END-OF-ESP COURSE SELF-ASSESSMENT

WRITING (A SUMMARY)

During this term I wrote not so many summaries as last year and I did not get any feedback. For this reason it is difficult to say what my achievements and failures were on summary writing in this term. However, when I look back to all ESP course, I see that now I really have an understanding what a summary is and how to write it, what components should be in it. Only it is sad that we paid most attention to analytical summary, not to restatement. Also an exam paper does not look so terrible for me now.

WRITING ESP VOCABULARY TESTS
When I tried to do an exam paper "ESP PSYCHOLOGY VOCABULARY TEST", in general I was satisfied with my level of knowledge. I enjoy that in the end-of-ESP course I have a conception about many things about which we have learned all these year. I think that for this reason ESP vocabulary tests became easier: when you do not know a real answer, you try to write it from your own head, your understanding. Very often the answer is correct. However, I have found some failures. The biggest of them is the fact that I did not have enough time to read psychological texts and when I read them hurriedly, I did not remember a lot of important information.

WRITING CLASS DICTATIONS (Comprehension questions before the listening practice)
It is one of the most difficult parts of class activities. From my point of view, it is because I write quite slowly and do not take notes of comprehension questions. Also I not always hear what is dictated. Another thing, that aggravates this task, is my poor vocabulary. When I do not know some words, their meanings, I make mistakes. I thing all these things influence my listening practice and I really am not satisfied with it.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION IN CLASS
I do not know why but as I remember all years and in school, and in the university this task was the most difficult for me. I have tried many methods to improve it but I do not see any success. I believe that only one way is to perfect it: to go to live for some time to country where people speak in English. On this part of ESP I feel really very weak. However, the context I understand but I cannot fill up gaps or answer to questions.

LISTENING TO PEERS' POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS
It is very interesting part of class activities. First of all, you know more about some interesting topic from psychology about which you do not found in reading modules. Secondly, it is easier to listen peers’ power point presentations because they usually speak only the most interesting parts of the theme and their vocabulary is quite simple and known. Thirdly, there are visual aids, which help us to understand and keep our attention. So, I am quite satisfied with my achievements in this part of class activities.

MAKING POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS
I feel that I can make a presentation quicker and better than I did it last year. It is because I have more and more experience. Also sometimes we should make presentations for other subjects and literature for them is only in English. I think that it could influence my achievement in making power point presentations. Also, the relationship between group members’ becomes closer. That means that you do not feel so much fear and thrill and for this reason it is easier to speak in front of group. I try to speak by my own words not by heart as I did it last year. I think it is a positive think.


SPEAKING ON ESP THEMES IN CLASS
It is one of the funniest parts of class activities, especially when you have to speak face to face. It lets you to discuss about some things with your partner. I feel that I began to find the most important parts in the text and to express them to the group. Also now I began to criticize all ideas which were said during speaking on ESP themes in class. I think it is the biggest achievement on speaking skill. However, I have noticed that I am not applying new words and definitions I have learned on my speaking.

Psychology of Kleptomania

In the beginning of writing, maybe it would be importantly to define what kleptomania is. So, kleptomania is a mental disorder characterized by repeated stealing of things, which generally are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value. Kleptomaniac feels an emotional tension before the commission of a theft, after which pleasure, gratification follows. However, some may not be aware that they have committed the theft. Kleptomaniacs steal not with the intention of expressing anger or vengeance. People with this disorder usually exhibit guilt after the theft. Although the cause of kleptomania is unknown, supposedly, it may have a genetic component. Also, patients, who are kleptomaniacs, are often chemically dependent, have an anxiety, depression, or eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. However, detection of kleptomania is difficult and the disorder often stay undetected because patients do not seek medical help for this complaint. The disorder is usually diagnosed when patients seek help for another reasons, such as depression, bulimia, or for feeling emotionally unstable or unhappy in general. When we see all these features of kleptomania disorder we should understand that kleptomaniacs steal despite their wish do not do that again, that they have a serious disease, which has no tangible prevention. So, we should be human and understanding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptomania
http://www.123exp-health.com/t/01084198103/
http://organizedwisdom.com/Kleptomania
http://organizedwisdom.com/helpbar/index.html?return=http://organizedwisdom.com/Kleptomania&url=www.emedicine.com/MED/topic3485.htm

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the branch of computer science focusing on making computers behave like humans. Artificial intelligence includes:

• Games playing: programming computers to play games such as chess;
• Expert systems: programming computers to make decisions in real life situations (for example, some of them help doctors diagnose diseases based on symptoms);
• Natural language: programming computers to understand natural human languages;
• Robotics: programming computers to see and hear and react to other sensory stimuli.

The greatest advances have occurred in the field of games playing. The best computer chess programs are now capable of beating human.

Artificial intelligence makes our lives easier and gives a lot of benefit but we should control it that it would not take human place, despite no computers are able to simulate full human behavior at this moment.

