Jessenia's Lab Expierence: 2009

Learning Portfolio Essay
This semester I have a new challenge, learn English. For me was more easy because I was in elementary school until third grade on a bilingual school. I could say that was a little scared about how this will be. I thought of a strictest professor or maybe I couldn’t handle it. But I was wrong; my professor was very good and patient. My classmates were very enthusiastic and have the interest for learn. I thought that my weakest part in English was writing. The professor gives us a plan for make this successful. My learning goal in writing was be able to write a three paragraphs essay. I have some steps to learn or preview before doing the essay. My first step was learning grammar. The second was made simple sentences. Then the other one was make paragraph using transitional expressions. The last was making the three paragraph essay without the help of a dictionary. For make this happened we supposed to assist to a one hour of English laboratory and one hour of a conversational group. If I have to choose for one of them I pick the conversational group, because is more interesting and we knew other people with the same situation. In the laboratory is more boring sitting front of the computer doing exercise that were very elementary. We supposed to look out for some websites that would help with our learning goal. That exercise was a little difficult because some websites are paying. But I found three. The websites included exercise for each section of the grammar part. Besides that they give you quizzes. In one of the sites that I used they have a chat and you could be able to talk to people from different country that do the same of you learn English. In the conversational group I have a lot of fun. The first reunion I was scared of talking because I didn’t practice in such a long time. My pronunciation is very bad and that makes me a little insecure. When I saw that my mates didn’t know earthier me the English pronunciations I start talking more. We do some games and also we do a visit to different parts of the university for learn how to explain directions. In addition one of the activities for Halloween we have to go in the night to the campus to see if there were paranormal activities. I didn’t go but some friend tells me the strange thing that happened to them. The activity was around three days. I could say that other thing I do for improved my English but this wasn’t in my learning plan is that my cousins live in the United States and they do not know Spanish at all. So I take that opportunity to talk to them in Facebook or MySpace in English. I could say that this help me communicate with them successfully. Evaluating myself I could say I do a very good job. I feel more secured at the time I have to talk to someone in this language. This year have being a year of changes personally and academic too. For next semester I plan to learn some tips to make my pronunciation better. If is possible I want to learn more vocabulary because I want to study in the University of Pittsburgh and I want to be able to understand everything and talk with more fluidity. In conclusion this activities I talk about make me more secured in the moment I have to talk with someone that know this language better than me. This helped me communicate also with my family successfully. I hope continue learning more things for next semester.