Final Reflection – SDLAP 105
In the process of my Korean language learning journey, I decided to stop taking the SDLAP 110 course. I decided that the amount of coursework that the class required was a lot more than I had expected and that I probably would not have been able to expend as much energy into the class that was needed. As a result, my progress in learning the language afterwards has been limited to watching Korean reality TV shows, such as The Return of Superman, Korean dramas, such as She Was Pretty, and listening to Korean music such as K-pop and Korean ballads from dramas that I watch/watched. So as a language learner of the SDLAP 105 course, I really enjoyed my time going to class because I got to learn about Korean language and culture from different perspectives by listening to my classmates present on their chosen topics concerning Korean culture during in-class presentations. In addition to having the opportunity to learn about Korean culture in class, I also had the opportunity to learn about different cultural practices in other places of the world, such as in Italy and in Pakistan. In addition to this, I also got to learn a little more about American Sign Language (ASL), a topic I never knew much about prior to being in this class.
About myself as a language learner, I have learned that I really require a lot of time to just focus on learning my target language, by itself, without any distractions by the work that is due for other classes. However, I was also reaffirmed of my interests in wanting to learn about other cultures around the world, and not just Korean culture. Additionally, it was really interesting to hear about other histories in class. Personally, I did not find much difficulty in completing the required coursework for the class after I dropped the SDLAP 110 course. I really liked the independence that the class allotted to students – all work being due at the end of the semester. I found this aspect of the class very appealing because I do not like have set due dates for work every single week.
In the future I hope to continue my study of Korean by studying the language and teaching English (or Elementary Education) abroad. This summer, I am planning on going to Korea for about six weeks to study the language and experience the culture first-hand. I am really looking forward to the opportunity because not only will I be travelling to one of my top destinations, I will be traveling outside of the United States for the very first time. It is all exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time because I pride myself on being culturally open here in the U.S., and I wonder what my reaction to an environment outside of my comfort zone will be like.
In class, I found the reading about lost and endangered languages the most helpful and intriguing because I am really interested in people’s histories, and the article showed how histories live on through people through their language, and it has inspired me to read further on the topic.
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