Last week, learners began a short two week introduction into their A2 English course.
They were required to watch a couple of videos and answer some questions on our Google+ community. The few lessons I’ve had with them during this time have been relaxed and we’ve been able to discover the joy of learning again without the pressure of their exams looming over us. I wanted to capture this by asking them to reflect on the year ahead. Their responses have been, as ever, honest, insightful and informative. I love asking my learners to reflect, especially about their feelings towards things as this is so useful in me planning the learning experiences ahead.
- What are you looking forward to?
- What do you think will be the biggest challenge in the year ahead?
- What questions do you have?
- Search for yourself on Google: What did you discover when you did a Google search for yourself? – If lots, did it show you in a positive light to employers/universities?- If nothing, how do you think this might impact you in the future?
- Explore some blogs online: What topics are you looking forward to blogging about?
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The learners’ responses:
When I googled myself I found one picture of myself along with other pictures of classmates and my teacher. I also found some blogger posts, some LinkedIn posts and YouTube channels, which I have subscribed to.
I am looking forward to blogging about poetry and things that I enjoy reading and writing about.
After I googled myself I wasn’t surprised to not find anything as I’m very cyber safe… that with the fact that I have a very unusual name.
Blogs
Regarding writing blogs, they are something I am very interested in however I would have no idea what to first write about.
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What are you looking forward to? I am looking forward to the poetry course work as I’ve really missed the poetry side of English but also because there will only be one exam in English at the end of the year.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge of the year? For me, it will be picking the poems to study.
What questions do you have? Do we have to learn books and poems off by heart – so it’s a closed book exam?
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what i`m looking forward to: studying cupcakes and kalashnikovs, it`s an intriguing and thought provoking title and i`m looking forward to finding out what it`s about. i am also looking forward to learning new analytical skills and new terminology.
biggest challenge: time management, especially with the ella 4 coursework. as well as the poetry.
google search: nothing about me appears. this is not necessarily a bad thing as the employer can see the real you and not as something online that might not truly reflect who you are and what you are like.
what i am looking forward to blogging about: i`m not sure yet.
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When I searched myself on google I found that all the accounts that have for example blendspace, blogger and prezi all appeared. I also recognised a document on there that was from my secondary school that shared that i took part in a summer show, highlighting who I played. This year i intend to have more links with the outside world, coming in contact with companies, businesses etc so that I can prepare my future and be well known for my work.
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Task 2
I’m looking forward to 100 years of the best journalism by women.
My biggest challenge this year will be looking at poems, as I am not a massive fan of them.
My questions = How long will we spend on the coursework?
Task 4
While searching for myself on Google I found a few of my social networking accounts, they represent me in a sense so I do not believe they show me in a bad light.
This year I’m looking forward to writing a blogs about things that I am enthusiastic about.
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Task 4: When i googled myself i did not find anything related to my life and it seems that there are many other people with my name.
If given the opportunity to blog about whatever I wanted i would like to write about travel, the journeys and my experience in other countries.
Task 2: I’m looking forward to reading through the new texts that we will be studying.
I think the biggest challenge in the year ahead will be the coursework task.
The only question i have is: how long do we have to complete the coursework?
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A2- Lang & Lit-
Task 2-
What I’m looking forward to- 100 years of the best journalism by women.
Biggest challenge- Poems! & ELLA4 coursework
Questions- This years grade!??? Ahhh 50%!!! what’s the lowest grade that still gives me a good opportunity next year?
Task 4-
Google yourself- nothing really appears!
What i’m looking forward to blogging about-
anything! I’m looking forward to stretching myself and my opinions and views on certain topics and look forward to seeing other’s views etc.
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There is a lot of work that is required for next year, but I am looking to reading Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs…it has an interesting title so I am hoping its a good read.
Personally, my biggest challenge would be myself. This year, I struggled because I had little faith in my own potential- I have never been this vulnerable for English due to it being the one thing I am great at. For me to achieve greater things in A2, this summer I plan to find the faith I’ve lost in myself.
