A Successful Foreign Language Learner Prof. Hung Feng-Seng Joanne Huang Sam Lin Janet Lin Ping Lin

● Introduction Interviewee: Professor Hung Feng-Seng Educational background: Ph.D. in Linguistics, University of Hawaii Experience ： Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Foreign Language, Southern Taiwan University of Technology. Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Language, Chinese Military Academy. Research Fields: 心理語言學 (Phycholinguistics) 語音學 (Phonetics) 語用學 (Pragmatics) 語言習得 (Language Acquisition) 應用語言學 (Applied Linguistics)

● Motivation to Learn English 1. High interest 2. Good grades in English 3. His English teachers taught well

● When to Start Learning English 1. Junior high school 2. Cram school before junior high * Alphabet * Pronunciation * Basic Grammar

● Learning Materials 1. School Textbooks 2. College Entrance Exam ● Learning Problems 1. cannot improve ◎ How to enhance 1. memorize more vocabulary 2. take lots of tests (ex: TOFEL)

● Difficult part of learning English 1. Speaking  lack of practice  couldn't find a partner to practice 2. The way to improve English 1. Listen to English programs 2. Get used to Speaking English 3. Put a lot of effort in learning Grammar 4. Form a habit of writing a composition every day 5. Read more

● The differences between Chinese and English 1. Phonetic 2. Grammatical Rules ● Similarity 1. Word order

● Teaching methods impresses you the most 1. Writing teacher   use the process learning method  brainstorm ideas  write down ideas to make up an outline  peer review after writing  get feedback from the teacher   revise the writing

● Questionnaires analysis 1. According to the questionnaires, Professor Hong is a visual, moderately extroverted, and quite right- brain oriented learner. 2. According to the questionnaire of strategies, Professor Hong has effective grammar learning and vocabulary-learning strategies. He uses effective strategies for practicing speaking and to improve his listening comprehension. He is also using effective writing techniques and reading strategies.

● Questionnaires analysis 3. From the questionnaire of the seven kinds of intelligence, he scored highest on linguistic intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence. 4. The result of the questionnaire of two kinds of motivation shows that he is an internal motivation person. 5. According to the questionnaire of the slow or fast, he is impulsive.

● Analysis Behaviourism : 1. Imitation : He imitated what he heard from others. 2. Memorize : He memorized one certain word, its pronunciation, and grammar, and then another word. 3. Practice : He keeps practicing the vocabulary by way of speaking out loud to memorize it. 4. Reinforcement : He improved his listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills through more practices. 5. Habit formation : Through the contact with English every day, he gradually forms the habit of speaking English.

● Analysis Modified interaction : Interaction between two people makes language acquisition develop effectively. When he failed to use the grammar correctly or he mistakenly used the words, his classmates or his teacher corrected his errors. When his classmates or teachers responded to him, he got correct information given by them.

● Krashen ’ s hypothesis 1. The monitor hypothesis : When he wrote a composition, he usually focused on the correction of grammar or word choice. Through revising his composition several times, he improved his writing in structure, organization and grammar. 2. The input hypothesis : He used suitable material to read according to his comprehension level. After that, he started reading more advanced level materials.

● Krashen ’ s hypothesis 3. The affective filter hypothesis : According to his learning experience, his affective filter was low. He usually got high scores in English subject, and he liked to learn English. Although he got frustration sometimes, he kept on learning English patiently. He doesn ’ t think frustration would affect his interest of learning

● Suggestions in English learning 1. Proper material : Too difficult material will only make us feel frustrated, but we won ’ t gain any from too easy material. 2. Vocabulary memorizing : Memorize the vocabulary and its tense and other meanings at the same time ; Know how to put the new vocabulary in a sentence properly. 3. Speaking frequently : Try to talk to others or ourselves in English ; Do not be afraid of making mistakes when we are talking in English

● Suggestions in English learning 4. Listening : Listening to English broadcasts or watching English programs are good ways for us to make our listening skills better ; Just turn on the English broadcasts and get accustomed to the sound. 5. Composition : Reading is the first step for students to write a good composition ; Be familiar with English grammar very well ; Practice makes perfect.