1. How do people learn best? You can talk about learning in general, or one specific type of learning. Use examples and your own opinions to support your answer. You need to be specific about the definition of learning of your own words, as well as how to do it best. (For me, learning is best by doing it. However, everyone thinks differently.)
In my opinion, the way to learning best is depends on the person and people have their own device of learning. For me it is kinesthetic learning, although I was determined as visual learner by the test in this class. Because I prefer to doing than reading and listening. I always do it first, and I read about it sometimes if I need more specific technics. And, it is really important to practice it.
As for study English, I realized that to read English aloud can be practice to reading, speaking, and also listening. Thus, I think speaking is most important skill as learning English. And one more thing, when I learn vocabulary, I know I should use it on writing and speaking as my sentence. This strategy is most effective to memorize new words.
It is interesting for me that how to learn new things is different in my family. My father and my brother read "how to" books first, when they challenge new things. For example, when my brother had started snowboarding, he bought the book how to snowboard and read it. My father also has a lot of books how to play music. They can learn everything from books. Contrary to their style, I just do it first anyway. When I had started to snowboard, I bought snowboard and went to the mountain first. When I had started to play the guitar, I looked for a nice guitar first. I can learn how it works, and how to control them, by doing.
Finally, the reason why I think doing is best way to learn is doing again and again lead you to obtain them as your skill. When I've acquire them, I can start to learn other things again.
2. We talked about the differences between "strategy" and "skill" in class on Wednesday. However, I didn't have a chance to hear from every of you. I would like you to write about this again and give supporting details. Explain how you think these two terms might be similar or different and justify your answer. You may give examples to help us understand.
I think "strategy" and "skill" are quite different. However, you can develop "strategy" to "skill". First, "strategy" is the plan how to accomplish the goal. I think the devise can be "strategy" too. On the other hand, "skill" is the strength of the person, the capacity to do something, and sometimes the talent of the person. For example, in football games, the director conduct players by using strategies. Thus, they can play well than when they does not have the plan. However, it is important to win the game if each player has good "skill". Each force improve the effect of the strategy. When the team has both great players and good strategies, it makes it easy to win all games.
However, "strategy" can become "skill", when you practice the strategy again and again. After you memorize the strategy, and you can do it without thinking. It is already your skill. For instance, when you are kid, you must learned the strategy of math such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You might used your finger, or wrote them down on a paper at that time. After you learn these strategies, you must have been using them many times. Thus, you can add or subtract a few numbers easily without fingers and a paper now. This is your skill.
3. Propose a several topics for your final presentation and explain them in a little bit detail.
At this point, I want you to brainstorm 3 possible topics for the presentation. (No word limit for this quesiton)
● Some different GOs for solving your problem
I introduce some different GOs by using some examples of problem people may face to in their life.
For instance, the conflict among friends, or between lovers, money troubles, or some problem in living.
● How to use GOs in TOEFL test
I would like to explore how to use GOs in TOEFLiBT test such as each section : Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.
● Use of GOs on your creation
As an artist, I would like to challenge to use GOs for my arts. For instance, making music, drawing, creating arts, and writing poem or novels.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Week 3 - Question 4
4. After reading part of the article "Graphic
Organizers in Reading Instruction" by Jiang and Grabe (2007), explain
what the questions are in GOs research in your own words (p. 35). Also,
according to Jiang and Grabe, what are the merits of GO instructions
suggested by researchers (p.35)?
The author states some issues about GOs research in the article. First, the matter is that the result of use of GOs is depend on how experiential is the inquiry. Indeed, they provided not only the effectiveness but also contradictory findings of use of GOs. Second, the definition of GO and how to outline the GOs are vary. Students are instructed with very different patterns of GOs. Thus, it is hard to say which kind of GOs is most successful. Third, as research of use of GO for L2 students, it should be paid attention how GO works on their reading skill, especially when they read heavy and complicated reading. However, the amount of research with L2 students is still small. Finally, a term of instructing GOs should be long-term because the effect is expected from constant studies for long time. But most research of use of GOs were limited to a few hours or a few weeks. It is too short to determine the student's reading progress.
