Entry 0, 11/10/2022 Imme Van Deynse

The reason I have chosen to study English at university is mainly because I want to improve my
knowledge of vocabulary and grammar of the language. I love English, the literature and poetry, the
fact that it is universal and thereby used in many situations… To me, it seems lovely but also
necessary to be able to write and have fluent conversations in English. I think learning this language
will give me a great advantage in the future. The fact that English is spoken in many different parts of
the world also made my choice easier. It is an important language, on the Internet, in business, to
make connections with people everywhere.

In my own assessment, my current strengths in English are communicating clearly and understanding
the language well. I don’t find it difficult to read English books, watch series or movies and interact
with native speakers. I did a cultural exchange abroad and this gave me the confidence to speak with
strangers and make international friends. In my opinion, confidence is an important strength when
you want to learn or improve a new language. Another plus-point is that I am genuinely interested in
many things, I want to know a lot about people, their interests, background, culture, and their
opinions.. This helps me to listen actively to speakers and I pick up on things easier.

In my own assessment, my current weaknesses in English are writing, using the correct words and
register. I have difficulties with writing, as well as with understanding difficult or complex texts.
Expressing myself on paper is my biggest weakness. I have trouble with writing in the correct register
and using words in the right context. I am slightly insecure about using English on an academic level,
even though I am confident with using it in everyday situations. Furthermore, I also find trouble with
speaking smoothly sometimes and finding the words I want to use.

Three specific goals for improvement in English which I would like to set for this academic year. The
first goal is to improve my writing. Specifically, I want to write short stories in English and learn to
make more accurate use of my creativity with words and ideas. Being capable of expressing yourself
in different languages is useful and interesting, this way I can get to know myself and other people
can understand me better too. Another goal is writing and speaking more grammatically correct. It
would be helpful to know more about text structure and register, both academically and out of
personal interest.

Entry 1

Lessons: 13/10, 20/10, 27/10 05/11/2022

The focus of the lessons over the past month was on register, language feedback, giving and
receiving feedback and the differences between American and British English. It was interesting to
learn about formal and informal text features. More specifically, correct grammar, punctuation,
spelling and word choice. In order to improve our writing skills, we provided feedback on the writing
assignments of other students. This was a helpful opportunity to practice the use of the correct
words for giving feedback. Additionally, we also received feedback, which enabled me to gain some
fresh insights and helped me to complete my own assignment.

Something specific I have learned/made progress in/received feedback on in the past month is
writing in the correct register for example. I have learned how to write both informal and formal
texts. I received feedback on the layout of my text. In a formal text, there should be a clear
introduction, body and conclusion. Now I know that contractions are not appropriate in formal
writing. Since I have been exposed to more complex information, my understanding of English has
improved. The progress I am making is not always visible, but I am gradually gaining proficiency
because I am hearing it more often.

Something I have done independently to work on my proficiency in English over the past month is
reading more English books and looking up words that I do not know. I also started listening to British
rap and hip hop more often this month. I realized that my use of English was mainly influenced by
American English. In my daily life, I would enjoy hearing more British English, as it sounds more
professional and elegant in my opinion. I have some international friends and I try to see them
frequently, so we have interaction in English.

Entry 2

Lessons 10/11, 17/11, 24/11 08/12/2022

The focus of the lessons over the past month was mainly on giving and receiving feedback, as we
listened to a lot of speaking assignments from classmates. We had to discuss the positive and
negative points of each other’s assignments. It was interesting to see how my classmates were very
friendly, but also helpful to each other. We gave tips and everyone was praised for something. We
learned how to sell a destination by giving a sales pitch about our home town. I liked the assignment
because I had to think of all the positive things about my town. This was not easy but it made me
appreciate my home a bit more.

Something specific I have learned in the past month is that words such as awe-inspiring, stunning,
thrilling, unwinding, scenic and so on, can be used to sell something. Especially for describing a travel
destination. I feel like I have made progress in learning vocabulary. The way I study now is very
different and has improved. Something I have received feedback on is how I pronounce the “th” in
words like “thing” or “that”. Even though I know the correct way to pronounce it, I often forget to do
so. Now that I am more aware of this, I try my best to think about it as much as I can.

Something I have done independently to work on my proficiency in English over the past month is
watch a lot of series. I try to remember the words that I don’t know yet, by writing them down in my
notebook. It is very rewarding to recognize the words that I have already studied for Module 2. I can
clearly see progress and I feel optimistic about it. Most of the time, I feel like I don't have enough
time to learn everything and I am often worried about forgetting what I attempt to remember. I am
always looking for ways to broaden my vocabulary in order to learn more new words. I do this by
listening more carefully while watching series or listening to music.

Entry 3

Lessons: 01/12, 08/12, 15/12 20/12/2022

The focus of the lessons over the past month was set on punctuation. I have learned about
punctuation marks in English such as the comma, colon, semi-colon, hyphen… There are different
ways of naming the “dot”: in British English it is called a full stop and in American English a period.
We learned about the use of quotation/speech marks. The use of semi-colons is now clear as well.
They are useful when we want to connect two separate clauses that give similar information. As well
as to separate items on a list and subdivide further when there are already commas within the
enumeration.

