Dr Rod's English Page

APPLIED COMMUNICATION: Influence of Social Media

2011-02-21T15:51:00.002+01:00

Popularity vs. Influence in Blogging and Social Media: What’s the Difference?

By Jennifer Mattern on April 13, 2010

Credit: Advanced Human Technologies (www.ahtgroup.com)

You’ve heard about “influencers” right? That’s a big buzz word especially in the blogosphere these days (and it has been for a couple of years). What exactly is an influential blogger though? Do those lists of the most influential blogs or biggest influencers really mean much?

Honestly, they don’t. Why? Because sadly too many people confuse “influence” with basic popularity. Is there anything wrong with having a popular blog or being a popular personality in your niche or industry? No. Of course not. But being popular doesn’t mean you necessarily have a comparable amount of influence within that niche. Let’s explore both popularity and influence, and talk about why you really need to understand the difference. While we’ll look specifically at bloggers, the same can be true of those on Twitter, social networks, or who are active in any other area of social media.

Defining Popularity and Influence

What does it mean to be a “popular” blogger? It means that people like you (or they like your blog). Specifically related to blogging, it generally means a lot of people like you. You get a lot of traffic and / or a lot of unique visitors. You get a lot of comments. You get the idea….

If you have a lot of traffic, you naturally have a lot of influence, right? Wrong. Influence involves more than numbers. It involves your ability to influence outcomes, actions, and opinions.

The Biggest Difference Between Popularity and Influence

Being treated like a rock star doesn't always equal influence - Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Let’s look at two hypothetical blogs to show why popularity doesn’t necessarily equate to influence. They’re both Internet marketing blogs. Blog A is a relatively high traffic blog — let’s say just under one million page views per month. Blog B gets around 75,000 page views per month instead (still not terrible, but clearly Blog A has them beat).

You could easily argue that Blog A is the more popular blog of the two. Assuming in this case that the larger number of page views comes from a larger number of unique visitors, Blog A has more readers / visitors.

That said, Blog B could still be the more influential blog. Numbers alone don’t cut it. The relationship between the blogger and their audience determines influence much more than traffic stats (or follower stats, or friend counts, etc.).

For example, maybe most of Blog A’s traffic comes from search engines. The visitors are one-time passers-by who only visit the page they land on. They read the content and then they move on. Blog B’s fewer readers are much more invested in the blog. They read regularly. They genuinely care about what the blogger has to say.

If Blogger A told their audience to do something, they might have less influence over their actual actions than Blogger B. The second blogger’s audience might be more likely to do what’s asked of them — think a certain way about a niche issue, try a new tool, take part in a survey, or even buy a product. That’s influence.

Popularity in blogging can leave a lot to chance (or basic search engine optimization). A blogger has to be able to take things a step further if they want to turn that popularity into influence. By all means, a popular blog can be influential. Many are. The mistake is in thinking that one necessarily equals or leads to the other.

Measuring Influence: Can it be Done?

Why do people often rank blogs by “influence” when they’re really only evaluating popularity metrics? Well, “influence” sounds better for starters. Who doesn’t want to feel like they have influence? It’s a power thing, whereas popularity is nice but it’s something tweens and teens are supposed to worry about — not professionals blogging within a given industry.

How do you measure success in social media? - Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Influence sounds better, but popularity is easier to measure. So they get packaged together whether or not it’s completely fair, “right,” or accurate. Is it even possible to measure influence? Personally, I consider it more of a qualitative than quantitative element of blogging and social media, and as such I would have to say it’s difficult, if not impossible, to accurately measure.

A blogger with a relatively small audience might have major pull in the industry because of their network. If they report a problem to a company, it might be fixed in hours or days instead of buried in a mountain of support tickets. If they request a new feature from someone, they might actually get it whereas others would be ignored. They might be able to change the minds of their audience members about an issue that’s important to them. I don’t see how those things can be accurately or fairly measured. Would action #1 get more weight than action #2? How many minds do you have to change to be “influential?”

