Final Project

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EPc-V4FBOVjYoWRSY_gFjN83_sTzsee2/view?usp=sharing

Learning English grammar website

https://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toeic-practice-writing.htm

Autonomous English learning plan

Aside from what we learn under the instructors’ guidance, autonomous studying is of great importance. Therefore, my plan will include 4 parts: speaking, listening, practical writing, and extensive reading.

One of the best ways to practice English speaking skills is having conversations with the native speakers as much as possible, although it is not easy to find one or many English speakers who are willing to talk to us. Another way is to use English speaking apps like VOA Learning English or Supiki. These tools are good for me to practice English speaking.

It’s very convenient to hone listening skills nowadays. I will use Youtube, Netflix as two major sources to practice my listening skills. There are myriads of materials on Youtube for the users to learn, and one of them is the Ted Talk channel. Besides, music videos, talk shows, news, documentaries on Youtube are also very helpful to improve my listening skills. Even though Netflix is not a free-of-charge website like Youtube, I find it extremely beneficial for me to self-evaluate and improve my English listening. Other notable sources I will be utilizing are Randall, BBC Learning English. Thanks to the Computer-assisting Language Learning course, I was introduced to a top-notch listening tool like Randall. The website offers a variety of listening samples from a basic level to an advanced one.

Besides academic writing, business writing is what I aim to master. The business writing covers various formats such as memo writing, report, placing an order, cover letter, autobiography, etc. And I will be using Grammarly to support my practice, which is a tool for users to check and correct grammatical mistakes, typos in their writing. I have been using it for over two years, and it has benefited me a lot.

Extensive reading is tremendously important for one to study English because it helps learners broaden their corpus, concrete grammars, sharpen writing skills. Therefore, I am going to utilize Soochow’s library to extend my reading. A library is a right place for me to appreciate favorite reading materials. What’s more, Gutenberg is another great source for me to find something to read. It is a non-profit virtual book store that has various kinds of books for one to read.

Duolingo review

Duolingo is a language-learning program which applies totally the concept of a game playing to operate. So. it is literally a game.

The game has 5 levels which contain many quizzes for the players to play. The players have to finish each level so that they can advance to the next one, or they can directly unlock the next level when passing the qualifying test. Besides, the program supports many languages that the users can choose to play (or to learn).

The quizzes of the game are abundant in quantity and are varied in the category. What's more, the game not only teaches the players reading skills but also pronunciation and listening skills. Also, the programmers use a lot of hooks to keep the players getting hooked to it such as ranking, bonuses, rewards, tournaments, daily-goal challenges, etc,. All the hooks are to make the players feel fun while learning a language.

Last but not least, the program's designs are eye-catching, friendly, and easy to play; the players can quickly and effortlessly access the program without any obstacles.

In conclusion, Duolingo has done a great job of meeting two important requirements: learning and entertaining. It is a must-play game for one to learn a language at the basic level.

Duolingo

Write Away Experience

It's my first time to try this writing-assisted tool, but I find it quite helpful. The best thing that I notice is the tool's predicted assisting function; once you type one particular word, the assisting tool shall list out numerous possible collocated words that match with it. From my own perspective, this tool will helps users practice, hone and advance their English writing skills.

Text to Speech

Woebot

ALICE CHAT BOT

Jcloze

Experience of Computer-assisted Language Learning

I have just found out that I have been using the CALL materials all the time without knowing that they are CALL materials. Online dictionaries, news websites, and online multimedia tools are what I find very useful for me to improve my English learning because they are easy to access and to be used. However, things were not that convenient when I was a junior and senior high schooler in Vietnam. Back in the early 2000s, computers were rarely seen in my remote hometown, and not to mention the internet connection service (which I remember that it was started to be installed and later commonly used in 2008). At that time, the studying of English relied on reference books and raw documents, which was a disadvantage in terms of learning materials and studying time.

When I was in 7th grade, I was chosen along with a few students to form a representative team for an English competition. We had to prepare months before the competition. Our English teacher gave each of us a pile of exercise documents which was about identifying and determining the correct stressed syllable of each word given (the assignment was very tough and tiring). I had to look up every page of a small, old and worn dictionary to check every single English word. it was such a time-consuming and tiring exercise I have ever did, and yet, I didn't finish all of it by the time of the deadline, even though I tried all my best. If I had had a computer connected with the internet at that time, I would have finished the exercise even before the deadline without wasting too much time on it.

Now, I can check any English word in an online dictionary and it is free of charge. What's more, I often practice my English listening skills through Youtube and improve reading skills on news and magazine websites.

news summary and response

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200512-say-hello-to-the-worlds-new-greetings

Summary.

Bella-Daily Steele and Ruth Terry wrote an article titled "Say hello to the world's new greetings," published on BBC news website on 13th May 2020. The article was about the temporary replacement of physical greetings in many countries including China, New Zealand, France, Tanzania, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan because of the COVID - 19 outbreak. From China to Afghanistan, handshakings, hugging, Hongi (New Zealander's traditional greeting of nose and forehead pressing together,) cheek kissing, head touching, hand clasping and kissing, and nose kissing have been replaced by non-physical greetings respectively.

Response.

There are a few things that I learn after finish reading the article. The first one is the variation of greetings in many cultures all over the world before the coronavirus epidemic, for each culture has its own distinctive characteristics that differ from one another. Secondly, a nation's traditions and customs can be changed or replaced with or without the consensus of its citizens. By witnessing the replacement of the greetings method in many countries, I realize that when people in a country change, their cultures, traditions, and customs change too. Also, the way that people in these countries react to and accept the changes varies. The Wuhan Shake in China was spontaneously invented by the people living among the epicenter to show solidarity and optimism. Whereas the indigenous tribes in New Zealand like the Maori and Kiwi actively change their traditional greeting, the French reluctantly have to avoid using bias - cheek kissing when they want to greet each other. Tanzanian anthropologist Alexander Mwijage working at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences expresses his concern that social ties between communities can be deteriorated due to the social distancing and new greeting of "foot shake." It is unsure whether what Alexander Mwijage worries about is true or not, but the Turks are surely know how to adapt to the situation by using the eyvallah - one hand is put at heart and bow slightly -  a centuries-old greeting gesture used by the Ottomans. The Turks think that using the eyvallah is the right way to show and preserve their values during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Books to read at Gutenberg

The first book that I choose to read is Ulysses by James Joyce. I've heard of the book and its reputation for a while, but I've never had a chance to read it. So, out of curiosity, I want to read it. 
I've picked "The War of the World" by H.G. Wells as the second book to read. As a fan of science-fiction novels, I find the novel is very tempting and intriguing.