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For these two weeks, we worked on the workbook again. She made the class more interactive and put impossible scenarios on the whiteboard. These situations were like "If I won the lottery, I would..." and "If the world was ending tomorrow, I would..." This was an interesting topic for me. It was something different than the usual curriculum, so it was fun to be creative and learn Korean at the same time. After we went onto the board and wrote our different scenarios, we spoke about them in Korean and asked each other questions. I believe that this was something that was very effective in keeping my attention in the class and actually being engaged to the content that we were learning. We also did a couple of problems in the workbook to reinforce those concepts.

For the next week, we did charades on descriptive words that are specific to Korean. It was a fun way to learn unusual words that are commonly used in Korean. Some of these examples were "bzzzz" or "bark". It was entertaining to see my classmates acting these scenarios out and actually learning these topics. We reinforced these topics by doing some workbook problems in class. 

For these two weeks, Youngmin  and our class worked out of the workbook that we have been working on last two weeks. We have been talking about performances and grammatical rules based on that. We have been learning about speaking in the third person and how to write in them as well. Since I told Youngmin that I wanted to focus more on writing and speaking, she has structured the class in a way that has a lot of writing and speaking involved. In terms of speaking, we go around the class and answer questions out of the workbook verbally. We also have more writing involved in the class. She gave us homework that reviews what we have learned in class. 

For the next week we went over the same concepts and watched some videos of actual Korean traditional performances. We then did a writing response on a performance that have impacted us. This could either be a movie or any other performances that we watched. I did my writing response on Inception and why I liked the movie so much. We wrote it in Korean and typed it up which gave me a chance at practicing my Korean typing. This was an effective way to practice my writing on something that actually took some thought and insight. After we typed up the report, we sent it to Youngmin, who gave us corrections. This was effective and something that I could see myself using for my future studies in Korean. 

Document a learning task that you have completed. 

I asked my teacher some confusions that I had such as when to use ㅎ when saying 안. 안 and 않 is pronounced the same way but adding the ㅎ depends on the word and context of the sentence. She explained it on the board with some examples.

This week we just started off with the work book and focused on proper grammar. Sentence structure can be very complex for the Korean language, so we explored many different examples and situations where we would use the appropriate suffixes. At the same time, we worked on our out-loud reading capabilities while doing the exercises.

• First Cultural Post:  What are your cultural learning goals for this semester?
  • Which one or two topics will you explore during the course of the semester?
  • How do you expect to explore these topics?
  • What do you hope to learn through your exploration of these topics?

My learning goals for this semester is to focus on Korean literature, grammar, sentence structures, vocabulary, and slangs. In 110, we focused on speech and conversational Korean. Therefore, in 111 I hope to focus on proper Korean writing as well as continue to improve my reading. We will explore many topics ranging from sentence structure, politics, entertainment, and general Korean culture. We will utilize a work book and do independent research/presentations. 

SDLC%20Learning%20Plan.docx

I thought the readings were very interesting and informative, mainly because I have no knowledge of the anatomy of the brain. I especially thought it was interesting that if you are right-hand dominant, then the left-hemisphere of your brain is the leading hemisphere for languages. I also thought the part about the tongue slip was also fascinating because I do it so often. I would tend to speak before I even think about what is coming out of my mouth, leading to mistakes and words that I did not mean to say.

 In the reading, it mentions that the Broca and the Wernicke's area is responsible for the production and comprehension of speech. The Broca area is in the frontal lobe of the dominant hemisphere while the Wernicke's area is located on the temporal lobe on the left side of the brain. 

Because I have experience learning a language at home and in the classroom setting, I would say that I conceptualize meaning through feeling. Every language has a word for a feeling that another language might not have. Therefore, it is hard to recognize a word if you do not have another word to compare it to in another language. That is why I think having a feeling or a sense of what it is suppose to mean is significant. 

Reflect on your experiences as a language teacher and learning in this latest speed-dating workshop. What difficulties did you encounter? How did you successfully relay concepts that were foreign to your classmates as your students? If you were eventually granted the opportunity to teach a full semester-long course on the target language, what strategies would you adopt?

