The shadowing technique is a great method for improving pronunciation and working memory. While reading aloud is also effective for memorizing vocabulary, where shadowing shines is by improving pronunciation and accent assimilation, and helping you find a natural rhythm and melody to sentences by blending words naturally together.

Here are 5 tips for shadowing:

1. Choose your auditory material

   This can be a podcast or a video. Choose an episode that you are familiar with. If you need suggestions, Dashu Mandarin and Mandarin Corner make amazingly versatile content. If you are learning the Taiwanese accent and you're into tech, the Aotter Girls: Girl's Tech Talk is one of my favorite channels.

   
   

2. Listen to the material without subtitles

   Choose a 2-3 minute segment for optimal practice. Focus on the speaker's pronunciation and intonation. Don’t worry about understanding every word—just concentrate on the sounds.

   
   

3. Listen to the material WITH English subtitles

   For shadowing to be effective, it's crucial to understand the material you're working with. Simply repeating what you hear won’t improve your pronunciation or accent unless you can connect the sounds with their meanings.

   Listen to the material carefully and ensure you understand the translation behind most of the audio.

   
   

   Repeat this process several times until you’ve internalized the meaning and can naturally associate it with the sounds of Chinese.

   
   

4. Listen to the material using Chinese subtitles

   Browser extensions like Zhongwen Chinese Dictionary and Language Reactor can be very helpful in this process. As you listen to the audio, use these tools to hover over the subtitles and identify any unknown words. Focus on their tone, intonation, and natural pauses in the speech.

   
   

   Continue practicing as outlined in step 5 while using these tools to enhance your understanding.

   
   

5. Imitate the speaker

   There are various methods for imitation, and I prefer a unique approach. Instead of the traditional call-and-response method, where you repeat immediately after the speaker, or simultaneous imitation, where you speak along with them, I like to predict how the speaker will say each sentence before they say it. Press play to check your prediction for accuracy. Whichever method you choose, practice sentence by sentence for about 3 minutes.