PERSPECTIVES: MY ENGLISH JOURNey
CRISTINA MINA ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM LEVEL 6 YACHAY TECH, ECUADOR
PERSPECTIVES: MY ENGLISH JOURNey By Cristina mina English language program yachay tech Level 6 – 001 Teacher: Matthew mackey January 09, 2017 Imbabura, ecuador
Table of contents Portfolio letter Response essay Literary Analysis Argumentation Essay Final Research Project ESSAY
Reflections Thank you letter
Cristina Mina Universidad Yachay Tech Imbabura, Ecuador
January 09, 2012
Dear Portfolio Reader,
My name is Cristina Mina. I want to give grateful for reading my English Language Portfolio. In this binder I collected all the works that I did during the semester. I will demonstrate my skills in English and all the things that I learned. My portfolio consists of three essays and a final research project, in which I put a lot of effort and I hope you like. After a great semester I think that I’m ready to continue learning in an easy way with my second language. When I came to Yachay at level 4, I ignored some things and it was a little difficult to concentrate on improving my English because the college was new for me and the change of high school to University was a bit heavy. During the first months I learned to organize the time and to take advantage of the free time. Also I enjoyed the English classes, my teachers and classmates were very kind and friendly. They helped to me to improve my skills and I feel good with all of them. Over time I made good friends and now I meet a lot of interesting people. I can say that learn a new language opened my mind and the way I think. The path of knowledge is long and wide and I have learned that giving up is not an option. As in any situation, nothing is easy and if we want to be better, we should give all of us. When I started my English classes I had a big problem with grammar because when I
wrote, the ideas that I transmitted were difficult to understand. And we know that if we write something we don’t write for ourselves, we write for the reader. Grammar was my biggest barer however, with dedication and attending to my classes I overcome it. Now I have more care when I’m writing and I try to put correctly the tenses of the sentences and to be more understandable. My development in the presentations or in the essays has improved considerably. The English teachers make us to do a lot of essays during the semester and although sometimes it is a little stressful, I have only to thank them. “Practice makes a master”, they say there, and I think that it is true. When I write a new essay I’m putting in practice all that I have learned and is really helpful. Also the presentations help me to be self-confident, to be a good researcher and to go to the bottom of one theme. Because in a presentation I need to domain the theme to show it to an audience. My experience learning English had been really rewarding. My vocabulary and speech is more fluent and I’m sure that I can stand out and communicate with any other English user. Also I think that to learn any other new language is easier than before. I am ready to go out and try to conquer the world and to tell at all the world my ideas. English language opens a lot of opportunities that I am willing to take advantage of. Also having learned English will be a very useful tool in the course of my career. Thank you all for reading my portfolio. I hope it has met your expectations and you have enjoyed it. I am proud of what I have achieved and will try to be better every day. Sincerely, Cris
RESPONSE ESSAY
The Real Meaning of College Degree Cristina Mina Yachay Tech University September 30, 2016
The real meaning of college degree Joel Brown once said that, “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible” (Brown, n.d). Over the years society has imposed that a college degree is the door to a successful future and the only responsibility of young people is: Study! But success is not written in a piece of paper. The idea provided by George Leef about how college education is not an investment is convincing to have a new perception about what a college degree really means and how people can be successful based on personal performance College Education is not an investment. The idea that college education is an investment is not always the correct way to think about education. College education needs to be accepted like a tool to develop a lot of skills and to have knowledge about the things that are interesting for each person. Yet, in the same way, this attitude needs to be joined of aptitude and the wish to progress. Because a college degree does not always assure a good job, and a fair wage; in some cases having a degree does not give access to the opportunities that may grant a successful future. In the other hand some people have good energy and are entrepreneurs, they don’t need a college degree to start to shine. People could be successful without a college degree. Cultured society has determined that a good future is joined by a college degree. Yet the real meaning of college education is to open minds and start thinking. In some cases, this is not necessary, yet it is a good tool. George Leef said that college used to look like a good “investment” because, usually, people think that if they get a college degree they can have a lot of opportunities (2013). However, the real situation is that may have a good advantage over other people but not ensure wealth.
