As students, we happen to learn various things, concepts, and courses. As I now see back, I feel a more profound connection with some of the subjects that I have learned during this course of time. The reason behind this is the apt use of pedagogical techniques and the practicality of the information provided. Learning a whole course provides us with all the necessary tools and techniques to handle the relevant problems. However, every course doesn’t necessarily provide the skill set required to use the tools and tips aptly. On the other hand, the ratio of such courses, which not only provide detailed insights about the course matter but also make the student realize WHY they are studying the course, is unfortunately very low. What else can be worse if a soldier is equipped with all the gadgets but isn’t told about how and where to use them? Anyone can relate to how possibly destructive the scenario mentioned above could be. In my opinion, the same happens when a student is unaware of the hows and whys of the learned course. Having glanced at my previous experiences, I found myself lucky enough to count on a few courses that made the content vivid and clear. The recent addition to the list is the English course I have taken. Honestly, I am stating my opinion on the course in the very beginning, which was a conventional English linguistic course, as I used to take it previously. It took a little time to change my notion completely. The essay is based on my personal experience and my take on the course.
Language has evolved as a necessity in social life. English language, being the medium of communication, requires additional developmental strategies. The best part I liked about the learning was the change of perspective for the “potential of words”. Now, I see that words have unlimited potential; a single word can be used in a variety of ways that suit a particular purpose. Sentences are like the knitted pattern of the words, where the perfect knitting, alignment, and coherence can do wonders. I always felt a gap between the writer’s ideas and my comprehension as a reader each time I read an English classic. Since I started writing and practising proofreading, my notion has changed swiftly. Now, words don’t seem to be a mere group of alphabets. Rather, they convey meaning and emotion. After all, the course has provided me with the reason why I use the words I use in sentences; I have discovered them as treasure troves.
The other thing I have learned is the proper citation of the sources from which I seek help. The citation and referencing have not only made my essays credible but have also helped me a lot in writing research articles. Before taking the course, I didn’t consider plagiarism to be an integral parameter of credible writing (Rao, Z., 2007). Now that I have learned the ways, I can quote the factual information to strengthen my arguments.
The other major part of the learning was the capability to do “literary analysis”. The literary analysis worked as a founding stone for critical thinking. The most exciting activity during the course was undoubtedly identifying the loopholes in the writing, reasoning, and suggesting alternatives (Langan, J., 2013). The WHY of the rules we studied came into action during the analysis. Correlating my rational thinking abilities with literature was indeed a new venture. Many scientific studies are now correlating the impact of literary analysis as a tool to hone the focus.
Overviewing the pros of the course compels me to think of them beyond the perspective of this course alone. The learnings have created a long-term impact. The course has changed my viewpoint on writing and has bestowed me with a critic’s eye. Now, I can branch my thinking beyond my perspective and experience. Now, I can carry out writing with more passion and challenge my ideas through reasoning.
Learning a skillset from a particular course that can be beneficial for fellow beings and society should be the ultimate goal. The proofreading I have learned through the course has helped me view and correct the loopholes in others’ writing. Being justified in the reasoning and then suggesting better alternatives is the prime quality of a proofreader. The course has enabled me to proofread my writings as well as others.
In a nutshell, this course has answered all the WHYs of writing. I have been learning the basic grammatical rules and the styles of writing for many years. I knew the tips and tricks up to an extent, but now I will be going to use these were unveiled after taking this course. According to the contemporary approaches it is now compelled that the students ought to know more about what the text is and how it is formed, the planning, analyzing and reasoning involved in this procedure gives the students an outcome-based learning experience (Dilidüzgün, 2012). Until now, I have been following the writing approach that focuses on collecting previous information, writing it in an argumentative way, and weighing on grammar and vocabulary. However, the course has changed my perspective on what to write and how to write. This latter approach has helped me develop my ideas and reasoning.
References
Dilidüzgün, S. (2012, November 30). The Effect of Process Writing Activities on the Writing Skills of Prospective Turkish Teachers. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1060398
Langan, J. (2013). College writing skills with readings. Tata McGraw-Hill Education.
Rao, Z. (2007). Training in brainstorming and developing writing skills. ELT Journal, 61(2), 100-106.
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