domingo, 22 de abril de 2012
Summary week 6
On week 6 we analyzed some aspects about critical thinking, text analysis and we finished the literature in history. We advanced a lot by this week and saw a lot if interesting things.
The catcher in the rye
Oral presentation
Last week I had the oportunity to do a presentation in group about one choosen topic related on what we saw in class.
I had to work with my classmates: Matias Weitz (left)and Javier Elgueta (middle). Our topic was Language, a human ability; we prepared this presentation with the things that we saw in class so it was easier for us and for our classmates to understand what we were presenting. We had the chance to show all what we had learn and conclude that it was a good presentation.
Summary week 1
Introducing language and literature
On the first week of english classes we start seeing what is language and its definitions, also what is literature and the activities that we will have to do this year in the IB system. Also I had the oportunity to meet another english teacher Sr Alfredo Calderon that I didn´t have the oportunity to met him before.
On the first week of english classes we start seeing what is language and its definitions, also what is literature and the activities that we will have to do this year in the IB system. Also I had the oportunity to meet another english teacher Sr Alfredo Calderon that I didn´t have the oportunity to met him before.
Reading in two ways
Reading in two ways
The ambiguity is present in a lot of texts like newspapers, blogs, poems, book, etc. We always have to have in mind what the author is trying to say with different words or sentences.
In the classbook page 19 are a lot of examples of "reading in two ways" like for example: "Once shot an elephant in my pajamas" or "Toilet out of order, please use the floor below". We could think about this phrases in different ways and that can create a confusion on the readers, sometimes the authors use ambiguity with intention.
The ambiguity is present in a lot of texts like newspapers, blogs, poems, book, etc. We always have to have in mind what the author is trying to say with different words or sentences.
Summary week 5
What is literature?
That question, what is literature? Is a question that we had present all week. Literature is books? Literature is drama? There is not a practical definition of what literature is, that´s why this week with our new teacher, Miss Verónica Cordero we studied the history of the definition of the word literature and how literature was present in the era of the Greeks until our days, we saw historical events that influenced in the stages of literature.
Here I leave you a video so you can have a better idea of what literature is:
Here I leave you a video so you can have a better idea of what literature is:
Summary week 4
Language and culture week
On this 4th week we studied more the relation between the language and cultures and discuse a lot of issues about it.
We saw what High culture and Low culture is and how we can identify that aspects, also we started seeing some aspects about steretypes in relation to the cultures and misunderstandings, watching a video about the causes of misunderstandings and I got to the conclusion that they start because of the poor information that a regular people have about other cultures.
We also learned some listening strageties that would help us in our listening tests and things in relation with that strageties.
Finally I can conclude that until now this has been the week that I learned more things and I could analyze a lot of things that will help as an experience in life.
We saw what High culture and Low culture is and how we can identify that aspects, also we started seeing some aspects about steretypes in relation to the cultures and misunderstandings, watching a video about the causes of misunderstandings and I got to the conclusion that they start because of the poor information that a regular people have about other cultures.
Finally I can conclude that until now this has been the week that I learned more things and I could analyze a lot of things that will help as an experience in life.
Summary week 3
DEBATE WEEK
This was a very fun week in which during all days we could see our classmates debating and learning about an issue of language. The motion for the debate was Humans are born with an ability to create language" vs. "Language is a learnt construct like the rules governing a sport" Here I leave you a video about debating so you can see what we were doing:
This was a very fun week in which during all days we could see our classmates debating and learning about an issue of language. The motion for the debate was Humans are born with an ability to create language" vs. "Language is a learnt construct like the rules governing a sport" Here I leave you a video about debating so you can see what we were doing:
This video is about a presidencial debate with the participation of the actual U.S president Mr Barack Obama.
Summary week 2
Language
This week we learned a lot of characteristics about language for example:
1) Its open ended
2)Its creative
3) Inherent to humans
We also saw different videos about how humans started talking and how this ability help us in our lifes.
We made an activity about the "The tower of babel" and our classmate Javier Elgueta shared us a video of an animal talking in Colombia
I can conclude that this was a very interesting week and I liked very much the participation of one our classmate in our learning.
1) Its open ended
2)Its creative
3) Inherent to humans
We also saw different videos about how humans started talking and how this ability help us in our lifes.
I can conclude that this was a very interesting week and I liked very much the participation of one our classmate in our learning.
