Language and Culture

Ready for pick-up

2006-05-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

Your quiz papers are now ready for pick-up. Please drop by my office anytime. I'll be leaving these papers on my desk.

aiden

NS vs NNS: From EFL students' point of view

2006-05-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

Discuss the basic division between native speakers and non-native speakers of English and why has it become so controversial.

The following are excerpts from students' Essay test:

From Ingrid
The division between native and non-native English speakers is based on whether it is their first language or their mother tongue. We used to use regions to decide whether a person is a native speaker. If a person is born in countries such as US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, then we usually consider he or she a native speaker. However, because of the large amount of immigrnats, there are large amount of ESL speakers appear in those Inner circle countries. Now, the controversy is the standards of distinguishing nagtive and non-native English. "Competence" in English becomes the considering division instead of accent and region, and many non-native speakers schieve the competence of native speakers or they even know more English vocabulary and grammar than those native speakers. This makes the division of NS and NNS so controversial because English is so widely used and the standard English differs from regions and places. The amount of ESL and EFL speakers are increasing and many of their English competence are considered better than some of the ENL speakers. Therefore, it is really hard to tell whether a person is native or non-native speaker by regions, accents, and countries. English has become an international language and from the phenomenon of code switching and code-mixing, we can see Englsih has been developed into many different kinds. The standard English does not only mean English used by native speakers, and the division of native and non-native English has become vague and without clear divisions, and that's why we said it has become controversial.

From Aaron
The basic division of native speakers and non-native speakers conventionally would be whether the person is born and raised in a English-speaking country. However, to define 'standrad' English is not an easy task in a highly globalized world today. That's when schools of genetic division, geographical and division ofn circles come up. The reason why it has become so controversial is because some ESL countries is 'standardizing' their English, and the proficiency of non-native speakers has become better than those who 'own' English.

Video Resume Project

2006-05-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

Click on a name (or file name) to view Video resume presentation. Right click on link, select 'save as' to download a file.

Ingrid htm, video
Linda htm, video
Ting
Cindy Huang
Angela

Who speaks English today?

2006-05-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Who speaks English today?

Read the article, click here.

What's in a name?

2006-05-13T02:10:00.000-07:00

Click on a name to view individual photostory. Each photostory is about 4-5 minutes long. The film contains a student's interpretation of his/her Chinese/English name, what it means (literally) and what it means to him/her and how it has affected his/her personality, character and well-being.

Group 1Stella (WMV), Sam (WMV), Daniel (MP4)

Group 2 Jennifer (WMV), Jenny (WMV), Ingrid (WMV)

Group 3
Claire Hou (WMV), Carrie Huang (WMV), Reggie Lin (MP4), Betsy Wen (MP4), Jocelyn Chen (MP4)

Group 4
Kimmi Chen (WMV), Linda(WMV), Cindy Huang(WMV)

Group 5
Justin (WMV), Winnie (WMV), Regis (MP4), Jill (MP4), Elsa (MP4)

Group 6
Vera (WMV), Ruby, Melody Tsai (WMV, 1 min 20 sec)

Group 7
Jason (MP4), Cliona (MP4), Leo (MP4), Phoebe (MP4), Wain (MP4), Shonn (MP4)

Group 8
Julie Chou (WMV, Margaret (WMV), Erican Tian (WMV), Stephanie (WMV)

Group 9
Aaron (MP4), Ting Tsai (WMV), Leo Kuo (MP4), Cindy Hsu (MP4), Angela (MP4)

To Carrie, Bernice, and Hsiao Wen- the files you sent are neither wmv nor avi. I could not open them. Can you please resend the files- make sure they're saved as wmv or mp4.

Note: To stream the video, click a name to play. To download the video to your hard drvie, right click your mouse and select 'save as'.

2006-05-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Behind the name, the etymology and history of first names, http://www.behindthename.com/

2006-05-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Get a Chinese name (if you don't have any), http://www.mandarintools.com/chinesename.html

2006-05-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

Check the meaning of your English name here, http://www.kabalarians.com/index.cfm

2006-05-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

American vs British English
Basic Differences and Influences of Change, http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/usgbintr.html

2006-05-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/online/linguist307/topics.html This site provides a good outline of the topics that we have covered in class. You can use this outline to check how much you know about the topic.

2006-05-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.ku.edu/%7Eidea/ "All recordings are in English, are of native speakers, and you will find both English language dialects and English spoken in the accents of other languages. The recordings are downloadable and playable for both PC and Macintosh computers." It's a good site with lots of audio samples. Listen to the different varieties of the English language.

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 Download

2006-04-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 Download

Click here.

Write An Attention-Getting Resume

2006-04-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

Write An Attention-Getting Resume

From CBS.com click here

Sound Smart- tips from Interview Stream

2006-04-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Great examples from Interview Stream

Click here

How to write a resume

2006-04-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

How to write a resume

Click here

Video Resume Links

2006-04-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

Samples of Video Resumes

Creative video resumes, click here

Simple but effective video resumes, click here

Simple video resumes, click here
Here's another one.

Short video embedded on a webpage, click here

Another example of embedded video resume, 'Kristen', click here.

Lots of samples here.

Impressive display of language skills, Stephanie's video resume

Indian English

2006-04-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

A podcast

The Forbidden Tongue, or Singlish

2006-04-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

Citizens of this glorious planet, now hear this. It has come to our attention that a significant number of you have been speaking in The Forbidden Tongue.

Let me remind you that if we do not speak the same English as the rest of the galaxy, that is Standard English, the Trade Federation and other members of this great Empire will not be able to understand you.

We are a developed and civilised member of the galaxy. We are not one of those outer-rim planets, where they speak a kind of Pidgin English that has almost destroyed their economic development.

The Forbidden Tongue, or Singlish as it is called in the vulgar vernacular, has to be destroyed!
-------------------------------------------------------------------I personally feel that Singlish defines who we are as a nation... Singlish(Singapore English) and we should embrace it proudly. Gives us some sort of identity of being Singaporean although we haven't got an established nationalism. (A true embodiment of our creolised culture) But on the other hand, it is necessary that we should be able to distinguish the right/wrong times to speak it. Neither does it mean that we should be pardoned for not knowing the "true" forms of the language.
Speak correctly to an American/Australian/British to be understood. Speak Singlish to "kaki nang" to connect with each other, identify with each other.

Posted by: mermie | May 20, 2005 12:17:22 PM

Link

Topic prominent

2006-04-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Topic prominent
Singlish is topic-prominent, like Chinese. This means that Singlish sentences often begin with a topic (or a known reference of the conversation), followed by a comment (or new information). Compared to other varieties of English, the semantic relationship between topic and comment is not important; moreover, nouns, verbs, adverbs, and even entire subject-verb-object phrases can all serve as the topic:

Dis country weather very hot, one. �X In this country, the weather is very warm.
Dat person there cannot trust. �X That person over there is not trustworthy.
Tomorrow doh need bring camera. �X You don't need to bring a camera tomorrow.
He play soccer also very good one leh. �X He's very good at playing soccer too.

Speak Good English Movement 2005

2006-04-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Speak Good English Movement 2005!

Go to Speak Good English link

the mrbrown show

2006-04-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2006/04/index.html

Kahru's Outer Circle countries

2006-04-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

Division of Groups

2006-04-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Groupings for Bee Dieu's Intercultural Communications project

Sofie- Jenny, Jennifer, Bernice, Phoebe, Cliona

Romaine- Stephanie, ERica, Alicia

Alexandre- Cindy Hsu, Ting, Aaron, Angela, Leo Kuo

Klara- Melody, Vera, Rebecca, Kimmy, Robin

Alberto- Sibyl,Hsiao-Wen, Carrie

Ellie- Julie, margaret, Linda, Cindy Huang, Ingrid

Camille- Jill, Carie Huang, Elsa, Winnie, Justin

Jeremy- Regis, Shonn, Wain, Jason, Leo Chien

Gregoire- Stella, Sam, Daniel

Amanda- Claire, Betsy, Jocelyn, Reggie

"I Has a Dream..."