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF ESP LEARNING

Writing skills: At last term I can not manage how to write summaries but now it is not difficult to write restatement or analytical summaries. It is very good that we practice a lot. The bigger problem is with a summary – critical article review. I have never seen an example of it and the task is new for me. Also the spread of an article is so big that there is hard to process all given information in the text. Results of ESP vocabulary tests are quite good. In this term I prepare for them longer and I feel that in my head more and more information and definitions remain, it would not be difficult to recollect material from modules. I think that rehearsal is the biggest contribution to it. Self- designed tests are one of the most interesting tasks because then you are working in group, you are sharing information and questions can formulate from information, which was the most interesting for you. Also it is very good method to examine yourself because then you see if your knowledge is quite good or you should to read a module more careful. Dictations are a difficult task for me because my vocabulary is not very rich and listening is not good too. Contributions to weblogs take a lot of efforts because when you know that it could be seen for everybody you try to do your best.

Speaking skills: I have found that I am not very active participant in class discussions despite sometimes I have what to say. But it is always very interesting to listen others ideas, opinions because they give a lot of information and enrich my viewpoint. Speaking in pairs is the best way to practice speaking skills for me because then you do not have a chance to evade from a task.

I thing in this term my presentation was better than last term. The reason of it could be that the theme of it was really interesting for me and I wanted to go deep to it, find more and more information and to impart it for others. When you do something with an interest the result is always better.

Listening skills: I do not like listening skills despite knowing that it is really very important. But I make every effort to hear what is said. I have found that I pay the biggest attention to listening when I listen a person, who reads a discourse and whose mother-tongue is English.

Reading skills: Reading is one of the most interesting tasks because texts are always selected readable, sightworthy and relevant. It is the biggest motivation to read them and if the topic proves really interesting you began to seek more information about it. So, I can say, that home reading do always and sometimes it becomes as a pastime. Class reading not always is so successful because there is time limitation, you can not use dictionary, do not have the ability to see into the text. Computer tasks are not frequent but when we read something and then discuss about it I think it is very effective because it gives benefit and for reading skills, and for speaking.

BODY LANGUAGE

Body language

Body language is a language without spoken words and is called non verbal communication. We use body language all the time, for instance looking at someone means something different than not looking at someone.

It is important to note that body language has different meanings in different cultures. In the most European countries and America, for example people shake their head when they want to say no and nod when they mean yes, but there are cultures, for example in India or Greece, where they mean the opposite. Also some groups, such as gay people, people in slavery, prisoners, have developed a whole specific body language.

Body language is used especially to express feelings. For instance if we do not like someone, it is difficult to say that directly to the person. However, we can do it through body language and it would be quite easier. It is also difficult to lie or cover up our feelings through body language because then people always understand that something is wrong.

Several investigators estimate that at least 70% of the communication between people takes place through body language and tone of voice.

All these things once time again show what important body language is as a part of communication.

References: http://astore.amazon.co.uk/scientific-21/detail/0752858785

http://www.businesscommunication.org/resources/IC/Cases/InterculturalIncidents.html

Restatement summary

New research shows that babies posses the ability to understand the intentions of other people.

The experiment was carried out by the scientists of Yale University, US.

The techniques of social and youth psychology were used during the experiment.

28 babies from two different age groups (6 and 10 months old) were tested, out of whom 26 showed the trace of social intelligence.

The scientist from UK doubts whether the results of the research actually represents babies' understanding of social life.

The experiment proved that babies are developing skills of social interaction earlier than it was though previously.

Babies are able to make social evaluations in the first months of their life.

Sleep. Insomnia

Sleep is vital for our health and mental wellbeing. We spend a third of our life in bed but sometimes there are some slumbering problems, which do not let us to have an everyday need sleep. Insomnia is one of sleep disturbances, which almost all of us had. It is the inability to sleep when it is the time to sleep. Insomnia could be due to a particular situations, such as the breakup of the relationships, worry about the test, the loss of a job, an exciting drama on TV just before bed time, or doing something violent for others, what may make us to feel guilty and worry about it during the bed time.

If we want to fall asleep on the time to sleep, we have to treat insomnia and the best way is to begin from stress reduction and good sleep hygiene. Psychologists studying sleep problems have a number of suggestions for overcoming insomnia.

The first one would be exercising during the day. It reduces the effects of stress, improves mood and deepens sleep. However, we should know that exercising early in the day helps us sleep, but exercising too close to bed causes wakefulness.

The second one could be relaxing before bedtime. It is helpful to stop all work-related tasks 90 minutes before going to sleep or to include taped relaxation exercises.

The third suggestion is to choose a regular bedtime and stick to it. That means that we have to go to bed and wake up at the same times each day, including on the weekend.

A good way is not to use your bed for all things doing: studying, reading, eating, watching TV or others activities. It should be used only for sleeping.

The next one is to reduce stimulants such as tea, coffee, cola, chocolate, cigarettes but a glass of warm milk at bedtime will help to fall asleep.

Eating a large meal within two hours is not a good decision although a little bit of food before bed can help to sleep. If we want to fall asleep in short time we should not nap during the day but a having a bedtime ritual, for example, at first we might read for a while, then have a shower, then change into pyjamas and go to bed, or reducing factors, which we may feel disturbing. It could be uncomfortable bed, extremes of temperature or external noise.

As we see, there are a lot of ways how to avoid insomnia and to prepare ourselves for sleep, which is very requirement for normal human functioning.