Name: KAAN ÖZCAN Number: 201310214047
1) What did I learn from it?
I think I developed to write creatively. Especially those creative writing assignments were important. In my opinion, those improved my skills on the field of creative thinking and writing.
In descriptive essays, I learned to depict a place or a thing. I twas a good way to improve our describing skills.
I learned about brainstorming activities. I did comoparing and contrasting writing. I wrote paragraphs and learned what is "introduction", "body paragraph" and "conclusion".
2) What did I do well?
I think I did well at the writing sections. I tried to write clearly and to be careful for grammar mistakes. I tried to fix my mistakes but if there is still some, I'm sorry then.
3) Why did I choose this item?
I tried to choose basic topics in writing sections to express myself clearly. Because in creative writing, complicate topics are not easy to develop and write about in my opinion.
4) How do I feel about my performance?
In these portfolios, I tried to do my best and tried to fix my mistakes. I spent a time on it and it's to my teacher's evaluation to assess it.
5) What were the problem ares?
I tried not to make grammar mistakes but there may be still some if I was not careful enough.
6) What is my plan to overcome these problem areas?
I think, by reading more it will be easier to overcome this.
8 Mayıs 2014 Perşembe
4: B2: Vocabulary and Structure (Next Term, We'll Mash You)
1. subdued (səbˈdjuːd)
gentle or quiet
e.g: We heard a subdued laughter from outside.
2. trim (trɪm)
neat and spruce in appearance
e.g: There was a trim landscape when looking out of windows.
3. glassy (ˈɡlɑːsɪ)
resembling glass, esp in smoothness, slipperiness, or transparency
e.g: We could see the glassy light at the sunset.
4. sway (sweɪ)
to move slowly from side to side
e.g: Their hands were swaying with accordance to the music.
5. wrist (rɪst)
the joint between the forearm and the hand
e.g: His brist was stronger than any of the students.
6. chap (tʃæp)
a man
e.g: That person is an honest kind of a chap.
7. quid (kwɪd)
a pound
e.g: I think he can lend me twenty quid.
8. crunch (krʌntʃ)
the sound of hard food being crushed between the teeth, or like something being crushed or broken
e.g: The crunch sound was echoed everywhere but it was a mystery where from it was coming.
9. gravel (ˈɡrævəl)
small rounded stones, often mixed with sand
e.g: He throwed some gravels at the creature.
10. shift (ʃɪft)
to move or cause to move from one place or position to another
e.g: He shifted the ball to score.
11. sting (stɪŋ)
to feel or cause to feel a sharp mental or physical pain
e.g: The metal seat stung his knee.
12. comb (kəʊm)
a toothed device of metal, plastic, wood, etc, used for disentangling or arranging hair
e.g. He never used a comb.
13. brick (brɪk)
a rectangular block of hard material used for building walls and houses
e.g: Their roof was made of bricks.
14. glitter (ˈɡlɪtə)
to produce a lot of small bright flashes of reflected light
e.g: Her accessories were glittering in the night.
15. apron (ˈeɪprən)
a protective or sometimes decorative or ceremonial garment worn over the front of the body and tied around the waist
e.g: The maid had an apron in front of her.
16. linen (ˈlɪnɪn)
a hard-wearing fabric woven from the spun fibres of flax
e.g: He liked that linen coat.
17. terrace (ˈtɛrəs)
a flat raised area
e.g: We drank tea at the terrace of their home.
18. merchant (ˈmɜːtʃənt)
a person engaged in the purchase and sale of commodities for profit, esp on international markets; trader
e.g: The merchant seemed to be a honest buy to buy something.
19. jut (dʒʌt)
to (cause to) stick out, especially above or past the edge or surface of something
e.g: The jutted out chin was clear.
20. crease (kriːs)
a line or mark produced by folding, pressing, or wrinkling
e.g: There were creases at his shirt.
21. homespun (ˈhəʊmˌspʌn)
having plain or unsophisticated character
e.g: She seemed to be homespun which was a good side of hers.
22. geniality (dʒiːnɪˈælɪtɪ)
friendliness and kindness
e.g: It was clear that he had the geniality.
23. mutilate (ˈmjuːtɪˌleɪt)
to damage something severely, especially by violently removing a part
e.g: The door of the house was mutilated.
24. indulgent (ɪnˈdʌldʒənt)
showing or characterized by indulgence
e.g: He showed an indlugent smile.
25. inky (ˈɪŋkɪ)
resembling ink, esp in colour; dark or black
e.g. The table was inky.
gentle or quiet
e.g: We heard a subdued laughter from outside.
2. trim (trɪm)
neat and spruce in appearance
e.g: There was a trim landscape when looking out of windows.
3. glassy (ˈɡlɑːsɪ)
resembling glass, esp in smoothness, slipperiness, or transparency
e.g: We could see the glassy light at the sunset.
4. sway (sweɪ)
to move slowly from side to side
e.g: Their hands were swaying with accordance to the music.
5. wrist (rɪst)
the joint between the forearm and the hand
e.g: His brist was stronger than any of the students.
6. chap (tʃæp)
a man
e.g: That person is an honest kind of a chap.
7. quid (kwɪd)
a pound
e.g: I think he can lend me twenty quid.
8. crunch (krʌntʃ)
the sound of hard food being crushed between the teeth, or like something being crushed or broken
e.g: The crunch sound was echoed everywhere but it was a mystery where from it was coming.
9. gravel (ˈɡrævəl)
small rounded stones, often mixed with sand
e.g: He throwed some gravels at the creature.
10. shift (ʃɪft)
to move or cause to move from one place or position to another
e.g: He shifted the ball to score.
11. sting (stɪŋ)
to feel or cause to feel a sharp mental or physical pain
e.g: The metal seat stung his knee.
12. comb (kəʊm)
a toothed device of metal, plastic, wood, etc, used for disentangling or arranging hair
e.g. He never used a comb.
13. brick (brɪk)
a rectangular block of hard material used for building walls and houses
e.g: Their roof was made of bricks.
14. glitter (ˈɡlɪtə)
to produce a lot of small bright flashes of reflected light
e.g: Her accessories were glittering in the night.
15. apron (ˈeɪprən)
a protective or sometimes decorative or ceremonial garment worn over the front of the body and tied around the waist
e.g: The maid had an apron in front of her.
16. linen (ˈlɪnɪn)
a hard-wearing fabric woven from the spun fibres of flax
e.g: He liked that linen coat.
17. terrace (ˈtɛrəs)
a flat raised area
e.g: We drank tea at the terrace of their home.
18. merchant (ˈmɜːtʃənt)
a person engaged in the purchase and sale of commodities for profit, esp on international markets; trader
e.g: The merchant seemed to be a honest buy to buy something.
19. jut (dʒʌt)
to (cause to) stick out, especially above or past the edge or surface of something
e.g: The jutted out chin was clear.
20. crease (kriːs)
a line or mark produced by folding, pressing, or wrinkling
e.g: There were creases at his shirt.
21. homespun (ˈhəʊmˌspʌn)
having plain or unsophisticated character
e.g: She seemed to be homespun which was a good side of hers.
22. geniality (dʒiːnɪˈælɪtɪ)
friendliness and kindness
e.g: It was clear that he had the geniality.
23. mutilate (ˈmjuːtɪˌleɪt)
to damage something severely, especially by violently removing a part
e.g: The door of the house was mutilated.
24. indulgent (ɪnˈdʌldʒənt)
showing or characterized by indulgence
e.g: He showed an indlugent smile.
25. inky (ˈɪŋkɪ)
resembling ink, esp in colour; dark or black
e.g. The table was inky.
