喜讯！广以杨逸凡同学在全国大学生英语演讲比赛中获奖！
在2019广东省大学生英语演讲比赛暨“外研社·国才杯”全国英语演讲大赛（广东赛区）中，来自广东以色列理工学院化学工程与工艺专业的杨逸凡同学在指导老师Constance Van Horne的帮助下，通过自身努力，获得了三等奖的好成绩！
让我们听听杨逸凡同学对学习英语的见解，我们大家一同进步成长！
能否跟我们分享一下比赛过程？感觉自己还有哪些需要提高的地方？
杨逸凡：比赛的消息是我的同专业好友告诉我的。我想在课余时间提升自己的英语水平并且认识更多来自不同学校的同学，抱着“重在参与”的想法参加了比赛。比赛共两天，分复赛和决赛两部分。复赛的内容是三分钟即兴演讲，选手们依次在准备室抽取题目，经过15分钟准备，到赛场进行3分钟的脱稿演讲。复赛的前十三名进入第二天的决赛，进行主题演讲和即兴演讲，最终的前三名为特等奖，代表广东省参加全国决赛，前四至十三名为一等奖。
通过这次比赛，我感觉自己需要继续背单词，同时要熟练运用难度较高的词汇，并且在口语表达中注意语法的使用，让我的表达更加清晰。
在这次演讲比赛中有没有什么印象深刻的事？参与比赛之后的感受如何？
杨逸凡：在比赛中很多选手和我一样并非英语专业，但我认为他们对英语的全面掌握程度达到了很专业的水准，可谓“人外有人”。我也看到很多选手发挥失误，结束过早，甚至三分钟内紧张到一言未发，十分可惜。所以在学习英语或其他专业的同时也要同时注重提升临场发挥能力，保持良好的心态。
比赛之外，这次我还充分利用比赛的机会，吃了很多美食。比赛的同时也要保证充分的精神放松，劳逸结合嘛～
在广以的学习和生活中是如何练习英语口语的？
杨逸凡：广以的教学语言是英语，所以平时大部分时间处在英语语境中。我在休闲时常看英文原版视频，在能够听懂的情况下就不打开字幕了，这样多少可以让语感“保鲜”。为了提升英语水平，我还在校内兼职做学生助理，工作时经常需要用英语交流，也算是一种语言练习。
在学英语的过程中有没有遇到什么困难，是如何攻克的呢？
杨逸凡：我学习英语的过程可能与大部分同学不太一样，小学时在正常上课的前提下我花了很多额外时间跟读教材光盘，很多时候比较枯燥，这算是一个很大的困难。克服的方法嘛，除了父母的监督之外，养成良好的学习习惯也很重要。学英语不能光靠语感，我平时会用轻松的方式多接触一些英语内容，例如看英语原著和学习英语的短视频，储备语法知识。
有没有什么关于英语学习的小技巧可以分享一下？
杨逸凡：看英文书籍可以潜移默化改善英语能力。我高三时开始看第一本英语原版书《格林童话》，接着是《哈利波特1》。在看书时不必要逐字逐句翻译，可以根据对剧情的了解去猜测生词的含义，标记下来，看完一章节再去查找，这样可以加深记忆。或是在社交网站上看一些感兴趣的英语视频、游戏解说、Vlog，像美食、生活类的我都会看。如果能明白视频的意思，就尽量不要打开字幕。口语上多多利用老师们的Office hour，最重要的是尝试去表达。
学英语有什么窍门吗？如何更有趣的学习英语呢？
Connie：学习英语的最好方法是抓住每一个使用它的机会，并为自己创造听英语和说英语的机会。老师们欢迎同学们们来办公室用英语交流，看电影（真的！当我学习法语的时候它对我很有用），读书消遣（当然是在所有的家庭作业都做完之后），试着和朋友和家人在用餐时间用英语交流。
而且，教他人学英语是最好的学习方式。为晚辈或长辈或是邻居开展英语教学活动。用关于语法和词汇的小游戏和小奖品让它变得有趣（糖果总是有用的！）。
中国学生在练习英语口语时最大的挑战是什么？
Connie：当然，最大的挑战是害羞和不愿意用问题“打扰”教授。对于第一个挑战，我建议我的学生们使用“微笑和勇气”——微笑着面对你的脸，然后说话！第二，GTIIT的老师和教授们期待着学生们在办公时间和我们一起探讨问题。你可以通过电子邮件预约老师以及教授们的办公时间。
作为比赛的指导老师，你认为准备这么大型比赛最重要的是什么？
Connie：好好准备是很重要的，逸凡和我准备了很多！第一周，我们讨论了即兴演讲的七种结构，看了过去获奖者和杰出演讲者的演讲，然后练习，再练习。几周来，我们每周练习练习2-3个课时，每个课时大概4-6个小时。先是逸凡练习和完善他准备好的演讲稿，然后练习两个即席演讲（用一个空的纸盒子作为讲台）。我们研究了以前比赛中的即兴演讲题目，按网上找到的比赛形式进行了准备。我给出了建设性的反馈，逸凡会把它完善到下一次演讲中。他很快找到了自己喜欢的演讲风格，我想他现在可以在睡梦中即兴演讲了！
感谢 Connie 老师对学习英语及参赛提出的宝贵建议。
感谢杨逸凡同学接受这次采访，再次祝贺杨逸凡同学获得好成绩！
看完采访，大家有没有找到共鸣呢？
学习的过程也是不断挑战的过程
让我们一起翻山越岭
遇见更好的自己！
Let's listen to Yang Yifan's opinion on learning English：
Could you share the experience of the contest with us?
