The goals that I have for this semester with Urdu is to learn how to read simple sentences so that I am able to read headlines in the news that come up in my newsfeed on facebook. I also hope to write short simple words in Urdu that will allow me to fill out basic information on applications in the future. For example, my address, my name, and information about my family that can potentially be asked on basic applications. As of now I am advanced in my interpersonal communication and interpretative listening where I can follow extended speech and follow complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. I can understand extended speech and follow a complex argument. It takes me a little longer to comprehend formal Urdu that is spoken in news channels regarding political and current affairs. The skills that I need the most work on are with presentational writing and interpretive reading because I am unable to do both. I am still at the beginning level for that. I hope that I can learn to put simple words together and learn how to read small riddles and poems.
There are many other cultural aspects I hope to learn in the process as I become literate in Urdu. For example, I hope to learn about the geography, political situation, and demographics of Pakistan so that I can be much more familiar with the country where Urdu is dominant. This will help me become familiar with the country and allow me to understand which part of Pakistan is affected when it is brought up in the news. There are more simple things that I am unable to do in Urdu such as telling the date, telling the time, or telling someone how much something is. I hope to master these basic goals that are often used by the end of the semester. In addition to this, I also hope to learn about how Pakistan is a developing country and how globalized it has become. I want to learn about the gap between the poor and rich and how socioeconomic status is determined. I want to understand what westernized ideals may be looked down upon so that I am conscious of it.
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