My world through English CRISTINA PICÓN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM LEVEL 6 YACHAY TECH
My world through english BY CRISTINA PICÓN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM YACHAY TECH LEVEL 6 TEACHER:
JOSEPHINE JAVENS JANUARY 10, 2017 IMBABURA, ECUADOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS PORTAFOLIO LETTER RESPONSE ESSAY LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
INTERPRETATION ESSAY FINAL RESEARCH PROJEC THANK YOU LETTER
Cristina Picรณn
Yachay Tech University Department B2-3 Imbabura, Ecuador
December 9, 2016
Dear Portfolio Reader:
I am very grateful to you for reading my English digital portfolio. My name is Cristina Picรณn, and here I present a compilation of my written works related to the last level of English at Yachay Tech University. They are three essays and one research paper. During my learning process, I had many positive experiences, but above all, I had a great progress in my abilities. In fact, these essays represent my growth and potential as an English language user. My greatest improvements during the semester have been in writing and speaking. In writing, my best skill is to be able to fluently express my thoughts on paper. For example, when I am writing an essay the simplest part to me is to establish the ideas that will be part of that essay. As a specific example about that, I can mention the time when I wrote my argumentative essay. I was proud of the arguments I had chosen to persuade my audience to believe in my opinion. Therefore, I believe it is one of my greater skills. In the speech, my best ability is to use body language and an appropriate tone of voice to make people pay attention to me. But how am I aware that I possess this ability? Well, it is because I remember that at the beginning of my learning process I was shy and did not use these speech resources. But when I learned to use my
body language and an appropriate tone of voice, I noticed the difference: people listened to me with more interest. Through practice and repetition, I managed to grow and develop my abilities as an English language user. During English language learning, I used several methods focused on each language skill in order to facilitate and improve my skills. For example, in terms of reading, to improve comprehension, I usually read and then ask myself questions about the topic. In terms of speech, to improve my pronunciation, I usually see movies in English that in turn enrich my vocabulary. As for writing, in order to improve my grammar, I formulated tables with different grammatical structures so that they would serve as a guide at the time of writing. All these methods have been useful to me, but above all, they taught me that the best way to be skilled at something is through practice. All these tools were useful because I practiced them often. So, that's the advice I can give to someone who wants to learn something new: practice, try, and repeat as many times as you can. Although I am now able to use English as a second language, I still have things to perfect. So, I will continue using the methods I mentioned to continue growing and increasing my potential in English. Finally, I would like to thank you again for taking the time to read this portfolio. It contains my best works and I hope it is to your liking.
Sincerely,
Cristina Picรณn
RESPONSE ESSAY
1 Running head: EDUCATION: WHAT DOES IT DEPEND ON?
What does education depend on? Evelyn Picรณn Yachay Tech October 2016
2 Education: what does it depend on? What does education depend on?
Do we need to go to the university to be successful in life? It is the question that George Leef tries to resolve in his article published on 2013 for the electronic magazine Forbes.com. It is called “don’t buy the hype, a college education is not an investment”. According to Leef (2013), “the educational value of college is questionable” (p. 1). He doesn’t try to disparage the idea of go to the college. Instead of that, he wants that his audience stops believing that for the only fact of going to college we will be successful in life. I agree with Leef’s main idea, education is on our hands, but Leef doesn’t realize how a college degree could benefit developing countries such as Ecuador. To make the text effective, the author argues his thesis giving a lot of examples and illustrations. For example, to persuade his audience to stop believing in announcements of higher education boosters he says that they based their ideas on past studies. Those studies compare the average earnings of workers who have a college degree and workers who don't. Obviously, the research showed that the first group earned more money that the second one. Leef says that the problem is that the data recollected are about 40 years ago, and now the things are different. In the same way, Leef says that “going to college might increase a person’s productivity, but it’s neither necessary nor sufficient for that” (Leef, 2013, p. 2). It means that in a real work we will need to be enough productive and we don't get that only for going to college. Indeed, to support the main idea the author gives an example of three kinds of students. student A, who was diligent during his studies and when he g graduated he found a work related to what he had studied for. Therefore for him, the college was a good investment. Student B went to college only to get a degree. He did a minimum effort on his studies, and after graduating he only got work in a game store. For him, his education was a waste of time and money. Finally, student C decided
