Holistic Academic English

• Argumentative Essay

-> How does this assignment connect to other work we've done in non-English class?

Our PBL project this semester is about justice and unfairness. The paragraph we wrote discusses loyalty and betrayal, but actually, these acts of loyalty and betrayal happen because of the unfairness the 12 districts face from the Capitol. The Capitol created The Hunger Games and chose to let its citizens face hopelessness and hunger. The Capitol uses power and betrayal to control its citizens, just like Tracker Jackers were used to monitor districts. That is similar to the White Terror Era, when the government encouraged people to report others. Everyone lived under the fear of being betrayed, so they didn’t have time to think about fighting for their own rights. The Capitol is doing the same thing the government did during the White Terror Era.

-> What are some improvements you could make on this assignment?

I think I am still not that good at hooking the audience. In my first paragraph, I started normally without dramatic tension, but I think I can connect to a symbol or story to hook the audience more. Maybe I could change it into a question or a strong statement. Another thing I can do better is choosing my evidence. I will choose better evidence of loyalty because the one I used may not persuade all readers, so I want to replace it with a fully developed example of loyalty.

->How does this assignment build on previous work you’ve done in previous years’ English classes?

I've learned about TEEL writing skill in junior high school, and I was once qurious in how to write link(L). Because to me, link is kind of similar to topic sentence, but now I know the differences. So this time I know how to write the link that can hook my topic sentence but not only write the same idea. I think link is similar to conclusion, but rephrase it in another way.

->In what ways have you improved in selecting and using evidence to support your interpretations?

My tip is to first imagine what your paragraph is going to talk about, what is your theme? It doesn't have to be specific, just like sketching a draft. Then after we have a draft, we have to follow our sketch and find our evidences in our book. The next step is to check does the evidence fit our theme? If fit, we had to think about how to describe it inside our paragraph. The secret is to make sure you read your paragraph while writing it, so if you feel weird, you can fix it immediately.

->What growth do you notice in your awareness of bias and how media or narratives can influence understanding?

Before we start the lesson of bias, I thought that thinking in a different way is bias(I don't know what bias is). After I understand what is bias, I found out that we live in a world that is full with bias. Every book has a bias, just like every book has a main character, the bias is the point of view of the main character. Examples like "The Hunger Games"'s  Cato. He was born in the District that taught him win the game is an honor, and kill people and keep your own life, so he must choose to kill in the game. Nowadays social media can influence our point of view about the same event. Ten people have ten different paradigm, so who's correct? What we can do is don't trust everything in the first time, but better do research before draw a conclusion.

->How has your ability to consider and analyze multiple perspectives in a story or issue developed over time?

In the past, I would only consider about the main character's point of view, and feel the same anger or happiness with the main character. But now, I would consider more. Not only the main character, but also other characters that live in the story. Sometimes, they have their reasons to do that, it may seem to be unfair to the main character, but it benefit others. Sometimes if we read a story in a different point of view, we can get a totally different story. 

->What changes do you notice in how you think about fairness, justice, or loyalty compared to earlier in the semester?

To me, I think betrayal is unforgettable, and only evil people will do this. After finish reading this book, I know that sometimes betrayal may not cause by evil, but helpless. In the Hunger Games, everyone had to make choice: be loyalty to others and die because of betrayal, or betray others and be alive to win. Most tributes choose to betray, and that is never something wrong, because they don't have choice, they are helpless. There is no justice in the game, so you can only make sure that you are alive. This is not anyone's fault, but the whole system's sorrow. Capitol use fairness to control citizens, and that only cause untrust. But hope still remain, that's why Katniss can win the game, because she never quit to have hope.

->How have your work habits or study practices improved this semester?

I improved my work habits this semester. And the biggest change is that I will plan my own "homework schedule". If I had to write a paragraph, I will first sketch a draft in my brain and write a bullet point brain storm area. So that I can do research more clear and more efficient. Not write down whatever I thought of at the moment, but in the end my essay didn’t feel quite right.

->What is one area you still want to strengthen, and how will you work on it?

I'll still work on the part of improving my writing skill and my vocabulary use. I don't want to repeat the same word again and again. I also want to learn some new writing skill. We can learn how to clarify our ideas more clearly. So that we can develop a higher-quality paragraph.

->How have you used peer or teacher feedback to improve your work? Give a specific example if possible?

I will look at Mr. Cilliers' feedback and improve my own work. Last time we were doing the mini paragraph writing, Mr. Cilliers' feedback let me clearly understand what part I can improve better. And I will try to change the mistakes I had last time and try to get a higher score next time. There is a big problem in my typing mistake, I often type my words wrong, so I want to change this situation. 

->How well does your GSP reflect correct use of English conventions (grammar, spelling, clarity)?

Most of my GSP reflect correct use of English conversations, and I had checked my spelling and grammar before posting. Although there are still some few places I can do better such as using more academic terms in my paragraphs. But most of my paragraph are clear and well-organized.

