Pich Chueng shares his experiences learning English as a non-native speaker from Cambodia. He found that writing vocabulary words, watching English movies with subtitles, listening to English songs, and practicing speaking were the most helpful activities. For vocabulary, he would copy words from the whiteboard and recite them until he had memorized them. Watching movies helped him learn pronunciation, vocabulary, and idioms in context. Listening to music was enjoyable and teachers would use lyrics to reinforce lessons. Regular speaking practice, such as conversations with classmates, helped improve his fluency. Through dedicated study using these methods, he was able to enhance his English communication skills.

1. My Experiences in Learning English
Brainstorming
English is an international language, which most of the people living on earth are using
as a means of communication with different paces and purposes. English is also a language,
which the users of English have to learn in order to master their English proficiency and tactics
in uses. Personally, I am one of the learners of English coming from Cambodia located in
Southeast Asia. Obviously, I am curious to study and employ English as the great way to
communicate with coworkers and teach the other young learners of English because I am also
a novice teacher of English. Basically, it is seen that I have been experienced in four main
activities to learn and master English daily. In fact, writing to memorize vocabulary words;
watching the English movies; listening to favorite English songs; and practice speaking English
are my personal routines in learning English.
First of all, writing to memorize the vocabulary words of English is my first
fundamental practice I did when I first studied English. We copied the words written on the
whiteboard and then we practiced recalling them as possible as we could in order to remember
those studied words. We did not only recall it out loud at school, but also we did it at homes. It
seemed that we recite those studied words until we could remember all of them in accuracy.
Furthermore, we sometimes were asked to have a word memory contest as a study game and
reward in studying vocabulary. Secondly, watching the movies with English speaking and
subtitles is another factor of my experience in studying English. I have practiced this since I
first studied English until these days. Of course, watching movies is fun and it could be more
beneficial if we watch those English movies with English speaking and subtitles to familiarize
the accents, to increase vocabulary, and to be aware of some common rules and idiomatic
expressions in English. I really notice that it is significantly beneficial to apply this as a fruitful

2. way of studying English. Once we watch the movies, we are attracted and focused on the
movies, and those relevant possible implied lessons such as, vocabulary, phrases, expressions,
common rules, and accents are noticed and learned indirectly. Thirdly, listening to music is not
only my personal interest, but it is also my adorable way of studying English. I remember times
when I was taking the English course at one private university in Phnom Penh. Our teachers
introduced us some English songs and we enjoyed listening to the songs. At the end of the
class, our teachers told us that it is all about today lesson. In fact, they spent some time of each
day at the end of every lesson playing the English songs for us. Sometimes, they prepare the
handouts and let us complete the gaps in the lyrics, and we believe that it is also a crucially
enjoyable way of teaching and studying English. Last but not least, studying English without
practices is a waste of time and effort. Practicing speaking English is one of the experiences I
apply for studying English. In fact, I find ways to practice speaking English to increase English
speaking ability and master it while some of other learners of English would ignore. Talking
in English to the classmates, speaking English by your own in front of the mirror, and having
a dialogue with other higher-level speakers of English in terms of teachers (both native and
non-native ones). It is seen and said that ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ or ‘Practice Makes Better.’
Either of them is still essential and helpful to us as the learners of English. That is why speaking
English is my favorite thing to do when I study and teach English.
Finally, English is the global language that people could use to make communication
with various types of nationalities around the world. Personally, four main activities I employ
as the ways to study English are writing to remember the words; speaking in English with other
learners and users of English; listening to English songs; and watching the movies with English
speaking and subtitles. These are my experiences of learning English. If you want to master
your English proficiency, you are welcome and free to navigate these four helpful tips in
studying English in your own paces.
Author: Pich CHUENG is the teacher trainee with higher education degree at National Institute
of Education, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He graduated his Diploma of IEAP; Bachelor’s Degree
of Arts in English Literature, Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in English for Communication;
Master’s Degree of Education in Mentoring, and Master’s Degree of Arts in English Literature.
Moreover, he was a vice principal, academic & admin manager, deputy director to private
schools in Phnom Penh, and a mentor teacher working under MoEYS at New Generation
School of PREK ANHCHANG High School. He is currently a visiting lecturer at one private
institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.