WR1.3. A narrative report on learning

WR1.3. A narrative report on learning 3-4-5 level 20 min.

GOAL. To find guidelines to write your own report on Being a learner today.

WARMING UP. Prewriting stage.

TASK 1. Answer the questions below about if you had to write Once upon a year (a learner’s report).

Q1. Which would be the contents included?

1- skills 2- language 3 – study time 4 – preparing my writings 5 - autonomy

Q2. Which would be focus for the introduction paragraph?

1- personal anecdote 2- first day 3- explicit the parts of the report 4 – introduce myself

Q3. Which of these topics would you also include?

1- attendance 2- school regulations 3 – my progression 4 – my weaknesses

5 – social life 6 – the teacher 7- the future 8 – previous years

Q4. Which could be your outline for the report?

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LANGUAGE STUDY.

TASK 2. Study both opening paragraphs. Which is the most focussed? ……………..

2.A# I might say that this has been a long year for me. First of all, I have learnt English in a different way: to say it in short, I have been in a practical language course, mostly focused on being a user of the language. In the previous years English was learnt like any other subject in my studies, similar to Maths. But now I think differently, and I will try to write my views in this learning report.

2.B# English has become finally another language I use. The point is that you welcome English in your life not only in my EOI classes: It’s up to me to decide so. I dive in this world which shows a bit of English language as well. I believe it’s worth a visit.

Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

TASK 3. Read this paragraph from a learner’s report and answer the questions below.

First Paragraph

I may begin at the beginning. I remember every detail of the first day. I arrived 15 minutes late and I found a young teacher talking about … fairytales! We spent a very long hour conversing about

“Puss in Boots”, “Cinderella” and “The Three Little Pigs”. My first impression was weird. I could not understand how English language learning was related to those stories that my parents had told

me when I was three. Where were the hateful grammar exercises? Silence. That was the first clue that showed me that this course was going to be different.

Anna

Q1. Underline interesting narrative devices in this reminiscence.

Q2. Could you consider this account of the first day succcsessful? Explain.

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Q3. The best phrases: ……………………………………………………….………………………………………………………..

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Q4. What about you? Write your paragraph on first day impressions:

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So far we have seen different possibilities to dress your report with colourful content.

Besides the obvious comments on the 4 skills and vocabulary and grammar you may describe some texts or activities as you go through tasks 4 and 5.

TASK 4. Have a look at this learner’s report on texts and activities. Do both questions below.

4.A# One of the early activities that sticks in my mind, which was a bit absurd at the time, was pointing ourselves in a sheet of paper with a lot of students in a circle around the class. I remember very well where I put myself, and perhaps I would repeat the place in the classroom.

4.B# In reference to the texts used in classes, I don’t remember especially any of them, but I liked the units which dealt with Psychology and themes related to learning or people’s behaviour with its curious tests.

Q1. Underline interesting language items.

Q2. Could you consider the first one more succcessful? Explain.

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Several learners make the teacher invisible in their reports, some find occassions to put them forward somehow. Now watch the ability of the reporter in task 5.

TASK 5. Have a look at the edited text from another student and compare them.

5A# student: Regarding to the lessons, I remember the first term as one of the funniest as a student, because the teacher made us to laugh very much. I think it was his character and his behaviour. I remember that it surprised me very much, like his way of doing the classes.

5B# Edited: Regarding to the lessons, I remember the first term was (as) one of the funniest as a student, because [our] the teacher made us to laugh very much. I think it was his character and his behaviour. I recall today how (remember that) it surprised me very much, for example his peculiar/particular way of doing the classes.

activity one. Explain the main corrected mistakes (mostly due to lack of time).

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activity two. Rewrite in your own words the same passage keeping most of the content.

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Most students may include some reflections on your autonomy as a learner.

TASK 6. Have a look at these excerpts on personal study work.

6A# I kept working on my English Vocabulary book, where I did half of it. also got the Sound Advice pronunciation book and have already done the exercises from units 1-6. I will add them to the my Extra Learning File.

6B# In my opinion, English is not only writing some answers in the coursebook or listening to a tape. English surrounds me in my daily life: I listen to ABC News in my cable TV, Films in DVD are in OV, music in my iPod.

We could try to dive in this world which shows a bit of English language as well. I believe it’s worth a visit.

activity one. Underline interesting language items.

activity two. Could you consider the first one more succcessful? Explain.

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activity three. What about you? Write your paragraph on autonomy:

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So far we have seen different possibilities to dress your report with colourful content.

We end up with a fair conclusion.

TASK 7. Have a look at these excerpts from the conclusion of these learners. Underline interesting language items.

7A# Summarizing I would say that it has been, on the one hand, a very great year for my improvement in English, and, on the other hand, for the special relationship with my classmates.

7B# I assume this course will be my last year of studying English at the EOI (I flunked the previous year: I’m a 5th-bis student). I am also a bit worried about passing the exam in June but I keep telling myself “Never mind, Yolanda, there’s another opportunity in September”. As the English say, “The dice is cast”. That’s all, folks.

7C# My adventure finishes today and I have to recognise that it saddens me a bit. I have shared this experience with great people: Alicia, Santi, Marisa, Enric…. Let’s hope everything turns out all right next year! M C

TASK 8. Could you consider the first one more succcessful? Explain.

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ROUNDING OFF

You can read the two annexed reports from third level and forth level to find inspiration for your own assignment.

See also Writing 6.2. Have a nice flight! in this website