An English Teaching major entered university after doing a Higher Diploma where she studied the differences between Chinese and English. She later took part in an immersion programme in Australia. She likes books with pictures.

Impromptu speaking during university language classes put this Finance major under pressure but she enjoyed the experience. She read The Investor’s Dilemma to prepare for university.

Speaking to his Filipino mother and finding new ways to use English polished this Fashion Design major’s language skills. He also learns through music and reading lyrics.

Learning with NETs from an early age encouraged this Law student’s fondness for English. Doing IB literature changed her focus from grammar to a more in-depth study of themes, characters, and literary devices. One of the novels she read was Heart of Darkness.

Pride and Prejudice is the first English book this Journalism major read. A summer camp in the US provided her the opportunity to attend classes at the local schools and practise her speaking skills.

To prepare for IELTS, this History major watched movies and TV series and also did test papers. He reads about Japanese history in English.

Participating in the English Corner during secondary school enabled this Management major to communicate and play games with a NET. Magic Finger is the first English book that he read in its entirety.

TV dramas and games taught this China Studies major vocabulary and grammar. He reads notes given by tutors.

Discussions after in-class movies were this Chemical Technology major’s favourite in secondary school. Having followed the American Advanced Placement Curriculum, she is used to studying in English and applying the technical terms of the subjects.

Forced to memorise vocabulary by her mum, this Translation major hated English. Academic articles were difficult when she was a freshman. She likes reading fiction books such as The Da Vinci Code.

Preparing for IELTS led this Software Engineering major to work hard and read online news such as the BBC. She prefers learning English through movies. She read Alice in Wonderland and The Little Prince.

Watching a TV series during undergraduate years developed this student’s understanding of other cultures. She did a lot of reading exercises in high school. Using an e-dictionary saves time.

Doing comprehension and vocabulary-building exercises with past papers in Form 5 was useful but boring for this Religious Studies and Philosophy major. He loves reading books especially in English.

The first time this student found English movies comprehensible was when he was watching and reviewing one in secondary school. He finished CSI Miami on a plane to Paris and later looked up the words on Google Translate.

Attending a conference with students from other countries gave this Business major a chance to practise his spoken English. He likes reading novels such as Percy Jackson and Harry Potter.

A student had to catch-up when she transitioned from the Mainland to Hong Kong in Primary Four. She says her reading ability is affected by dyslexia but reads books about classical music to write an essay.

Monolingual NETs in primary school encouraged this student to interact in English because it was the only common language. She has read The Hunger Games and Harry Potter but now prefers Chinese books.

Attending an international school for primary and secondary improved this Social Science major’s English. Taking IGCSE and A-Level exams further strengthened the language.

Studying English Literature as an undergraduate developed a deeper appreciation for works in the language. This student will read a book twice to explore possible connections between different passages.

A drama production in high school gave this Management major the opportunity to speak more English. She read the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for her English literature class.

A fun camp designed by foreign students and attended by this Philosophy major included games, songs, and dancing. She read Harry Potter and The Remains of the Day.

Foreign English tutors helped this student in high school by encouraging her to retell her classmates’ stories. She reads novels like Harry Potter. American-style fast food makes people think about English.

University language classes required this Economics major to work with international students in English and other languages. She had to read The New York Times for one of her courses.

Studying in the UK provided this Economics major with opportunities to speak English and nothing else. His favourite books include Sophie’s World and The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.

A student enjoyed writing poems and playing games in a workshop on Thanksgiving day at university organised by an international tutor. The workshop was different to secondary school because it was interactive. Although reading English books is hard, she was able to finish Matilda. [4CJ093]

Going on an exchange to Edinburgh for half a year required this Business major to use the language for daily communication. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom was the first English book he completed.

Teaching English in Spain highlighted a difference in learning methods for this Public Policy major. Harry Potter sparked her interest in reading books.

University classes are more interactive than secondary school for this Science major. He does not have a habit of reading.

Learning words before the alphabet in primary school made this Architecture major feel she was behind the rest of the class. All her course materials have been in English since secondary school.

Reciting a passage in secondary school was a torture for this Cultural Studies major. She read The Hunger Games after watching the movies.

An exchange to London improved this Science graduate’s grammar and interviewing skills. He seldom reads because he spends time on other activities.

Working with a foreigner made this Cultural Studies major use English a lot. She really likes William Shakespeare and explores Old English. She loves A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Watching a movie about sea animals in Form 6 was a rare experience for this Accounting major. She read the South China Morning Post for her a news clipping assignment.

Extra classes in a community centre resulted in a higher than expected DSE grade for this Social Work major. Reading in English is very important in her chosen field.

Reading, analysing and performing the drama script An Inspector Calls were different to sitting through conventional English classes for this Psychotherapy major. She used her creativity to finish a detective story in a writing competition.

A student compliments a strict secondary school teacher who polished her grammar and speaking skills. She reads English course material for her major but she feels speaking is more important.

Tutorials provided primary school students opportunities to improve speaking skills. Secondary school English classes focused on formal writing styles. Now this biochemistry major writes lab reports, reads academic papers and improves vocabulary with the help of professors, dictionary, Google and Wikipedia.

Interviewing tourists in Tsim Sha Tsui was intimidating at first, but this English major developed more confidence when she started speaking freely. Finishing the Twilight series encouraged her.

An internship in the US Disney World was an opportunity for this Psychology major to practise English. The psychology textbooks and readings have a lot of difficult terms.

A primary school drama performance gave this Fashion major a chance to speak English in front of an audience. She read Oliver Twist in primary school and reads Fashion magazines.