A student describes the interaction with a buddy during an exchange trip to the US, also sampling food and writing Chinese New Year lucky scrolls. He reads course materials and the news. He finds the English version of Harry Potter more colourful.

An environmental science PhD student was mesmerized by her high school English teacher’s retelling of a love story. She was influenced by her mother to pick up reading. She enjoys Sherlock Holmes. English is the medium of instruction in native Philippines.

Primary 1 classes in the UK improved this Biology major’s English writing and speaking but her Chinese suffered. She read English books such as Matilda but now prefers Chinese versions.

Studying in Dublin was like a three-month intensive English lesson for this Business major. She also taught English as a volunteer in Cambodia. She read the news and The Saga of Darren Shan.

Competing in a secondary school Speech Festival expanded this Business major’s vocabulary. He used English textbooks at school and enjoyed the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Secondary school English classes allowed this Business major to have a better relationship with the teacher than in university. She’s not a reading type of person but liked Harry Potter.

Watching children’s TV programmes was a more effective way to learn English than attending extra-curricular tutorials for this Business major. She has enjoyed reading children’s literature and adult fiction.

English has been important for this Engineering major since an early age as it was the language for communicating with her family’s domestic helper. She likes books by Mitch Albom.

University English course has taught this Business major how to make better presentations. She read The Little Prince in Chinese and then English as she wanted to get more out of the story.

Secondary school English classes involved performing drama and singing for this Business major. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is one of his favourite books. He wants to read more English books to improve his proficiency.

During the final year of secondary school this Engineering major improved her English by interacting with international students. The Chaser is a scary book with a lot of hidden meanings.

Reading newspapers and magazines were part of this Physics major’s DSE exam preparation. He feels English will be important in his future career.

Writing and performing dramas in secondary school English classes were more interesting than learning grammar for this Business major. She learnt more about the USSR by reading Animal Farm.

Watching the Twilight movie triggered this Engineering major’s interest in reading. She surprised herself by completing the book and noticed it also improved her English. She read a number of books for high school English.

English was the lingua franca for this Engineering major during a study tour to Singapore that focused on the environment. Reading science fiction stimulates his imagination. He read Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

A new teaching style helped this Science major achieve a good result in DSE English. He loved Animal Farm but now enjoys reading sports news on the Internet.

Being encouraged to speak in university English classes is a positive difference for this Accounting major. He reads newspapers and has started Harry Potter.

An Accounting major feels there should be more focus on spoken English to improve intercultural communication. She read Pride and Prejudice on a teacher’s recommendation.

Primary school English classes were entertaining for this Social Policy major as it included watching educational TV shows. He uses English in the workplace for written correspondence and to communicate with visitors.

There were more opportunities to chat with native English speakers in secondary school than in university for this Fashion major. She read Alice in Wonderland after seeing the movie.

Primary school activities in an international school gave this Occupational Therapy major opportunities to communicate with native English speakers. He likes the Alex Rider adventure stories.

Movie appreciation and debating in English gave this Hotel Management major more speaking opportunities in secondary school. Reading books like Little Women can enrich writing skills.

English was the lingua franca in this Engineering major’s primary school. She found The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas to be a meaningful book. English is important if she wants to learn more.

English was the only language this Food Technology major could use in an activity with foreign students from another secondary school. She read the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas for a university programme.

Teachers encouraged public speaking in this Food Safety major’s secondary school. She started reading the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas to learn the meaning behind the story.

Taking a Cambridge English course exposed this Design major to a NET. He is forced to read course material in English because there are fewer Chinese texts.

An extra-curricular English class entertained this Accounting major in primary school because the teacher was funny. She read Gone with the Wind after watching the movie.

English Week activities in this Surveying major secondary school included debates and rewriting English song lyrics. He read High School Musical 3 for a book report.

Playing, singing and watching cartoons were a fun way to learn phonics in extra-curricular classes for this Social Work major. She said people who don’t like reading much need to find a book that interests them.

Teachers gave this Marketing major feedback on her role as an assembly emcee in secondary school. She had to write reports on news articles from South Morning China Post as part of the reading scheme. Reading Fifty Shades of Grey exposed her to new writing and vocabulary.

Performing a drama taught by a secondary school NET was fun for this Engineering major. She read Harry Potter in English after completing the Chinese version.

Teaching basic English to kindergarten students during secondary school highlighted the use of communication skills for this Property Management major. He started reading Harry Potter but didn’t finish. He believes English is important for his future career.

A Bilingual Studies major used English to explore religious differences during a cultural exchange programme in Israel. She sees The Great Gatsby as a complex love story and The Alchemist as an adventurous story.

English is one of many languages used by this Bilingual Studies major. She likes reading Stephen King because his stories are exciting. She also enjoys 1984 and The Storyteller.

Watching dramas and movies expanded this Social Work major’s everyday vocabulary but it didn’t help with the formal English requirement of the DSE. She read parts of Twilight.

Studying in foreign countries has helped this Hotel Management major’s English learning. She also developed a daily reading habit after taking part in a compulsory university programme.

A summer English camp in Canada also taught this Science graduate about western culture. He read 12 Years a Slave after watching the movie.

Speaking English helped this Accountancy major make friends during an exchange programme in Canada. It was compulsory to read newspaper articles in secondary school.

Forced reading with his mother gave this Engineering major a good foundation in English. He used to read passages aloud and then write them out.

Reading newspaper articles in secondary school helped this Fashion major build a vocabulary list. She ran out of time to finish books for the SBA.