UNIVERSITY OF EL SALVADOR
WESTERN MULTISCIPLINARY CAMPUS
FOREING LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
COMPOSITION II
TEACHER :
STUDENTS:
SANDRA GABRIELA MARTìNEZ
ESTEFANI CLARISA PEÑATE
EVELIN GABRIELA ARANA
Date: 24th, 2016
INTRODUCTION
This blog contains self-information and details referring to the
knowledge and achievements gotten through the first semester- 2016 in the
subject of English Composition II. Doubtless, this work represents a mixture of
all the classes, presentations, videos, and assignments regarding to the topics
studied in this subject. So that means a complete idea or analysis about what
we have truly learnt over the semester.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PORTFOLIO
GENERAL OBJECTIVE:
Identify the necessity of composition at the moment of writing in the
life as a teacher and person.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
Apply all the topics
that we had been studied in the semester at the moment of doing the D-folio.
Demonstrate the most
important thing that we done at the moment of doing the D-folio.
This was my best journal in this semester; I had 9.3 and I was so happy because I work hard in that kind of activities; furthermore, i felt magnificent also I have learned with bad things and good things.
My favorite person is my mother;
the angel that God put in my way. My mother is the greatest person in my life.
She has been in every single moment of my life not only in the best ones but
also in the worst ones. Sometimes, I do not agree with her in many opinions,
but she always respects my decisions, and I respect hers. My mother has a hard
personality aparently, but on the inside she is very sensitive and vulnerable.
Right as people see her, they think that she looks like a very serious woman,
but actually when they meet her deeply, she is the sweetest woman in the world.
She has cared of me every moment of my life. When I get home, she is always
ready with lunch for me, and she serves me. If I need a favor, she never doubts
about doing it. When I am sick, she always cares of me even if she has to keep
herself awake the whole night. I do not know what would I do without her. She
is my biggest blessing in life, and I love her so much that I could give my
life for hers. My mother is a strong, courageous, and an incredible woman. She
is my hero.
INDEX
- Introduction
- Objectives of the portfolio
- Classes copied in class
- Presentations of classes in the group of Facebook
- Choose one video recorded during the semester
- Extra material delivered in classes
- Challenges During the semester
- Journals
- An assessment on how well you achieved the writing goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the semester
- Talk about your best paragraph and essay writing
- Assess your performance during the semester
- Reflection regarding what you have learned about yourself as a writer this semester and how your assumptions and understandings of writing and reading have changed as a result of your work in this course.
- What would you suggest in order to improve the development of the course?
Classes copied in class
Presentations of classes in the group of
Facebook
Here are two of the presentations that we liked the most:
The first one is about comparison and contrast paragraphs. We had a ball learning about that topic using this power point presentation because it is very understandable. Also, it helped to make the class more interesting and dynamic because of the funny and entertained way to explain the topic.
Choose one video recorded during the
semester
Extra material delivered in classes
Sandra Gabriela Mazariego Martinez
- Challenges During The Semester
At the very beginning, it was very difficult for me to
start writing paragraphs because I did not know all the procedure to follow
when creating them. Then, I got confused in the transition from paragraphs to
essays, for those last have a procedure more difficult than the one followed
when writing paragraphs. Even though those were my biggest challenges, now I
feel more confident to say that I can write paragraphs and essays.
This was the best journal entry I wrote this semester because it was the answer to the letter that the teacher wrote for me in order to give me some advice, suggestions, and personal thoughts referring to my performance in the subject of English Composition II. It was really awesome to share personal ideas with the teacher, for it creates better bounds between students and teachers. For sure, it was marvelous to use a journal to express all of our ideas.
- Journals
This was the best journal entry I wrote this semester because it was the answer to the letter that the teacher wrote for me in order to give me some advice, suggestions, and personal thoughts referring to my performance in the subject of English Composition II. It was really awesome to share personal ideas with the teacher, for it creates better bounds between students and teachers. For sure, it was marvelous to use a journal to express all of our ideas.
- An assessment on how well you achieved the writing goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the semester.
I am sure I have improved my writing skills, but I guess I need to learn
new vocabulary that helps me to continue improving my writing. I can give
myself an 8 because I really believe that there are more acknowledgement I need
to achieve in order to get my writing goals completely.
This is the best paragraph I could create this semester. It is a
contrast paragraph, and I felt extremely confident of writing it because I have
learnt a lot about it. I am sure that this is the type of paragraph I like the
most. In addition, that learning made me get a 9.5 which was the prove of my
achievements. Truly, it is the one that have made me feel able to continue writing.- Talk about your best paragraph and essay (feelings and emotions)
This is the best persuasive essay for me because it is
the first one I have written in my life. It caused me headache when writing it,
for I did not have any idea of how to do it. I decided to talk about capital
punishment in there which let me express a lot of thoughts. At the end, I could
get a great result and assessment on it. Forsooth, I want to improve it and
keep writing persuasive essays. it really made my day.
