第七届希望之星大学组选手黄云燕：学习经验

　　我是这样学英语的

　　My name is Huang Yunyan ; I am a graduate student in Jiangxi normal university with a major of business English.

　　My journey of study English starts from my university time, when I took the major and held the dream of becoming a business woman.

　　It was such a blessing for me to meet my tutor Connie Gibson, a kind and passionate lady who I respect very much. She coached me to win the second place in 2004 “outlook English contest”.

　　Connie, who we call mom, has started a speech class. In the class, she set up small working groups of students, or teams where we practice giving their speeches, work on pronunciation, intonation and presentation, discuss ideas and topics of interest, respond to and talk about articles that have been read individually or together. Another part of the long class on Fridays is to eat dinner together, watch movies, discuss their meaning, and to talk about issues, life, love and other thoughts and concerns of the heart. These things also help my students to learn to “think” in the target language as they practice these “English only” activities with her.

　　Spending time with her and other girls has helped to improve my oral English skills a great deal. Also, all of us are required to give their prepared speeches off campus at another university or school, once every other month or two, as practice being in front of large audiences. This helps greatly in learning and experiencing what it is like to use the energy of “butterflies in the stomach” to excite and improve their speaking skills, practicing in public settings, relating to different audiences and doing it multiple times.

　　Having been encouraged and taught by my tutor actually helped me a lot in building my personal confidence and later on I have taken part in so many provincial and national English contests which I have gained a lot of practical experiences.

　　Last summer, with the help of my beloved “mum”, I got a chance to go to American and spend some time there. I have gleaned first hand experience into Western and American cultures by living in the homes of the average people, communicating with them and watching all that they do, even parents relating to their small children. It was so amazing!

　　Also, I have been a translator in a motor company and a manager assistant in a foreign enterprise in Shanghai for a period of time. All these experiences have helped me to learn more specific English in other fields and I got wider knowledge. I benefit a lot from it.

　　As my mom always said that, wherever you are, be there! Being a girl who never says giving up, I do believe that with my perseverance and talent, I can do better.

　　家长或老师的文章

　　Huang Yunyan, whom I call Blanche, has been one of my speech students for over three years now. She is a key participant in my speech class. We also spend a great deal of time together as I consider her one of my “adopted daughters” as well as my speech student. Spending time with me has helped to improve her oral English skills a great deal.

　　Blanche is a very diligent and responsible student and “Special Speaker” within my speech class as well. She has the responsibility of helping me both train and direct the English learning of my other students when it comes to being a “Special Speaker.” She takes my place delivering a speech when our class goes to other universities or schools to practice their speeches in order to fulfill my requirements of them.

　　There are only three students at this time, which I trust to take over my spot as the “Main Speaker” when the class goes to another school and I can’t be with them. Blanche is one of them. The other two students whom she shares that position and trust with are past National CCTV Cup English Speaking Contest Winners, Li Jiayu (Second Place -2002) and Ai Lisha (First Place 2004).

　　Blanches’ public speaking skills are so good that whenever she goes to a middle or high school to fill in for me, many of the students there come up afterwards and request her autograph. They love listening to her.

　　Blanche knows well the way that I do things and how I conduct my classes. She is one of the most knowledgeable and most experienced students I have in my speech class. She has participated in many different local, provincial, and National Speech and Debate competitions over the last three years. She is always willing to use her knowledge and experience to help teach the other students coming up behind her. She has never been selfish in keeping it to herself but is willing to share. She also has learned that every time she helps another or shares her knowledge and experience with them, she is also improving her own ability as well. I am so proud of who she is and what she has done!

　　Within my classes I set up small working groups of students, or teams where they have to take responsibility for their own learning as well as being responsible for the continued success of the others in their group. This is also an important part of the cultural experience and practice of learning English. All of these activities are helping her to “think” in English, rather than just repeating the words back by rote memory.

　　During classes they will practice giving their speeches, work on pronunciation, intonation and presentation, discuss ideas and topics of interest, respond to and talk about articles that have been read individually or together. Another part of the long class on Fridays is to eat dinner together, watch movies, discuss their meaning, and to talk about issues, life, love and other thoughts and concerns of the heart. These things also help my students to learn to “think” in the target language as they practice these “English Only” activities with me.

　　My students, including Blanche when she can make it (now that she is a Senior), are all required to give their prepared speeches off campus at another university or school, once every other month or two, as practice being in front of large audiences. This helps greatly in learning and experiencing what it is like to use the energy of “butterflies in the stomach” to excite and improve their speaking skills, practicing in public settings, relating to different audiences and doing it multiple times.

　　It is common knowledge that the only real way of learning and retaining true language skills is practice, practice, practice, and these speaking engagements provide that for my students, not only for their language skills but the practice of public speaking as well. All students present have the responsibility to closely listen to their fellow classmates’ speeches, take notes, and make suggestions and comments after it is all over. This helps their listening skills as well as being able to hear numerous others prepared speeches, allowing them greater critical thinking skills for what is good or excellent in the flow of speech. Blanche being one of the Key Speakers when she goes with them to different schools helps her to greatly improve her presentation and performance skills. Plus, the other students glean from her.

　　This last summer, 2005, our university, her department and her parents, helped to pay for Blanches’ tickets go to the United States so that she might join me there for further work on improving her English skills. Because I had to be in London with another of my speech students at the time, Huang Yunyan flew all alone from Beijing, through San Francisco, exchanging planes there and transferring on to Portland, Oregon. It was quite a growing experience for her since she had never done anything like that before. Traveling on her own and having to use her English skills in the entire time was quite a difficult task but she did it and she did it well. This too improved and added to her experience of the use of English.

　　She stayed with me there and met many wonderful people for another week until we both returned to Beijing and the CCTV Cup competition where she was able to be a participant in the contest.

　　Although she did not make it into the finals that time, she realized that it is the experience and the process that counts and not the immediate win or place. She is the only one of my students in six years who has joined me in America and got to meet my family.

　　Even though it was only two short weeks, Blanche has gleaned first hand experience into Western and American cultures by living in the homes of the average people, communicating with them and watching all that they do, even parents relating to their small children. It was a wonderful experience for all of them!

　　My family will never forget Huang Yunyan and I know that she will never forget them either. Her being there and sharing love and life’s experiences with them will also help my five year old grand-daughter to better relate to the little Chinese sister that my son and his wife are in the middle of adopting from China right now.

　　Huang Yunyan (Blanche) has been an amazing student and learner of English the entire time that I have known her. She is a beautiful young woman with creative intelligence that is displayed whenever she speaks openly or when participating in a speech class related activities. She practices her English diligently and regularly far more than most students’ even thinking of doing it. If you have any questions regarding Huang Yunyan or her excellence, please contact me via my email as I am currently out of the country and it would be very expensive for you to contact me by phone.

　　(选手老师：Connie Gibson)