Grammar in Spoken Discourse Final Project: Digital Storytelling

Summary

In this reflective video script, Sofia Wilen shares her experiences learning grammar and spoken discourse during her second semester. She describes her initial expectations, discovering the natural use of discourse features like slang and idioms, and the process of creating group presentations. Sofia details the challenges of making informative, persuasive, and argumentative speeches in video format, alongside the difficulties of writing a reflective journal. Despite occasional struggles, she highlights the enjoyable aspects of the subject, including the engaging teaching style of her lecturer, Mrs. Marlene. Sofia concludes by acknowledging her growth and learning throughout the course.

Takeaways

• 😀 Sofia initially thought the course would be difficult but later found it enjoyable and practical.
• 😀 She realized that she was already using many of the discourse features, like slang and idioms, naturally in her daily conversations.
• 😀 Working with group members Amalia and Insightful was a positive experience, especially with their good teamwork skills.
• 😀 Presenting the poster on discourse markers was easier than Sofia expected, and she learned to manage her presentation anxiety.
• 😀 The video assignment, which involved creating persuasive and informative speeches, was challenging, but she found the second video easier to do.
• 😀 Writing the argumentative essay about first aid and medical health was initially thought to be easy but turned out to be more challenging when gathering sources.
• 😀 Despite struggling with the weekly reflective journals, Sofia got used to writing them and found value in the process.
• 😀 Sofia appreciated Mrs. Marlon’s teaching style, which was engaging, clear, and full of real-world examples.
• 😀 Reflective journals were sometimes tough to complete, but Sofia managed to submit them regularly on time.
• 😀 Sofia felt that the subject was both interesting and helpful for her future goals, but she doesn’t want to take it again in the next semester.

Q & A

What was Sofia's initial expectation about the course on grammar and spoken discourse?

Sofia initially thought the course would be as difficult as traditional grammar courses, but later found it enjoyable and engaging.

What did Sofia realize about the features of spoken discourse during the course?

Sofia realized that she was already using many of the features of spoken discourse, such as slang and idioms, naturally in her everyday conversations.

How did Sofia feel about working with her group members, Amalia and Insightful?

Sofia was happy to work with Amalia and Insightful, as both were good at teamwork and collaboration.

What was the main topic of the first group presentation?

The main topic of the first group presentation was discourse markers, a topic that had already been introduced in the first semester.

How did Sofia feel during her presentation, and what did she learn from it?

Sofia initially felt nervous but found the presentation easier than she expected. She learned how to present effectively in front of others and how to manage her anxiety.

What challenge did Sofia's group face when making the video about acceptance?

The group faced challenges with errors in the video, leading them to retake it multiple times before getting it right.

How did Sofia approach the second video, which was focused on persuasive and argumentative speech?

Sofia worked on the second video individually, and found it easier compared to the first one.

What was the final assignment in the course, and what was Sofia's group's topic?

The final assignment was an argumentative essay. Sofia's group worked on the topic of whether healthcare should be free.

What did Sofia find difficult about the argumentative essay assignment?

Sofia found it difficult to find credible sources for the argumentative essay, even though the topic itself was familiar.

What was Sofia's experience with the reflective journal, and what did she learn from it?

Sofia sometimes struggled with coming up with fresh ideas for the reflective journal but eventually got into the habit of summarizing her lessons each week. The journal helped her stay disciplined and organized.