Your reflections on Engish and Translation courses for 1st year students (Spring 2012)
Share your reflections about the course. Please write your reflections as a comment to this blogpost.
How have you grown as a student of language and culture in the last fifteen weeks?
1. Think about how much speaking and listening practice you have had in our online sessions.
2. How has this affected your comfort in speaking English and understanding native speakers?
3. What can you do now that you couldn't do at the beginning of the class?
Consider the cultural topics we worked with during the semester:
Kids and parents relations (the film Terry, the angry father and his daughter’s facebook comments)
Plagiarism in universities (essay mills, buying course papers over the telephone)
War on drugs (debates over criminalization of illegal drug use)
Communicating Abroad Project (conversation with your American partner)
Cultural dimensions (excursion on the Red Square in Second Life)
Holocaust laws (presentation in Holocaust Museum in Second Life)
American Literature and films (reading Shawshank Redemption, discussing a crime scene in Second Life)
4. Which did you enjoy the most?
5. Which did you learn the most from? Be as specific as you can.
Summarize your progress toward goals for this semester’s language and culture learning experience.
6. Did you learn what you were hoping to learn?
7. Did you develop skills you were hoping to gain?
8. How do you plan to continue contact with the language and culture you are studying in the future, when the semester is finished?
9. Think about what kind of advice you might offer another student, new to the translators’ program.
10. If you got a do-over, how would you approach it differently?
11. What have you learned about how you work? (Are you a hard worker, do you procrastinate, what motivates you most? Do you prefer to work in a team or on your own?)
12. Write about your impressions about Communicating Abroad Project:
- What was difficult and was easy as you talked to your partner?
- What did you learn about culture, language and your partner?
- What did you do when you didn't understand each other?
- Would you like to continue to communicate with American students?
13. Write your impressions about Second Life classes:
- Did you feel different as a language learner in Second Life than in Webex or traditional classroom?
- What features does Second Life lesson have that other environments don't have?
- Would you like to have more lessons in Second Life? Why?
June 2nd, 2012 - 09:53
I want to say a few words about my language learning in 2012. We had a lot of classroom and online lessons. I tried not to miss my classes, because we have discussed about many interesting topics. I not only teach the language but I learned many interesting facts of history, religion and culture.
I can tell you that my vocabulary is filled with new words. Now to speak English is not so difficult for me than the autumn of 2011. I am very sorry that I have very little time to learn the English language. This is connected with my work. But I want to spend more time on this summer, when there will be holidays.
I’m going to watch American movies with subtitles. Another thing I should read a few books in English. I’m also going to write a scientific paper Professor Babalova. The theme of my work is a euphemism in the law. I think it would be interesting.
I want to wish not to skip classes the new training course that will be autumn 2012 because it is very bad for the quality of language.
We talked about many interesting topics in the classroom. I do not know what was interesting for me. But I can select the topic of the Holocaust and a tour of Red Square. I think that these topics would not be so interesting if it were not for Second Life. This is very useful and fun. I am very sorry that sometimes summed technical capabilities.
I really like the fact that we have an opportunity to use various computer programs, technical possibilities to talk with American students and teachers.
I want more classes in Second Life next semester. I also think we should communicate more with native speakers in the next semester.
But other topics were also very interesting. The film “Terry” was very funny and at the same time talking about very important things, like friendship. I did not like the topic of drugs. I was a bit unpleasant. But it is also an important topic. Very interesting was the topic of plagiarism, when we phoned the company for writing term papers and acted out the situation. It helps to practice the language and communicate with classmates.
So, I would like to say some words about the meeting with John Wilch at Webex. We could not meeting a long time because we have different time zones and we have not free time. But still the meeting was in Wednesday. I was satisfied. John is a nice guy. We talked about our families, hobbies, jobs, weather.
But we had a task. We must to talk about elections in USA and in Russia. We talked about the election process and to against the citizens of our countries to Putin and Obama. I think that we have similar problems. And John agrees with me. Unfortunately the conversation was short because John was late for work. But I hope that we can talk more in the future.