Before teaching my peers a Hangul lesson as part of the speed-dating workshop, I knew that there was the probability of not having all of my peers engaged in the lesson. Therefore, I had planned ahead and created a handout that outlined the lesson we covered, provided examples of the material, and offered online citation in case anyone would like to do more research on the topic after the lesson. The handout worked well and as a result, I did not encounter any significant difficulties during my experience as a language teacher. Aside from providing my peers with the handout I mentioned previously, I also made a PowerPoint to relay the material to my peers/students. Each slide had examples of how to accurately use the material I covered and at the end of the PowerPoint, I included an example of how people address each other in Korean using a picture from a Korean variety show that I enjoy watching (SBS’s Running Man). After I was done with the presentation, I opened the floor for questions, which was a successful way to engage further with my peers and to respond to any of their inquiries. As such, if I were given the opportunity to teach a semester-long course on the Korean language, some strategies that I would adopt include: using PowerPoints to convey information, providing handouts so students may follow along, and offering various examples to ensure proper usage of the material. One strategy that I would like to improve however is the manner in which I would get students more engaged. While the handout and the Q&A session worked effectively during this short experience, I believe that I would need to include more interactive exercises (such as group activities and worksheets) to confirm that students truly understand the lesson and are able to apply what they have learned.

Reflect on your experiences of (trying to) read and write in your target language. Are you bilingual? If so, would you agree with the arguments made in the two readings on bilingualism?

While reflecting on my experiences of reading and writing in Korean, I would say I am nowhere near being bilingual (under the term’s connotative interpretation). I would, however, say that I am bilingual in English and Castilian (both languages I grew up with), and French (a third language I learned in school and have used regularly while abroad). After watching “The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain” in class, I think that my relationship with Korean may at most place me under the term, subordinate bilingual, which is, according to the video, someone who processes a target language through one’s primary language. This is because although I am able to read hangul and understand some words in Korean, I am unable to understand the majority of what is said in conversation or what is said in articles I’ve tried reading, as most written pieces focus on topics and writing styles that are well beyond what I’ve been covering in my learning plan. Additionally, I have not reached the level at which I would be able to think in Korean to process aspects of Korean linguistics: I continue to filter Korean through English.

With respect to the readings, I do not agree with Bhattacharjee’s position that characterizes bilinguals as smarter than monolinguals. The author recognizes that the brain’s executive function is increased as a result of knowing more than one language, but the writer stretches this information by assuming and suggesting that executive function (which is a system of cognitive processes) equates directly with intelligence. As such, I agree with Bialystok, who is cited in Ossola’s piece and who argues that it is problematic when people interpret scientific conclusions – which state that bilinguals and monolinguals use executive function differently –to argue that one group is more intelligent than the other. As discussed in the article, people may reach the misconception that bilinguals are smarter than monolinguals as studies show that bilinguals have increased executive function (when compared to monolinguals) which “can help [bilinguals] do a lot of things that may make them seem smarter, such as doing a lot of things at once and cancelling out distractions” (Ossola). Nevertheless, one should not forget, as mentioned in the article, that the two (intelligence and executive function) are not the same. Therefore, one cannot assume that bilinguals are more intelligent than monolinguals on the basis of increased executive function.

Bibliography

Bhattacharjee, Yudhijit. “Why Bilinguals Are Smarter.” The New York Times, 17 Mar. 2012. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html.

Nacamulli, Mia. The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain - Mia Nacamulli. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMmOLN5zBLY. Accessed 13 Apr. 2018.

Ossola, Alexandra. “Are Bilinguals Really Smarter?” Scienceline, 29 July 2014, http://scienceline.org/2014/07/are-bilinguals-really-smarter/.

How many new words have you learned in your target language?  How did you learn them?  Do you have realistic goals for your acquisition of vocabulary? 

As I’ve reflected on my Korean language learning experience, I’ve realized that I cannot pinpoint a precise number to indicate the amount of new words that I have learned in my target language. While I have learned many Korean words by using a list of words that my language partner and I have derived, I have also learned some words during my Korean lessons and during less formal settings of which I did not included in the vocabulary list because I learned them quickly. As such, I would estimate that I have learned about 300-400 Korean words thus far. This estimate also includes suffixes that I’ve learned during sessions with my learning partner.

I learned much of the vocabulary I’ve acquired over the semester from my lessons with my learning partner, from a vocabulary list that I review regularly, and from Korean media (music and shows). I have also enriched my Korean vocabulary by speaking or texting with Korean friends (who would correct my grammar and/or spelling), by taking an active approach to complete the tasks I have set for myself in my learning plan, and by researching the Korean words that are applicable under particular cultural or contextual settings.

