Introduction

The one who owns this blogger account is freshman BS Biology student at Sultan Kudarat State University. As a student in this very modern world of today's with the high technology standards, this account is a recommended requirement in response for the dilemma of students who are computer literate. This gives opportunity for us students to practice ourselves in indulging to the fast-changing technology.

         The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously. Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver. And it's a process that can be fraught with error, with messages often misinterpreted by the recipient. When this isn't detected, it can cause tremendous confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity.

   In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication.

   By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals – both personally and professionally.  

I. The Isles of My Portfolio in English 121 (Writing in the Discipline)

Chapter 1 - Avoiding Sentence Errors
Chapter 2 - Levels of Usage
Chapter 3 - Verb Usage
Chapter 4 - Pronoun Usage
Chapter 5 - Subject and Verb Agreement
Chapter 6 - Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement
Chapter 7 - Adjective and adverb Usage
Chapter 8 - Miscellaneous Problems in Usage

II. Students Outputs of E-Portfolio

Rogine de Sagun

Cristine Torillo

Liezl Berdan

Rene Sasuta

Anna Malou Dorin

Joemarie Pono

Jeany Tayo

Aiza Mastura

Joanne Mae Malayas

Jacqueline Camunias

Kastine Irra Gella

Kimberly Angel Morante

Sarah Jane Escala

Mark Jason Ugay

Raymart Lumogdang

Lynnette Gerasmia

III. Writing in the Discipiline as a Platform in Education for Sustainable Development

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This implies a balance between and an integration of the environmental, economic and social aspects of development, with attention also paid to the cultural dimension. Sustainable development, in fact, has become the guiding principle for achieving just and equitable development options that benefit all people everywhere.

     It is not an easy task to develop good communication skills. However, by taking one step at a time, you can achieve this goal. So the steps to develop verbal communication skills are as follows:

1. ORAL - This is one of the most important as well as the most used verbal communication skills. Oral communication is all about the spoken word. By taking care of this aspect of communication skills, you will get a chance to enhance your conversational skills. If we again take one step at a time, developing verbal skills would encompass the following:

a) Speaking - This aspect entails being a master of your tongue. It is through this that you will be able to develop your verbal communication skills. A lot of people only speak, without saying anything. You need to understand the difference between these two. Being a successful speaker entails thinking before saying things. Many learned people have often advocated the principle of "Nine thoughts to each word." This way, we will be able to say the right things most of the time as we will have the time to mull over what you are going to say. We should realize the importance of verbal communication skills and develop and nurture it.

All of us having used this medium of communication for all our lives take it for granted. This is why language is deteriorating these days. People do not even pay attention to grammar.

b) Listening - The first thing here is that one should understand the difference between listening and hearing. We cannot consciously control our hearing but listening is something we choose to do. Listening encompasses both hearing what others say and understanding it as well. To become an effective conversationalist, one must learn how to listen.

2. WRITTEN - Technology has grown so advanced today that the written word does not hold much importance. Finding writing too much effort, people nowadays avoid it. However to be able to record and transit everything, this medium is extremely essential.

a. Writing - The importance of writing has diminished considerably because of the growth in technology. Even till a few years back, the effectiveness of written communication skills depended on the legibility of one's handwriting. But now, the entire focus has shifted to grammar and spelling in order to hone written communication skills. You can take the opinion of others and find out if the correct message is being transmitted through your writing. This will determine the effectiveness of your writing.

b. Reading - It is important to read messages in their right content and interpret them correctly. The message need to be interpreted as the writer has meant it. This is especially important where laws, memorandums and other "official" written correspondence is concerned. You need practice and patience in order to develop verbal communication skills. By reading more, you will not only be able to hone your reading skills, but your other communication skills as well.
(Abhishek Agarwal)

    Sustainable development can thus be understood both in time and space: it takes into account the needs of future generations, and equally the needs of people today in every part of the world.

IV. Reflection in English 121

In my years of studying, i always put my interest most in Sciences as well as English, for almost in every discussions and explanation in books do uses the English as medium of instruction. So, as i continued my education in tertiary level with knowledge more in English Literature, I found hard times in coping the standards of me English course in college. For those times, I could imagine myself as a "tabularaza" or a empty flask drive in every meetings and discussion I do experience with my classmates in English 121 and also with my professor. 

   Those moments especially during my first semester in my first year in college that really placed me in the most pressured times, I took it as a challenge. As a saying goes this way, Education is not a process for the preparation in life, but Education is life itself. So pursued and I must say now that I've learned a lot and competent linguistically.  

    English 121, Communication Skills 2 give this opportunity to have knowledge in English that is very detailed and thought me to understand the importance of learning English especially in identifying errors that I always use now as I continued my learning process. That becomes possible through the guidance of my Professor and tend us to use all those learning

V. Integration of Education for Sustainable Development to English 121

There are few issues more important to our collective future than sustainable development, a term which has over the years come to be understood as encompassing a whole range of issues that relate to the on-going success of humanity's stay on this planet.

These issues certainly include environmental conservation and the challenge of appropriate development — the two main planks of “sustainable development.” But they also extend to the whole gamut of concerns relating to population and human consumption, human rights, women's advancement, food security, energy, industrial growth, urban planning — and even issues of peace and security.

      All these things relate to the ability of humanity “to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” as sustainable development was defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.

As with most good and important ideas, the real problem facing humanity today in terms of achieving sustainable development is how to motivate people to change underlying behaviors and activities that are problematic — in this case “unsustainable.”

     

     How, in other words, do we motivate people to use less energy, to contribute more to help alleviate poverty, undertake development that does not pollute or otherwise squander precious resources, and, ultimately, to make peace with each other?

Here is where the idea of a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) has a special role to play: in showing how various processes of education —which lie at the heart of promoting changes in human behavior — can be used on a global level to help turn things around.