【Chat】How Do You Learn English?

[Balie 10]

I guess this discussion is like a chat. Just take it easy, and share your experience with everyone. ;-)

A language consists of four elements: reading, listening, writing, speaking; therefore, I suppose that all of us are determined to do a good job in these four aspects. However, different difficulties will pop up! Like me, I seldom practice speaking English (but I usually talk to myself in English :p ), so I am only familiar with some words often used in my English lessons. It really troubles me a lot! When taking part in GEPT held in July, I found I could not express myself articulately. Though the result was not as bad as I had imagined, it really pointed out that I have a long way to go!

OK! What I mentioned above is one of my learning experience. How about you? Have you ever been confronted with some obstacles in learning English(or talking about your habits of learning English)? Just post it below, and let's discuss about how to deal with these difficulties! :E

P.S.

http://www.student.tw/db/showthread.php?t=117124

↑ I do not think everyone of us makes full use of this thread. I guess a forum is interactive. Sometimes we can have a look at former threads so that we will not neglect some meaningful discussions.

[MikiRei 10]

Oh lol. I totally forgotten about that topic. Don't think many people bother to go to 精華區

Corrections:

determined to do well jobs

determined to do a good job

I found I could not express myself in articulation

I found I could not express myself articulately.

it really points out I have a long way to go!

it really pointed out that I have a long way to go!

Answering to the topic: (EDIT)

I'll just say what's on the top of my head. I'll be drawing experiences from my learning German and French as the experience will probably be similar. (ie. learning a language other than your main tongue through school)

Technically, I just followed the school curriculum. We have four components, which is already listed above by Balie - speaking, reading, writing and listening.

Listening:

- our teacher speaks to us in the language during class. During elementary and first year of high school, they usually switch between English and whichever language. It's usually like, 10 minutes of the language then the rest of the class is in English but towards higher years, for example, year 8 and above, they'll speak for longer periods, eventually conducting the entire class in the language we're learning unless we're REALLY stumped what the teacher's on about.

- listening tapes - but those are just for exam practice. Don't know how much use they'll be in real life. What I did realise was sometimes our teachers can be extremely evil and record a conversation themselves in native speaking speed. Then we're like desperately trying to pick out key words. The only way to combat this, though, is probably listen to more stuff eg. watching movies

Extra note: in terms of watching movies, I tend to find having subtitles in a similar language helps. For example, for German and French, watching the film with English subtitles really helps. Since the grammatical format is the same, it's pretty easy to listen and map what you listen to the English. I find the same thing when I'm watching Japanese movies/animes/drama with Chinese subtitles. In fact, that's mostly how I learned my Japanese. I just listen and map what I hear with the Chinese subtitles. Recently, I flicked on Cantonese news which also had Chinese subtitles and again, I desperately tried to map what I'm hearing with the subtitles I see but it proved hard. When I'm mapping what the newsreader is saying to the subtitles, it's fairly straightforward but when they start interviewing local citizens who use the more authentic, rural Cantonese (I think), I'm all but lost. :s

Korean, too, maps fairly well with Chinese. I guess when learning a second language, it's always better if you have a point of relevance. However, total reliance on that relevance isn't good in the long run. That, I found out with Japanese when I start to think in Japanese. It's a lot better when you don't have to go Main language -> Second language -> speak/write - which is what I usually do with German and French. >_>

Anyways, in terms of watching movies for listening practice, I think it's still best to start with subtitles intact then eventually turn it off. At first, I'll watch the entire thing with subtitles then turn the subtitles off to watch a second time, just to see how much I can understand. These days, I do it in reverse. I'll watch it completely without subtitles, then find the subtitles and rewatch it, just to see how much I understood. Learn a lot more in the meantime and forces you to listen as hard as you can.

Speaking:

- For speaking, my school had a thing called "speaking folder". So we will have a particular, general situation eg. asking for directions, talking about family, talking about hobbies etc., write it out and put it into our speaking folder. Of course, we initially write it out for writing practice and copy it over AFTER it's been marked. Then, each week, we're required to read it out loud during studies. What we also had was as soon as we entered the classroom, we can't speak English (or any other language for that matter) except the language you're learning in that room. The teacher will also converse us in the relevant language and sometimes pick us out and make us talk to him/her for a good 5 minutes. I remember in high school, it was extremely nerve racking but eventually, it was easier since we got used to it. In general, I think speaking is just practice, practice, practice. For exams, it was obviously easy, especially if you've prepared the material but if I ever had to go to France or Germany........*shudder*. I most definitely won't survive >_>

- Another thing that possibly helped with this is merging it into daily life. Since French and German was compulsory for my school between kindergarten to year 7, something peculiar happened amongst the students. That is, we start porting some of French and German to our day to day language. So, for example, instead of saying "thank you", we all started saying, "danke" (we still do), or "excuse me" became "excusez moi". Sometimes we'll greet eachother in either German and French, depending on the mood and try to have a conversation in it until we, well....get stuck.

