Shadowing Practice: Which TWO benefits for children of learning to write did both students find surprising? - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Part 3 You will hear two education students discussing an assignment on teaching handwriting to children.
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Part 3 You will hear two education students discussing an assignment on teaching handwriting to children.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
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How are you getting on with the assignment on handwriting?
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Not too bad.
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You know, I hadn't realised that children benefit in so many ways from learning to write.
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It's such an important skill, and yet most people think handwriting is less important than in the past,
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because people hardly ever write by hand these days.
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Yes, and all the evidence suggests children should learn to write by hand before they learn to type, not least because it helps their memory.
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That's right.
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The physical act of writing helps children to remember letters.
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That seems pretty obvious when you think about it.
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What's less obvious is how it helps develop their concentration.
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They have to sit still and focus on one thing.
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Yeah, that aspect of handwriting had never occurred to me before.
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Same here.
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I'm not sure I understand how it improves children's imagination, though.
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Well, there was that study which showed that primary age children generated more ideas
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when they were writing by hand than using a keyboard.
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I would have guessed that would be the case.
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Hmm, yeah.
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I'd never associated spatial awareness with handwriting either.
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I thought spatial awareness was more to do with knowing where you are in relation to objects or other people.
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Hmm, I thought that too.
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But good spatial awareness is essential for writing because you have to space words correctly.
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It's not just fine motor skills that improve through writing, as I'd always assumed.
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Hmm.
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Handwriting is so much harder for children with dyspraxia, who have problems coordinating movement.
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It's good there are lots of things you can do in the classroom to help them.
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They need so much more support with letter formation.
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You need to play lots of games to help them distinguish letter shapes.
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It takes a lot of patience.
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Yeah.
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I like the idea of using one of those pens that lights up if you press too hard.
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That seems like a really simple solution.
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Yes, absolutely.
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I'm not sure there's much you can do about children with dyspraxia writing very slowly.
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It's more important to focus on accuracy, and as they get more confident, I think they eventually speed up.
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One quite simple thing you can do is to use grid paper.
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So they write each letter in a box, and that trains them to space the letters correctly.
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Indeed.
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That's more important for legibility than trying to get them to write in a straight line.
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Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.
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Thank you.
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Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
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For some children, it might be better to teach them to write on a laptop rather than by hand, like children with dyslexia.
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They often really struggle with handwriting and some just give up.
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Yeah, it's not as frustrating for them if they get things wrong.
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On a keyboard, they can be more willing to have a go.
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But I read that developing fluency isn't any faster.
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That's right.
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Did you read that article on the benefits of teaching print rather than cursive handwriting, where the letters are joined up?
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Yes.
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Well, in the past, cursive writing was certainly considered more stylish and educated, but not anymore.
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Teachers' attitudes have changed because it's been proved that cursive is more difficult to learn,
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especially for children with learning difficulties who find joining up letters really challenging.
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I agree.
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I was always worried that my poor handwriting affected my exam results, and now research shows that I was right to worry.
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I'm sure a lot of students think it's unfair that they're being judged on their handwriting, not just their knowledge.
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Marks are definitely affected if examiners can't read the script.
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That's why it's always been so important to teach children to write legibly.
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Do you think the role of handwriting will change in the future?
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I can't see that changing much.
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Touch typing still isn't taught in most schools, which is a shame.
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But maybe that won't be necessary in the future, because people will also be able to write by hand on digital devices.
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Anyway, teachers understand the value of handwriting.
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It's a basic life skill.
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True.
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However, the fact is that people are writing by hand less and less and relying on digital devices.
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That does cause some problems.
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Hmm.
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You mean like note-taking?
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There are lots of apps for that.
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And for reading historical documents, apparently.
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But my mum is shocked by my awful spelling and the fact that my punctuation is really inconsistent.
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I think you can put that down to lack of practice.
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I expect so.
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Personally, I miss writing by hand.
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I hardly ever write anything now.
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I remember my grandparents had such beautiful handwriting and it was so individual.
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Nobody I know would be able to identify my handwriting now.
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It's a shame.
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I know.
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I feel the same way.
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I used to write a diary by hand and now I do that digitally.
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It just seems less effort to do it that way.
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So it's not just a problem.
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That is the end of part three.
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You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part three.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking skills while engaging with this video is particularly beneficial for learners aiming to improve their IELTS speaking practice. The discussion revolves around the significance of teaching handwriting to children, encapsulating various cognitive and physical benefits that are often overlooked. By shadowing the conversation, you can enhance your fluency and pronunciation while absorbing contextually rich vocabulary. Utilizing shadowspeak techniques in this context allows you to effectively mirror the speakers' intonation, pacing, and emphasis, sharpening your communication skills. Moreover, by focusing on the unexpected advantages of handwriting, such as its role in improving concentration and spatial awareness, you’ll be equipped with conversation points that can heighten your engagement in related discussions.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the video, several key structures and expressions emerge. Here are a few notable examples:

  • It’s not just… but also: This construction emphasizes the dual benefits of handwriting, such as improved memory and concentration.
  • Have to + verb: The phrase is used frequently, underscoring obligations, e.g., "They have to sit still and focus." Shadowing these phrases can help learners grasp usage in a similar context.
  • I thought that too: This expression conveys agreement, allowing for natural conversational flow. Practicing such responses can make your dialogues feel more spontaneous.
  • Developing fluency isn’t any faster: This phrase indicates a contrasting thought, common in academic and analytic discussions, which can be useful vocabulary for various speaking contexts.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While shadowing the speakers, pay particular attention to the following pronunciation nuances:

  • Dyspraxia: This term may be tricky for non-native speakers due to its complex syllable structure.
  • Spatial awareness: Ensure clarity when pronouncing "spatial" to avoid confusion with similar sounding words.
  • Letter formation: The phrase may require practice to accurately enunciate each sound within the structure.

Focusing on these specific elements will help learners enhance their speaking capabilities and navigate shadow speech more adeptly, ensuring clearer communication in ever-contentious discussions about education and learning methodologies.

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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