Adopting a totally different language is really hard for anyone. As a non-native English student, I had to face lots of problems in adopting English properly. When I first stepped in High School and begun my new school life here in the USA, I was really surprised to find that some people can be rude. It’s because I couldn’t get English properly! I have tried to push myself in the best ways so that I can develop myself in English. My English Course 10108 in The City College of New York has helped me to develop in reading, writing, thinking in a broad way.

     Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn (American author and motivational speaker).  This course has reflected the exact same point of view as Jim Rohn. Introducing students with different ways of reading and making the students focused on reading different types of texts including journals, novels, and graphic novels were one of the main purposes of the class. However,  my most common scenario at the time of reading is skipping the pages of books and jumping to an unclear conclusion. The reason behind doing this was my struggle in figuring out the difficult words with a proper meaning. A bunches of critical words have always worked as a hurdle for me to get an absolute theme, idea or message. This course has helped me to deal with this problem. Bubbling the difficult word with synonyms and figuring out the proper meaning has made me get a clear idea from the texts. I have developed my reading by increasing my vocabulary of difficult words with comparatively easiest and meaningful words.

    Graphic novels have been read most in this course which has made me learn about how to connect the facial expression and speech of the characters. Visualizing the expressions and reactions of the characters is also the easiest way to get the meaning of the situation which helps you to get a transparent idea about the story. So to develop the reading I would always suggest that try to visualize the expressions of the speaker and try to feel it. It will surely develop you as a reader. In addition, underlining the important sentences is also a smart way to develop yourself as a reader. The underlined important lines have helped me to write a strong response paper later.

     The most important thing which has developed me as a reader is a process of connecting the reader, audience, and message through rhetorical analysis. Connecting the writer, audience and the message has helped me a lot to improve myself as a reader because it has made me to learn more about the background, responses and clear meaning of the story. As a reader, I always get connected to every situation of the story. I would say feeling the story when you read can help you to get a clear idea and make you feel the story realistic. These are the main strategies which have helped me to develop myself as a reader.

 

      Reading and writing are connected. Reading always helps to gather information and writing helps to express the extensive idea about the topics. Free writing was an important part of the course. Freewriting has always been my most favorite one. When we were given to write about “where are you from” theme. Then it didn’t get me long to think twice about where should I need to focus the most. My experience about being a recent immigrant has helped me to explain everything clearly throughout the paper. As a writer, I always start by making an outline of the essays. Making outlines make the work organized. I had a habit of rushing to do things in the last moment without having any organization. But through this course, I have developed my organization in writing by making a fruitful outline. The image below shows my first outline in this course.

The professor’s comments on the research paper have always fueled my writing in a better position. The comments on research essays from the professor and classmates have helped me to develop on my errors and mistakes. One of the comments from the professor was like-    

                                                  “Organization, too, needs a little improvement”  

This comment has made me do the outline and be organized in my writing. And in the second paper, I did get a positive comment on my organization.

Repeating one theme again and again was the most boring thing I used to do. Professor has always suggested me to develop on this thing by saying-

                                     “Try to keep them as fresh and clear as possible–at several other

                                      points, like the end, the language of the essay reverts to the generality

                                                                              and cliche. “

This comment has helped me to develop the writing in a narrower way with worthy meaning.

These comments have always helped me to develop my writing. I think whenever you write something, you should need to connect to it then you can properly express the story and can make the audience feel you. And later for the final research paper, I have chosen the topic of microaggression in the USA and how it still exists in society. I have been trying to touch every sort of a fact of the theme without any fear and hesitance. The main motive of free writing is to express everything inside you freely without any fear. So I did and this always helps me to improve myself as a writer.

 

        As a writer and reader, I have developed myself by getting rhetorical analysis, doing an outline, getting more about literary devices and using them. But I would say mostly I have developed my way of thinking.“Good is not a thing you are. It is a thing you do”( Ms. Marvel). This quote has got in my mind permanently and has expanded my way of thinking. Through this class, I have unlocked the fear of writing and group works. Different broad ideas from different classmates have always helped me to change the way I think in a different better way. And I would say the best way to learn yourself is by learning others. And I have made it in this class by knowing others perspectives.