Reading:

- This, usually is my stronger section. The reading section also ports to speaking as well. Like, during exams, we're required to read a passage aloud. The only reason I'm stronger in this section because I generally like reading and I have a weird fascination with pronunciation. I'm a fairly good imitator apparently (according to my teacher - don't know - I can't imitate accents well though - especially if it's in a language I already know >_>) so what tends to happen is I will just pick up any odd books and start reading aloud, no matter which language it is (so long that I KNOW the language). I don't actually KNOW what I'm reading, but I just practice the sound though in most general cases, I try to understand or at least GUESS what I'm reading.

In terms of English learning, I remember when I first came to Australia, my mum will make me read aloud from a book before I go to sleep. I have an inkling feeling that it may have helped with my spelling as well. Since English is phonetic, whilst reading, you're obviously practising breaking up the syllables and putting in the correct accent as you read but as you do so, remembering the spelling becomes easier because you can associate each syllable of the word to their relevant spelling. Of course, the other advantage of reading aloud is increasing your reading comprehension at the same time (so long you try and understand what you're reading when you read aloud that is)

Writing:

- I tend to find writing to be a completely different end of the spectrum. To have good writing skills, in ANY languages, in my opinion, requires natural talent - and I don't have ANY writing talent whatsoever. I have, at best, written only like, 3 to 5 good writing pieces in my entire high school career. I think, only one of them was ever asked from my teacher for a copy. ^.^|||

A few problems I had:

- tense problems. I'm sure some people may have noticed it by now but yes, I have a tense problem and most of my teacher don't get why I still have it, despite living here for most of my lifetime. The only reason I can think of is that I was never taught properly - especially since the only grammar lesson we ever had was in 6th grade. However, this is usually rectified if I just re-read my writing a second time and usually I'll see it - but unfortunately, time sometimes run out during test/exam time so I never get a chance to reread my writing. I then try and proof read as I go but sometimes I just get lazy towards the end (or in a rush. Then you go into crazy writing mode whereby you get sore arms and finger at the end of the exam >_>)

- expression problems. That's due to me thinking in Chinese. I don't know whether people had this problem before but when you're trying to describe something, somehow, the first thing that pops into your head is a Chinese idiom. I'm not used to Chinese -> English or English -> Chinese dictionary (and never really used it in my life) so when I blank out due to having the PERFECT Chinese expression to express my idea, I try desperately to translate it into English. However, it just NEVER works! I can try 20 variations and somehow, it's just IMPOSSIBLE to translate certain Chinese idioms into English properly. If you try and translate it literally, it sounds incredibly silly. *coughCrouchingTigerHiddenDragoncough* Anyways, the result is I come up with what my friend calls as "fob" expression. Again, to rectify this, I usually have to think about something else for 10 minutes then come back and proof read to pick it up and rephrase.

- not being sure how to use certain expression. Sometimes, when I'm reading, I come across some very cool expression that just sits in my head, edging to be used. The problem is that I sometimes use it incorrectly and get a good deal of red pen markings whereby it prompts me to check the dictionary to see why I'm wrong....and then all problems solved. ie. You learn from your mistakes

In terms of writing, from what I hear from the girls who usually are good at writing, they usually have the following in common:

1. They read a lot

2. They're also good actors o.0 I kid you not. The top writers in my year both do drama as well (good actors too).....and funnily enough, both were in debating class too

3. They keep a diary.

Conclusion: practice.....and make sure someone else reads over it (eg. your teacher) so they can give you a good deal of red pen marking

As for me, well.....I probably should of started my English assignments during the week instead of the night before it was due. :p I'll be honest - I never liked English. For narrative writing, I find I can write short stories better ie. episodic. I don't have much of a knack to write long-winded details and make it intriguing at the same time. Short and to the point is what I generally like. Took me 3 years before I realise that. As for essays, generally, if you plan before you write it, I didn't have too much of a problem. One of the thing our school made us did was the following (and I'm sure many of you, especially if you're abroad would have seen this)

Write out a plan as follows:

1. Topic sentence: Write a summary of what your essay is about and the general points you want to make

2. Paragraph <insert number>

Point: The point you want to make so pretty much like a topic sentence but for that point only. Usually just one sentence.

