Self – assessment of success in learning ESP

· Writing summary

It has been my first time of writing analytical summary at university, so at the beginning it has been hard to start, because I haven’t known how to do it. But later I have understood how to do it, what are summary writing rules. So later writing summary became neither easy nor hard work. But it takes a lot of conglomeration and accuracy.



· Writing comprehension tests on modules in psychology

The first test has been total failure. But later I have learnt how to learn. I understood what is necessary to know and how to remember it. To learn all definition from all modules is really hard because there are a lot of specific words and phrases and some of it is hard to say in my own words. Admittedly, some tests have been easier and some took a lot of time to prepare.


· Making power point presentation

Making power point presentation hasn’t been very hard and I enjoyed it. But once I have been in panic, because I couldn‘t find any information about my topic and it has taken a lot of time to find something. And when in library I have found very good book, I have enjoyed making my presentation and my performance in class has been successful.


· Impromptu speaking in class

I enjoy speaking in class, especially when we speak about interesting topics. Sometimes it has been hard to express my minds and opinion in English words, but when I have to say something and when I know how to do it, I try not to miss an opportunity to speak.


· Performance in listening practice

Listening practice is my bête-noir. At school already I haven’t been very successful on these practices because I don’t have good skills at this. But I hope that in time it will become easier to do it.


· Writing contributions to e-portfolio (weblog)

Weblog is the second interesting thing in this semester. Because it is the first time I have something similar. Writing contributions takes not a little time and efforts, but I enjoy creating weblogs settings, style, pictures etc. In my weblog I can do everything by myself and I hope so that the rating of it will be very good like presentation’s :)


Picture: http://www.wired.com/images/slideshow/2008/03/gallery_self_portrait_faves/self_portrait_faves_1.jpg

Learning ESP

This year I have new English subject - ESP. It is not the same as English at school. It is more serious, more difficult and more interesting. There are some ways how I learn it.

There were very hard to read and to learn ESP's text in the beginning, because there are a lot of difficult word and phrases. Firstly, I write the most substantial words on the stickers ant stick them on the wall, on the mirror, everywhere where I often can see them and read. Also when I often see the same words on the text, I remember them much better.

Moreover, to remember the pronunciation of words and phrases helps me lectures. There we talk a lot, so it is easy to remember words. Furthermore, when I read the text and see new word, I look at the dictionary what does it means and repeat vocally it's spelling few times. To get more speaking practice lectures helps me too.

Additionally, it is very important for me to be focused when I am reading the text, then I understand much more, the reading is more quickly and I remember the spelling of difficult words better. Besides it is very important to remember your own mistakes and try not to repeat them, then your grammar will be better.

To sum up, I hope that in the future I will found better ways how to learn ESP quickly and my learning will be more effective :)

Picture: http://www.writeblocks.com/images/PHphoto1.jpg

Psychology of Laughter

What is laughter? Laughter is a form of outward expression of amusement, pleasure, mirth and at times, other emotions. It may ensue (as a physiological reaction) from jokes, tickling and other stimuli. Strong laughter can sometimes bring an onset of tears or even moderate muscular pain as a physical response to the act.

It is known that laughter is triggered by various sensations and thoughts, but the exact brain mechanisms aren't fully researched. It is known that while laughing some changes happen in the limbic part of the brain. While laughing, many parts of our body are active - our facial muscles, muscles of the arms, legs and trunk. Laughter also makes our breathing pattern to change. It has been proved that laughing protects our heart. Studies have also shown that laughter lowers the sugar level in our blood.

Many studies have shown that the purpose of laughter is making human connections stronger. Studies have also shown that dominant individuals such as bosses use their humor more often than their employees.
Laughter has many useful benefits that can help people live longer. For example:

* Physical relaxation - Your body sometimes has the urge to laugh or cry... Afterwards, you will feel better.
* Hormones - Levels of stress hormones like cortical or adrenaline are being reduced while laughing.
* Social angle - If you're a laughing kind of person, everyone will want to hang out with you.

Freud in his book Jokes and their relation to the unconscious describes laughter as a release of defensive tension that had been aroused circumstances preliminary to the laugh.