3 Education: what does it depend on?
didn’t go to college but she passed her time developing her major skill. She got a lot of certifications and now she has an important job. She is successful without a college degree. With these examples, the author tries to make us reflect about which student we would want to be. Clearly, it is assumed that we have to choose between students A and C because despite the students are in different ways, their education depended on how much effort they gave to their education. In other words, no matter in what way we are preparing to be a professional, any could be the best, as long as we develop our productivity. With his examples he tries to demonstrate that “college itself isn’t an investment, just and way of increasing your value” (Leef, 2013, p. 3). As I have said I agree with the general idea of the text. You determine the level of education that you want to get. On the other hand, I have to refute some of his 1arguments. It is because clearly, the author is talking about a developed country. In the first paragraph Leef mentions that large numbers of recent college graduates are ¨either unemployed or employed in jobs that don’t call for any academic preparation¨ (Leef, 2013, p. 1). Maybe it is the case of countries such as U.S. while things are different in developing countries such as Ecuador. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), only the 30% of people between 18 and 24 years old decide or have the opportunity to go to university, and only the 10% of those get a degree. In Ecuador intellectual work places are full of foreign people. Moreover, a big percentage of Ecuadorians are working at physical jobs with minimum wages. Therefore the lack of work is a problem here in Ecuador. The problem is the lack of prepared Ecuadorians.
4 Education: what does it depend on?
In the same paragraph, the author said ¨Many are struggling with the burden of their college loans¨ he is referring to recent graduate persons. Again these kinds of things are more common in development countries. In Ecuador education is free. Obviously, we have private universities too. But if you get a good score on you entrance college exam, you will be able to choose study at a public university or ask for a scholarship and study at a private university. Therefore, all is a chain if you put your best at high school you will be able to enter college, subsequently, if you get enough knowledge, develop your capabilities and effort a lot you will be productive enough in life. In fact, it is clear that our education only depends on us. That has been the main idea of the text and I agree with it. Indeed, the text has made me reflect on what I am doing here at the university, in which way I am improving, and whether I am here to be better or only to getting a degree. I know what is correct and what I have to do, but the text helped me to remember it. Also, the text made me think about the difference of opportunities between countries; Because, despite he gives very good arguments to support his thesis, the things aren’t the same in all the countries.
5 Education: what does it depend on?
References Leef, G. (2013, June 12). Don't Buy The Hype, College Education Is Not An Investment. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/10/03/the-fedssuperstition/#3c7f06de3adf
LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
1 Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS
Literary analysis of “The last night of the world” Evelyn Picón Yachay Tech October, 2016
2 Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS
Literary analysis of the last night of the world
What would you do if you knew this was the last night of the world? (Bradbury, 1951, p. 1). That is the way in which the author of “the last night of the world” introduces his short story. This story is about a conversation between a husband and his wife. They are talking about the event that's going to happen tonight: the end of the world. The story could be interpreted in several ways. According to my opinion, the text try to show the acceptance of death. Therefore, this essay will show how Bradbury portrays the characters´ resignation about death through the following literary elements. The mood of the text shows the calmness of the characters in dealing with the situation. For example, all the activities that they did in the story are common such as a routine. Indeed, they had a cup of coffee, washed the dishes, listed to radio. Etc. in others words, the mood tries to represent the resignation of the character, because they did their daily activities as if nothing special was coming up. The fact of looking a reason represent the character´s acceptance about world´s end. “this could have happened from the way we´ve lived” (Bradbury, 1951, p. 3) said the husband when they are discussing about the reason of the event. They thought that the reason was the humans´ attitude. Clearly, this shows that they were accepting the end of the world, because instead of refusing to that moment or saying that was unfair, they quietly were looking for a reason to explain it. In the same way, when the wife asked If they deserve that the world ends, her husband said “…it´s just that the things didn’t work out” (Bradbury, 1951, p. 3) it show that for they the end of the world is something “normal”. Again, it shows resignation.
