Tell Your Own London Story in English
From Dickens and creative writing to My London Story: bringing language learning into authentic self-expression.
The original Chinese pages below show how learning activities and outcomes are designed within our programmes.
Read, think, write, speak
HT Perspective's language-learning materials connect English lessons with literature, city observation and personal expression. Four programme pages describe a sequence in which learners encounter ideas, discuss them, create something of their own and share it with others.
The Dickens literature and creative writing workshop uses Read → Think → Write → Speak as its structure. It introduces extracts and characters from works such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield and Great Expectations. Reading is connected with the social questions in the stories and with the London in which Dickens lived and wrote.
The proposed activities include visiting Dickens's former home, following literary routes and observing city life. Learners consider industrialisation, social change and the relationship between literature and everyday experience, then develop a short creative piece and an English presentation with guidance.
Questions from real learning
The programme description includes a weekly, 30-minute, one-to-one online conversation conducted in English with a language tutor. The discussion follows questions arising from lessons and daily life. These might concern speaking more naturally, understanding a lesson, preparing a presentation, joining a classroom discussion or continuing a conversation with a new international friend.
Other examples include interpreting something seen in a museum, thinking about cultural differences and discussing future study choices. The emphasis is on working through the learner's own questions, developing expression and making room for reflection.
My London Story
For this personal project, students become observers and storytellers. Through observation, interviews, recording and reflection, each learner chooses a London story that matters to them. Its focus might be a building, an exhibit, a neighbourhood, a local person, a historical episode or a cultural phenomenon.
The planned final presentation can take the form of photographs, a short video, a poster or a spoken presentation. The project connects using English with having something individual to communicate.
Reflecting on progress
The support described begins with English assessment, learning needs and goals. During the programme, tutors attend to participation and learning progress. Final evaluation, feedback on strengths and suggestions for further study provide a basis for deciding what to work on next. The focus is on understanding the learner's experience and identifying useful next steps.
View the original programme artwork (Chinese)
