Holistic Academic English

Reflection on Last Semester

Last semester was my first year in vis, it's hard for me to adapt to this type of studying. For example, analysing the whole book in full English and writing it into an essay. This was a very big challenge for me. But one strength I have is that I'm not afraid to speak out and ask questions. This helps me a lot with English because the teacher can help me a lot with the assignment; on the other hand, I can practice speaking English when I discuss with my teacher. My English improved significantly in the previous semester. One assignment that I have very deep memories of is analysing loyalty and sacrifice. Using the theme of the book (The Hunger Games) and researching online helps me a lot with understanding these words. During the research, I could understand some real-life situations, helping us to think more about them and how we could make the world a better place.

Communication Self-Assessment

I don't really like reading either in Chinese or English. The reason I don't like to read is that I prefer getting information using images or videos. I could write a lot of words and express my feelings well, but my grammar is not good. I like speaking the most; it is the easiest way to express my emotions.

Goals for This Semester

Goal: Improve Grammar 

Strategy: Read more articles and check my essay before sending it to the teacher. 

Goal: Improve my ability to write the essay

Strategy: Learn more connection words, understand the main idea for the essay, and then write.

Writing To Change Public Opinion
In this article, I learned a lot about how to learn about a social justice topic on my own, rephrase it in my own words, and write it as an op-ed article. Also, use statistics to support my arguments. People's salaries are low; they can’t afford houses, and the price keeps rising.

It is a global issue, but not for all countries. Some people think the price of the house is not important and not their business. This perspective often benefits investors and people who already own property, while younger and lower-income families face fewer opportunities. I use statistics to raise awareness and show people how serious this issue is. For example, in the article, I use statistics like "According to Liberty Time and YungChing Real Estate Agency, an apartment in Taipei has risen over 50 percent in the past five years." 

Why does this issue matter? I think that Taiwan’s recent house prices are rising too much, and I think that the government should do something to prevent this from continuing. For example, increasing affordable housing and reducing speculation could make homes more accessible and improve economic fairness. This issue also connects to the global problem of housing inequality, where rising housing prices make it difficult for middle- and low-income families to afford a stable and safe living environment. 

In this article, my audience is mostly younger people and people who are planning to get a house. I chose the statistics and local examples from Taipei. My purpose is to help young people understand how this issue can affect their future financial opportunities and quality of life. As housing prices continue to rise, it becomes harder for people to afford a home, which can lead to financial stress and inequality.

Reflection:

For this assignment, I learned how to write a persuasive article using research, clear structure, and reliable statistics. I also improved a lot in my writing skills. This article can also connect to my PBL project, where we searched a lot of resources about our social justice issue, which is about the unfair treatment of indigenous people. We wrote an article about it to make people understand their culture and less stereotype for these people.

Feedback:

Pros:

My article explains how housing prices can affect young people; I connect it to wealth inequality and life opportunities. Also, I use a lot of real life statistics and examples to support my argument in the essay.

Cons:

Explain in more detail the causes behind the rising housing prices. Some phrasing should improve clarity and precision.

Unit 2 Final Project

In this project, I explored the differences between regular students and student-athletes. My main message is that although many people think student-athletes can easily balance school and sports, the reality is more complex because of time pressure, physical fatigue, injuries, and the demands of competition. At the same time, I also included a balanced view by showing that sports can provide opportunities such as scholarships, discipline, teamwork skills, and future career paths, while academics offer long-term stability and more choices after graduation.

One important improvement I made during this project was learning how to adapt content more effectively for different platforms. My Instagram post originally contained too much text and looked more like a paragraph than a social media post. I improved it by shortening sentences, adding clearer captions, and focusing on strong hooks to attract attention quickly. Another improvement was in my short-form video, where my first version included too many ideas. I revised it by simplifying the script and focusing only on the most important emotional messages so that the audience could understand it in under one minute. A third improvement was in my web article, where I improved the structure by adding clearer sections, smoother transitions, and more explanation of my evidence instead of just listing information. These changes made my work easier to understand and more effective overall.

I connected this project to other subjects. In English class, I used argumentative writing skills such as building a clear claim, organizing paragraphs, and supporting ideas with evidence. In PE, I connected the topic to real training experiences, including fatigue, recovery, and performance pressure, which helped me understand the student-athlete experience more deeply. In social studies, I connected my ideas to how education systems and competition can affect students’ daily lives and mental health.

