I have always had a deep desire to learn various languages because every time I hear something that seems foreign to me, I get excited and try to find out the meaning of that sentence or phrase. Language is an extremely integral part of my life. I can communicate with and understand people around me through language. When I was a baby I had no knowledge of any English. I spent a lot of my time around my maid who took care of me. She only spoke Tamil, which is a local language in India. By just listening to her speak most of the time; I was able to pick up a few words of Tamil. Before I went to school the only language I could relate with, was Tamil. This was my first experience with language and I always think of this story and wonder where I am in life today with no memory of any Tamil words.
According to the Learning Style survey and the Multiple Intelligence Test, it was found that I am a kinesthetic learner. I couldn’t disagree with the results of these surveys because I know that when I am made to study something by going through books or notes it bothers me. I get restless and bored easily. If I am told to perform an activity that helps me learn the subject I can enjoy my learning experience. I thoroughly enjoy games like charades and Pictionary because I can perform what I learn. I can use my body to enact a word or sentence while playing charades and use my drawing skills while playing Pictionary.
The FIRE model helped me understand what kind of a learner I am. While reading the different aspects of a learner I found myself to be evaluative. I like learning where I can listen to others opinions and have a discussion on topics. I like group activities and projects because I think that the more I interact with people, the more I will learn. I dislike memorizing and lecture based classes. I love practical learning. During my time at school I would enjoy working in the Chemistry lab because I actually got to see, smell, ear and feel different reactions taking place. I could use all my senses while learning the concepts of Chemistry. When I learnt Chemistry theoretically, I was not a big fan of the subject. I disliked writing equations and memorizing them.
I have taken the Self Directed Language Program to learn Sindhi. Sindhi is my mother tongue but unfortunately I have very little knowledge of the language. My great grandparents moved from Sindh (Pakistan) to India during the partition of India in 1947. During this movement most Sindhi’s who did shift to India went and settled down all over the country and thus there is no single state in India where Sindhi’s are located. I grew up in South India around people who spoke local languages like Kannada and Tamil thus limiting my resources to learn Sindhi. I am at a stage in my life where I have a keen interest in learning the language of my origin.
Self-Directed learning can seem challenging but what I like about it is that I get to choose my methods and strategies for learning the language. I hope to learn Sindhi by a number of resources. I want to use visuals and audio so that I can retain what I learn instead of simply memorizing. I hope to speak basic Sindhi by practical learning rather than theoretical learning.
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