Name: Michiko Oku     

Year: 1996     

 

                                                                                                                          

     I have been studying English for seven years. When I look back on the old days, in junior high school and high school, I find that I did not enjoy the classes, so I did not like studying English. I would often memorize a lot of difficult words that even native English speakers were astonished about. On the other hand, I belonged to ESS,  so I had many chances to meet and talk with foreigners, and I could hear about their countries or customs. As a result, I came to like English.

     Then I came to this university,  and I am studying here now. Before I came here, I was expecting to have classes with foreign students. Now I do not feel my English is useful so much. I want to acquire much more practical knowledge of English as soon as possible.

     I am surprised that there is BGM while we are taking classes. I like it, because I can change my feeling, in other words I can concentrate in class. And the teachers are friendly, humorous,  and have individuality. I was surprised that the teachers had remembered all the students' names by the second class. It was my first impression of the teachers.

     My way of language learning has changed as I study in this university. I can learn many things that I was not able to before. For example,  writing, conversation and LL. So I became full of drive to study. When I was in JHS and HS, I only learned new words or long passages by rote. But now I can listen to LL cassettes or read some comedy and mystery at home. Then after I studied and enjoyed them,  there are tests about them. They are not easy to answer, but I do not so easily forget what I once learned. Now I have more time than before, so I often make short stories using new words and memorize them. I always study not for tests but for myself in this university.

     The things that I found especially helpful are making stories, telling them to someone and shadowing. I had not done shadowing until I took OC classes. I think that shadowing is a very important way to memorize new words, and every thing we learn as well.

     I found my weak point about language learning after this year. I am poor at reading, especially long stories or complicated mysteries. I thought that was because of my limited vocabulary, so I had to increase my vocabulary. And I am not good at hearing, too. I could improve, but it is not good enough at all. Of course, I will be able to do it if I try, try and try again!!

     My future language learning plans are to keep my Action Log every time, listen to my LL cassettes for at least 30 minutes every day,  read TIME, and keep watching English programs. And my goals are to go abroad to study. I want to go to America and visit Hannibal, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn's hometown. And another goal is to participate in the Honolulu Marathon this year or next year.

     Lastly I will give my advice to next year's first year students. Now I really enjoy studying English here. I realized that it is the accumulation of my efforts of every day that leads me to success. It is very natural to forget,  but we can recycle words and get them little by little.