I think that it is a good practice for the learning English language.
In my opinion, English is an essential part of our lives and we need to get this education to more easily future employment. education a translator opens up great opportunities before us. We can travel to different countries know English. We can use various sources of information and understand them. I think that this is a very small number of lessons for us. Therefore, we must try even harder!
June 2nd, 2012 - 09:56
In the last fifteen weeks as a student of language and culture I understood that I needed more work to learn the language. There was some progress in learning the language. Now I can speak a little and I am glad about it.
1. Speaking and listening practice I have had in our online sessions helped me to understand the way native speakers pronounce words and sentences.
2. Communicating with native speakers, I began to understand the language. This is a great experience. As for speaking, it helped me to begin speaking with the right pronunciation, so that I could be understood by the native speakers.
3. Now I can understand the native speaker better than before the class. As for speaking, now it is easier for me to speak English because I had an experience to listen to the native speakers.
4-5. I think all the cultural topics are important and interesting, but I liked the most of all “War on drugs” We talked about the criminalization of illegal drug use. I don’t think that a criminal liability for the use of drugs would stop drug addicts. To my mind they would use drugs anyway.
I also liked the excursion on the Red Square in the game “Second life” and now I know how the Red Square looks like.
When we had been reading the book “Shawshank Redemption” we could see that there was a big problem of translation. The translation is not done word for word, it is done to make a common sense of the text, to make it more understandable for a foreigner.
6. Yes, I did. I learned exactly that material I was hoping to learn.
7. Yes, I did. I developed my skills to listen more attentive and to speak better.
8. I am going to continue contact with the language and culture with the help of reading books in English, watching films, communicating with english-speaking people via internet.
I liked to talk to Megan. She is a very nice and funny girl. She told me that she had a horse. It was very interesting to communicate with her. She didn’t like the film “The Twilight” and I found it good, because almost every girl liked that silly film. She spoke too fast, so I couldn’t understand every word she said. I asked her to speak slower. It was very easy to find topics to discuss with her. We talked about everything. That was very nice. We have different cultures and ways of living. I got to know that the most Americans don’t like the questions like: ” You are very beautiful, do you have a boy-friend?” I didn’t expect that. Also I got to know that all students in the USA work after classes. I’d like to continue communicating with the american students because it is very interesting and it is a great experience.
There is a difference in the methods of teaching and learning. In the Sedond Life it is more real, just like in real life: you can make role plays, do different presentations, to have a walk along the Red Square, to see it as if you were there. You can go to the cafe to eat there. All of these things are important and will help you to get in contact with foreigners. There were some technical problems of course, it would be better if they don’t appear. In conclusion, I would like to thank you for the work you’ve done.
June 2nd, 2012 - 10:23
During these lessons I learnt a lot about American culture particularly how to get in touch with Americans. When I took the lessons in second life or just in Webex wher i felt ashamed but now I can more surely express my thoughts in English ameriсan pronunciation helped me for my pronunciations.
It was very interesting to get equated with American family even in facebook where some funny and interesting stories took place about adults and their parents.
One can hardly meet such parents in Russia who can show in internet the faults of their children.
In the film Terry is also shown how the children behave towards their parents where everything is not as usual in this film it is shown not only the relations among parents and their children but also the relations among adults and their directors who help the guys to overcome this or that situation studying the theme plagiarism before I could never imagine that somewhere particularly in America plagiarism are considerd the most terrible sins in American universities . On the theme of narcotics I would like to say that it should be held a law on the criminal responsibility for its usage against law though in all cases it would be the best solution that’s why I consider it appropriate to discuss such problematic themes like this.
I liked the process of my communication with my American partner André Joseph. It’s a pity that it was just once but I will remember it for a long time. I liked him as a boy he was very friendly, clever during communication and it is always nicely to get in touch with such people.