2006-04-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

"I Has a Dream..."
New York Times 09 October 1998 advertisement and followup
FAST-US-8 'Power, Pride & Politics in American English' Reference File
Department of Translation Studies, University of Tampere

The advertisement featured an image of a black man in a overcoat with his back turned to the reader, with the headline "I HAS A DREAM" written over the image of the man. Below the image was the following text:
"Does this bother you? It should. We've spent over 400 years fighting for the right to have a voice. Is this how we'll use it? More importantly, is this how we'll teach our children to use it? If we expect more of them, we must not throw our hands in the air and agree with those who say our children cannot be taught. By now, you've probably heard about Ebonics (aka black [sic] English). And if you think it's become a controversy because white America doesn't want us messing with their precious language, don't. White America couldn't care less what we do to segregate ourselves.
The fact is language is power. And we can't take that power away from our children with Ebonics. Would Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and all the others who paid the price of obtaining our voice with the currency of their lives embrace this? If you haven't used your voice lately, consider this an invitation."

("SPEAK OUT AGAINST EBONICS", The National Head Start Association, 1651 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, The New York Times, October 9, 1998, A19 [National Edition])

Respect for dialects

2006-04-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from "Everyone Has an Accent" by Walt Wolfram
A North Carolina professor advocates teaching respect for dialects

[1] Everyone notices dialects, and lots of people seem to be fascinated by them. But is it simply a matter of curiosity? What really lies beneath the laughter and the impetuous comments people make about how others speak?

[2] The Dialect Game
Linguists use the term dialect to denote patterns in the way people use language. These patterns include pronunciation (or "accent"), vocabulary and grammatical structures that reflect the user's cultural and regional background. Dialect is not limited to spoken language; users of American Sign Language employ variations that reflect their regional and social backgrounds as well.

[3] A moment's reflection exposes the level of judgment and prejudice about dialects and, by extension, their speakers. Consider the following recorded examples:

"They hear this Brooklyn accent, they think you grew up in the slum, hanging out on the corner."

"Wisconsin people, they're really bad, they sound like they're Norwegian."

"It's ignorant, it sounds ignorant, they gonna hear this and say, 'Look at them two beautiful girls; if they'd keep their mouth shut they'd be great.'"
-- from the video American Tongues
"What makes me feel that Blacks tend to be ignorant is that they fail to see that the word is spelled A-S-K, not A-X."
-- from "The Oprah Winfrey Show"

[4] The societal norm seems to be that attitudes about language differences don't even have to be disguised. Well-intentioned people who would be hesitant to make overt statements about race, gender or class openly mock and disparage language differences. In English with an Accent (see Resources), author Rosina Lippi-Green says that dialect discrimination is "so commonly accepted, so widely perceived as appropriate, that it must be seen as the last back door to discrimination. And the door stands wide open."

[5] Truth and Fiction About Dialects
There is a popular belief that dialects are simply corruptions of "real" or "good" English that reflect basic ignorance of well-known grammar rules. But the truth is that dialect structures are in themselves quite natural and neutral. Their social impact comes solely from their association with different groups in our society. If people belong to a socially oppressed group, they can count on having their language stigmatized; if they belong to a prestigious group, their language will carry prestige value.

[6] Contrary to the common belief that standards of language are fixed forever, they respond, like any other aspect of culture, to the dynamics of social change.

[7] Variation in speech is at the core of social and historical identity, interwoven into the fabric of cultural differences.

[8] The misinformation and misunderstanding about dialects in our society is not simply a matter of innocent folklore. People's intelligence, capability and character are often judged on the basis of a sentence, a few phrases or even a single word. Studies show that children as young as 3 to 5 years of age show strong preferences -- and prejudices -- based on dialect variations among speakers. Teachers sometimes classify students' speech as "deficient" when it is simply different from the testing norm. In the workplace, perfectly capable workers who speak non-mainstream dialects may be denied occupational opportunity because they "just don't sound right for the job."

[9]
What's the Solution?
For over a decade now, a small group of linguists and educators have been piloting programs specifically designed to instruct students about dialect. The goal of these "dialect awareness" programs is straightforward: to provide accurate information about the nature of dialect differences and promote understanding of the role of dialects in American society.

[10] Learning about dialects is hardly at odds with the acquisition of standard English grammar. In fact, part of the education process involves mastering appropriate styles of speech for different occasions, including those situations where standard English is required. At the same time, growing evidence supports the conclusion that respect for and knowledge of a student's community dialect aids rather than hinders the acquisition of standard English.

Click here to read full article. It's a good read.

Ebonics: How detrimental is it?

2006-04-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

McLean, Va.: What about "Ebonics" -- do you think it's detrimental to a large part of our society?

Robert MacNeil: Ebonics is another word for what linguists call the African American Vernacular English, a dialect of English. The controversy over Ebonics arose when the Oakland, Calif. school system claimed that it was a different language and therefore qualified for federal funds to finance the teaching of ESL, English as a Second Language. The furor that arose greatly confused the issue, which remains important in American schools, and an obstacle to children from the inner cities who have more trouble learning to read and a higher dropout rate than other American children. In our TV series and book we explore an experiment in Los Angeles schools to teach 5th graders the difference between their home speech and mainstream American English. Steve Harvey, a popular radio host in LA and an African American, says that to get on in this country "you need to be bilingual." Unfortunately many teachers, black and white, so look down on "street talk" that it prejudices them against the children, whom they sometimes treat as uneducable. The LA experiment is an effort to treat the black dialect more sympathetically and without racist putdowns to bring the children along into standard English.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: I heard what you said yesterday on NPR re: Black English and agree completely. I wish we'd stop maligning it and study it seriously as a dialect the way we do other regional or ethnic dialects. I think it's a subtle form of racism. We did the same thing with jazz, thinking it primitive, and now know it is one of the most sophisticated music forms out there.

Robert MacNeil: Right on!

I would like to thank you all, y'all, youns, yinz for your interesting questions and I will leave you with what is fast becoming the universal American form of address, so thanks you guys.

*Text lifted from Washingtonpost.com, click here to read the full article.

Black English in Literature

2006-04-16T03:07:00.000-07:00

BE is increasingly being encountered in literature, televised and filmed drama, etc., as 'authentic' speech of Black American history

Alice Walker in Color Purple

From The Color Purple, by Alice Walker [1982] (p. 3)

Dear God,
My mama dead. She die screaming and cussing. She scream at me. She cuss at me. I'm big. I can't move fast enough. By time I git back from the well, the water be warm. By time I git the tray ready the food be cold. By time I git all the children ready for school it be dinner time. He don't say nothing. He set there by the bed holding her hand and cryin, talking bout don't leave me, don't go.
She ast me bout the first one. Whose it is? I say God's. I don't know no other man or what else to say. When I start to hurt and then my stomach start moving and then that little baby come out my pussy chewing on it fist you could have knock me over with a feather.

Don't nobody come see us.
She got sicker and sicker.
Finally she ask Where it is?
I say God took it.
He took it. He took it while I was sleeping. Kilt it out there in the woods.
Kill this one too, if he can.

Ebonics as white 'hip' speech

2006-04-16T02:54:00.000-07:00

Certain aspects of BE now increasingly being adopted by corporate American for advertising purposes, or reflected in white 'hip' speech

From Budweiser Commercials

'Wassup'

'Senior Follow-up'

Audio samples of Ebonics

2006-04-16T02:12:00.000-07:00

Kanye West (WMV) during the Katrina relief program, click here to watch the clip

A general white skepticism toward BE (see Howard Stern's 'Ebonics' Interview [MP3] with D.H. Hughley, click here to listen

Download mp3 file.