Evidence: Evidence to back up. If you're writing about a book, it's usually quotes from the book

Explanation: Explanation of your point with your relative evidence

For each paragraph or points, it usually follows the above structure.

3. Conclusion. Paragraph to summarise and further strengthen your point.

I remembered following this exactly before writing out my final copy of the essay. That was the one essay that my teacher actually asked for a copy to give to later years. As for exam situation, you do a quick version of this for 5 minutes then you start writing, referring back to your plan from time to time. Usually works, unless you didn't study your quotes ^.^|||

However, I really don't like essays much. In fact, formal writing deters me. I had much more fun writing informal writing. Basically, writings where I just write whatever's going on in my brain at the moment and it had a good effect. My teacher liked it much better. Maybe I just don't like getting restricted......

Urgh.....lol.....I rambled again. Errr....I guess, from my experiences, writing was the hardest part. That's all from me. Sorry for the long post....again....

[evenstar 10]

Don't forget your "teaching" topics are almost all in English. A lot of people can't fully comprehend them even if they took the time to read it.

[Balie 10]

Don't forget your "teaching" topics are almost all in English. A lot of people can't fully comprehend them even if they took the time to read it.

Do you suggest me to make this discussion in a different way? Could you share your opinion on this?(I have no idea about what you mean) ???

[spacedunce-5 10]

I think what she's saying is that learning in a language you don't know isn't very effective.

However, that is how we learn our first languages, which means that through hard work,

it can still be accomplished,

and the results are usually better than when learning it as a foreign language.

[ttony 11]

my school request read Landmark English,but I think it can't improve my English (I have been not passed on any exam of English since I attended to HSNU)

now.I read Vocabulary 4000(publisher is 三民書局).but mug up vocabulary is so....

I want other reader ˊˋ..who can make a suggestion for me?

[MikiRei 10]

Don't forget your "teaching" topics are almost all in English. A lot of people can't fully comprehend them even if they took the time to read it.

Yeah, well...it IS in the pure English thread.

now.I read Vocabulary 4000(publisher is 三民書局).but mug up vocabulary is so....

Don't know what that book is like but just reading a list of vocabulary isn't going to help that much. You should read more books or news article. See the vocabulary in action.

[Balie 10]

now.I read Vocabulary 4000(publisher is 三民書局).but mug up vocabulary is so....

I think this book is good for you. You can spend more time reading the sentences it offers, and learn how to use these words. Moreover, I agree with MikiRei on reading more different articles. It can not only broaden your horizons but also help your with schoolwork.

I want other reader ˊˋ..who can make a suggestion for me?

Landmark is OK for those who do not think they are good at English, so I do not think it is wise to neglect this part(I just suppose you do so, not understanding your real situation). As for improving English to the extent that you can do a well job in exams, maybe you can think about what you have first. Just pick up a book that you think to be proper for your learning, and read it over and over again. Besides reading the book you pick up, you can make full use of your resource. It is not easy to learn English for a short time, so school can always provide something useful for you.

After sharing my opinions, I want to discuss about one of my habits of learning Englsih.

First of all, I want to say this discussion is not limited to a certain topic: You can talk about English lessons, or your difficulties in exams or something for that matter. What's better, you can share your opinions on learning(like something you found is helpful for learning English). Hope this thread can be interactive, and help us learn more.;-)

OK! Toady I want to share my habit of using a dictionary.

I am used to using an English to English dictionary, so it is more easy to know how to use a word correctly. Sometime we make mistakes by misunderstanding the difference of some synonyms. I think using an English to English dictionary can more or less avoid using words wrongly. Moreover, you can also learn about this by using a Chinese to English dictionary. I will show you how I use them.

Comparison: suspect VS. doubt（We all refer to these two words as "懷疑" in Chinese）

suspect: to think that something is probably true, especially something bad

Ex. She strongly suspected he was lying to her.

doubt:to think that something may not be true or that it is unlikely

Ex. You can complain, but I doubt if it'll make any difference.

