Reading journal #5

Language Learning in the Library:

Exploring How ESL Students Use Academic Libraries

In the PowerPoint Presentation, Karen Bordonaro, PhD, who is an instruction coordinator in Information Literacy Service, made a survey that investigate what students, who are learning English as a second language, do in libraries on campus. Karen Bordonaro, PhD also wanted to see further-- whether libraries are good places to improve one's language skill extended from classrooms.

This PowerPoint Presentation was intended to speak to ESL students, the staff members in the libraries and people who are responsible to organize the libraries.

At the beginning of the presentation, Karen Bordonaro drew the audiences' attention by asking a few questions about the relationship between English learning and using the libraries. With these questions, he continued to analyse how ESL students use the libraries in different dimensions and aspects.

Firstly, he talked about the general conception of using libraries. For example, a good atmosphere of studying helps students extent his learning after classes. Moreover, the English environment is pure. Libraries are not places that teach people English deliberately. On the contrary, it adjusts students themselves to an English world. According to my experience, as an ESL student, I learn better when exposed to a real English situation. I can learn unconsciously when using my English thinking to deal with problems compared to reading my textbooks and repeating the similar exercises. I may easily forget what I've study on textbooks because I'm receiving knowledge passively instead of seeking for it positively. So a library setting is an optimal choice for ESL students.

Secondly, Karen Bordonaro, PhD, began to introduce his research. He asked twenty people, who were ESL students studying in an American university, with different nationalities and specializing in various majors to participate in using the libraries on campus. The result turned out to be different. Some used libraries to do homework, some used libraries as a social center to meet people, some used libraries to find materials, and some used libraries for instructional assistance. In my point of view, I go to library or study center in UBC after lunch every day. I can see lots of students there. Most of them are doing their assignments or finding useful materials. Also I can see some students are sleeping on sofa. Besides, libraries are public places for students to communicate or exchange ideas on a group-work project. Everyone is doing his or her work actively.

After having studied in libraries, those twenty ESL students left some comments on self-directed language learning. They thought libraries study improve their English skills roundly, all in reading, writing, listening and speaking. I think that's true. While finding materials, one can improve his or her reading skill. While doing assignments, one's writing skill is improved. While communicating with others, one 's speaking and listening skills are improved. English study can not separate from meeting daily English as much as possible; otherwise, English thinking can not be practiced, and the effectiveness of progress requires a longer period.

Libraries are not only for academic studies, but also for recreation. Reading for recreation doesn't mean reading aimlessly, and it's not a waste of time. From recreational reading, one can broaden his or her horizon on a variety of areas. People can't live without pleasure!

Finally, some implications were drawn from this survey. On one hand, library staff should aware the purpose of ESL students and try their best to help them. On the other hand, university should arrange a budget to buy new recreational reading materials in order to help students to achieve their purpose. I strongly agree with these two statements, because they are related to my vital interest closely.

In the conclusion of this presentation, ESL students were using academic libraries wisely and effectively. And Karen Bordonaro, PhD, indicated that library could be used as a teaching method in the future study of language learning issues. I think that is a wise and forward-looking prediction, and it's a good suggestion. This new method can not only help ESL students improve their English quickly, but also can build a good study habit for university's study. Since university' study emphasizes self-study, and students should seek the answer themselves, it's better to learn such a skill to make full use of the libraries.

520R Journal #4

Dating across cultural lines?

We are living in an intercultural country! We should have an open mind on dating across cultural lines.

According to a survey in the U.S, the statistics show that the U.S people are more likely to date inside their culture and races. Since many people in the U.S are mixed blood or immigrants, such as Puerto Rican-American, African-American, and European-American, they prefer to date inside their culture. As a result, the community in the U.S is divided into many parts. That's not good for the society, and this may be a source of crime.

Here are some benefit of dating with different cultures.