Activity page 14
Practical criticism
You fit into me
like a hook into an eye
A fish hook
An open eye
Questions to the text:
1. What is the relationship between the title and the rest of the poem?
2. What words, if any, need to be defined (for example, are you familiar with a hook-and-eye clasping system in clothing?
3. What relationships do you see among any words in the poem?
4. What are the various connotative meanings of the words in the poem? Do these various shades of meaning help establish relationships or patterns in the text?
5. What symbols, images or figures of speech are used? What is the relationship between them?
6. What elements of rhyme, meter or pattern can you discuss?
7. What is the tone of the poem?
8. From what point of view is the content of the poem being told?
9. What tensions, amibiguities or paradoxes arise within the poem?
10. What do you believe the chief paradox or irony is in the text?
11. How do all the elements of the poem support and develop the primary paradox or irony?
1. The title is saying the general idea of the text, also the title is the same as the first verse of the poem, and the rest is a comparison of the verse "You fit in to me".
2. I understood all the poem with any help
3. The relationship between the hook and the eye (the way it fits)
4. The words eye and hook change will the poem advances in their meaning.
5. I can see comparisons (in the way it fits), also hyperboly and irony.
6. The poem doesn´t have any rhyme pattern.
7. In my point of view it could be love or melancholy.
8. The narrator is saying that someone belongs to him/her but doesn´t mention any other external element.
9. The words "Hook and Eye" change their meanings as the poem advances, a clear case of ambiguity. The other elements can be placed in the comparison between a hook and an eye and feelings.
10. Express the feeling of love by an eye and a hook.
11. The irony and paradox are present within the poem advances and changes it meaning.
Do you think?
1. Why is it necessary in today's society to be a critical thinker?
2. What do I need to do to become critical?
1. Nowadays it is necessary to be a critical thinker so we can communicate in a rational way with people and society trying to make sense, be open minded and discuss other opinions.
2. Be a critical thinker is a human ability, se we only have to form and opinion and be capable to discuss and argue different opinions.
Analyzing pictures
Literature studies throughout times
This two images were the focus of our analysis, I choosed the option B.
This week we finished studying the literature studies with an activity and started learning about Active reading.
Questioning a text:
- Language
- Sign Systems
- No language act is unbiased
- Agreeing
Analizing a picture:
Option A
This two images were the focus of our analysis, I choosed the option B.
In my opinion the white hand represents the good life conditions of white people and the other hand the poorness that black people lives every day in Africa. The two hands together are trying to send a message that in my point of view it could mean that white people have to help the black people that live famine and poorness every day and is a message of support and aid. The picture is trying to form consciense about what is happening with this people and their conditions. I think that the black hand must be of a black child that is living hunger and the white hand of
and adult in better shape than the child.
The study of literature
Literature in history
In the western culture the study of literature has been in constant change, the conception of what is literature is something they have been asking since long ago.
Greeks: The fist concept of literature in history was from the greeks. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle debated literature, in that time poetry and drama. They said that literature is the representation of life, ontology, epistemology, politics and morality. (Criticism)
Romanticism (19th century): In this period the idea was that poetry was a reflection of everyday life and ordinary people; an expression of feeling; and it was written in common language. The discuss of issues of our "Higher humanity over the status quo.
Scientific determinism: Charles Darwin with the publication of "The origin of species) changed all the conception of trascendentalism of Romanticism to a scientific determinism of the Victorian era. Science become the most popular concept in literature.
New Criticism (E. 20th C.): The new criticism propose that the only thing important and object of study was the text itself. Not even the author and his history was relevant. They didn't care about the context of the book creation. The book was independent.
Reader-Response Criticism: The response of the new concept in literature, people wanted to know about other aspects of the books, not only the book itself.
Structuralism: This is the theory os Saussaure about language concept. This is, not taking a word with always the same meaning, he invites the reader to get the sign of what that word or sentence is trying to communicate. (Signifier-Signified)
Post Structuralism: Is the idea of making a difference between meanings, for example if we read cat we know inmediatly that the author is not refering to a cat itself or the concept of cat (animal)
Marxism: Is the concepto of the ideology "marxism" (Karl Marx) throw literature. Social classes and economic differences.
Feminism: Women used literature to communicate their feelings about society.
Cultural poetics: Is all the contrary concept of criticism, the reader should know all the aspects that sorrounds the book.
Post-Colonial criticism: The author life (biography) is very important when we read a book, and also in what part of the author´s life the book was written.