Bee's Personal Narrative

2006-04-16T00:24:00.000-07:00

Start sharing your ideas!

2006-04-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Read what other foreign students think about this issue, "Foreign languages, identity and intercultural competence". Bilingualism is an issue that we covered in class. On our discussion forum many of you have admitted having a public and private language- a question that Bee asked her students to think about. We also touched on 'identity' and how language affects the way we view ourselves and how we look at others. There is power in language- just as Barbara Mellix expressed in her article. However, that power is associated with being proficient in a language, being confident with it and using it to gain a certain status in society. This is what makes it a bit difficult for EFL (English as a foreign language) students. High level of proficiency is not easy to attain. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of effort, and sometimes it may even take a lifetime. But having gone through with all the hardships in learning English, you have all come a long way.

Let's take a look at what some of Bee's students have to say:

From Amanda

In my country, English is the first language people use to communicate with foreigners. English is widely spoken in much of the world. I really don' t think that just by learning a different language we change our identity, but we assimilate the languages and they become part of our identity. We can maintain our own customs and way of life, and at the same time speak many languages. In my case, I continue to live as a Brazilian. However, I have adopted certain French customs as my own - but this didn’t' t change who I am.
Finally, learning different languages is very important and also needed at this time of our lives as learning another language can help you to understand your own.
Tell Amanda what you think, visit her blog and click on 'Comments' to leave her a message.

See what other students have to say. Here's a link to Bee's students' individual blogs.

Share to the world what you know...

2006-04-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

To my Language and Culture students,

Here's a message from Barbara Dieu, a teacher from Brazil:

Hi Aiden,
This week I am mentoring the group of students of the Young Women
Caucasus Project I told you about. I have included links to your blog in the
project blog as well, and would like to invite your students to comment
on the post there
http://ycwmentor.neweurasia.net/?p=47
or on my students惑logs.
https://bdieu.wordpress.com/2006/04/07/foreign-languages-identity-and-intercultural-competence/
Warm regards from Brazil,
Bee

-------------------------

This is the international collaboration activity with other students that I was talking about in class (yesterday). I think that it is a good opportunity for you to get in touch with other students from different countries and learn more about their cultures while at the same time you gain new friends. If you read Bee's full message at this link http://ycwmentor.neweurasia.net/?p=47 you'll see at the bottom of the page a box for leaving comments/response. You could write a message to Bee or you could post your opinion about the questions that she asked.

You could even visit her students' individual blogs. To do that, click this link.

Your contribution to this project is deeply appreciated.

Aiden

Standard American

2006-04-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

The "unaccented" variety that is sometimes called Standard American or Standard Speech is one taught by accent coaches. This form is actually an idealized dialect - meaning, it's not really spoken anywhere, but instead is acquired through professional training. Actors and professional communicators (including some from the Midlands!) often take classes in "accent reduction" to lose any regional or social sounds in their speech. It takes a lot of work.

http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/standardamerican/

Ebony + Phonics

2006-04-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

Dr. Robert Williams, an African-American social psychologist, coined the term Ebonics in 1973. His goal was to combine the words “ebony” with “phonics” to refer to “black sounds.”Williams and several other African-American social scientists had gathered that year at a conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health to discuss the psychological development of black children. Williams and his associates had been displeased with the term Black English and began to ponder the alternatives.

http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/AAVE/ebonics/

Ebonics Emerges

2006-04-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

Ebonics Emerges

African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) — sometimes known as Black English or Ebonics — is used by many African Americans, particularly those from working-class or inner-city areas. Black English clearly differs from other varieties of English in its vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, but simply attaching it to one population group oversimplifies a complex situation.

Many African Americans do not speak Black English; many non-African Americans who live in inner cities do. Complicating matters further, African American influence — music, fashion, language — on American culture is very strong. As a result, some white American teenagers from the suburbs consciously imitate Black language features, to express their own group identity and shared opposition to mainstream culture.

Many people — African American or not — look down on Black English as an undesirable or ignorant form of the language. Others see it as a proud and positive symbol of the African-American experience. A few political activists or Afro-centrists insist that Ebonics isn’t a dialect of English at all but rather a separate language with roots in Africa. And many people accept Black English as an important social dialect but argue that its speakers must also master standard English in order to succeed in America today.

The debate illustrates a larger sociolinguistic point. We all master several different varieties of our language, standard and less so, that we deploy depending upon social contexts. In unfamiliar social situations, we feel linguistically inadequate and “don’t know the right thing to say.” Yet we can pick up the lingo of a new context if we are exposed to it long enough.

[The text above is lifted from PBS, Do you speak American, Language & Society, http://www.pbs.org/speak/words/sezwho/socialsetting/

Barbar Mellix

2006-04-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

Outside, In
by Barbara Mellix

Documentary Film Rubric

2006-04-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

A rubric has been created to help me assess your documentary film project.

Download the rubric (hover mouse to the url link below, right click mouse and select, 'Save as')

To view online, simply click the url below.

View/download Rubric

40-44 points= A
35-39 points= A-
30-34 points= B+
25-29 points= B
20-24 points= B-
15-19 points= C
10-14 points= C-
5-9 points= D
1-4 points= F

A= 95-100%
A-= 90-94%
B+= 85-89%
B= 80-84%
B-=75-79%
C= 70-74%
C-= 65-69%
D= 60-64%
F= 59 below

Taiwanese Language and Identity

2006-04-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

A documentary film on Taiwanese Language and Identity. A general discussion on its history and current situation is addressed in this film.

Watch it if you have time. It would be great if you tell us what you think of the film and the ideas that this group of students presented.

Download the film here. WMV, 16 minutes.

Right click the link, select 'Save as..'

Taiwanese Immersion Program

2006-04-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

Watch this documentary film produced by Group 3 in partial fulfillment for Language and Culture class. The theme of this class project is 'Dying Languages'.

Group 3 looks into that issues surrounding the Taiwanese government's effort to teach 'Taiwanese' to Elementary school students. The film provides a historical background but mainly focuses on the issues concerning the effectiveness of the program.

Watch the short film and tell us what you think.

Download the film (in MP4 file), click here. Right click the link, and select 'Save as..'

Read the report here.

Hakka

2006-04-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

The theme of the class project is 'Dying Languages'.

The documentary film is an original production created by Group 7 in partial fulfillment for Language and Culture class.

Film: 19 minutes

Streaming the film online takes a long time, downloading it to your hard drive is better and faster. To download the file, right click your mouse. Select 'Save as..'

Download WMV file, click here.

Download MP4 file (you can also transfer this file to your Ipod Video or any mp3 player that plays video).

Please tell us what you think of this documentary. To leave a message, click 'Comments'.

Thanks.

2nd Round of Podcast on Public and Private language issues

2006-03-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

Listen to the second round of podcast on Public and Private language issues.(posted to our class's discussion board)

Featuring Justin, Carrie, Jason and Daniel

Give it a listen and tell us what you think! To send comments, click 'Leave comments' link.

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Total running time: 14:38
Background Music: Freeplay music

First Round of Podcast shows on Public and Private Language issues

2006-03-26T23:11:00.000-08:00

Listen to the first round of podcast shows on Public and Private language issues.(posted to our class's discussion board)
Give it a listen and tell us what you think! To send comments, click 'Leave comments' link.

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Total running time: 19:58
Background Music: Freeplay music

Students' work published

2006-03-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

A letter submitted to the Editor of China post by a group of students in my Language and Culture was published in China Post, a local newspaper in Taiwan. The letter to the Editor was part of a task-based project that was submitted in partial fulfillment for the course. The digital video the group submitted is still available on our class blog. Congratulations to Tai Hsiao-wen, Erica Tian, Stephanie Weng, Alicia Lin, Carrie Chang, and Sibyl Lee. I'm so proud of you.

https://www.chinapost.com.tw/opinion/letter1.htm Scroll down the page until you see
"Does the quest for the perfect figure lead to heaven or hell of anorexia?"
2006/01/08
Tai Hsiao-wen, Erica Tian, Stephanie Weng, Alicia Lin, Carrie Chang, Sibyl Lee Students from Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages in Kaohsiung

Reading for March 22

2006-03-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

Performing Identity:
a Stage for Multilingual English and Multicultural Englishness

Charlene Rajendran is a writer, teacher and theatre director/performer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Read the full article here (Click the link)

With links to vocabulary, click here.