Moreover, after further reflection, I believe that I have set realistic goals for myself to acquire more Korean vocabulary. This is primarily because each of my tasks focuses on being able to converse with someone in Korean about a new topic; therefore, each new task requires that I learn the vocabulary associated with it in order to complete the task adequately.

How do languages go extinct? Respond to the reading, reflecting on what happens when a language dies. How can linguists help preserve a language? Can a language ever be brought back to life? 

A language goes extinct when its usage becomes minimal or nonexistent and when there are no longer any living native speakers of the language. As mentioned in Johnson’s article, languages may also go extinct when geopolitical influences inhibit the prosperity of a language: take for instance the example of how government boarding schools were used by US state officials as a tool to eliminate indigenous languages and customs. As such, political influences can force languages into extinction. Furthermore, languages may become endangered when dominant, foreign institutions exert their cultural linguistic influence over less prominent languages, forcing such languages into a liminal stage between existence and extinction.

As Johnson details, the Siletz Dee-ni language was characterized as a terminatedlanguage by the federal government in the ‘50s but regained federal recognition in the ‘70s after there was a revitalization movement of the language via cultural factors like song and dance. The author further details how linguists have engaged in innovative practices to preserve the language by recording native speaking, building dictionaries, and – more recently – creating online dictionaries for various audiences around the world. An example of an online dictionary of this sort is the “Siletz Dee-ni Talking Dictionary”, which, as Johnson’s mentions, was created by linguists, students, and indigenous community members. Another way to help a language regain its strength is through education, as is being done with the introduction of Siletz Dee-ni in the local public charter school. Overall, linguists, community members, and policy-makers have the ability to revive languages and keep them from extinction by allocating resources to language programs – that create dictionaries and online resources for language competency – and to schools or community centers that provide lessons and training in the target language. With proper resources and dedication, deadlanguages do have the potential to be brought to life. Hebrew was a language that, for centuries, did not have a native speaker until it was revived in the 19^thcentury. Now millions of people speak Hebrew around the world: it is even one of the official languages of Israel. As such, it is not impossible for a dead language to be brought back to life if people properly engage in revitalization efforts to revive dead languages.

Bibliography

Johnson, Kirk. “Siletz Language, With Few Voices, Finds Modern Way to Survive.” The New     York Times, 3 Aug. 2012. NYTimes.com,https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/04/us/siletz-language-with-few-voices-finds-modern-way-to-survive.html.

Reflect on how knowing a language's history can help you learn the language. To what family does your language belong? What sounds, words, or structures exemplify periods of contact with other cultures?

Knowing a language’s history not only enables the learner to be more conscientious of the language’s origins, but, in some cases, it may even help one incorporate what one knows in one language into the target language – if both languages share historical and linguistic similarities. The following are significant findings I found regarding the history of the Korean language.

Most scholars agree that Korean is part of its own Koreanic language family, but some scholars argue that it is actually part of the Altaic language family, which includes Mongolian and Turkish (Asia Society). While Korean is largely considered a language isolate, it is evident that contact with other cultures has linguistically influenced various aspects of the Korean language. With respect to the origins of the Korean language, scholars are largely unaware of the languages or dialects that were used in the Korean peninsula prior to the standardization of the Korean language in the 15^thcentury (Martin). Before King Sejong of the Yi Dynasty (1397-1450) ordered for the creation of hangul (the Korean writing system) in the 1400s, Chinese characters were used to represent Korean sounds; the characters’ inability to adequately reflect Korean sounds resulted in King Sejong’s decision to codify Korean phonetics via the creation of the alphabet system that, with some modifications, is largely used today (Asia Society; Martin).

Furthermore, standard Korean no longer uses the accents 15^thcentury speakers/writers would use that would make the language have a distinct musical touch to it (Martin). Furthermore, the evidence of how influential Chinese has had on the Korean language is found within the language’s vocabulary: it is estimated that “roughly half the Korean vocabulary consists of words derived from Chinese, mainly through the Confucian classics” (Asia Society). While the Korean language incorporated many Chinese words, Hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean) are not widely used anymore; nevertheless, Korean has incorporated some Chinese punctuation into its current writing system as well as many English punctuation marks (and words) that have been introduced during contact with Anglophone countries in contemporary history (Asia Society; Martin). Regardless of the large influence other cultures and languages have had on the Korean language, one must not forget that “Korean is completely distinct from Chinese [and English], in sound and in sentence structure” (Asia Society). Lastly, Asia Society argues that there are two standardized variations of Korean: the Seoul dialect (of South Korea) and the Pyongyang dialect (of North Korea), which have developed differently in sound and in use of Hanja due to geopolitical influences.