Sure, we can measure some elements of influence — how many readers were converted into customers, the number of survey respondents, donations received when a blogger gets behind a cause, etc. But we can’t measure enough of the factors that determine influence to really say Blogger A is more influential than Blogger B, because the results of influence aren’t always visible. To outsiders, it’s all subjective.

If you really must rank the most “influential” blogs in some way, do what you must. But why not call it what it really is — the “most popular” blogs — instead? The two can coincide. We don’t need to belittle the influence of some bloggers by calling them less influential than others simply because they’re better at targeting a narrow audience that cares about what they have to say. You don’t see what goes on behind the scenes. That “little” blogger you left off your list might be the one making a real difference. Let’s go back to calling a spade a spade, shall we?

Blogs,Social Media Measurement,Social Media Relations

influence, influencers, popularity, social media

Free Resources For International Schools

2011-02-20T11:27:00.001+01:00

Get More: Get Collins International Emails

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Primary and Secondary Activities

Updates on international curriculum changes

Lessons plans suitable for international classrooms

Free chapters from books including the Collins Big Cat series

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Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme (TEEP)

2011-02-14T16:57:00.001+01:00

The TEEP Model

The TEEP model is constructed to incorporate the behaviours that effective teachers have been shown to display. These can be grouped under four categories;
classroom climate, classroom management, interactive teaching and utilising a variety of teaching and learning styles.

CLASSROOM CLIMATE refers to the physical and emotional environment in the classroom. Effective teachers create a learning environment which is inviting and cheerful, and in which pupils feel safe. Pupils feel able to take risks and make mistakes without fear of ridicule. They feel valued, and they are encouraged to develop positive relationships with each other. The teacher conveys high expectations of learning and of behaviour, and is enthusiastic about teaching.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT refers to the teacher's ability to exercise authority clearly and fairly, maintaining order, and correcting inappropriate behaviour promptly and consistently. The teacher is an effective manager of pupils, time and resources, and transitions from one activity to another are managed calmly and effectively.

INTERACTIVE TEACHING - the teacher's inputs are clear and engaging, and the teacher has effective questioning techniques, using a mixture of higher order and lower order questions. Wait-time ensures that all pupils have the opportunity to answer, and through skilful questions the teacher encourages deeper thinking and elaboration of answers. The teacher has strategies to ensure that all pupils are actively engaged in the lesson, ego pair share, group huddles, thinking time. Pupils are encouraged to formulate questions of their own.

VARIETY OF TEACHING/LEARNING STYLES - the teacher has a wide repertoire of approaches and activities to ensure that all pupils can learn. Lessons are planned to include visual, auditory and kinaesthetic activities, and lessons proceed at a brisk pace.

Pupils are grouped appropriately for activities, i.e. individual, pairs, small groups, larger groups, and whole class. The teacher's focus is on the pupils' learning and he/she actively monitors, checks for understanding, prompts, re-visits, presents the materials in different ways to ensure understanding.

The framework has been developed from research in teacher effectiveness and the conditions in which effective learning takes place. The framework is underpinned by the following:

Effective teaching and learning; for example Accelerated
Learning Thinking skills (creating a classroom culture of thinking)
Assessment for Learning (see research Black + Williams)
Effective use of ICT to enhance learning
Collaborative problem-solving

International Debate Education Association (IDEA)

2011-02-01T18:46:00.001+01:00

Here at SEE University we will be initiating a new Debate Society and Team to be trained to represent SEEU in intern Macedonian University Debate Competitions as well as International events. The International Debate Education Association will be assisting us in creating a new and exciting program for our students.

