A training session in university taught this Accounting major how to speak more persuasively and fluently. She spent many hours on a book about Chinese art because there were many words she didn’t understand.

The competitive environment of secondary school motivated this Cultural and Heritage Management major to improve her English by reading more books and learning about grammar. It was compulsory to read the newspaper in her secondary school.

This Engineering major made friends in England who did not make fun of his accent and taught him as well. He read Romeo and Juliet at school.

Participating in a storytelling competition challenged this Maths major as he had to retell one of the Harry Potter stories in front of a large audience. He read the South China Morning Post and the Standard. He prefers using English to teach mathematics.

Attending a tutorial school was useful and ignited this Business major’s interest in learning English. He expanded his everyday vocabulary and understood how Chinese and westerners think differently by reading the South China Morning Post.

A summer course in New Zealand included learning how the host family and others used English to communicate. This Physiotherapy major found the locals friendly and chatty. She read Harry Potter after watching the movie.

An English teacher helped this Nursing major overcome her shyness by choosing her to make a speech in Form Four. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is the first English book she finished for her school’s reading scheme.

Discipline and motivation can impact on English learning opportunities according to this Chinese major. She did not finish the assigned books in secondary school and did poorly in a subsequent exam.

A camp in secondary school organised by students from the University of Cambridge motivated this Chemistry major to learn English through drama and songs. A struggling reader at first, she managed to conquer English novels after going through the first two Harry Potter books with the help of a dictionary.

In Primary 1, this Chemistry major was required to speak English at all times. She read the House of Night and the Harry Potter series, which were recommended by one of her secondary school teachers.

Joining a learning group encouraged this Accounting major to speak on various topics. Textbooks written in English are more direct than those in Chinese.

Doing an internship in New York immersed this Business major in an English speaking environment. She appreciates the diversity of the genres and phrases in the articles used to prepare for the DSE reading paper.

Playing cards with an American tutor in a village primary school was how this student learnt English in an informal way. She reads articles and online news in English for research purposes.

A family trip to England gave this student a chance to communicate more with native speakers. He reads the BBC news every day and also self-enrichment books. English is also used in his university courses.

Watching movies and TV shows such as Ironman and Supernatural has exposed this student to idioms. He likes Harry Potter because it is easy to read. Roald Dahl is his favourite author.

A study tour to Australia required this Communications major to use English while interacting with her schoolmates and host family. She read P.S. I Love You for the SBA. It was the first time she had completed a book in English.

When watching movies, this Journalism major jots down words for self-learning. She always reads newspapers and news on Facebook.

Meeting with people who are bilingual during an exchange programme in Singapore encouraged this social worker to speak more. he wants to read the Bible in English.

A writing test made this Risk Management major realise she needs to add to her vocabulary. The course book In Dialogue with Humanity included complicated words. She read a book written by Mitch Albom.

Performing a drama, leading a book club and being a member of the English society contributed to this student’s English learning experience in secondary school. She has read The Little Prince, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Narnia, and Sherlock Holmes.

A miscommunication with a customs officer in Australia created embarrassing moments for this Math major. He had a difficult time understanding the Batman movie without subtitles during a secondary school study tour to the UK.

Watching scientific documentaries and movies helped this Science major build a good foundation in English. He used to bring novels to school and read them during breaks. He likes fantasy novels such as Eragon.

Working on grammar and vocabulary in a tutorial class was different to being spoon-fed in school and helped this Social Science major get a good exam result.

A course in community college allowed this Social Science major to chat with foreigners. His studies requires him to read some literature related to political theories.

A Geography major in the US had to use English to survive. She knew she mastered the language when she started dreaming in English. She reads the Seattle Times newspaper and course material.

An exchange to Cambridge enabled this Nursing major to learn spoken English through daily communication and dramas. She reads TIME magazine occasionally.

A learning programme at a friend’s church involved chatting with foreigners. This Social Work major read storybooks including Romeo and Juliet in class.

Watching movies in secondary school was an alternative to listening to teachers and doing past papers for this Bilingual Studies major. She loves reading fantasy novels such as Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia.

English was the lingua franca for this Marketing major during an exchange programme in the US. Most reading centres on textbooks to prepare for exams.

Chatting and playing board games in small group tutorials created a relaxing learning environment for this Journalism major. A competition in secondary school inspired her to read Pride and Prejudice, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Phantom of the Opera and other books

Studying for the college entrance exam helped this Design major build a closer relationship with her teacher and friends. She did well in IELTS even though she didn’t prepare as well as she could have.

An EMI high school was a fun experience for this Business major. He remembers the racial issues and controversies raised in To Kill a Mockingbird.

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

Doing past papers is the best way to prepare for the public exams in Hong Kong because the assessment method is similar every year. This Computing major found the English novels in school too difficult.

Preparing for university entrance exam meant studying English for two to three hours every day during high school. This Urban Planning major usually reads BBC News and the Economist in the morning.

An embarrassing mistake in pronunciation during class motivated this Finance major to work hard and improve his English. He has a habit of memorising five new words per day. He likes reading materials related to philosophy including A History of Western Philosophy.

Preparing for the Gaokao was both dull and time-consuming for this Finance graduate. Readings for postgraduate studies were not easy. She read BBC at that time.

A school teacher remembers using English with a German businessman during a dinner hosted by her parents. She read Lord of the Flies for a secondary school literature class.

English was the language of communication in this student’s home from an early age. This English major learnt phonics in kindergarten in the US.

An American primary school teacher developed this Electronic Engineering major’s interest in learning with audio and visual tools. It made him realise that English is for communication rather than academic purposes. He was impressed by the beauty of the language after reading the Harry Potter series.