Oliver DongOliver Dong says Canadians have proven very helpful.

Learning to think in English key to effective communication: language student

What Oliver Dong likes most about Windsor is the friendliness of its inhabitants.

Originally from China, he came to Canada to master English in preparation for graduate study in electrical and computer engineering.

“In Canada, everybody is more likely to help others,” says Dong. “You can ask for help from your neighbours, your instructors, even a man working in the road.”

He says the pace of a small city suits him: “You can enjoy your study or your leisure time — you don’t have traffic jams like back home.”

He says he has found the English Language Improvement Program hard, but useful.

“When I first came to campus, I could not even speak in complete sentences,” Dong says.

He says the most important advice he got was to learn to think in English.

“My instructor told us when we don’t know a word to check the English dictionary, rather than translate it from our own language,” he said.

The Centre for English Language Development will celebrate international language students and their contributions to campus and community on World Student Day, Friday, July 26.

UWindsor faculty, staff, and students are invited to join in free activities, entertainment, and a lunch in the David A. Wilson Commons from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.