Portfolio 20: A Feminist is a Man or a Woman Who...

  

This poem presents the ability of a woman to be extraordinary and confidence. It also represents the power of a woman over anything, denying the stereotypes of gender that people have on women. Women could be successful and achieve victory in their life. Women are able to have a place in society and have rights as men could have. Chance should be given to women and people have to trust their ability to develop as members with a voice in society. 

"We should all be Feminists" by Chimamanda Adichie





There is a change in the way women is seen in society. Women are becoming successful and powerful in their personal and professional contexts. However, there are many aspects  that are still in need of improvement. Chimamanda Adichie mentions the following concepts, among others,  in her conference about Feminism.


Feminist position.
Men and women differences.
Male gender as a sign of power and success.
Women success as a threat to men.
Marriage as an internalized and socially imposed rule.
Respect as something women show to men.
Gender expectations.
A different way women experience the world.



Madonna: Woman of the Year Full Speech Billboard Women in Music, 2016.

Madonna exposes her thoughts related to the position women have in society. To be a woman means not to be smart or not to have an opinion. A woman is allowed to be objectified by men. A woman does not have the same freedom as men have. For these reasons, women have to start thinking about themselves as individuals with great capacity to develop different roles in today's society. Women have to be self confident and realize that they are not victims any longer.

Portfolio 19: The Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Multiplication of Western Walls.

https://petras.lahaine.org/about-james-petras/


IN PROGRESS...

Portfolio 18.2: Walls of different kinds

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14beV8Y0HbDM8CjLBZAb4QC7vn0S7tHJ3rMyz_7ZhpWc/edit

Portfolio 18.1: Walls

To be a citizen means to be a member of the human race. future depends on global citizens who will make the most important issues like poverty, gender inequality or climate change become solvable. Poverty is the result of things made or not made by corrupt governments who do not care about the problems that society faces.

Community development should be driven by communities themselves, although charity is necessary, it is not enough to solve those global issues. A sustainable movement is needed, that is, citizens taking action to put pressure on their leaders to think about and give solutions to social demands.

Fortunately, we live in an age where every single voice can be heard because citizens have more tools, more access to information and more capacity to influence than before. It is important to look beyond our borders in order to reach the best solutions and behave as global citizens.

Portfolio 17: Arguments and Counterarguments: Capital Punishment

                                   

ARGUMENTS Against death penalty	COUNTER ARGUMENTS
ü  It is not a deterrent against crimes.   ü  It targets the economically disadvantaged.   ü  It does not reduce crime rates.   ü  It is irreversible.   ü  It results in the death of innocents.   ü  It abuses the right to life.   ü  It causes physical and psychological tortures.	ü  The punishment should fit the crime. People who have killed someone, should be killed, too.   ü  Giving a killer the death sentence will reduce crime rates.

Portfolio 16: Opinion Essay

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/c1-advanced-writing/an-opinion-essay





It is proved that death penalty is not a deterrent against major crimes and it also goes against human rights. Many societies use death penalty with the intention to reduce crime rates. In addition to this, death penalty targets the economically disadvantaged. People who cannot afford a good legal counsel get the punishment. The death of innocents makes death penalty an inacceptable act as the right to live is inalienable and it cannot be taken away. Every individual facing the death penalty is still a human being.

Portfolio 15: Essay Gender Diversity in Education

Nowadays, the shift in the way the world understands gender forces educators to pay attention to what is happening within the classroom. The aim of this essay is to consider this issue focusing particularly on the teachers’ lack of knowledge about the topic, the discrimination gender non-conforming students suffer and the importance of developing a safe educational environment.

Teachers’ lack of knowledge about gender issues poses a challenge to schools. It is certain that educators have received thorough academic knowledge throughout their careers. However, tackling problems related to gender within the classroom has never been part of their education and is left to their personal use of common sense. Regardless their best intentions, teachers fall into traditional gender patterns due to the fact that they have been raised in a rigid culture. They need to break with the existing framework. They must be trained to avoid reinforcing gender stereotypes. Therefore, schools must provide training for teachers to avoid further complications and ensure all children are protected.

A further argument in relation to the importance of gender-based issues in education is discrimination. Gender non-conforming children are usually the victims of bullying through psychological as well as physical violence. Even teachers through the incorrect use of a pronoun or name may make children feel discriminated. These incidents will surely be the origin of later complications such as skipping classes, performing poorly academically, feeling isolated or depressed or even committing suicide. Encouraging zero tolerance policies for bullying and supporting victims must be a major goal. Discrimination must not take place in an educational environment and schools must learn to tackle this problem seriously.