- Assess your performance during this semester
I am completely sure I have learnt a lot during this
semester, especially in English Composition II. However, I feel I lack of
vocabulary, and I need to improve my oral and writing skills. I can give myself
an 8 because I know I can do a better job than the one I have done. Certainly,
that is my purpose for the next semester.
- Reflection regarding what you have learned about yourself as a writer this semester and how your assumptions and understandings of writing and reading have changed as a result of your work in this course
I have learned a lot
this semester; for example, I have learned to be less shy and more confident.
Also, I have learned to act for a little movie and to compose funny songs. I
feel pretty enthusiastic because I have set many goals in this subject. Thank God,
it exists the subject of English Composition, for it is the subject that has
made me improve the four macro skills without any complication. Finally, I can
say that I have become a careful writer and reader after my performance in this
course.
- What would you suggest in order to improve the development of the course?
I consider this
course has a good environment and development, but maybe it lacks of
enthusiastic students that want to be involved in compositions. As I know my
classmates, I can confirm that some of them feel lost and not part of the
group, and they would need more attention. However, I know that not all of us behave in the same
way, so it is extremely difficult to know how to be closer to each student.
Doubtless, I suggest to keep going in the way we did this semester; movies,
songs, and any kind of composition should be always part of this subject.
Estefani Clarisa Peñate
- Challengues:
I had many challenges this semester because all the
topics were very complex at the moment of practicing, we had studied in
Composition I about all the rules how to write in a correct way; for example,
the comma splice, mixed construction, and others rules: nevertheless, now we
had to join down and think not to do that kind of mistakes when we were writing
the paragraphs and essays.
One thing that was very hard to me was to get up early
because we had classes on Wednesdays at 6:45 and I would like to be in time,
but I think I never came in time; I was on time or late. Also other challenge
was to wait for the classes of composition on Thursday because was only one
hour and I did not have classes before composition.
To write paragraph was hard for me because I had to
think very well the correct word to write. It is my weakness. I hope to fix it.
- Journals (choose 2 – express your feelings and emotions)
- An assessment on how well you achieved the writing goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the semester;
I did many things to achieve my writing goals; for
example, I write all my mistakes on the notebook to learn that I made a
mistake.
I proposed to read two times the classes of
composition and I did it the tree first weeks, but after I did not; I would do
it the other semester and I know I can do it.
I said that I had to put in practice all the rules of
grammar that I learned in composition I and I did it. And very well.
- Talk about your best paragraph and essay writing (feelings and emotions)
This was my best paragraph; it was comparison
paragraph and I had 9.5. I was so enthusiastic for that grade and I loved it so
much and I know that I am good in that kind of paragraph.
This was my best essay and it was the first one; I had
7.8 and it was good but I wanted it to be better. I read all the observations
that teacher said and now I know my mistakes especially in the references. And the
connectors. I learned and for that I am here.
- Assess your performance during the semester:
I think that I grew up as a student this semester
because I learned different types of paragraph and when the teacher taught all
the different types of it was new for me. I thought that only exist one kind of
paragraph and now I know that are many. The most important is that now I can
write it;
Also I learned how to be a sociable person because I had
a good time with many classmate and that was awesome; therefore, I made a
movie; it was a different kind of activity and I loved it because it is normal
only have classes but to do a movie was the best; now I know how to be an
actress. That kind of activity make us grow up as a student.
One thing that I think I need to grow up is that I
need to be more organized because most of the time I did the homework at night
and that was not good; moreover, I was sleepy.
The essays was a difficult because you have to write 5
paragraph yet I could do it and was the best thing I had never done before.one
thing that I know that I need to work is to write a thesis statement because
you had to know well the thing that you want to say and try to capture the
attention of the reader; it is not easy. In conclusion all the things that I
did this semester helped me to understand that we can make mistakes but that is
the point. Because if I know that I made a mistake; I am going to try to fix it
because does not matter if you only know the mistakes and only that you have to
be better every day. That is the life
- Reflection regarding what you have learned about yourself as a writer this semester and how your assumptions and understandings of writing and reading have changed as a result of your work in this course:
I learned many things about me as a writer in this
semester; for example, this semester was only about writing paragraph and
essays; it was hard and a mix of feeling, but I learned how to do it. And right
now I know that I am good to write a comparison and contrast paragraph, yet I have
many weakness as a writer; I need to practice more and look that I can do
whatever I want if I fight for it.
- What would you suggest in order to improve the development of the course?
One thing that I would like that the course do is to
practice more the essay because I was confused at the moment of writing my
first essay. The environment was good, yet sometimes I felt lost. I would like
that the classes out more equal with all the students. I liked all the
activities that the teacher did because she helped us to be more efficient and
more productive.
