Shadowing Practice: What led to the so-called "learning recession" in American schools? - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Well, the annual education scorecard is highlighting a long-term decline in learning among American students.
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Well, the annual education scorecard is highlighting a long-term decline in learning among American students.
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Scholars at Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth analyze state test scores from third to eighth graders
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and from 5,000 school districts in 38 states.
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The report found nationally that students are nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic reading scores.
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However, they are making slight gains in math.
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The data also shows the declines have affected students from different socioeconomic,
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geographic and racial backgrounds.
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Schools have been focused on catching kids up since the COVID-19 pandemic upended education.
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But educators who worked on the scorecard say this so-called learning recession began before the pandemic.
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For more on that, let's bring in CBS News national correspondent Meg Oliver,
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who has covered education extensively for us.
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So, Meg, you and I both have,
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you know, I have one child, you have three.
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I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO SOME OF YOUR OWN TIPS,
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BUT WHAT LED TO THIS SO-CALLED LEARNING RECESSION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW?
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WELL, AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS STARTED WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
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2013, ACTUALLY, IS WHEN WE STARTED TO SEE THIS SLIDE.
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AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPENING.
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ONE, STATES AND SCHOOLS WERE BACKING AWAY FROM TEST-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY.
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BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
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THAT'S WHEN SOCIAL MEDIA CAME INTO PLAY.
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AND 2014, MAYBE ONE IN 14 SAID THAT THEY WERE ON THE INTERNET CONSTANTLY.
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THE FEDERAL IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE FEDERAL ISSUES.
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YOU FAST FORWARD TO 2022 NEARLY HALF AND NOW TODAY,
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JERIKA, YOU KNOW THAT STUDENTS CAN AVERAGE UP TO NINE HOURS OF SCREEN TIME,
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AND THAT IS INTERFERING.
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WE'VE SEEN THIS DRAMATIC SHIFT FOR PHONE-FREE SCHOOLS,
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BUT NOW THERE ARE SEVERAL STATES THAT ARE PUSHING TO REDUCE TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE BOARD,
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ESPECIALLY LAPTOPS,
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BECAUSE WE KNOW
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THAT THE DATA SHOWS HIGHER DAILY SCREEN EXPLOSURE IN THE CLASSROOM AMONG 15-YEAR-OLDS CORRESPONDS WITH NOT ONLY MATH AND LOWER READING SCORES,
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MATH AND READING, but also science as well.
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So when you look at this study,
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there were five states in the District of Columbia apparently that had meaningful growth.
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How are educators sort of learning from that?
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Like what's going on there that needs to be implemented in other places?
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All of those states that show this growth,
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they all change the way they teach.
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They took legislative action.
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One in particular is Tennessee.
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And we actually went there for the CBS Evening News in 2023.
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And we went to THEIR CHILD IS READING ON GRADE LEVEL.
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THEY WENT TO THEM TO THEM TO THIS NASHVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE THEY WENT BACK TO PHONIX BASED READING.
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THEY INFUSED HIGH-DOSAGE TUTORING.
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THEY SUPPLEMENTED THEIR LITERACY PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL DURING THE SUMMER AND IT'S PAYING OFF.
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THEY HAD TO CHANGE.
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WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS?
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I TALKED TO ONE OF THE RESEARCHERS AT HARVARD TODAY.
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HE SAID TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW MUCH TIME YOUR KIDS SPEND ON LEVEL,
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ASK THEIR TEACHER.
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WHAT ARE YOUR MOM TIPS?
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YOUR PERSONAL TIPS?
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MY PERSONAL TIPS, YOU NEVER TAKE THE PHONE TO BED AT NIGHT.
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YOU NEVER TAKE IT TO THE BEDROOM, TREAKA.
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AMEN.
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AND YOU KNOW WHAT I TOLD MY DAUGHTER?
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THERE WILL BE HOMEWORK DURING THE SUMMER.
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THERE YOU GO.
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THERE YOU GO.
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SUMMER SLIDE.
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NO. EXACTLY.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

The recent discussion on the "learning recession" in American schools offers a unique opportunity to engage with current events while practicing your English speaking skills. By watching this video, you can learn English with YouTube in a context that is both informative and relevant. The dialogue covers vital topics that are affecting education today, such as the impact of screen time on student performance and the shift to phonics-based reading. Engaging with this content not only provides you with important vocabulary but also allows you to understand differing perspectives on education in the United States.

Practicing your speaking by repeating phrases and sentences from the video enhances your ability to articulate complex ideas clearly. Moreover, discussing the themes presented could lead to deeper conversations with others, making your practice even more constructive.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In this video, several key grammatical structures and expressions are used to convey the message effectively. Here are a few to focus on:

  • Passive Voice: Phrases like "students are nearly half a grade level behind" demonstrate how the passive voice can effectively shift focus away from the subject (the students) to the action (being behind).
  • Conditional Language: Expressions such as "if you look at this study" introduce conditionality, which is great for discussing hypothetical situations and results.
  • Present Continuous Tense: The use of present continuous in "schools are focused on catching kids up" emphasizes ongoing actions, making it a good structure for discussing current events or processes.
  • Quantifiers: Words like "nearly half" and "up to nine hours" provide precision and clarity, essential for analytical discussions.

By embedding these expressions into your own practice, you can enhance your fluency and comprehension in conversational settings.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Listening to varied accents and challenging words is key to improving English pronunciation. In the video, you may encounter some tricky pronunciations:

  • "Recession": This word can often trip learners up due to the 'sh' sound in the middle. Practice saying it slowly: /rɪˈsɛʃən/.
  • "Accountability": The rhythm and stress in this word can be challenging. Note that it has a strong emphasis on the second syllable: /əˌkaʊnˈtæbɪlɪti/.
  • "Phonics": The 'ph' sound can be mispronounced. Work on /ˈfɑːnɪks/ to ensure clarity, especially when discussing teaching methods.

By focusing on these words, you can improve English pronunciation and make your speech sound more natural. Integrate shadowing practice with these snippets to enhance your speaking skills effectively.

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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