IT was also interesting to show the places of Russia as well as to study the story of The museum of Holocaust in Second life.
American literature is read not so easily but it is really very interesting. I am sorry that I didn’t finish reading the book The Shawshank Redemption but fortunately all the summer is ahead.
Each theme in its nature was good and useful. But the communication with the Americans particularly with the adults was more interesting. Getting in touch with them I understood how much they are busy They are not just students but also working personalities. But of course watching films and therefore discussing some problems are also important.
I studied what I hoped to study. Its right that I knew that we are going to study grammar I would like to make better my accent with the help of grammar. After the end if the semester I am going to read books and learn law terms.
I’d like to advise the students – translators to attend all the lessons if they want to have result and to be active during classes. It is more interesting to work in groups and moreover you get in touch with others and make better your English communication with my partner was very funny. When you we don’t understand each other,
you ask to explain in a easy way but in my case everything was clearer with my partner. I learnt a lot of interesting things which were not existed in russia how many hours student day (27 hours in a week) a fact that there all the students work and once more we became assured that they are energetic nation which is very nicely.
I am still keeping touch with my partnerweb speak to each other but not so often.
I LIKE THE PROCESS OF MY LESSONS IN WEBEX, THERE YOU FEEL MORE ALIVE THAN IN SECOND LIFE. THOUGH IN SECOND LIFE ONE CAN NOT ONLY SPEAK ABOUT PLACES BUT ALSO TO SEE THEM.
June 2nd, 2012 - 10:27
This is course very perfect for me and for us together and i’m not lying about it. Of course i sometimes missed lessons for different reasons and betweentimes i was silent, but one year of training i felt comfortable and confident when i spoke. Certainly i have a lot of mistakes, but i’m just learning the English language. I overcame the embarrassment, oppression and right now i can easily and openly express my thoughts.
And now specifically about the cultural topics. Better and easier to say what i didn’t like. I think that is cultural dimensions because i got lost in Second life.
It was great to explore such topics as relations kids and parents, inspecial video on youtube with dad, when he talked about his daughter (its different culture and relationship betweenchildren and parents, and other values and behaviour and even the rules), the next topic plagiarism in universities. It was fun and amazing, i mean phone calls and buying course papers over the telephone (new experience, so little bit strange, i should know what to say and try correct to say)
And what about american literature and films. This topic awaked big interest for me. We compared the original text and translation. And we saw? It is absurd (many inaccuracies and big gaps in the text).
Then… i like to work in a team. Why? (for example: friendly atmosphere, communication, help each other and if you have a question you can ask in any time your professor and he will help you). Who am i? ‘Cos i don’t know who i am, i mean this is the golden mean, i am a hard worker and lazybones and its all in one person)).
All i know is that i should don’t stop (practice practice pracrice again and again all the time). In my translation work were helpful Multitran. Its a good program, i will use this program over and over again. Sure i would like to continue to communicate with American students. Why? Because when i listened to the american partner, i understood hin and absolutely everithing. I don’t deny that its hard to speak. I know grammar and make a sentence very bad, its so hard for me (and its difficult moment when you cannot focus on the main and you take care about what your partner thinks about you). I respect my partner’s culture and i want continue such conversation.
How do you plan to continue contact with the language and culture you are studying in the future, when the semester is finished? mm in first while i read books, wathc TV series and movies with English sub. but then the next summer i want to go to the united states, i want to improve my English by native speakers.
Finally i want to say about English language in general and why i chose it. I get great pleasure when i’m trying to say anuthing. It is the most important trying gor me.
Thank you for your attention.
June 2nd, 2012 - 10:56
1.I’m not at all sessions was due on household circumstances. In the following session, I think everything will be fine and I’ll walk.
2.In the early days I did not understand and which can respond, although small but there is progress.
3.I understand a lot of things to read and write.
4.War on drugs (debates over criminalization of illegal drug use)
5.She liked me more because it is more suitable profession in which I uchusyu.
6.Learned but not so much because I’m not with the school he studied English.
