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       HOW TO DEAL WITH LANGUAGE　　　
       PROBLEMS WHILE STUDYING OVERSEAS　　　

       ◎MR.BRUCE E.BAGNELL　　　
       I would like to thank Mr. Peter Hsu for inviting me here
       today to deliver this speech to you. As a foreign language
       student myself, I think I have some good advice to share with
       you today. After my speech, I will leave about 5-20 minutes
       for a question and answer period. Let's take a look together
       now at how to deal with language problems while studying
       overseas.　　　

       Most of you are probably in the same boat; that is, you have
       the same　language strengths and weaknesses. your primary
       strength is reading, which is the one skill which is
       well-developed in our students here the same language
       strengths here in Taiwan through the native educational
       system. Unfortunately, however, the other three primary
       language skills of writing, listening, and speaking are not
       well-developed, not well-developed enough, anyway, to give
       students a sense of confidence about using English when in an
       English-speaking country. The first part of my speech will
       give you some direction in self-study to bolster these other
       three language skills while you are still here in Taiwan.　　
       　

       Writing is always the most difficult language skill to
       develop, even in our mother tongue. We can all write a memo
       or love letter, or perhaps an article, but few of us would
       dare to claim that we could write a book. Writing is learned
       only after many years of careful study, and even then not
       everyone will be considered a good writer. To improve one's
       writing requires a great deal of effort and time;
       unfortunately, in our busy lives, this time is often not
       enough. Further, only an experienced writing instructor can
       help us with our improvement, and these guides are few and
       far between. Still, by locating good tutor, one can improve
       if one sets his mind to it. Some commercial cram schools
       offer writing courses, as do some high school or university
       teachers or graduates. Even writing letters to a pen pal
       (preferably a native writer) can help you with your writing,
       if you ask your pen pal to correct your letters for you.
       Experience and proven ability should be your requirements,
       however, before hiring anyone to help you with your writing.
       　　　

       On the other hand, learning to improve one's listening and
       speaking is relatively easy. There are so many opportunities
       to improve one's listening. Radio and TV programs, movies,
       video tapes and audio tapes, Western pop music, speeches,
       cram school oral training classes, and tens of thousands of
       native speakers studying or working in Taiwan these days can
       help you improve your listening. You must, naturally, take
       the opportunity and schedule a regular program of listening
       for yourself. For example, chose one of the many
       English-teaching radio programs and practice half an hour
       daily for five or six days a week. You'll notice after a
       relatively short period of time that your listening will
       improve.　　　

       As to speaking, there are fewer chances than those listed
       above for listening, yet with perseverance one can find the
       right partner to practice speaking, too. Making friends with
       foreigners or business associates is the natural way. Don't
       pretend you want to be friends with a foreigner, though, if
       you simply want free language lessons. Be honest from the
       start: tell your friend that you'd like to improve your
       speaking by practicing with him. Perhaps you could offer to
       teach him Mandarin, Taiwanese, or another chinese dialect in
       exchange for the chance to practice English. Westerners
       appreciate sincerity in a friend-ship more than any other
       quality.　　　

       To review how to improve one's language skills from those
       listed above, you must find a qualified guide to help you
       improve your writing. Be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day.
       Even native writers need a lot of time to show progress in
       their writing. As to listening and speaking, making friends
       with native English speakers is the best course, but you can
       improve only your listening on your own if you set aside a
       certain amount of time nearly every day to practice listening
       to the TV or radio (the radio programs are easier, remember),
       audio tapes, oral training classes, etc. The key to success
       here is REGULAR practice.　　　

       Now let's find out what you can do to improve your English
       while you are overseas. Quite naturally, there will be many
       more opportunities for you to practice English while living
       in an English-speaking country. However, some students who
       live with other Chinese language speakers actually find that
       their speaking ability declines because they read, write, and
       listen to English daily, but go back to the dormitory or
       apartment with their Chinese-speaking roommates to speak in a
       Chinese dialect. Since most Chinese don't speak much in their
       classes, their speaking ability cannot improve, although the
       other skills do. To avoid this, make sure that you arrange to
       live with an English-speaking roomate or family. Subscribe to
       your favorite English-language magazing or newspaper, too.
       Having English around you will help you to adjust more
       quickly to the new environment. Finally, don't limit your new
       English vocabulary to your textbooks only;read English
       wherever you find it: on posters , billboards,
       advertisements, coins, signs, labels, directions, etc. If you
       don't understand something you read,use a good dictionary or
       ask an English-speaking friend.　　　

       Another language learning tip is to attend social events like
       parties, weddings, speeches, debates, lectures, meetings ,
       etc. Listen carefully and watch how the participants use
       their body language. Learning a language is not only learning
       the words on a piece of paper; as languages are living
       creations of the people who use them, body language should be
       learned as well. One of my favorite techniques for learning
       body language of a new language is to watch a TV program with
       speakers of the language I want to learn. I turn down the
       sound so that I can't hear them at all! Then I just watch and
       observe how they use their arms, faces, and postures to
       communicate. This is entertaining and instructive, too.　　　

       From the above it should be clear that while you are in your
       new English-speaking environment, you will have ample
       opportunity to learn more English--if you choose to. These
       improved skills will not come to you automatically; they must
       be earned. If you spend the time and take the effort, you
       will surely have progress in your language skills. You might
       not notice your improvement on a daily basis, but after a
       period of time, the reward will well be worth the time and
       effort spent.　　　

       Finally, good luck to you all on your new adventure overseas.
       I hope we'll meet again here in Taiwan. Thank you.
　

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