Learning Log 5

It has been 4 months since I have wrote a new learning log! I have nearly forgotten my username and password! On Wednesday, Mrs Woo told us the write a new learning log. The whole class was panicking and worried! Everyone was shocked as we had not touched it for so long. Mrs Woo further explain that the purpose of writing it is to reflect on what you have learn after reading ‘The Unseen’ worksheet. I was very reluctant to read and do the learning log at first. I have a lot of homework to complete and there are many tests to study! The worksheet is so thick! But, in the long run, I know that reading it will definitely benefit me. So, I decided to read it on Saturday night.
The first sentence in the worksheet actually captures my attention. It wrote ‘An ‘unseen’ poem or prose passage is simply one that you may not have read before.’ The first thought that came to my mind is that it is just like reading a new newspaper article or comprehension passage! All of these passages need to be read in details to find out what the author, writer or poet is saying in between the lines. In the notes, there are many important notes to take note when reading an unseen poem. For example, we must ‘dig’ out the meaning of each word, each sentence, and each paragraph. The questions that we ask ourselves while reading and the feelings and emotions we felt are vital to ‘discover’ more about the meaning of the poem. There are also points to look out for while reading the poem. One mistake I will make is to make a moral judgment and do not understand what the whole poem is about. When that happens, I tend to get very nervous. Approaching an unseen poem is just like reading a new comprehension passage. We normally need to read more than 2 times to clarify our doubts and get a better understanding of the passage. It is also important it understand what each question is asking in order to get the right points. The do’s and don’ts are essential in enabling me be carefully when reading the poem.
‘It is not difficult to answer a question, but to answer it well is quite another matter.’ I also learn how to organize my answer in correct manner using the IBC and PEEL method. Many poems and sample questions are also included as examples to enhance the learning experience. It also gives me a better idea of what the writer means. The ABCs method is use in quoting words and phrases from the passage. This is the quickest way to show evidence and support your views.
The next chapter is about how to write and organise the essay. It is necessary as it determine what grades I will get. The ‘A’ grade requires comprehension, interpretation, analysis and insights that are hard to score. An important point to note is that all response must be supported by textual evidence. A good student must have a close engagement with the text and ability to communicate a coherent argument. The essay must be organized in an orderly manner, which is the introduction, the body, and lastly the conclusion. In introduction, one must include their standpoint and what the question is asking for. The body requires the PEEP principle which is Point, Evidence, Elaboration and Personal Response. The conclusion will summarize all the points in the essay and reiterate the major argument of the essay. Although quoting from the text is important, it should ass value to the point made and not merely repeat the point. As far as possible, quotes should be included in the sentence or point made. It is advisable not to start a sentence with a quote.
Ironic tone is used by many writers to show contradiction in a statement or in a situation. Verbal irony is use to create humor, to criticize or add to the sense of tragedy. Situational irony occurs when plans backfires.
To conclude, I personally feel that this piece of thick worksheet is informative and engaging- the complete opposite of my first impression. Don’t judge a ‘worksheet’ by its ‘thickness’! There are many important points I must take note of when I am writing an essay. Before reading this worksheet, I felt that I had done pretty well in writing essay. However, now I realized that there are still rooms for improvement! It is indeed not easy to be a literature student! I hope I can have more worksheet like this to improve my literature grades and more practices on how to write essays! Practice makes perfect. It will definitely benefit me in both English and Literature subjects.