Gabriela Arana García
- Challenges
I started this course thinking that this subject was
going to be similar to English Composition I, the class I took last semester,
but I experienced a change from that class to this one. Even though they are
linked to each other, they are different somehow. It was challenging for me
because the subject made me enhance the skills I had already acquired, but in a
different way. Writing is not an easy task once we have known the rules and the
long process we have to follow. Sometimes, the idea of giving up to some
assignments crossed my mind. Then, I tried to make a last effort, and I proved
myself that challenges cannot be achieved without effort. At the beginning I
was landing in the unknown world of writing, and it became sort of tough;
however, I accepted the incoming experience, and I could make it.
- Journals
Gabriela Arana García
May 17th, 2016
Fourth journal entry
My favorite person
May 31st, 2016
Sixth journal entry
Illusion or real love?
Most of the time, people tend to believe that they have fallen in love when they find interesting every single detail
of other person. But, the real fact is that they are delighted by the illusion
of the person. When somebody is just in love of the illusion, this person
usually admires all the attributes ignoring the faults of the person. Being in
love goes beyond the appereance; being in love is a matter of knowing the other
person very deeply. Stablishing a real friendship is always the best way to
know someone very well before making the decisión of being in a relationship.
Despite this, people usually want to rush their feelings without being truly
prepared. That is why most of the relationships or marriages finish in breaks
up and divorces. A real friendship does not only consist of knowing the likes
and dislikes of the partner; it consists of sincere values, time, effort,
sacrifice and acceptance. So next time, we feel like falling in love we should
pay attention, and try to hold our horses to find real love.
- An assessment on how well i achieved the writing goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the semester.
·
I
began the subject with previous knowledge that I had to aply in this course.
Despite the fact that I had the basis to begin this adventure, we as a class had
to set new goals for this class because it was a new journey. I consider that I
achieved most of the goals set for this course. Writting effective paragraphs
and limiting topics for compositions was the first set goals, and I have seen
them reached because I have observed the
good results I got. Another goal was setting and following effective outlines
and actually this goal was effectively reached because I got well developed
paragraphs thank to the well organized outlines. On the other hand, we are still
in the process of writing essays, and we are going to grade the level we got in
this objective at the end of the semester and evaluations.
- Talk about your best paragraph and essay writing.
·
The
best paragraph I wrote is the one I named “Valle de San Blas (memory from my
childhood)”. I wrote this paragraph when we were learning how to write
illustrative paragraphs, and actually this place crossed my mind as soon as I
could understand what an illustrative paragraph was about. I decided to focus
my writing on that because I really enjoyed when my parents took me there, and
I felt very pleased of making a great job with that paragraph. Everything there
was a real experience that still remember even though it happened when I was
just a child. Fortunately, I got a ten on that composition, and it made me feel
very lofty when I received such a good news. Now, I am still working on essays,
but I have not gotten an essay that makes me feel proud. This makes me feel a little
disappointed, so I have to work on that until I make it. I hope
to finally make it.
- Assess your performance during the semester.
·
In my
opinion, I started this course with a very enthusiastic attitude, and in fact,
my development had shown that I was in the same rhythm with the contents taught
in class. I could observe that my compositions were sprouting to an
amelioration. As I could be writing and writing, my ideas were streaming easier
than at the begining. This was pleasurable in my experience as a writer, but
then I felt out of whack when essays were introduced, I felt myself insecure
about writing essays because I had no a clear idea of how to develop them. I am
still working on that, and I hope I can succeed on it. Everything conveys a
great effort, so I keep my expectations on it.
- Reflection regarding what i have learned about myself as a writer this semester and how assumptions and understandings of writing and reading have changed as a result of my work in this course.
·
As I
have said before, I had an idea of how this course was going to be, but I
discovered in myself the skill of writing. At the very beginnig I had many ideas in my mind, and by following the
process of learning inside the classroom I could realize that writing is a
complex task. But, I only could understand this when I had to put in practice
the acquired knowledge. Moreover, I could be aware of the kind of compositions
I am more into, and I feel free to release my thoughts when I am writing about
real events in my life. This course has made me realize the kind of writer I
could be if I decide to jump into the opportunity of a new project in my life.
Practice makes perfect, and a good example of this is the growth I have noticed
since I enrolled in this class.
- What would you suggest in order to improve the development of the course?
· This course
was useful because it benefited me by teaching me how to write correctly. There
was a very enjoyable class every time I entered to it, and I have no naggings
from any single class. The teacher knew how to guide us in each topic to
develop, and in fact the results are reflected in how our compositions have
improved class by class. However, not everything is perfect and there is just
one aspect I consider would help to improve this course in the future. We spent
all the time learning how to write a paragraph, and at the end of the course we
could not encompass the essay writings as I would have liked. I feel an empty
space when talking about essays, and I believe that it is going to impact
sooner or later. Besides that, every was great.