Parrot Power: How to Boost Your Listening & Speaking Skills with the Shadowing Technique

The shadowing technique is a simple but powerful way to boost your pronunciation, listening, and speaking skills all at once by imitating native speakers. It is one of the not-so-secret secrets used by many polyglots (people who speak multiple languages). And it's a method that you too can use to quickly build fluency.

In this post, I share exactly what shadowing is, why you should add it to your language immersion routine, tips to get the most out of the technique, and some common shadowing mistakes to avoid.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing (a.k.a. parroting) involves listening to recordings of native speech and then repeating what you hear verbatim (as close to simultaneously as possible). Think of it as a linguistic echo with barely any delay.

The goal is to speak along with the audio, with only the slightest gap between what you hear and what you say. So in practice, you will be hearing and saying different parts of the dialogue at the same time. This is much like how simultaneous interpreters work (e.g. at the UN). In fact, shadowing is often used as a training tool for interpreters.

However, when you first start out, it's totally okay to pause the audio and repeat after the speaker (akin to so-called "consecutive interpretation"). It's better you do shadowing imperfectly than not at all. Regardless of the timing, do your best to match the tone, speed, and rhythm used by the speaker.

I'll be honest. Shadowing is certainly not the easiest or most comfortable language-learning method. But what it lacks in ease and comfort, it more than makes up for in efficacy and speed. Here are three of the biggest benefits of shadowing:

1. Better pronunciation: Mimicking native speakers helps you pick up more accurate pronunciation of "phonemes" (meaningful sounds) in your target language and more native-like intonation, tones (e.g. in Mandarin Chinese), stress patterns, and pitch accent (e.g. in Japanese).

2. Increased listening comprehension: Learning to understand rapid native speech can be one of the biggest challenges in language learning. You can't pause people are listen at half speed like with a podcast. Shadowing trains your brain to process the spoken language at a normal, natural, native speed.

3. Improved fluency & speaking confidence: Speaking is usually the most intimidating language skill for learners. There's a lot to juggle at once and it can be tough to keep up. Shadowing provides a low-stress way to practice speaking without needing to worry about keeping a conversation going or figuring out what to say next.

Though shadowing was first developed by Leningrad School of Phonology co-founder Ludmilla Chistovich in the late 1950s, it was popularized many decades later in the polyglot blogosphere by the American linguist Dr. Alexander Arguelles.

Why Shadowing Works

Shadowing is more active

Unlike passive activities like listening to a podcast or watching a TV show, shadowing is a much more active exercise. Though exposure to your target language via listening and reading is helpful, it's not sufficient. It's imperative that you also get lots of active practice producing the language through speaking and writing. Shadowing provides an opportunity to activate your passive knowledge, get your mouth moving, and produce accurate, grammatical utterances.

Shadowing builds native-like ability

By combining listening and speaking in real-time, shadowing better mirrors how native speakers acquire their first language—by listening to others and repeating what they hear. It also leads to more natural pronunciation patterns and more accurate grammar, both of which make your speech much easier for native speakers to parse and understand.

Shadowing gets you speaking sooner

In the words of polyglot Benny Lewis:

"Speaking from day one is key to language learning."

The problem? This is a terrifying proposition for most language learners!

So most of us put off speaking practice for far too long. We think to ourselves, "I'll start practicing speaking when I feel ready." Sadly, we never feel ready, so we never start speaking. We stay in our little "input-only" bubbles, getting better and better at reading books and watching TV, but forever unable to actually communicate with native speakers face to face in real time. Which is usually the whole point of learning a language for most learners.

Shadowing helps nip this problem in the bud:

• You can practice speaking right away.

• You don't need a conversation partner.

• You can practice in a low-stress, low-stakes way.

💡 Pro Tip: Another good stress-free way to start practicing speaking is using AI-powered tools like Teacher AI and ChatGPT. See my post Why AI Is Not the End of Language Learning (and the Many Ways It Can Help You Get Fluent) for more on how AI can help you practice speaking.

How to Use the Shadowing Technique

Choose the Right Material

Begin by selecting audio content that matches your language level. You can use podcasts, YouTube videos, interviews, news, language courses, audiobooks, or textbook dialogues. For beginners, using learner-specific material is fine, but try to move on to authentic, fast-paced native materials as quickly as possible so you can start imitating how people really talk. Dr. Arguelles specifically uses Assimil books with companion audio.

💡 For more suggestions, see the Recommended Shadowing Tools section below.

Start with Short Segments

When starting out with shadowing, focus on short, manageable segments of audio, such as single phrases or sentences (e.g. 3 to 10-second chunks). This ensures that you don't feel overwhelmed and can keep the entire utterance in your working memory. But as your shadowing skills grow, work your way up to longer pieces of audio, such as entire paragraphs or pages (e.g. 30- 60-second clips).

Study the Transcript

Though most of your shadowing time should be spent focused on imitating native speaker audio, it is helpful to also review the text. This helps increase your comprehension, better follow what you are saying aloud, and identify new words you've never heard or seen or before. There are conflicting opinions about when and how to integrate transcripts, but here is my recommended order of operations for optimal understanding and learning:

1. Read the transcript through once without stopping to look up any words.

2. Read through a second time and underline any words you don't know.

3. Go back and look up these new words in a good dictionary.

4. Listen to the audio as you read along with the transcript.

5. Listen to the audio without reading the transcript.

6. Listen and shadow the audio (see tips below).

Find a Quiet, Safe Place You Can Walk

Though you can certainly do the shadowing technique at home, Dr. Arguelles argues that the technique works best when you walk outside and speak in a loud voice. In his view, the movement and high-energy production engage both your mind and body, and help increase your focus and energy. And hey, it's a good excuse to get some exercise at the same time! Just try to find somewhere you won't disturb other walkers!

