Shadowing Practice: What Kind of Student Are YOU? - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Hey guys, I wrote a book.
2
Isn't that crazy?
3
This book is for you if you are an ESL teacher or if you're a person,
4
yeah, you'd still like to read this book because it's funny.
5
So, my book's called The Magic of Teaching English and I'm going to share with you something from the book.
6
This book is advice for English as a second language teachers,
7
but students and learners of English, I guarantee it's funny.
8
You're going to have a laugh, and it's not exclusively for teachers.
9
Anyone can read it.
10
And this lesson is both for students and teachers.
11
So, let's get started, shall we?
12
In your classroom, you have many students, or a couple.
13
And everyone has a different personality.
14
And the challenge, as a student and as a teacher,
15
is being able to get all of these crazy personalities or boring people to learn,
16
not kill each other, and generally just have a good time.
17
There's been times in my classes where I want to kill people, but I can't because that's illegal, so you have to adapt.
18
You have to identify, recognize, and work with who you have.
19
This is a fun little exercise.
20
Student, I want you to identify which kind of student you are, and teachers, I want you to think about your classroom.
21
Which ones of these do you have in your classroom, and how can you deal with them?
22
What can you do to make your classroom more dynamic, more amicable, and just a better environment for you and the students?
23
So, the first one is the leader of the pack.
24
Vroom, vroom.
25
It's a motorcycle.
26
So, the leader of the pack, obviously, is going to be a natural leader.
27
This can be amazing.
28
So, when you have to organize things, hey, guess what?
29
They'll do it for you.
30
You'd be like, everyone, oh, you're, you, you go ahead, Josh, you work at me.
31
Okay, good.
32
So you can step back and you can let the natural leader lead.
33
I love doing this.
34
I'm not really good at, I don't know, tasks and organization as a, as a human.
35
So if someone else wants to do that for me, go ahead.
36
If you've got to organize something, if you need people to do something, get the natural leader to help you out.
37
They're a godsend.
38
But at the same time, oh, some of them are very egotistical because they think,
39
or you think you're the leader, you're the best.
40
A lot of the time that interferes with your learning.
41
So you think that you're right.
42
You think everything's great.
43
And then you realize that this kid who's leading the students pretty wrong.
44
Kind of like, no, stop.
45
This is where you use your teacher power and you intervene
46
and you take power and take control of the classroom without hurting anyone's feelings.
47
That's a challenge these days, isn't it?
48
Watch out for the egos in these guys and make sure
49
that what they're doing is correct and everything's really cool
50
because you can run into some problems if you just let chaos run the classroom.
51
Next one, class entertainer.
52
These guys are my favorite.
53
You're going to get some kids in your class or adults who are hilarious.
54
They're making jokes, they're bringing in stuff.
55
They just bring a magical vibe to your classroom.
56
Whoa, so fun,
57
amazing, but when it actually comes time for you to teach them something or for them to like Settle down and learn.
58
They can't.
59
You've got ants in your pants.
60
You're like, whoa, you're antsy.
61
A lot of people love to throw around the term ADHD, attention deficit disorder.
62
I'm not going to tell you my opinion on that, but I will tell you that, hey, this person who's the life of the party,
63
again, they have to be reined in.
64
Like you're like, dude, you're funny, but right now it's time for you to sit your arse down and learn some things.
65
You have to take control.
66
People in the classroom can have control, but you've got to be able to take it back.
67
And that's the hard part.
68
Class entertainer, you're my favorite.
69
Oh, but maybe you're my favorite.
70
Oh, everyone's my favorite.
71
So identify and make sure you know how to control people.
72
Keeners.
73
Yeah.
74
Some people call Keeners nerds or geeks.
75
These people really, really want to learn.
76
What a blessing.
77
They come into your class.
78
They do your homework.
79
Everything's perfect.
80
You're like, whoa, you are an angel student.
81
But sometimes when, you know, like the class
82
entertainer
83
or the leader of the pack kind of get out of
84
hand they're not having a good time anymore they might complain
85
like i want to do my work it's like you know what i i understand
86
but you know he's really funny right now
87
so let him go um you have to give everyone their space their time
88
so keener's amazing great students but there can be some interference because they're serious They're focused.
89
They're there to learn.
90
They don't have time for the nonsense of the other players on your stage.
91
Balance.
92
It's all about the balance.
93
Next one.
94
One near and dear to my heart.
95
Remember at the beginning, I asked you which one you were.
96
Party poopers.
97
They're quiet.
98
They keep to themselves.
99
Maybe they're stoners.
100
And they don't really say much.