3 Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS the symbolism is another source that the author use to show the Attitude of indifference front the end of the world. For example, I think that the blocks which the girls are playing represent the world, and the girls could have stopped playing with the blocks and fail they as something trivial. In the same way, the world could end and and we couldn’t do nothing but accept it. Given all this facts, I have demonstrated the theme of “The last night of world” is the acceptance and resignation of the world´s end. And, to portrays this main idea to the readers, the author uses some literary elements such as symbolism, conflict and mood. However, could be a different interpretation, but here I have showed why I think in ths way
4 Running head: LITERARY ANALYSIS
References Bradbury, R. (19521). The last night of the world
INTERPRETATION ESSAY
1 RUNNING HEAD: INTERPRETATION OF “THE ROAD NOT TAKEN”
Interpretation of “The Road Not Taken” Kerly León and Cristina Picón Yachay Tech November, 2016
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Interpretation of “The Road Not Taken” Interpretation of: The Road Not Taken Do you believe that your life would be different if you could change a decision you made in the past? Maybe the answer is yes, but how can we know? We will always feel a kind of confusion at the moment of making a decision. It is due to not being able to take all the roads; it is impossible. We have to choose only one option. That feeling of indeterminacy is what Robert Frost tries to describe in his poem: “The Road Not Taken”. It is a lyric poem with four stanzas of five lines each, published in 1916. In his poem, Robert Frost tries to explain the ambiguity that we have at the moment of making a decision. In the first stanza, the poem raises the metaphor of life as a journey in which the alternatives force us to choose which path to follow. At the beginning Robert frost (1920) says “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (p. 9); here he is using the metaphor of the roads to denote the decisions that we have to make; and when the author says “And I sorry I could not travel both" (Frost, 1920, p. 9) he is trying to say that he would like to see beyond, to see which will be the result of the different options, and in that way make the best decision. But honestly, it is no possible, therefore what the poet is really trying to express is the ambiguity that we have by ignoring the consequences of made a different decision. In the second stanza, the author tries to show the difficulty of choosing only one option. Here the speaker seems to be confused because he already has made a decision, but it seems that he isn’t sure about that. Indeed, when Robert Frost (1920) says “Then took the other, as just as fair” (p. 9) tries to said that make a decision is difficult, because we don’t know the consequences of each road, therefore our decision should be fair and impartial. In the same way, when the author says “Though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same” (Frost, 1920, p. 9). It means that he would have
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Interpretation of “The Road Not Taken” chosen any road. Again, it represents uncertainty because first he is confused and second, if he had known the result of taking the other road he would not have said “Had worn them really about the same” (Frost, 1920, p. 9). The third stanza makes evident the disappointment of knowing that the real life doesn't allow us to return make another decision. To validate this idea, the author express feelings of doubt and repentance through the use of phrases like “I doubted if I should ever come back"(Frost, 1920, p. 9). It would be great if we could return in the time, but we know that it is impossible, for that reason we have a feeling of disappointment. In addition, knowing that we cannot go back to make another choice; we would show confusion and insecurity due to the responsibility of making a decision. Moreover, would be easier if we knew the consequences of all the options. All this can be considered as a process of vagueness before making a big decision, because The final paragraph focuses on facing the decision made and how choosing the less traveled road allows us create our own road and get experience. Although this stanza isn’t as related with the others parts of the poem, it has a reflection. Sometimes the road more traveled can create conformist people that don’t think about achieving something better and be different. Hence, Despite the fear that we feel when we risk in a way all the mistakes and doubts, taking our own road can generate positives changes in our future and increase our opportunities. It would guide us a better destination. As we can see, the poem of Robert Frost shows the vagueness that we feel at the moment of making a decision. And it is due to once taken a road is not possible to change its course. To demonstrate his point of view he uses some literary elements, mostly metaphors. Subsequently, we can induce a final reflection from this poem. It is that we don’t have to regret about the road not taken. We should try to have as many
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Interpretation of “The Road Not Taken� experience as we can and always try to make the best decision. It is hard, but in the deep we always now what is better for us.
