Overseas education

Overseas education pluses and minuses

by Spencer Lam

Have you ever thought of studying overseas? Imagine: a spacious room with little homework to do. New friends to make, new vistas to explore.

How do you think that would feel? Evidently, studying overseas brings numerous benefits and many potential problems. Let’s put on a Sherlock Holmes’ hat and investigate the experience further.

Your English would improve throughout your time abroad. Living in Hong Kong, albeit a city labelled an international metropolis, many students find it difficult to practice their English and particularly to gain proficiency in speaking and writing. My own experience of an exchange makes for a striking illustration.

Not only did I find cultural differences in terms of taboos, food, habits and values intriguing. I was also bound to make use of what I had learnt about cultural contrasts. Mingling with local students in the UK and joining various extra-curricular activities, also meant that I could polish my English.

Route to independence

While Hong Kong students are overseas, they can develop their independence which would benefit their personal growth. Sad to say, students in Hong Kong have been labelled as the “strawberry generation.” Their parents always satisfy their every need, regarding them as priceless pearls. As a result, they tend to be obsessed with material comforts and their families have domestic helpers who take care of everything for them, however trivial. On the other hand, if these students go overseas, their reliance on parents reduces. They need to do their own shopping, cooking and laundry, find their way round on local transport and arrange leisure and sports activities for themselves. When parents can no longer spoil them, they might conceivably become more mature, independent individuals.

Rose with a thorn

Despite all the benefits of an overseas education, there is no rose without a thorn. Only when adolescents are sufficiently outgoing will the above-mentioned salient features benefit them. Imagine if your kids were shy and unable to communicate actively with strangers. They would never realize their potential or make good friends among their local schoolmates. They would be too reluctant, feeling out of place in an uncomfortable environment.

There are pros and cons to studying overseas. Whether in the UK, the US, or elsewhere, the experience hinges naturally on each individual student’s attitudes and personality. For those who are too introverted, studying overseas may not make a substantial impact on personal growth. For the extroverts, it could be a life-changing experience.

Spencer Lam graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology at The University of Hong Kong before going to the University of Edinburgh for an overseas exchange programme. He has tutored hundreds of students on their journey to proficiency in English.

Ten Tips for Better English

1. Attend a class with a tutor to focus on the more formal aspects and learn the grammatically correct way of speaking English.

2. Join a discussion group for a more informal, relaxed way of learning with the emphasis more on communication and relationship building.

3. Don't wait until you feel comfortable" speaking in

English. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

4. Practice by starting simple conversations with the people you meet. Send texts or chats in English.

5. Find a native English speaker who is willing to spend some time speaking English with you and offer them a language learning exchange. 6. Integrate the use of the language into your routine. Begin with comments on food, then clothes, then activities and work.

7. Practice pronunciation. Listen closely to how native English speakers pronounce certain words and sounds and do your best to copy them.

8. Pronunciation varies depending on where language is spoken. Remember that American

English is different from British English.

9. Expand your vocabulary and use idiomatic phrases then use new terms in a sentence or a text message.

10. Play English games and video games, read, watch

English TV and listen to the news in English.

Deadline for entries:

Saturday 10 July