If you want your child to grow up bilingual (aka super smart and ready to take on the world), then you need to know about shadowing. No, not the creepy “following someone around” kind—this is the language-learning kind, and it’s actually one of the most effective ways to learn Spanish.
What Is Spanish Shadowing?
Shadowing is basically the art of parroting a foreign language. You listen to an audio (or a video with audio) in Spanish and repeat everything you hear—almost at the same time. It’s like karaoke, but instead of belting out Let It Go, your kid is soaking up real Spanish words and phrases like a little language sponge.
Where Did This Idea Come From?
A polyglot (aka a person who collects languages like kids collect Pokémon cards) named Alexander Arguelles made shadowing famous. He describes it as “planting a language in your brain.” Sounds fancy, right? But it’s really simple: listen and repeat, listen and repeat. He even recommends walking around with good posture while doing it—because apparently, standing tall helps your brain soak up the language better. (Who knew?)
How Does Shadowing Work?
Shadowing is like hacking the brain’s natural way of learning a language. Babies don’t start by memorizing grammar rules—they hear words over and over until their brains go, “Ohhh, I get it!” Shadowing mimics that process, helping with pronunciation, rhythm, and sentence structure.
Two Ways to Shadow Like a Pro
- Shadowing with subtitles – Your child listens to Spanish audio while reading the words on screen. (Great for kids who can already read!)
- Blind shadowing – No subtitles, just listening and repeating. This helps kids focus on how words sound rather than what they mean at first.
Pro tip: Start with slower audio that has clear pronunciation and work up to more natural speech speed!
Why Shadowing Works for Kids
Think about it—your child wasn’t born knowing English. When you talked to them as babies, they had no clue what you were saying, but they figured it out over time. The same thing happens with Spanish!
Science backs this up, too. Research shows that repetition helps new words stick in our brains. Basically, the more times your child hears a word, the better their brain locks it in. (It’s like when you hear a song 15 times and suddenly know all the lyrics—same concept!)
How to Start Shadowing With Your Kid
Steaming services are your best friends here. Look for Spanish cartoons, short films, or even songs. The funnier and more animated, the better! Your child can copy different character voices, making it more engaging. If you are ready to go all in this: you can buy a VPN and an Amazon Firestick at set both to a Spanish speaking country, that way all the content will be in Spanish, which will save you the hassle of changing the language each time.
If your child can read, turn on Spanish subtitles. If not, no worries! Just let them listen and repeat. Over time, they’ll start recognizing words and phrases naturally.
Want a Helping Hand?
Even though kids pick up languages fast, structured learning helps solidify everything. That’s where TruFluency Kids Spanish comes in! Let us guide your child with our proven Spanish lessons. Try a class for just $15.25 ! Our methods are fun, interactive, and designed for kids to actually enjoy learning Spanish.
Got questions? Reach out! They are more than happy to help your little one become a Spanish-speaking rockstar.