If we learn by English definition, we may not misunderstand these words. If not(especially in a Chinese to English dictionary), we can learn the difference by taking a look at the sentences it offers.

I put much emphasis on this part because it is important for me to use words correctly. Moreover, it really helps in your reading and writing tests(but I hate learning this only for tests).

If you think there is anything wrong, you can share your thoughts with me. I will be glad to have more discussion.:)

[咬著檸檬草的貓 10]

I think vocabulary books aren't too effective. I never got anything out of them.

Like Balie's example. Chinese definition and English definition are different. and the same meaning in Chinese could be totally off in English.

another example, both strange and weird means " 奇怪" but weird is a much more common word than strange.

The way I lean English....

My parents dumped me into a foreign country....

I naturely pick it up few month later..

[馬克杯老人 10]

I think how to learn a foreign language well must depend on your own situation. In Taiwan,

English is our first foreign language. we must learn it with different ways when we are in

different stages. For example, when we were novices in English, we must memorize some

basic vocabularies in general life. You needn't learn them through English meaning.

Like "dog" or "eat", you can use their chinese meaning to understand what they mean

because they are concret, not abstract. Besides, it is impossible for most Chinese to

understand some Englsih meanings of some nouns from English-Englsih dictionary, such

as lily. If you don't understand what "lily" means, you couldn't understand it by checking

on English-English dictionary because this kind of dictionaries always give you the

explanation like this: a plant with large trumpet-shaped flowers on a tall, slender stem.

Therefore, when you want to understand the meanings of some "real thing" nouns, you

can learn through Englsih- Chinese dictionaries. After you can use basic words wells,

you should try to use English-English dictionaries for checking abstract verbs,

adjectives,or nouns. This is because you must understand the real English meanings of

those vocabularies before you can use them correctly. Finally, you must try to think in

English usually and then you would start to use English well, at least not bad. Of course,

for owning good English skills, we must try to read English paper, listen to English

programs, speak English by discussing different topics with other persons, and write

English diary everyday. Perhaps, learning foreign languages for most people would take

much time unless you are genii for languages. (Indeed, some persons learn them more

quickly than others.) However, some persons think that living abroad is a good way to

learn foreign languages. But I don't think that would a real solution because if you have

enough money, you couldn't afford that. After all, not everyone has a rich family.

Therefore, I think studying hard and practicking more as possible are the best methods

to learn languages.

PS:All above are my oppinions from my learning experience.

[MikiRei 10]

It can not only broaden your horizons but also help your with schoolwork.

It not only broadens your horizon but also helps you with your school work.

The way I lean English....

My parents dumped me into a foreign country....

I naturely pick it up few month later..

Naturally, not naturely.

I think how to learn a foreign language well must depend on your own situation.

I think the method of learning a foreign language well depends on your situation.

In Taiwan, English is our first foreign language. we must learn it with different ways when we are in different stages.

In Taiwan, English is our second language and we must learn it with different methods when we are at different learning stages.

For example, when we were novices in English, we must memorize some basic vocabularies in general life.

.....some basic vocabularies used in daily life.

You needn't learn them through English meaning.

You needn't learn them through English definition.

Like "dog" or "eat", you can use their chinese meaning to understand what they mean because they are concret, not abstract.

Like "dog" or "to eat", you can use their Chinese definition to understand what they mean because they are concrete, not abstract.

Besides, it is impossible for most Chinese to understand some Englsih meanings of some nouns from English-Englsih dictionary, such as lily.

Besides, it is impossible for most Chinese to understand certain English definitions for certain nouns, such as "lily", using an English-English dictionary.

If you don't understand what "lily" means, you couldn't understand it by checking on English-English dictionary because this kind of dictionaries always give you the explanation like this: a plant with large trumpet-shaped flowers on a tall, slender stem.

If you don't know what "lily" is, you wouldn't be able to understand its definition by checking in an English-English dictionary because a likely definition would be as follows: a plant with large truplet-shaped flowers on a tall, slender stem.

Therefore, when you want to understand the meanings of some "real thing" nouns, you can learn through Englsih- Chinese dictionaries. After you can use basic words wells,

you should try to use English-English dictionaries for checking abstract verbs, adjectives,or nouns.

