Sunday June 9, 2013

English to the fore

BY LUWITA HANA RANDHAWA

educate@thestar.com.my

WHEN Muhammad Hazreen Haizi first started learning English, he could barely string a sentence together.

Now, after five years of hard work, he is able to hold his ground in conversations and discussions, expressing his thoughts and opinions effectively.

“I also find that I can understand English songs, television shows and movies so much better now and am able to enjoy them more,” he says, adding that his favourite shows are How I Met Your Mother and Suits.

The 20-year old, who hails from a Malay-speaking background, enrolled at ELS Subang Jaya following advice from his family.

“My mother and godfather understood the increasing importance of English in today’s world.

“They want me to be successful and not be left behind.”

He adds that he wants to be a pilot; a career where a good command of English is essential.

Muhammad Hazreen says that undertaking language training to improve his English was for his own benefit, but his peers scoffed at his efforts.

“They thought I was being a show-off.

“They told me that I was a Malay and questioned why I should bother learning English,” he says.

“It was upsetting but I knew I couldn’t listen to them. I believed in what I was doing and so I kept on going.”

His five years of language training at ELS Subang Jaya encompassed speaking, reading and writing and Muhammad Hazreen cites essays as his biggest challenge.

“The main reason I think, was because I lacked the vocabulary that was needed.

“That’s why I’m continuously working on increasing my vocabulary, because the more words I know and understand, the more words I can use.

“In that way, I feel like learning a language is a lifelong pursuit.”

Muhammad Hazreen is currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at Universiti Tenaga Nasional and will be heading to the United States in August to complete his twinning degree at Ohio State University.

“I’m scared, I’m excited — I’m feeling everything at once,” he says of his soon-to-be first stint overseas.

“But I think it will be good for me to immerse and integrate myself in an English-speaking country.

“I can apply what I have learnt here in the classroom and at the same time continue learning.

“I may even pick up an American accent,” he adds with a smile.

TheStar online 

Sunday June 9 2013.