As it has been mentioned before, creating a safe environment in which all children feel free from violence and are not forced to follow gender stereotypes is in the hands of the school. It must promote actions that encourage respect for gender in all its variations. Whether it is by creating unisex bathrooms, providing training to teachers or implementing policies that support gender non-conforming children and punish violence against them, schools are mainly responsible for the welfare of their students. Educational institutions must provide an environment that allows children to be their authentic selves.

In conclusion, nowadays schools must not only provide academic knowledge but also create a safe environment for inclusivity. Schools must be a place in which diversity is celebrated and gender is respected in all its variations. These issues must be dealt at school level with the hope that the outcome will be seen in the construction of an inclusive and respectful society.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/advanced-c1-writing/essay-about-women-science

Portfolio 14: Hedging and Boosting

Hedging

Example # 1

The issues highlighted in this study are applicable to all participating institutions.

The issues highlighted in this study may be applicable to many participating institutions.


Example # 2

Government support will assure the spread of new knowledge and the skills necessary to use the internet to thousands of people in rural areas.

Government support may help with the spread of new knowledge and the skills necessary to use the internet to thousands of people in rural areas.


Example # 3

The study proves the link between smoking and lung disease.

The study indicates/suggests a (possible) link between smoking and lung disease.


Example # 4

The number of unemployed people will continue to raise as the poor economic situation persists.

The number of unemployed people will probably continue to raise as the poor economic situation persists.


Example # 5

This (and subsequent) studies led to the conclusion that the GTP itself must be the elusive base, and therefore to the proposal of the GTP- as - mechanism. (Schweins et al. 1994, 1995)

This (and subsequent) studies led to the conclusion that the GTP itself may be the elusive base, and therefore to the proposal of the GTP - as - mechanism. (Schweins et al. 1994, 1995)



Boosting

Example # 1

Clearly, these sales figures show a definite increase in consumer confidence, which will undoubtedly, have an impact on our share price.


Example # 2

Employees will always respond positively in such circumstances.


Example # 3

Certainly, this has had an impact on learning outcomes.

This certainly has had an impact on learning outcomes.


Example # 4

This has an obvious impact on learning outcomes.

This obviously has an impact on learning outcomes.


Example # 5

This will have an impact on future research in the field.


Example # 6

These figures prove that there has been strong growth as a result of policy change.



HOW TO USE HEDGING
This video explains how to use hedging in academic writing and  provides some examples as well.
 

Portfolio 13: How to teach writing

Writing teachers have the responsibility to help students develop as writers. During the writing process teachers give support and encourage students in such a way they are engaged into the writing task. Teachers have to facilitate the necessary tools and techniques to make the writing process effective. There are different steps to follow in order to achieve the goal and make students become good writers.



https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1r1EnOs8ENShuvPaM2AXaoKBikLdqAsLijom-4N0fIV8/edit#slide=id.g62f9d40640_0_35

Teachers have to provide students with methods and techniques in order to develop their thinking and writing skills following the steps mentioned before. It is also important to guide them during the writing process and teach them how to organise their pieces of writing in order to create something interesting for the audience. Teachers have to take into account students’ level of proficiency when they give feedback on the writing task, so that students do not feel discouraged and make profit from it.

Portfolio 12: Nominalization: For or Against?

Nominalization is the process by which adjectival phrases or adjectives and verbs become nouns. By turning verbs and other parts of speech into nouns, the content of the text can be increased. This is called Lexical Density.
Many nominalized forms end in: - ion/tion, -ment, -ity, -ty, -ness, -al
A sentence made up of two clauses can be condensed to fit one clause by the  use of nominalization.
The process of nominalization allows us to get away from the dynamic and real world sequencing that goes with speaking, we organize the text in terms of ideas, reasons, causes, etc.

Examples:

1) A- Because the jobs are more complex, programs to train people will take longer.
    B- The increased complexity of tasks will lead to the extension of the training programs.

2) A- I handed my essay in late because my kids got sick.
     B- The reason of the late submission of my essay was the illness of my children.

3) A- I feel that "closing the gap" is tricky because kids just don't have the feel for talking in the                   same  way as the way academics sometimes talk to each other.
     B- The challenge of "closing the gap" is related to students' limited repertoires of academic                      registers. 

4) A- We need to keep the park so children have somewhere to play.
    B- We need to keep the park for children's recreation.

