Jun 24 min read

Success Story: Bruce from Taiwan - Mastering English for Professional and Personal Growth

At Speak On English, we take great pride in the progress of our students. Today, we’re excited to share the success story of Bruce, a professional from Taiwan working in the semiconductor industry. Bruce’s journey is a testament to the effectiveness of personalized learning and his dedication to improving his English skills. Over the past year, Bruce has made significant strides in his ability to communicate confidently and effectively, especially when interacting with colleagues from different countries such as the US, India, and Singapore.

Starting the Journey: A Commitment to Improvement

Bruce joined Speak On English in March 2022, looking to enhance his English proficiency for both professional and personal reasons. His initial sessions with Hanna, our experienced instructor, laid a strong foundation for what would be a transformative learning experience. Bruce appreciated Hanna’s clear explanation of the lesson plans and decided to embark on this learning journey with her guidance.

March 26, 2022:

"Hanna has much experience in teaching. She clearly explained the future lessons' plan in the trial class. I think she can help me a lot, so I decided to have lessons with her!"

Building Vocabulary and Understanding Idioms

One of the early focuses of Bruce’s lessons was learning English idioms, which are often challenging for non-native speakers. Through a series of engaging and practical exercises, Bruce quickly began to grasp and use these idioms in conversation.

April 5, 2022:

"Today is the first formal class, and we played a special debate game. It is challenging because you need to say something to support the point that you are not 100% identify. It is fun, and thanks for Hanna keep giving me confidence."

April 8, 2022:

"Today I learned 5 idioms. Hanna used an efficient way to make it easier to remember these idioms. It is challenging to combine all the idioms in a story, but I will try to finish it!"

Engaging Discussions on Various Topics

Bruce’s lessons were not limited to idioms; they also included rich discussions on a wide range of topics. These conversations helped Bruce improve his fluency and gain a deeper understanding of different cultures and perspectives, which is crucial in his multinational work environment.

April 15, 2022:

"Today we discussed the influences of COVID and the ongoing war. Hope the bad things can go away as soon as possible. I also learned 4 new idioms in this class. It is impressive that people use idioms in daily life so often."

Enhancing Confidence through Free Talk Sessions

Hanna incorporated free talk sessions into Bruce’s lessons, encouraging him to speak more freely and confidently. These sessions covered diverse subjects, helping Bruce to become more comfortable with spontaneous conversation and express his thoughts more clearly.

June 4, 2022:

"Today we had a speed speaking challenge first. And we slowed down the speaking speed to express my thoughts as clearly as possible. During this process, Hanna corrected my grammar and words I used."

July 9, 2022:

"It has been a month since our last class. So happy to see Hanna! We talked about being famous in the beginning of the class. After that, Hanna taught me some new vocabulary and a common idiom."

Dedication to Weekly Speaking Challenges

One of the key components of Bruce's progress was his dedication to completing weekly speaking challenges. Despite his busy schedule, Bruce consistently participated in these exercises, understanding their long-term benefits for his English fluency. His commitment to these challenges played a significant role in his improvement.

What's your favorite way to practice English?

Listening to podcasts / Watching Youtube
Chatting with a native speaker
Journaling / Recording audio messages
Reading articles

March 12-15, 2023:

"Wow! You’re up sooo late and you sound sooo tired 🥱🙈""Oh thank goodness you don’t have COVID. I hope you feel better soooon!! 🤞🤞🤞""Wow! Almost 3 minutes!!"

Addressing Professional Needs

Given Bruce’s work in the semiconductor industry, Hanna tailored some lessons to address specific professional needs, including work-related conversations and technical vocabulary. This approach not only improved Bruce’s language skills but also his ability to communicate more effectively at work.

November 25, 2023:

"Today I shared some work-related matters with Hanna. I believe it is a good way to enhance English conversational skills by discussing various topics."

Achieving Milestones and Gaining Confidence

Bruce’s consistent effort and dedication led to significant milestones in his learning journey. From engaging in random conversations at airports to discussing complex topics like the tax system and cultural differences, Bruce's confidence soared.

May 4, 2024:

"I shared the story that I recently had a random conversation with an American in an airport. This experience really does make me more motivated to learn English. I am always looking forward to having these kinds of situations where I can use what I've learned. Thanks to Hanna for always helping me improve my English conversation skills."

April 20, 2024:

"Today we talked about the culture of random small talk. In general, this culture is more common in the U.S. than in Taiwan. We also discussed the differences between people of different generations."

A Journey of Growth and Achievement

Bruce’s journey with Speak On English is a remarkable example of how personalized instruction and consistent effort can lead to significant improvements. From mastering idioms to engaging in complex discussions and enhancing professional communication, Bruce has made impressive strides in his English proficiency.

December 9, 2023:

"Today we talked about different cultures, including relationships with parents and wedding ceremonies. During the conversation, it also helped me to organize the sentences to share what I was thinking. Interesting class!"

At Speak On English, we are incredibly proud of Bruce’s progress and his dedication to learning. His story is an inspiration to all our students, showing that with the right guidance and effort, anyone can achieve their language goals.

If Bruce’s story inspires you, why not start your own English learning journey with us?

Schedule a lesson with us today to see how you can commit to English the smart way.