As Bonanno and Keltner have found, bereaved persons who can smile and laugh as they speak about their deceased spouses are judged to be more attractive and appealing to their interviewers than are those who remain solemn. If people can laugh about what had been a difficult or even dreaded experience, they become more approachable. Laughter, smiling, and humor signify that mourners are ready to return to social interaction, making it easier for others to approach them.

To this end, Keltner and Bonanno assert that laughter gives evidence that the bereaved person is becoming more involved in current ongoing social experiences and is in the process of retreating from a life of reminiscence and relationships with deceased persons.

References:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Benefits-Of-Laughter&id=1178214
C.R. Snyder, Shane J. Lopez "Handbook of positive psychology" USA 2005
http://www.liquidelearning.com/uploaded_images/child-laughing-sxc-732315.jpg
http://vintage-urban.blogspot.com/2007/12/time-fly-so-fast-one-year-about-to-gone.html

The Psychology of Success

Knowledge and skills are not the only keys to success. To be successful, you also need to master the psychological skills that will help you to be satisfied and fulfilled, and thus more effective in your life. What is success? It’s not a position or power. It’s being happy, satisfied, and productive. But to achieve success in today’s highly competitive and constantly changing world you have to learn to build up your confidence and be assertive. You have to be able to put things in perspective so that you can counter stress, depression, and anxiety. And most importantly, you have to manage yourself so that you can manage your time.

Slelf-confidence is perhaps the most important, yet overlooked skill that you must have for success in your personal and business life. Here are six suggestions to help build your self-confidence:

* Behave “as if you’ve already done it.”
* Don’t be afraid of being flexible
* Make the most of your mistakes and then leave them behind
* Operate with a statute of limitations
* Be kind to yourself
* Practice self-confidence on a daily basis

Success means being fair to yourself and to others. You must learn to be assertive but fair. The psychology of success means that you have to keep things in perspective. Successful people never allow negative thoughts to hurt them.

Forcing yourself to step back and attempt to think differently about situations and events is a major step in battling anxiety, depression, and stress, three all-too-common psychological enemies to happiness and success.

References:

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Psychology-Of-Success;-Part-1&id=53550

http://www.stradley.com/images/client-successes-image.jpg

Summary "Introduction to Psychology"

Robert S. Feldman is the author of „Understanding psychology“ where talks about subfields of psychology, working at psychology, roots of psychology, today’s perspectives, psychology’s key issues and controversies.

The author explains that psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, encompassing people’s biological activities, feelings, perceptions, memory and thoughts. Moreover, in 1st module the author describes psychology’s subfields, such as behavioral neuroscience, experimental, cognitive, health psychology etc. after graduation psychologists are employed in a variety of settings, so they can work in different social services and other fields, like business filed.

Robert S. Feldman claims that the formal beginning of psychology was in 1879 when in Leipcig, Germany, Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental laboratory. Then pioneers embraced of broad perspectives and nowadays psychologists seek to reach the same aim. Today there are 5 major perspectives in the field of psychology, which takes different understanding of behavior.

The professor states that no matter what area a psychologist specializes in, specialist relies on one of 5 major perspectives. Furthermore in psychology is very important understanding of how culture, ethnicity and race influence behavior. A third point author mention in module 3 is that psychology becomes more and more popular and scientist believes that an understanding of human behavior will be the proudest science.

To sum up, it is very important to fathom in all author’s mentioned points, to understand what psychology is, what are psychology’s methods and goals, as psychology is very complicated science and has a vide range of uses.

My Future Profession

Trought the whole life you have to make few very import decisions. First is to choose your profesion. This decission was torrturing me long long time…:) And one day I thouth... psychology :) All people around have attaced me with questions “Why?? Why namely psychology??” I still don’t know the answer… It is said that psychology study those, who need help by themself, also those, who want to help others and those, who want to teatch how to manipulate other people. I think that I’m between those who wish to help others and wish to know how to manipulate people :) In reality I imagine myself in a nice twopiece suit , working in big company as organizational psychologist, who are careing for good microclimate, good results etc. I hope my dream will come true :)