Translation of some Malaysia words mentioned in the article, click here, courtesy of Jim Duber.

Cindy Hsu's response posted to Public and Private Language discussion forum

2006-03-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

Listen to Cindy Hsu's voice message (posted to our class's discussion board)

"I think no matter what, a person should be proud of his/her own culture, even when he/she move to a new country and learning a whole new different language in order to communicate with the locals, he/she till has to know where he/she belongs. No matter what, a person should not abandon his/her own culture." Cindy Hsu

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Asignment for March 15

2006-03-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

http://wenzao2005.forumsplace.com/post-80.html#80

Read the questions here.

"Brown: An Erotic History of the Americas"

2006-03-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

Richard Rodriguez

Tuesday, April 16, 2002

Richard Rodriguez, Peabody Award-winning journalist, is an editor at Pacific News Service and regular essayist on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS. His previous memoirs, Hunger of Memory and Days of Obligation, addressed the intersection of his private life with public issues of class and ethnicity. In Brown: An Erotic History of the Americas, he completes his "trilogy on American public life" by considering the issue of race.

Source: UC Santa Barbara Interdisciplinary Humanities Centre

Listen to the audio file.

Click here to watch the video. A new pop-up window will open.

Read another interesing speech from Richard Rodriguez, 'Remarks of Richard Rodriguez' at http://www.library.ca.gov/LDS/convo/convoc21.html

Immigration and the Fracturing of Community

2006-03-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

Immigration and the Fracturing of Community by Richard Rodriguez, Author, PBS Commentator

From Penn National Commission on Society, Culture and Community

Comprehension questions based on the reading, 'Public and Private Language'

2006-03-10T07:26:00.000-08:00

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Richard Rodriguez was born July 31, 1944, in San Francisco. He received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University in 1967, and a master's degrees from Columbia University in 1969; he later completed graduate study at the University of California, Berkeley, and Warburg Institute, London. He received a Fulbright fellowship in 1972-73, and a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship in 1976-77. In addition to free-lance writing and odd jobs, Rodriguez was a Perlman lecturer at the University of Chicago in 1984, and a journalist and essayist for PBS series "MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour." His works include: Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez, 1982; Days of Obligation: An Argument with My Mexican Father, 1992; American Soul, 1995; and King's Highway, 1999. His works have been published in American Scholar, Harper's, the Los Angeles Times, the New Republic, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.

[1] Rodriguez argues bilingual education by distinguishing between what he calls 'private individuality' and the 'public individuality' made possible by assimilation. How heavy a price does Rodriguez think he paid for graining a sense of 'public individuality'? How heavy a price do you think he paid?

[2] Richard Rodriguez takes the position that the acquisition of a public language, English, is more important than using the native language in class to make students feel at ease. Why do you think he feels this way? Do you agree or disagree?

[3] As someone who speaks a second language, describe the privileges or freedom that speaking more than one language creates?

How much do you understand the article? Click here to take the online quiz. Let me know how you did, click the 'Post comments' button.

An Interview with Richard Rodrigues: The Culture of American Identity (Grace Cathedral).

Listen to the interview.

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Taiwanese Language Immersion Program

2006-03-07T23:45:00.000-08:00

"Taiwanese had a negative impression in many people’s mind; even until now, most of the people still think those who speak Taiwanese are less educated and low social status. On the other hand, the government recently realized the importance of reserving dialects and local culture. From September 2001 Taiwanese is taught in the elementary schools."

"The education of Taiwanese language in elementary school seems not so effective and successful. Actually, students are not learning Taiwanese by studying at school, but rather through the process of natural language acquisition."

Read full paper, here.

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player (Ipod Video) and listen to it while you're on the go!

142.9 MB

YE4A
1093100009 Margaret
1093100010 Carrie
1093100011 Julie
1093100012 Linda
1093100045 Cindy
1093100046 Ingrid

The Amis Language

2006-03-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

Read Group 2's paper, click here. (Doc. file)

Reggie's audio message

2006-03-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Listen to Reggie's audio message (posted to our class's discussion board)

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

"I, myself, am now facing the crisis of losing my mother tongue, Hokkien. I was brought up in a Hokkien speaking family. Both of my parents speak fluently Hokkien. Thanks to my folks, I used to be good at it. Nevertheless, after I leave for studying at a junior college in Taipei county where most resident are the so-called ¡§mainlander¡¨, my Hokkien got rusty a bit by a bit. Over there, somehow, speaking Hokkien would be regarded as a "Taike" literately means ¡§Taiwanese Guest¡¨, a person who is not well-educated, not graceful, and able to represent as a symbol of Taiwanese culture (in a negative way, picture this, a man dressed himself ¡§very¡¨ colorful wearing a pair of flip-flop with betelnut in his mouth).Click here for an image of Taike

The usage of language change causes me a few trouble, despite the inconvenience of switching to Mandarin every now and then so as to express myself whenever speaking to a Hokkien speaker (including my parents), I was twice mistaken as a Hakka and a mainlander because of my rusty Hokkien.

I can¡¦t help but starting to worry about the impact to native language that brought by Mandarin. For the time being, I am speaking Hokkien as a pidgin, but for my next generation is a creole. By then, Hokkien would be a lot different from what Hokkien was in the past. Gradually, Hokkien won¡¦t be Hokkien any more, not to mention other minority languages would be very likely lost in the future. "

Richard Rodriguez: Private and Public Language

2006-03-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

An Interview with Richard Rodriguez, click here

The New, New World
Richard Rodriguez on culture and assimilation, click here to read more

Books of the times, click here to know more about Richard Rodriguez

Permission Slip

2006-03-05T02:49:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

Could you please spare a few minutes (around 2-3 minutes) to fill in the persmission slip to publish your documentary films on our blog.

Click on this link to fill in the online slip.

Thanks.

Aiden

Julie Chou's audio message

2006-03-05T02:23:00.000-08:00

Julie Chou wrote: I found it interesting that government bans people from speaking their own language (or language they do not understand) is because they are afraid of being toppled over by people. I never knew the power of language could be so strong. I had though that the reason behind this is that the government wants the language to be united so I would be easier to run the country.

Listen to Julie Chou's audio message (posted to our class's discussion board)

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

P.s.
Reggie also sent his audio message but I could not open the file. I hope that he sends me the correct url so I could share it with you all. Thanks, Reggie!

List of Group Presentations

2006-02-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

Group presentations for March 6-8

Group 1 Minan Hua: Assimilation, origins, discrimination and revival

Group 2 Ah-mei Tribal language

Group 3 Taiwanese language immersion program in Elementary schools

Group 4 The classical Chinese language teaching in Taiwan

Group 5 Aborigine's native language: oral language

Group 6 228

Group 7 Hakka dialect

Group 8 Teaching English for young learners in Taiwan and it implication to the native language

Guide to Questions

2006-02-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

Guide to questions to Leyla Kokmen's article 'When a language dies'. Click on the link below to read and view the guide questions. To download the file, hover your mouse on the link, right click, and click 'Save file as...'

