1. Overall Learning Reflection
By: Adam Su

2. Skills and Strategies
Writing
Reading
Media
Oral

3. Writing
From the beginning of the semester, to the end, my writing has clearly improved. It is shown through my blog. Since my first blog post about Macs and Pcs to one of my most recent posts regarding stress and school, I have learned various writing skills.

4. Writing Examples PC vs Macs No research Unorganized Improperly cited
No flow
Simple facts
Is School Stressing You Out?
Loads of research
Organized
Properly cited
Flows from one idea to another
Complex ideas

5. Writing Strategies: Before
Write an outline
Think of an idea
Do research to back up idea
Read other posts similar to topic

6. Writing Strategies:Before
I find that writing an outline helps a lot with any writing piece. It helps you figure out what steps you need to take. It also helps you figure where you are trying to take the idea. For example, the news article planner helped me brainstorm characters, setting, and helped me create a strong lead that is sufficient in info.

7. Writing Strategies: During
Follow outline
Do research
Reread mistakes in the paragraph I’m working on
Find synonyms for descriptive words

8. Writing Strategies: During
Following the outline that I had made before I started writing is the best strategy I use.I don’t have to put too much effort into brainstorming ideas when I already have a plan of ideas. It also saves me a lot of time while writing because I don’t have to constantly have to stop to research ideas.

9. Writing Strategies: After
Proofreading
Asking peers to edit
Compare to other writings

10. Writing Strategies: After
Proofreading my work and asking a peer to proofread are the best strategies I use. When I proofread I can pick up spelling mistakes and structural errors. When a peer edits, they can pick up awkward sentences since they think differently than I do.

11. Ways I Can Become A Better Writer
Read other pieces of writing and compare
Ask peers to edit my writing so I can see what I need to improve
Write more so I am comfortable with writing in different styles

12. Reading
By reading my literature circle book, The Fifth Rule, and, Romeo And Juliet, my reading has improved.

13. Reading Strategies: During
Visualize what I’m reading
Ask questions
Take notes
Make connections

14. Reading Strategies: During
I find that visualizing what I’m reading helps me the most because when I visualize, it feels like I’m creating a memory. By doing so, it helps me remember more and make more connections. I visualized scenes from Romeo and Juliet, especially the balcony scene.

15. Reading Strategies: After
Answer my questions
Reread my notes
Make predictions

16. Reading Strategies: After
Answering my questions help me the most after I’m done reading because not only does it help me understand more of the book, it helps me predict more of what’s about to happen. I asked myself questions while reading The Fifth Rule to make predictions.

17. Media
Over the course of the Romeo and Juliet unit, I learned many things about media.

18. Media Strategies Interpreting Ask questions Figure out the mood
Is it original?
Creating
Ask questions
Set the mood

19. Media Strategies
I find that asking myself questions is very helpful to interpreting a media text. It is helpful because if there is something I don’t understand I can ask about it. I asked myself questions while watching the balcony scene for the 1996 version of Romeo and Juliet.

20. What I learned About Media
Scenery is very important
The same story can be tweaked by different directors
The same story’s quality can be changed by different directors
Music determines the mood
The way the actors say their lines are important (tone, accent, speed)

21. How I Can Improve As An Interpreter Or Producer
Read reviews on good and bad plays
Try to understand why a producer wants to do what he wants
Research famous plays and analyze them

22. Oral
I have bettered my oral skills through the presentations of my weekly role in my literature circle and through preparing for my blogger of the week presentation.

23. Oral Strategies: Before
Prepare for speech
Know what you are going to say
Use visual or audio aids

24. Oral Strategies: Before
Using a visual aid has helped me the most presenting orally. By having my blog ready beside me as I talked about my topic, I never went off topic. It also helps me deliver a more interesting speech.

25. Oral Strategies: During
Talk slowly
Talk loud and clear
Follow the planned speech
Use a visual aid
Listen to another person’s idea
Show expression
Don’t use filler words like um, or uh

26. Oral Strategies: During
-By following a speech plan, I have delivered better speeches. For my blogger of the week, I followed the course of my blog and talked about each topic. That helped me create a more interesting speech and prevented me from going off topic.

27. Oral Strategies: After
Answer questions
Make sure that the audience knows that the speech is over

28. Oral Strategies: After
Making sure the audience know that the speech is over is helpful because it makes your speech feel complete. When presenting in my literature circle, other people can smoothly transition into their idea because they know I’m done speaking.

29. Ways I Can Improve My Oral Communication Skills
Participate more in class discussions
Express more ideas
Talk with a purpose, not because you have to

30. Skills That Help Improve My Oral Communication
Writing - Helps present clear ideas which improves the conversation
Listening - Helps me understand other people’s ideas
Reading - Helps me understand a common topic, such as a literature circle book, which improves a conversation because there are more ideas

31. Conclusion
I have improved in presenting orally the most. By doing literature circles, I can present my ideas clearly without any hitches.
I need to improve in writing and understanding the structures of essays and knowing how to write one properly.