This semester, I take two subjects of learning and teaching English.
I learned a lot of theories but no one can be applied to my situation. In my
secondary school, this is Chinese as medium of instruction school. So I could contact
the English at English Language lessons only. At that time, I was not
interested in learning English. So my English standard is basically an illiterate.
It was very common to others at that school. To be very honest, there were no
graduate majored in English studies. Perhaps at that time, the job markets are
highly demanding on university graduates. So a very limited number of graduates
would be willing to enter the education sector.
In Hong Kong, there were two public examinations for secondary 5 and
7 students to sit it. For the former, secondary 5 students were required to sit
for HKCEE with at least 7 subjects including Chinese and English Languages. If
candidates passed 5 subjects with E (pass grade), they could be entitled to S5
certificate level. Whereas if candidates can get 14 points in 6 subjects of
HKCEE, they could get a place of secondary 6 and 7 (or called matriculate
level).
Of course, I could not pass in English Language at HKCEE. So I could
only find jobs or repeat for HKCEE again. Besides, no further formal studies I
could pursue. Fortunately I could pass the English Language at HKCEE at second
times. But I was not still eligible for entry of matriculate level due to under
point 14.
I am sure to say that I am an illiterate of English before 2004. I
could only write Chinese for formal communication such as correspondence with
governmental department. I remembered that my first computer was a notebook
type with Chinese version of MS Windows ME. It means that I can only understand
the Chinese interface. Likewise, I installed MS Office in Chinese version. For
my job, I needed not use English. Usually employers will provide me with
employment contract in Chinese only. Perhaps they have a strong assumption that
I don’t know English. But it was surprised that those contracts in Chinese are ungrammatical
in Chinese grammar and unlike register of Chinese legal terms.
There is a breakthrough in 2004 because I was admitted to CityU for
doing my associate degree of legal studies. I do remember at the first lecture
at CityU. I could only realize that the lecturer spoke English. However,
nothing I could understand. As common knowledge, students learning law must
have high standard level of English. Nevertheless, my English ability was
substandard.
In 2007, I completed my 3-year programme of legal studies and was
admitted to CityU again for my undergraduate programme. It was unbelievable
that I entered into a programme of Linguistics. Basically, I was improved a bit
of little in English. After graduation, I put English grammar books on my desk.
Frankly I enjoyed learning English grammar suddenly. Perhaps for my studies of
Linguistics, I have Syntax knowledge to do so. English grammar in mind is
similar to formulae. We just need know and understand its principle and
operation and then we can produce a complete sentence without grammatical
error.
Thanks for sharing your story - for someone who was 'illiterate' in 2004, you have certainly made a lot of progress. What's your secret?
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