LINK

Creating Photo Story Images Using PowerPoint

2006-02-27T04:36:00.000-08:00

Click the link below to read a tutorial on saving your powerpoint file to jpeg (or photo file) and using them in creating your photo story or documentary film using windows movie maker or microsoft photo story 3.

http://tinyurl.com/qonz5

download free voice recorder

2006-02-27T04:23:00.000-08:00

Download free voice recorder from Handybits, click the link to download

http://www.handybits.com/voicemail.htm

Another free tool is Audacity, click the link below to download

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

When a language dies (podcast) part 2

2006-02-27T03:02:00.000-08:00

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

MIXED PROGRAMS (TALK AND MUSIC)
Title: what's lost when a language dies? Part 2
File size: 18.8
MBLength: 19:36
Format: mp3

When a language dies (podcast) part1

2006-02-27T00:25:00.000-08:00

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

MIXED PROGRAMS (TALK AND MUSIC)
Title: What's lost when a language dies? Part 1
File size: 15.9 MBLength: 16:32Format: mp3DESCRIPTION

Using Windows Movie Maker

2006-02-23T23:47:00.000-08:00

Movie Tutorial

To learn how to use Windows Movie Maker, click on this link, and watch an online video to take you through the process.

Let me know if you need help. If you're online, you could buzz me up at Yahoo Intstant Messenger (aidenyeh)

What's Lost when a Language Dies?

2006-02-22T00:19:00.000-08:00

What's lost when a language dies? by Leyla Kokmen

IMPORTANT NOTICE

I just realized that the printed copy of the article I gave you in class only contains the 2nd half of the full article :-( The first half is missing.

Please go to this link and print the entire article. Make sure that you bring the full article to class next week.

March 08 Presentation

2006-02-21T23:55:00.000-08:00

Group Presentation for March 08

Documentary Films

Applying the ideas mentioned in the two articles, Oklahoma students and What's lost when a language dies, produce a documentary film that touches on one of the following topics:

-the indigenous languages of Taiwan
-revival of ethnic languages/dialects of Taiwan
- Hakka
-or Aborigine language
- assimilation of Taiwanese language
- 228
- How english is taught in Taiwan and its implications to the native language.

The film must be at least 20 minutes long.

Prepare a written report for submission together with a CD copy of your project.

Online discussion rubric

2006-02-20T01:02:00.000-08:00

Download the Online Discussion Rubric here.

Make sure that you have read the rubric before you start posting to the online discussion forum.

Aiden

Online Forum for Language in Conflict

2006-02-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

Online Forum for 'Language in Conflict'.

Click this link to go to the forum

Your well-thought out comments and responses to the forum will be graded and will be counted as take-home quizzes.

If you have questions, please use the 'comments' feature of this blog. I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

Aiden Yeh

Language in Conflict 2

2006-02-17T23:57:00.000-08:00

Cherokee Alphabet available at http://public.csusm.edu/raven/cherokee.dir/cherokee.gif

Click here to view the alphabet.

Listen to the Language in Conflict [2nd part] podcast based on Sue Pressley's article, 'Oklahoma students start the day with an O-si-yo for teacher' (The Boston Globe).

Running time: 2:40 minutes
Background Music, Native Son, Composed by:Pete Calandra, Scott P. Schreer
Published by: Freeplaymusic, BMI, Freeplaymusic, BMI

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Full article is available on pages 149-151 of The Multicultural Workshop book.

Language in Conflict

2006-02-17T23:47:00.000-08:00

Say Hello in the Cherokee (Tsalagi) Language

Click here to visit the Cherokee Language website

Listen to the Language in Conflict [1st part] podcast based on Sue Pressley's article, 'Oklahoma students start the day with an O-si-yo for teacher' (The Boston Globe).

Running time: 5:11 minutes
Background Music, Native Son, Composed by:Pete Calandra, Scott P. Schreer
Published by: Freeplaymusic, BMI, Freeplaymusic, BMI

To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!

Full article is available on pages 149-151 of The Multicultural Workshop book.

Course Content for 2nd Semester

2006-02-17T20:59:00.000-08:00

The length of the audio is 05:08
Bit rate: 12 kbps
To download the file, right click (hover your mouse to this link) here. And click 'Save file as'. After downloading the file, you could transfer it to your mp3 player and listen to it while you're on the go!
Background Music is 'Tea for Two' Composed by:Pierre Langer, SESAC, Scott P. Schreer, BMI, Published by: Dynamedion Publishing, Freeplaymusic

Instruction Approaches involve: Lecture, in-class and online discussions, class activities, projects
Participation in online forum are graded and credited for quizzes.

1. 2/22
Language in Conflict, “Oklahoma students start the day with an O-si-yo for Teacher”
Lecture, in-class discussion, class activities

2. 3/1
Language, Ethnicity and Identity
What’s lost when a language dies? by Leyla Kokmen
Participate in the online forum.
3. 3/8
Group Presentation

4. 3/15
Language and Bicultural Identity
Public and Private Language by R. Rodriguez

Participate in the online forum.
5. 3/22
Different Englishes
Performing Identity: a Stage for Multilingual English and Multicultural Englishness

6. 4/5
Spring Break

7. 4/12
Dialects, Standard English
Good English by John Simon
From Outside, In, B. Mellix

Online discussion with invited guest speaker
8. 4/19
Midterm

9. 4/26
Who speaks English?

10. 5/3
Standards for English

11. 5/10
Effective ways of learning a language.
What’s in a name?

Participate in the online forum.

12. 5/17
Achieving Full Potential
Individual presentations. Credited for Final Exam

13. 5/24
Achieving Full Potential

14. 5/31
Final
5/31 Dragon Boat Festival

Syllabus for the 2nd Semester, SY 05-06

2006-02-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

科目概要（Course Description）
This course is designed for fourth year students of 2-year college program. The pedagogy takes the form of classroom activities in which students discuss, read, and write together within a thematic context. Through readings and discussions, students explore cultural, social and linguistic issues. Students apply what they have learned by doing task-based collaborative projects which also enhance their learning skills and creativity.

教學目標（Course Objectives）

To facilitate a critical thinking approach that emphasizes interactions across boundaries based on ethnicity, national origin, language communities, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and other cultural identities.
To encourage students to make connections and comparisons between the issues being discussed and their own experience and communities.
To explore moral dimensions behind fundamental local and global issues.
To let students become aware of their skills and abilities helping them achieve their full potential.

評量方式與評分比例分配（Evaluation Criteria＆Grading）
Oral presentations: 30% (15-20 minutes)
Mid-term exam: 20%
Final exam: 25%
Attendance & Participation: 10%
Quizzes: 15%

課堂要求（Course Requirement＆ Attendance Policies）
1. Students are required to participate actively in class and e-forum.
2. Students are expected to wear appropriate attire when making presentations.
3. Cell phones and beepers should be turned off in class.
4. Being late for more than 15 minutes will be considered an absence.
5. Absences are only allowed if doctors’ written notes are provided.
6. More than three unexcused absences will result in failure in the course.
7. There will be no make-up presentations/quizzes/tests.

教科書（Textbooks）
Blanton & Lee. 1995. The Multicultural Workshop, Heinle & Heinle

指定參考書目或網址（References）
Language and Culture by Claire Kramsch, 2001, Oxford
Encountering Cultures in a Changing World, 2nd ed, Richard Holeton, 1995, Blaire Press
Online Resources

Torment

2006-01-05T21:35:00.000-08:00

" name="player" id="player" pluginspage="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/" type="video/x-ms-wmv" ShowControls="1" ShowDisplay="0" ShowStatusBar="0" autostart="0" autorewind=0 ShowPositionControls="1" ShowTracker="0" >

A photostory presentation about anorexia.

No Choice

2006-01-05T19:47:00.000-08:00

Our social problem needs to be solved:
Last time I turned on TV, I s saw some people playing indecent games with bikini girls. I switched to another channel. I saw a group of people was discussing some political issues. Every one spoke with assurance, but no one really brought up a practical point. The functions of the media should be provide useful information to the public or entertain the audiences not disturb the society. However, we can see only troubled shows on the media, and no mistake the media in our society is sick.

