English Activities
Hong Kong Wetland Park Visit
Lu Zhi Shan, Ada 3A (15)
In the Wetland Park project, we learnt a lot about the knowledge about animals and wetland park, for example, the function of the wetland park.
The Wetland Park can protect the animals which are endangered: they provide a place to let animals live in and also provide a place to people for entertainment. In the video that we made for the project, I have learnt about the spirit of team-working during video making. The video talks about the benefits of the Wetland Park in different ways which is the environment, humans and the economy. The project is enjoyable because we can visit the Hong Kong Wetland Park and see the beautiful places and animals.
Ming Chung Fei, Felise 3A (16)
On the 15th January, we went to the Hong Kong Wetland Park with our classmates and teachers. Before we headed to the Wetland Park, I did not know a lot about wetlands nor the animals there. I was so excited and looked forward to this trip. To prepare for the project, my teammates and I brought our digital cameras, CCD cameras and phones to capture the stunning view and details of the park.
The moment that we arrived at the park, a blast of relaxing and soft wind hit my face. I could already imagine how gorgeous the park would be! We explored the Bird Hides, mudflat and even wet agricultural land too. We recorded and saved all these memorable scenes with our cameras and also our eyes. After collecting all the videos and photos, we started to design for our project and spent hours editing, recording and making scripts. Although the process was tough, the final result of our video was truly amazing and of course, we were proud of ourselves too. Moreover, we learned how to record videos, edit, and most importantly understood the beauty of our Earth and that we should protect it ourselves.
Chan Hoi Nam, Ashley 3A (2)
On the 15th of January, the whole of form 3 visited the Hong Kong Wetland Park for an English project. During the visit, we saw many wetland animals, like birds and mudskippers. My group and I also interviewed different staff and tourists. We learned so much from those interviews. After the visit, my groupmates and I made a documentary about keeping the wetland park and where public housing should be built. we worked hard for the documentary and had so much fun. In conclusion, we all have gained a lot from this experience and enjoyed the visit to the Wetland Park. I’m grateful for this opportunity.
Leung Pui Yun, Jasmine 3A (13)
On the 15th January, all form 3 students went to The Hong Kong Wetland Park and worked on our group projects. In the project, we needed to create a persuasive promotional video to convince The CEDD to change their plans and cease the planned destruction of the precious wetland.
During the visit, we were required to take video and picture footage from the Wetland Park. In this, we visited the [......]
English Society 2023-24
English Society 2023-24
Enhancing students’ English skills and promoting deep thinking in an unforgettable manner is the English Society’s ultimate goal. Our mission is to promote the English language by making fun and engaging activities for students. This year, we will host a variety of activities, from crossword puzzles to large events like bake sales, aiming to engage students on a deeper level.
The English Society members prepare fabulous prizes for the upcoming activities.
English Society Committee:
Chairlady: 5B Thewe Mikfung Mary
Vice-chairlady: 5B Chloe J McCallum
Treasurer: 4B Ali Tsui Yuen Tung
Public Secretary: 4B Rainbow Chau Wing Kwan
Teacher Advisors:
Ms Miranda Li
Mr Robin Hedley
Mr Ralph Siu
Ms Kawai Yeung
We are extremely excited to collaborate with our fellow committee members and teacher advisors to organize engaging activities this year.
Lantern riddle game:
September is the month of mooncakes, lanterns, fire dragon dances and of course, the annual Lantern Riddle Guessing Competition! The English Society has once again collaborated with the Chinese and Mathematics Society to hold the beloved event for students and teachers alike. Colorful lanterns filled with challenging and funny riddles to be solved deck the corridor of the covered playground, providing a view which could put anybody in the festive spirit. This activity allowed students to hone their critical thinking skills while also encouraging interactions and friendly competition among peers!
Students immerse themselves in the captivating lantern riddle game.
Battle of the Treats:
This year, the English Society decided to organize an activity which truly tests the limits of students’ knowledge in the spooky and mysterious. The Battle of the Treats consists of three rounds with questions of increasing difficulties. Students must recall seemingly miscellaneous information to answer spooky themed trivia in exchange for delicious sweet treats. The more you answer, the more goods you rack up! Many students challenged themselves to the fullest and, in the end, left with triumphant smiles adorning their faces, carrying handfuls of goodies. There were no candies left!
During lunch time, I joined the Battle of Treats with my friends, and it was unexpectedly fun and challenging. There are three difficulty levels. The hard level riddles were both punny and flamboyant and it was memorable to see the teachers getting involved, turning into a group problem. Overall, I was thrilled to join this activity and can’t wait for others to participate in such activities. – 4B Gigi Cheng
Members of the English Society showcase stunning DIY spooky decorations for th [......]