Imitate Immediately

Play the audio and try to repeat aloud along with the speaker. You should aim to parrot the audio nearly simultaneously, but consecutive repetition is just fine in the beginning. And don’t worry if you don’t catch every word or have to keep pausing the audio. The goal here is to keep going and get in your reps. Aim for progress, not perfection.

Focus on Accurate Pronunciation

Try to make an exact carbon copy of the speaker's pronunciation, speed, rhythm, stress, and intonation. All of these elements are crucial for sounding natural and communicating effectively in your target language. Most native speakers will tolerate broken grammar, but poor pronunciation is much harder to follow. Pay special attention to using the correct tones (聲調) for each word in Mandarin and the right high-low distinctions (高低アクセント) in Japanese.

Repeat Multiple Times

Repetition may be boring, but it's an essential step in learning a language. When you first start out with a given piece of audio, I recommend repeating the same segment a few times before moving on to the next. This narrow and deep approach builds accuracy and muscle memory. Then once you have completed an entire paragraph, page, episode, or lesson, repeat the whole thing again once or twice more. This broader and shallower approach builds flow and fluency.

How to Incorporate Shadowing into Your Immersion Routine

Shadowing can be a highly effective addition to your anywhere immersion toolbox, helping to mix in a bit more active production instead of just passive exposure. Here are a few ways to seamlessly integrate shadowing into your daily study routine:

• Morning & Evening Practice: Start and end your day with 10+ minutes of shadowing while walking around the house, strolling in your yard, or taking a lap around the block.

• Commuting: If you drive to work, use your commute time to shadow podcasts or audiobooks in your car. If you take public transportation, try whispering at a low volume or using "silent shadowing" (repeating in your head).

• Study & Work Breaks: Shadowing can serve as a quick, engaging break between intensive work or study sessions at your desk. Use a pomodoro timer like Focus or Forest to remember to take your breaks.

💡 For more tips on how to free up more time for language learning, see my post 7 Ways to Master a New Language Effortlessly While Juggling a Busy Life.

Common Shadowing Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes I've seen with learners new to shadowing:

• Choosing the wrong materials. Make sure to select a piece of target language content that includes clear audio and a complete transcript. You need the former for effective shadowing and the latter to boost comprehension.

• Choosing overly difficult content. Like in language learning in general, you want content that falls in the Goldilocks zone—difficult enough to push you, but easy enough to understand the gist.

• Skipping the pre-shadowing step: You can certainly jump in and start repeating audio with zero prep, but you will get the most benefit when you preview the transcript and listen a few times first.

• Being too passive and quiet. Though you may need to occasionally "speak" in your head or at a low whisper to not bother others, endeavor to shadow aloud at a normal speaking volume whenever possible.

• Being overly perfectionistic. Do your best to imitate the audio accurately and repeat a few times to get as close as you can. But don't get stuck repeating the same chunk over and over if you don't get it exactly right.

• Being inconsistent. I recommend doing at least a little bit of shadowing every single day (even if just for 5 minutes). This helps you maintain "the habit of the habit" as author Gretchen Rubin puts it.

Recommended Shadowing Tools

Assimil

As mentioned above, Assimil is Dr. Arguelles' go-to resource for shadowing. Just make sure to get the versions of their books that come with companion audio (audio CDs and/or MP3s). I then recommend ripping the audio CDs or copying over the MP3s to your mobile device so you can shadow on the go.

Here are some of the popular Assimil languages offered. Their "Superpacks" (books with audio companions) are a bit pricy, but many polyglots swear by them!

• Assimil Chinese

• Assimil French

• Assimil German

• Assimil Japanese

• Assimil Korean

• Assimil Portuguese

• Assimil Spanish

Glossika

Glossika is a science-based, audio-focused language learning platform created by the polyglot Mike Campbell. He speaks numerous languages to an extremely high level (including Mandarin Chinese and some of Taiwan’s indigenous languages spoken by few non-native speakers!), a feat he has accomplished using the very methods embodied in Glossika’s architecture. Though not specifically designed for shadowing, Glossika works well for the method since it is built around short sentences, all of which include audio and transcriptions.

💡 For more about Mike, listen to my interview with him here: Glossika Founder Mike Campbell on How to Master Mandarin Through Mass Immersion.

LingQ

LingQ (pronounced “link”) was developed by hyperpolyglot Steve Kaufmann, who has learned 20+ languages through extensive reading and listening practice. Which is precisely the language-learning approach offered in the app. You can easily apply the shadowing technique using LingQ since articles in their library always include both audio and a full transcript. For beginners, I recommend turning on "Sentence View" to practice and shadow single sentences at a time. I also love that you can import your own content, too, from blogs, news sites, emails, YouTube, and Netflix.

💡 For my complete review of the LingQ app, see this post: Review of LingQ: Learn Dozens of Languages Using Authentic Content You Choose.

💡 For more about LingQ's co-founder, listen to my interview with him here: Hyperpolyglot & Ling Co-Founder Steve Kaufmann on How He Learned 20+ Languages.

The shadowing technique is one of the best ways to speak more fluently, build confidence, and understand native-speed conversations. But the method takes some practice to get right. So start small, stay consistent, and do your best to be a good parrot! You’ll soon notice substantial improvement in both your speaking and listening skills, and find that your ears and mouth can keep up with even the speediest conversation!