Nirshiee Arumugam
SDL 105
Final Reflection Paper
4/30/14
I am very happy that I decided to take the Self-Directed Learning Course this semester. It has proved to be a challenging, yet rewarding experience for me. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to learn a language that I have always had an interest in learning.
In the beginning of the semester, I outlined my goals and what it is what that I wanted to learn. I mainly wanted to focus on speaking because I know I would be able to utilize that skill more frequently than reading and writing. At the end of the semester, at the very least, I wanted to be able to introduce myself and make small talk. I can confidently say that I can now do that. However, I realized that I was not able to accomplish the many goals I set for myself. There is only so much I can learn in one semester. I could probably only learn and retain ten vocabulary words per week. Although I would move on to new topic each week, I sometimes would forget what I learned the past week, so my language partner and I would take time reviewing previous lessons. Because we did this, sometimes we ran out of time and did not accomplish all that we hoped for.
In addition, one major challenge I faced, which I have previously mentioned in one of my blogs, was the self-directed learning aspect of the class. When I signed up for the class, I do not think I fully comprehended the meaning of self-directed learning. I think because I was so used to a strict syllabus with quizzes, exams, papers, etc. it took me a while to get used to this new learning style. I realized I had to push myself more during the middle of the semester when things got busy. It was easy to prioritize other classes, so I had to make a conscious effort to set time out of my day to review Hindi. One thing I wished we had was a workbook that we could keep with us throughout the semester. I was able to use some references from the global studio, but we were told we could not take them with us. When I learn I like to write and underline in my books, so not having a workbook or textbook was a bit hard. However, I found some cool online resources that I was able to use that were able to suffice for the time being.
Something I really enjoyed about SDL 105 was our group discussions in dhall. I really enjoyed reading the assigned articles, as they offered more insight into the tie between culture and language. We had some very meaningful discussions that I have incorporated into my language learning skills. Through these discussions as well as our cultural presentations, I was able to learn about the different cultures and languages my fellow peers have been learning. I have always had a love for learning about different cultures, so I really enjoyed listening to others’ presentations.
Overall, I have had a very productive and enjoyable experience this semester. Learning a brand new language, at this point is not an easy task. I am glad I was able to do so while still in college. However, I hope to continue my study of Hindi and hopefully one day get the chance to travel to India.
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