For more details about IDEA – check out their web site. Here is the basic introduction:

About IDEA

"Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.” - Hubert Humphrey

The International Debate Education Association (IDEA) develops, organizes and promotes debate and debate-related activities in communities throughout the world. Established in 1999 to coordinate pilot debate programs initiated by The Open Society Institute, IDEA acts as an independent membership organization of national debate clubs, associations, programs, and individuals who share a common purpose: to promote mutual understanding and democracy globally by supporting discussion and active citizenship locally.

Fostering the Next Generation of Civic Leadership Throughout the World
Although it maintains an international presence, IDEA places particular emphasis on those societies where democracy is in its infancy and where negotiated resolution to conflicts and cross-community dialogue are little-established concepts. By offering young people the opportunity to debate the important issues facing them, IDEA strives to cultivate and nurture an engaged, democratic citizenry, underscoring the notions of tolerance, international cooperation, and freedom of expression.

A Global Reach with a Local Focus
IDEA promotes its programs and its mission via a wide range of educational and strategic initiatives, from curriculum development and active citizenship training to international student exchanges and an annual, much-celebrated international youth forum. IDEA is registered in the Netherlands and the United States; its debates take place in over 60 languages in over 50 countries throughout the world.

We invite you to explore the IDEA website and learn more about our goals, programs, initiatives, and free educational tools.

CO11 Free Online Conference on WiZiQ - Feb 4-6, 2011

2011-01-31T23:46:00.001+01:00

Welcome to the annual live online conference (CO11). You are cordially invited to participate at the live online conference on the weekend of Feb 4-6, 2011.

The conference will be of interest to educators, administrators, students, and community members who value the importance of integrating technology into the curriculum to improve instruction and learning. Online learning involves various skills on the part of the instructor and learner. These include social and communication skills, social networking, independent learning strategies, critical and higher order thinking skills, creativity, and effective online and face-to-face facilitation. In addition, there are many challenges that educators, administrators, students and community members face.

The theme of the conference is, connecting online for instruction and learning that goes beyond the classroom. Presenters from around the globe will discuss the following topics:

Connecting online to improve instruction and learning: Online learning and instructional experiences
Experiences with the use of technology in face-to-face and online classes. What worked and what didn't work for you?
How do you use technology to promote your online workshops, consultation, and communities?
Research conducted on e-learning
Books written on e-learning

For more information and the entire speaker schedule click here: CO11 Free Online Conference 2011.

Where our visitors come from ….

2011-01-31T23:42:00.002+01:00

The last 10 months have seen visitors coming from ever corner of the earth. As we can see from the ClusterMap below we have visitors from the middle of the Amazon jungle to the smallest islands in the Pacific Ocean. From London to Tirana and more. Dr Rod’s English Blog has a worldwide appeal.

Thank you to EVERYONE who is helping to make this resource a success.

