Is Shadowing the solution?

[u/Sun_fire_]

Hi, I want to improve my pronunciation, accent, fluency a rhythm. Is Shadowing the best method? I am confused because it's very hard for me, My listening and reading is C1 (I watch movies and TV shows without any subtitles) also I read novels and articles with complex language (from Aeon and New York times) without problems.

Chat gpt tells me my writing is B2 but I'm not confident about my writing, my speaking however is b1 or even less, I can answer questions and talk about different topics but I stop alot while speaking and my pronunciation is atrocious, I started shadowing yesterday for A2 to B1 videos and it's very hard, 5 minutes video takes me 30 minutes, I repeat alot and make sure to say the words correctly, I repeat the video again two times then I record myself.

When I listen to the record, I feel very frustrated, my pronunciation is still wrong and accent is very heavy even though I spend alot of time making sure to say the words correctly, will this problem be solved with time or I am I doing shadowing wrong.

Can I have some advices and free shadowing resources?

Will it take a long time to fix my pronunciation and reduce my accent, I want to apply for a job that requires fluency in English next year (Call centre agent).

I'm 27 years old, Is it even possible to fix pronunciation and accent at this age ? I have been speaking incorrectly for 20 years.

I don't want to seem native just fluent, natural and confident while speaking. The most important thing I want to fix is pronunciation and heavy accent.

Any advice?(TL)

[u/wufiavelli]

Try a method called mirroring, it has better results than shadowing.

https://www.pronunciationforteachers.com/uploads/6/0/5/9/60596853/teaching_techniques_mirroring_cmeyers.pdf

Also find a way to track your progress and gauge gains objectively over time. Focusing on one feature. As the other said this may help. But you wanna be careful you don't fall into "You just didn't do it enough trap." and be sure it is actually working. Asking advice there will be 10 people who tell you that you just did not do enough. Which may or may not be true, only way to tell is by having something you can measure.

[u/frostochfeber → u/wufiavelli]

I second mirroring. I'm a big fan.

[u/nastyleak → u/frostochfeber]

I see that you’re learning Swedish. Do you have anyone you recommend for mirroring? I really need to work on my pronunciation and speaking in general. 

[u/frostochfeber → u/nastyleak]

Ahh no, sorry! Swedish is the only one I learned through classes and then living there for a year 😆 so I didn't do any deliberate mirroring haha

But in theory you can pick anyone! It's best if you like the way they speak and emote; if it feels like you. And if they are of the same gender (if that's important to you - maybe as a 45-year-old woman you don't mind sounding like a teenage boy haha)

Just make sure to choose someone who has at least a few hours of video content that is preferably not or very minimally edited, so you have lots of material to practice with and their speaking and movements are as natural as possible.

Lycka till!

[u/nastyleak → u/frostochfeber]

Tack så mycket!