First, people can enhance their communicating skill when dating across culture. That is, when dating with a boy or a girl in a different culture, people can have more topic, such as starting a conversation about their various background. So that the atmosphere of the first dating won't be cold. What's more, some people may feel unnatural when talking with people with an opposite sex, because people think that it's stupid to ask something simple. Some people feel nervous when dating with boys or girls, because they have to try their best to behave properly. For example, boys may probably thinks of a various topics previously. Girls are more likely to concern about what she should dress in order to give a good impression on boys. And both of them manage to show their good behaviour when eating outside. For example, one should not make a noise while eating, one should not open their mouth widely while eating, and one should not talk too loud while eating. All these disgusting rules make the dating dissatisfied; however, when dating across the culture lines, people have more freedom. What's right and what's wrong depend on what you say. Because people do not know the culture of each other, it's a good chance to know something new.

Second, after people get married, their would have children. The next generation may benefit from this. It's commonly considered that mixed-blood children have a good-looking appearance. As well, children can learn more than one language, and that is an advantage for them to live in an international world in the future.

Third, intercultural dating can broaden your horizon. People will learn how to respect another culture. After this unforgettable experience, love between husbands and wives will be more stable. People married to a different culture seem that it may last longer.

But it's still a controversial issue. Here are some disadvantages.

Before a person gets married to someone of a different race, culture, or religion, he or she must make sure that all of the rest of his or her extended family has agreed to this marriage. It's not easy to persuade them, especially the old. Because it's not easy for the old to accept a different culture or learn a different language.

Parents who represent two different cultures and religions have an obligation to teach their children about both parent's culture. But the problem is, children may get confused. And the religion is another big problem. You can't trust Catholicism while you are a Christian, right?

To my point of view,I prefer to date with an Italian girl. I'm deeply affected toward their blue eyes and their romantic life. But I haven't seen an Italian at ELI. God, help me.

If you are an Italian girl and think yourself fascinating, please leave some notes after reading this journal.

Reading journal is the place where amazing happens. I hope.

520R Journal #3

http://www.reading.ac.uk/counselling/studyskills/publish/study_resources/study_guides/reading.htm
http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/learning/reading
http://www.studyskills.soton.ac.uk/studytips/reading_skills.htm
http://www.uefap.com/reading/readfram.htm

These days, I'm exploring and enjoying these websites. They are all focusing on how to improve your academic reading skills. Mentioning about this, in my opinion, improvement not only means reading faster, but also means comprehending deeper, recognizing more advanced vocabulary, and broadening your horizon on specific area while reading.

The websites I list above are typically for students, especially university students, because university students are supposed to come across more academic reading materials. No matter you are a native speaker or an oversea student, you need to have a certain amount of special training on academic reading, for academic reading requires more advanced reading skills than general reading.

In the websites, you could find a lot of useful reading strategies as well as a lot of tips. According to my comprehension, the most important thing that you have to remember is that you can't read an academic reading word by word. It wastes you time, wastes your energy, and makes you crazy about what the writer is talking about. Therefore, you have to use some specific skills. Like skimming, it can help you to understand the main point quickly; like scanning, you can seek for some information as soon as possible without reading the whole passage; like detail reading, it may help you to learn from the passage, some vocabulary as well. In a word, you must read an academic reading efficiently.

When you are reading an academic material, please use underlining, highlighting, notes-taking,and summarising. These methods could help you understand the material better and deeper.

You also need to select good reading materials and set goals before you read. That means you have to aware what you are reading mentally, and you must really learn something that you do not know before. That's what a university student ought to do at this time. Besides, you should have you own opinion about the topic after you've read. Do you agree? Do you have something unique to add? Thinking about these questions would help you gain critical thinking skills quickly.

Academic reading is an advanced reading assignment, it aims at the students who have received good education. Unavoidably, there are a certain amount of new vocabulary which are specific in some specific area that people do not use daily. In this situation, you should make full use of
your dictionary, but it doesn't mean you should look up every word you don't know, on the contrary, you ought to guess the meaning. Otherwise if it really makes you confused, you could look it up in the dictionary.

I strongly recommend every students should follow these basic rules, because they are accumulated by priceless experience. What's more, I want to add a point, that is, retell the material you've read in your own words. It can show whether you really understand the reading or not. Furthermore, it could help you practise your oral English. Since we're all oversea students, we should grasp each opportunity to enhance our ability.