When we watch TV, we often see the programs or news which are disgusted. No matter the media report exaggeratedly or the programs play the games which persecute other people or animal, these are the pictures we do not want to see. We have no choice. The only thing we may do is to switch the channel or turn off TV.

The best way to resolve problems is to spread people’s voice and let Government Information office know what people would like. In fact, if the mass media always spread some news with negative affection for people, just for gaining the high ratio or popularity, and lose their professional ethics, people also have their own choice to resist. In the nation based on democracy, people’s voice is the best weapon to govern and supervise the mass culture.

Besides, we may probably assemble a great of people to protest the mass media, which is harmful to the TV watchers. For those which disseminate fake information only for the high audience rating, we should censure these doings, and we also can cosign a lot of people to boycott those mass media. After that, we hope we may refresh the new tone of mass media and get a brand-new society.

Consequently, we can see the media abuse is one of our problems in contemporary society. Even though we live under this unfriendly environment, we are not pessimism and still can make efforts to change it. As students, we can have choice and turn positive view to face our problem and express our thoughts. No choice is only existed in the communist country. But hopefully, we are not. We have free choice to decide which mass media our audiences want. We have right choice to do the right thing instead of no choice.

Watch the group's photostory, click the play button.

Nothing Last Forever－Learning From Losing

2006-01-05T18:37:00.000-08:00

----- Original Message -----
From: Students at Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages
To: letters@taipeitimes.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 1:29 AM
Subject: To Contribute an Editorial From Students

Nothing Last Forever－Learning From Losing

From cradle to tomb, it’s inevitable that what we have earlier and lose later.
There is always something going on around you, somehow, of which you can
do nothing about it and see it happening. Losing is to changing as changing to life.
Life won’t be a life without the progress of changing. However, everyone has
emotions to deal with. Facing a village full of memories is about to perish is quite
sorrowful even though we’d learned that it’ll be gone sooner or later. It’s just a
matter of time.

In fact, veteran villages won’t be gone, but changing its look. The government
has declared that they would remove all the veteran flat houses. When the policy
was issued, we couldn’t help but felt depressed. It’s because that the place those
people used to live and laugh will never be the same.

We had to face the fact that veteran flat houses being pulled down for the
sake of city development. It’s hard to tell that it’s right or wrong. Although it’s kind of sad that policies that were made to demolish historied buildings so as to set up modern ones. However, an island nation like Taiwan, the government has to figure out a way to make the most use of its limited land so that people will be able to live a better life.

Losing is just another term for changing and changing is necessary to carry
on living.

Students at Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages
1092100025 Reggie Lin
1093100016 Daniel Liao
1093100030 Betsy Wen
1093100032 Jill Wang
1093100035 Claire Hou
1093100047 Jocelyn Chen

-- (The poem we choose)

One Art ~ BY Elizabeth Bishop

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster,

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three beloved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

-- Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster.

To Stop Child Abuse in Taiwan’s Society

2006-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

Many incidents of abuse happen throughout the island of Taiwan every day, especially child abuse. Every time when the sever abuse case is reported in the news, the society may take briefly notice of the fate of the child. However, does the public really take an action to the issue? Our society never learns the lesson and everything will blow over until the next death of an innocent life.

Child abuse dose not occur unexpectedly. In fact, the affair is related to Taiwanese culture, such as immature marriage of teenagers. The young couples even have not learned how to take care of themselves, how can they nurture a young life?

Secondly, the long depression and unemployment will lead a person addict to alcohol or drug. The parents or partners are alcoholic or drug addict might cause abuse. After taking drug or drinking, the addicts who lose their mind will hurt the children.

Finally, parents pay for the babysitting. Due to the financial support, parents are always busy at work. Both parents do not have time to take care of their children. Thus, finding someone to look after their kids is the best way to resolve. If the baby-sitter is not professional, he or she will mad at the children and abuse them.

Child abuse happens every day. The case on the TV news or newspaper is the most severe one. How about the unrevealed ones? The whole society should take responsibility for the issue and prevent the child abuse from happening again and again in Taiwan’s society.

Watch the Group's photostory.

1093100018 Vera
1093100020 Kimmi
1093100026 Rebecca
1093100041 Melody

Give Us a Clean Kaohsiung, Our Dream Land

2006-01-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

Give Us a Clean Kaohsiung, Our Dream Land
2006/1/2
Chiang Tzu-yi, Jenny
[phone and address removed]
Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

As a citizen in Kaohsiung, everyone should be familiar with a scene which is many people get in the line in front of water station to buy daily using water. Bottle water and so called ‘RO pure water’ became required products in every resident’s house. Why can’t people in Kaohsiung get clean water? While everyone get used to buy water from water stations or convenience stores, how many of citizens still care about water pollution?

Be the second biggest city, gathering numerous heavy industrialized factories, and blending with feeding fowls and bestial, the quality of water in Kaohsiung became much worse through time. While people consider Taiwan as a developed country, our awareness to some environmental issues did not yet follow up.

Fancy slogans and deceitful promises are always announced during the elections. However, problems are not solved. Even the government enacted laws to restrict the emission of waste water from families, factories, and ranches, the collusion between government officers and the owners often delegalized or decreased the efficiency. Besides this, we all know to change the drainage system is the quickest and the most basic way to improve water quality, but lack of budget and long hours for this difficult job are two possible reasons to slow down the plan.

Except for government’s responsibility, there are some actions we people can do to save our water. Joining some events which aimed at ‘clean our seashore,’ bringing back our own trash and even taking back others’ are some simple actions we can do to show our concern of protecting the origin of water. To use our personal behavior to influence other people and strike for our pure water together. If everyone can put a little effort and pay a little attention to this problem, having clean water for our daily use is never a dream.

Watch the group's photostory, click the play button.

-------------------------------
Dear Aiden,

This is our letter to the editor.
If there is any problem, please let us know.
Thank you very much.

Jennifer 1093100002
Jenny 1093100003
Cliona 1093100004
Phoebe 1093100033
Bernice 1093100040

Heaven or Hell

2006-01-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

Carrie's group's letter to the Editor 日期: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 01:10:58 +0800 (CST)
寄件者: carrie
主題: An editorial about the issue of losing weight
收件者:: opinion@mail.chinapost.com.tw

Dear sirs,
We are a group of senior students from Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages in Kaohsiung. We would like to express our concerns about the serious problem of losing weight. The article is attached with this mail. Thank you

Sincerely yours,

Hsiao-Wen Tai
Erica Tian
Stephanie Weng
Alicia Lin
Carrie Chang
Sibyl Lee
------------------------------
Heaven or Hell

Issues of losing weight are not news anymore, but they are the topics that we never stop talking about. We saw celebrities or TV commercials everyday telling us how their ways or products can help us cut down our weight. But is it really true that “slim is more beautiful”? We think most people, especially young women, were misled by the wrong sense of value from the media, so they become more aware of their body shape. On the other hand, the glamorous of these people caused more doubts and stresses for women who are struggling with losing weight. In fact, the behavior of losing weight often leads to illness, including physical and mental ones. According to a research made in Hong Kong, there are one out of ten people suffered from anorexia and three out of ten people suffered from serious one. These patients lost desire to eat and eventually lost their health. The serious problem of losing weight and its influence are worse than what we imagined.

There is a story about one of our friend, Lindy. Lindy was the most beautiful girl at our school in senior high. Lots of boys were crazy about her. Not only because she was pretty and slender, but also of her intelligence. She was almost perfect in our mind. But she is never satisfied with her body shape. In order to keep her body slim, she never eats anything that can cause her fat. She only ate vegetables for her meal. Once she found out her weight was increasing, she started to go on a diet. Finally, she was sent to the hospital because of the malnutrition. The doctor said she has gotten the anorexia because of the long-term disorder of her diet. She never came to school again before we graduated.