4. E: Creative Writing
It is raining outside and I am writing this to lock into the chest. I will talk about a memory of mine. I was a child, I used to call the water "va". It was very early times that I used to say only "va" not even "give me va". Only our relatives and my mother could understand this. If I were in strangers, I wonder how I would express my need for water.
4. A: Writing
One effect with several causes
periodic check-up
careful driving > durable car
smooth driving
One cause with several effects
good health
balanced diet > keeping away from obesite
brings self-confidence
Body Paragraph: If we focus on one of them, there is a kind of food which is known to be not healthy for children. Junk food is not preferred by parents for their children. Junk food may cause obesite, bad health conditions, illness etc. Parents prefer to give their children fruit rather than junk food.
Conclusion: Parents are aware of the potential danger of some food thanks to science. We can say that sience has a good effect on what we eat. In the future, there will be more aware parents and diet of people will be more balanced in my opinion.
WRITING
Preferring Food According to Science
As in our century, the science has a considerable effect on the food we eat. For example some food are known to be rich for nutritive value. So some people prefer them more. In the same way, some food are known to be harmful and people tend not to consume them.
If we focus on one of them, there is a kind of food which is known to be not healthy for children. Junk food is not preferred by parents for their children. Junk food may cause obesite, bad health conditions, illness etc. Parents prefer to give their children fruit rather than junk food.
Parents are aware of the potential danger of some food thanks to science. We can say that sience has a good effect on what we eat. In the future, there will be more aware parents and diet of people will be more balanced in my opinion.
2. E: Creative Writing
This person is a person whom I met by destiny. This person gave me information on the fields that are not taught in schools or universities. I won't talk about the field I got the information on but I can say that I am very thankful to this person.
7 Mayıs 2014 Çarşamba
4. D: We Will Mash You Next Term
1) What is the story mainly about?
There is a boy named "Charles Manders. His parents wants him to register for a school. There is a school which is suggested. So they bring the boy there. When the boy goes near the other students, one of them tells him "We will mash you next term" The parents like the facilities of the school. They also like the price. But the boy is not happy with the school. He is silent, not likely to tell his parents that he didn't like that school.
2) Who are the main characters in the story ? describe each character in term of physcal appearence and character in detail?
The main character is the boy who is to register for a school. The boy has black hair, slicked down smooth to his head. His ears, too large, jutted out. He is a silent boy.
3) What is the turning point/the most interesting/important event in the story?
The most interesting event is parents' being still to child's silence. At least, the boy should have accepted to go to that school. But the boy said nothing yes or no.
4) What is the main idea in the story?
The main idea in the story in my opinion is parents' being irrelevant and unconcerned about their children. The parents should take care of them and respect their ideas. They shouldn't decide on their future without asking for their ideas.
There is a boy named "Charles Manders. His parents wants him to register for a school. There is a school which is suggested. So they bring the boy there. When the boy goes near the other students, one of them tells him "We will mash you next term" The parents like the facilities of the school. They also like the price. But the boy is not happy with the school. He is silent, not likely to tell his parents that he didn't like that school.
2) Who are the main characters in the story ? describe each character in term of physcal appearence and character in detail?
The main character is the boy who is to register for a school. The boy has black hair, slicked down smooth to his head. His ears, too large, jutted out. He is a silent boy.
3) What is the turning point/the most interesting/important event in the story?
The most interesting event is parents' being still to child's silence. At least, the boy should have accepted to go to that school. But the boy said nothing yes or no.
4) What is the main idea in the story?
The main idea in the story in my opinion is parents' being irrelevant and unconcerned about their children. The parents should take care of them and respect their ideas. They shouldn't decide on their future without asking for their ideas.
30 Nisan 2014 Çarşamba
4. B1: Vocabulary and Structure (Training in Brainstorming and Developing Writing Skills)
1. exploratory (ɪkˈsplɒrətərɪ)
done in order to discover more about something
e.g: This expedition to Antarctica will be an exploratory one.
2. sophomore (ˈsɒfəˌmɔː)
a second-year student at a secondary (high) school or college
e.g: We will apply a questionnaire on sophomores.
3. explicit (ɪkˈsplɪsɪt)
precisely and clearly expressed, leaving nothing to implication; fully stated
e.g: The instructions were explicit enough to understand.
4. compel (kəmˈpɛl)
to cause (someone) by force (to be or do something)
e.g: The students were compelled to do the homework.
5. cultivate (ˈkʌltɪˌveɪt)
to improve or foster (the mind, body, etc) as by study, education, or labour
e.g: The act of cultivating in schools is an important matter.
6. perplex (pəˈplɛks)
to confuse and worry someone slightly by being difficult to understand or solve
e.g: Those subjects are supposed to perplex the students of this level.
7. exemplify (ɪɡˈzɛmplɪˌfaɪ)
to serve as an example of
e.g: Exemplifying in the writing tasks holds an important role.
8. constructivist (kənˈstrʌktɪvɪst)
favouring or exemplifying artistic constructivism
e.g: This students should have studied in an constructivist procedure.
9. retain (rɪˈteɪn)
(of a person) to be able to remember (information, facts, etc) without difficulty
e.g: These datas should be retained for the next session.
10. anticipate (ænˈtɪsɪˌpeɪt)
to imagine or expect that something will happen
e.g: This situation was anticipated to occur.
11. intricate (ˈɪntrɪkɪt)
difficult to understand; obscure; complex; puzzling
e.g: This stage of the lessons seems a bit intricate for me.
12. pertinent (ˈpɜːtɪnənt)
relating to the matter at hand; relevant
e.g: This subject is pertinent with the last one's.
13. evaluate (ɪˈvæljʊˌeɪt)
to ascertain or set the amount or value of
e.g: How students evaluate their lessons is changes from person to person.
14. compute (kəmˈpjuːt)
to calculate (an answer, result, etc), often with the aid of a computer
e.g: The scores were computed by teacher's computer.
15. subtract (səbˈtrækt)
to calculate the difference between (two numbers or quantities) by subtraction
e.g: Firstly you should have substracted that number from another.
16. freer (ˈfriːə)
not doing anything planned or important, or available to be used
e.g: Freer writing seems to be hard but helpful to learn.
17. facilitate (fəˈsɪlɪˌteɪt)
to make easier; assist the progress of
e.g: That method won't facilitate the current system.
18. sober (ˈsəʊbə)
sedate and rational
e.g: Your attitude doesn't seem sober at all.
19. polish (ˈpɒlɪʃ)
to make perfect or complete
e.g: By practising you can polish your language skills.
20. call out (ˈkɔːl aʊt)
to utter aloud, esp loudly
e.g: Calling out won't work because he is very far away from us.
21. intellectual (ˌɪntɪˈlɛktʃʊəl)
of or relating to the intellect, as opposed to the emotions
e.g: Intellectual brain is supposed to work especially in Mathematics.
22. implement (ˈɪmplɪˌmɛnt)
to carry out; put into action; perform
e.g: Implementing drama in schools is helpful in schools in my opinion.
23. compose (kəmˈpəʊz)
to put together or make up by combining; put in proper order
e.g: When will you compose your finished homeworks?
24. applicable (ˈæplɪkəbəl)
being appropriate or relevant; able to be applied; fitting
e.g: That activity is not applicable in classroom.
25. reassure (ˌriːəˈʃʊə)
to relieve (someone) of anxieties; restore confidence to
e.g: The recent results should have reassured you about the statement of the company.
done in order to discover more about something
e.g: This expedition to Antarctica will be an exploratory one.
2. sophomore (ˈsɒfəˌmɔː)
a second-year student at a secondary (high) school or college
e.g: We will apply a questionnaire on sophomores.
3. explicit (ɪkˈsplɪsɪt)
precisely and clearly expressed, leaving nothing to implication; fully stated
e.g: The instructions were explicit enough to understand.
