How I improved my learning during PEP

Reading plays a significant role in PEP study, because some assignments require good reading skills, such as IRW, Referencing Essay and Independent Research paper. To complete each of these assignments before due date, I should read a group of academic articles with efficient reading and note taking skills. I only used to underline or circle keywords to assist my reading, but in these assignments I started to use highlighters. Meanwhile I tried to take notes for readings in better ways, which include critical reading, evaluation of the article and cross-referencing. I also tried to use mind map softwares to facilitate the note taking, however they would devour more time for learning them, so I gave it up. Facilitated by these skills, I found it more easier to achieve these reading related assignments.

Additionally, we have more works after class such as case study, oral presentations. They also need lots of time. I should arrange time for reading, researching, writing as well as rehearsal for OP. So excellent time management skills are definitely required. To improve my time management, I learnt pomodoro technique. According to this system, I divided my assignments or other homeworks to smaller tasks, and allocated tasks into each “pomodoro time”, which is 25 min work-time plus 5 min break. The allocation become the log for everyday’s work so that I could evaluate my efficiency at the end of each day. These evaluation help me to realise the problems of wasting time and the potential ways to improve my time management.

Over all, I improved my English reading skills and time management skills during PEP. I hope I could keep the progress in further study in university.

My Reflection on a Discussion about Academic Writing

I answered a survey about academic writing in 22nd May, 2014. For there is not a similar concept in China, I did it according to my understanding about academic writing in Australia. I found it really hard to answer the survey if it is based on Chinese style, because it seems that all the options are not applicable.

We discussed in group in the next day and compared academic writing in Australian culture, Chinese culture and Korean culture with each other. Only few elements are the same, for example, “connecting ideas”. Korea share more elements with Australia than China. However, some elements such as “critical thinking” could only be found in Australia. The reasons for these differences is absolutely related to the culture and history in each country. For instance, in China, academia is a relative new concept for its people comparing with its long history. We has been struggling to accomplish the goal of 9-year compulsory education since 1911. The education system in China is too busy to make clear about how to educate a person, but have to educate hundreds of million young people. Even most of the lecturers in Chinese universities do not understand academic culture and its importance.

I have been practising some skills of academic writing for nearly five weeks in the PEP program. Now I know that I should give a clear main topic in the introduction part, which contains background of the topic, my position and the scope of this essay. And then, I should discuss an idea once a body paragraph, with some supporting ideas and evidence. Finally, I should write a conclusion to repeat the main topic in another way. The most difficulty is picking out a topic, especially in the referencing essay. Maybe it is because in my own education experience I was seldom asked to develop my own ideas.

How I study English for the first days in Australia

Australia is an English-speaking country, so it is full of opportunities for studying English as long as I want, and I do.

I started to practise my English as soon as I landed at Adelaide Airport. I talked confidently with an airport staff even though he was messing up and checking all my baggage. At the beginning of my Aussie life, I had to deal with something to settle down, for example starting a bank account. I walked into the bank with awareness that it is always a good way to practise my speaking and listening with someone who serves me. I live in a homestay now. The landlady and her family like to chat with me, which also helps a lot for improving my English. Of course, campus is a much better environment to practise English.

However on campus people use academic English, which would be easier than social English for me to understand because I am more familiar with academic vocabulary than social vocabulary. The accent was also a problem in the first days, but I overcame it soon. Speaking speed is another one stop me to understand. If an Aussie is talking with me too fast, I will not follow him; and it is hard for me to speak as fast as local people. This problem is somehow awkward.

I keep learning new words for better understanding of daily and academic conversation, assisted by a website. Some of them come from conversation and some of them come from observing. For each day, the website provides a plan of learning new words and reviewing familiar ones. The plan sums 100 words per day. Moreover I could check the statistics easily to know how many words I have learnt for a period of time. Additionally, I spend at least half an hour per day on chatting with the landlady. One day, when we were talking about something pretty funny and laughed aloud together, I realized maybe I had made a progress.

BTW, I would like to share that helpful website but I do not post any advertising in the blog. So if you need the URL, please comment with your email address. I will email you later.