Enterprising can change the world. Nowadays the world needs people with new ideas, and these thoughts are not always learnt in a college, the new ideas arise in any moment. “Employers do not reward workers just for having passed enough classes to earn a degree. They reward people for their productivity” (Leef, 2013). It is to say that is not relevant if people have a mountain of degrees and their activities are not correct and they don’t produce anything. People really need hard work to progress in any place, either to putting their imagination afloat and start to work or work for someone and receive a reward. “Success depended on personal performance than a college pedigree” (Leef, 2013). The best weapon that people can have is their ingenuity. For example, there are some cases of students; they have different experiences with college education. George Leef let’s to considered three students to make that point, one student was diligent and enrolls in college. After he concentrates on his studies and his major help him to raise his future. Another student that wasn’t good in the school, with little interest and aptitude to academic pursuits, getting a degree but after graduation, he can’t find a good job. And the last student was a good in high school, but she can’t involve in a major college, nevertheless she earns a lot of certifications in things that she was interested. These are some different cases that happen in the present. The case of the first student is the reality of few people that is really enrolling in college. College education is the best option to develop all of his skills; he can learn a lot of things that can help him after his graduation start in his major job. All the knowledge he acquired in college is necessary for this professional area and he can be successful. Regrettably, some professionals don’t have the same chance, because with the world economic crisis is too difficult to have a just reward.
When analyzing the case of the second student it is possible to fall into that; the world is going through difficult times in which it is very difficult to find a job. And in some cases, the job that people with a degree can get is not a job where they can put into practice the knowledge that they obtain in the university. Because of this, the new generation of young people who finish high school begins to question whether a college degree is really important and necessary to be successful and if a college education is an investment or only a waste of time. The last case of a student that was good in the high school and wasn’t involving in a college education is the real situation of many people. Some students after graduating from high school begin to develop a lot of innovative ideas. Yet these people not satisfied with finishing high school, they took computer programming courses, learned a new language and obtained certifications to start to work. And for this reason, they are well without a college degree because people are not rewarded for credentials, but yes for capabilities. In conclusion, a college education is not an investment, because success includes more things than a degree. People need to love what they do, to be creative and improve their future. The real purpose of a college degree is to have an advantage in the professional world and increase people value. People need to consider that the best reward that they can have is a good personal performance.
References Brown,
J.
(n.d).
Joel
Brown
Quotes.
Goodreads.com.
Retrieved
from:
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/790662-the-only-thing-that-stands-between-youand-your-dream Leef, G. (2013). Don’t buy the hype, College education is not an investment. Forbes. Retrieved
from:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/06/12/dont
buythehypecollegeeducationisnotaninvestment/#56b23f047ee6 1/11
LITERARY ANALYSIS
A New Beginning Cristina Mina Yachay Tech University October 14, 2016
A new beginning The meaning of life consists on take only things that make you happy. Why you don’t dance, is a story that makes you think in some situations that can happen any day. The romance, sadness, and suspense is hand to hand to hook the reader. The setting where this story happened is real strange but is essential to understand some little details. The love between a boy and a girl represent one reason to develop the situations that they lived together with the middle age man. The story of Raymond Carver is a different suspect telling, evident the garage sale symbolizes a way to scape of all reminders and things that happened in the past. The middle-age man was trying to escape the past. In the beginning of the story, the narrator is telling from the man’s point of view, when he described how he saw the order of the things in the garage sale. Also he named “she”, nobody knows who is she but the man was thinking of two people when he saw the bedroom suit in his front yard. This is one reason to think that the man is deinking whisky and making a garage sale to liberate himself of things don’t permit him to have a good future, a new happiness, to see the world in a different way. Because the author said “His side, her side… He considered this as he shipped the whisky” (Carver, 1981), is evident that the man was trapped. A bad past needs a good future. When the middle-age man decided to sell all the things from his suit, he is trying to change things about his history. The things that were in sale, were things of a couple. When the boy and girl arrived and saw a bed and a television they were interested in the price of them. This couple were furnishing a little apartment, and the garage sale could be a good investment to them. The couple was in love, and the girl wanted to have a romantic episode with his boy. And when the man saw this scene, maybe
