论文部分内容阅读
Abstract：English essay writing has always been a big headache for a second language learner due to inadequate practical use of English. What is more, a favorable language environment does not exist in China, especially in those underdeveloped northwestern parts of China. As is known to all, the more you use English, the more proficient you will become at it. Therefore, keeping a journal can be an effective way of improving your English writing proficiency.
Key words：second language learner, keeping a journal; proficiency
Ⅰ.Introduction
As a college English teacher I have been teaching College English for more than ten years. I realize that English essay writing has long been one of university students’ weak points although they have been learning English as a second language for more than ten years since they began learning it in the primary school. The major reason behind this common phenomenon is their lack of a powerful motivation and adequate practical use of English in their daily life under an unfavorable language environment. To make matters worse, learning plenty of new words and expressions by heart is really a tough job. A large amount of time and energy will have to be spent on memorizing useful words and expressions if you want to learn English very well. That is why many students have even developed a phobia of learning English well, thus leading them to lose interest in making efforts to learn English well. In the backward northwestern parts of China English is often learned passively as it is a required course in the curriculum. After years of teaching practice I firmly believe that practice makes perfect, and that no pains, no gains. Here I advocate that keeping a journal is an effective and efficient way of improving your English writing proficiency because it can force yourself to use English every day. Gradually you will find it a pleasure to keep talking to a friend every day by writing down your daily experiences and reflections.
Ⅱ.The basic role and principle of keeping a journal
According to Longman Contemporary English-Chinese Dictionary a journal/diary means“(a book containing)a daily record of the events in a person’s life”(1988). This definition tells us the role of keeping a journal is to keep track of what has happened in a person’s everyday life and its principle is to do it as a routine on a daily basis. An English learner hoping to improve his/her writing proficiency needs to keep the principle in mind so as to improve his/her English step by step as expected because the hardest thing for journal writing is to stick to it every day. I myself have been keeping an English journal since last September and I have tried my best to record every detail of my family life and teaching career as long as I can. Very often my journal is two pages long and it takes me about half an hour to finish. In my mind a journal is not only a record of the events in my daily life, but also a reflection on what I have done in the past, in which I can express my inmost feelings and emotions freely just as talking to an old friend without any worries or pressures. In so doing you can practice using your English every day without the slightest anxiety about managing a big topic in essay writing. You may have a hard beginning, but keep on writing a journal on a regular basis. After some time of practice you will be surprised to find that your writing will have changed for the better.
Ⅲ.The benefits of keeping a journal
A good journal depends on the interplay of three factors:vocabulary, structure(grammar) and meaning. In other words successful journal writing depends on one’s actual command of English. Therefore, it is essential for an average student to do some reading as a vehicle of input. The more input an average student gets, the better journal he/she will produce. In short, input is the prerequisite for output. It is self-evident that improving writing takes a lot of practice, but the writer will be rewarded sooner or later, depending on individual efforts. As I see it, the journal keeper will receive the following benefits:First, the writer can have a chance to put his/her thoughts and experiences into meaning words consciously to cultivate thinking abilities in terms of language, logical thinking and content because“the act of writing is an act of thought”(Murray, 1993:337). Writing keeps the writer thinking and constant writing brings about a better and more profound understanding of the writer’s own behaviors and helps the writer to become more mature and exact in writing and thinking in the long run. Second, the act of writing is an act of thinking, which facilitates reading and learning actively. Writing after reading is a good way to reflect and check the writer’s understanding. After some time of writing practice, the writer will surely become a better writer instead of an awkward one. Third, keeping a journal has no special requirements for the writer, so the writer can put pen to paper anything desirable without restrictions of fears. It is a useful way to give the writer’s mental powers a full play and also offers the writer a good opportunity to gain an insight into the daily events. To conclude, keeping a journal is learner-centered, which helps the writer to sort out his/her ideas in a clear and logical way.
Ⅳ.Conclusion
“Rome is not built in a day.” To learn a foreign language well is no easy job. Keeping an English journal is surely an effective and efficient approach to improve your English writing proficiency step by step. To write a journal on a daily basis is a real challenge. It is not what every English learner can manage because sticking to journal writing every day is not as easy as we have imagined. As the saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” It is crucial for you to stick to writing, which will prove to be beneficial in the end. I have always been searching for an effective and efficient way to help my students improve their writing. My personal experience assures me that keeping an English journal is really a good approach and is applicable to college English teaching although it has not been attached the importance it deserves. However, only by keeping learning English all your life through reading extensively will you be able to use English with more accuracy and fluency.
