Holistic Academic English

Reflection

I have the same class this semester, which helps me better organize my growth and weakness. I was doing quite well in my discussion, but lack of catching the point in writing. It seems like I know how to write, but I can not catch the topic that accurate. I faced a big problem in the understanding of writing topic. To be precise, I don't understand what should I write on topics I had. I needed to first rephrase the topics I got, and that cost me dozens of time. One assignment that really resonates with me, which is the writing practice of sacrifice. I like to write even though I am not that good in writing, and I also believe that these assignments really help me improve my writing skills. 

My reading is in a middle level which I can read, but it takes time to do so, and I may have vocabularies that I don't know well. Overall I can understand the story and the core idea it wanted to tell me, still need some reading to speed up. Speaking is not that difficult to me, so I'll give myself an upper middle level. I think the biggest problem in my speaking or discussion is that I will feel nervous when talking to people which makes my words not that accurate. If I prepared for the presentation, then I can do a good job. Writing to me is the worst, cause I am still struggling with the word usage, understanding to the topic, and the paradigm I had to the topic. 

My first goal is definitely gonna be improving my analytical and critical writing, which is what I'm worse at. To me, I want to improve the skill I analyze things or events and take this ability to my writing so I can quickly analyze the core idea. Second, I want to read 10 books so I can speed up with my reading. I think I read slowly, and the only way to improve is to read more. I want to read more and read faster, which I will choose to finish about 10 books as my goal. After I finished the class's books, I will read other books I like. 

I wrote a persuasive article about why students should get enough sleep. The goal was to show that sleep is not laziness but a tool for learning and health. I chose an advocacy-style article that speaks directly to students and teachers. I researched the effects of sleep on memory and mental health and revised it after peer feedback. This process helped me organize my thoughts clearly and practice persuasive writing. I wrote about that staying up late hurts students’ health. Sleep helps students turn short-term memory into long-term memory. Without enough sleep, students get tired, stressed, and less able to do well in school. This is a local issue in Taiwan because schools often start early. It is also a global issue, because students around the world face sleep deprivation. My article tries to raise awareness and encourage action. If schools change start times and students sleep earlier, everyone will be healthier and more productive. I wrote for students and teachers. I used short sentences and clear examples. I explained how lack of sleep makes students tired and stressed, and how sleep helps memory and energy. I also pointed out that society praises staying up late but ignores the cost to health. Peer feedback said some examples were too general, so I added details about school schedules and student routines. I used evidence from research to make my points stronger. I learned that good evidence and clear examples make writing stronger. I also learned to think about the audience and purpose. Three improvements I could make are: add more statistics, make transitions between paragraphs smoother, make the conclusion more persuasive with a clear call to action. This project connected to science class where I learned about sleep. In the future, I want to improve research skills and use peer feedback better. This will make my writing stronger and more persuasive.

In Unit 1, we learned about media literacy and how different the same issue present in different POVs. We read articles about the Sunflower Movement from different paradigms, and also watched a video talking about why nuclear energy may not be as dangerous as people think. Nuclear is not that harmful, but why people mostly think nuclear is unsafe?  These assignments helped me understand how media can shape public opinions and media is actually full of bias.

 In Unit 2, we focused more on media framing. Our project is to use different media types to present a topic. We practiced how social media changes the way people gain information. Modern society and technology actually creates a Echo chamber and affects our thoughts daily.  My final project was about should the Federal Trade Commission  establish a federal regulatory framework for sports betting. The reason why I chose this topic is because sports betting is becoming more popular and creates both economic benefits and social problems like gambling addiction, and illegal debate. I created three media products: a web article, an Instagram post, and a reel. I wanted to show how the same issue can be presented differently depending on the platform and audience. The web article was more formal and focused on evidence and examples. I used research and statistics like the $10 billion sports betting revenue and information about gambling addiction. The Instagram post was shorter and more visual, because social media audiences usually want faster and easier information. The reel was made fast-paced and emotional to fit the style of short-form media. Even though the formats were different, the core message stayed the same, which is that sports betting has both benefits and risks that should be carefully controlled. This project also connects to other classes. For example, in history and social studies we also discuss public opinion, government power, and social issues. It also connects to PBL because we need research, communication, and critical thinking skills. This project also relates to Taiwan because online gambling and media influence are becoming more common issues in Taiwan too. Globally, gambling addiction and media influence are also serious social problems in many countries. One important thing I learned from this project is that media platforms can completely change how people feel about an issue. A long article may feel serious and analytical, while a reel can make the same issue feel emotional or urgent. I also learned that framing and bias are unavoidable because creators choose what to emphasize and what to leave out. Peer feedback said that some parts of my article were too long, so I shortened some paragraphs and focused more on key points. Three improvements I could still make are adding more visuals, improving transitions between ideas, and making my conclusions stronger. Overall, this project helped me better understand media influence and how different media type works.

In Unit 3, I learned about censorship, media control, and public silence. We also learned about the White Terror in Taiwan and read the book Fahrenheit 451. Before this unit, I thought censorship was about banning books or remove information. Censorship is still a global issue today because some governments continue to control information and limit freedom of expression. However, after learning the White Terror, I realized that censorship can also happen by government when people are afraid to speak or share their opinions. One of the most important things I learned from this unit is the connection between Fahrenheit 451 and Taiwan's history. In Fahrenheit 451, books are banned by the government and people pretend to be happy and got mo chances to think critically. During the White Terror period, many people were arrested or persioned because of their political opinions or just speech. Although this two examples were a little bit different, the two examples show us how controlling information can affect society so deep. I think learning about the White Terror is important because understanding Taiwan's history can help prevent similar problems from happening again in the future. This helped me understand that censorship is not only about controlling information and people's thoughts and actions. One activity that helped me think more deeply was the source analysis work. I learned that different sources can present the same event in different ways. This helped me understand bias and perspective better. I also learned that people in positions of power can influence what information is shared and what information is left out. This unit also helped me improve my research skills because I became more careful when I am evaluating sources and checking information before using it in my work. My final project was an educational poster about the White Terror for students. I chose this topic because I think many students know very little about this period of Taiwan's history. I included a timeline to show the important events and added questions to encourage students to think about why freedom of speech is so important in modern society. I also used information from class materials and research to support my ideas. One of the peer feedback I received was that I should explain the connection between the White Terror and Fahrenheit 451 more clearly. After receiving this feedback, I added more details in my poster to strengthen the connection. This project also connects to other subjects like geography. In geography class, we learn about political events and what unlimited government power will bring to an empire. It also connects to PBL because we both discussed source credibility and using the reliable information to make sure our opinions are based on fact. One important thing I learned from this unit is that fear, silence, and apathy is how the government censor people by. One warning from this unit that still matters today is that people should continue questioning and thinking critically. If people stop questioning information or become silent because of fear, freedom can be taken away easily. I think Unit 3 helped me understand the relationship between censorship and historical memory better. If I could improve my project, I would include more primary sources and add more visuals because I don't hae many spaces for my poster to do so.