Being a campus guide while studying in the US placed this PhD student in an authentic English language environment. Reading 1984 as an undergraduate provided a contrast to history.

Practising to be an emcee was a challenge for this student because Cantonese was not allowed. He read Harry Potter in Secondary 3. Students should learn English from primary school.

Learning the first word starting with an “A” in kindergarten was memorable for this Linguistics major. She studied Cambridge English in primary school. Literature in secondary school was difficult.

Attending an EMI school enhanced this student’s learning experience because she used English to study most subjects. She also attended an English camp in Canada. She did a book report on For One More Day.

This Nursing major attended secondary school classes where an English teacher played his guitar and sang his own songs. He was surprised when he received a book about animals from the teacher.

Meeting foreigners who shared their lives in their home countries sparked this Economics major’s interest in learning. His mother read the Bookworm storybook series to him. He reads popular novels and the newspaper.

In secondary school, this Marketing major chose a book about her hobbies for the morning reading session. She loves fiction and read the Harry Potter series in English and Chinese in primary school.

Learning English is just for exams according to this Economics major. She reads many research papers related to her major.

A trip to Canada raised this student’s awareness about using English to communicate. A dictionary is helpful when reading.

Learning how to pronounce new words in Primary 3 helped this Business major understand their meaning. She read Pride and Prejudice during a morning class in secondary school.

When this Psychology graduate could not understand the dialogue in Brokeback Mountain, she could refer to the subtitles. A regular 20-minute session in secondary school helped to establish a reading habit.

A summer programme in New Zealand gave this Construction Management major an opportunity to stay with host family and meet people from different countries. She mostly reads journals for her studies. Her favourite novel is Harry Potter.

Preparing for the GRE expanded this Biology major’s vocabulary. Reading the Stranger made him think more deeply about the author’s intentions.

A tutor sparked this Nursing major’s interest in the language through the surroundings such as street signs. She also forced herself to watch TV shows and movies to help improve her language skills. She read Pride and Prejudice.

Studying in an international school allowed this Psychology major to speak English every day. However, she feels her standard is declining because she uses the language less in university.

A British teacher helped this Chinese Medicine major develop an interest in English. He made notes of the unfamiliar vocabulary in academic readings. His favourite book is The Little Prince.

A good primary school teacher motivated this student who did well in dictation. She realised the advantages of being proficient in English and read books to increase her knowledge and ability with the language.

The first assembly after transition to an EMI secondary school confused this Nursing major because everything was in English. She improved by reading the Bible, reciting prayers and singing hymns. She showcased her language skills in a drama in Secondary 5. She read Bridge to Terabithia.

A pronunciation class taught by a NET was useful and fun for this Nursing major. She read a fashion magazine.

Travelling to the US gave this student the opportunity to use English. She found some course material to be lively. She uses a dictionary when she discovers new words.

Gaining admission into a US masters programme required this Biology major to take the GRE which involved learning a lot of vocabulary. Her first English book is Twilight. She likes the description of the characters.

Preparing for the DSE involved a lot of intensive work, particularly with reading comprehension, for this Chinese Medicine major. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is meaningful.

Starting at 15, this student travelled for exchanges to the US, Scandinavia, and Africa. She watched Sesame Street VCDs when she was young and believes that cultivated an interest in Teen Titan comics.

Organising an information booth gave this Mechanical Engineering major a chance to explain the sports culture in Hong Kong to foreigners. He had to read a long piece of text on environmental conservation in secondary school.

Staying in Canada and China influenced this Linguistics major’s English learning. Reading Harry Potter was difficult at first but she did not give up. She also read The Great Gatsby after watching the movie.

Travelling to England exposed this Computer Science major to various types of accents. Online academic materials taught him jargon and boosted his vocabulary.

A Business English course with a passionate teacher and active classmates enabled this student to learn a lot. Reading Harry Potter after watching the movies was easier.

Using the English room in primary school allowed this Biotechnology major to chat with NETs and play games. She read the Twilight series after seeing the movie. There is more space for imagination while reading.

Listening to RTHK’s English news about issues such as Occupy Central and making class presentations helped boost this student’s vocabulary. He likes reading books with movie tie-ins such as The Hunger Games. He also reads material related to marketing.

Little is learnt when teachers only lecture according to this Social Work major. Novels given by high school teachers taught her vocabulary and life experiences. Her favourite book is Harry Potter.

A Mainland student uses mostly English in Hong Kong. She recalls a three week study trip to England during high school. She bought the book High School Musical after watching the movie.

Drama lessons in secondary school left a strong impression on this Biology major because it involved games, interaction with NET, and a play production with friends. With a teacher’s help he was able to understand what The Alchemist was about.

Playing video games with a dictionary enhanced this Social Work major’s vocabulary. He reads lyrics while listening to English songs.

Receiving debating, negotiating and writing training in a camp for Model UN participants was rewarding. Reading novels such as The Catcher in the Rye helped this Accounting major relieve stress during high school.

A student who plans to teach Chinese says English will be important to her in the future. She also read Harry Potter, TIME magazine and newspapers.

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.

Preparing for the DSE greatly improved this Engineering major’s English. She likes to read passages provided by her tutor and copies the parts that she finds beautiful. English is important for job interviews.

Conducting interviews with foreign tourists made this Business Analysis major very nervous. He loves reading Sherlock Holmes and he would refer to the Chinese version when he has trouble with the English one.

Working as a summer English tutor has made this student more aware of his use of language. He stays in touch with foreign students in university using text messages. He likes design and architecture books.

Touring prestigious UK universities during Form Four put this Business major in touch with other English speaking international students. She caught the reading bug after picking up Harry Potter.