For the years I have been in college studying, I have learnt more than I thought could get achieved from the program. Before joining college, I knew that I wanted to be an English teacher. However, I did not know that this program entailed much more than I expected. English 101 has taught me much more than language and literature, especially sharpening my skills in critical thinking, writing, expressing, and answering questions. More importantly, I have learnt the significance of understanding literature and language.
In this semester, there are some assignments I wish to discuss, considering that they have extensively impacted my growth in English. First is the exploratory essay “The Impact of My Uncle in My English Language”, then the analytical essay “The Holocaust toll”, and the argumentative essay on cultural identity “Indian Students at MCC”. The outlined topics have helped me understand the necessities of writing impeccable literary works. Each piece needed special attention, research, and approaches to writing.
Exploratory essays are meant to help the reader understand the topic from its foundation, development, and current status. The subject of my uncle’s help in the growth of my English language guaranteed that in my class discussions, I could comfortably explore the primary reasons that helped me identify that I wanted to learn and teach English at higher levels. Moreover, in this essay I had to apply critical thinking so that I could relate my experiences of when it happened, who was involved, and why the task was completed. Nevertheless, this essay was the first sign that my English needed polishing and revision. I also noted that although spoken English is equally important, the written English could become disastrous if one does not evaluate what they intend to explore in the paper.
On the other hand, argumentative essays are based on powerful persuasions. When I was writing the essay pertaining “Indian Students at MCC” I learnt that extensive researches are critical. Luckily, the internet is full of helpful information; however, some of the information is not scholarly and cannot withstand scrutiny. Thus one has to sieve the right and sensible contents of every given topic and culture. Gladly, I learnt that argumentative essays consist of several sections that include hooks, a thesis statement, topic and supporting sentences in each paragraph, a counter argument, and a conclusion. However, if I had to rewrite this text, I would ensure that the counterargument section is included to make up a fully defined argument. Also, such essays need responsible writing. Being responsible means avoiding writing sensitive subjects and topics, which may lead to conflict from the identified audience.
Analytical essays are crucial in the learning process in English 101. They assess the writer’s ability to articulate, support, and construct complex ideas. Moreover, I have learnt that they are also used to evaluate arguments while sustaining coherent and focused discussions. During this semester, I was lucky to differentiate analytical writing from other types of essays by analyzing the issue on “The Holocaust toll.” In fact, technology came in handy to assist in the undertaking. I was able to understand what was entailed during this crisis by getting contents from different newspapers, blogs, and other sites while I analyzed their reports and views on this matter. Moreover, discussions with other members of the class were very valuable because other students researched notes and ideas contributed to a more polished essay. I am glad to report that by the time I was writing “The Holocaust toll,” my lecturer applauded me for presenting a masterpiece. Indeed, my vocabulary and sentence constructions were quite polished at the same time.
Although learning is a process and not a destination, It is rather difficult to identify the gaps that still need to be filled in my English major because I feel like I have learned enough. Nevertheless, I am positive that my literal and writing skills have expanded, and I am prepared to undertake English 102 and continue learning more and sharpen my skills. Essentially, I do believe that there is still a room for improvement.