Current Country Totals
From 11 Mar 2010 to 17 Jan 2011

United States (US) 6,045
United Kingdom (GB) 1,737
India (IN) 1,320
Canada (CA) 1,105
Australia (AU) 747
Malaysia (MY) 666
Hong Kong (HK) 628
Philippines (PH) 515
Saudi Arabia (SA) 500
United Arab Emirates (AE) 487
Indonesia (ID) 447
Egypt (EG) 378
New Zealand (NZ) 368
Singapore (SG) 352
Cyprus (CY) 332
Pakistan (PK) 308
Thailand (TH) 288
Maldives (MV) 260
Sri Lanka (LK) 253
Kuwait (KW) 224
Spain (ES) 200
Argentina (AR) 198
South Africa (ZA) 185
Germany (DE) 182
Vietnam (VN) 175
Qatar (QA) 165
Macedonia (MK) 164
Turkey (TR) 151
Kenya (KE) 134
Italy (IT) 125
France (FR) 115
Korea, Republic of (KR) 90
Nigeria (NG) 89
Jordan (JO) 87
Oman (OM) 81
Brazil (BR) 78
Botswana (BW) 75
Mauritius (MU) 75
Taiwan (TW) 73
Poland (PL) 72
Mexico (MX) 68
Japan (JP) 67
Romania (RO) 66
Bahrain (BH) 63
Norway (NO) 61
Russian Federation (RU) 61
Switzerland (CH) 60
Brunei Darussalam (BN) 60
Greece (GR) 54
Zimbabwe (ZW) 54
Netherlands (NL) 52
Bangladesh (BD) 50
Ireland (IE) 49
Seychelles (SC) 45
Tanzania, United Republic of (TZ) 42
Colombia (CO) 42
Ghana (GH) 41
Croatia (HR) 41
Iran, Islamic Republic of (IR) 39
Peru (PE) 37
Jamaica (JM) 36
Algeria (DZ) 34
Albania (AL) 34
Bermuda (BM) 31
Cambodia (KH) 30
Namibia (NA) 29
Trinidad and Tobago (TT) 28
Uganda (UG) 28
Yemen (YE) 28
Czech Republic (CZ) 27
Sweden (SE) 27
Israel (IL) 27
Serbia (RS) 25
Malta (MT) 25
Portugal (PT) 24
Ukraine (UA) 23
Hungary (HU) 23
Belgium (BE) 23
Slovakia (SK) 22
Bahamas (BS) 22
Tunisia (TN) 21
Sudan (SD) 20
Malawi (MW) 19
Denmark (DK) 19
Ecuador (EC) 18
Morocco (MA) 17
Panama (PA) 17
Costa Rica (CR) 17
Lebanon (LB) 17
Europe (EU) 17
Palestinian Territory (PS) 17
Chile (CL) 16
Nepal (NP) 16
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (LY) 16
Georgia (GE) 15
Finland (FI) 15
Gambia (GM) 14
Bolivia (BO) 14
Macau (MO) 13
Zambia (ZM) 13
Azerbaijan (AZ) 12
Swaziland (SZ) 12
Bulgaria (BG) 12
Uruguay (UY) 12
Mongolia (MN) 12
Armenia (AM) 10
Belize (BZ) 9
Puerto Rico (PR) 9
Ethiopia (ET) 8
Austria (AT) 8
Dominican Republic (DO) 8
Iraq (IQ) 8
Lithuania (LT) 7
Venezuela (VE) 7
Fiji (FJ) 6
Rwanda (RW) 6
Uzbekistan (UZ) 6
Netherlands Antilles (AN) 6
Guatemala (GT) 5
Latvia (LV) 5
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA) 5
Barbados (BB) 5
China (CN) 4
Jersey (JE) 4
Mozambique (MZ) 4
Luxembourg (LU) 4
Cameroon (CM) 4
Monaco (MC) 3
Honduras (HN) 3
Guam (GU) 3
Kazakstan (KZ) 3
Isle of Man (IM) 3
Belarus (BY) 3
Cote D'Ivoire (CI) 3
Angola (AO) 3
Iceland (IS) 3
Madagascar (MG) 2
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the (CD) 2
Papua New Guinea (PG) 2
Guyana (GY) 2
Tuvalu (TV) 2
Djibouti (DJ) 2
Myanmar (MM) 2
Lao People's Democratic Republic (LA) 2
Cayman Islands (KY) 2
Sierra Leone (SL) 2
Cape Verde (CV) 2
Senegal (SN) 2
Slovenia (SI) 2
Moldova, Republic of (MD) 1
Guernsey (GG) 1
Anguilla (AI) 1
Benin (BJ) 1
Liberia (LR) 1
Togo (TG) 1
Somalia (SO) 1
Mali (ML) 1
Nicaragua (NI) 1
Suriname (SR) 1
Samoa (WS) 1
New Caledonia (NC) 1
Lesotho (LS) 1
Reunion (RE) 1
Tonga (TO) 1
Vanuatu (VU) 1
French Polynesia (PF) 1
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VC) 1
El Salvador (SV) 1
Turks and Caicos Islands (TC) 1
Virgin Islands, British (VG) 1
Bhutan (BT) 1
Syrian Arab Republic (SY) 1
Gibraltar (GI) 1
Asia/Pacific Region (AP) 1
Virgin Islands, U.S. (VI) 1
Saint Kitts and Nevis (KN) 1
Eritrea (ER) 1
Saint Lucia (LC) 1
Northern Mariana Islands (MP) 1
Niger (NE) 1
Antigua and Barbuda (AG) 1
Holy See (Vatican City State) (VA) 1