The author also describes some benefits of use of GOs in the article. The use of GOs help the reader to know the text structure, which is important to understand and memorize contents, because GOs show them the relationship among ideas and the structure of essay. Jones, Pierce & Hunter say," a good graphic representation can show at a glance the key parts of a whole and their relations, thereby allowing a holistic understanding that words alone cannot convey."(Graphic organizers in reading instruction: Research findings and issues)
The author states some issues about GOs research in the article. First, the matter is that the result of use of GOs is depend on how experiential is the inquiry. Indeed, they provided not only the effectiveness but also contradictory findings of use of GOs. Second, the definition of GO and how to outline the GOs are vary. Students are instructed with very different patterns of GOs. Thus, it is hard to say which kind of GOs is most successful. Third, as research of use of GO for L2 students, it should be paid attention how GO works on their reading skill, especially when they read heavy and complicated reading. However, the amount of research with L2 students is still small. Finally, a term of instructing GOs should be long-term because the effect is expected from constant studies for long time. But most research of use of GOs were limited to a few hours or a few weeks. It is too short to determine the student's reading progress.
The author also describes some benefits of use of GOs in the article. The use of GOs help the reader to know the text structure, which is important to understand and memorize contents, because GOs show them the relationship among ideas and the structure of essay. Jones, Pierce & Hunter say," a good graphic representation can show at a glance the key parts of a whole and their relations, thereby allowing a holistic understanding that words alone cannot convey."(Graphic organizers in reading instruction: Research findings and issues)
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Week 3
1. New things that you learnt from any of your HELP classes.
What I learned and I think it is interesting for me in this week is "Paraphrase" in writing class. I have many reasons why I care about "Paraphrase". I'm going to try to tell you how to paraphrase as long as I know here. I will tell you why paraphrase skill is important too.
When I've started to study TOEFL writing by myself, I knew what paraphrase is. However, I was not good at making paraphrase. I had no idea how to make it. It is most important skill I'd really like to learn at HELP writing class to write English essay at TOEFL ibt test. Thus, I was excited when he has started to teach how to make paraphrase in this week.
"Paraphrase" means that you change a specific sentence to your sentence. You might use this skill, when you write your essay based on some articles of books or web which someone wrote, and you would like to say same idea as someone's. Then, how to make it to your words? First, read original sentence carefully and make outline. Second, make your sentence with careful to change the grammar of original one. Third, use synonyms in your essay to replace the original words to your words. Finally, check your sentence if it is similar to original sentence. If it is not too similar to original sentence, your sentence is good paraphrase.
Why is Paraphrase skill so important? Because if you do not paraphrase the sentence well, you would lose your score or even be expelled your writing class. If your essay was in public, you would be sued for plagiarism. Even if you did not know your sentence is too similar to the sentence of someone, it still is plagiarism. You would be warned from your teacher. In addition, when you paraphrase the sentence of someone, you have to add the citation with it to avoid plagiarism.
Paraphrase is very difficult for me, but so much fun because it is like a puzzle. I'm getting into write essay recently, I need to practice hard though.
2. New things that you learnt outside of HELP.
I've lived in here hawaii for about two months. Now, I have nice neighborhoods in my apartment. I learned the relationship with my neighborhoods lately. They like to communicate each other in our apartment and outside of our apartment.
I like a woman who lives with her cat in the room next to the elevator at same floor. When I go out and use the elevator, I talk with her because she left her door open sometimes. She is always nice and friendly. I enjoy the chatting with her recently. When I meet my neighborhood at the grocery store, they also talk to me casually. It makes me relaxed all time because I feel I am part of this community.
However, it can be a bad habit sometimes. I was surprised the woman know we are moving , because we do not tell about our moving to her. My landlord told her about it. We do not want her to know yet, since we are not sure to move. Then, I feel bad a little bit as if I am watched by them. I thought they might talk about me behind me. They like sharing the rumor each other too. I do not think it is a good custom.
Taking care of each other in the community is good habit. Because if someone had trouble, we could help each other. But, too much caring can be the interferer. I think the balance of the relationship is important.
3. Apparently, there are certain steps for creating GOs. What are your steps when creating GOs? Try to recall what you do (step by step) while creating GOs for readings.