This project also connects to the global issue of youth mental health and academic stress. Around the world, students face increasing pressure from schoolwork, exams, and extracurricular activities. Student-athletes experience even more pressure because they must succeed in both academics and sports at the same time. A possible way to address this issue is for schools and sports organizations to improve support systems, such as providing flexible deadlines, mental health resources, and better coordination between teachers and coaches. These changes could reduce stress and help students perform better in both areas.

Locally, this issue is also very relevant in Taiwan, where academic pressure is extremely high and students often have long study hours and tutoring schedules. Student-athletes in Taiwan may struggle even more because training and competitions can conflict with exams and homework. A possible solution is for schools to provide more structured support, such as academic tutoring for athletes, adjusted assignment deadlines, and more communication between academic staff and sports teams. This could help students maintain both academic performance and athletic development without burnout.

From previous English learning experiences, especially argumentative writing, I improved my ability to organize ideas clearly and support them with reasoning instead of opinion. This helped me make my web article more structured and convincing.

I also improved my work habits during this project. One area of growth was time management. I sometimes started editing my video too late, which made the process stressful and reduced the quality of my work. To improve this, I plan to set earlier personal deadlines for each stage of the project in future assignments.

Peer feedback was also very helpful. One comment I received was that my short-form video moved too quickly and was difficult to follow. I responded by reducing the number of ideas and improving transitions between scenes. Another piece of feedback was that my Instagram post had too much text, so I simplified it and made the visuals more important.

I also thought about bias and perspective in my work. I focused more on the challenges of student-athletes rather than only success stories, which helped highlight real issues such as stress and injuries. However, I balanced this by including positive outcomes like scholarships and opportunities. This helped make my message more fair and realistic.

I also considered audience and purpose carefully. The web article was designed for readers who want detailed explanations, so I used a formal tone and included evidence. The Instagram post targeted younger audiences, so I used short text and strong visuals. The short-form video was designed for fast consumption, so I used pacing, emotion, and simple language to communicate quickly.

Finally, I used research and evidence in my web article to support my ideas. This made my argument stronger and more convincing. Overall, I learned that different media platforms shape how people understand the same message, and that adjusting content for audience and purpose is essential for effective communication.

Unit 3 - Google Sites Resource Hub:

Source Hub:

Unit 3 - Reflection

In Unit 3, I learned a lot about how censorship, power, and silence work together. Before this unit, I thought Fahrenheit 451 was just a story about burning books. Now, I understand it is actually a warning about what happens when people lose the ability to think for themselves. For my final project, I researched Taiwan’s White Terror period. I found many similarities between the novel and real history, such as how governments often use the excuse of 'national security' to control what people say and think. I also learned that censorship doesn't just come from laws; it also comes from fear, comfort, and the choice to stay silent. The 'Iceberg Model' helped me look deeper into these issues to understand the systems behind them, rather than just looking at the events on the surface. This project taught me that freedom is not guaranteed. It can disappear if we stop questioning information or if we become indifferent to the world around us. This unit has shown me the importance of staying informed, thinking critically, and having the courage to speak up.

End of Semester Reflection

Throughout this semester, my understanding of censorship, power, and public silence has improved a lot. Before this unit, I viewed Fahrenheit 451 as a simple story just about burning books. However, by analyzing historical events and using the "Iceberg Model," I realized that the novel is a powerful warning about how critical thinking can disappear when society remains indifferent.

The project that best demonstrates my growth is my final project about Taiwan’s White Terror period. This project made me go deeper than the surface facts and look into the systems of control. In researching this period, I learned that governments frequently justify limiting freedom by claiming they are protecting “national security” or “stability.” Today this understanding has changed the way I see the news and information I am much more critical and aware of how fear and propaganda can influence public opinion.

My academic skills have improved in different ways. I have become much better at supporting my ideas with evidence and analyzing complex topics through a "critical lens." While I used to focus mainly on finishing my assignments, I now prioritize the process of my learning and the impact of my work. This shift in my work habits has helped me become a more active and independent learner.

The most challenging part of this semester was learning to identify hidden forms of censorship, such as self-censorship and apathy. This taught me that being a global citizen requires courage. We must stay informed, question the information we receive, and have the bravery to speak up when necessary.

When people look at my GSP, I want them to see that my growth is about more than just completing a task. I want them to understand that I have developed the ability to connect history to the present. I now recognize that our freedom is not guaranteed, and that protecting it requires us to stay alert, think critically, and take responsibility for the future of our society.