This Computing major was more familiar with everyday English after watching A Beautiful Mind for the SBA. Being able to choose his own reading materials stimulated his interest in reading.

Watching TED inspired this Social Work major. She reads a lot in English for her studies. She tried to read Michael J. Sandel’s What Money Can’t Buy after she came across a video of the author on the Internet.

Attending tutorials with a foreign teacher as a toddler made this Computing major nervous. He was able to overcome his fear at a later stage when he studied in an EMI school with more chances to speak English. He reads lecture notes and books about business and investment.

Listening to songs motivates this Finance major to learn lyrics. He read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in secondary school. He prefers watching movies to reading.

A drama festival let this Business major learn how to speak fluently and taught her new vocabulary. She read Life of Pi which was recommended by her teacher.

Motivated to get a good result in the DSE, this student enrolled in private tutorial classes. He has read a book about travelling to Japan and also a magazine called Guitar World because he is interested in playing the instrument.

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.

English Wednesdays in secondary school let this Business major chat with language ambassadors and teachers. Reading The Student Standard taught her vocabulary.

Being an intern in Canada meant this Social Work major used only English in the workplace which was a shock considering her course in Hong Kong was in Chinese.

Studying IB Language and Literature significantly raised this Physics major’s English. He likes to read academic material related to his major.

Conducting a survey at Stanley Market gave this Geography major a chance to speak with foreigners. Due to the complexity of the terminology, reading an anthropology paper without knowing a single word was shocking.

An English logic class that used informal and formal language helped improve this Social Science major’s writing. Some of the university readings are difficult.

Activities using songs, films, and stories interested this Liberal Studies teaching major. It improved her pronunciation. She likes the magic of Harry Potter and mystery of Sherlock Holmes.

A PhD student recalls watching Mr Bean videos in secondary school.

Spending a summer in Poland provided this Logistics major the opportunity to practise her spoken English with the help of an online translator. She started watching movies and YouTube videos with English subtitles after entering university.

Watching movies in school improved this Nursing major’s English and trained his accent. Reading Harry Potter enhanced his writing ability. His favourite book is Tuesdays with Morrie.

Watching TV series and reading children’s books taught this Accounting major English in childhood. She attended a story telling class. She mostly reads novels.

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.

An English major likes to draw pictures while reading to help remember the meaning of a phrase. She says her primary school teacher encouraged her to draw. She says parents encourage children to learn English because it’s an international language.

Watching digital stories made by fellow students in a university course led this Computing major to learn about heritage. Readings on how to write academic papers and citations were also part of the course.

This Business major did a lot of test papers to prepare for the Gaokao. At first, she was worried about the many readings in a general education course but then she realised that she could understand them.

A lunchtime session in primary school allowed this Accounting major to learn English in a one-on-one setting with a coach. She read The Little Prince and then went on to read other versions including one in Chinese.

Preparing for the GRE, this Chemistry major read books and online materials. She needs to write more papers and read more journals in order to improve her skills. She read The China Daily, The New York Times and one chapter of Harry Potter.

Listening to popular music such as K-pop improved this Economics major’s accent. Reading novels such as Harry Potter was an alternative to classroom learning for her.

Playing a role in a mock trial in university helped this Arts major gain confidence in speaking. Tess of the d’Urbervilles was the first English classics he read. Works by Thomas Hardy and Oscar Wilde improved his writing.

English was more important than Malay when this Interior Design major started learning a language at home. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is his favourite read. He also loved One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

An internship in Cambodia gave this Industrial Engineering major the opportunity to explore other cultures and discuss hobbies with foreign colleagues. This motivated her to seek similar opportunities in the future.

Watching a movie in high school helped this Economics major appreciate the use of real life English. She felt closer to the author by reading the English version of Harry Potter.

A Maths Teaching major began to enjoy English after a teacher introduced videos and games. She wonders about the best language to teach maths as she learnt in English and Chinese.

Learning English for the first time in primary school was tough for this Translation major. Finishing her first English book was a satisfying moment for her.

Watching Forrest Gump was the solution to this Banking professional’s English learning challenges in secondary school. Reading The Economist gives him insight into international events.

This Philosophy major played the Joker in a high school drama based on the movie The Dark Knight. He says Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is elegant and dignified.

Analysing news in front of the class in preparation for the DSE turned this Engineering major into a bold speaker. Comparing his performance with others during presentations at university motivates him to improve. Reading academic texts filled with big words can be intimidating.

Watching the TV show Monk in secondary school exposed this student to everyday English. Her English classes also had a reading time. Dan Brown is her favourite author.

A ‘cute’ university tutor enabled this student to remember grammar rules about clauses. She learnt a lot of new vocabulary while reading The Lord of the Rings. Her favourite author is Nicholas Sparks.

University provides this student with more English training opportunities because the language is used by most professors. Most of the course material is in English and he checks new vocabulary with a dictionary.

Attending an EMI school was a very good environment for this Counseling major to learn English. She primarily reads books related to her major.

Participating in a contest, this Translation major and three other students practised speaking together. After watching Harry Potter movies, she read the books and sought the meaning of new words.

Even though learning English may not be interesting, this Cultural Studies major appreciates the focus on preparing for exams as it provides a foundation for future learning. She likes reading Sophia Kinsella and TV dramas such as The Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl.

A student says she gained confidence in speaking English by communicating with a classmate from Germany. She also enjoys reading related to her major, Music.