June 6 class post

June 6, 2012, tonight is second time we met for English 414, I felt much at ease comparing with the first class because I started to familiarize myself with how the course is organized; and Professor Paul and classmates are nice and friendly.

Our group made a presentation regarding to the article “Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer’s Block” by Mike Rose. Mike conducted a study in terms of how ten UCLA undergraduates write their papers and of what categories of blockers or non-blocker they fall. He concluded it wasn’t their skill but could have rested in the emotional realm such as anxiety, fear of evaluation, and insecurity. The blockers were all operating either with writing rules or with planning strategies that impeded rather than enhanced the composing process; contrast, even though the non-blockers also utilize rules, they were less rigid ones, and more appropriate to a complex process like writing. Basically, they were more functional, more flexible, and more open to information from the outside.

I definitely fall the categories of blockers. Due to ESL background, I face a big obstacle when composing my writing. My ideas relating to the assignment can’t put it down on my paper effectively and appropriately. The free-up writing is not often occurred to me; instead, I would be restricted to my outlines.

The first essay assignment will be a good opportunity for me to practice my writing by trying not to strictly follow the outline; and trying to utilize the writing method Professor Paul taught.