying on their first language.
- “Think in English mode.” - A call to shift mental gears, reinforcing the importance of practicing English as a stand-alone language.
- “Investing time here now.” - A motivational statement promoting the commitment needed to see progress in English speaking practice.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To tackle the difficulty of thinking in English as showcased in Rachel’s video, consider implementing the following steps, integrating techniques that boost your proficiency in shadow speech:
- Visualize with Flashcards: Use flashcards with images instead of words. Look at an object and verbally name it in English, helping reinforce vocabulary without translation.
- Engage in Self-talk: Practice shadowing by repeating phrases aloud after watching the video. Aim to imitate the speed and intonation of the speaker, focusing on improving your pronunciation.
- Gradual Increase in Challenge: Start with easier vocabulary and progressively move to more complex terms. This method allows gradual adjustment to tougher challenges.
- Reflection: After each practice session, take a moment to evaluate your comfort level with the words you struggled with. This will help reinforce your learning.
- Regular Practice: Utilize a shadowing app or record your voice. Consistently practicing speaking skills will significantly enhance your capability to think in English.
By diligently applying these steps and engaging with the content, you'll accelerate your journey towards mastering the art of thinking and speaking in English effortlessly.
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 | be prompted · is called · are often referred |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might be · might have |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | we're going to train · we're going to use · We're going to take |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll be · won't see · will be |
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.