Lindy’s story is only a tip of the iceberg. There are still many people in our society who are suffering from pursuing a “better” body shape with unhealthful ways. Unfortunately, our government didn’t do much to change the twisted value of beauty and the mass media even advocates the value of ”Slim is more beautiful”. We should be aware of this issue, and rebuild a healthful image of beauty. We can’t help wondering, when those women are having anorexia and a perfect body figure at the same time, are they in the heaven or the hell?

Final Paper

2006-01-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Purpose: To show how rhetoric in a particular speech works, with examples and analysis or explanation

Introduction: Briefly introduce rhetoric, the speaker (biography relevant to the speech), the context of the speech (audience, purpose), thesis.

(Thesis formula: In speech x, speaker y uses techniques a, b, and c to persuade the audience to ____________.)

body paragraphs

(analysis: one paragraph per technique or per technique family)

Conclusion: Summarize the points made.

Define your Thesis: In his “Title of Speech,” (Name of speaker for example, Martin Luther King) uses repetition, allusion, and metaphor to persuade the white moderate audience to support his struggle for equal rights for African-Americans now, not later.

Include a title page where you must indicate your Name and student number.

This final paper is a collaborative task. You must work in groups of 3.
Only the group where Robbin belongs to will have 4 members.

Rhetorical Structure: Figures of Speech

2006-01-01T19:16:00.000-08:00

Rhetorical Structure: Figures of Speech

Certain rhetorical devices called figures of speech (similes, metaphors, allusions, alliteration, etc.) are used in both poetry and prose to make ideas more memorable and forceful. For centuries speakers and writers have known that such well said devices affect listeners and readers in powerful ways.

1. "Five score years ago," the opening phrase of King's speech, is an allusion to what or whom? Why was this an appropriate and strong way for King to begin his speech?

2. King's speech contains other allusions in addition to the one with which he opens his speech. Find an allusion to the Declaration of Independence and the Bible.

3. Find an example of alliteration in King's speech.
4. Find an example of a metaphor.
5. Find an example of a simile.
6. In the second paragraph, King says that "the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination."

o What type of figure of speech is this?
o These words bring up strong images of slavery. Why would this be an effective method of moving his audience?
o What inference was King making about the progress of African Americans to enter the mainstream of American life in the one hundred years which followed the end of slavery?

7. Another figure of speech is called an anaphora, or the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a sentence, verse, or paragraph. Besides the famous "I have a dream" phrase, find two other examples of anaphoras.

8. List at least two possible effects upon King's audience of repeating the phrase, "I have a dream."

9. Nearly every line of King's speech is filled with powerful images, or "mental pictures," many created by using figures of speech. Images help audiences to feel what speakers/writers want them to feel, help them remember what they have read or heard, and help them understand difficult material. which of King's images you find most powerful and appealing and explain why this image had meaning for you.

Source: click here

Links to Speeches

2005-12-27T17:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

http://www.historychannel.com/broadband/home/

Women's Speeches around the world

Great Speeches Collection

US Presidential Speeches

The White Shouse Presidential Speeches

Famous Speeches, US Info.gov

History and POlitics, Out Loud

Department of Defense, Speeches

Speeches of John, Robert and Edward Kennedy

Library Spot

Google

Rules on choosing your speeches

2005-12-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

The following speeches (and analysis on rhetorical devices) are available online. These speeches should not be considered for submission:

"I have a dream!" - Martin Luther King Jnr.

Inaugural Address - President John F Kennedy

"Fight them on the beaches" - Sir Winston Churchill

9/11 Speech (excerpt) - President George W Bush

General Patton's address to the Third Army on the eve of the D-Day Invasion

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Elizabeth I's speech to the English army on the eve of the Spanish Armada

"The Iron Curtain" - Sir Winston Churchill

Links to I have a dream speech

2005-12-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

The following is designed as an independent lesson to foster critical thinking over Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, click here

Rhetorical analysis

Links to Rhetorical Devices

2005-12-25T18:13:00.000-08:00

A rhetorical device is a technique of using language that will increase the persuasiveness of a piece of writing.

argument and persuasion - rhetorical devices, click here.

Rhetorical Tools, click here

The Art of Rhetoric, or 'How to Speak Like Winston Churchill', click here.

Terms of Rhetoric, click here.

Stylistic Devices, click here.

Figure of Speech from Wikipedia, click here

The Language of Oratory, here

From E-how

2005-12-19T23:10:00.000-08:00

If you have something to say, say it!
Click here for more

How to write a letter to the Editor

2005-12-19T23:06:00.000-08:00

From Human Rights CampaignTips for writing a letter

The letters to the editor section of your local paper is an ideal forum for sharing your opinion and story with the local community. In addition, it is one of the first pages many elected officials turn to. Letters to the editor show that an issue is of concern to the community and are excellent tools for education. Here are a few guidelines for getting your letter to the editor printed.

Localize your letter -- explain how marriage equality will affect you or people you know in your community. Include examples of discrimination you or others have faced as a result of discriminatory marriage laws.
Make your letter timely - if the newspaper has recently printed a story or column about the issue of marriage and same-sex couples, you can reference the article and use it as a springboard for your letter.
Keep your letter short and to the point -- 250 words maximum.
Your letter should carry its most important message in the first paragraph.
Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Editors like to call to confirm that the letter was actually written by the person whose name appears on the letter.
Limit the number of points you make, and stay on the same subject.
Don't be disappointed if your letter does not get printed. Newspapers get many letters every day and can't print all of them. Most papers won't print the same writers over and over again. Therefore, if you have had a letter published recently, try to get a friend or co-worker to sign the next one.

Don't be afraid to ask for action -- tell readers what you want them to do. This includes your elected representatives; you can be sure they read the letters to the editor.

HRC's field team is ready and willing to proofread your letter and to offer feedback and comments. You can e-mail a draft of your letter to HRC's field organizers - just click here to look up field organizers in your region. Be sure to include the name and state of the newspaper that you are planning to submit the letter to.

Return to the top

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2. Find local newspapers in your area

Just click here to search for local newspapers in your area. It is a good idea to confirm with the newspaper directly at what e-mail or snail mail address they accept letters.

China Posts

2005-12-19T22:56:00.000-08:00

China Post's Letter to the Editor

Click here for more

How to Write an Editorial?

2005-12-19T22:49:00.000-08:00

What is an Editorial:

An editorial is one of the writing styles used to express an opinion or reaction to timely news, event or an issue of concern. Most editorials are used to influence readers to think or act the same way the writer does.

Click here for more.

The Sea as a Man

2005-12-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

The amount of solid waste produced in the Taiwan area has increased significantly due to the island’s rapid industrial and economic development. According to the EPA, the amount of household garbage produced in Taiwan on average increased from 0.770 kilograms per person daily in 1986 to 0.895 kilograms in 2001.
The Kaoping River, one of the main sources of drinking water in southern Taiwan, was seriously polluted by the illegal dumping of toxic chemical solvents last July. Truck drivers hired by the waste handler Shengli discharged more than 100 tons of chemical solvents, including xylene, into the river.
The illegal dumping caused serious water pollution, leaving millions of residents without tap water for days.

Watch the group's powerpoint presentation, click the play button.

Scars

2005-12-13T02:03:00.000-08:00

This photostory was done by Kimmy, a student from my Language and Culture class as a partial fulfillment for our understanding language and culture through poetry project. Their group chosen poem is "Scars".

Click the play button to watch. [Please be patient, it takes a while to download)

The video below is the group's powerpoint presentation. Click the play button to watch.

FINAL PROJECT

2005-12-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

TASK

A look at your own culture through poetry. Choose a poem that has influenced you a lot. In what ways do you relate to the message of the poem. In what ways is the poem relevant to your situation and/or the environment that you live in. Does it reflect in anyway the Taiwanese culture? You may choose a poem written by a Chinese author, present the original work together with an English translation.