Bibliography

Asia Society. “Korean Language | Asia Society.” Center for Global Education,https://asiasociety.org/education/korean-language. Accessed 3 Mar. 2018.     

Martin, Samuel E. “Korean Language.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Korean-language. Accessed 3 Mar. 2018.

Throughout this semester I learned a bit about the history of South Korea. My comprehensive outlook on the history is that it is kind of depressing. I learned about the concept of Han when I took SDLC 111 which denotes a collective feeling of oppression and isolation in the face of overcoming insurmountable odds. I think this perfectly encapsulates Korea's history and what the Korean people had to go through based on what I learned so far.

In the past, Korea has always been overtaken by other stronger countries such as Japan and China. Korea has always been on the weaker end of the spectrum and had to overcome overwhelming circumstances. There is also the Korean war where Korea became separated into two countries. The significant impact of this on the Korean people never really hit me until I watched Ode to my Father, which was assigned by Youngmin. In the film, there was a scene where the main character gets to reunite with his sister who was lost in the Korean war through a television broadcast. Before this emotional scene, the film shows real life broadcasts of separated family members reuniting through the television network. I had no idea this reunification happened until I saw the film and it was heart wrenching to watch. I imagined how I would have felt if I was separated from any of my family members for decades and finally being able to see them. The depressing part was that they were able to physically see each other, but only through the television screens. I was an emotional wreck after this scene. There is also the history of the demonstrations against the corrupt government where a college student was murdered in 1987.

All these events culminated together just make me feel sorry for all the things the Korean people had to suffer through. I can finally see why the term Han has been specially created for the people of Korea. Fortunately, South Korea now has a booming economy and is not suffering anymore. 

Do some preliminary research on what most interests you about the target culture, and describe how this topic relates to language. Do you need any special vocabulary or linguistic knowledge to engage this topic? If so, have you included objectives in your learning plan to engage this topic? 

Three of my interests in my target culture are: food culture, Korean weddings, and social hierarchies based on age. As I was doing some research on these topics, I found various online sources that provided some insights regarding each respective subject.

With respect to food culture, https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2008/07/01/about-korean-foodprovides an overview of Korean food in terms of history, natural resources, and style of cooking whereas http://www.sweetandtastytv.com/blog/korean-phrases-ordering-food-at-a-restaurantand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRmDn9I7zAwprovide informative videos demonstrating the proper way to place an order at a restaurant in Korea. For this area of interest, it is imperative to learn the vocabulary one uses at a restaurant (when speaking to a server or when ordering food). This is particularly important because there are particular words that are used when addressing servers or the restaurant’s owner; therefore, it is important to know these words to ensure one shows proper respect to whomever one speaks to. Furthermore, it would also be beneficial to learn of various Korean foods and to better familiarize oneself with Korean cuisine. Moreover, the topic of food culture (as well as everything mentioned thus far) is included in my learning plan under task #5.

With respect to Korean weddings, a few websites that I found are: https://www.linandjirsa.com/korean-wedding-traditions/(which provides an overview of the wedding traditions and the ceremony), https://www.soompi.com/2015/06/02/korean-weddings-101-a-basic-guide-to-wedding-customs-in-korea/(which talks about the logistics of Korean weddings while also debunking what pop culture portrays Korean weddings to be like), and https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/07/04/korean-wedding_n_5558653.html#gallery/553586/3(which seeks to answer some commonly asked questions regarding Korean weddings). To learn about Korean weddings, it is important to know which traditions or customs are done before, during, and after the proceeding. One should also know of terminology used to describe particular aspects of the weddings (i.e. the bride, the groom, and the traditional wedding dress). I have included Korean weddings into my task #8. This task is centered all around Korean weddings and I did this to become familiar with topic in case I go to Korea for a friend’s wedding.