he was motivated to help the guys to enjoy the moment as if it were the last. The man walked near to the boy and the boy started to ask about the price of the television and bed. They accord the price of the things, ten dollars less than he said, and it was ok for him. The middle-age man want to start a new life. A long the story the characters begin to have confidence. They drank whisky together and the man showed them some cassettes and after he invited them to dance. Maybe the man feels happy seeing the couple having a crazy moment in the garage sale, while people passed front of the garden and saw strange them. For the man it was a moment that they needed to enjoy, he said that nobody is important in this moment only they. In this garage sale happened a funny and romantic situation. Maybe in this place happened a special situation to him and for this reason he choose this place for the sale. He was trying to come alive again or maybe feel love with the boy and girl. It was the beginning of the end for the man. Finally, the end of the story is free, we don’t know what happened with the man, or the boy, only the girl is telling the story. But one thing is sure, the middle-age man was trying to sell some materials things from his life, which could be special for him. The garage sale symbolizes the liberty from the past, to get out sadness and an opportunity to improve his future, one opportunity to show a couple that one moment together is important without thinking in the rest of the world.
References Carver, R. (1981). Why you don’t dance?. Retrieved from: https://www.greathill.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Story-Carver-WhyDont-You-Dance.pdf.
ARGUMENTATION ESSAY
A Better Communication Learning English Cristina Mina Yachay Tech University November 22, 2016
A Better Communication Learning English People need to be connected to the world. That communication should be in all aspects. The communication with the whole world could be a little difficult because there are a lot of languages and it’s hard to understand a lot of things in each part of the world. Learning English in childhood is a good option and help to have empathy for others, increase the sense of morality and help to understand foreign problems. All children should learn English in an early age because it helps to have more empathy for others. According to some studies people classify the moral acts depending to the language that they have contact with. When people read or listen to something in their native language they make up more feelings than in a foreign language. These findings could be because people don’t have sense of belonging and for this reason is good that children be taught English an early age. July Sedivy said “Our childhood languages vibrate with greater emotional intensity than do those learned in more academic settings” (2016), if children have English and their native language together, they will be more emotional and empathy for others in the future. Learning English childhood could increase the sense of morality. According to Sedivy (2016) when people are confronted with moral dilemmas the response is different when considering it in a foreign language than native language. A true fact is that people love what is theirs and for this reason the morality is hand to hand d with sensibility in a native language, yet in foreign is easy and simply deliberate something. However if children learn English at an early age they could have this sensibility in both language.
Children could know about foreign problems easily. When people learn something new it helps to open eyes is the same with a new language and is this case English. If children learn English at an early age they could wake up emotional reactions. It is a help to foment the peace. When people understand the problems of others, people should thought more and how to do good things for others. However, a language doesn’t make someone more or less good. Morality is something that people learn since they are kids, and morality, shouldn’t change depending the language and in this way people know what is good and bad, the values are the principal characteristic to choose the correct way. Children can learn how should be their behavior with other people. The acts of morality are the same here and is the opposite side of the world. A new language can help people to be connected. It is true that an act of morality is the same in any part of the world but is not the same emotional reaction. Because people prefer things that formed part of their life like the native language. If children begin to learn English at an early age they will have more sensibility to others. In conclusion, it is good that children be taught English at an early age because it helps to be careful with foreign problems, have the sensibility to help others, and think better about morality in any part of the world.
References Sedivy, J. (2016). How Morality Changes in a Foreign Language. Scientific American. Retrieved from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-moraslitychanges-in-a-foreing-language/.
FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT ESSAY
The Magnificent Change of Language Thanks to Science Cristina Mina Yachay Tech University December 4, 2016
Abstract Science has had an important contribution to the language development. The process of the advances in vocabulary and enrich the language is large and very complex. Very years ago some technical words were unknown, yet now they are part of the normal speech of people. The influence of science in language is significant at the point to introduce new terms in each discovery. People accept indirectly these changes and contribute to developing of language using new words. The relationship between science and language is the close reliance in the life of society.
The magnificent change of language thanks to science Do you think that technical advances in science are important in language? Science has had several and important changes through time and as a result, developing of language. The concept of language, as an inseparable quality of the human condition, has remained constant throughout history. Such is the degree of assimilation between the two concepts, language and being human, that the former has been and is considered as a key characteristic for the distinction of the species respect to all others, both in its biological capacities of sound articulation and in the cultural aspects involved. People need to consider that thought and language develop together in a reinforcing cycle: clear thought inspires clear language which inspires clear thought. Science, more than another discipline, has contributed significantly to the development of language. Science has changed the way people communicated. Over the years a lot of things have changed and one of these is the language the way that people communicate has had many modifications. The times change and with these the way of our expressions, maybe more technical or complex. According to Britton (1970) “Changes have dictated by the scientist's urgent need of a medium for communicating complex and difficult concepts”, and this is one of the most important causes of changes in language, the need of scientist to communicate make society accept new forms of communication. For example, fifty years ago we didn't use terms like “Wi-Fi” and others words like “tablet” has changed their meaning with the pass of time. Earl Britton said “A language must be stable to provide a reliable means of precise communication yet dynamic in order to accommodate itself to change” (1970), this thought seems somewhat contradictory; yet what it means is that the information or the words used
over the time should be reliable always. Because what we learn will pass from generation to generation and the only thing that should happen is that can make changes to improve the syntax of words. Also this need to communication generated changes in language. Science has influenced the creation of new words. Science and technological advances are in continuous change and more in the present that advances by giant steps. The continuous evolution of science brings whit it evolution in language, during the past twentyfive years advances in technology and communication media have produced a greater change in language than in any other similar period of history. Most of times evolution in language is to say include new words into the vocabulary. According to Earl Britton (1970) the Little Oxford Dictionary of Current English introduced approximately two columns of new words, in the twenty-five edition of 1941 that there not existed in 1937, this large number of words were some technical like A-bomb, antibiotic, automation, chain-reaction, crash dive, electronics microwave, scan, and trailer. Also according to the investigation of Earl Britton (1970) he found that in the same year Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary in addition of Oxford Dictionary publication’s, added among others panel, discussion, motorcade, microfilm, mesotron, knee action, escalator clause, preview and monitor. The surprising is that the majority of these scientific words are used in the general vocabulary of actual society. People accept the scientific progress like and advantage to make a good world, also the new words terms, correct manner to communicate and new knowledge is always good to maintain well relationship with other persons. In science, new words normally emerge in response to need for novel, precise and economical communication. In addition if science have significant progress, language will be better to all world.
The rapid development of science generates a rapid development of language. Studies on the development of science and technology have become relevant since the 1970s when their accelerated development raised the need to expand the perspectives of their analysis, leaving the small framework of their historical and philosophical approach, to interpret the ethical, political, and social nature of these processes. Today, the way in which science and technology participate in the process of production and reproduction of language and the profound impact it has had on society is an unquestionable element. Alan Ford & David Peat said “Language in science plays a passive role, that it is simply the vehicle whereby meaning and information are conveyed from one speaker to another� (1988). Scientists depend on other scientists, which makes communication, and therefore also language, crucial. All the changes are important in personal performance and social arise. When science introduce in language, it helps to social development. When people talk about the origin and evolution of language, it is assumed that this is a system of signs whose function is communicative. The characterization of language in these terms allows computational experiments, mathematical equations and suggestions about the process in which science has taken part to discover more about the world. The influence of language on science has several characteristics: productivity, displacement, arbitrariness and double articulation. The productivity of science in language refers to the ability to add more information to any message that occurs, so a message can become increasingly complex and its only limit is the human capacity to produce and understand it. Displacement is the option that language provides to communicate about what is not present or does not require it to be the object of communication; for this reason it is possible to communicate abstract concepts through science.