NOTE ON PRESENTATION

1. Individual members must present.
2. Read the poem twice during the presentation: once in the beginning and the other near the end of your presentation.
3. Save and burn your presentation materials on a CD (paper -.dc file, poweropint file, video (if any), photos (if any).
4. Prepare a written version of your presentation, this should include your group's analysis of the poem. This final paper will be submitted to the Department.
5. Be CREATIVE- the manner of presentation must show effort in preparing your work, ingenuity, and imagination.
6. Your final grade for the proejct is based on both individual contributions and group grade.
7. Make your presentation as lively as possible. Think of ways to engage your classmates during your entire presentation. Give them some comprehension questions perhaps? Activities? Games?

Any questions. Post a comment or send me an email.

Aiden

Slum in Manila

2005-12-06T01:49:00.000-08:00

Manila

Click here for more photos.

Slum area in Caracas, Venezuela

2005-12-06T01:44:00.000-08:00

Caracas, Venezuela, http://web.uni-frankfurt.de/Aerzte-3Welt/caracas/en/caracas_silos.html

Click here for more info.

Slums in Peru

2005-12-06T01:38:00.000-08:00

Slum area in Peru

For more on slums in Peru, click here.

The Greenbelt Movement

2005-12-06T01:32:00.000-08:00

Wangari Maathai's Greenbelt Movement

Wangari Maathai

2005-11-29T19:16:00.000-08:00

Who is Wangari Maathai?

The Greenbelt Movement, click here.

Women and the reforestation in Kenya, click here.

Understanding Culture Through Poetry

2005-11-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

We Real Cool. Learning about Gwendolyn Brooks and her reflections on black culture and way of life.

About the author

http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/brooks_g.htm

Gwendolyn Brooks- reading 'We Real Cool', click here.

More on Brooks from Modern American Poetry, click here.

News about her death, from CNN, click here.

Ulrich’s Video http://www.favoritepoem.org/thevideos/ulrich.html

Audio and text transcript are also available from PBS, Online Newshour's Jim Lehrer, click here.

TASK

A look at your own culture through poetry. Choose a poem that has influenced you a lot. In what ways do you relate to the message of the poem. In what ways is the poem relevant to your situation and/or the environment that you live in. Does it reflect in anyway the Taiwanese culture? You may choose a poem written by a Chinese author, present the original work together with an English translation.

Social and Political Change

2005-11-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

Working for Social and Political Change. Lecture/Discussion

Gandhi & Rosa Parks

Nonviolent resistance: Definitions and Examples, click here

Mahatma Gandhi, on wikipedia click here

Rosa Parks, Interview, click here

The List of the Presentation of YE4A

2005-10-23T03:24:00.000-07:00

The List of the Presentation of YE4A for Movie Review Project: Changes in Gender Roles

The First Group:
Film: The First Wives Club
Elsa 1093100006
Stella 1093100008
Winnie 1093100038
Justin 1093100044
Sam 1093100050

The Second Group:
Film: 超完美嬌妻
Jennifer 1093100002
Jenny 1093100003
Cliona 1093100004
Phobe 1093100033
Bernes 1093100041

The Third Group:
Film: 男人百分百
Casper 1093100001
Leo Kuo 1093100039
Cindy Hsu 1093100013
Ting Tsai 1093100023
Angela Liu 1093100024

The Fourth Group:
Film: 蒙娜莉莎的微笑
Linda 1093100012
Margrate 1093100009
Julie 1093100011
Cindy Huang 1093100045
Ingrid 1093100046

The Fifth Group:
Film: 悄悄告訴她
Sibyl 1093100036
曉文 Tai 1093100037
Stephanie 1093100007
Erica 1093100027
Alicia 1093100015

The Sixth Group:
Film: 鯨騎士 Whale Rider
Jill 1093100032
Betsy 1093100030
Claire 1093100035
Jocelyn 1093100047
Daneil 1093100016

The Seventh Group:
Film: 我的老婆是老大
Carrie Huang 1093100010
Carrie Chang 1093100042
Reggie 1092100025
Robin 1093100014

The Eighth Group:
Film: 我的野蠻女友
Leo Chien 1093100050
Shon 1093100017
Wayne 1093100019
Jason 1093100031
Regis 1093100005

The Ninth Group:
Film: 鬥陣俱樂部 Fight Club
Kimmi 1093100020
Rebecca 1093100026
Vera 1093100018
Lisa 1092100005
Melody 1093100041

Change in Gender Roles

2005-10-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

Rosie the Riveter

Male Crisis: Changing Roles of Women in Society

Focus:
1) Do men and women in your country have very defined roles? For example, do the men provide for the women, while the women look after the children and the house?

2) How do you think these roles have evolved, how are they changing?

3) How would your society react to the idea of forcing husbands to be housewives for one day each year?

4) Do you think that some women would prefer to stay at home and look after their children while their partners supported them? Give your reasons?

5) Do you think women should receive some kind of payment for looking after the home?

6) In your country, are there some men who stay at home while the woman goes out to work? How are these men viewed? Do you think it is a good idea?

7) Are there some jobs in your country that are still dominated by men? If so, which jobs and why?

Video Materials [With reading materials]
Watch the videos. As you watch, try to find out how women's roles in these countries have changed.

Rosie the Riveter: Real Women Workers in World War II [American Context]
click here

Ladies First [Rwanda's Women]
click here

Portraits of ordinary muslims: Malaysia
click here

Points to Ponder
Women still earn less than men in the UK. Women in their twenties earn 92% of the male wage, while the average gross weekly pay is 72.5% of men's earnings.
Employed fathers work an avergae of 20 hours a week more than employed mothers. The working week of fathers is four hours longer than men without children.

What's your point of view?'Men and women will never be equal, they are too different.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Students' presentation: Group work
Task: Film Review. Choose a film about the switch of gender roles, or how women's roles have changed. How have men been affected by these changes?

IMPORTANT:

You will choose 3-4 scenes in the film showing the switching of roles between men and women [married men and women]. Present the chosen scenes in class. Discuss what specific roles have been changed. Why? Discuss the effects of these changes on men [in the movie]. Were the conflicts resolved in the movie? How were they resolved? Do you agree/disagree? What's your group's opinion?

DO NOT show the entire movie. Make sure that all members will be given the chance to speak in class.

Films that you may want to consider:
American Beauty

Little Women

Three Men and a Baby [1]

The Fight Club

Assignment for Sept. 28

2005-09-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

In connection to the readings and discussions that we have in class, I've created a discussion forum where you could post your ideas and opinions. This forum is similar to the E-course that we have at Wen Zao. The only and I should say 'huge' difference with this new forum is that it allows other people (aside from your classmates) to participate in our discussion. I've invited colleagues of mine from different parts of the globe to post their comments and opinions about the readings that we have. I hope that this will motivate you to write and participate in the online discussion. You could monitor the discussion thread by going to this url:

http://languageculture.forumsplace.com/forum-4.html

I look forward to reading your responses!

Aiden

"There was a young woman who swallowed a lie..."

2005-09-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

(illustrated satirical poem). [Pittsburgh: Know, Inc., nd.] pg.1.

Tax, Meridith. "There was a young woman who swallowed a lie..."

Read the text, click here

Then read the illustrated text:

Click here.

Vocabulary

Fluff- lacking in meaning or substance : SUPERFICIAL
Go to Merriam-Webster

Spock- Pronunciation: 'späk
Function: biographical name
Benjamin McLane 1903-1998 American physician; wrote The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, ubiquitous guide to the rearing of children; later became avid pacifist
Go to Meriam-Webster

Flock- a group, a large number

Regurgitate- to throw or pour back or out from
See Webster

Listen to the song, click here.
Link to website, click here.

Discussion

Reactions to the literary text.

Documents from the Women's Liberation Movement
An On-line Archival Collection
Special Collections Library, Duke University (click the link above)