A class drama exercise helped this student with his presentation skills.

Learning phonics in primary school helped this student with his reading skills.

This student shares a learning experience that focused on passing exams.

A foreign domestic worker helped this student learn English.

A student enjoys learning English by watching movies. He plans to read The Hunger Games series.

A student learns English through news websites.

A student says he used English more in secondary school than university and occasionally read newspapers.

Coming to Hong Kong as a primary school student was the best English language learning experience. Reading includes textbooks.

Learning English in university involved night clubbing in Lan Kwai Fong.

A university exchange to the UK helped this student with her conversational skills. She feels she needs to read more.

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

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

A postgraduate student praises his middle school teachers and explains he continues to learn English through online open courses and Wikipedia and that all master’s classes are in English.

A Chinese major enjoyed the English learning environment in secondary school which included a trip to Taiwan. She perseveres with reading books such as a Steve Jobs biography and Twilight.

This student wrote and performed a play with classmates in secondary school. Reading books such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games help build vocabulary while it’s easy to understand the English used in video games like Fever and Grand Theft Auto.

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.

English songs, poems and drama are an alternative to grammar and “technical English.” Watching movies such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games will get you interested in reading the original books.

It was interesting comparing English to Cantonese in secondary school. It’s better to read a book after watching a film because it can help build a mental picture.

A school visit to a university hotel helped build this student’s vocabulary. He read about Coco Chanel during the SBA. He’s an NBA fan and plays video games in English.

Improvised drama may be absurd, but it’s also fun. The novel The Payback provides insight into the real world of criminals and law enforcement.

Preparing for the DSE English exam is a part of life. Students can be encouraged to read by watching movies first, just like Gone Girl. The novel Annie John is different to other books.

Winning competitions can boost your confidence and encourage you to read more. Harry Potter and books by Dan Brown such as the Da Vinci Code are favourites.

Secondary school English ambassadors polish their language skills by testing other students and leading activities. Watching Pride and Prejudice led to reading the original Jane Austen book.

A teacher brought a recipe writing class to life by allowing the students to cook. Number the Stars is a memorable book.

A church leader focused on communication and not grammar while teaching out of a textbook.

Crazy English teaches students to communicate. Preparing for IELTS involves careful reading. She read TIME magazine.

Preparing for IELTS was very tiring – working hard every day. English teachers focus on basic language skills and have little time to read more than news websites such as the BBC and The New York Times.

Shakespeare exposes students to exaggeration and similes. Good movies make books interesting.

Collaborative writing and presentations in university allow students to develop together.

A NET inspires with drama and musicals. Craft books are interesting and beautiful.

The accent and teaching style of a NET is more appealing. You can learn through watching movies.

A summer camp led by native English speaking students built confidence because it focused on communication and not errors. Books such as Harry Potter and Tuesdays with Morrie are good for learners.

Choral speaking sparked this student’s interest in literature. Roald Dahl and children’s book are easier to understand because of the simpler language and illustrations.

The passion of a recently graduated teacher helps after-school. Reading is difficult for someone who prefers pictures to words.

An accessible NET provides an opportunity for lunch-time chats. The Harry Potter movie created an interest in comics. Playing the violin involves reading English language textbooks.

A student needed to answer questions about the book ET as part of an entrance test for a school in Macau. He later moved to Hong Kong and remembers English was used in an activity-filled international summer exchange programme in New Zealand.

Watching Titanic in primary school on the Mainland created an interest in the lyrics of the song, “My Heart Will Go On.” The student also watched Harry Potter and Twilight. She briefly looked at the Harry Potter book.

A Maths Teaching major from the Mainland says his secondary school was different because there were many foreign teachers. He also took part in an English summer camp in Hong Kong. He is now reading and studying in English at university.

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.

A weekly NET class allowed students to learn in a relaxing environment. Reading past papers for the DSE is a must but new vocabulary makes reading difficult.