Therefore, when you want to understand the definitions of some "real thing" nouns, you can learn through English-Chinese dictionaries. You should try to use English-English dictionaries when checking abstract verbs, adjectives or nouns after you can use the basic vocabularies well.

This is because you must understand the real English meanings of those vocabularies before you can use them correctly.

This is because you must understand the real English definitions of those vocabularies before you can use them correctly.

Personal note: Quite confused with this sentence. Rephrase, maybe?

Finally, you must try to think in English usually and then you would start to use English well, at least not bad.

Finally, you must try to think in English on a regular basis. Then you will be able to use English at a substantial level.

Of course, for owning good English skills, we must try to read English paper, listen to English programs, speak English by discussing different topics with other persons, and write English diary everyday.

Note before I continue: You don't own skills. You have them.

Of course, to have good English skills, we must try to read English paper, listen to English programs (Comment: what sort of programs? TV programs or radio programs?), speak English by discussing different topics with other people, and write English diary everyday.

Note: Plural for person is people.

Perhaps, learning foreign languages for most people would take much time unless you are genii for languages.

Perhaps, learning foreign languages will take a lot of time for most people unless you are a genius in languages.

(Indeed, some persons learn them more quickly than others.)

(Indeed, some people learn languages far more quickly than others.)

However, some persons think that living abroad is a good way to learn foreign languages.

But I don't think that would a real solution because if you have enough money, you couldn't afford that.

However, some people think that living abroad is a good way to learn foreign languages but I don't think that would be a real solution because if you don't have enough money, you wouldn't be able to afford it.

Comment: Well, the reason why people think it's a good way to learn foreign languages because it FORCES you into the environment. It also forces you to use it on a daily basis, interacting with a denser population of people who actually speak the language as their mother tongue. In other words, there's more of a chance of interacting with people who can actually correct your mistake every time you open your mouth or write on paper. Furthermore, different languages aren't just an alternative method of communication. Languages creates culture and at the same time, feeds on culture. Many expressions in certain languages don't follow any logical pattern but are instead, a representation of the culture. This is why the same language can have different expressions or use the same word in a different way, depending on the culture of the country the language is spoken in. On top of that, certain expressions can only be fully understood if you understand the culture and one of the best way in understanding a culture (besides just reading about it), is immersing yourself into the culture. Reading and watching movies do that but living in it still makes a vast difference.

But....of course, it's not the greatest solution if you don't have enough money. Meanwhile, we rely on the web for materials from the other side of the globe. :p (or talk in forums like these. XD)

After all, not everyone has a rich family.

Afterall, not everyone is rich.

Therefore, I think studying hard and practicking more as possible are the best methods to learn languages.

Therefore, I think studying hard and practicing as much as possible are the best methods to learn languages.

PS:All above are my oppinions from my learning experience.

All of the above are my opinions from my learning experiences.

[Balie 10]

My parents dumped me into a foreign country....I naturally pick it up few month later..

Could you recall if you have any difficulty in getting used to this environment? What's more, could you share your opinions on how you dealt with them?;-)

For example, when we were novices in English, we must memorize some basic vocabularies in general life. You needn't learn them through English meaning.

Not totally agree on this opinion. I remember MiKiRei said "Write your OWN definitions.". I was really impressed with this opinion because I think there is a psychological theory behind it.(Not sure what it is, but it is really involved in psychology. By the way, I am interested in psychology.XD) Trying to make words bear significances to you will help you memorize them.

Moreover, there are several ways to demonstrating this method works indeed. For example, we can associate a picture with a word so that memorizing will not be a tedious mission to do. However, something abstract is really not easy to memorize. Maybe we can have a discussion about this.

To. MiKiRei

Thank you very much! I benefit from your posts a lot, especially what you have posted above(I mean your similar experiences to learn foreign languages).:E

[MikiRei 10]

Could you recall if you have any difficulty in getting used to this environment?