First, I read the paragraph and research words I do not know. At this step, I try to infer the word to read the sentence around it first. I use my dictionary after that. Second, I look for signal words (logical connector). Signal words shows relationship between two ideas. And I find out which relationship they have such as Time, Contrast, Comparison, Cause/Effect and so on. For instance , I learned Contrast and Comparison in this week. Some signal words for contrast are "whereas","however","in contrast" and also "difference". When I look these words, I know the relationship of two ideas that put between the signal words is Contrast. Third, I create GO's by using some diagrams, arrows, and some key words to read it easily. I like to use two circles to create GOs of Contrast and Comparison. It is easy for me to understand their difference and similarity.
What I learned and I think it is interesting for me in this week is "Paraphrase" in writing class. I have many reasons why I care about "Paraphrase". I'm going to try to tell you how to paraphrase as long as I know here. I will tell you why paraphrase skill is important too.
When I've started to study TOEFL writing by myself, I knew what paraphrase is. However, I was not good at making paraphrase. I had no idea how to make it. It is most important skill I'd really like to learn at HELP writing class to write English essay at TOEFL ibt test. Thus, I was excited when he has started to teach how to make paraphrase in this week.
"Paraphrase" means that you change a specific sentence to your sentence. You might use this skill, when you write your essay based on some articles of books or web which someone wrote, and you would like to say same idea as someone's. Then, how to make it to your words? First, read original sentence carefully and make outline. Second, make your sentence with careful to change the grammar of original one. Third, use synonyms in your essay to replace the original words to your words. Finally, check your sentence if it is similar to original sentence. If it is not too similar to original sentence, your sentence is good paraphrase.
Why is Paraphrase skill so important? Because if you do not paraphrase the sentence well, you would lose your score or even be expelled your writing class. If your essay was in public, you would be sued for plagiarism. Even if you did not know your sentence is too similar to the sentence of someone, it still is plagiarism. You would be warned from your teacher. In addition, when you paraphrase the sentence of someone, you have to add the citation with it to avoid plagiarism.
Paraphrase is very difficult for me, but so much fun because it is like a puzzle. I'm getting into write essay recently, I need to practice hard though.
2. New things that you learnt outside of HELP.
I've lived in here hawaii for about two months. Now, I have nice neighborhoods in my apartment. I learned the relationship with my neighborhoods lately. They like to communicate each other in our apartment and outside of our apartment.
I like a woman who lives with her cat in the room next to the elevator at same floor. When I go out and use the elevator, I talk with her because she left her door open sometimes. She is always nice and friendly. I enjoy the chatting with her recently. When I meet my neighborhood at the grocery store, they also talk to me casually. It makes me relaxed all time because I feel I am part of this community.
However, it can be a bad habit sometimes. I was surprised the woman know we are moving , because we do not tell about our moving to her. My landlord told her about it. We do not want her to know yet, since we are not sure to move. Then, I feel bad a little bit as if I am watched by them. I thought they might talk about me behind me. They like sharing the rumor each other too. I do not think it is a good custom.
Taking care of each other in the community is good habit. Because if someone had trouble, we could help each other. But, too much caring can be the interferer. I think the balance of the relationship is important.
3. Apparently, there are certain steps for creating GOs. What are your steps when creating GOs? Try to recall what you do (step by step) while creating GOs for readings.
First, I read the paragraph and research words I do not know. At this step, I try to infer the word to read the sentence around it first. I use my dictionary after that. Second, I look for signal words (logical connector). Signal words shows relationship between two ideas. And I find out which relationship they have such as Time, Contrast, Comparison, Cause/Effect and so on. For instance , I learned Contrast and Comparison in this week. Some signal words for contrast are "whereas","however","in contrast" and also "difference". When I look these words, I know the relationship of two ideas that put between the signal words is Contrast. Third, I create GO's by using some diagrams, arrows, and some key words to read it easily. I like to use two circles to create GOs of Contrast and Comparison. It is easy for me to understand their difference and similarity.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Week 2
1. One New thing that you learnt from any of your HELP classes.(For example, did you learn any new strategies? New phrases? Use them here and reflect on what you have learnt.)
From GO class and Writing class in week 2, I learned that the most important strategy to analyze the structure of reading is "Logical connectors" or "Transition Signals". There are a specific relationship between group words or sentence and another one. To recognize their relationship help us to understand contents. Logical connectors or transition words are key words to know their relationship; the structure of the sentence or the paragraph.