RTHK radio program
“On 9th January, a few other schoolmates and I went to participate in the RTHK radio program. We talked about the topic of ‘Gratitude’. We all engaged in the topic and talked with the host, which gave us a rewarding experience since the topic included many different aspects of life. This stretched from how we can show our gratitude to what things we should be grateful for, making us discover more about ourselves and our connection to the world.”
4E Chara Yip Ho Ching
“It was my first time visiting RTHK to participate in a radio program. It was indeed a great opportunity, especially to experience the behind-the-scenes of the radio scene. I got to see how the setup works and had the chance to record. We discussed the topic of ‘Gratitude’ and my schoolmates and I shared our thoughts, discovering more about gratitude.”
4A Lydia Chow Ching Shun
(Left to right) 4A Lydia Chow, 4E Chara Tip, 5B Mary Mikfung Thewe, 5B Chloe MacCallum and 5B Precious Sit at RTHK.
S5 Refugee Union Visit
S5 Refugee Union Visit
In November, all of our S.5 students visited the Refugee Union in Sheung Wan where they interviewed refugees living in Hong Kong. Through the interviews, students gained insights into the refugees’ needs and reasons for settling in Hong Kong.
Students interviewed refugees and documented key details for further reporting in their English class afterward.
We visited the Refugee Union and interviewed some refugees there in November. In the interview, we got to know more about their lives. It was sad for most of us by the time those refugees unveiled their reasons for leaving their countries due to war, different types of harassment, etc. In the interview, Susan, one of the ladies from Bangladesh, told us her husband and her family suffered from multiple issues and she had no chance to stay in her original country. Without a doubt, Hong Kong has given her the best care so far and she thought staying in Hong Kong might give her a second chance in her life.
During this visit, I was grateful for having the interview with the refugees as this allowed me to know more people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. If I can help them, I will never hesitate to give them a hand and leap over the obstacles with them.
Zhang Sze Na, Susanna
My groupmates and I interviewed refugees – Francis and Edmond at the Refugee Union in November. Both of them revealed their reasons for coming to Hong Kong as their next stop. Despite having tragic experiences, they praised our visits as we may let more people know more about their daily lives and further extend the government’s care to them soon.
During this visit, I realized that the government has done, yet enough, to support the refugees in Hong Kong. If we have another chance to visit them, I will bring more daily necessities to help them and I wish them the best of luck to live their new life in Hong Kong.
Mak Tsz Ching Ariel
S6 Interschool oral practice – 21Nov2023
On the 21st of November, students from HKUGA College were invited to our school to participate in an inter-school English oral practice with our form six students. Two rounds of group discussions and individual responses were completed with English teachers from both schools as markers, who offered very useful tips and let us know what we have to improve and strengths
As one of the participants, I was immediately humbled by the HKUGA student’s communication strategies. While some students did not have the most fluent English, they were all extremely organized and capable of conveying their ideas eloquently. I, on the other hand, was nervous and struggled to find the right vocabulary to express myself. Through the way they presented their points, I could tell they had more experience than I had had, but I still managed to stay calm and continue the discussion. This oral practice truly opened my eyes to how skilled students from outside my own school could be. Realizing my own speaking skills were not as good as I had imagined, I was inspired to spend more time speaking and reading English to improve myself. Above all, this activity provided me with a valuable chance to test my speaking skills and I had a great time interacting with those students too.
6E Fung Hiu Yu Denise
Rarely can we have a chance to have oral practice with other school’s students. Through this event, grouping with UGA students helped me to improve my communication strategies, build up my confidence speaking to strangers, giving me greater faith and making me feel more secure when I need to face the DSE public oral exam with the experience. If someone asks me for a suggestion to improve speaking skills, I will definitely say interschool oral practice. A nice, open, friendly group discussion with other school fellows can really enhance your skills and build up confidence rapidly!
6E Cheong Yan Wai Olivia
I’d not felt nervous before the practice, but the nervousness kicked in right when I sat down and had to start talking. “I wasn’t just talking with friends from the same class!” That thought lingered at the back of my mind throughout the practice and somehow hindered my performance. Despite the butterflies in my stomach, I had gained a new tip from the teacher in the other school, who reminded us that we wrote too much on the notecard and forgot the key in oral exams, communicating. She advised us to stop writing after 5 minutes during the preparation time so as to prepare ourselves to actually listen and reply to others’ points. I’m happy that was reminded of the tips that I had overlooked in the practice.