References:
Ellis, G&B. Sinclair. 1989. Learning to learn English. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
Longman Contemporary English-Chinese Dictionary, 1998, Contemporary Publishing House.
Key words：second language learner, keeping a journal; proficiency
Ⅰ.Introduction
As a college English teacher I have been teaching College English for more than ten years. I realize that English essay writing has long been one of university students’ weak points although they have been learning English as a second language for more than ten years since they began learning it in the primary school. The major reason behind this common phenomenon is their lack of a powerful motivation and adequate practical use of English in their daily life under an unfavorable language environment. To make matters worse, learning plenty of new words and expressions by heart is really a tough job. A large amount of time and energy will have to be spent on memorizing useful words and expressions if you want to learn English very well. That is why many students have even developed a phobia of learning English well, thus leading them to lose interest in making efforts to learn English well. In the backward northwestern parts of China English is often learned passively as it is a required course in the curriculum. After years of teaching practice I firmly believe that practice makes perfect, and that no pains, no gains. Here I advocate that keeping a journal is an effective and efficient way of improving your English writing proficiency because it can force yourself to use English every day. Gradually you will find it a pleasure to keep talking to a friend every day by writing down your daily experiences and reflections.
Ⅱ.The basic role and principle of keeping a journal
According to Longman Contemporary English-Chinese Dictionary a journal/diary means“(a book containing)a daily record of the events in a person’s life”(1988). This definition tells us the role of keeping a journal is to keep track of what has happened in a person’s everyday life and its principle is to do it as a routine on a daily basis. An English learner hoping to improve his/her writing proficiency needs to keep the principle in mind so as to improve his/her English step by step as expected because the hardest thing for journal writing is to stick to it every day. I myself have been keeping an English journal since last September and I have tried my best to record every detail of my family life and teaching career as long as I can. Very often my journal is two pages long and it takes me about half an hour to finish. In my mind a journal is not only a record of the events in my daily life, but also a reflection on what I have done in the past, in which I can express my inmost feelings and emotions freely just as talking to an old friend without any worries or pressures. In so doing you can practice using your English every day without the slightest anxiety about managing a big topic in essay writing. You may have a hard beginning, but keep on writing a journal on a regular basis. After some time of practice you will be surprised to find that your writing will have changed for the better.
Ⅲ.The benefits of keeping a journal
A good journal depends on the interplay of three factors:vocabulary, structure(grammar) and meaning. In other words successful journal writing depends on one’s actual command of English. Therefore, it is essential for an average student to do some reading as a vehicle of input. The more input an average student gets, the better journal he/she will produce. In short, input is the prerequisite for output. It is self-evident that improving writing takes a lot of practice, but the writer will be rewarded sooner or later, depending on individual efforts. As I see it, the journal keeper will receive the following benefits:First, the writer can have a chance to put his/her thoughts and experiences into meaning words consciously to cultivate thinking abilities in terms of language, logical thinking and content because“the act of writing is an act of thought”(Murray, 1993:337). Writing keeps the writer thinking and constant writing brings about a better and more profound understanding of the writer’s own behaviors and helps the writer to become more mature and exact in writing and thinking in the long run. Second, the act of writing is an act of thinking, which facilitates reading and learning actively. Writing after reading is a good way to reflect and check the writer’s understanding. After some time of writing practice, the writer will surely become a better writer instead of an awkward one. Third, keeping a journal has no special requirements for the writer, so the writer can put pen to paper anything desirable without restrictions of fears. It is a useful way to give the writer’s mental powers a full play and also offers the writer a good opportunity to gain an insight into the daily events. To conclude, keeping a journal is learner-centered, which helps the writer to sort out his/her ideas in a clear and logical way.
Ⅳ.Conclusion
“Rome is not built in a day.” To learn a foreign language well is no easy job. Keeping an English journal is surely an effective and efficient approach to improve your English writing proficiency step by step. To write a journal on a daily basis is a real challenge. It is not what every English learner can manage because sticking to journal writing every day is not as easy as we have imagined. As the saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” It is crucial for you to stick to writing, which will prove to be beneficial in the end. I have always been searching for an effective and efficient way to help my students improve their writing. My personal experience assures me that keeping an English journal is really a good approach and is applicable to college English teaching although it has not been attached the importance it deserves. However, only by keeping learning English all your life through reading extensively will you be able to use English with more accuracy and fluency.
References:
Ellis, G&B. Sinclair. 1989. Learning to learn English. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
Longman Contemporary English-Chinese Dictionary, 1998, Contemporary Publishing House.