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Interpretation of “The Road Not Taken�
References Frost, R. (1920). The road not taken. Mountain interval. (pp. 9). New York: Henry holt and company. Retrieved from: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29345/29345-h/29345-h.htm
FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT
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Running head: EDUCATION IS IN OUR HANDS
Everyone determines the success of their own career Cristina Picรณn Yachay Tech university
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Education is in our hands Everyone determines of their own education Does every human being with a yearning of building a career require attending colleges or universities? Maybe you answered yes, we all should attend university for having a career preparation. But, why thirty-two percent of Americans college-educated never work in the field that they prepared for in college? (CareerBuild, 2013, para. 1). This is because people have the idea that in order to achieve the necessary education they require to get a job they must enroll in a university. But, it is not indispensable because education is a process to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, and nobody has defined exactly how this process should be. However, the important thing about this process is the result. That is, how successful we are putting into practice the knowledge acquired, how productive we are and that only deepens on us, on our effort. Hence, whether people go to college or pursue education through an alternative source such as self-education, their ultimate success or failure in turning that education into a successful career depends on them alone and not on the way they are educated. Attending college does not determine the success of a career. As Leef (2013) has noted, "Going to college might increase the person's productivity, but it's neither sufficient nor sufficient for that" (p.2). With this idea, Leef tries to explain that in order to acquire a profession, it is not enough to attend a university, but our attitude towards education it is. To illustrate, Leef gives examples of different types of students. First, student A, who was diligent and passionate about his studies during his learning process. For that reason, when he graduated, he was able to get a good job related to his field of study. Consequently, for him, college was the correct way to achieve a career. Student B went to college only for getting a degree. He gave a minimum effort on his studies, and after graduating, he only got work in a game store. For him, education was a waste of time and money. Finally, and unlike the other students, the student C decided
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Education is in our hands to study on her own instead of going to college. In effect, she was able to develop her best skill. Thanks to her practice and perseverance afterward she became a very good professional. now, she is successful without a college degree (Leef, 2013, p. 2). With these examples, the author tries to make us reflect about that despite the fact that the students followed different paths, their education depended on their effort. Do you know what William Blake, Jimi Hendrix, Leonardo Da Vinci, James Watt and Alan Moore have in common? All of them are self-taught. This means that they achieved success by learning on their own. Generally, an autodidact is an individual who chooses the subject they will study, their studying material and the studying rhythm and time (as student C). Thinking about self-education as an alternative to the common education demonstrates that our higher education depends on our desire to learn. For example, autodidacticism could be a substitute to the university for people who have the desire to have a professional career but don’t have access to university. Particularly in the case of Ecuador, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), only 30% of people between 18 and 24 years old decide or have the opportunity to go to university, and only 10% of those get a degree (INEC, 2014). The large percentage of people who do not have the opportunity to study at the university could use self-teaching process, proving in this way that the desire to study can overcome the disadvantageous circumstances. In addition, the fact that people can appropriate their own learning has several advantages. Especially nowadays, that technology is present to facilitate this process. In the process of self-education, technology is a good ally to demonstrate that education is in our hands. According to Saomya Saxena (2013) “Learning through selfdirection can be refined and amplified with the use of technology� (para. 3). She explains that "The concept of self-directed learning prevails in educational technology