English Sentence Analysis Software

2011-01-31T22:53:00.004+01:00

Ardian Deari has brought to my attention an excellent program where you can practice your syntactic rules! This software helps you to write and analyse sentences, clauses and phrases. It is based on English Sentence Analysis (book) by John Benjamins. Also available at Free Book Spot with this link.
For downloading this please click here: English Sentence Analysis Software.

Book details:

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Written by two instructors at Groningen University (in the Netherlands), this text guides the student of English through the intricacies of sentence structure. The authors have maintained a stringent and rather advanced level of analysis throughout: one learns the grammatical terms for all types of indirect objects, for example. A CD-ROM is include

Product Details

Paperback: 245 pages
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Co (October 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 155619661X
ISBN-13: 978-1556196614

Charge of the Light Brigade–New Publication.

2011-01-31T21:09:00.002+01:00

Received this interesting update from author Roy Dutton about his books on the historical aspects of ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ so if you have been inspired by the poem, check out the facts!

Click here to find out more about ‘Forgotten Heroes … The Charge of the Light Brigade’ by Roy Dutton.

New to all of this, just want to tell everyone about the books I have written on the Charge of the Light Brigade & Charge of the Heavy Brigade.

http://www.medalcollector.co.uk/index.php

School of Educators–Resource

2011-01-31T20:17:00.002+01:00

The online School of Educators is a tremendous resource for teachers, parents and students alike. Best described by founder and editor in chief Vishal Jain …

Education synonyms being breeding, civilization, coaching, cultivation, culture, development, discipline, edification, enlightenment,improvement, knowledge, nurturing, teaching, training, tutoring etc. It encompasses many things which in short mean an overall development of a student.

Success of a nation depends on education of its people. Education has to be at the core of national development agenda. School education is perhaps the most important basic element of education system as it lays strong foundation for further learning.

The learning and development of one teacher will translate into better education for thousands of students. With this in mind, School of educators focuses on bringing forth innovative resources that help educators, administrators, principals and teachers in delivering better quality education to their students and to manage their Schools / colleges professionally.

Vishal Jain
Editor in Chief

Visit SCHOOLOFEDUCATORS today and subscribe (free) to their newsletter.

Do you have an iPhone? Then look here ..

2011-01-31T20:13:00.001+01:00

EducationApps of London is a fantastic resources for those with iPhones and some other Smart phones.

George Burgess has created a series of applications to help students revise and prepare for their different exams. From the UK 11+ through to AS Level and beyond. EducationApps is a fast growing company with new offerings appearing every month.

Visit EducationApps web site and discover the resources available and I strongly recommend that you book mark it as a favourite on your internet browser.

For more details contact EducationApps or George directly.

The Times Literary Supplement.

2011-01-31T19:42:00.002+01:00

Perhaps one of the best resources for reviews and critiques of recent literature is the London ‘Times Literary Supplement’.

Explore the different sections:

Explore The TLS

TLS Selections

TLS Archives

TLS Arguments

TLS Writers

TLS Letters

Poem of the Week

Then & Now

Who is ‘AskEric’?

2011-01-31T19:37:00.002+01:00

This is one of the best resources for anyone associated with education. I strongly recommend this as a great place to start your research.

About the ERIC Collection

ERIC provides unlimited access to more than 1.3 million bibliographic records of journal articles and other education-related materials, with hundreds of new records added multiple times per week. If available, links to full text are included.