Greeks: The fist concept of literature in history was from the greeks. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle debated literature, in that time poetry and drama. They said that literature is the representation of life, ontology, epistemology, politics and morality. (Criticism)
Scientific determinism: Charles Darwin with the publication of "The origin of species) changed all the conception of trascendentalism of Romanticism to a scientific determinism of the Victorian era. Science become the most popular concept in literature.
New Criticism (E. 20th C.): The new criticism propose that the only thing important and object of study was the text itself. Not even the author and his history was relevant. They didn't care about the context of the book creation. The book was independent.
Reader-Response Criticism: The response of the new concept in literature, people wanted to know about other aspects of the books, not only the book itself.
Structuralism: This is the theory os Saussaure about language concept. This is, not taking a word with always the same meaning, he invites the reader to get the sign of what that word or sentence is trying to communicate. (Signifier-Signified)
Post Structuralism: Is the idea of making a difference between meanings, for example if we read cat we know inmediatly that the author is not refering to a cat itself or the concept of cat (animal)
Marxism: Is the concepto of the ideology "marxism" (Karl Marx) throw literature. Social classes and economic differences.
Feminism: Women used literature to communicate their feelings about society.
Cultural poetics: Is all the contrary concept of criticism, the reader should know all the aspects that sorrounds the book.
Post-Colonial criticism: The author life (biography) is very important when we read a book, and also in what part of the author´s life the book was written.
Stereotypes
Stereotyping is thinking in the same way of a whole group of people or culture by knowing only some things about them, or for example meeting one people from that place and then say that for that people the whole society is like that. In my opinion the use of stereotypes is for ignorant people that can´t make the effort of searching about that culture and inform.
The people that are constantly stereotyping other cultures can be making a huge missunderstang or also big damage in the image of that culture.
Language and culture
Answers to the video of language and culture
1. When is it alright to call people by their first names?
for example.
2. How do naming traditions differ among cultures?
3. Which words or phrases might be confusing to another culture?
4. Why should I be careful when complimenting or praising people from different cultures?
5. Why can it seem that people from other cultures don't say what they mean?
1. It´s better to avoid calling people by their first name, because in many cultures it is offensive.
2. The order about names differ in countries and other cultures, it is different in Mexico, China and the U.S
for example.
3. We have to be careful of using phrases of our own country or society, because maybe other people that talks the same language will not understand, for example in english "What´s up!"or in spanish use for example "está filete".
4. Because if we are not aware of the issues of that culture we could say or do something offensive for them with not that intention.
5. Because not all cultures use expresions with language together, and not necessary express emotions. So we have to use sometimes different expresions when we say something to someone from other culture. Use open ended questions.
sábado, 21 de abril de 2012
Answers video 1
Why do we talk?
1. First of all language is an ability that only humans have (inherent to humans), that means the "trick" that we have to communicate our thoughts to another human is talking. For us is something very normal but if we think about it, we have an enormous adavantage over other animals, and that is language or the ability to talk.
2. No, animals are able to communicate but in a different way than talking, maybe by sounds or by fisical contact.
3. We can be able to express our thoughts, our feelings and many other things that are constantly happening in our lifes, that´s why language is so important.
1. Which is the trick or process that enables us to communicate something to others?
2. Do animals talk? It they don´t, what do they do to communicate?
3. What do we express when we talk?
4. What did Dr Deb Roy try to achieve in his house?
5. Which are the earlier stages in language for a child?
6. What external and internal factors made the data recollected in the experiment into something they could use?
7. How did the parent's speech change from their son's first word until he could utter more complex structures?
8. What does Dr Deb Roy compare the "blossoming" of a speech form?
2. No, animals are able to communicate but in a different way than talking, maybe by sounds or by fisical contact.
3. We can be able to express our thoughts, our feelings and many other things that are constantly happening in our lifes, that´s why language is so important.
4. Dr Deb Roy maked an experiment in his house with his own family and new baby for having a primary information about how humans start talking. This experiment would help him and other cientists about human communication or language starts.
5. A child would start babling, then he/she would start saying single words, after using two words together and finally forming phrases or sentences.
6. Besides recollecting the sounds, words and sentences of the child, they cientists put atention on what the things that he was saying were in relationship with external facts.
7. They were using more complicated sentences when the child started to use more complex grammar and vocabulary, they advance in their language with the child.
8. He saw the incredible advance of his child of babling to use complex sentences in such a short time, the example he used was with the word "water", the child start saying "gaga", when he practiced the word and learning the sound he could finally say the word correctly.
martes, 17 de abril de 2012
"Langue and parole"
What do experts say on the relationship between language and thought?
