English is a compulsory subject at high schools here in China. Many learners get ver frustrated after many years of learning only to find themselves unable to speak English and struggling with exams. The stress is so much that some are calling for the government to remove English from the major subjects at high schools.

Well, I agree that we've wasted a lot of  time and money in "studying" English. Yes, "studying" English, because we are not LEARNING it. The problem lies in the teaching/learning method, not the idea of learning English itself.

For most people, the purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able communicate with people of the target language or those using the target language. How do we communicate? Well, in most cases, you talk and read. Which happens more often? Can a 3-year old talk? Can he/she read? The answer is clear: Speaking comes first.

You'll ask about reading and writing. Well, there are still millions of aged Chinese who cannot read or write but they speak very fluent Chinese. Would you like to be at that level even if you cannot read or write Chinese? I know I would for English. After all, when you speak a language well, reading and writing becomes much easier...