Mirroring and Shadowing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Sound Like a Native English Speaker

“You sound like a native speaker!” Is there a better compliment than this? It might sound challenging, but sounding like an English native speaker is easier than you think. 

Linguists suggest two powerful techniques that can help: shadowing and mirroring. After reading this post, you will have a clearer notion of what shadowing and mirroring are, and you will be able to benefit from a step-by-step guide on how to mirror a native speaker.

So what is shadowing and mirroring?

• Shadowing is like repeating what someone says as they say it (e.g., repeating along with a TED Talk).
• Mirroring is more comprehensive—it involves observing the speaker first, then imitating not only their words but their tone, intonation, and gestures. Practicing and then mimicking. As you can see, there’s a slight difference between the two, but they can both be pretty useful.

Essentially, both are focused on imitating your target language. To do so, you can use movies, series, songs, podcasts or TED talks, among others. 

Do you remember that scene in Friends when Phoebe tries to teach Joey French, and he hilariously butchers every word she says?

Spoiler: He doesn’t get it on the first try, but practice makes perfect! Think of mirroring as a much more effective version of that—one where you can actually master any language.

Even though both techniques are useful, if you’re a beginner, we suggest starting with mirroring because you can observe and then practice at your own pace. 

These strategies are fascinating because they essentially replicate the way children learn a language: by mimicking. And if children can do it, so can you!

Moreover, if you’ve already tried all the traditional methods to learn another language, learning how to use these simple and fun techniques won’t hurt. With mirroring and shadowing, you can significantly improve your intonation, rhythm and pronunciation—all of which will help you acquire any new language.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Mirroring and Shadowing

Adapted from Meyers (2014):

1. Choose the right material for you: Select a topic of interest in a format you enjoy (videos, podcasts, audiobooks, TED talks, songs, etc). If you are an absolute beginner, we suggest starting with cartoons and trying to mirror their content first.
2. Match your level: Choose material that isn’t too slow or too fast for your current skill level and pick someone who is a good communicator.
3. Start small: Don’t go for a 10-minute video right away. Begin with something short, like a one-minute clip or even less.
4. Listen and observe: Pay close attention to intonation, rhythm, and stress.
5. Repeat and mimic: Use a transcript, if possible, to help you follow along. Pretend you’re the person in the video; imitate their gestures, posture, intonation, and pronunciation.
6. Record and compare: Yes, recording yourself might feel a bit cringe at first, but it can be a game-changer. Listen back and compare your performance to the original source. You can record yourself as many times as necessary until you get closer to your goal.
7. Get feedback (optional): Ask a friend, teacher, or even an AI for feedback. You can also be your own judge, but an experienced person may point out areas you’ve missed.

Overcoming Challenges when Trying to Sound Like an English Native Speaker

After all these steps, what could go wrong, right? Well, it might be frustrating at first if you don’t see much progress, or still find it tricky to produce certain sounds. Don’t worry! These issues are completely normal and can be overcome by:

• Being patient: Learning a language takes time, and no one masters it overnight. Don’t feel bad if you need to slow down videos.
• Focusing on specific sounds: If there are sounds you’re not used to, like the “R” in English for French speakers, look for videos that explain tongue positioning or how to create the sound inside your mouth. Also, you can break down long sentences into smaller chunks, so it’s easier to pronounce.
• Remembering that practice makes perfect: If it’s taking longer than expected, don’t give up. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.

Mirroring and Shadowing Work: Says Who?

According to professors Jennifer Foote and Kim McDonough, shadowing has been shown to improve pronunciation. Moreover, In a study by Bovee & Stewart (2009), students reported:

• Improved listening skills (86%).
• Enhanced pronunciation (67%).
• Better intonation (73%).

Also, Yamane, N., Shinya, M., Teaman, B., and Fujimori, A. (2020) say that mirroring can help create a more dynamic intonation. 

The research is clear: shadowing and mirroring can make a real difference in how you sound and how well you understand. It’s easy to get started, and the benefits are worth it. So, why not take THAT first step? Your future fluent self will thank you!

To sum up

In a nutshell, shadowing and mirroring are fun, interactive, and effective ways to elevate your language-learning game and sound like a native English speaker. They help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm and intonation naturally, and even refine your non-verbal communication. 

Also, if you’d like to take things a step further, we offer tailored English lessons to guide you through these techniques (among many other fun ones) and help you achieve your language goals even faster.

The key is patience, persistence, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. Sounding like an English native speaker isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress.

So, dive into your favorite language materials, mimic boldly, and practice often. Who knows? One day, someone might just say to you, “You sound just like a native speaker!”

Finally, here’s a nice YouTube page in case you want to start practicing right now: https://www.youtube.com/@shadowing_b

This article was written by BIE’s online teacher and blog contributor Yessenia Pardo Jaramillo.