4. compel (kəmˈpɛl)
to cause (someone) by force (to be or do something)
e.g: The students were compelled to do the homework.
5. cultivate (ˈkʌltɪˌveɪt)
to improve or foster (the mind, body, etc) as by study, education, or labour
e.g: The act of cultivating in schools is an important matter.
6. perplex (pəˈplɛks)
to confuse and worry someone slightly by being difficult to understand or solve
e.g: Those subjects are supposed to perplex the students of this level.
7. exemplify (ɪɡˈzɛmplɪˌfaɪ)
to serve as an example of
e.g: Exemplifying in the writing tasks holds an important role.
8. constructivist (kənˈstrʌktɪvɪst)
favouring or exemplifying artistic constructivism
e.g: This students should have studied in an constructivist procedure.
9. retain (rɪˈteɪn)
(of a person) to be able to remember (information, facts, etc) without difficulty
e.g: These datas should be retained for the next session.
10. anticipate (ænˈtɪsɪˌpeɪt)
to imagine or expect that something will happen
e.g: This situation was anticipated to occur.
11. intricate (ˈɪntrɪkɪt)
difficult to understand; obscure; complex; puzzling
e.g: This stage of the lessons seems a bit intricate for me.
12. pertinent (ˈpɜːtɪnənt)
relating to the matter at hand; relevant
e.g: This subject is pertinent with the last one's.
13. evaluate (ɪˈvæljʊˌeɪt)
to ascertain or set the amount or value of
e.g: How students evaluate their lessons is changes from person to person.
14. compute (kəmˈpjuːt)
to calculate (an answer, result, etc), often with the aid of a computer
e.g: The scores were computed by teacher's computer.
15. subtract (səbˈtrækt)
to calculate the difference between (two numbers or quantities) by subtraction
e.g: Firstly you should have substracted that number from another.
16. freer (ˈfriːə)
not doing anything planned or important, or available to be used
e.g: Freer writing seems to be hard but helpful to learn.
17. facilitate (fəˈsɪlɪˌteɪt)
to make easier; assist the progress of
e.g: That method won't facilitate the current system.
18. sober (ˈsəʊbə)
sedate and rational
e.g: Your attitude doesn't seem sober at all.
19. polish (ˈpɒlɪʃ)
to make perfect or complete
e.g: By practising you can polish your language skills.
20. call out (ˈkɔːl aʊt)
to utter aloud, esp loudly
e.g: Calling out won't work because he is very far away from us.
21. intellectual (ˌɪntɪˈlɛktʃʊəl)
of or relating to the intellect, as opposed to the emotions
e.g: Intellectual brain is supposed to work especially in Mathematics.
22. implement (ˈɪmplɪˌmɛnt)
to carry out; put into action; perform
e.g: Implementing drama in schools is helpful in schools in my opinion.
23. compose (kəmˈpəʊz)
to put together or make up by combining; put in proper order
e.g: When will you compose your finished homeworks?
24. applicable (ˈæplɪkəbəl)
being appropriate or relevant; able to be applied; fitting
e.g: That activity is not applicable in classroom.
25. reassure (ˌriːəˈʃʊə)
to relieve (someone) of anxieties; restore confidence to
e.g: The recent results should have reassured you about the statement of the company.
4. C: Training in Brainstorming and Developing Writing Skills
The article is to mainly tell about the act of training in brainstorming and developing writing skills. According to Bejarano et. al. (1997) many teachers are not aware of the role of the brainstorming strategy or the value of strategy training in promoting students' learning skills. Richard (ibid.: 333) argues that it is essential to teach students how to interact with each other in order to activate their thinking and creative ideas which are crucial to foreign language learning. This interaction process can be facilitated by training learners in the skilled use of the brainstorming strategy. The results of the brainstorming strategy training carried out by Richards (ibid.: 342) indicated that the students in the experimental group were more efficient in finding a topic, finding ideas about the topic, letting ideas interact, and organizing ideas. The results also showed that the quality of the writings in the experimental group was enhanced by the use of brainstorming strategies.
The primary purpose is to help students move from a product-based approach to a process-focused approach in writing performance.
In the study, students were divided to three groups. One of the groups would learn in a traditional way. In the other groups, the procedure was intended to stimulate students' thinking, to create and organize ideas, and to compose the raw materials into a text. The procedure ran as follow;
1- Thinking individually
2- Verbalizing ideas in pairs or groups
3- Brainstorming ideas in oral and note forms
5- Completing the writing task in 30 minutes.
Before the study, group with the traditional way had the highest score compared to other classes. But after the instruction, the classes with the procedure were higher than the class with traditional way. Also, additional survey indicated that the students felt positive about the brainstorming strategy. Most of these students perceived that the strategy helped them improve their English writing performance. We can say that brainstorming strategy has its advantages over the traditional product-focused approach and it stimulates students' thinking and enables them to create ideas and organize raw materials in a logical order.
The primary purpose is to help students move from a product-based approach to a process-focused approach in writing performance.
In the study, students were divided to three groups. One of the groups would learn in a traditional way. In the other groups, the procedure was intended to stimulate students' thinking, to create and organize ideas, and to compose the raw materials into a text. The procedure ran as follow;
1- Thinking individually
2- Verbalizing ideas in pairs or groups
3- Brainstorming ideas in oral and note forms
5- Completing the writing task in 30 minutes.
Before the study, group with the traditional way had the highest score compared to other classes. But after the instruction, the classes with the procedure were higher than the class with traditional way. Also, additional survey indicated that the students felt positive about the brainstorming strategy. Most of these students perceived that the strategy helped them improve their English writing performance. We can say that brainstorming strategy has its advantages over the traditional product-focused approach and it stimulates students' thinking and enables them to create ideas and organize raw materials in a logical order.
29 Nisan 2014 Salı
2. D: Using Teacher-Generated Bioghraphy as Input Material
Chapter D: Using Teacher-Generated Bioghraphy as Input Material
1- 1.What is the teacher-generated biography? What makes it interesting for students?
Because transfering cultural content to classroom is important, by using teacher-generated bioghraphy, students may be more eager for it. Teacher-generated biography can provide what students need through teacher's experiences.
2- What is ‘Big C’ and ‘ small c’ ? What is the main difference between them?
Big C includes topics which are known by everyone. Small c includes topics which has more personalized focus on sociocultural aspects of the day to day lives. Big C is a bit hard and remote for students so children are more likely not to motivate on it.
3- What can be the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on Big C and small c?
The topics of Big C may seem remote to students and this can be demotivating.
4- What are the three main reasons of using biographies as course materials?
Students need to get interesting material to get motivated. Teacher should provide more cultural input. Books are not to fulfill student's need on this issue.
5- What is real content? How does it differ from imaginary content?
Real content is about the real world outside the class. Most of the coursebooks are not qualified enough to create real content.
6- What is authenticity in course materials?
It is learner's interaction with the text according to Lee.
7- How are bottom up approach and learner-centered classroom related?
The bottom-up approach tries to build confidence in student to use real language rather than academic behaviour.
8- How does developing materials help teachers?
Teacher's bioghraphy can fulfill contextualization, timeliness, personal match.
9- What kinds of materials are developed by the teacher and how are the used in the class?
Teacher should act according to what student needs and wants. There are two basic types;
The first one is teacher created written test and the second one is personal realia.
10- What are the suggested solutions for the possible problems?
We should make teacher-generated biography more accessible to learners for who specific cultural input may not be suitable. Students should contribute to its production, as well. Only contributing to development is not enough in my opinion.
1- 1.What is the teacher-generated biography? What makes it interesting for students?
Because transfering cultural content to classroom is important, by using teacher-generated bioghraphy, students may be more eager for it. Teacher-generated biography can provide what students need through teacher's experiences.
