I have already taken 2 Turkish classes at the University of Richmond and I can say
that I have learned a lot. I believe that I can get by with my Turkish language. As I
mentioned in my previous learning plans, I visited Turkey a few years ago and I was
impressed with the culture and I would love to live there one day. Also, I had two
Turkish roommates and through conversation with them, I have learned a lot about
Turkey. Turkish culture is very much similar to Bosnian culture, where I come from.
This semester I am planning to improve my Turkish language. I have talked to Ms.
Hanife, my language partner, and we created learning plans. Last semester we got a
Turkish book (Ders kitabi and Calisma kitabi) that we used and I can tell that it is a
really good edition and that it helped me learn a lot. Ms. Hanife also likes the book
because it is very organized and explains topics in detail. The book covers grammar
in details (I am mostly concerned about grammar), then there is a lot of reading
assignments, practice problems and vocabulary. Last semester we covered about
half the book (because we are working very hard), and our plan for this semester is
to finish the rest of it. I know that there is a lot to cover and that chapters are going
to get harder and that I will have to work much more to comprehend all the material
to be able to continue my Turkish in the future, that is once I graduate. Since we are
going to follow the book, that is; we are covering chapter by chapter, for each class
we know exactly what we need to cover so I can come to class prepared and with
questions that I do not understand so I can ask Ms. Hanife for further explanation.
Also, we have a work book that I am planning to work on my own and have
assignments checked by Ms. Hanife. This way, we can utilize our time most
efficiently and focus most of our time on conversation. We are planning to cover one
chapter per week. We decided to meet twice a week, Thursdays and Fridays. This
will allow me to prepare over the weekend and finish any assignments that I am
given during our meeting sessions. Also, once in every two weeks, we will have a
class where I will read Turkish short stories in class, so that Ms. Hanife can correct
my pronunciation and then we will listen to Turkish songs and read poems in
Turkish. After reading, we will of course analyze what we have read to check for my
understanding and learn new vocabulary. My goal is to really improve my Turkish
and learn a lot of grammar. Last semester I figured out that Turkish is such a
complicated language, completely different from any language that I have attempted
to learn so far. There are so many exceptions in this language that sometimes I feel
very overwhelmed. However, I think it is the beauty of the language and I feel like I
need to take on the challenge. Ms. Hanife believes that the book we are using is
going to give me the full challenge and I am excited about it (and a little bit scared as
well). I hope to excel in Turkish grammar, learn a lot of vocabulary, practice a lot
and of course learn a lot about Turkish culture.
I believe that the goals I have set are challenging but feasible. With proper time
management, organization and dedication I can tell that by the end of semester I
will improve a lot and be able to engage in Turkish conversation with my Turkish
friends. I am excited about taking this course and looking forward to improving my
Turkish.
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