This week’s lesson requires the candidate describe a person that speaks their native language well.

Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and video version available below):

Describe a person you know from another country who speaks your language fluently. You should say -who he/she is -what country he/she is from -how he/she learned your language -and explain how you feel about this person

🧑‍🎓Target language: set apart -something special or distinguished “What truly sets Maria apart is her dedication to learning Japanese.”

Step 2: Listen to the sample a few times to get more familiar with the language.

Step 3: Engage this week’s full speech shadowing lesson.

Step 4: Below is Monday’s speech exercise. Post yourself saying this excerpt to your Whatsapp group. Exercises for Tuesday to Friday will be posted in the group by your instructor.

Post yourself saying this into your Whatsapp group!🗣️📲 “I’m going to talk about a remarkable individual named Maria, who speaks my native language, Japanese, fluently. Maria is from Spain and first encountered Japanese during her university studies in Barcelona, where she developed a profound interest in Japanese culture and language.”

Step 5: It’s very important that you note any new language items or pronunciation points from this week’s lesson in your journal to help you chronicle your improvement.📝

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Transcript

Describe a person you know from another country who speaks your language fluently. You should say -who he/she is -what country he/she is from -how he/she learned your language -and explain how you feel about this person

I’m going to talk about a remarkable individual named Maria, who speaks my native language, Japanese, fluently. Maria is from Spain and first encountered Japanese during her university studies in Barcelona, where she developed a profound interest in Japanese culture and language.

What truly sets Maria apart is her dedication and unconventional approach to learning Japanese. For example, instead of relying solely on textbooks and classroom instruction, she sought out authentic Japanese materials, such as novels, podcasts and films. Additionally, before she moved to Japan, Maria actively engaged with native Japanese speakers through language exchange programmes and online communities. She now lives in Tokyo and seamlessly integrates into Japanese society, displaying a level of cultural fluency that is rarely seen among foreign language learners.

As someone who grew up in Japan, I can say with confidence that Maria is truly fluent in Japanese. Her pronunciation is near-native, and she effortlessly navigates complex grammatical structures with skill. Her proficiency in Japanese fills me with admiration and respect, and I feel truly inspired when I am around her. Her commitment to mastering the language reflects a genuine love for Japanese culture and a willingness to embrace new challenges.

I feel very lucky to know an amazing person like Maria. Just being around her motivates my own language pursuits!

Thank you.