SELF STUDY ASSESSMENT MONDAY

Monday (8th September) is your last opportunity to submit your self study blogs and portfolios for assessment. This is worth 15% of your final grade and is considered to be an important element of your course.

While looking at your blogs during tutorials today I noticed that many of you are just using your blogs for saving articles you have read or recording grammar and listening exercises. While this is helpful and valid, what you also need to do is use this medium to reflect on your learning and language development and, based on that reflection, reassess your aims for the future.

If you are not sure where to begin, take some time out this weekend to write some paragraphs (100 words each) on the following topics:

1. What have you learnt this week - about yourself, about your academic skills, your approach to your studies, English in general, the culture and attitudes of the environment in which you are studying. Have any of your prejudices, habits or perceptions been challenged by these new experiences?

2. What are your objectives for next week - taking into account of the assessments you have to pass? How do you intend to do this?

3. What are your long term goals and objectives academically? What areas do you still need to develop to ensure success on your Masters course.

4. On a practical level - discus which websites, books or classroom activities you have found helpful in your development this month.

5. Finally I'd like you to consider how you like to learn and whether this has changed over the last month.

I'm looking forward to reading your responses and discussing them with you on Monday.

Sean