2- What is ‘Big C’ and ‘ small c’ ? What is the main difference between them?
Big C includes topics which are known by everyone. Small c includes topics which has more personalized focus on sociocultural aspects of the day to day lives. Big C is a bit hard and remote for students so children are more likely not to motivate on it.
3- What can be the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on Big C and small c?
The topics of Big C may seem remote to students and this can be demotivating.
4- What are the three main reasons of using biographies as course materials?
Students need to get interesting material to get motivated. Teacher should provide more cultural input. Books are not to fulfill student's need on this issue.
5- What is real content? How does it differ from imaginary content?
Real content is about the real world outside the class. Most of the coursebooks are not qualified enough to create real content.
6- What is authenticity in course materials?
It is learner's interaction with the text according to Lee.
7- How are bottom up approach and learner-centered classroom related?
The bottom-up approach tries to build confidence in student to use real language rather than academic behaviour.
8- How does developing materials help teachers?
Teacher's bioghraphy can fulfill contextualization, timeliness, personal match.
9- What kinds of materials are developed by the teacher and how are the used in the class?
Teacher should act according to what student needs and wants. There are two basic types;
The first one is teacher created written test and the second one is personal realia.
10- What are the suggested solutions for the possible problems?
We should make teacher-generated biography more accessible to learners for who specific cultural input may not be suitable. Students should contribute to its production, as well. Only contributing to development is not enough in my opinion.
2. C: The Rocking-Horse Winner
Chapter C: The Rocking-Horse Winner
1- What is the story mainly about?
The story is about a family whose economic state is not very good. The uncle plays horce racing often. One day the child asks her mom whether he is lucky not. The mum answers negatively. After days, the boy sees a horse which has a name "Malabre" in his dream. He asks his uncle about it. The uncle tells him that there is a horse named that. The boy tells his uncle to play on this horse. The uncle plays on the horse. Then, they hear a noise upstairs and afterwards they realize that it was the boy who fell down off his toy horse. At the time, Malabre finishes the first and gets 5000 dollars reward. Before dying, child says "Did you see mom? Hhow am I lucky?"
2- Who are the main characters in the story? Describe each caracter in terms of physical appearance an character in detail.
Paul is a boy who knows that he is not loved by his mother or his sisters. He recieves a rocking horse at the Christmas and has a strategy to predict winning horse after it.
Hester is Paul's mother. She is dissatisfied with her merriage because her husband doesn't earn enough money to provide her a good life to live.
Bassett is the gardener and friend of the family's. He makes Paul get into the horse racing sector and becomes his betting partner after that.
Paul's father is a man who works in town. He seems to be an unlucky man.
Oscar Creswell is Paul's uncle. He gives Paul the money to play in his first successfull bet.
3- What is the turning point/the most intersting/important event in the story?
Malabar's finishing the race first is the most important event in the story. But this good thing wasn't so good when they learnt there was a dead child.
4- What is the main idea in the story?
Giving so much worth on money doesn't end up in a good result. A mother should care more about her children than money.
2- Who are the main characters in the story? Describe each caracter in terms of physical appearance an character in detail.
Paul is a boy who knows that he is not loved by his mother or his sisters. He recieves a rocking horse at the Christmas and has a strategy to predict winning horse after it.
Hester is Paul's mother. She is dissatisfied with her merriage because her husband doesn't earn enough money to provide her a good life to live.
Bassett is the gardener and friend of the family's. He makes Paul get into the horse racing sector and becomes his betting partner after that.
Paul's father is a man who works in town. He seems to be an unlucky man.
Oscar Creswell is Paul's uncle. He gives Paul the money to play in his first successfull bet.
3- What is the turning point/the most intersting/important event in the story?
Malabar's finishing the race first is the most important event in the story. But this good thing wasn't so good when they learnt there was a dead child.
4- What is the main idea in the story?
Giving so much worth on money doesn't end up in a good result. A mother should care more about her children than money.
3. E: Creative Writing
Chapter E: Creative Writing
Hello, the friend who can hear but can not speak. People have some necessities to done when living. How much of it do we do properly? How many times do we postpone our tasks? Sometimes postponing may be good to make things right but what if postponing becomes an arbitrary action? There is no benefit. Task -as can be seen from its word- is to be done. Doing it in time is one of the key things in our life. So, why are we lazy this much?
Hello, the friend who can hear but can not speak. People have some necessities to done when living. How much of it do we do properly? How many times do we postpone our tasks? Sometimes postponing may be good to make things right but what if postponing becomes an arbitrary action? There is no benefit. Task -as can be seen from its word- is to be done. Doing it in time is one of the key things in our life. So, why are we lazy this much?
3. A: Writing
PLAN AND WRITING
a)
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COMPARE AND CONTRAST
CENGIZ OZKAN & DEMET AKALIN
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SIMILARITIES
2- both are well-known
3- both had another job in the past
4- both are turkish musicians
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DIFERENCES
1- cengiz özkan can play bağlama, demet akalın can't.
2- cengiz özkan was a teacher in conservatory schools, demet akalın was a model.
3- cengiz özkan sings folk songs but demet akalın sings pop songs.
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1. Introduction: I wanted to compare Cengiz Özkan and Demet Akalın
I. Body Paraghraph: These are two Turkish musicians who are listened by large masses of people.They had another job in the past.
II. Body Paragraph: Their genres are different. Cengiz Özkan generally plays bağlama and sings folk songs. Demet Akalın generally sings pop songs. Cengiz Özkan was a teacher in conservatory schools, Demet Akalın was a model. Cengiz Özkan can play bağlama but Demet Akalın can't or hasn't played on TV yet.
III. Conclusion: They are both nice singers and people love them. However, their genres are different and people who listen to them are generally different. A model and a teacher can be a singer later.
28 Nisan 2014 Pazartesi
3. B2: Vocabulary and Structure (The Open Window)
1. vivid (ˈvɪvɪd)
very bright; having a very high saturation or purity; produced by a pure or almost pure colouring agent
e.g: You have really vivid ideas about that issue.
2. inhibition (ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃən)
the act of inhibiting or the condition of being inhibited
e.g: The inhibition you feel will be gone forever.
3. rein (reɪn)
any form or means of control
e.g: He is said to be able to get the rein of minds.
4. disposition (ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən)
a person's usual temperament or frame of mind
e.g: He had a happy disposition at that moment.
5. endeavour (ɪnˈdɛvə)
to try to do something
e.g: He endeavoured to accomplish the job he was given.
6. flatter (ˈflætə)
to praise someone in order to make them feel attractive or important, sometimes in a way that is not sincere
e.g: He seems to be flattering to get something.
7. communion (kəˈmjuːnjən)
a close relationship with someone in which feelings and thoughts are exchanged
e.g: The communion we had was excellant.
8. rectory (ˈrɛktərɪ)
the house in which a rector lives
e.g: He was working in a rectory in that village.
9. lawn (lɔːn)
an area of grass, especially near to a house or in a park, that is cut regularly to keep it short
e.g: The task to mow the lawn is mine.
10. moor (mʊə)
an open area of hills covered with rough grass
e.g: He was walking on the moor.
11. snipe (snaɪp)
any of various birds of the genus Gallinago (or Capella) and related genera, such as G. gallinago (common or Wilson's snipe), of marshes and river banks, having a long straight bill: family Scolopacidae (sandpipers, etc), order Charadriiformes
e.g: The snipe had a lovely beak.
12. spaniel (ˈspænjəl)
a type of dog with long hair and long ears that hang down
e.g: Their spaniels was a very lovely dog.
13. engulf (ɪnˈɡʌlf)
to surround and cover something or someone completely
e.g: The water engulfed all over the house.
