Shadowing Practice: Why Parents Were Climbing Walls - Sir Ken Robinson on What Education Does to Children - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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This is a picture that was taken in the Indian state of Bihar.
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This is a picture that was taken in the Indian state of Bihar.
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This is an image which shocked the people of Bihar,
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including the political class as well.
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This image was taken outside that building.
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That building is the venue for an important end of program examination for high school students
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and the results will determine whether they've gone to the next phase of education.
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So they're in there doing a standardized test.
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The people clinging to the building are their parents who are
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handing cheat sheets in through the window to make sure they have the best opportunity to pass the test.
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What you can't see are the people on the ground,
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the other parents who are milling around waiting for their chance to get up to go onto the wall.
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I'm not being openly critical of that because that's the game they're in.
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But it's an appalling game to be in, isn't it?
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You have all these people with brilliant capacities and it's all being turned on a particular test.
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So the reason I don't think we should get too smug about Bihar is we're doing exactly the same thing here,
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except it's horizontal.
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Our kids are being pumped through these systems in Europe,
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in Asia, in many parts of America,
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and our parents here, and they are figuratively also being driven up the wall.
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Problem is this, that our current systems of education were never designed or intended to cultivate the great array of individual talent.
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On the contrary, they were conceived with a very particular view of intelligence in mind,
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a cultural conception of intelligence,
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and a very particular sense of economic purpose in mind.
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There is something in the system of education which hinges on the expectation of higher education.
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The whole system of K-12 education in America is now predicated on the ambition of going to college.
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I think this is a very corrupting influence on the whole character of education.
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The idea that you're not educated unless you get a college degree.
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It'll only really be solved by rethinking what higher education's about
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and how best it can offer the sorts of skills and aptitudes that people need.
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The truth, I think, is that human intelligence isn't marked by conformity, naturally.
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It's characterized by diversity.
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And it happens, therefore, that if you have a system of education that's based on a narrow view of ability,
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on a conformist view of ability,
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people who don't fit that mold will think they are the problem and will naturally feel that they are eccentric.
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And so we end up inventing remedial programs for people who just aren't interested in the main diet that's offered at school.
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We have a dropout rate,
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I don't like the term dropout,
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truthfully, but a non-graduation rate in America for high schools that varies,
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according to state, between 15 and 40% of non-graduation rates.
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You know, I mean, if you've got an average of 20% of kids not completing high school,
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you can't blame the kids at this point, can you?
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This is the system that's at fault.
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The evidence everywhere is if you refresh your conception of intelligence,
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so it corresponds to how people really manifest it,
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then all kinds of people who are excluded become included,
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empowered, and engaged in a way they didn't before.

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Context & Background

In his thought-provoking speech, Sir Ken Robinson explores the flaws within traditional education systems, drawing attention to an incident in Bihar, India. Here, parents of high school students resorted to climbing walls to pass cheat sheets to their children during critical examinations. This desperate act highlights the immense pressure placed on students to perform well in standardized tests. Robinson argues that educational systems, not just in Bihar but globally, operate on a narrow plane of intelligence and often alienate those who do not conform to conventional methods of learning. He emphasizes the need to rethink our understanding of intelligence and the true purpose of education.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “All these people with brilliant capacities...” – Use this when discussing someone's skills or potential.
  • “It’s an appalling game to be in.” – A powerful phrase for conveying discontent or frustration about circumstances.
  • “Pumped through these systems...” – Can express feelings about being pushed into standardized processes.
  • “It’s not about conformity.” – Useful when advocating for uniqueness and individual talents.
  • “A system that’s at fault.” – When pointing fingers at systemic issues rather than individuals.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Shadowing is a technique that allows learners to improve their spoken English by mimicking native speakers. Here’s how you can engage in shadow speak using this video:

  1. Listen Actively: Start by watching the video without distractions. Pay attention to Robinson's intonation, pauses, and emphasis.
  2. Segment the Speech: Break the transcript into smaller phrases. Focus on one sentence, such as "It’s an appalling game to be in." This will make it easier to practice each part.
  3. Repeat Immediately: After each phrase, pause the video and repeat what you heard. Use shadowspeaks to match your tone and rhythm closely to Robinson’s.
  4. Record Yourself: Utilize a shadowing app to record your voice. Compare your pronunciation with the original speech. Pay close attention to areas needing improvement.
  5. Practice Regularly: Shadow speech multiple times a week. The more you practice, the more natural your speaking will become.

By regularly engaging in shadowing exercises inspired by impactful speeches like Robinson's, you can vastly improve your fluency, pronunciation, and overall command of the English language.

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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