Arbitrariness is a characteristic of language, since the production of signs and the meanings they convey are the product of a scientific convention along with technological development. Also to developing language by using it to exchange meaningful ideas, science progress also supports language development by creating artifacts that can be revisited at a later time to refine how one’s ideas are expressed. According to Lera “Language is so fundamental to our experience, so deeply a part of being human, that it's hard to imagine life without it� (Boroditsky, 2011), it is to say, if all the theories that the scientists know had not been transmitted, the advances of the present time would not have been possible. Although it is likely that, "Once upon a time," there was in fact only one language, one with limited vocabulary and simple rules for combining words into sentences. As need arose, vocabulary could be expanded by combining old words or inventing new ones, and the rules could be more and more detailed. And one of the most important factors for its great development is the influence and advance of science and technology. However, there may be some opposing points of view. First of all, it is important to note that language, taken as a symbolic expression of the human being, is not restricted to tongue, but encompasses all forms of expression that allow to represent reality, according to each way of apprehending it. In this sense all gestures, attitudes, drawings, words, social customs are languages through which of people express their thoughts, their sensations, their ideas, their feelings. All human beings manage a language of the body, the face, and the hands. People speak with words that refer there to ideas of reality. People write with graphics, with drawings, with signs; they dance and imitate. They represent the sounds with the voice, with instruments, with rhythms. They use pictures and films, comic strips and computers, maps and plans to express ideas. They have
particular ways of eating, doing things, dressing, decorating their bodies, living in families, celebrating parties, etc. and all of these characteristics also contribute in develop of language. In this sense language is a fundamental tool of knowledge, regardless of science. Although language progresses according to the need of people, science has influenced in its formal enrichment. Say that all progress of language is thanks to science is not all correct, however, is important acknowledge its contribution. The way that the technical expressions or words had introduced in the normal life of people is awesome, because it maintain people close to the advances in the world. Signs, customs, ways to think and express ideas are forms to communication, yet is important understand one thing, the sign is constituted of meaning and signifier, hierarchy that is always dual, and as the meaning conforms the semantic scope, in each level there is a use of the semantic field like the other face of the currency to see the language. In this, the phonological system (how the sounds work on an abstract or mental level), the morphological system (word level, how it is structured and generated), the syntactic system (system of combinatorial rules for and the pragmatic system (the way in which the context influences the interpretation of the meaning). In this case is evident the influence of science in the study and development of the way to see and understand the language. In conclusion, language trough the history had have important changes. Some of these changes in language are thanks develop of science. People should to know the importance of the mediation of everyday life by science and technology, modifying the behavior and language of social life to make a better and cult world. Always the contributions of science to progress are excellent and more if these contributions are in the linguistic area.
References Boroditsky, L. (2011). How Does Our Language Shape the Way We Think?. Edge. Retrieved from:
https://www.edge.org/conversation/how-does-our-language-shape-the-way-
we-think. Britton, W. (1970). Some Effects of Science and Technology upon Our Language. College Composition and Communication. Vol 21, 5, pp 342-346. Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/356083?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents Ford, A. & Peat, D. (1988). The Role of Language in Science. Foundations of Physics Vol 18, 1233. Retrieved from: http://www.fdavidpeat.com/bibliography/essays/lang.htm
REFLECTIONS Some experiences in classes and works with classmates of English Program of Yachay Tech Level 6.
Thanks to everyone for reading my portfolio! I hope you enjoyed it. Sincerely Cris Mina