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Education is in our hands as a way to differentiate learning", changing the role of learners and teacher in the classroom, the time and the place of learning and revolutionize traditional schooling. (Saxena, 2013, para.3). His ideas could be illustrated, with the advancement of the internet, which renewed self-directed learning, giving an extensive area of knowledge with an online support that transcends geographical barriers. Technology facilitates the self-teaching process, showing in that way that anyone who has access to it can take charge of their education; And facilitates learning through the benefits that it has. Among the main ones, we have; First, collaboration, new technologies encourage students to express themselves and interact with other classmates, whether in face-toface or virtual courses. Second, Flexibility, the more advantaged students may have at their disposal additional content and those who need a reinforcement, can use support materials and finally Exploration, New technologies allow students to satisfy their knowledge interest by areas unknown to Them, self-providing new knowledge. Therefore, the use of technological devices allows people take charge of your own education; and this, in turn, supports, that only the determination of people regulates their own education. As you saw the educational level achieved depends on people effort. Everyone can develop their intellectual skills and get so many capabilities as they want, but what about their economic success? Has any relation the way or the place in which they have studied with your economic success? In the article “the advantages of attending a prestigious name-brand university" Philip Gou argues that “a name brand diploma will help you to get better entry-level job offers…"(Guo, 2009, para.2). Guo gets his point across first summarizing 5 advantages for attending a prestigious. First, “will be easier for you to get interviews and jobs”
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Education is in our hands (Guo, 2009, para. 6). Second, “big companies will offer you more favorable starting positions and higher levels” (Guo, 2009, para. 6). Third, “you will have a better initial impression” (Guo, 2009, para. 6). Fourth, “it will easier for you get involve in a more promising start-up company” (Guo, 2009, para. 6). Finally, “it will be easier for you to get admitted into name-brand graduate schools” (Guo, 2009, para. 6). Then he develops each advantage. In his article, Guo tries to show that if you have studied at a prestigious college you would have the advantage at the moment to get a job. While it’s true, because employers will prefer workers with a good curriculum vitae; but what is more important, the name of your school or your intellectual skills? Despite attending a prestigious institute could give you an advantage, there is another point to have in mind. Get in any job requires taking an aptitude exam. These tests are used to help to determine the professional capacity of the candidates, to know their personality and to evaluate their skills. Therefore, if you are prepared enough, you don’t have to worry about that. Furthermore, what really import to employers is how productive you are. In his article, George Leef says that “No one receives any payment or premium merely for having finished college” (Leef, 2013, para 8) or in this case for where you have finished college. “Employers do not reward workers just for having passed enough classes to earn a degree. They reward workers for their productivity” (Leef, 2013, para. 8). Hence, if you have enough capabilities to develop a job, no matter how or in what way you have received that preparation, there will be a big possibility that you get the job that you want and, therefore you will be able to achieve the economic position that you want. Everyone determines the success or failure of their own career. In fact, there are several famous characters who realized about that and took charge of their own education such as Walt Disney and Henry Ford. They left their studies at very early age.
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Education is in our hands However, they achieved an economic and professional success. All these ideas make us reflect about what we are doing to improve. We should stop believing that if we do not have the opportunity to enroll in college or university we won't achieve a career. in the same way, we have to stop believing that the university in which we are will determine the success of our career. Instead of that, we should have confidence in our abilities. If we propose ourselves, we could achieve the level of education that we want; and you can do it through college or being self-taught. In other words, no matter the type of learning as long as we are aware that the success of a career is determined only by our effort.
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Education is in our hands References CareerBuilder. (2013). retrieved from: http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?ed=12%2F31%2F 2013&id=pr790&sd=11%2F14%2F2013 Gou, P. (2013, September 21). The advantages of attending a prestigious name-brand university. Philip J. Gou. Retrieved from: http://pgbovine.net/advantages-of-namebrand- school.htm INEC. (2014) retrieved from: www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2014/12/05/nota/4306056/tasamatriculacion-universitaria-ya-no-es-comparable-dice-inec Leef, G. (2013, June 12). Don't Buy the Hype, College Education Is Not an Investment. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/06/12/dont-buy-thehype-college-education-is-not-an-investment/#6329c1537ee6 Saxena, S. (2013). How Technology Supports Self-Directed Learning. Edtechreview. Retrieved from: http://edtechreview.in/news/824-how-technology-supports-selfdirected-learning
My teacher and my English classmates of the past level My last presentation
You have reached the end of this portfolio. I would like to say thank you again for have read it. These have been my best works and has been a pleasure shared them with you, so I hope you have enjoyed it. Sincerely, Cristina Picรณn