->Is your portfolio polished and easy for others to follow?

I believe my portfolio is easy for others to follow because my reflection are all questions, so readers can easily find what they want to understand in my portfolio.

• Literary Analysis

->What are some improvements you could make on this assignment?

I was struggling with how to analyze the story but not to make it an essay. I have the problem to make a clear central argument. Also, my thesis is not specific. So I want to improve it by do more research about the topic so I can give a clear central argument, and make sure my thesis is specific. The teacher said my description is way more than expectation, so I should not think as an essay writer but a analyzer so my paragraph can be more clear in argumentative.

• Literary Analysis

->How does this assignment address a specific global issue?

This assignment address about the film and book's issue. Now that everyone prefers to watch movies better than books, but actually some scenes only book can present the thoughts of the characters. Just like Katniss needed to told us what does the mockingjay mean in the story, but in the movie, I don't know what does the mockingjay means in it. 

• Media Project

->How does this assignment address a specific issue connected to Taiwan?

Taiwan is now facing gender inequality problem, women earns less than men by working the same job at around 15.8%. And also unpaid work are often do by women, but that is unfair and this is what Taiwan should change: Women should be pay the same as men and unpaid work should be finished together.

• Media Project

->How have you grown in your work/study habits in this assignment?  How do you plan to grow in this area moving forward?

I was not a person who like to do research. But this project needs a lot of research so we can fit the inequality problem. So I will first schedule the information I need and research the specific posts I can use. I plan to grow by reading more news and know the knowledge inside, also I had to plan the research type before I really do the research. 

->How did feedback from your peers help you grow during the completion of this assignment?

Tiffany said my part of the research is not trustworthy so I changed the organization and did my research on UN Women. I first think that organizations from the internet are at least "OK", or the resources are trustworthy, but in fact not all resources are trustworthy. After that, I understood that not all resource can be used because you don't know where it is from. Now, I will search on websites from the international and are trustworthy. 

Argumentative Essay

->How does this assignment build on previous work you've done in previous years’ English classes?

I had learned about writing argumentative essay in junior high school. We were discussing about whether parents or friends influenced more. I had learned the basic skills to write an argumentative essay and the TEEL rule. Then when I came to senior high, I know better about argumentative essay so I can write a better essay and completely follow the TEEL rule. 

->How have you grown in your work/study habits in this assignment?  How do you plan to grow in this area moving forward?

I was not a person who like to do research. But this project needs a lot of research so we can fit the inequality problem. So I will first schedule the information I need and research the specific posts I can use. I plan to grow by reading more news and know the knowledge inside, also I had to plan the research type before I really do the research. 

->How did feedback from your peers help you grow during the completion of this assignment?

Tiffany said my part of the research is not trustworthy so I changed the organization and did my research on UN Women. I first think that organizations from the internet are at least "OK", or the resources are trustworthy, but in fact not all resources are trustworthy. After that, I understood that not all resource can be used because you don't know where it is from. Now, I will search on websites from the international and are trustworthy. 

• Literary Analysis

->How has your ability to recognize and explain themes like sacrifice, injustice, or loyalty in literature grown during this course?

My ability to recognize and explain themes such as sacrifice, injustice, and loyalty has improved significantly. I have learned to dive deeper the surface events of the story and focus on characters’ motivations and consequences. I am now doing better at connecting specific moments in the text to larger themes and better to explain how these themes help to present the author’s message.

->How has your overall approach to analyzing literature become more sophisticated since the beginning of the semester?

My approach to analyzing literature has become more structured. Instead of summarizing the plot, I now focus on themes and symbolism, and the author’s purpose. I also use more stronger evidence and also explain how the specific details support my argument, which has made my analysis clearer.

• Media Project

->How have you become more skilled at listening to, building on, or challenging others’ ideas in discussion?

We had our group work together, and during the group work, we faced a lot of argue. Someone said we shoul do a black title, someone said we should use other colors. Someone even said we should change our head line. But we had a conversation about the poster and make sure that everyone's voice had been heard and at last we finished our poster and I think our poster looks really good.

• Media Projects

->How has reflecting on moral dilemmas in the novel helped you deepen your thinking about ethical choices in general?

In the story, Katniss had to choose between kill and been killed, so she doesn't have choice but to kill. The part we should discuss I think is not about kill, but what do you feel in the killing. After reading the book, I think kill should be forgive, but the killing with violence and joyful is not okay at all. 

->How might your reflections on the novel influence choices you make in your own life?

I learned about always remember your goal and try your best to do so in a legal or ethical way. Katniss's dream is to go back home alive. Through the story she does not kill anyone unless someone try to kill her. And she always remind herself to win and go back home, she is always kind even Cato wanted to kill her, she chooses to end his life when Cato beg her. This is what I should learn from Katniss: Remember your dream , and be kind to your surrounding.