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I have found myself and it is linked with many other businesses- I guess my name isn’t unique after all. However, though there are benefits to the web, it can be a scary place. Although, it gives businesses or universities the opportunity to discover the type of person that you are or were, it does not show your true potential. Yes, it is said we as young people are to involved in technology but we are the social media generation.
Social media is there for us to express ourselves to friends and family abroad or near for example- there are times when we may post pictures or videos which portrays irresponsible behaviour- there comes a time we must live and learn. Everyone has skeletons in their closet so why should our future Dean or boss deny us a better future because of something that may not ‘fit’ their standards- aren’t we the next generation?
on the contrary, it may be said that we do not need to be involved in social media THAT much or there are sick people out there lurching and monitoring us like their pray. Nonetheless, it is impossible to know who is watching us online but that does not separate online from reality- we cannot stop the bad situation from happening. Social media is a form of expression, how you handle it or see it is based upon the individual. Responsibility cannot be achieved without experience or havoc- ‘my life is my message’ – Ghandi. As you can see, I’m into debatable topics 😀
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What are you looking forward to? Studying different areas of English and learning new terminology and analytical skills. Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs looks very interesting.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge in the year ahead? I think time management will be a challenge.
What did you discover when you did a Google search for yourself? I found nothing, but I don’t think that can reflect badly. It would allow employees or universities to see what I am like in person rather than an online presence. In most cases, peoples portrayals online never truly represent who they are in real life.
What topics are you looking forward to blogging about? I’m not so sure yet.
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What are you looking forward to? – looking at different areas of literature and analysing poetry
What do you think will be the biggest challenge in the year ahead? – to try and balance all the work and be able to work at the speed I want
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When I googled my name I found my college you tube channel, a tweet from my twitter account and my vine account – I don’t think that any of these discoveries will impact badly on my employability or university application. Because I’m looking at music and songwriting courses then if any University were to look me up on you tube then they could find my own music recorded live with an anti bullying company and it would make me stand out more rather than put them off. I would like to blog about people and their effect on other and perhaps a bit about the psychological side. I’d try to incorporate my moral views as well as opposing ones and also involve music in some way too.
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What are you looking forward to? Studying Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs, the title intrigued me first so I’m looking forward to finding what it’s about.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge in the year ahead? I think time management in the coursework will be a challenge.
What did you discover when you did a Google search for yourself? I found nothing, but I don’t think that is a bad thing as it means I can show the employers the real me without a back story.
What topics are you looking forward to blogging about?
I’m looking forward to posting things from the sociological and psychological aspect. Why people do what they do and how society could have an influence on it.
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I am really excited about the poetry coursework as I enjoy looking at different interpretations of language and structures used. But it is also something that I have a great interest in. What I think my biggest challenge will be being able to read and analyse Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs in the depth I want to in the time we have.
When I looked for myself on Google I found my just giving page for when I did my charity fundraiser in which I raised over £500. Other than that there wasn’t anything else relevant to me which is good because it means that anyone who wants too look me up or meets me can decide for themselves what I am like.
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I’m looking forward to studying ‘Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs’ as I read a short part of it, and the different accounts from individuals looks interesting to research and write about. I feel that time management will be my biggest challenge, as there was no coursework at AS, so I will have to try to get everything done relatively quickly and balance my workload.
When I googled myself I found my name in a writing competition result that I entered in 2011. As well as my attendance award at my old school’s senior prize giving. I think this is positive, as they’re my achievements. I’d like to blog on social issues in the future, especially after studying the set texts, I think they will play a pivotal role in discussing topics in society.
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I am most excited for studying Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs as it covers a lot of topics which sound interesting to me, but also it offers changing perspectives from the past 100 years. My biggest challenge this year, I feel, will be completing all work on time as it does look like a lot to cover.
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When searching for myself, I found nothing relating to me. I think this is really good as it means anyone who does want to search and find out about me, and they find nothing, that they can begin their relationship with myself on a clean slate, and not use any previous versions of myself against me.
I’d quite like to blog about global issues that we fail to recognise in today’s society, whether they be environmental, political, social, or whatever.