Within the ERIC Collection, you will find records for:

journal articles
books
research syntheses
conference papers
technical reports
policy papers
other education-related materials

You may also search special collections from the What Works Clearinghouse and the Regional Educational Laboratories.

Who Uses ERIC

ERIC users include education researchers, teachers, librarians, administrators, education policymakers, instructors and students in teacher-preparation programs, parents, the media and business communities, and the general public. The user community conducts more than eight million searches each month through the ERIC Web site and commercial and non-commercial sites.

What's in ERIC

Journals in ERIC

ERIC indexes education journals, the majority of which are peer-reviewed. Most of these journals are indexed comprehensively - that is, a record for every article in each issue is included in ERIC. Some journals are indexed selectively - that is, only those articles that are education-related are selected for indexing.

Journal records typically include bibliographic data (author, title, date, journal citation, publisher) and an abstract, or short description of the work. A small number of journal publishers also make the full text of an article available at no cost directly through this Web site. The majority of journal articles need to be obtained through library print and electronic holdings or directly from the publisher. To aid in the finding process, ERIC includes Find in a Library and/or Publisher's Web site links at the end of every record with an ISSN number.

View Sample ERIC Journal Record

Other Materials in ERIC

In addition to the journal literature, ERIC indexes education-related materials from a variety of sources, including scholarly organizations, professional associations, research centers, policy organizations, university presses, the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies, and state and local agencies. Individual contributors submit conference papers, research papers, dissertations, and theses.

Records for these materials typically include bibliographic data (author, title, date, source), an abstract, or short description of the work, and a link to the full text in PDF format. ERIC appreciates the individuals and publishers who have given ERIC permission to display the full text at no charge. For most materials from 2004 forward, if full text is not available in ERIC, links to the publishers' Web sites and to libraries that may have the full text are provided.

View Sample ERIC Document Record

Identifying and providing full-text access to this "grey literature" or "fugitive literature" is one of ERIC's signature strengths. Grey literature provides searchers with a wide variety of important information about education. Diverse in format, it ranges from informational materials to very substantive, rigorously researched and reviewed documents, including research syntheses, conference papers, and policy reports. All materials are reviewed and selected in accordance with the ERIC Selection Policy .

Getting Started with ERIC

The ERIC Web site allows you to search education-related bibliographic records any time at no charge. A growing number of full-text materials are becoming available in the ERIC Collection as PDF documents in ERIC or via links to library holdings and publishers' Web sites.

Use the ERIC Web site's Basic Search or Advanced Search tools to search the ERIC Collection.
Use the Thesaurus to identify appropriate words and phrases from ERIC's controlled vocabulary for precision searching.
Use My ERIC to manage your search criteria and search results, save searches, and track your online submissions.

Congratulations to Jasmin! ... and the many others whom this site has helped.

2011-01-30T10:47:00.005+01:00

This morning I received a wonderful letter from the mother of one of the hundreds of thousands of people who have used the web site over the last two years. I want to share with you Jasmin's mothers comments but also to invite you to offer suggestions for the next step in Jasmin's English advancement....

Hi,
Firstly THANK YOU for such an excellent website - it has been essential in helping my daughter pass her IGCSE English - she got an A (Home schooling).

Secondly, your advice would be really appreciated. We are looking at writing AS level English in May/June this year. She only needs one AS level but will be taking art too. SO we would need to really do intensive English - can you recommend a good distance learning site? Most of the online courses require a year to 18 months!
In appreciation
Nicky.

Well here is the challenge readers. Can you help Nicky find a good distance delivery site that can offer an intensive AS English program in 6 months? Quite the challenge however thousands of people each week come to this site for its resources - perhaps one or two of you are already using distance delivery and can add a comment here for Nicky to review. Contact Nicky directly here.

Congratulations to Jasmin and as I have said before this site tries to gather together the very best available online so that our students can find the information, ideas and examples in one place.