Moreover, the following are websites that I found on the subject of social hierarchies based on age: http://www.eatyourkimchi.com/age-differences-in-korea/(a video which talk about the influence Confucianism has had and continues to have on Korean society) and https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/confucian-hierarchy-in-modern-day-korea(which is an article that continues the discussion about Confucianism in present-day institutions and customs, particularly in the workplace and in social gatherings. Furthermore, to engage this topic, it is important to know the ways in which language is used to show respect to elders or people whom one cares about. There are particular words in Korean that show this but there are also honorifics that can be used at the end of a name or pronoun to express respect or admiration. Aside from linguistics, it is also important to know gestures used to show respect, like bowing when meeting someone new or someone who is older than oneself. Moreover, subtopics regarding social hierarchies can be found throughout my learning plan. For example, in task #2 and #3, I learned how to properly address family, friends, and strangers along. Here, I also learned of the honorifics and the gestures (i.e. bowing/handshake) that may be used in various social settings. In task #5, I learned how to respectfully address people who work at restaurants: I also learned to make use of the appropriate gestures used when handing something to another person, like when handing a server/cashier money to pay for food.

While preparing my last cultural presentation for SDLC105, I “fell in the hole” that research assignments usually become for me…

The PowerPoint slides are a piece of cake – I love making them, and I do it fast. Now, deciding what to cover when you have spent hours and hours reading and learning about a subject, that is a challenge!

I learned so much about Spain’s and Catalunya’s history, politics and economy– all aspects of culture that helped me make sense of what was happening there currently. I also found many interesting points from scholars regarding nationalist feelings and the separatism issue.

Ultimately, I stumbled during my presentation in class. Partly because I got nervous¹, but mostly, because I relied too much on the words of experts… I had many quotes and insights from linguists and social scientists that I felt/thought brought out the point much better than I could state it.

… That was my personal pitfall studying culture with a big C. I can tell because I was much more comfortable addressing the little C aspects – i.e.: my interviews with the exchange students.

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¹honestly, I think was better prepared to give it the week before…

Describe the phonetic inventory of your target language. Are there sounds in your language that don’t exist in English? Provide several phonetic transcriptions of important words. What do you need to know about the structure of your target language? How will you acquire the knowledge you need? Have you identified resources and textbooks to promote your task-based objectives? Why or why not?

          When comparing the respective phonetic inventories of English and Korean, one notices that there are more sounds in English than in Korean (Cho and Park; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “English Phonemic Inventory”; Pronouncer; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “Korean Phonemic Inventory”). Nevertheless, there are sounds in Korean that do not exist in English. The consonants that do not exist in English but exist in Korean are all plosive: p^h, like in 프랑스 (Phonetic Transcription: p^hɯlaŋsɯ; English: France); t^h, like in 태양 (Phonetic Transcription: t^hɛjaŋ; English, sun); c or ʣʲ, like in 저기요 (Phonetic Transcription: cʌɡijo or ʣʲʌɡijo; English: Excuse me); c^h, like in 차 (Phonetic Transcription:c^ha; English: car) ; and k^h, like in 코 (Phonetic Transcription: k^ho; English: nose). The vowels that are found in Korean but not in English are: ɯ, like in 그(Phonetic Transcription: gɯ; English: he); o, like in 오후(Phonetic Transcription: ohu; English: p.m.); and ɣ, like in 음악(Phonetic Transcription: ɣmag; English: music).

           During my studies of the Korean language, I have come to know that the sentence structures of English and Korean are very different. I had some difficulty with this concept as it required me to restructure the way in which I would form sentences regularly. In English, a simple sentence is made from an independent clause that has a subject followed by a verb. Nevertheless, in Korean the common sentence structure is: subject + verb or subject + object + verb. Since the verb ends the sentence, my learning partner (Joora) said that many argue that when listening/reading in Korean, it is important to read/listen up until the sentence is complete, otherwise one is unable to tell what exactly the subject of the sentence is doing.
            To acquire all the knowledge I need to complete the tasks outlined in my learning plan, I have been using resources such as my learning partner, Naver.com, YouTube, a Korean-English dictionary, and an online textbook found through UR website (Basic Korean: A Grammar and Workbook by Andrew Sangpil Byon). I have been relying a lot on this textbook because although many of the textbooks in the Global Studios are very useful, they are unavailable to be checked-out. As such, I use Byon’s textbook more often because it is very informative, portable and convenient.