6E Wong Yuet Ching Phoebe
The First victory with our Senior English debating team
On 19th October 2023, our senior debate team 4B Rainbow Chau, 4E Chara Yip, and 4B Ali Tsui, led by their team coach Mr. Hedley and Mr. Au, won their first match of the year with the affirmative side. Students worked hard and beat the team of STFA Cheng Yu Tung Secondary School on the motion ‘This house would require the unemployed to participate in community work to be eligible for social welfare.’
Before the debating competition, I was very nervous and nearly cried. Although this was my third time being the concluding speaker, I was still afraid of messing up.
When it was my turn to conclude the affirmative team’s argument, I felt a heavy weight hovering over my shoulders. As the third speaker, I generally speak for 3 minutes to deliver two to three rebuttals and a conclusion. Due to nerves, I was only able to speak for 2 minutes and 46 seconds, which barely passed the minimum requirement of 2 minutes and 45 seconds. I was worried that my performance might make our team lose. My teammates, Chara and Rainbow, noticed my emotions and comforted me.
When it came to the result announcement, to my surprise, we won and Rainbow was awarded the best speaker. Our team had a tough fight, as the situation was not in our favour, but we strived to do our best. This debating competition was truly a roller coaster, but I also learned that when life presents a challenge, there are always people supporting you. I want to thank Mr Hedley, Mr Au, and my teammates’ support and encouragement. Thank you!
Tsui Yuen Tung Ali (4B14)
It was certainly not an easy feat, considering we were up against formidable opponents. As the first speaker, I strived to stay calm and aim for the best. Even though I stuttered a lot and made a few mistakes during the nerve-wracking 3 minutes and 13 seconds, I believed I delivered reasonable arguments supported by logical evidence. My teammates also showcased effort and responded swiftly to challenges from our opponents. In the end, we were thrilled to know that we won and that I was awarded the best speaker.
This competition was an exciting and euphoric experience. I wish to express my gratitude to Mr Hedley and Mr Au for their guidance along the way. I look forward to our second debating competition which will be very soon.
Chau Wing Kwan Rainbow (4B04)
Champion – PolyU Invitational English Speech Contest
On the 7th of October, 5B Mary Mikfung Thewe attended the PolyU Invitational English Speech Contest. After 3 weekends of training provided by PolyU, the final involved poetry reading, persuasive speaking and impromptu speaking in three successive rounds. After each round, the top 50% were allowed to move onto the next round. Facing off against 50 students from 25 different schools in Hong Kong, Mary claimed the prize for best poetry reading and overall champion for the whole competition.
Results:
Overall
Champion: Mary Mikfung Thewe (Hong Kong True Light College)
1st Runner-up: Lin Wei Xin (St. Paul’s Co-educational College)
2nd Runner-up: Sung Hei Yan, Christopher (Victoria Shanghai Academy)
Individual Category
Poetry Recitation: Mary Mikfung Thewe (Hong Kong True Light College)
Persuasive Speech: Sung Hei Yan, Christopher (Victoria Shanghai Academy)
Impromptu Speech: Lam Chung Ching (Lai King Catholic Secondary School)
‘A mountain of emotions welled up in me as I heard my name being called to the centre of the stage. To become champion was surely not something I was expecting, yet to say I was happy would be the understatement of the century.
Initially, I was not planning to win. I had always been insecure about my public speaking skills and never thought I was good enough. But as the training workshops progressed and I met many incredible people who had their own drive and passion, it pushed me to want to be as good as them. My motivation to work as hard as I could grew day by day, and it was not going to stop.
I learnt many things during the contest, like being a better public speaker, thinking on the spot, and manipulating language to fit how I want it to. Yet the most impactful lesson the contest taught me was confidence, not only on the stage but in life. I found myself coming out of my shell more and not fearing what others thought. I no longer cowered in front of my insecurities, but learnt to embrace and soon overcome them.
The task of writing a good-quality script in the span of two weeks was definitely the most daunting part of the contest. Often, it takes me months to complete a speech script that I am satisfied with, hence, my boundaries were certainly being tested. Yet due to this short time frame for preparation, it taught me to manage my time better, something I used to be terrible at. It also taught me to write more clear-cut and in a more organised fashion, which is a valuable skill to possess.