5) A- Because the President failed to remove the troops, many deaths occurred.
    B- The failure to remove the troops resulted in many deaths.                                         
                                                   

Portfolio11: Discourse and Context in Language Teaching

Chapter 6: LISTENING

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jDHsHmX0thp6JS8XaNIdnqOmGCK6ABEnNTe4sc1cyYI/edit#slide=id.p

Chapter 7: READING

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bLOEaOdpxMssWkLVXsFq-ahqdsT311SqgirVCo0qbHo/edit#slide=id.p

Chapter 8: WRITING

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1tN43hjJpxvr7k23-KnDtob_ex4XvfejVjDkqISKESCw/edit#slide=id.p1

Chapter 9: SPEAKING

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1luXsTRJWuBffwsbXkEiy1RkogFZotP1UsQrPABMPquA/edit#slide=id.p

Portfolio 10: 5- Paragraph Essay and Thesis statement

"How to write an effective 5 - Paragraph Essay"

"Thesis Statements: How to improve them"

https://padlet.com/valeriacheron59mlfmabi/00t4

Portfolio 9: Halliday's lecture

Group:

Bogado Noelia

Cassieri Karina

Cheroni Valeria

Ludueña Natalia

Ruiz Jesica

Torrez Gisele

STUDENT’S NAME	TIME LAPSE	CONCEPTS
Karina Cassieri	0.00-10.00	- Any given instance of language is the product of 3 histories:the history of language as a system (language as evolution), the history of the individual speaker (language as developing together with the individual) and the history of each instance of language of the text (language as unfolding). - The brain is the environment in which language is developed. It is developed within 2 poles: the expression pole (articulatory and auditory systems) and the content pole (the context of situation and the context of culture)
Valeria Cheroni	10.00 - 22.00	History of meaning as a distinctively human semiotic. Language evolving (sounds systems, lexical semantic fields, grammatical systems) Evolution of meaning potencial of language: from an ontogenetic perspective, children progress through different stages: non - referring language to a referential language. proper to common reference (individual reference to class reference) concrete to abstract reference (from the sensible to the imaginable) congruent to metaphorical reference (actual to virtual reference) These stages can be thought in terms of developing of knowledge: common sense knowledge (associated with the home and neighbourhood) educational knowledge (the discourse in primary school) technical knowledge (the discourse in secondary school) Knowledge accumulates (something that is already learnt, gets reorganized at the next stage). Meaning covers all the metafunctions of language.
Natalia Ludueña	22.00 - 31.00	Our meaning potential has a history of the exchange of meanings in 3 contexts: forest, farm, and factory. Language has evolved from speech to writing, from writing to printing, from text as a process addressed by speaker to listener, to text as entity maneuvered from writer to reader. (OUTER FACE OF LANGUAGE) Adolescents and adults in our culture engage with all these modes of discourse every day in their lives.  There are sequences of terms from spoken language, written language, standard language, and global language. (English today) The electronic stage of mass communication and multimedia are booming. Affluent languages are very important. A new term appears: rebus writing. In one language we distinguish new patterns in the integration of metafunctions because meanings are seen as a succession of chunks to accommodate the reduced space on a small screen and reduced attention span of today´s into interactions. Interpersonal and textual meanings take prominence for different reasons: Textual in integrating  semiotics strands. Interpersonal meaning is explicit (exchange of meaning becomes individualized and personalized) We can notice a polarization of knowledge.
Jesica Ruiz	31.00-41.00	Different ways of knowing:     • Codifying and transmitting knowledge was developed in different contexts over the course of human history       Narrative:     • A genre that has played a very important part in the evolution of knowledge.       Features:     •  Past or imaginary events that are rehearsed in a more or less stylized and ritualized form.     • Events that tell people experiences.     • They have a protagonist who has proper names.       Besides those narratives we find:  Generalized propositions and proposals, telling what happens or may happen if, or what should or should not be done.      Proverbs:  Are traditional reposites of common sense knowledge in daily day. Often archaic and or phonological memorable language. They construct knowledge as generalization. The grammar detaches then from particular persons and events making clear they contain a principle that is generally applicable.    Ancient centers of knowledge:  Greece and China       New ways of meaning in the discourse of knowledge construction in Cosmology, Math, Medicine and History.      Important books in Greece:  Iliada/Thucydides history the Peloponnesian War He examined how they analyzed  knowledge through history.  Grammatical analysis : Homer: Use of similes, served to exemplified other patterns  Thucydides, Explanation of cause and effect interpreted as complex and abstract nouns from processes and qualities.   Semantic signature:  Metaphor, more specific Grammatical metaphors who creates a parallel semiotic universe of virtual things. Knowledge takes the form of theories who are explanatory, predictive. And generate hypothesis which can be tested and validated and improved.
Torrez Gisele	41:00 - 56: 00	The development of the individual is reached in the secondary school where single abstractions start to be present. This can be coped with in the primary school but the fully metaphoric mode of meaning is inaccessible to children before they reach the age of puberty. The meaning potential have evolved along with our bodies and brains and with the emergence of Homo sapiens.   Halliday defines “meanings” as forests. These are the semantic resources that supported the lives of many of the First Nations, such as Canada the Aboriginal peoples of Australia and New Guinea the first inhabitants of South America, South Africa, and so on. He defines them as foresters because none of them, retained their inherited patterns of knowledge much of the details of that knowledge has been lost, because you cannot transmit, say what you know due to the fact that there are things that have disappeared from the scene. The ways of meaning that supported this knowledge have become the foundational part of the human experience.We see them in the patterns of our lexical grammar in the way we build semiotic models of our eco social environment, the social groups in which we interact and also the significant features of the situations in which we live. The meaning potential of the individual expands as they learn their first language throughout childhood and adolescence.it also expands if they learn one or more other languages  Writing is not a decontextualized process and together with the contexts in which it evolves and is transmitted certainly  increase the meaning potential. Contexts is where meaning arises from reflecting and building on shared knowledge and shared text and where  the meaning potential increases. The history of Education suggests that even at the level of the individual the the meaning potential generally tended to increase though just as every individual has their own story so every language has its own story though with many features of language being shared across a common culture band o codes written. The meaning potential is transmitted from one generation to another Grammatical system is changing and suffering modifications according to the context of use, the culture and related to the people’s communicative  necessities. Human beings to intervene in processes of evolution to try to improve on them by introducing design in language .It’ means even the invention of writing could be regarded as an instance of intervention by design but some activities are clearly designed so as to speed up or to deflect or even to inhibit the evolution of a language
Bogado Noelia	56:18- 1:07:55	The lexicographer of the major European standard languages expanded their overall powers of meaning, creating an  extension by a committee of specialists which creates lists of new terminology for a newly emerging national language. The extent of coined words builds up new meanings, adding to the meaning potential. It is important to think of  meaning potential as a function of what people can understand. Many components construct the meaning potential of speech community, firstly, prodigious resources to develop areas of experience and complex social structures. Secondly, people without writing often memorize and transmit large quantities of coherent text. Finally, they speak three or four different tongues, or different varieties of their own language. The combination of the meaning potential changes overtime and its variation, with the measure of the size of a language might show a meaning potential as a semiotic power.

