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The Experience of Being an ESL Student, 2005.
This paper discuses the experiences of an English Second Language (ESL/EFL) Japanese student as a base for examining language learning strategies, specially the relationships between language, culture and society.
3,240 words (approx. 13.0 pages), 17 sources, APA, £ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, because students come with specific purposes for learning, one of the best ways to keep them motivated is to help them feel progress towards their goals, which are identified by interviewing informally the student. The author points out the importance of engaging ESL learners in communicative (game type) or integrative (short/small activities form larger activities) activities using materials, which are authentic, thereby, aiding the learners in unpredictable spoken language outside the class. The paper relates that students of English conversation must understand the fundamental difference between learning about the language and learning to use it for verbal communication.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Background Information of Interviewee
Report and Commentary on the Information Collected in the Conversation
What are Main Reasons for Learning English for ESL/EFL Learners in Japan?
What Stereotypes Take Place for a Foreign Teacher While Teaching ESL in Japan?
What are Key Features and Problems of ESL Learning in Japan and How can They Be Resolved by ESL Teachers to Achieve Best Results?
What Type of Class is more Desirable for ESL Students?
Does "Cultural Background" Play Any Role in Learning ESL in Japan?
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The learner that I have interviewed generally has a strong first language model back at home in Japan. The interviewee had been in institution and educated at home from young till diploma level. Later, when he came to Australia with pursuing a degree in mind, he had a choice to either take an exam, TOFEL or take up a course with the duration of 3 months to learn English. This is because, his previous education did not meet the requirement of the university that he intended to enroll in. The requirement was that his previous education has to be taught in English for duration of more than 12 months."
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People, Culture and Technology, 2005.
This paper reviews various models of understanding the interaction of people, culture and technology.
2,015 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 12 sources, MLA, £ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the two most common cognitive models for the interaction between technology, people and culture are Formalist/Humanist and Cyborg/Post-Humanist. The author believes that the Post-Humanist/cyclical model is superior to the linear models because the idea behind this model is that there can be no set cycle to human/ technological interaction; any number of interactions are possible and they can go in any direction. The paper relates that the three main reasons people use the writing technologies such as word processing are habit, convenience and availability. Charts.
From the Paper
"Communications technologies affect our social relations and cultural values. Often new technologies distance us from direct communication with each other. For instance, a phone call is only an auditory communication, which cuts out body language. Instant messaging contains only the words a person wishes to convey, cutting out tone of voice and other auditory cues. Email is even further removed, because it is so much less interactive. There is little possibility for instance for a heated dialog or a a quick two way discussion. The communication becomes less real, more distant and therefore arguably we believe less that there is another human being there and act accordingly... perfect example would be flames and porn ads. In one-on-one interaction people don't have the protection of anonymity that they do in an email or forum posting."
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Bilingualism in the U.S.A., 2005.
A short essay arguing for bilingual education in the United States.
954 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, £ 22.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses growing diversity in the U.S. and the need to reshape our conception of literacy to include bilingualism. The paper confronts fallacies concerning bilingual education and the need to teach bilingually.
From the Paper
"As societies shift and flux with time, it is necessary to alter the guidelines for literacy accordingly. If, as a nation, the United States desires to maintain a proficient level of literacy amongst its population as a whole, then it must be willing to move forward and make the necessary changes. Such changes are clearly taking place now in the United States, in the form of increasing ethnic and lingual diversity. As has been shown, our brains are clearly capable of adapting to such a change. Bilingual education is the next step."
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Language to Leadership in Eastern Philosophy, 2005.
Discusses and compares conceptions of language and knowledge in Taoism and Confucianism.
2,211 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, £ 46.95
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Abstract
Both Confucianism and Taoism hold strikingly differing positions on the importance and significance of language. This paper shows that, while this conflict may initially seem purely academic, these positions form the foundation of their ideologies, influencing subsequent positions on every aspect of life, right up to the correct way to lead a nation.