Second Semester 2010/2011 Year

2011-01-24T14:43:00.002+01:00

I am back for the second semester after a 6 month break in Kenya and throughout Europe. I will now be with you all at SEEU for the next 3 -5 years. Our schedules will be posted later this week and I encourage you all to register. I will list my classes once I know them.

This year I will be starting a debate club and hope that our team will be able to participate in the University Debate Championships both around Europe and the world. Currently no Macedonian University is participating at the international level so this will be a goal for us all. Johana and Andrew will be helping me from the university as well as a good friend and experienced debate coach and judge Mite from Skopje.

OK, looking forward to seeing everyone.

Multiple Intelligences in the ESL Classroom

2010-05-08T12:45:00.001+02:00

Faculty of Teacher Training / English Department

Course Title: MA – ESP 4+1 and 3+2

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

Reference: http://esl.about.com/od/teachingenglish/a/l_multiple.htm

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. Here is a discussion of the eight different intelligences Dr. Gardner proposes and their relationship to the ESL / EFL classroom. Each explanation is followed by lesson plans or exercises which can be used in class.

Verbal / Linguistic

Explanation and understanding through the use of words.

This is the most common means of teaching. In the most traditional sense, the teacher teaches and the students learn. However, this can also be turned around and students can help each other understand concepts. While teaching to other types of intelligences is extremely important, this type of teaching focuses on using language and will continue to play the primary role in learning English.

Example Lesson Plans

(re)Introducing Phrasal Verbs to ESL Students
Comparative and Superlative Forms
Countable and Uncountable Nouns - Noun Quantifiers
Reading - Using Context

Visual / Spatial

Explanation and comprehension through the use of pictures, graphs, maps, etc.

This type of learning gives students visual clues to help them remember language. In my opinion, the use of visual, spatial and situational clues is probably the reason learning a language in an English speaking country (Canada, USA, England, etc.) is the most effective way to learn English.

Example Lesson Plans

Business Lesson Describing Trends
Using Colored Pens Drawing in the Classroom - Expressions
Finish the Alphabet - Adjective Recognition
Vocabulary Charts

Body / Kinesthetic

Ability to use the body to express ideas, accomplish tasks, create moods, etc.

This type of learning combines physical actions with linguistic responses and are very helpful for tying language to actions. In other words, repeating "I'd like to pay by credit card." in a dialogue is much less effective than having a student act out a role-play in which he pulls out his wallet and says, "I'd like to pay by credit card."

Example Lesson Plans

Lego Building Blocks
Young Learner's Games for ESL Classes - Simon Says
Telephone English

Interpersonal

Ability to get along with others, work with others to accomplish tasks.

Group learning is based on interpersonal skills. Not only do students learn while speaking to others in an "authentic" setting, they develop English speaking skills while reacting to others. Obviously, not all learners have excellent interpersonal skills. For this reason, group work needs to balanced with other activities.

Example Lesson Plans

Conversation Lesson: Multinationals - Help or Hindrance?
Creating a New Society
Guilty - Fun Classroom Conversation Game
Let's Do Tourism

Logical / Mathematical

Use of logic and mathematical models to represent and work with ideas.

Grammar analysis falls into this type of learning style. Many teachers feel that English teaching syllabi are too loaded towards grammar analysis which has little to do with communicative ability. Nonetheless, using a balanced approach, grammar analysis has it's place in the classroom. Unfortunately, because of certain standardized teaching practices, this type of teaching sometimes tends to dominate the classroom.

Example Lesson Plans

Match-up!
English Grammar Review
Different Uses of "Like"
Conditional Statements - Reviewing the First and Second Conditional

Musical

Ability to recognize and communicate using melody, rhythm, and harmony.

This type of learning is sometimes underestimated in ESL classrooms. If you keep in mind that English is a very rhythmic language because of its tendency to accent only certain words, you'll recognize that music plays a role in the classroom as well.