Bibliography

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. “English Phonemic Inventory.” ASHA.Org,                       https://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/practice/multicultural/EnglishPhonemicInventory.pdf. Accessed 12 Feb. 2018.

---. “Korean Phonemic Inventory.” ASHA.Org, https://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/practice/multicultural/KoreanPhonemicInventory.pdf. Accessed 12 Feb. 2018.

Cho, Junmo, and Hae-Kyeong Park. “A Comparative Analysis of Korean-English Phonological   Structures and Processes for Pronunciation Pedagogy in Interpretation Training.” Meta : Journal Des Traducteurs / Meta : Translators’ Journal, vol. 51, no. 2, 2006, pp. 229–46.www.erudit.org, doi:10.7202/013253ar.

Pronouncer. “IPA Transcription of Korean.” Pronouncer, 8 Feb. 2015,https://pronouncer.org/guide-to-ipa-transcriptions/ipa-transcription-of-korean/.

How would you qualify and describe different aspects of your target culture? Reflect on your own experiences and expectations of the culture in question. How does your culture reflect various qualitative Hofstede dimensions of culture explored in class, e.g. body language, how people talk about time, etc. Also have you ever experienced culture shock? If so, describe.

In watching Korean variety shows and particularly Korean dramas, I have noticed that age is central to Korean hierarchical structures. While watching these shows (with a grain of salt, because they may exaggerate or distort aspects of real life in Korea) and during my studies of Korean language and culture, I came to find out that South Korea has a particular structure in which age can be seen as a determining factor when deciding how someone should be addressed. This is clearly evident in language: when addressing someone who is older than oneself, one uses formal speech (존덋말) whereas informal/casual speech (반말) is typically used with friends or when the older one of the two desires to drop honorifics. Additionally, I have noticed that there may be blurred lines where experience (or time in an industry) may place a younger person at a socially higher place in business hierarchical structures, despite age dynamics. Furthermore, the use of proper language (dependent on who speaks and who listens) is important as it projects varying levels of respect through language that if done incorrectly, may provoke misunderstandings and/or conflict. Moreover, before studying Korean culture, I thought that South Korea would have a collectivist society, particularly because throughout much of my education experience while growing up, teachers would use East Asia as an example of a region with collectivist societies while Western societies were largely characterized as individualistic.

According to Hofstede Insights (https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/south-korea,the-usa/), South Korean society is accepting of hierarchies without questioning its basis. This may explain why particular body language is used to show respect to elders (bowing to elders, bowing when meeting new people, or bowing during particular holidays). Furthermore, Hofstede Insightsclaims that South Koreans keep busy and work diligently, particularly because society places a great emphasis on effectiveness and punctuality with respect to perception of time. Moreover, the website claims that South Korean society places an emphasis on long-term investments, whether it be in economic security or in social investments for future generations. Hofstede Insightsclaims that South Korea favors collectivist mentalities in which the actions of one also falls onto the responsibility of others of the in-group: as such, equality and resolution through diplomacy are preferential. The website also claims that behavior that does not adhere to the norm is viewed unfavorably and may be characterized as unconventional; as such, some may feel constrained by social factors from participating in self-gratifying activities.

While Hofstede Insights provides an overview of South Korean society, I have taken the information it has provided cautiously as my own experience with Korean society (in the future, after greater exposure) may develop a different outlook of the culture than what the website has presented. Furthermore, as of now and as a result from my distant proximity to my target culture, I have not yet experienced culture shock. I say this while reflecting on the moments in my life in which I have experienced culture shock, whether it was while trying to understand grocery shopping customs in Paris during my study abroad experience or while I tried managing daily life in the Ecuadorian Amazon during a summer of internship there. During both my French- and Amazonian-related culture shocks, I was placed directly in the center of the cultures that I had read about in textbooks or of which I heard and read about through new outlets. I was forced to adapt quickly to each respective culture, learning quickly the ins and outs of what quotidian life meant for the locals: these are topics that can only be described in writing but cannot be fully understood without complete exposure and immersion. For this very reason, I have yet to experience culture shock during my Korean studies: I have not been to South Korea nor have I had the opportunity for total immersion into the culture. While I may obtain a glimpse into Korean culture by visiting Korean restaurants (as discussed in my learning plan), such experiences may, to some degree, differ from an experience I would have if I were to visit and order food at a restaurant in South Korea. Regardless, one day I hope to visit South Korea: I would take that opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and language as much as possible to turn it all into an unforgettable learning experience.