Portfolio 8: Systemic Functional Linguistics in the EFL class

https://bubbl.us/NTE5MDM3Mi8zNzg5MjE3L2Q4MTIwNzUxYzRjZWYwMDU4YmFiMzBiMTBjMWEzZmJj@X?utm_source=shared-link&utm_medium=email&s=3789217

Portfolio 7: Thesis Statement

How to  write a Thesis Statement


A good thesis statement includes a topic, a precise opinion and a reasoning.

Parts of a Thesis Statement

1- The subject: the topic of the essay.
2- The precise opinion: the opinion on the subject.
3- the blueprint of reasons: how you plan to argue and prove your opinion. You should have 3 strong pieces of evidence to support your claim.

We can list the reasons:

•  at the end of the thesis statement.
•  at the beginning of the thesis statement.
• in the sentence after the thesis statement.

A thesis statement is an arguable statement. You need to research evidence to support your opinion.

The pieces of evidence or the 'blueprint' are only effective if:

1- you explain what you mean about each blueprint point in the body paragraph.
2- you provide detailed examples for each blueprint point.

The thesis statement tells the reader:

• where you are going in your essay.
• how you plan on getting there.

https://youtu.be/5HePQWodWiQ
https://youtu.be/DfUkhdh8Z08

Portfolio 6: SFL (revision)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SzHC0cjbWlHjA1zDd_lLtlDKKg4fEglJtQD7IvyffYg/edit

Cohesion and coherence

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z24caiXuB3Pbx82E96LBQ23hRe7mlV8fpx-MHVxMcA4/edit?usp=sharing

Speech Acts

2- Topic sentences

1.Many politicians deplore the passing of the old family-sized farm, but I'm not so sure.
 I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have rejoined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (from Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")



2.  There are two broad theories concerning what triggers a human's inevitable decline to death.
The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock which is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (from Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited]).



3.We commonly look on the discipline of war as vastly more rigid than any discipline necessary in time of peace, but this is an error.
The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly-line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom -- that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (from H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited]).

Portfolio 5: Topic Sentence

Portfolio 4: Speech Acts

Constatives and Performatives are two different parts of speech. Constatives are sentences that describe something as true or false and Performatives are sentences that denote an action. 

Performatives act upon the world. 

Speech Acts are  words that are themselves actions. These include ordering, promising, apologising, warning, sentencing, christening, marrying.

Performatives depend on context and reception. These are known as Felicity Conditions. 

Felicity Conditions are the rules under which the performative can be enacted.

The Performative should be authoritative, clear,  understood, and it should be able to be executed.

If it doesn't meet these conditions it doesn't have the power to denote action. But it doesn't mean that it is implicity followed.