Students name: Susy Costa

Teachers name: Aaron Carlson

Course and section number: ESL 51
May 3, 2014.
Dear Portfolio Committee,
My name is Susy Costa, and I have been in The United States since last summer.
Before I came here, I took the placement test, and I took an intensive English course
during that summer. I was not satisfied because I imagined that I should be at a higher
level. However, to my surprise I was wrong. I did not know how to write an essay
because the Brazilian education system focuses on grammar. As a result, I faced
challenges adjusting to the American writing system. This semester I took the ESL 51
class and my professor Aaron Carlson was essential for my development because before
that, I was still afraid of expressing my ideas. This was a product of a prior writing
style, which I was exposed to that did not allow me to think outside the box. Thankfully
Mr. Carlson showed me that I did not have to be limited by this more suppressed style
but rather, use it to our advantage. I am leaving this class with a lot of more confidence
in not only in my writing skills but also in my academic life.
In this portfolio I have included three assignments:
The first essay is a revised argument essay based on an article of John Stossel. In
this article, he claims that the media alters societys behavior by offering exaggerated
information. Besides that he warns about the real dangers that it can cause. I chose this
article because it is relevant to understanding how media works and its role in society.
The second essay is one of my in-class essays of this semester. Telling the truth
was the topic, and I needed to expose my ideas to explain I agreed that telling the truth
was always beneficial, or if I opposed this idea. I chose this topic because I could give
personal examples, which made my arguments stronger. Even though it was not my best
essay, I chose it for I was more comfortable during its production.
My third essay is my documented argumentative essay on the topic of treatment
of drug addicts. I reviewed the situation of that problem in The United States and my
home country, Brazil. Moreover, I was surprised at the fast growth of drugs in both

countries. Therefore, besides giving my opinion on this topic, I also offered some
solutions to the drug problem, which has been the nightmare of many nations.
All in all, I believe that my writing skills have been refined in this class. I
developed my critical perspective thinking through the topics discussed and worked in
class. It is important to emphasize that I was able to apply the skills that I acquired in
ESL 51 on my credit courses. However, I still struggle with prepositions, so I hope to
improve it soon.
Thank you for reading my portfolio.

Sincerely,

Susy Costa