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The song I learned before I went to elementary school was the ABC song. I think that is my earliest exposure to English. In pre-k, teachers in school also taught us some very basic words, like "hello," "good morning," "good afternoon," and "butterfly."

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During my pre-k and k years, my mom signed me up for Disney English (An English learning program in China for ages 2 to 12) These are the videos that I used to watch when I was still in that English learning program. I haven't had a chance to finish all of the episodes. Even today, I still think this is a great source for younger children to learn English. There are many great stories, very engaging and interesting.

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Disney’s Magic English (English for kids) 迪士尼神奇英语_哔哩哔哩_bilibili

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Disney’s Magic English (English for kids) 迪士尼神奇英语共计51条视频，包括：01. Hello - Disney’s Magic English (English for kids)、02. Family - Disney’s Magic English (English for kids)、04. Family - Disney’s Magic English (English for kids)等，UP主更多精彩视频，请关注UP账号。

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This is one of the songs I learned during my pre-K and kindergarten years in China. As part of the Disney English program, we had an activity where students prepared a song and performed on stage at a McDonald's store. So I chose this song and sang it to the other parents and children!

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TWINS《Table and chair》Official 官方完整版 [首播] [MV]

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In China (from birth to about 12), I spent most of my time building my reading and writing skills in Chinese. This involved learning Pinyin and Chinese characters, reading articles, studying poems, and memorizing idioms. The way schools teach in China is very focused on tests. Students are expected to memorize a lot of characters and vocabulary and practice reading and writing regularly to get ready for big exams. We also study classical texts and recite old poems to learn more about Chinese culture and history. Unlike schools in the U.S., where there's more focus on creativity and critical thinking, Chinese schools focus more on accuracy, discipline, and doing well on exams.

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These are the English books we used when I was in elementary school in China. The content focused on general conversations, but they often sounded stiff and unnatural. We typically started learning English in the third grade, and our approach was mainly memorizing words and sentence structures. We were also required to recite the words and sentences aloud for assessments. Phonics and other learning strategies were not widely established at that time.

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When I first came to the United States, I went to 8th grade. Like many immigrants, I needed to adjust to the new environment and language. I finished my assignments and learned English by using translator APPs, and I had no choice but to listen to the teachers, students, and staff. That helped me improve my listening skills. Gradually, I started to get used to the language and feel more comfortable speaking, reading and writing.

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The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants by Yukun Shi

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Originally, I wasn’t much of a reader in China. However, after moving to a new country, I wanted to maintain and improve my Chinese literacy skills, as well as stay connected to my home culture. I visited a Chinese bookstore and bought some ancient Chinese fiction. From that moment on, I developed a hobby of exploring literature in both English and Chinese.

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In 9th grade, I read The Hunger Games. We read part of the story. We were asked to write an argumentative essay on whether Katniss is a hero or an anti-hero.

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In 11th grade, I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I was surprised that the teacher allowed us to read it. It was the first time I had read a coming-of-age novel, and the book had scenes involving sex, drugs, and suicide. It was an eye-opening experience, as I hadn’t expected to come across something like that in school.

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In 12th grade, I started to read the Harry Potter series. I got the Special Edition box set. I enjoyed watching the movies, and I thought I had to get those books, too, because the movies are based on the books. By watching the movies first, I got to find more interesting details in the books that weren't shown in the movies. I also learned English from those books.

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In my first year of college, I started reading The Hunger Games series. I was mainly reading for enjoyment and to explore the story. I didn’t focus much on analyzing the deeper meaning behind the books, I was just reading for fun. Now that I have finished both the movies and books, I still can't tell you whether Katniss is a hero or an anti-hero.

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I planned to use this book for my read-aloud, but it didn’t align with what the students were learning at the time. This book feels special to me because I got it at a banned book workshop, and I’m still not sure why it’s banned in some places.

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Because of my major, I’ve had the chance to explore more children's books, even though I don’t have much experience with them. I used one book for a read-aloud lesson during my second year of college, which was my first real lesson in a classroom with bilingual students. I read to the students, sometimes using keywords in Mandarin and asking questions along the way. It didn’t go perfectly, but it was a starting point for me, and I’m open to any feedback.

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I found this book during my fieldwork last semester and asked my cooperating teacher if I could keep it. She was very generous and said yes. I feel a special connection to this book because it reflects the story of my ancestors and the struggles they faced. Additionally, its illustrations are so beautiful and vibrant. I also noticed that some words in the book aren’t exact translations but are transliterations. For example, "PawPaw" means maternal grandmother in Cantonese, and "Fie dee" means hurry up. I think this adds an interesting cultural layer to the book, making it a great addition to my personal library.

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During my second year of college and up until recently, I read the Twilight series. The movies were interesting, but reading the books helped me figure out what I really like to read. The more I read, the better I get at understanding my own tastes and improving my literacy skills.