Accent's Way Magazine

#254

Shadowing Technique in English: are you wasting your time?

Do you use shadowing when practicing English?

Shadowing, or echoing, is an imitation technique where one is imitating another speaker, or certain aspects or elements of someone else’s speech.
Shadowing in English is one of the best ways to improve your English speaking skills as it helps improve pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary. It can also help you unconsciously improve other things in English such as rhythm, stress, grammar, and more.

There are two ways you can go about shadowing:

  1. Listen to an audio or video recording and echo the speaker without pausing. This option is great if you’re on the go but still want some practice time.
  2. Listen to an audio or video recording, pause after each line or a certain chunk of words, and echo the speaker. And then move to the next line. This option is perfect if you have time to go deeper into the speech.

Whichever option you choose, the most important thing you should do is to set an intention. Don’t just repeat and become a parrot of someone else. Focus on specific elements of their speech and practice them.

Here are some of the tips I mention in the video, that will help you optimize your shadowing practice:

  1. Select a speaker that you like, or whose voice you love. Whether it’s how they pronounce a certain sound, or certain melodic patterns they use.
  2. If the audio or video is too fast for you, slow down the playback speed. 75% the speed can really help you pay closer attention to certain things.
  3. Use a script or a text, and even edit it in a clear way: You can change the size of the font, highlight words, use color-coding, whatever works for you.

Want more shadowing practice?

Download a FREE script with notes to practice your shadowing in a speech

Here’s a list of apps and resources you can use for shadowing:

  1. TED Talks
  2. Youglish 
  3. English speeches with subtitles
  4. Movieclips
  5. Cake
  6. DingulTube
  7. Voicetube
  8. Shadowing app
  9. Repete Plus 
  10. SpeaterLite
  11. Puzzle English (for Russian speakers)
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16 Responses

  1. Hi Hadar, thank you for the video tutorial and the recommended tools, I’ve been following this method for a long time, and I think I could add another useful site:

    https://www.fluentdictation.com/

    what makes this tool different is that it supports using any Youtube video to practice shadowing.
    Thanks again!

    Reply

  4. Hi dear Hadar,
    You do a great job and thank you very much again, wish you the best health in your life.
    Stay safe and wish you from Iran a happy new year in advance.
    Reza Balajou

    Reply

  5. Hi and hello Hadar
    Suppose I found it amazing to know you right here
    Sooner did I know you, I would be refreshed this way
    Thanks a lot
    So 😊

    Reply

  6. Hello Hadar, first of all thank you for your video. That technique is very useful to learn English. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  7. This isn’t the shadowing technique. In your video your “option 1 and option 2” are both repeating after the audio in pauses. With shadowing you’re not supposed to do that. You’re supposed to speak on top of the speaker, speak as soon as you hear it. As soon as you process what is being said. It should be almost simultaneous. You are spreading incorrect information about this technique.

    Reply

  8. I’m an English Teacher, and I listen a lot of podcasts. My favourite accent is the British accent . I’m very keen on the way British English is spoken, my favourite British actor is Jude Law. He’s got a very accurate accent, and sometimes I watch him not only in videos , but also in his movies.

    Secondly, I’m addicted to TED talks. I used them to plan my lessons , listen to those videos at least 4 times a day with the aim of improving my pronunciation, noticing language, and studying pronunciation.

    Reply

  10. Hi Hadar
    I’m mohamad.i really love the way you explaning English problems to learners
    So i have some problems in English while speaking i do miss worlds i don’t catch up the phrase or word while comunicating and i don’t know what to do.. waiting for your answer
    And i appreciate.thanks

    Reply

  11. Hello Hadar ..it is as usual very useful and helpful..I found my self follow you , tips are so good , light the road which seems very dark..thanks

    Reply

  12. Hello sweet Hadar!
    Very so good ideas for me .Take me with you. Really you are Hero of English with Technology.

    Take Love.

    Md. Sikander Sarker.

    Reply

  14. Hello, charming Hadar!
    Thank you for all your videos and the help you give me to achieve my goal.
    May God bless you and keep the peace of your family.
    To the most beautiful smile, the most beautiful Lady and the Best Teacher – Thank you!

    Reply

  15. Hello, Hadar, first of all, may the Lord bless you and yes, this system is very good to continue learning fluency, grammar, pronunciation, you always seek to help more and more, thank you very much, Blessed Woman and Beautiful Lady.

    Reply

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