101
They don't do much either like participate
102
or like interact with other people in the classroom they're kind
103
of off by themselves you have to ask yourself okay hold
104
on what's wrong what what can I do to help this person I need
105
that person out of their shell I need to help them I need to
106
see what's up have a have a chat sit down
107
and see what's what's going on they can bring some bad energy to your classroom, but it's your job as a teacher to get
108
that bad energy out of them and help them so that they can be quiet and keep to themselves, but actually participate.
109
Now, if you ask, hey, Ronnie, what kind of student were you?
110
Yeah.
111
What do you think I was?
112
Definitely wasn't this.
113
I'm kind of a mix of one, two, one, two, and four.
114
high school I was there just to like goof off
115
and laugh at people I wouldn't say I was a class
116
entertainer I was definitely a party pooper I was like fuck this I hate this math whatever
117
I'm not doing homework homework whatever oh my god and I learned
118
that hey that's that's who I am that's my personality
119
but I also appreciated teachers that took the time to be like Ronnie Like, what's up, man?
120
I'm like, I don't know.
121
Just having fun.
122
So you have to be able to tune into students.
123
And students, you have to be aware that everyone in the classroom is not like you.
124
And you're going to get people that distract you and people
125
that you don't like and people that are annoying or put glue in your hair.
126
But you all have to learn to function together.
127
Teachers, it's your job to keep the class in control.
128
It's your job to learn about how to be a better teacher.
129
I'm here for you.
130
My name's Ronnie.
131
This is my book.
132
You can buy it on my website, which is englishwithronnie .com.
133
You'll learn a lot and you'll have a giggle.
134
Oh, not a giggle.
135
I'm out of here.
📺 Same Channel
B11
English Grammar - Gerund or Infinitive? ('I like swimming' or 'I like to swim'?)
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
A21
Basic English Grammar: Pronouns - SHE, HER, HE, HIS
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B1Body Language: How to tell if someone is bored or interested!
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
Talk to Anyone with Confidence (Even If You’re Nervous)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B16 Confusing Words: fun & funny, famous & popular, surprise & shock
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
A2A, AN, THE - Articles in English
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A2When NOT to use 'to' in English
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
✨ Recommend Video
B12,656
11 sentences
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Students (Part 6) 💯
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
350 sentences
Which Coffee Personality Are You? | Fun English Listening Practice
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
217 sentences
Classroom Instructions in English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
15 sentences
Teaching In 2026 Be Like 😂 | English Teacher | #shorts
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B11
51 sentences
B1 English Conversation Practice | 50 Must-Know Dialogues for Real Life
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
47 sentences
Discover Your Learning Style
Business EnglishHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B14
373 sentences
English Podcast For Easy English Conversation | If You're Ambitious But Lazy, Please Watch This...
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B21
48 sentences
getting a personality is easy, actually
Business EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B11
43 sentences
How to discuss a topic in a group
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B15
277 sentences
Why Your English Isn’t Improving (10 Real Reasons & Fixes) | English On The Way
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
418 sentences
Video
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 135 sentences and 1260 words to shadow. The speech runs for 8:27. The speaker talks at a steady 149 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| classroom noun | /ˈklɑːsɹʊm/ | A room, often in a school, where classes take place. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| whoa | /woʊ/ | Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down. |
| participate verb | /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/ | To join in, to take part, to involve oneself (in something). |
| organize verb | /ˈɔɹɡənaɪz/ | To arrange in working order. |
| pants noun | /pænts/ | An outer garment that covers the body from the waist downwards, covering each leg separately, usually as far as the ankles; trousers. |
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| angel noun | /ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/ | An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes. |
| guarantee noun | /ˌɡæɹ.ənˈtiː/ | Anything that assures a certain outcome. |
| shell noun | /ʃɛl/ | The calcareous or chitinous external covering of mollusks, crustaceans, and some other invertebrates. |
| disorder noun | /dɪsˈɔɹdɚ/ | Absence of order; state of not being arranged in an orderly manner. |
| dynamic adjective | /daɪˈnæm.ɪk/ | Changing; active; in motion. |
| chaos noun | /ˈkeɪˌɑs/ | The unordered state of matter in classical accounts of cosmogony. |
| hilarious adjective | /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/ | Very funny; causing great merriment and laughter. |
| tune noun | /tjuːn/ | A melody. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| settle down verb | To make or become quiet and calm after a period of disturbance or restlessness. | |
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. | |
| step back verb | /stɛp ˈbæk/ | To stop what one is doing and evaluate the current situation. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to adapt · have to identify · have to organize |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | I'm going to share · You're going to have · is going to be |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is being · they're doing · They're making |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | They'll do · will tell · You'll learn |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 54 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, they're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: participate /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/, hilarious /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/, exclusively /ɪkˈskluːsɪvli/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, motorcycle /ˈmoʊtɚˌsaɪkəl/
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 classroom, homework, whoa.
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.