For example, "It would be a lot of fun to buy a car. On the other hand, taking the bus would be cheaper." "On the other hand" in this sentences is one of logical connectors. It shows us contrast between two ideas. If you know the function of this transition signal, you can immediately recognize their relationship.
Some of logical connectors still make me confused to recognize the relationship, because there are similarity between some categories of relationships like "SEQUENCE" and "TIME". Sequence shows us logical order or process that means you are not able to change the order like how to cook the cake. Time shows us time information that means you can choose the time anytime you would like. The difference of "CONTRAST" and "CONTRADICTION" in Transition signals is more difficult for me. As far as I know, contrast is intense difference like red balloon in the blue sky. And contradiction is saying the opposite idea, for instance, "Although he said he does not like orange, he was eating a lot of oranges at the school."
I need to study and practice using these strategies, so that I can recognize the relationship between sentences and I can understand contents of reading easily. It will help me to read English faster and accurately.
2. One New thing that you learnt from outside of HELP classes.
(For example, did you learn any new things about Hawaii? Did you learn any thing new from the Halloween fest? Did you learn any thing new from talking to your friends or anyone?)
I have just got my temporary drivers license yesterday. I learned a lot of traffic rules in Hawaii. I introduce you some rules which I think they are interesting or different from ones in Japan.
As you know, you use right lane when you drive in Hawaii. It is most major difference from Japanese traffic rules, because we use left lane in Japan. So Japanese driver can be most nervous about this rule. We Japanese can be involved in the accident easily until we get used to it. One of traffic rules here I think it is reasonable is that drivers can turn right at intersection with red signal if there are no traffic. I think this rule help reducing traffic. In Japan, we are not allowed to go any direction if traffic signal is red, hence there are many traffics especially around stations where have a lot of traffic signals.
I often see auto bike drivers do not wear helmet in Hawaii. It is really dangerous though, it is allowed in Hawaii. I think they should warn them like in Japan. Actually there are a lot of biker's accident and death in Hawaii. It was a terrible scene, when I saw the biker with no helmet was driving faster in front of our car on highway first time.
Some of yours who do not drive in Hawaii might not care about traffic rules. However, you all should be careful about this rule "The cross walk law" in Hawaii. Basically, this law force drivers to stop and yield pedestrians until pedestrians walk across the driver's direction road completely. But it also require pedestrians to walk in only pedestrian crossing when they across the road. Pedestrians who do not use the pedestrian crossing called J-WALKER have to pay $70 as fine, when they are asked by the police man. After I knew this rule, I try to be careful to use the pedestrian crossing in Hawaii especially Waikiki, although I often do not use the pedestrian crossing in Japan.
3. Are there any reading strategies in reading in your L1? (For this question, just write as much as you can. It does not have to be 200 words.)
If you would like to read Japanese reading, you have to understand three different type of forms; Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji. I think Hiragana and Katakana is easy to remember because they have not many forms. Kanji is hard to remember, however, because they have tremendous forms as you can not count them. Of course, Japanese also do not remember all of Kanji, but we Japanese can guess the meaning of new Kanji. Many difficult Kanji can be separated a few parts. For example, 灰,災,灯, and 灸 have a form of 火 which means the fire in common. Thus, you can imagine that these forms of Kanji might have meanings related to the fire. When I was a elementary student, I learned a lot of parts of Kanji and meanings. I think this strategy help you read Kanji.
4. Do you have any questions about creating GOs so far? Anything you would like yo know at this point?
I think I almost understood them so far, I need to review and practice by myself though. As I mentioned above question, I need to practice how to use logical connectors. When I get used to use some of them and remember some majors of them, my understanding of structures of reading will be better.
Besides our past classes, I have some questions about creating GOs now. The reason why I would like to learn GOs is improving to take my note. This means that I would like to use GOs while I listened to the lecture. Taking note with listening is thoroughly different form with reading. It is more difficult for me, because of my listening skill, so I would like to learn tips and how to practice for that. In my listening class, I was trying to use some graphics and diagrams, but I could not use them effectively. I think I missed some important words such as logical connecters. It is difficult to find key words in the lecture unlike reading.
From GO class and Writing class in week 2, I learned that the most important strategy to analyze the structure of reading is "Logical connectors" or "Transition Signals". There are a specific relationship between group words or sentence and another one. To recognize their relationship help us to understand contents. Logical connectors or transition words are key words to know their relationship; the structure of the sentence or the paragraph.
