Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE
Sin Chew Daily

A group of people have been perseveringly learning English in Kg Perting, Bentong. Aged from 10 to 76, the group learns the language in a public library once a week.

Chen Ti An is the English teacher of the class. As a vegetarian, he believes that human should practice a healthy diet and share knowledge with others. He symbolically charges his students only RM10 a month and the money is actually meant to spend on treating the students dinner.

Chen said that English is an international language used in all places and occasions.

He said that most of his students are senior citizens and undeniably, they understand and learn slower compared to young people. Moreover, some of them are too shy to speak in English or ask questions. These affect their learning. However, they still worked very hard to learn. Such a spirit should be learned by the younger generations.

Chen said that it is not a problem to learn slowly as what he wants is actually to train them make sentences in English, so that that can later communicate in English. Vocabulary, grammar, as well as the ability to read and listen are important in learning English.

He said that there is also another way to learn the language, namely listening to English songs. Therefore, he teachers his students an English song every time before the class ends.

He believes that singing is a good way to remember English words.