MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
How to improve your English Speaking and Fluency: SHADOWING (Julian)
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11:28
Video page URL
https://multimedia-english.com/videos/lesson/how-to-improve-your-english-speaking-and-fluency-shadowing-julian-5579
Description

Some advice to speak English better. Learn how to use the Shadowing tecnique to improve your oral English.



★About shadowing

What is shadowing? I define it as 'training for English fluency - the best way to improve English speaking'
... quite a strong definition, don't you think? ;p

Regardless of whether it's the "best" way to get good at speaking English though, shadowing is a good way to improve your pronunciation, accent and speaking.

This lesson is going to help you how to learn English speaking, and help you learn to speak English NOW, even if you don't have anybody to speak with. People often come to me asking 'how can I improve spoken English?'


Well, first the most important thing is plenty of listening practice.

Second, understand that speaking has to be learnt physically.

It is important to get a lot of English speaking practice. Actually speak English. Actually move your mouth. If you don't move your mouth when you learn, pronunciation will be hard. Which means speaking will be hard.

There is a problem ... If you don't live in an English speaking country, you'd probably say ... "But this isn't an English speaking country -- how can I get a lot of English speaking practice?'


I don't mean "English conversation practice". I mean the same type of practice that gets you good at riding a bike. Raw, repetitive practice.

English speaking practice. Training your mouth to speak English easily, and fluently. English speaking practice is much easier than you probably think. You don't need other people to practice your English speaking skills. Just use your listening materials!

The materials I recommend in this video are 'penguin readers'. They come as a book/ CD set, they're cheap, really well made and above all interesting. The important part is the CD, but the book also has an important use.

A summary of the shadowing technique I describe in the video:

- Listen to the book as many times as you can.
- Read the book and check any words you don't know in your dictionary.
- Listen to the book again.
- Listen and read (out loud!) the book together. Practice section by section until you get really good at it.
- Shadow the CD without the book.

It's a really good idea to record yourself doing this too, so you can tell where you're making pronunciation mistakes.