14. treacherous (ˈtrɛtʃərəs)
betraying or likely to betray faith or confidence
e.g: That guy proved to be treacherous.
15. bog (bɒɡ)
wet spongy ground consisting of decomposing vegetation, which ultimately forms peat
e.g: Bog is dangerous for children to get close.
16. shudder (ˈʃʌdə)
the act of shuddering; convulsive shiver
e.g: He turned to me with shudder.
17. bustle (ˈbʌsəl)
to do things in a hurried and busy way
e.g: He rushed into the doctor's room with a horrible fear.
18. whirl (wɜːl)
a continuous and exciting period of activity
e.g: He was in a whirl of somewhat activity.
19. prospect (ˈprɒspɛkt)
a probability or chance for future success, esp as based on present work or aptitude
e.g: There is a prospect of healing the dog.
20. fragment (ˈfræɡmənt)
an incomplete piece; portion
e.g: The fragment of the film gave us some hints.
21. labour (ˈleɪbə)
to perform labour; work
e.g: He was laboured under a successfull factory.
22. delusion (dɪˈluːʒən)
a mistaken or misleading opinion, idea, belief, etc
e.g: There was a delusion about the wheather.
23. twilight (ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt)
the soft diffused light occurring when the sun is just below the horizon, esp following sunset related adjective crepuscular
e.g: The birds start chirping after twilight.
24. imminent (ˈɪmɪnənt)
liable to happen soon; impending
e.g: He was happy to imminent meeting.
25. mackintosh (ˈmækɪnˌtɒʃ)
a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized cloth
e.g: He was wet because of not having his mackintosh with him.
14. treacherous (ˈtrɛtʃərəs)
betraying or likely to betray faith or confidence
e.g: That guy proved to be treacherous.
15. bog (bɒɡ)
wet spongy ground consisting of decomposing vegetation, which ultimately forms peat
e.g: Bog is dangerous for children to get close.
16. shudder (ˈʃʌdə)
the act of shuddering; convulsive shiver
e.g: He turned to me with shudder.
17. bustle (ˈbʌsəl)
to do things in a hurried and busy way
e.g: He rushed into the doctor's room with a horrible fear.
18. whirl (wɜːl)
a continuous and exciting period of activity
e.g: He was in a whirl of somewhat activity.
19. prospect (ˈprɒspɛkt)
a probability or chance for future success, esp as based on present work or aptitude
e.g: There is a prospect of healing the dog.
20. fragment (ˈfræɡmənt)
an incomplete piece; portion
e.g: The fragment of the film gave us some hints.
21. labour (ˈleɪbə)
to perform labour; work
e.g: He was laboured under a successfull factory.
22. delusion (dɪˈluːʒən)
a mistaken or misleading opinion, idea, belief, etc
e.g: There was a delusion about the wheather.
23. twilight (ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt)
the soft diffused light occurring when the sun is just below the horizon, esp following sunset related adjective crepuscular
e.g: The birds start chirping after twilight.
24. imminent (ˈɪmɪnənt)
liable to happen soon; impending
e.g: He was happy to imminent meeting.
25. mackintosh (ˈmækɪnˌtɒʃ)
a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized cloth
e.g: He was wet because of not having his mackintosh with him.
27 Nisan 2014 Pazar
3. D: The Open Window
1) What is the story mainly about?
Story is mainly about a man's trying to get his nerves relieved. He gets a suggestion from her sister which were in a small peaceful place some years ago. She suggest him to go to this place to relieve himself. He goes to visit Mrs. Sappleton. Her niece welcomes him till the aunt comes. The niece tells him about that open window. He says that from that open window, Mrs Sappleton's husband and two young brothers wnt off for their day's shooting and never came back. Then after some time, Mrs. Sappleton comes with apologies. They talk for a time. Then three people come in through that open window. Our man escapes immediately because of his fear. But it he can not know that it was a story which the niece of Mrs. Sappleton made up in his mind.
2) Who are the main characters in the story ? describe each character in term of physcal appearence and character in detail?
There are three main characters as far as I see. The one is main character who is named Framton Nuttel. The other one is the niece. The last one is the Mrs. Sappleton.
Framton Nuttel is a man who wants to relieve his nerves. He goes to stay at a quite village to rest and relax and take care of his poor nerves. The niece of Mrs. Sappleton is fifteen years old and romance at short notice is her speciality.
4) What is the turning point/the most interesting/important event in the story?
In my opinion, the turning point is the man's rushing into out of the home when he saw they came. Because with courage, he could stand still and see the fact beyond fiction.
5) What is the main idea in the story?
Main idea should be the human's believing anything said. If we trust anything we hear in a day, how can we distinguish lies from truth? or, truth from lies?
Story is mainly about a man's trying to get his nerves relieved. He gets a suggestion from her sister which were in a small peaceful place some years ago. She suggest him to go to this place to relieve himself. He goes to visit Mrs. Sappleton. Her niece welcomes him till the aunt comes. The niece tells him about that open window. He says that from that open window, Mrs Sappleton's husband and two young brothers wnt off for their day's shooting and never came back. Then after some time, Mrs. Sappleton comes with apologies. They talk for a time. Then three people come in through that open window. Our man escapes immediately because of his fear. But it he can not know that it was a story which the niece of Mrs. Sappleton made up in his mind.
2) Who are the main characters in the story ? describe each character in term of physcal appearence and character in detail?
There are three main characters as far as I see. The one is main character who is named Framton Nuttel. The other one is the niece. The last one is the Mrs. Sappleton.
Framton Nuttel is a man who wants to relieve his nerves. He goes to stay at a quite village to rest and relax and take care of his poor nerves. The niece of Mrs. Sappleton is fifteen years old and romance at short notice is her speciality.
4) What is the turning point/the most interesting/important event in the story?
In my opinion, the turning point is the man's rushing into out of the home when he saw they came. Because with courage, he could stand still and see the fact beyond fiction.
5) What is the main idea in the story?
Main idea should be the human's believing anything said. If we trust anything we hear in a day, how can we distinguish lies from truth? or, truth from lies?
26 Nisan 2014 Cumartesi
3. B1: Vocabulary and Structure (Reading Aloud: A Useful Learning Tool?)
1. correspondence (ˌkɒrɪˈspɒndəns)
letters, especially official or business letters
e.g: The correspondences should be sent till tomorrow morning.
2. aid (eɪd)
to give support to (someone to do something); help or assist
e.g: Those things can aid you gain the understanding of the concept.
3. acquisition (ˌækwɪˈzɪʃən)
the act of acquiring or gaining possession
e.g: The acquisition of a new skill is about how much of your time you spend on it.
4. prosodic (prəˈsɒdɪk)
(literature) of or relating to prosody
e.g: The prosodic aspects of the text was qualified.
5. proofread (ˈpruːfˌriːd)
to read (copy or printer's proofs) to detect and mark errors to be corrected
e.g: Proofreading is used in the art of literature often.
6. mitigate (ˈmɪtɪˌɡeɪt)
to make or become less severe or harsh; moderate
e.g: The negative effect of this action may be mitigated by some measures.
7. reappraise (ˌriːəˈpreɪz)
to examine and judge something or someone again
e.g: The homework should be reappraised.
8. perennial (pəˈrɛnɪəl)
lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time
e.g: This contest ia a perennial one.
9. methodology (ˌmɛθəˈdɒlədʒɪ)
the system of methods and principles used in a particular discipline
e.g: The methodology of theirs is seems to be right.
10. prime (praɪm)
first in quality or value; first-rate
e.g The prime for you to do is to complete your tasks.
11. disrepute (ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt)
a loss or lack of credit or repute
e.g: Showing disrepute to someone doesn't seem to be a right thing to do.