From the Paper
"Thus, the accuracy of language serves as a foundation for all other abilities, including the acquisition of knowledge and leadership. This foundation should be solid and strong, without embellishment, and without exaggeration. Confucius often displays exquisite care in his own language, especially when he is asked whether or not a specific person fits a certain title, such as "ren" or "scholar." He is also conscious of his overall choice of words and tone: "At court, when speaking with officers of lower rank, he was pleasant and affable; when speaking with officers of upper rank, he was formal and proper." His own care, and the distain with which he frequently refers to those who use fanciful language or who cannot back up their speech with actions, demonstrates his advocacy of speech as a concrete, firm resting place for ideas. "Words," he explains, "should convey their message, and leave it at that.""
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English Only, 2004.
An analysis of the debate and controversy over whether the United States should have a national language.
2,646 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, £ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the issue of 'English Only' laws in America. The United States is a pluralistic society. It can be described as 'a melting pot' of languages and cultures. Language is a critical part of every culture and brings with it a strong sense of national linguistics, cultural identity, and individual perception. Language helps to tell who a person is, that person's values and beliefs. The paper contends that unity and disunity can be a result of the use of multiple and solitary languages. The paper explains that the welfare of the public can be greatly affected by language, as seen through the viewpoints of health care professionals and public educators presented in this paper.
Outline
Introduction
Linguistic Nationalism
Pluralistic Society
Language and Maintenance of Identity
Perception and the Role of Language
Single/Multiple Languages - Unity or Disunity
Stakeholders
Viewpoints from Health Care Professionals
Viewpoints from Public Educators
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Throughout the history of the United States there have been multiple languages spoken by different cultures. A "melting pot" of cultures (including languages) is what the United States has been known for. This linguistic diversity continues into our present day culture. Language is a critical part of every culture and brings with it a strong sense of national linguistics. A society's identity and perception revolve around their language. Multiple or solitary languages can bring either unity or disunity depending on the situation. In every society, the welfare and needs of the public is strived to be taken care of. When there are multiple languages spoken in a pluralistic society, the lack of communication can be a barrier for the populations needs."
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The Classroom as an Experimental Laboratory, 2005.
An analysis of Michael Breen's metaphor of the classroom from his paper "The Social Context for Language Learning: English Language Teaching in its Social Context - A Reader".
1,461 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper attempts to briefly summarise the main points of Breen's paper and evaluate his metaphor of the classroom as an experimental laboratory in the light of the author's recent work with ELT programmes in government primary schools in S.E. Asia.
From the Paper
"Chinese culture deems the schoolteacher as all-important, the fountain of all knowledge & worthy of respect. School children stand when the teacher enters the classroom & bow when greeting them. Everything the teacher says is written down & chanting, drilling and dictation in EFL lessons are the order of the day. Large class sizes, (typically 38 - 45 students per class) conspire against inclusive learning or the teacher taking much notice of learning styles or attitudes."
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South Africa and the English Language, 2005.
An analysis of the the importance of the English language in South Africa.
1,386 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 15 sources, MLA, £ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how a multi-lingual and socio-culturally divided country as South Africa can benefit by having English as a lingua franca. It looks at how standard South African English does not need to be the English of white, middle-class mother-tongue speakers and how, instead, it can be the language which unifies all South Africans, empowering those who need power most.
From the Paper
"Most - previously mainly monolingual - European countries have shifted to English as the lingua franca. English is no longer a foreign language in most EU member states. The trading capital of Europe is Brussels, which is situated in Belgium. This is a multilingual country which has Dutch, German and French as official languages, but where English is the language of communication and trade. At the same time, all Belgians retain their mother tongue, whether it be French, Dutch or German. Most Belgians nowadays learn English as a second language, and one of the other official languages as a third language. The same could be implemented in South Africa. If taught according to the system of additive bilingualism, a L1 Xhosa speaking child, would have its primary education in Xhosa, and learn English as a second language."
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Men and Women Conversational Styles, 2005.
A research of the difference between men and women in language including a synopsis of the dominance and difference approach.
1,469 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 20 sources, MLA, £ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how socio-linguistic study shows that men and women use language in different ways, which all too often leads to male-female mis-communication. It looks at how, although the dominance approach and the difference approach are the two main viewpoints in analysing gender and language, some linguists have taken a position somewhere in between the two. It explores these theories and concludes with the author's viewpoint on the subject.
