My English learning journey was officially begun eleven years ago when I first came to Singapore. Back then I was totally new to this language, and my only knowledge about English was that those twenty-six alphabets 'happens to be the same' as the symbols used to write Chinese Hanyu Pinyin. I entered a neighborhood primary school, and as I was two years older than my fellow classmates I felt the lessons (mathematics, science, and especially chinese) were pretty easy. My main focus then was to improve on my English. I spent hours flipping through the dictionary and finding unknown English words for their Chinese translations. I was managed to survive through my primary school years, but soon found out that this method was no longer working in secondary school.
I began to try for other methods such as reading story books and watching the news, and constantly approach my English teacher. However, my English grade was still at the border line of failing. There were many encouraging stories on students who failed their English in year one but graduate with an A, but they failed to encourage me. I was totally disappointed, maybe that was the time when I lost my willingness to learn English language.
My new strategy was to improve on other subjects, such that when people saw my results slip they might view English just as a slight imperfection for my excellent performance. Throughout the rest years of my education, I managed to maintain other subjects at considerably high grades while keeping English at the border line (most of the time was just pure luck).
Last year when I entered university, the new environment brought me new perspectives and I started to realize for the past years I was lying to myself. It was the QET which spotted my lies, and I think it is the time to be honest.
313 Words
Thank you, Lanxin, for this honest and highly detailed reflection. You do an excellent job of keeping focus on your English learning journey as you narrate this (hi)story. You also make a strong case for the way that your strong overall academic performance eclipsed any language deficiencies and insecurities that you might have had. What is admirable is that you are now willing to address those problems openly.
ReplyDeleteIt is my belief that you have come to the 'right place,' both in terms of acceptance of your needs and in the way that you seem to embrace the more general reality that English is important.
As for the language of this post, let me state first that it is very good. The problems that I have overzealously (an intentionally) noted below are not major. At the same time, with the goal of helping you to increase your awareness, this is where we will begin.
1) was officially began > (verb form)
2) those twenty-six alphabets > (wrong word)
3) Mathematics, Science, > (capitalization)
4) I was manage to survive… > (verb form)
5) ….and constantly approach my English teachers. > (verb tense consistency)
6) stories on > (collocation)
7) ...who failed their English in year one but graduate with an A… > (verb tense)
8) I was totally disappointed, maybe that was the time when I lost my willingness to learn English language. > (run on)
9) the rest years > ?
Thanks once again for creating a very enjoyable short essay.
Thank you Mr Brad!
DeleteHi Lanxin:) I also tried your methods like reading news and story books but eventually I gave it up. I think the key to success is persistence. Also, I think try to find topics that you are interested in may ease the pain. I hope these can help you. Let's have faith and keep working hard.
ReplyDeleteThank you Zhengda!
DeleteI feel like reading my own story while reading yours. I studied hard for all my subjects except English and refused to see the reality. Let us work hard together for English this time！:D
ReplyDeleteEven though you only started learning English at eleven years old I think you have done an admirable job! I think you have good sentence structure and the ability to convey your ideas well. Press on and by the end of this semester we would have mastered English!
ReplyDeletePerhaps all the Chinese students will have a same story. : )) I used to check dictionary all the time and translate every words to Chinese, but then I realized that I was still learning in Chinese. The I tried to read some novels and articles without translating verbatim. However, there were so many unknown words for me and reading became a painful journal. So I just give it up. What a sad story...Hope we can improve together and enjoy this class.
ReplyDelete