Cover Letter

 COVER LETTER

To: Ms. Maria B. Cequena

Way before the start of the 2^nd term, I’ve already heard about the existence of a course named ENGLCOM. It was a course taken by some of my friends during the start of the school year, and more than often, I would hear them complaining about how hassle the course was, and about the numerous essays they need to write in order to comply with the requirements. Also, I learned from them that this course is composed of 2 components, the reading and writing component and the language component. At that time, I didn’t know specifically what these two separate components are for, and since I don’t want them to spoil everything and ruin the fun, I didn’t bother to ask any further. However, secretly, I acknowledged it as one of those challenging course that I will definitely put effort and time into.

 Even though having a background of what ENGLCOM will be all about, I’m still pretty nervous on the very first day of meeting with my two professors that will guide and lead us throughout the entire term and throughout the entire course. Luckily, both of our professors appear to be kind and friendly; at least my first impression of them is not bad. With regards to the RWC component, our professor is Ms. Maria B. Cequena.. From her, I learned a lot of things which include how to write a good essay using different rhetorical devices. Besides, we also got to learn how to write an extended definition essay, an argumentative essay, and also, other essays that employ different techniques like cause and effect, andcomparison and contrast. Moreover, I can say that our skills in brainstorming, outlining, and drafting are also honed during the span of the 2^nd term since she always requires us to undergo these three important processes before writing the final essay. Indeed, this helps us in organizing our thoughts; thus, making the flow of ideas in every paragraph smooth and not choppy. On the other hand, our professor in the LC component is Ms. Mylene Manalansan. Through her lessons, we were able to strengthen the foundation of our grammar ability, which is of great help for our RWC component, since it lessens our tendency to commit errors when writing our essays. Likewise, it also reminds us of our common mistakes in constructing sentences. For instance, after several meetings, we were able to improve our competency and recognize errors such as comma splices, run on sentences, and wrong subject- verb or pronoun- antecedent agreement. Use of hedging devices in academic writing were also taught to us, and for me, that’s something new and unfamiliar, and I’m happy that I get to learn how to use them.

Additionally, I volunteered to attend a program named ELL designed especially for those students taking the ENGLCOM course. At first , I admit it was for the sake of plus points, since I’m not really that confident in getting a high grade in this course. but as time passes by, I realized that it’s truly worth my time and effort,  for I was able to further develop my skills in English, especially in grammar. It was really a great experience, and I feel like the sessions are not enough.I wanted more!

Initially, I thought ENGLCOM will be a very boring subject, which has a lot requirements and stuffs to do. Indeed, it  is stressful; however it’s all worth it for I can see myself improving day by day, as we are trained to become a good writer, who knows not only how to write, but also how to write effectively using the right vocabulary and right diction. Furthermore, this course allows me to take one step closer towards my goal, that is, to become a writer who can write his/her mind, and describe whatever things perceive by his/her senses. Even though it may seem unrealistic now, but I will continue to work hard to achieve it, even if it takes years to happen. I believe that as long as I persevere, sometime in the future, I will certainly reach my goal.

As of now, my short term goal is to apply what I’ve learned from ENGLCOM to the other courses that need lots of paper works, for this is the only way for me to maintain and put into good use what I’ve learned. Instead of writing whatever that comes into my mind, I will try to brainstorm for more ideas, and try organizing them by doing an outline. Then, I’ll proceed to drafting, revising and last but not the least, the writing of the final paper. Along the process, I will also try to expand my vocabulary by reading books and online articles so that the words I use will not be redundant. Apparently, this is going to be a tough work. However, as much as possible, I will try to force myself to undergo these writing processes in hope for a better written output. I believe that by keeping up with my goals, I will be able to strengthen my weaknesses and improve not only my writing skills, but also my character as well. I will be trained to become a more responsible student and person.

Furthermore, the different essays that I’ve posted in my e-portfolio proved that I have achieved the desired learning results. As an effective communicator, I was able to develop analytical and critical thinking skills when brainstorming for ideas that I wanted to convey to the readers. Additionally, the more essays I tend to write during the span of the course, the more I learn about my common mistakes. For instance, I was able to lessen the wordiness of my paragraphs and make it short and concise. Besides, in real life, I was also able to practice my skills by applying several of the grammar rules that I’ve learned from the LC component. As time passed by, I found out that I was able to communicate more effectively than before. In writing my essays, my skills as a critical and creative thinker were also honed. I was able to organize my ideas more clearly and make sure that these are connected.  In addition, I was also able to correct the essays of my peer, which is a great accomplishment in my part, since I can now identify not only my own grammatical lapses, but also the grammatical error of my friends. As a reflective life- long learner, I was able to practice intellectual honesty by putting into use what I’ve learned about APA citation style. This was something that I’ve never done before since I don’t know how to properly cite sources. Indeed, it proved to be a useful tool when writing my major essays, and I’m glad that I was able to put into use what I’ve learned from the RWC component. At the same, in the course of completing the requirements needed to pass the course, values such as perseverance was also instilled into us.  And last but not the least, as part of the Lasallian community, I was able to play the role of a service-driven citizen. For instance, I was able to write an informed personal stand on current social issues like social networking sites. This was my topic for my argumentative essay. I was particularly concerned about the loss of quality and quantity of face time due to addiction to these social networking sites. For me, it’s a great issue that should get everyone’s attention so that they could prevent the negative effects from happening, and at the same time, they can spend more time interacting with people in real life rather than spending the entire day in front of a screen that is lifeless. Furthermore, another piece of evidence that can prove this attribute of mine is the action plan that I’ve done in my LC component. I was able to identify errors in different billboards and signages around me, and consequently prepare an action plan to correct the errors.

Among all the dlrs, I find the first dlr most difficult to achieve. Even though I may be able to communicate effectively through writing, I still have difficulties when I was called to speak in front. Most of the time, I will have the tendency to black out. All ideas will suddenly disappear, and there would be no coherence in what I’m saying. Thus, to improve my communication skills, I will try to recite more often during class and participate actively during discussions, as I believe this is the only way for me to train myself to be more comfortable when I will be required to speak in front.

When it comes to my accomplishments in Englcom, I would say that the two major essays that I’ve written are the best works of mine throughout the entire course. Why? Because I was able to apply all the skills that I’ve learned from both components and incorporate them while writing the introduction, body , and the conclusion. In fact, I really spend much time and effort to think of a good topic that I would be able to expound and explain clearly and concisely.

As I was taking this course, I learned that everyone can be a good writer, as long as he/he would put effort into it. Everyone can be creative and everyone is capable of writing a good essay with sound content. If one would practice writing often and be more careful when writing, the errors in grammar can definitely be avoided, just as in my case. There’s one time in ell where we are required to write an essay, and I was actually very careful in checking every sentences to make sure that the subject-verb agreement in each of the sentences is right and that there’s no run-on sentences, and surprisingly, my grammar was perfect, and I was even praised by the professor for this, even though she told me that my essay is wordy and emotional. 

During the RWC component, I also learned much about the writing process. I learned that before proceeding to the final paper, brainstorming and outlining can be useful, since these may serve as guidelines in organizing ideas and in making the flow of the sentences smooth and connected. Writing of drafts is also important as this allows you to make certain revisions in order to further improve your essays. In the process, you can add more information or cancel out unnecessary words or sentences that will make your paragraph redundant and boring. I’ve also learned that when writing academic papers, hedging devices should be used. All in all, writing is something that undergoes a lot of process. In order to be a good writer, being creative is not enough, one should also possess patience and determination for coming up with a good paper isn’t something that could be done in a matter of minutes. It take hours, or even days to complete a wonderful essay!