12. perceive (pəˈsiːv)
to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something
e.g: How do they perceive The Turkish?
13. stumble (ˈstʌmbəl)
to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or begin to fall
e.g: It was felt that she was stumbling.
14. articulation (ɑːˌtɪkjʊˈleɪʃən)
the act or process of speaking or expressing in words
e.g: The articulation of that singer's is the one which I like.
15. impede (ɪmˈpiːd)
to restrict or retard in action, progress, etc; hinder; obstruct
e.g: That thing didn't impede the coming of this trouble.
16. analogical (ˌænəˈlɒdʒɪkəl)
agreement or similarity, esp in a certain limited number of features or details
e.g: Analogical findings are being examined.
17. phoneme (ˈfəʊniːm)
one of the set of speech sounds in any given language that serve to distinguish one word from another. A phoneme may consist of several phonetically distinct articulations, which are regarded as identical by native speakers, since one articulation may be substituted for another without any change of meaning. Thus /p/ and /b/ are separate phonemes in English because they distinguish such words as pet and bet, whereas the light and dark /l/ sounds in little are not separate phonemes since they may be transposed without changing meaning
e.g: Some words' differences depend on their phonemes.
18. grapheme (ˈɡræfiːm)
one of a set of orthographic symbols (letters or combinations of letters) in a given language that serve to distinguish one word from another and usually correspond to or represent phonemes.
e.g: The lesson named grapheme is essential in the Faculty of English.
19. segmental (sɛɡˈmɛntəl)
divided into segments
e.g: The segmental groups were discussing a or a few problems.
20. auditory (ˈɔːdɪtərɪ)
of or relating to hearing, the sense of hearing, or the organs of hearing
e.g: The auditory skills are said to come with birth.
21. dictation (dɪkˈteɪʃən)
a test in which a piece of writing is dictated to students learning a foreign language, to test their ability to hear and write the language correctly
e.g: My English dictation went well.
22. utterance (ˈʌtərəns)
something that someone says
e.g: His last utterance was said happily.
23. internal (ɪnˈtɜːnəl)
existing or happening inside a person, object, organization, place, or country
e.g: Our internal voice means a lot.
24. aural (ˈɔːrəl)
of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing; auricular
e.g: The aural area of brain has a georgeous organising.
25. comprise (kəmˈpraɪz)
to include; contain
e.g: The group comprised Turkish teachers.
(literature) of or relating to prosody
e.g: The prosodic aspects of the text was qualified.
5. proofread (ˈpruːfˌriːd)
to read (copy or printer's proofs) to detect and mark errors to be corrected
e.g: Proofreading is used in the art of literature often.
6. mitigate (ˈmɪtɪˌɡeɪt)
to make or become less severe or harsh; moderate
e.g: The negative effect of this action may be mitigated by some measures.
7. reappraise (ˌriːəˈpreɪz)
to examine and judge something or someone again
e.g: The homework should be reappraised.
8. perennial (pəˈrɛnɪəl)
lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time
e.g: This contest ia a perennial one.
9. methodology (ˌmɛθəˈdɒlədʒɪ)
the system of methods and principles used in a particular discipline
e.g: The methodology of theirs is seems to be right.
10. prime (praɪm)
first in quality or value; first-rate
e.g The prime for you to do is to complete your tasks.
11. disrepute (ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt)
a loss or lack of credit or repute
e.g: Showing disrepute to someone doesn't seem to be a right thing to do.
12. perceive (pəˈsiːv)
to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something
e.g: How do they perceive The Turkish?
13. stumble (ˈstʌmbəl)
to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or begin to fall
e.g: It was felt that she was stumbling.
14. articulation (ɑːˌtɪkjʊˈleɪʃən)
the act or process of speaking or expressing in words
e.g: The articulation of that singer's is the one which I like.
15. impede (ɪmˈpiːd)
to restrict or retard in action, progress, etc; hinder; obstruct
e.g: That thing didn't impede the coming of this trouble.
16. analogical (ˌænəˈlɒdʒɪkəl)
agreement or similarity, esp in a certain limited number of features or details
e.g: Analogical findings are being examined.
17. phoneme (ˈfəʊniːm)
one of the set of speech sounds in any given language that serve to distinguish one word from another. A phoneme may consist of several phonetically distinct articulations, which are regarded as identical by native speakers, since one articulation may be substituted for another without any change of meaning. Thus /p/ and /b/ are separate phonemes in English because they distinguish such words as pet and bet, whereas the light and dark /l/ sounds in little are not separate phonemes since they may be transposed without changing meaning
e.g: Some words' differences depend on their phonemes.
18. grapheme (ˈɡræfiːm)
one of a set of orthographic symbols (letters or combinations of letters) in a given language that serve to distinguish one word from another and usually correspond to or represent phonemes.
e.g: The lesson named grapheme is essential in the Faculty of English.
19. segmental (sɛɡˈmɛntəl)
divided into segments
e.g: The segmental groups were discussing a or a few problems.
20. auditory (ˈɔːdɪtərɪ)
of or relating to hearing, the sense of hearing, or the organs of hearing
e.g: The auditory skills are said to come with birth.
21. dictation (dɪkˈteɪʃən)
a test in which a piece of writing is dictated to students learning a foreign language, to test their ability to hear and write the language correctly
e.g: My English dictation went well.
22. utterance (ˈʌtərəns)
something that someone says
e.g: His last utterance was said happily.
23. internal (ɪnˈtɜːnəl)
existing or happening inside a person, object, organization, place, or country
e.g: Our internal voice means a lot.
24. aural (ˈɔːrəl)
of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing; auricular
e.g: The aural area of brain has a georgeous organising.
25. comprise (kəmˈpraɪz)
to include; contain
e.g: The group comprised Turkish teachers.
3. C: Reading Aloud: A Useful Learning Tool?
1) Why has reading aloud been discouraged in last three decades? What are the main objections against reading aloud (RA)?
Ra was not seen to be genuinely personally communicative and, combined with its often inappropriate use, this may have led to its virtual rejection by this methodology-good points and bad points alike. Probably the prime activitiy which contributed to the disrepute of RA is the practice of unprepared reading around the class-commonly perceived as an unimaginative and easy time filler for the teacher. Other objections to RA observe that:
- It is dull and boring, anxiety-provoking and of negligible benefit for the students. For the listeners, there is little to be gained from listening to a stumbling speaker.
- For the speaker, such is the working memory processing capacity required for decoding, recoding, and articulation that there is little room left for comprehension, yet RA is often used with the aim of comprehension.
- The linear progression of RA does not aid the development of efficient reading strategies (Klapper 1992)
- The requirement to focus on every word also slows reading speed and impedes the chunking of meaningful units (Eskey and Grabe 1988)
- Reading slowly (fewer than 200 words per minute), whether aloud or silently, interferes with semantic proposition formation (Grabe and Stoller 2002), therefore making it more difficult to understand what has been read.
- A frequently cited reasion for using RA is for the improvement of pronunciation. However, doubt is cast on the effectiveness of this by Celce-Murica, Brinton, Goodwin (1996) because of the controlled and therefore slightly unnatural texts that are often used; these do not necessarily help pronunciation in spontaneous speech. These texts usually edit redundancy, fragmentation, and incompleteness which feature in everyday speech.
- Students can be distracted by English spelling and make errors in the pronunciation of words they know orally (Birch op. cit.).
- Reading is usually a silent activity and it is often said that RA is not a skill that many people need; public speakers and boradcasters are in the minority.
- Reading aloud is a difficult thing to do well, even for native speakers, and this could be demotivating for students.
2) What are the possible benefits of RA?
It can help reading aloud by reinforcing graphemic-phonemic correspondences. It can aid the acquisition of prosodic features of English and help to develop writing skills by using it as oral proofreading. RA can also be used as a technique for autonomous learning and may help some anxious students to feel more able to speak.