For example, "It would be a lot of fun to buy a car. On the other hand, taking the bus would be cheaper." "On the other hand" in this sentences is one of logical connectors. It shows us contrast between two ideas. If you know the function of this transition signal, you can immediately recognize their relationship.
Some of logical connectors still make me confused to recognize the relationship, because there are similarity between some categories of relationships like "SEQUENCE" and "TIME". Sequence shows us logical order or process that means you are not able to change the order like how to cook the cake. Time shows us time information that means you can choose the time anytime you would like. The difference of "CONTRAST" and "CONTRADICTION" in Transition signals is more difficult for me. As far as I know, contrast is intense difference like red balloon in the blue sky. And contradiction is saying the opposite idea, for instance, "Although he said he does not like orange, he was eating a lot of oranges at the school."
I need to study and practice using these strategies, so that I can recognize the relationship between sentences and I can understand contents of reading easily. It will help me to read English faster and accurately.
2. One New thing that you learnt from outside of HELP classes.
(For example, did you learn any new things about Hawaii? Did you learn any thing new from the Halloween fest? Did you learn any thing new from talking to your friends or anyone?)
I have just got my temporary drivers license yesterday. I learned a lot of traffic rules in Hawaii. I introduce you some rules which I think they are interesting or different from ones in Japan.
As you know, you use right lane when you drive in Hawaii. It is most major difference from Japanese traffic rules, because we use left lane in Japan. So Japanese driver can be most nervous about this rule. We Japanese can be involved in the accident easily until we get used to it. One of traffic rules here I think it is reasonable is that drivers can turn right at intersection with red signal if there are no traffic. I think this rule help reducing traffic. In Japan, we are not allowed to go any direction if traffic signal is red, hence there are many traffics especially around stations where have a lot of traffic signals.
I often see auto bike drivers do not wear helmet in Hawaii. It is really dangerous though, it is allowed in Hawaii. I think they should warn them like in Japan. Actually there are a lot of biker's accident and death in Hawaii. It was a terrible scene, when I saw the biker with no helmet was driving faster in front of our car on highway first time.
Some of yours who do not drive in Hawaii might not care about traffic rules. However, you all should be careful about this rule "The cross walk law" in Hawaii. Basically, this law force drivers to stop and yield pedestrians until pedestrians walk across the driver's direction road completely. But it also require pedestrians to walk in only pedestrian crossing when they across the road. Pedestrians who do not use the pedestrian crossing called J-WALKER have to pay $70 as fine, when they are asked by the police man. After I knew this rule, I try to be careful to use the pedestrian crossing in Hawaii especially Waikiki, although I often do not use the pedestrian crossing in Japan.
3. Are there any reading strategies in reading in your L1? (For this question, just write as much as you can. It does not have to be 200 words.)
If you would like to read Japanese reading, you have to understand three different type of forms; Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji. I think Hiragana and Katakana is easy to remember because they have not many forms. Kanji is hard to remember, however, because they have tremendous forms as you can not count them. Of course, Japanese also do not remember all of Kanji, but we Japanese can guess the meaning of new Kanji. Many difficult Kanji can be separated a few parts. For example, 灰,災,灯, and 灸 have a form of 火 which means the fire in common. Thus, you can imagine that these forms of Kanji might have meanings related to the fire. When I was a elementary student, I learned a lot of parts of Kanji and meanings. I think this strategy help you read Kanji.
4. Do you have any questions about creating GOs so far? Anything you would like yo know at this point?
I think I almost understood them so far, I need to review and practice by myself though. As I mentioned above question, I need to practice how to use logical connectors. When I get used to use some of them and remember some majors of them, my understanding of structures of reading will be better.
Besides our past classes, I have some questions about creating GOs now. The reason why I would like to learn GOs is improving to take my note. This means that I would like to use GOs while I listened to the lecture. Taking note with listening is thoroughly different form with reading. It is more difficult for me, because of my listening skill, so I would like to learn tips and how to practice for that. In my listening class, I was trying to use some graphics and diagrams, but I could not use them effectively. I think I missed some important words such as logical connecters. It is difficult to find key words in the lecture unlike reading.
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