I was born and raised in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, in the 1990s – a peaceful small town where English was rarely spoken, good English teachers were scarce, and resources were limited.
Growing up as a kampung boy in such an environment, I learnt English by rote at a Chinese primary school, where teachers conducted lessons in Chinese, drilled grammar, and prepared us for spelling tests. English, to me, was merely another subject.
That changed in Standard Five, when I met Mr Yan – an English-educated private tutor who had returned from the city to teach in our town. His lessons were unlike anything I had experienced: intriguing, humorous, and entirely in English, save for the occasional Chinese phrase to aid comprehension. At the time, he could barely speak Chinese (though he’s fluent now), so our exposure to English skyrocketed. I later learnt this approach had a name – “total immersion”.
He urged us to speak English, however broken. “Practice makes perfect” was his mantra. I spoke at every chance – even to myself – ignoring friends who called me a show-off.
Mr Yan taught us what no other teacher did – to use a monolingual English dictionary. We bought the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary For Malaysian Students, later upgrading to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, which I still keep. In the pre-social media days, leafing through it was a pastime that built my English foundation.
Mr Yan encouraged us to watch more English TV programmes – one of his favourites was American Idol. He particularly told us to listen to Simon Cowell, the British judge, probably because his pace was slower. I followed his advice, and over time I could understand the conversations. Ironically, I also developed a love for singing.
He urged us to read more English materials, recommending The Star as an affordable option. A devoted reader himself, he suggested buying the Sunday edition for its extra pullouts.
At first, I struggled – I had to look up countless words – but perseverance paid off. Gradually, I understood the articles with less reliance on a dictionary, and my vocabulary and writing improved greatly.
In Form Five, I received a preloved desktop computer from a relative and gained Internet access. I began sending letters to The Star, honing my writing skills. When my first letter was published, I was over the moon – it boosted my confidence and spurred me on.
More than 20 years on, English has taken me from a kampung boy to a professional in Singapore. My English proficiency enables me to negotiate effectively with multinational stakeholders and travel confidently for business. It has expanded my global exposure and broadened my horizons.
And, I owe much of that journey to Mr Yan’s unwavering encouragement.