Making accurate connections between graphemes and phonemes is vital in reading in order to speed word recognition and to help pronounce and learn new words (Stavonich 1991). Ra forces readers to make and practise these connections. In silent reading, learners might try to skip this process and so be less likely to understand what they have read because they have not been able to make semantic propositions effectively. Birch (ibid.) recommends reading aloud as practice so that the students have as much feedback as possible on their decoding skills. Students should read aloud prepared texts at the appropriate level to the teacher and to supportive groups or other individuals. RA can also help to develop reading fluency; Grave and Stoller (ibid.) suggest a variety of re-reading acitivites. Some of these involve RA, for example, paired re-readings, where students try to speed up their reading aloud by re-reading the same passage to each other for sixty seconds and try to get further each time.
3) How RA can be useful for pronunciation and prosodic features?
When a teacher listens to a student reading alou, he or she is often using the activity to identify more persistent problems of, for example, pronunciation, understanding of graphemic-phonemic connections, and so on, and is therefore using it as a diagnostic tool. It is the only way to check that these connections are being made correctly. Underhill (op. cit.) finds that RA can be a powerful tool for diagnosing a student's comprehension of the text. The intonation the student uses can indicate where understanding is not complete.
4) How can RA be useful for pronunciation and prosodic features?
Specialist books on pronunciation tend to concentrate on segmentals and the accurate production of specific sounds, and so only isolated words or, at most, single sentences are read aloud or spoken. However these books often include intonation practice and provide some longer texts to help this. By reading aloud longer stretches of text, prosodic features (which occur in spontaneous speech as well as RA) can be focused upon, with the aim of raising awareness of these and practising them so that the words flow in as natural-sounding a manner as possible. As with reading, L1 speech patterns can be transferred to the L2, which could interfere with clear communication. Chun (2002) uses RA for rehearsed speaking activities and to stabilize newly learned speech patterns. Celce-Murcia et al. (op. cit.) favour theuse of jazz chants to focus students' attention on rhythm and stress. Underhill (op. cit.), similarly, advocates that students should practise reading aloud traditional English rhymes to help familiarize them with stress-timed patterns.
5) What is the role of RA in reducing student anxiety?
RA can be used as a technique for autonomous learning and may help some anxious students to feel more able to speak. Although RA is regarded by some students as highly anxiety-provoking, Foss and Reitzel (1988) recommend it as a way of reducing communication anxiety. They have found that the group preparation work, evaluation and performance involved in this can lessen anxiety.
RA might be the only speaking that shy students will consent to do in class. Controlled, imitative activities can make students feel secure enough to make their first utterances. In this way, RA could help shy or unconfident students with speaking practice for a short while until they feel ready to speak more spontaneously.
6) What kind of a role does RA have in developing writing skills?
It can aid the acquisition of prosodic features of English and help to develop writing skills by using it as oral proofreading. RA has indirect role to play ni writing and it is likned to it via intonation. Chafe (1986, cited by Tench 1996) points out that whilst writing has no intonation, stress or pauses (apart from those that punctuation or italicization can indicate), it is very likely that both readers and writers do assign these features to whatever they are reading and writing. Thus, intonation can affect what is written, thether it is very near a spoken style (as in an informal email) or in a very formal formulaic letter. Many students at university find that they are required to read their papers aloud in seminars. They might have to use rhetorical structures different from those used in their L1 or native culture. They will also need to organize the sturcture clearly using discourse markers, and to reinforce this with the appropriate intonation so that the message will be understood easily. This might involve them in listening to their 'internal voice' as they write, or practising their intonation by reading aloud to themselves or friends before delivering the paper. As pointed out earlier, RA could be useful as a proofreading technique as errors might be more easily picked up with visual and aural inputs working together.
Ra was not seen to be genuinely personally communicative and, combined with its often inappropriate use, this may have led to its virtual rejection by this methodology-good points and bad points alike. Probably the prime activitiy which contributed to the disrepute of RA is the practice of unprepared reading around the class-commonly perceived as an unimaginative and easy time filler for the teacher. Other objections to RA observe that:
- It is dull and boring, anxiety-provoking and of negligible benefit for the students. For the listeners, there is little to be gained from listening to a stumbling speaker.
- For the speaker, such is the working memory processing capacity required for decoding, recoding, and articulation that there is little room left for comprehension, yet RA is often used with the aim of comprehension.
- The linear progression of RA does not aid the development of efficient reading strategies (Klapper 1992)
- The requirement to focus on every word also slows reading speed and impedes the chunking of meaningful units (Eskey and Grabe 1988)
- Reading slowly (fewer than 200 words per minute), whether aloud or silently, interferes with semantic proposition formation (Grabe and Stoller 2002), therefore making it more difficult to understand what has been read.
- A frequently cited reasion for using RA is for the improvement of pronunciation. However, doubt is cast on the effectiveness of this by Celce-Murica, Brinton, Goodwin (1996) because of the controlled and therefore slightly unnatural texts that are often used; these do not necessarily help pronunciation in spontaneous speech. These texts usually edit redundancy, fragmentation, and incompleteness which feature in everyday speech.
- Students can be distracted by English spelling and make errors in the pronunciation of words they know orally (Birch op. cit.).
- Reading is usually a silent activity and it is often said that RA is not a skill that many people need; public speakers and boradcasters are in the minority.
- Reading aloud is a difficult thing to do well, even for native speakers, and this could be demotivating for students.
2) What are the possible benefits of RA?
It can help reading aloud by reinforcing graphemic-phonemic correspondences. It can aid the acquisition of prosodic features of English and help to develop writing skills by using it as oral proofreading. RA can also be used as a technique for autonomous learning and may help some anxious students to feel more able to speak.
Making accurate connections between graphemes and phonemes is vital in reading in order to speed word recognition and to help pronounce and learn new words (Stavonich 1991). Ra forces readers to make and practise these connections. In silent reading, learners might try to skip this process and so be less likely to understand what they have read because they have not been able to make semantic propositions effectively. Birch (ibid.) recommends reading aloud as practice so that the students have as much feedback as possible on their decoding skills. Students should read aloud prepared texts at the appropriate level to the teacher and to supportive groups or other individuals. RA can also help to develop reading fluency; Grave and Stoller (ibid.) suggest a variety of re-reading acitivites. Some of these involve RA, for example, paired re-readings, where students try to speed up their reading aloud by re-reading the same passage to each other for sixty seconds and try to get further each time.
3) How RA can be useful for pronunciation and prosodic features?
When a teacher listens to a student reading alou, he or she is often using the activity to identify more persistent problems of, for example, pronunciation, understanding of graphemic-phonemic connections, and so on, and is therefore using it as a diagnostic tool. It is the only way to check that these connections are being made correctly. Underhill (op. cit.) finds that RA can be a powerful tool for diagnosing a student's comprehension of the text. The intonation the student uses can indicate where understanding is not complete.
4) How can RA be useful for pronunciation and prosodic features?
Specialist books on pronunciation tend to concentrate on segmentals and the accurate production of specific sounds, and so only isolated words or, at most, single sentences are read aloud or spoken. However these books often include intonation practice and provide some longer texts to help this. By reading aloud longer stretches of text, prosodic features (which occur in spontaneous speech as well as RA) can be focused upon, with the aim of raising awareness of these and practising them so that the words flow in as natural-sounding a manner as possible. As with reading, L1 speech patterns can be transferred to the L2, which could interfere with clear communication. Chun (2002) uses RA for rehearsed speaking activities and to stabilize newly learned speech patterns. Celce-Murcia et al. (op. cit.) favour theuse of jazz chants to focus students' attention on rhythm and stress. Underhill (op. cit.), similarly, advocates that students should practise reading aloud traditional English rhymes to help familiarize them with stress-timed patterns.