One of the things I learned in the last lesson was the meaning of a few eojis I was unfamiliar with. For

example, the shooting star emoji (💫) is a reference to ‘More you know’. I also learned that there
should not be a full stop after quotation marks, only within the quotation. I have not received
feedback this month because the lessons were very theoretical and in my opinion, it was difficult to
pay attention and to participate actively. I think I have made progress in understanding English
literature as well as academic reading materials.

Something I have done independently to work on my proficiency in English over the past month is
reading a lot. I read 2 books by Haruki Murakami in English. Even though these books are translated
from Japanese, his stories are very descriptive. I recognize words that I am learning from the book
English Vocabulary in Use. I write down quotes sometimes or I send them to my grandmother to be
able to remember them. Then, I also analyze the lyrics of my favorite songs and look up the meaning
of all the words that I do not understand. This way, I expand my vocabulary every day.

Entry 4

Lessons: 17/02, 24/02, 03/03 06/03/2023

The focus of the lessons over the past month was on language accuracy, punctuation, writing and
context-specific language. We also talked about idiomatic vocabulary and register, more specifically
about how to determine the formality in written and spoken texts. It is key to be clear and explicit
when writing a formal text, trying to avoid vagueness or ambiguity. Now I will pay more attention to
the diversity of my vocabulary. I will make an effort to use a more engaging, refreshing lexicon,
instead of extravagantly using words like get, a lot of, things, big, little, etc…

Something specific I have learned in the past month is to try incorporating vocabulary that is more
diverse. The mnemonic “How to get a lot of way better things etc into your writing?” helps remind
me of that. As I looked up in my previous entries of this learning journal, I in fact used the word
‘thing’ 14 times in total. We learned that written and spoken texts can both be evaluated with the
criteria: vocabulary and grammar. Written texts also have the criteria: format/layout and
spelling/punctuation; where spoken texts have format and pronunciation, intonation and
articulation. On my writing assignment I received feedback about spelling and punctuation.

Something I have done independently to work on my proficiency in English over the past month is
watching The Big Bang Theory almost every day. It seems that this series is both funny and has a wide
vocabulary. Besides that, I also read English books very often. I visited various second-hand
bookstores this month where I bought several informative books and some classics, for example,
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Animal Farm by
George Orwell. I love reading these stories, knowing that, at the same time I am being exposed to
new words and the English language in general.
Entry 5

Lessons: 10/03, 17/03, 24/03 24/03/2023

The focus of the lessons over the past month was on register, as always. We watched extracts about
Black Lives Matter and in groups we had to present our findings in terms of register. We discussed
the differences between pronunciation, articulation and enunciation. In addition, there was also the
subject of sentence variety. It was about how to make a text more appealing and pleasant to read by
adjusting the length of sentences.

Something specific I have learned in the past month is that spoken texts can be scripted and
unscripted or structured and unstructured. Register and formality in spoken texts can be examined
based on format, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. While watching a TEDx Talk about Black
Lives Matter during class, I noticed that formality differs slightly when someone talks about
anecdotes. This is in contrast to when they give factual information. When a speaker tells something
funny or makes references to their life in a speech, the vocabulary and grammar will automatically be
more nonchalant and noticeably informal.

Something I have done independently to work on my proficiency in English over the past month is
keeping my vocabulary notebook updated. I enlarge my list nearly every day by listening alertly in
every context where I would possibly pick up English words. I planned a vacation in April where I will
be spending a lot of time with native speakers and I try to meet more often with my English-speaking
friends. Besides speaking, reading consistently is also important to me. Last week I finished my first
Paul Auster book. I have heard many times that he is a very accomplished author, yet I have never
read one of his works. The book I read was Sunset Park and I enjoyed it very much. I thought it was
thought-provoking and gripping.

Entry 6

Lessons: 31/03, 21/04, 28/04 29/04/2023

The focus of the lessons over the past month was on public speaking. We learned about stage fright,
text building and body language. We talked about the importance of the structure of a speech and
that the purpose of your speech must be clear. Possible purposes include informing, entertaining,
persuading or inspiring. There are different ways to make notes: bullet points, story boards or
Cornwell notes. Often, I ramble, so we practiced talking without filler words, like 'uhm'. We also
practiced speaking in different registers, changing roles as reporters and eye witnesses.

Something specific I have learned in the past month is that self-study is the most significant thing
when studying at university. I can attend classes and learn something new of course, but I noticed
that when I learn things by myself, I often remember them better. The knowledge I gain alone is
about my preferred subjects. It is still related to the subjects we discuss in class but it is more
personally fulfilling. The classes are useful and helpful because repetition and discipline is essential.
Building a routine has always been difficult for me. Coming to class this year was challenging but I
keep improving my skills as a result of the continuity of attending.
Something I have done independently to work on my proficiency in English over the past month is
cramming the vocabulary of Vocabulary In Use. I pick up on words easily now that I have studied
words related to a large variety of themes such as healthcare, love, relationships, nature, the
weather… I love studying idioms although I never hear people use them frequently. Sometimes I spot
them in literature and movies. Currently I am reading All the Best Liars by Amelia Kahaney. It is a
psychological thriller about friendship. This is not a genre that I am used to and her writing is
different from other English writers that I know. However, I still find it enjoyable.