For getting some information about first
theories of that relation we have to go a lot of
centuries back, specifically to the greeks. Plato had the "theory of forms" in which the idea of thought and language having meaning as stemming from abstract definitions or concepts called “forms” and which all the “entities and qualities designated thereby can be subsumed”
Similarly John Locke of a more recent time describes the relationship between reality and language: Our senses, conversant about
particular sensible object, do convey into the mind several distinct perceptions
of things according to those various ways wherein those objects affect them.
And thus we come by those ideas we have of yellow, white, heat, cold, soft,
hard, bitter, sweet and all those which we call sensible qualities; which when I
say the senses convey into the mind, I mean, they from external objects
convey into the mind what produces those perceptions.
Source: http://www.ttt.org/linglinks/StacyPhipps.htm
For getting some information about first
theories of that relation we have to go a lot of
centuries back, specifically to the greeks. Plato had the "theory of forms" in which the idea of thought and language having meaning as stemming from abstract definitions or concepts called “forms” and which all the “entities and qualities designated thereby can be subsumed”
Similarly John Locke of a more recent time describes the relationship between reality and language: Our senses, conversant about
particular sensible object, do convey into the mind several distinct perceptionsof things according to those various ways wherein those objects affect them.
And thus we come by those ideas we have of yellow, white, heat, cold, soft,
hard, bitter, sweet and all those which we call sensible qualities; which when I
say the senses convey into the mind, I mean, they from external objects
convey into the mind what produces those perceptions.
Source: http://www.ttt.org/linglinks/StacyPhipps.htm
Debate
Class debate
We had an activity in class called a debate, for me personally was a great experience because I had never been part of a real debate! The motion that I had to represent was "Language is a learnt construct like the rules governing a sport", on the other hand the other team had the motion "Humans are born with an ability to create language".
I think that the importance of the debate is that you finally get convinced during the debate about your motion and is a great oportunity to discuse with my classmates without agressions and other type of distractions. Finally I want to conclude that it was a wonderful class activity and I expect to do it again!
We had an activity in class called a debate, for me personally was a great experience because I had never been part of a real debate! The motion that I had to represent was "Language is a learnt construct like the rules governing a sport", on the other hand the other team had the motion "Humans are born with an ability to create language".
I think that the importance of the debate is that you finally get convinced during the debate about your motion and is a great oportunity to discuse with my classmates without agressions and other type of distractions. Finally I want to conclude that it was a wonderful class activity and I expect to do it again!
Language: Constant changes
Language: Constant changes
1. What is the biblical story of "the Tower of Babel"?
2. What does historical evidence tell us of this biblical event?
3. What's the relationship between genes and language?
4. Why do languages constantly change?
1. According to the bible, the early humans tried to challenge the power of the god, constructing a huge tower called 'the tower of Babel'. God, acting with anger punished the early humans by making them talk different languages, so communication wouldn´t be possible. This was a huge punishment because communication is an important tool for a lot of aspects in life.
2. All languages started and the developed according to the East Africa language. There are also evidences that all human population started living in Africa and trought time they traveled to other parts of the Earth. The tower of bable is a sort of methaphor about how the different races appeared.
3. A long time ago all different races had theyre own language and society, nowadays in a lot of countryes there is a mix of races and languages living together.
4. Because language is created and open-ended, all days people can invent new words and using them to communicate in a society.
The history of language
"The history of language"
1. Why it is said that people in the East Africa develop more than the rest?
2. What happened to the earlier languages on Earth?
3. According to Dr Johanna Nichols, what were the first utterances made by humans?
1. The answer of this questions is very easy, the people that lived in East Africa that time developed a better language than the others, that can explain why the could advanced and survive, that is because societies with good languages can develop in a better way.
2. The earlier languages on Earth in the opinion of the people in the video is that those languages have been errased among time.
3. The first utterances used by humans to communicate were the calls and sounds, that after developed in words with meaning and later in sentences with meaning, that´s how language appeared.
2. What happened to the earlier languages on Earth?
3. According to Dr Johanna Nichols, what were the first utterances made by humans?
2. The earlier languages on Earth in the opinion of the people in the video is that those languages have been errased among time.
3. The first utterances used by humans to communicate were the calls and sounds, that after developed in words with meaning and later in sentences with meaning, that´s how language appeared.
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