5) What is the role of RA in reducing student anxiety?
RA can be used as a technique for autonomous learning and may help some anxious students to feel more able to speak. Although RA is regarded by some students as highly anxiety-provoking, Foss and Reitzel (1988) recommend it as a way of reducing communication anxiety. They have found that the group preparation work, evaluation and performance involved in this can lessen anxiety.
RA might be the only speaking that shy students will consent to do in class. Controlled, imitative activities can make students feel secure enough to make their first utterances. In this way, RA could help shy or unconfident students with speaking practice for a short while until they feel ready to speak more spontaneously.
6) What kind of a role does RA have in developing writing skills?
It can aid the acquisition of prosodic features of English and help to develop writing skills by using it as oral proofreading. RA has indirect role to play ni writing and it is likned to it via intonation. Chafe (1986, cited by Tench 1996) points out that whilst writing has no intonation, stress or pauses (apart from those that punctuation or italicization can indicate), it is very likely that both readers and writers do assign these features to whatever they are reading and writing. Thus, intonation can affect what is written, thether it is very near a spoken style (as in an informal email) or in a very formal formulaic letter. Many students at university find that they are required to read their papers aloud in seminars. They might have to use rhetorical structures different from those used in their L1 or native culture. They will also need to organize the sturcture clearly using discourse markers, and to reinforce this with the appropriate intonation so that the message will be understood easily. This might involve them in listening to their 'internal voice' as they write, or practising their intonation by reading aloud to themselves or friends before delivering the paper. As pointed out earlier, RA could be useful as a proofreading technique as errors might be more easily picked up with visual and aural inputs working together.
2. A: Writing
PLAN AND WRITING
a)
PEOPLE
|
MEMORIES
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DETAILS
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My Teacher
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He used to call us "kazma"
|
It seems to a stranger that it's a bad adjective but the using of our teacher was in a polite way and we liked this title.
|
THINGS
|
MEMORIES
|
DETAILS
|
My Perfume
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I bought it by luck
|
There is mystery about this parfume's being original or fake.
|
b) Planning
Introductory ideas:
My father and I was in the car waiting for someone at the airport. We had parked the gar to somewhere and waiting for time to come in the car. I noticed that a person is coming near each car and saying something. Then We understood that he was trying to sell perfumes.
Bodyparagraph 1: main event in story
He came to our car and said that he has no valise to put the perfumes inside and he has a plane taking off soon at that time. Firstly I didn't like the names of perfumes. Those were not the popular ones, or the ones that I know. So I thanked his request and said "no". I got on the car. After a few minutes, i thought that those perfumes should have been very cheap because he had rush. Then I got off the car and went near him. One of the perfumes had a tag that states that it was €250 or around that. He would sell me for 50 turkish liras. He said that he had bought it from a free shop. The logical thing to do for an available person to be deceived was to buy that perfume. So did I.
A. Important or Interesting detail:
I bought the perfume without being sure it is original.
II. Conclusion (What I learned):
We shouldn't trust everyone. We may fail about our decisions about people.
c) Writing
My father and I was in the car waiting for someone at the airport. We had parked the gar to somewhere and waiting for time to come in the car. I noticed that a person is coming near each car and saying something. Then We understood that he was trying to sell perfumes.
He came to our car and said that he has no valise to put the perfumes inside and he has a plane taking off soon at that time. Firstly I didn't like the names of perfumes. Those were not the popular ones, or the ones that I know. So I thanked his request and said "no". I got on the car. After a few minutes, i thought that those perfumes should have been very cheap because he had rush. Then I got off the car and went near him. One of the perfumes had a tag that states that it was €250 or around that. He would sell me for 50 turkish liras. He said that he had bought it from a free shop. The logical thing to do for an available person to be deceived was to buy that perfume. So did I.
22 Nisan 2014 Salı
2. B2: Vocabulary and Structure (Using Teacher-generated Biography as Input Material)
1. exploit (ɪkˈsplɔɪt)
to take advantage of (a person, situation, etc), esp unethically or unjustly for one's own ends
e.g: We should exploit our resources properly.
2. repertoire (ˈrɛpəˌtwɑː)
the entire stock of things available in a field or of a kind
e.g: His repertoire of jokes was run out of.
3. memorabilia (ˌmɛmərəˈbɪlɪə)
objects that are collected because they are connected with a person or event that is thought to be very interesting
e.g: Memorabilia of our tour still holds a big state in our minds.
4. empowerment (ɪmˈpaʊəmənt)
the giving or delegation of power or authority; authorization
e.g: They have the empowerment power over those countries.
5. prequisite (priːˈrɛkwɪzɪt)
something that must exist or happen before something else can exist or happen
e.g: We should pass the exam as a prequisite task to make our family happy.
6. inadequacy (ɪnˈædɪkwəsɪ)
the fact that something is not good enough or is too small in amount
e.g: There are some inadequacies at the homework you did.
7. authenticity (ˌɔːθɛnˈtɪsɪtɪ)
quality of being real or genuine, not fake
e.g: There was authenticity at that restaurant.
8. realia (rɪˈeɪlɪə)
real-life facts and material used in teaching
e.g: Using realia is important in especially language teaching.
9. discourse (ˈdɪskɔːs)
verbal communication; talk; conversation
e.g: That was a discourse on nature.
10. dynamism (ˈdaɪnəˌmɪzəm)
the quality of being dynamic
e.g: The dynamism they felt was so georgous.
11. stimulus (ˈstɪmjʊləs)
something that causes growth or activity
e.g: It should be a stimulus to growth sales.
12.abstract (æbˈstrækt)
having no reference to material objects or specific examples; not concrete
e.g: Abstract things matters more for some people.
13. untapped (ʌnˈtæpt)
If a supply of something valuable is untapped, it is not yet used or taken advantage of
e.g: There is untapped data waiting for us to be learned.
14. bestow (bɪˈstəʊ)
to give something as an honour or present
e.g: They bestowed their old founder of the republic.
15. provision (prəˈvɪʒən)
a demand, condition, or stipulation formally incorporated in a document; proviso
e.g: The provision of the job was challenging.
16. inexplicable (ˌɪnɪkˈsplɪkəbəl)
unable to be explained or understood
e.g: Inexplicable questions are around my mind waiting for someone to answer the questions.
17. credibility (ˌkrɛdɪˈbɪlɪtɪ)
the quality of being believed or trusted
e.g: He is said to have high credibility around the town.
18. monologue (ˈmɒnəˌlɒɡ)
a long speech by one person
e.g: Monologues aren't used a lot these days in the cartoons.
19. constrain (kənˈstreɪn)
to control and limit something
e.g: Some countries constrain some countries.
20. typological (ˌtaɪpəˈlɒdʒɪkəl)
of or relating to the doctrine or study of types that foreshadow future reality, or of the correspondence between them and the realities which they typify
e.g: Typological studies are being done on this subject.
21. freestanding (ˌfriːˈstændɪŋ)
standing apart; not attached to or supported by another object
e.g: That wall seems to be freestanding.
22. burden (ˈbɜːdən)
something that is carried; load
e.g: The burden of this subject seems quite challenging.
23. embody (ɪmˈbɒdɪ)
to give a tangible, bodily, or concrete form to (an abstract concept)
e.g: They embodied the subject on which they were talking about.
24. commitment (kəˈmɪtmənt)
an obligation, promise, etc that restricts one's freedom of action
e.g: He made a commitment to come to our party.
25. utilize (ˈjuːtɪˌlaɪz)
to make practical or worthwhile use of
e.g: Vitamin is utilized by the body.
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