Reflect on the readings. What parts of the brain are most important for the production and comprehension of speech? How do you conceptualize or process meaning? Do these readings bring to mind any questions or motivations that could promote your foreign-language abilities, retention, and recollection?

In the chapter “How the brain handles language”, Crystal (2005) claims that while previous scholars believed in the theory of cerebral localization in which each area of the brain was argued to be responsible for a particular behavioral ability (174), present-day scholars generally take “a multifunctional view” (176) as they argue that the production and comprehension of speech is dependent on several areas of the brain. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that some areas of the brain are more dominant (than others) in particular aspects of the production and comprehension of speech. For instance, the part of the brain in front of the fissure of Rolando is associated with motor functioning and, thus, speaking; the Wernicke’s area is largely responsible for the comprehension of speech; the Broca’s area is associated with the encoding of speech; and the Heschl’sgyriis involved in auditory reception (175). Understanding how areas of the brain function interdependently (with some areas specializing in particular functions) is important to acknowledge, particularly among language learners because this information provides insight into how our brains are structured to learn, acquire, and use what we learn during our autonomous learning experiences.

While reading the “How we mean” chapter, I compared my mode of conceptualizing aspects of language to what Crystal suggested. For instance, I would typically attach a new word to a reference point and occasionally mix it up to other objects. An example of this would be if someone is taught the word “van” and is then shown a van as a reference point. Improper deduction may stem from this as one may mistakenly assume all vehicles are vans. I have made similar mistakes when learning some French words and expressions. Crystal (189) argues that a more effective way to learn a new word or concept from a foreign language is to attach that word to a definition that would help one distinguish objects/situations in which the given word may or may not be applicable. I plan to incorporate Crystal’s method of how to conceptualize new words in my own Korean-language learning experience to limit instances in which I incorrectly use terminology. Overall, this would better my foreign-language abilities as it would require that I associate new words to previously-learned words (and some other new words), making my conceptualization of new vocabulary dependent on other words that I keep in my arsenal of terminology. Therefore, when needed, I would be able to retain and recollect the essence of words without making avoidable errors.

For one of the weeks, we were assigned to create the cultural project presentation. Youngmin gave a book filled with different cultural aspects of Korea and the topic of Tae Kwon Do piqued my interest. I decided to do my presentation on Tae Kwon Do out of nostalgia and my own curiosity. When I was younger, I used to practice Tae Kwon Do and really enjoyed my time learning the martial arts, so I wanted to go more in depth in how it came to be what it is today. The following class, Youngmin gave each of the students notecards so that we can provide feedback for everyone's cultural project. After I gave my presentation on Tae Kwon Do, Younngmin asked me some questions to follow up on some of the information I gave and provided me feedback to improve my project.

For the second week, we have been reviewing everything we learned so far using the workbook and textbook. She also explained to us the format of the exam, so that we can come prepared. I noticed that I had forgotten some of the important lessons, so I'm thankful that we have been going over everything we learned or else I would be terribly unprepared during the assessment.  

How have you organized your self-directed learning plan, and what have you learned so far? How will your studies allow you to investigate your target language and culture more deeply? What first prompted your interest, and motivated you to start learning? After receiving feedback from your classmates and Dr. Marsh-Soloway, what changes do you anticipate making?

I used the Levels of Competence document and the LinguaFolio checklists to determine which level of Korean I am in and then I used them to help me form some of my objectives set out in my learning plan. Since I am a novice learner, I also consulted the tasks suggested on the SDLAP Wiki page when making my learning plan. I noticed that much of what all three documents characterized as the skills novice learners should have overlapped (like learning the alphabet and the phonetic sounds used in the target language). While I recognized that I was able to understand some spoken Korean words, I did not have a strong basis on the language as a whole, particularly with respect to communicating in Korean and being literate in Hangul. Therefore, I began forming my learning plan as a curriculum for people who just started learning Korean from scratch because I wanted to better my understanding of spoken Korean while not neglecting any other aspect of language (i.e. interpretive reading, presentational speaking, presentational writing, and interpersonal communication). I took this mentality to heart, so much that some, if not all, of the tasks I set out for myself cover all communicative modes. For instance, one of the tasks I set for myself is: Introducing myself with basic information about myself and asking others to introduce themselves to me with similar information. For this task (and other similar ones), I make sure to understand how to read words or phrases soliciting information from me, how to conceptualize (verbal) questions about me, how to write down responses if necessary, and how to respond to questions if in a conversation while also understanding how to ask others for similar information; like, “어디서왔어요?” (Where are you from?), “플로리다어ㅣ서왔어요.” (I am from Florida.).