7.Yes I know.
8.I’ll watch movies in English, reading.
9.So as not to miss a couple and so that was interesting.
10.And so all is well nothing would change, would leave everything as is.
11.I am a hard worker, but in this case did not grasp the vocabulary of English for me, it does not work, I’m wondering if I’m motivated, I prefer to work in a team, so interesting.
12.With American partner did not communicate, we did not get to meet.
13.In Second Life I have never walked. At a time when Second Life is, I am at work with his father, next semester will try to go.
June 2nd, 2012 - 11:01
1.I think I have had a lot of speaking and listenings practice in online sessions.
2.Know I know more english words, I can speak english a little better, understand the native speakers…Do translation documents from english to Russian use the online translator programm.
3.I told it higher.Now I am more free in communication with stidents, teacher, and native speaker.
4.The most I enjoy War on drugs.
5.I think The most I learn this theme, War on Drugs..It was interesting and actual problem in our time.Also we have had the role play in this theme.It was interesting, useful and funny.
6.I think yes, because in these courses were all that I hoping on 1st year learning.
7.Yes, I did. There are a lot of speaking practice and role play in this year.
8.In future I want to go abroad and improve my language.
9.Oh, i dont know what i can offer to another students a new.I think the best variant to improve your english it is communication with students on english, talk with native speakers, with teacher.
10.I think all right in translation programm.And I dont want to change anything.
11.I think I prefer to work as in team and as my own.
12.Communication abroad project was not good for me, couse I cant to meet with my parnter online.I think it is our guilty, that I check my mail not in time, and partner has limited time to meet.
13.May be Second life good, but I was uncomfortable to play this game, I have some problems with it.May be it is my computer, or internet line, but all terribly lag.
June 2nd, 2012 - 11:04
Reflection on English and Translation courses for 1st year students
1. In online lessons I had enough speaking and listening practice and it was very usefull and interesting for me.
2. It was not very difficult to understand native speakers, because they explained words, which I could not understand and it helped to study new english words.
3. I think, that now I can understand much more english texts and english speakers, also now I can watch english films and videos, it’s difficult to understand it, but I do it now better, than at the beginning of the class.
4. From the cultural topics we worked with during the semester I enjoyed the most Plagiarism in universities, because it is real prolem and it’s connected with law, and also Communicating Abroad Project, because it was very intersting and unusual to communicate with american student.
5. I learnt the most Plagiarism in universities. I knew a lot of new information about plagiarism and about legislation in this sphere in the USA and Russia. It was wery interesting to compare legislation of this countries. And also I knew that this problem is very actual in the USA, and that it’s possible to buy an essay on english about any problem.
6. I think, that I learnt what I hoped to learn.
7. I developed skills which I wanted to gain, and I think that my english is becoming better. The main purpose of learning english is to speak english fluently and to understand native speakers very vell. So I think that I’m going to this goals, and I can do it.
8. I want to vivsit some foreign countries, where i will try to practice my english. And also I will read english books and whatch english films.
9. The main advice, which I can offer to another students is to work hard, and also I can say, that it is very important now to know english language very well.
10. I think, that I don’t want to change something in past learning process, but i think, that it was better, if I started learning english according to this programm earlier.
11. I tried to work hard, but it was difficult to do it everytime. It was interesting to work in team, and it was usefull to work on my own, because to learn english i need study it much more, than only during the lessons. And it was very usefull to participate in online lessons and use modern technologies such as google toolkit and others. It helped very well to translate texts.
12. It was interesting to participate in Communicating Abroad Project. It was not very difficult to communicate with american student and it was very interesting and I hope that this project will continue. We communicated using Webex, and we could not only speak, but also wright in chat. And i was surprised that some american students study russian language and russin history.
13. It was very unusual to study english in Second Life, but it was interesting and I think that this game can help to study english. To study english in Second Life is different, than in Webex or traditional classroom, but there we can study not only english, but also visit different places in virtual reality.