Input vs output

   Finally, I took the English test last Saturday. It was frustrating, especially for the speaking and the writing sections. But I knew already that the most difficult part to acquire a foreign language is the output, which demands more efforts than the input. By input, I mean the vocabulary, the reading and the listening abilities. If you practice a lot, you will achieve a great progress. The main method is to memorize. While in order to speak well and write correctly, you should need more efforts.

   Nowadays, the majority language courses still emphasize the importance of grammar, which depends on the explanation of the professor. In my former university, the oral courses were always attributed to foreign teachers. In addition, local teachers always encourage students to pratice the language with a foreigner after class, believing that the time on class is limited. For the writing courses, in order to have less work, teachers prefer analyzing good examples of essay to correcting the essays written by students. In this way, students will be happy with less papers to write.

   Unconsciously, I followed the traditional learning process. I do have realized my problem but I tended to believe that memory could help me to pass the test. Reciting some patterns is the most common way to prepare for the writing, and unfortunately for me too. But the result will assert this mistake.

   Ma preparation for this first test could be a good example to illustrate how the self-learning can be efficient. I need to ponder the experience. With a clearer idea of the differences between diffrent skills, the frustration can be stimulating.