Yang Yifan: A friend told me the contest. I’d like to improve my English and make more friends from different universities. What matters is not winning but participating. The two-day competition is consist of two parts. On the first round, you need to present a three-minute speech after 15 minutes of preparation when you draw a topic. The top 13 enter the finals of the second day for a keynote speech and a impromptu speech. Finally the top 3 won the top prize and the qualification for the national finals on behalf of Guangdong Province. The top 4 to 13 won the first prize.
The chanllenge to me is to enlarge my vocabulary and pay attention to the use of grammar in oral English to make my expression clearer.
Is there anything impressive in this speech contest? How do you feel after participation?
Yang Yifan: In the contest, many participators are not English majors like me, but I think their comprehensive mastery of English has reached a very professional level. I have also seen many players make mistakes such as end early, or even get nervous to say nothing in three minutes. It's a pity. Therefore, while learning English or other majors, we should also pay attention to improving the ability of on-the-spot performance and maintain a good attitude.
Besides enjoying the competition, I also made full use of the opportunity to eat a lot of delicious food. It is very important to relax yourself.
How do you practice oral English usually?
Yang Yifan: English is the language of instruction at GTIIT, so we have a lot of opportunities to practice. I often watch original English videoes during my leisure time. I won't open the subtitles to keep the language "fresh" if I can understand it. I am also a part-time student assistant in the University, and communicate in English while working.
Is there any difficulty in learning English and how to overcome it?
Yang Yifan: My English learning may not be the same as most of students. In primary school, I spent a lot of time following the teaching CD after class. It was boring usually, which was the most difficult to me. With the supervision of parents, I finally overcome it and learn how to study activly. It’s far from enough to learn a language by the sense of language. I usually learn grammar and vocabulary by reading English originals and watching English videos.
Do you have any tips of English learning to share with us?
Yang Yifan: Reading English books can improve your English ability. Grimm's Fairy Tales is my first English original when I was in high scholl, and then Harry Potter I. No need to translate word by word. Just guess the meaning of the words while reading, search them after finishing a chapter. It’s also very useful to watch interesting English videos, game commentaries and Vlog on social media. Try not to open the subtitles. And don’t forget the teachers' office hours! The most important thing is to try to express yourself.
Let's listen to some advice from Constance Van Horne (Connie) on learning English:
Are there any tips to learn English? Are there any interesting ways?
Connie：The best way to learn English is to use it every chance you get - and to create chances to listen to and speak English for yourself. Go to professors' office hours (when life gets back to normal), watch movies (really - it worked for me when I was learning French), read for pleasure (after all homework is done of course!), and try to have English lunch or English dinner with friends and family.
Also, teaching is the best way to learn. Hold a class for younger (or older) family members and close neighbours... make it fun with grammar and vocabulary games and small prizes (candy always works).
What is the biggest challenge for Chinese students to practice spoken English?
Connie：The biggest challenge of course is shyness and a reluctance to "bother" professors with questions. For the first challenge of course I recommend my students to use "Smile and Courage" - put a smile on your face and just speak! For the second, the teachers and professors at GT look forward to students' questions during office hours... and if office hours don't work for you, write an email and make an appointment.
As an instructor of the contest, what do you think is the most important to prepare such a big competition?
Connie：Preparation... Yifan and I prepared a lot! The first week we covered the seven structures for impromptu speeches, looked at the speeches of past winners and great speakers and then practised, practised, and then practised some more. For several weeks we met 4 -6 hours a week over 2 or 3 sessions. First Yifan would practise and develop his prepared speech and then he would prepare and give (with an empty paper box as a podium) two impromptu speeches. The subjects for the impromptu speeches I got from research from past contests and we followed the contest format we had seen online. I gave constructive feedback and Yifan would incorporate it into the next speech. He quickly found his preferred structure and I think he could give an impromptu speech in his sleep now!
Many thanks to Connie for giving advice on learning English and facing the contest.
Thanks to Yang Yifan for receiving the the interview!
Congratulations again!
Do you find any resonance in the article?
Learning is a process of constantly challenging yourself.
Let’s go together!
文：Constance Van Horne、杨逸凡、GTIIT传媒与公共事务部
图：杨逸凡
Text: Constance Van Horne, Yang Yifan, GTIIT News & Public Affairs
Photos: Yang Yifan