First of all, remember that in Arabic, we use the vowels for grammatical reasons, that's why Arabs, after they learn Arabic, they leave the vowel marks and they learn without them. In case, you need to learn the letters and vowels at the first time if you would like to learn more Arabic (MSA, specially grammar). Other accents, you just need to memorise and keeping touch with a native speaker to help you.

About Reading:

They are two kind of reading in Arabic, one it's understood but is not perfect, and the second one is the understood and the perfect one. 

example: 

ٌهَذَا المَنْزِلُ شَكْلُهُ جَمِيل

ٌهَذِهِ الفَتَاةُ شَكْلُهَا جَمِيل

first reading: (understood, but not perfect):

hathaa al-manzil shakluh jameel.

hathihi al-fataat shakluha jameel.

second reading:(understand, perfect): it respects grammar

hathaa l-manzilu shakluhu jameel. 

hathihi l-fataatu shakluhaa jameel.

*the words you ask about, are coming from MSA, not a colloquial Arabic. In Colloquial Arabic, we can use these one: shaklu/Male/ shaklaha/Female/

More listen to this audio voice: 

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0kUPi3ATU5n

What Arabic is this?  Now I am utterly confused.  I have to listen to local languages as part of my current course, and I need to know which is which.

if it is shakluhu than it is shakluha.

if it is shaklahu than it is shaklaha. :D

it depends on grammar really.  

Yes , but here the noun is shakluha not al-fataat :)

HI Yusuf

Thanks for taking the time to record your summary. Now I feel that I understand it better. so in other words the first reading is what everyday Arabs uses while the second reading is what classical Arabs uses correct?

Now for "hathihi al-fataat shakluha jameel." shouldn`t it be jameela since the adjectives always follows the noun?