Before taking this class, I used to think writing was just about finishing the assignment and making sure my grammar was okay. I thought that if I answered the question, then I was good. But throughout this semester, I learned that writing is more than just putting words on paper. Writing is about explaining my thoughts, sharing my experiences, and helping the reader understand what I am trying to say. This class helped me understand that writing is not only for grades. It can also help me understand myself better.

One thing that helped me a lot this semester was Professor Franco. He was kind and supportive throughout the class. He did not make the class feel stressful or make students feel like they had to be perfect all the time. Instead, he made it feel like we could ask questions, make mistakes, and still improve. That helped me because sometimes writing is hard for me, especially when I have to explain personal things or organize my ideas. His support made me feel more comfortable and helped me believe that I could get better at writing.

One of the biggest things I learned in this class is that my own experience can be important in an essay. In my language and literacy narrative, I wrote about moving to the United States at a young age and learning English. I talked about how I could understand some English, but speaking was harder for me. I used to worry about my accent, pronunciation, and making mistakes in front of people. Before writing that essay, I did not really think my experience was something important to write about. I thought it was just something I went through. But after writing about it, I realized that my story connects to bigger ideas like confidence, identity, and belonging.

That essay helped me understand that language is connected to power. When I could not speak English clearly, I felt like people did not take me seriously. Sometimes I had ideas in my head, but I stayed quiet because I was scared of being judged. I did not want people to laugh at how I sounded or think I was not smart. Writing about those moments helped me see how much English affected my confidence. It also made me realize that many immigrant students probably go through the same thing. Through that assignment, I learned that a personal story can still have a bigger meaning.

Another thing I learned in this class is rhetorical situation. At first, words like audience, purpose, context, exigence, and argument were confusing to me. I knew they were part of the class, but I did not really understand how to use them in my writing. Later, I started to understand them better. Audience means who I am writing for. Purpose means why I am writing. Context means what is happening around the topic. Exigence means why the topic matters at that moment. Argument means the main point I am trying to prove. Learning these terms helped me write with more focus instead of just writing whatever came to my mind.

In my research essay, I wrote about how learning English as a second language affects immigrant students’ confidence and identity in U.S. schools. For that essay, I had to think about my audience and purpose. My audience was my professor, but it could also be teachers, students, and people who want to understand immigrant students better. My purpose was to show that learning English is not only about grammar or vocabulary. It also affects how students feel about themselves and whether they feel like they belong. The context was U.S. schools, where immigrant students are trying to learn a new language and fit into a new place. The exigence was that many immigrant students still feel judged or left out because of language barriers. Thinking about these things helped me make my essay stronger.

The research essay also helped me learn how to use sources better. Before this class, I thought research just meant finding a quote and putting it into the essay. But I learned that I have to explain the quote and connect it back to my point. A quote cannot just be there by itself. I have to show why it matters. In my research essay, I used articles about immigrant students, school belonging, and English learners. These sources helped me show that my experience was not only about me. It was connected to a bigger issue that many students face.

I also learned more about MLA citation. This part was confusing for me because I had to include page numbers or paragraph numbers in the in-text citations. Sometimes online articles do not have page numbers, so I learned that I can use paragraph numbers instead. For journal articles, I can use page numbers. I still need to practice MLA more, but now I understand it better than before. I also understand that citations are important because they show where my information came from and make my essay more trustworthy.

Revision was another important thing I learned. Before, I thought revision just meant fixing grammar or changing a few words. Now I understand that revision means looking at the whole essay and making it better. Sometimes my first draft had good ideas, but they were not in the right order. Sometimes I had to explain more because my point was not clear enough. Revision helped me understand that the first draft does not have to be perfect. It is just the first step. The essay gets better when I go back and work on it again.

Professor Franco’s feedback also helped me with revision. His comments made me think more about what I was trying to say. He helped me see that writing is a process and that I can always improve my work. That support mattered because it made me feel like I was learning instead of just being judged. It also showed me that writing takes time, and it is okay if the first version is not perfect.

Another thing I learned is that my writing style matters. I do not want my writing to sound like someone else wrote it. I want it to sound like me, but still clear and organized. This class helped me understand that I can write in a personal way and still make a serious point. I can use “I” when I am talking about my own experience, and that can make my writing stronger because it shows why the topic matters to me.

The cover letters also helped me understand my writing better. At first, I thought the cover letters were just extra work. But they helped me explain what my essay was about, who my audience was, what my purpose was, and what I learned. They made me think about my own writing choices. Instead of just submitting the essay, I had to reflect on why I wrote it the way I did. That helped me become more aware of myself as a writer.

Even though I improved, I know I still have things to work on. I want to get better at organizing my ideas because sometimes I have a lot to say, but I need to put everything in the right order. I also want to improve my grammar and sentence structure so my writing can sound smoother. Another thing I want to keep working on is using research. I want to get better at adding quotes and explaining them without making the paragraph sound forced.

Overall, this class helped me grow as a writer. I learned how to use my personal experience, research, rhetorical concepts, MLA citations, and revision to make my essays better. I also learned that writing is not only about being correct. It is about explaining my ideas and showing why they matter. Professor Franco’s kindness and support helped me feel more comfortable throughout the semester. He made the class feel like a place where I could improve instead of feeling judged.

The most important thing I learned is that my voice matters. My experience as an immigrant student learning English is not something I should hide or feel ashamed of. It is part of who I am, and it gives me something important to write about. Because of this class, I feel more confident in my writing and in my ability to explain my thoughts. I still have more to learn, but now I understand that writing is a process, and I can keep improving by practicing.

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