From the Paper
"The dominance theory emphasizes the idea that linguistic differences in women and men's language exist as a result of men's power and women's subordination. The dominance approach considers linguistic differences to be a result of traditional social differences i.e. that of man in the role of power, and woman in the role of submission. Man's authority and woman's inferiority are mirrored through their linguistic behaviour. This research focuses mainly on a variety of features, such as the use of tag questions, interruptions, questions, standard forms and minimal responses."
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"Syntactic Structures", 2005.
An analysis of how Noam Chomsky's syntactic revolution overpowered B.F. Skinner and the behaviorist approach to language.
1,239 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 7 sources, MLA, £ 28.95
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Abstract
Prior to 1957, the two most popular ways of analyzing grammar were the methods of prescriptivism and structuralism, or structural grammar. The paper examines how all this changed with the release of Noam Chomsky's "Syntactic Structures" in 1957 in which he introduced a new way to analyze grammar called 'transformational grammar'. The paper discusses how Chomsky publicly destroyed Skinner's theories and argues that Chomsky's ability to explain certain quirks of the English language, such as ambiguity, and the behaviorists' utter lack of a retort, makes it clear that Noam Chomsky deserves his title as a living legend among linguists today.
From the Paper
"Chomsky makes clear that the input-output approach is better and different from the approach of the behaviorist, because he points out once again how it can handle certain nuances of the language such as ambiguities. "Whatever a habit-structure is, it's clear that you can't innovate by habit, and the characteristic use of language, both by a speaker and a hearer, is innovation" (103)."
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A Neutral International Language, 2003.
A look at the growing need for an international language in the current era of globalization and increased interaction between the global population.
3,556 words (approx. 14.2 pages), 11 sources, MLA, £ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the importance of communication between countries and government representatives that is efficient and effective and does not require the the aid of expensive translators. The paper further argues that the only way to achieve this important and essential efficient communication is through the adoption of a universal language, which all the people of the world understand and speak. Finally, the paper contends that such a language should be an artificial language, such as Esperanto, because it is politically neutral and not linked to any specific country, culture, or political ideology; is easier to learn than any other language; and is well-developed enough as a language to fulfill the action of communication for all purposes. A complete outline and an annotated bibliography is included with the paper.
From the Paper
"In the era of globalization and increase of interaction between the global population, the importance of an international language increases. The numbers reported by Kep Enderby, the author of "The Problem of Language In International Affairs," and a former government minister and judge, support this argument. Enderby informs readers that the world's 5.2 billion people speak 3,000 different world languages and 7,000 dialects (par. 2). As global cooperation is necessary, thousands of people from across the world attend over 2,000 international conferences a year (par. 26). Since they do not have a common language, at least four different languages are officially used, with translators still needed (Enderby par. 33). People and governments do not have a common language, and this results in misunderstandings, waste of time and waste of money. In the age where all countries are connected and dependant on one another, and where representatives of governments have to meet regularly and often, it is essential that communication between them is efficient and not requiring the aid of expensive translators. The only way to achieve this important and essential efficient communication is through the adoption of a universal language which all the people of the world understand and speak. Furthermore, a universal language will have the practical objective of giving all people, from all countries, a global identity. Most people agree with this idea but disagree on whether this universal language should be a natural language such as English, or an artificial one such as Esperanto. Although many people favor the adopting of English as an international language, believing that it is an obvious choice because it is already a popular and widely spoken second language, that is easy to learn, it is not a good alternative. The best choice for an international language is an artificial one like Esperanto because it is politically neutral, not linked to any specific country, culture or political ideology, is easier to learn than any other language, and is well-developed enough as a language to fulfill the action of communication for all purposes. However, the success of adopting Esperanto as a "lingua humana," like Gardner Ralph White calls it in "Towards the Construction of A Lingua Humana," (113) is greatly dependant upon its introduction into the educational systems of countries as a second language and the chances for its success are poor."
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Stuttering, 2005.
Discusses the importance of understanding the underlying psychological problems associated with stuttering.
2,966 words (approx. 11.9 pages), 16 sources, MLA, £ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper begins by examining the many and varied theories used to explain the causes of stuttering and then follows with an analysis of stuttering and its affect on academic achievement. The paper asserts that this analysis supports the argument that stuttering is primarily a psychologically-caused, linguistic impairment condition and that this knowledge is an important step towards reducing the academic difficulties faced by students who stutter.