Well, question's not directed at me, but it makes me think back to the time I just came to Australia. I think I had quite a bit of culture shock when I first started school here. After enrolling into a local public school near my house, I was taken to be introduced to my class. I remember the strongest impression I had was there was hardly any Asians - if any. The only boy I could see, eye to eye, was blonde and blue-eyed (I think his name was Jason - can't remember -soooooo long ago) and I remember staying rooted to the ground not knowing what to do. The boy then mouthed "Hello <insert name>" after the teacher's finished introducing me and I was in some sort of state of shock. My mother later tried to comfort me by getting daughters of her friends who also attend that school (same year) to come play with me before starting so that I was slightly comforted that they'll be people there to help me (and people who look like me for that matter. Note: I was 6 at this time)

As for my first day at school, I was so scared to go that I refused to get out of bed. Back in Taiwan, I actually liked school, so this was a first for my mum. I used to go to this language school in Taiwan (called Early Bird - don't think it exists anymore). All the teacher's there were Americans so I guess I wasn't THAT unused to Western appearances except back then, at least all my peers were Asians so coming to a COMPLETELY Western society ..... well. Anyways, after many struggling and fighting (and breaking a toilet seat in the process ^.^|||), my mum finally got me dressed and dragged into the car. When I was actually in class, it wasn't so scary after that. I think I latched on to a Chinese girl (whose parents later became friends with mine) pretty quickly and realised the kids there are actually friendly. Still, I refused to speak for 3 full days, despite actually being able to understand quite a bit of English back then due to my schooling back in Taiwan.

After that, well, I think I adapted fairly well (well, when you're that young, adaptability is like 10 times faster than adults). There was, unfortunately, some racial teasing one time or another, for example, the infamous "ching chong" taunt = =|||. There was also a lot of culture adjustment happening and noticing the differences in habits between Taiwan and Australia. For example, the children kisses their parents on the lips. That, I never understood and was quite shocked when I see it. It's not something I could picture myself doing, like, EVER. Another thing was they all sat on the ground to eat and didn't care about sitting on grasses. That was odd because back in Taiwan, my mum gets paranoid about sitting on dirty grasses and concrete. Hence, I tried to sit on the benches as much as possible until the will of trying to join in lunch groups took over, leading to series of explanations with my mum as to why I'm sitting on the ground, dirtying my clothes (my mum got used to it eventually).

Another thing was they pick food that they've dropped on the ground to eat. THAT, I just.....never got used to. Also, sharing food. Between friends, especially girls, they'll share the same drink bottle or take a bite out of the same sandwich, etc.etc. I eventually got used to this, but only between my really good friends. We tend buy like, a double cone ice cream and then pass it around, each taking a bite to eat. If we're desperate enough (on a hot, sunny day), one friend would hold an ice block while two other friends take a bite on each side. My mum's reaction was usually, "不要這樣!很髒啊!" ...lol.....

One other thing I remembered clearly was around year 2, our principal suddenly announced that noone is to speak any other language but English at school, due to request from parents. That was fine.....until other Asian girls tried to use that to frame people to get into trouble. For example, I was looking at storybooks written by other classmates with another girl and she asked, "Who wrote this?"

I said, "Kyle."

She then said, "You just spoke Chinese!"

I said, "No I didn't."

"Yes you did. You said 唉哟"

.................and yeah, I got into trouble.

That was the early days. As for later years, I still say culture clash continues to happen, though not on a regular basis. The culture clash happens on both sides and is usually due to the inability to understand why certain cultures are they way they are.

For example, I never could understand why most Western families will send their parents to an old people's home as soon as they retire or hit the age of 70. (not all, but quite a lot) Another thing I still cannot comprehend is, once children hit a certain age, the parents pretty much leave them on their own and let them fend for themselves. Contrary to Asian parents where they save money up for you, Western families (or at least this is how it is in Australia) will basically go, "Ok. You're 18. Now get out and try and earn your first home loan. Good luck in getting it paid off in 30 years time." Also, if your parents moved into your apartment, some of the people I've talked to actually charge their parents rent. I'm like, "Is there a need to charge your parents rent?"

"Oh, well, they're living on MY property so they need to pay some of the bills."

Ack, anyways, enough from me now. Hope to hear other people's experiences. It's always interesting.

[spacedunce-5 10]

Here's something to think about: I returned from a foreign country to attend seventh grade, so, instead of learning English, I had to learn Chinese. Basically, I think MikiRei had it easy. xd

I stepped foot on this island the day after graduation, suffering from jet lag and not quite understanding what everyone was saying. Luckily, my mom studied Chinese during college here in Taiwan, and was able to help me catch up with grade school kids here. We crammed Chinese for three straight months (summer starts earlier abroad), usually shortening a five-period-lesson into ten minutes 0.O, and though I can't say I became fluent, it was enough to live by.

