| Literacy Autobiography 200903992 Yooran Kim When I was young, my parents put the posters of Korean and English alphabet on the wall. That was when I could barely walk. I knew how to read all the alphabets when I was two years old, and even I could sing alphabet song when I was three. However, I didn't know how to apply them into the words. Before I go to the Elementary school, my parents bought me a set of famous story books for children. Since my parents were out all day for work, I had really enjoyed reading those books with my grandmother. I dreamed of being a princess, a heroin and sometimes a little cute animal in the adventure group from the book. I could be friendly with the book that way. After I entered the elementary school, I learned how to write for the first time, While reading lots of books at home, I could learn different types of good sentences naturally, and I guess it really helped me to write a good critiques or essays for school work. I was awarded for book reports many times and those experience made me felt proud of my writing and focused more on reading and writing. Unlike nowadays, I didn't have chance to study English at Elementary school. Korean elementary school started to offer English class far later. All I knew about English till I graduate Elementary school was alphabets I've learned when I was young, and some greeting words such as 'Hi, Jane. My name is Yooran. How are you? I'm fine.' I entered the Middle school, and teachers taught us English from Alphabet. At that time, lots of students didn't have chance to learn English(except alphabet), so it was no surprise that there were at least 5 students who didn't know even alphabet. Korean middle school curriculum offered us to learn from the basis of the English. I liked English. All the fairy tale stories I've read had many drawings on the book. I thought all the talking animal friends, their beautiful houses, and exciting adventures were all in America. I think I've dreamt living in America with beautiful people just like fairy tale. Anyway, I had some fantasy about Western countries and attractive sounds of pronouncing English made me study harder. When I was freshman in high school, my teacher recommended the exchange student test supported by Korean government, I took the test after two months of preparation but didn't get the pass. I was a bit frustrated for a while until I got one phone call. That lady said the other student who passed the test gave up her(or his) chance to be a exchange student. So she was asking me if I have willing to take that chance! Of course I said yes. At that time exchange students had to stay one more year at school to finish the Korean course after they came back from foreign country. I heard a few students dropped even after they got a pass to be a exchange student. My parents and I were a bit worried about that flunk thing too, but I insisted them that I want to go. So I could go abroad for two semesters, and studied at Centennial High school in Phoenix, Arizona. English I've learned in Korean way was a far different from the English I faced in America. It was so hard when I didn't understand what others say to me. However, I whispered to myself that I'm talented in language skill, and I studied more harder at home after school. I tried to read all the texts from the textbook out loud. 3 months after, I was in a world history class. The teacher was the person who speaks English really fast like a bird. At first I didn't understand anything but few words she uttered. I was just sitting there and listening her eyes and lips and following what others look like doing. But after 3 months later, I suddenly felt that 'I think I've just understood what she just said'. And I was so surprised that I was really understanding and listening what she says almost all. That was a big surprise and joy. After I entered college, I tried to read English written books. I really didn't do that well since my major wasn't English that time. I know that it is a lame excuse, but I haven't read many books yet. But I read a few English books and I think I've learned lots of various expressions from the books which helped me to improve my writing skills. | 
Your story is very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I like the part you explained about how you felt when readin English book and thought about America because it was such a romantic emotion to have. Your dream to be a princess while reading the fairy tales really impressed me. Next, I can feel how your are passionate learning English and you like English. You told me that you just liked attractive pronounciation of English and from this I was able to feel that. And that made me think of studying languages once more because for most of the time, I thought that languages are just media and means to communicate with others. I found that just liking and attracted by pronounciation can be a good reason to learn languages. However, there are two things that I want to know more. First, it would be great to explain more about the '3 months', the period which you became to understand your teacher. I want to know if you studied in special way or put tons of effort in learning English, or so on... Next, I want to understand your last part of essay more in detail. You told us in your writing that you did not major in English at the first time. It means that HUFS is not your first university, isn't it? I am so curious about this story.
Revision version. 2nd draft-part 1
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young, my parents put the posters of Korean and English alphabet on the wall. That was when I could barely walk. I knew how to read all the alphabets when I was two years old, and even I could sing alphabet song when I was three. However, I didn't know how to apply them into the words.
Before I go to the Elementary school, my parents bought me a set of famous story books for children. Since my parents were out all day for work, I had really enjoyed reading those books with my grandmother. I dreamed of being a princess, a heroin and sometimes a little cute animal in the adventure group from the books. I could be friendly with books that way.
After I entered the elementary school, I learned how to write for the first time, While reading lots of books at home, I could learn different types of good sentences naturally, and I guess it really helped me to write good critiques or essays for school work. I was awarded for book reports many times and those experience made me felt proud of my writing and focused more on reading and writing.
Unlike nowadays, I didn't have chance to study English at Elementary school. Korean elementary school started to offer English class far later. All I knew about English till I graduate Elementary school was alphabets I've learned when I was young, and some greeting words such as 'Hi, Jane. My name is Yooran. How are you? I'm fine.'
I entered the Middle school, and teachers taught us English from Alphabet. At that time, lots of students didn't have chance to learn English(except alphabet), so it was no surprise that there were at least 5 students who didn't know even alphabet. Korean middle school curriculum offered us to learn from the basis of the English.
I liked English. All the fairy tale stories I've read had many drawings on the book. I thought all the talking animal friends, their beautiful houses, and exciting adventures were in America. I think I've dreamt living in America with beautiful people just like fairy tale. Anyway, I had some fantasy about Western countries and attractive sounds of pronouncing English made me study harder.
When I was freshman in high school, my teacher recommended the exchange student test supported by Korean government, I took the test after two months of preparation but didn't get the pass. I was a bit frustrated for a while until I got one phone call. That lady said the other student who passed the test gave up her(or his) chance to be an exchange student. So she was asking me if I have willing to take that chance!
Revision version. 2nd draft-part 2
ReplyDeleteOf course I said yes. At that time exchange students had to stay one more year at school to finish the Korean course after they came back from foreign country. I heard a few students dropped even after they got a pass to be an exchange student. My parents and I were a bit worried about that flunk thing too, but I insisted them that I want to go.
So I could go abroad for two semesters, and studied at Centennial High school in Phoenix, Arizona. English I've learned in Korean way was far different from the English I faced in America. It was so hard when I didn't understand what others say to me. However, I whispered to myself that I'm talented in language skill, and I studied more harder at home after school. I tried to read all the letters from the textbook out loud and memorized every word from vocabulary book writing same words over hundred times. Also, I tried to watch American TV a lot (even kids channel) and have conversation with host siblings (a boy who was 9 years old, and a girl who was 18 years old).
3 months later, I was in a world history class as usual. The teacher was the person who speaks English really fast like a bird. At first time I came to America and took this class, I didn't understand anything but few words she uttered. I was just sitting there and listening her eyes and lips and following what others look like doing. But on that day after 3 months, I suddenly felt that 'I think I've just understood what she just said'. And I was so surprised that I was really understanding and listening what she says almost all. That was a big surprise and joy.
After I came back home from America, I had chance to enter Yonsei university. I liked art, so I majored Design. For design department, there weren’t many English classes mandatory except 4 required English subjects. Moreover I replaced it with my TOEIC report card since if students have enough Toeic score to pass the class, school let them do that and refunded $170 for that class(which means students had to pay extra $170 to attend native professor’s class). For this reason and that I was extra busy with doing art work, I tried to read English written books but didn't work that. I know that it is a lame excuse, I haven't read many books yet, but I’ve read a few English books and I think I've learned lots of various expressions from the books which helped me to improve my writing skills. After all, all those experiences had shaped me into the person who I am now. Especially I thank to my exchange student experience.