From the Paper
"The majority of children learn language in what seems to look like an easy and natural process, characterized by different stages of fluency. At each stage of the language acquisition process, the child gains a larger vocabulary and a greater fluency. Because most children pass from one stage to another without difficulty few people, except linguists, psychologists and scientists, have considered the minority of children who do not acquire linguistic fluency, and do not speak in a clear and comprehensible way, although they may have the same language knowledge and vocabulary as do others of their age group. Among the various linguistic problems that a child may suffer from, reducing his ability to use language fluently and to communicate effectively, is stuttering."
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The Ebonics Debate, 2002.
An overview of the African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) debate in the American educational system.
2,136 words (approx. 8.5 pages), 12 sources, MLA, £ 45.95
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Abstract
In December 1996, the Oakland School Board decided that it was going to accept and recognize Ebonics, or what is known as African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), as a valid dialect and would use it in teaching African-American children. This paper examines the linguistic controversy surrounding this decision, showing the pros of using AAVE in schools across the United States.
From the Paper
"AAVE is a fact of life and it is creating a linguistic and cultural disunity in the United States by allowing teachers to stereotype black students and by ensuring that black students do not acquire Standard English fluency. The introduction of AAVE as a tool language of instruction simply means accepting that fact of life and using it to correct current problems facing African Americans in the educational system." Educational psychologists, such as William Labov, have determined that the primary obstacle to academic progress for most African American students is their inability to fully understand what is communicated to them or, in turn, communicate what they are thinking in a dialect that teachers can comprehend (10)."
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Language and Society in "Translations", 2002.
An examination into the importance of language to a culture in Brian Friel's play, "Translations".
1,411 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 32.95
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Abstract
This essay argues that Brian Friel's play, "Translations," is about the power and importance of language in keeping a cultural identity true to itself. The play concerns efforts of the British Army to rename Gaelic place names in a small Irish village with proper English names. The true purpose of the translations, however, which is to Anglicize the map of Ireland and undercut Irish power and nationalism, is kept from the Irish citizen. The paper also examines the concept of alienation that is created when characters are forced to deal with the loss of their cultural identity. The inability to completely translate the place names so that they retain their original meaning is ultimately a symbol of instability in the effort to enclose a subculture within a larger, foreign culture.
From the Paper
"Another theme explored in the play is the way in which members of a society living under a colonialist government find themselves forced into varying forms of alienation in order to deal with the gradual loss of their own system of civilization (Brown, 196). This is clearly represented in the ways in which many of the characters in the play withdraw or wish to withdraw in some way out of social interaction. For instance, there is Sarah, who has withdrawn into herself so deeply that even the simple act of saying her name out loud becomes an almost joyous occasion. One way to escape the imprisonment of colonial domination is, of course, to leave the place being dominated, and this form of alienation is dealt with in the character of Maire, who longs to emigrate from Ireland to America."
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Wittgenstein According to Kripke, 2005.
A review of the book, "Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language," by Saul Kripke.
2,041 words (approx. 8.2 pages), 3 sources, APA, £ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how, in "Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language,",Saul Kripke reconsiders Wittgenstein's writing on rule-following and private language. It discusses Kripke's interpretation of Wittgenstein in terms of the 'paradox' and the private language argument and looks at what Kripke views as the skeptical problem within philosophical investigations with his proposed skeptical solution. It also distinguishes between what Kripke's interpretation of Wittgenstein's writing is and Wittgenstein's argument itself.
From the Paper
"Kripke attempts to quell foreseeable objections to his sceptical problem by employing a further rule, counting, as an instruction on how to perform addition in new cases. This leads to infinite regress, since any new rule that I employ in giving myself instruction on addition will only result in questions about this new rule itself. It would be impossible to know if my past or present intentions or behaviour correspond with how I learned this new rule, used it in the past, and intend to use it in future instances. A new instructive rule would be needed after that, and this cycle would continue ad infinitum: "Rules for interpreting rules don't get us any further." This problem does not apply to mathematical cases alone. In language, any word I use can be said to have an alternative interpretation or use."
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