Seventh grade was hell: I found that words most commonly used don't appear in textbooks, and I constantly had to refer to my English teacher to get my meaning across. Classmates would taunt me for not knowing how to express myself; they thought I was shy and awkward. However, byt the ninth grade, I had an ample grasp of the language to establish my own image and personality.

Usually, a person in a foreign country forgets their mother tongue quite quickly, but I was able to prevent this, thanks to Charles. Charles was our English student teacher, just out of college. He used to take me to the library during English classes to chat with me in English (under the guise of helping me learn Chinese lol), and having an American accent (curious enough), we got along fairly well. Also, I never pass up an opportunity to read English novels, which was how I learned English in the first place (forget school xd).

And I STILL can't believe I failed the GEPT Intermediate!!!

[Richtu 10]

wow...sounds very similar to my life...

I came back after I finished grade 8 in Canada not knowing that I will be staying on this Island, but unlike you, none of my parents studied Chinese in college, so my Chinese still sucks like you know what.

and yea...It's way harder coming back,going to a western country as a kid is nothing compared to an Asian return...

[Balie 10]

Your posts make me recall a movie that I have ever watched.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcwuUj8ba4I

The title of this movie is "Jack", starred by Robin Williams in 1996.

If you are interested in it, why not just see it?

However, I am not sure if it can be found out, for it is early one.

No matter what, I will share my thought with you all.:)

The topic of this movie is also involved in adjustment to an alien group: The lead role grows up four times faster as a normal person. However, the speed of his mind growth does not keep up with the physical, so this results in a lot of disturbance. Despite all differences, the parents of Jack decide to let him, a boy aged 10, go to school. Before this change, Jack is taught by his family. Besides, you need to take his stature into account. He looks like a forty-year-old man, but his mind is still in an innocence of a kid. This is what the director want to present, the conflict of two differences. The process of adjustment is full of obstacles for LITTLE JACK, but it turns out to be a heart-warming result finally. This is the reason why I recommend you to watch "Jack".:E

P.S.

I have a question of tense: When I tell a story like this, what tense should I use? Is it OK that I use present simple? ???

[spacedunce-5 10]

I forgot to multiple-quote.

Admin, please delete this reply.

[spacedunce-5 10]

Your posts make me recall a movie that I have ever watched.

The title of this movie is "Jack", starred by Robin Williams in 1996.

If you are interested in it, why not just see it?

However, I am not sure if it can be found out, for it is early one.

No matter what, I will share my thought with you all.:)

The topic of this movie is also involved in adjustment to an alien group: The lead role grows up four times faster as a normal person. However, the speed of his mind growth does not keep up with the physical, so this results in a lot of disturbance. Despite all differences, the parents of Jack decide to let him, a boy aged 10, go to school. Before this change, Jack is taught by his family. Besides, you need to take his stature into account. He looks like a forty-year-old man, but his mind is still in an innocence of a kid. This is what the director want to present, the conflict of two differences. The process of adjustment is full of obstacles for LITTLE JACK, but it turns out to be a heart-warming result finally. This is the reason why I recommend you to watch "Jack".:E

P.S.

I have a question of tense: When I tell a story like this, what tense should I use? Is it OK that I use present simple? ???

"Ever" is for emphasis. Present finished is enough.

"Starring." The subject is the movie, not the actor.

Also, putting the year after the "starring" clause implies that the story of the movie takes place in that year, while I believe you are saying that the movie was made in that year. Trying putting it before "movie" as an adjective.

The first line implies that the reader is interested, yet doesn't want to see it.

"Found out" means "discover," a different meaning altogether.

"Thoughts" are customarily plural.

"Involved in" doesn't equal "about." Rather, it means that something small is a part of or connected to something larger.

"As" means "being," like "I was working as an intern." Use "than."

The previous clause connects "his" with "mind," so this clause should connect "physical" with "his." Try "that of his physical" or just "his physical."

"Disturbance" is more like "disruption." Try awkwardness.

You said "before" so this should be "was." Be careful.

This implies that his stature wasn't taken into account before. To solely emphasize his stature, try "His stature is also an important element."

Innocences are "had," not "gotten into."

I'm sure you were just typing too fast.

The conflict isn't between the two differences; rather, it's about the differences between Jack and his classmates, which are not only two. Delete the number.

"Finally" is a sentence-opener.

Present simple is the logically correct tense, because, unlike real life, what happens in a movie repeats every time you watch it. Therefore, present simple is the best tense to use.