Another advantage of the shadowing technique? You assimilate vocabulary and sentence structures naturally. No need to study a list by heart. No, memorization happens almost unconsciously.
How to apply the shadowing method in learning French?
Shadowing in French
1. Choose audio recording
When searching for a recording, be sure to select audio content:
short with only one speaker;
adapted to your level;
accompanied by a transcription in French.
Also, I advise you to find a speaker that you like, whether it's for their voice, pronunciation or personality. If the video or audio is too fast, don't hesitate to slow down the playback speed.
So, what kind of content should you listen to to practice shadowing in French? There are many resources. Here are some examples:
Before you start shadowing, I recommend listening to malaysia whatsapp number data the entire audio at least once without reading the transcript. This will help you get used to the speaker's intonation, rhythm, and accent.
If you don't understand everything, that's okay. The most important thing is to focus on the sounds of the language. To grasp the details and nuances of the speech, such as emotions, I encourage you to listen to the content several times.
3. Practice the shadowing technique
Now we get to the heart of the matter: shadowing.
There are two ways to perform the exercise:
Listen to the recording and repeat without pausing. This is handy if you're on the go and can't stop the audio.
Listen to the audio and pause after each sentence or group of words.
At first, it may seem difficult. That's normal. To get comfortable, you can start with small pieces of sentences or simple sentences. The most important thing is to imitate the speaker as precisely as possible, whether it's the rhythm, the intonation or the melody.
I remind you that at this stage, we are not concerned with the meaning, but only with the pronunciation. Don't worry if you don't understand everything: focus on the sounds used. And if you can't speak as quickly as the native speaker, that's completely natural. Even the most experienced have a little trouble. Don't panic!
Want to make the exercise more difficult? Then practice shadowing while walking or pacing. This is what linguist Alexander Arguelles recommends. Why? It helps you get out of your comfort zone and get used to speaking French while doing a regular activity.
After several tries, you can do the exercise by reading the transcription of the audio. This will help you associate the meaning with the sounds and better understand what you hear and say. Don't hesitate to repeat this step several times.
Are you able to repeat sentences as fast as the native speaker? It's time to switch to a new audio.
4. Record and listen to yourself
To know where our shortcomings are and see how to improve, we must listen to our own way of speaking. That's why once you are comfortable, record yourself and compare your voice with the original. I know, it's a little embarrassing to hear yourself speak, but if you want to make progress quickly, there is no other choice. And then, as they say, ridicule doesn't kill!
Practice shadowing with Authentic French
Learning foreign languages requires constant work. This also applies to shadowing. To see a real change in your pronunciation, you need to practice regularly. I recommend practicing for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day. This way, your facial muscles will adapt to the new movements to form the sounds you want to pronounce.
Memorize vocabulary and expressions naturally
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