Overall, I had the time of my life participating in the contest and I will hold all the memories of it dear to my heart.’ – 5B Mary Mikfung Thewe
S3 Beach Clean-up – 2023 Oct 13
On the 13th of October, we went to the Shek O Back Beach for an English activity. When we heard this news, we were feeling shocked and confused at first. We didn’t expect to have fun there, but this experience changed our views. We went there by a school bus. After around half am hour, we arrived. The guide led us to the Back Beach and there was lots of rubbish on the beach. After listening to the instructions, we started to clean up. During the process of cleaning, we actually found that we had a lot of fun and we really enjoyed it. Wind blew and the sound of the sea made us relax. Although we just worked for an hour, the results were surprising. We collected 143kg of rubbish! The whole activity was meaningful and we loved it. In this activity, we have learnt that protecting the Earth’s environment is really important. As a member of the Earth, we all have the responsibility to keep the Earth clean and make a better living for everyone. The sea is beautiful and we shouldn’t destroy it.
3A Annie Koh Wai Yan
S4 Mooncake Drive
After a restful summer holiday, the English department kicked off the school year with the Mooncake Drive activity as we approached the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Festival is not only a time for family reunions and mooncake indulgence, but it is also an opportunity to extend our care and support to those in need. In the Mooncake Drive activity, our S4 students took charge of organising the mooncake donation campaign for the organisation — FeedingHK, an organisation dedicated to reducing food waste and feeding the underprivileged members of our community.
To promote the mooncake donation activity, the S4 students designed infographics and did presentations in classrooms to raise awareness for the grave issue of food wastage. Students also set up dedicated collection points around the school premises to receive mooncake donations, encouraging everyone to contribute by donating excess mooncakes. Students, parents, and staff came together to contribute generously.
In form four, we participated in an activity called the ‘mooncake drive’. To promote this activity, we had to present in front of different forms about this project, hoping to motivate the students to donate their mooncakes! “Little things matter”, by engaging in this together, we can make a huge impact on the reduction of food waste.
Even though I felt a bit nervous when doing the presentation, I’m glad that I had the chance to partake in this event. I was happy with how our presentation turned out to be. I even gained more awareness for social issues on food waste and climate change during and after the project.
Yip Ho Ching, Chara 4E
Through the mooncake drive project, I have learnt about how serious the issue of food wastage is in the world and how we can help the world with some easy actions. I’ve also learned how to make infographics and organise different data, which I can also use in the future for other subjects if needed. Stating the information and adding different images to the poster is so fun! I was very nervous about the presentation because it was my first time presenting it in front of other schoolmates, but this was such a fun learning experience.
Ip Hei Tung, Renee 4E
S4 students presented in classrooms of all levels to appeal to support
Posters and infographics designed by S4 students to raise awareness on food waste
Students and staff, including the Principal, supported the mooncake drive, donating surplus mooncakes
S4 Feeding HK visits
On 18 Sep and 5 Oct, groups of S4 students visited a local food bank, Feeding HK, an organisation dedicated to reducing food waste and redistributing donated food to the underprivileged. Apart from learning about the history and operation of the NGO at their warehouse, students volunteered as a labour, learning how to sort out and group donated food based on expiry dates and packing surplus food donated by supermarkets and manufacturers into goody bags, which will be redistributed to the needy grassroots. Gaining satisfaction from their meaningful work, students learned deeply that there are lots of people who need their help in the community, fostering their sense of commitment to care about the community.
This is a meaningful and rewarding experience for us. Working as a team, we cooperate and communicate with each other, making friendships. We also understand how serious the food waste and hunger problem is in our society. Corporates would throw away even perfectly fine and delicious ice creams by tonnes – luckily they were donated to the food bank and offered to volunteers as a complimentary treat! Moreover, it helps the community to reduce food waste and tackle the problem of overflowing landfills, reducing carbon emissions to alleviate climate change. This visit is an unforgettable memory for us.
Li Yeuk Ching, Katie 4B
In the visit, we learned about Feeding HK’s mission, and we were actually involved in food packaging, which benefited us by making us learn the importance of division of labour when we were assigned different roles. I learned what the actual work a food bank does, teamwork and also got some surprising rewards (an ice cream!) after our experience of ‘labour’. As happiness lies in helping others, I felt happy and satisfied in the voluntary work. That’s a meaningful experience!
Lau Wing Sum, Isis 4B
Students learned about Hong Kong’s food waste problem and the operation of the food bank
Taking up different roles in packaging donation bags taught students about teamwork
Big smiles on teachers’ and students’ faced showed the joy of volunteering
A meaningful and enjoyable visit to Feeding Hong Kong – Feed People not Landfills!
