can read French very well but when it comes to speaking, I get caught up! The words just don’t come out.

Yes, we get this. For a non-native French student, speaking French fluently is one of the most challenging tasks, if not the most. Many learners even at a B1-B2 level struggle with speech. They are great at writing and reading, amazing at vocabulary and grammar but when it comes to speaking, their confidence takes a backstage.

Now, how does one overcome this? Today, we will discuss one method of improving your language-speaking skills – The Shadowing Technique.

So what is shadowing?

Shadowing or echoing is a method of improving your speech. The concept is simple: You listen to a native French speaker first, once, twice, or as many times as you want, and then repeat what they have said. You have to become the shadow of the speaking and repeat. We all know that real change comes with regular practice, which in this case is repetition.

You can practice shadowing in two ways:

Listen to the whole recording in one go and then try and mimic the speaker
Listen to the audio or video in parts. Go sentence by sentence. Listen to one sentence first, pause, speak out loud as much as you have understood, and then go to the next sentence.

Shadowing is a highly effective technique as it allows you to improve your pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary. You will also understand when to stress when to take pauses, the rhythm of native French speakers, and also grammar.

However, do note that you should choose a video or an audio recording at your level. Beginners should find A1 French resources to imitate. This is crucial as jumping into higher-level resources when you are not ready may demotivate you.