For each task that I aim to complete, I also included tools that would help me while I study Korean. Throughout the learning plan, I mention picture dictionaries and textbooks that I plan on using to help me enrich my Korean vocabulary and grammar. Another tool that I will consult in my studies is YouTube and Korean television (with subtitles), primarily to further enrich my Korean vocabulary and grammar with an auditory reference to know how sounds, words, and phrases should be pronounced. Furthermore, each task has its own artifact or is connected to an artifact along with other tasks to show how I have improved in corresponding areas of the Korean language. Some of these tasks are interpersonal, therefore, they require that I put what I learn to practice, typically by having a conversation with a Korean speaker. Moreover, for each task, I stated what may be the most difficult aspect of mastering that particular task so that I may place greater focus on aspects needing greater attention. Additionally, learning about culture is an important aspect attached the tasks that I have outlined in my learning plan. For example, one of my tasks involves going to a Korean restaurant and ordering food in Korean. To complete this task, I must learn some cultural aspects including the manner in which a server should be addressed, the way one orders food, and the way one pays/hands money to the server/cashier. I will then have to complete the task and go practice what I learned in terms of language and culture at a Korean restaurant.

Also, to keep myself organized in a timely manner, I created a weekly schedule for myself (that is framed from the objectives in my learning plan). This is one way I hope to keep myself accountable with my learning plan and other assignments for SDLC 105/110. As of now, I have covered material corresponding to my first five tasks. Such material/concepts include: Hangeul, the history of Hangul, the sounds associated with each letter and letter combinations, numbers, how to write by sounding words out, how to write particular words down, how to read, formatting words (informal vs. formal) and sentences (subject – object – verb) with correct structure, introductions, identity (college student, Ecuadorian-American, etc.), Lunar New Year’s (and traditional food), bowing culture, family (aunt, uncle, mom, dad, brother, sister, etc.), time, number systems, dates, and ordering food.

Overall, my learning plan and studies place a great emphasis on application, which allows me to investigate Korean language and culture in depth. For instance, I have established particular exercises for myself (like, creating and following a Korean-language scheduling calendar) that require that I practice what I have learned of time, dates, and how Koreans conceptualize time. Also, I have prepared excursions for myself like going to a Korean restaurant where I would read the menu in Korean and I would place my order in Korean: like stated earlier in this journal entry, this will require that I know the cultural components of ordering food just as much as the linguistic aspects of reading/understanding a menu and placing my order in Korean. My learning plan, in general, is very task-based, therefore things are meant to be learned and then practiced, ensuring greater retention and comprehension. Moreover, some lesson place a greater emphasis on parts of Korean culture that interest me: for instance, I have created a Korean wedding task and lesson for myself which will enable me to delve into this part of Korean culture and learn about relevant language/vocabulary.

Much of what I have learned about Korean culture before taking this course came from listening to my friends speaking in Korean and from watching Korean variety shows and dramas, all of which spurred my interest in learning Korean language and culture. This also ties into what motivated me to begin my Korean studies: I wanted to be able to communicate with my closest friends in Korean and I aspired to be able to watch Korean shows and listen to Korean songs without having to rely solely on subtitles (or translated lyrics) to understand what characters/artists were talking/singing about or doing.

After speaking about my learning plan with two classmates, I received commentary regarding timelines and the tasks I have planned for myself. My first partner said that covering all of the material I set out for myself may be difficult, but it is doable, particularly since I have set a strict timeline for myself to complete various lessons and tasks. My second partner was impressed with how I was about to cover most, if not all, modes of communication in each task. As such, I did not make any changes to my learning plan until I met with Dr. Marsh-Soloway. After our discussion, I took out my weather/forecast lesson and replaced it with a wedding-related task and lesson, as it would bring more cultural components to my learning plan and it would also make my studies more personal as I plan to attend a friend’s Korean wedding in the future.