Final Reflection Paper 105:
From SDLAP 105, I became a self-directed learner, which is that I need to set up my own goals to accomplish my own learning. We did self-assessment test, read different articles related to our topic and periodically wrote journals to reflect our learning experience. Moreover, we did presentations based on our target languages. Also, through blog Ning, we can read other students’ journals and watched their presentations; I really learnt a lot of language history, and cultural background from different countries.
I think all the reading assignments are helpful to me. I especially remember the cultural dimensions and factors. Language enables connection among humans. And culture is a way of life that relates to languages. Most countries and regions around the world are inextricably linked, and communication brings power and influence to individuals across borders of their relationships. Languages underscore the importance of understanding different cultures that is interconnected not only geographically but also psychologically. Having the ability to master a second language makes people become smarter and excellent in the working environment. Language is a direct communication style. At the beginning, when I started learning Korean, I did not learn any cultural background. Later, I think contextual style is important for speakers to focus when they learn a new language. For example, in Asian culture people use words that reflect hierarchical relationship in the conversation. As a result, when I learn to speak Korea, I especially need to choose words that are appropriate for me to speak to different age of group of people.
English is a more personal style language, which reduce the barrier between the parties in low-power distance. Knowledge of the home country’s language is important for personnel placed in a foreign place. More and more people are becoming multilingual, and in the future career life. Companies place a great deal of attention on the applicants’ ability to speak a foreign language without considering if they have other necessary skills. From the readings, I also learnt that cultural differences could cause misinterpretations. Many people use nonverbal communications such as body languages and the use of physical space, but this actually create distance and barrier between people to people.
This semester, during the process of learning Korean, I only learnt Korean in listening and speaking. Firstly, I learn about Korean culture, maintain an element of modesty and humility extremely important in Korean culture, and make direct eye contact when addressing Korean business professionals, as it is important to indicate your honesty and interest. Some Koreans do not make eye contact for any length of time when in the presence of an authority figure as a sign of respect. Second, I set up a plan to learn Korean. I mainly learn Korean through watching movies or dramas. I think it is more helpful to listen to what the sentences are and read the translation/subtitle in Chinese. In this way, I can know how they form grammar, and how they speak their language and when to apply them in different situations. At the beginning it is important to follow their conversation by reading the subtitles, but later I can gradually catch up their sentences and use it as my own knowledge. Again, practicing is the most important thing. When you stop saying that language, you are very easy to forget it.
I think to be aware of the history of the language is very helpful and interesting to study a second language. Koreans initially write in Chinese. It helps me to learn Korean because there are two levels in Korean, first is formal way and then is the informal way. People speak informal way to the people who are same age as you, and use formal way when speak to elders or people who you first meet. This attribute to its history because Korea has history of dynasty, so it includes some moral standard in the history. I would more like to learn to speak the informal way because it is more casual and widely used nowadays. Moreover, formal way of speaking Korean is really hard for me to learn because it includes so many different required words in a sentence.
In conclusion, from this class, I learnt not only different cultural background, but also Korean. Now, I can speak simple sentences and many vocabularies in Korean. I think my learning experience was successful. In the future, I want to watch more Korean dramas in order to learn Korean while noticing more cultures in Korea as well. I also want to make a trip to South Korean with my friend this summer in order to really have the experience to practice my Korean. This trip is also considered a self-evaluation or assessment on my self directed learning. For my long-term goal, I want to try to learn Spanish on my own with the same strategy that I learnt Korean. Thanks to this class and I want to keep all the knowledge that I have learnt and apply to my future path!
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