Example Lesson Plans

Grammar Chants
Music in the Classroom
Practicing Stress and Intonation
Tongue Twisters

Intrapersonal

Learning through self-knowledge leading to understanding of motives, goals, strengths and weaknesses.

This intelligence is essential for long-term English learning. Students who are aware of these types of issues will be able to deal with underlying issues that can improve or hamper English usage.

Example Lesson Plans

Setting ESL Objectives
English Learning Goals Quiz

Environmental

Ability to recognize elements of and learn from the natural world around us.

Similar to visual and spatial skills, Environmental intelligence will help students master English required to interact with their environment.

Example Lesson Plan

Global English

Multiple Intelligence Theory and the ESL Classroom -- Preliminary Considerations

Karen L. Currie
currie@terra.com.br
Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil

An attempt to identify diversity in the ESL classroom using a Multiple Intelligence Theory questionnaire.

Introduction

Many teachers know something about the Multiple Intelligence Theory(MI) proposed by Howard Gardner in his book "Frames of Mind", published in 1983, and subsequently developed by his team at Harvard University through Project Zero. But it is not always clear as to how this theory could be used in the classroom in order to improve the learning of English as a second language.

In one of his more recent books, The Unschooled Mind (1991), Gardner presents the basis of his theory as follows:

"I have posited that all human beings are capable of at least seven different ways of knowing the world -- ways that I have elsewhere labelled the seven human intelligences. According to this analysis, we are all able to know the world through language, logical-mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves. Where individuals differ is in the strength of these intelligences -- the so-called profile of intelligences -- and in the ways in which such intelligences are invoked and combined to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems, and progress in various domains." (p12)

Teachers are well aware of the fact that every classroom is full of students who are different from each other in many different ways. Each student comes from a different social, economic and cultural background, each one has different areas of interest, different ways of expressing themselves, different strengths and weaknesses, and now the teacher is being asked to be aware of the fact that each student also has their own individual intelligence profile. Obviously all of these factors can affect the student's learning process but how should the teacher face such diversity in the classroom?

The 'traditional' classroom tends to treat students as a homogeneous group, with the teacher presenting the same exercises to all students at the same time, and expecting the same answers to be produced within similar time limits. Students are expected to absorb the knowledge presented by the teacher with a strong emphasis on the use of language and logical-mathematical analysis. Most academic knowledge is presented for learning by means of an extremely limited (or limiting) methodology and the acquisition of that knowledge is evaluated by means of rote tests, whereby the best grades are assigned to students who demonstrate the greatest ability for memorization. As Gardner says on the same page of the book quoted above:

"... some acknowledgement that people do learn, represent and utilize knowledge in many different ways is important to my argument (...) these differences challenge an educational system that assumes that everyone can learn the same materials in the same way and that a uniform, universal measure suffices to test student learning. (...) I argue that a contrasting set of assumptions is more likely to be educationally effective. Students learn in ways that are identifiably distinctive. The broad spectrum of students -- and perhaps the society as a whole -- would be better served if disciplines could be presented in a number of ways and learning could be assessed through a variety of means." (Ibid, p12-13)

Teachers are aware of the diversity in their classrooms. They know it is important to learn something about their students in order to invest more efficiently in the teaching-learning process, but it is not always clear what kind of knowledge would be most relevant and in what way this knowledge can be acquired. In this paper, I would like to propose that Gardner's MI Theory could be used as an initial step in order to investigate the diversity which exists in every classroom, to find out more about students' strengths and weaknesses as related to the learning process.

Collecting MI Data in the Classroom

In order to investigate this possibility, I gave a very simple MI questionnaire to a group of students who had enrolled for a first semester Reading class in English at the Federal University of Espírito Santo in Brazil. This questionnaire can be found on Internet at the following address http://www.ascd.org/pdi/inven.html . It presents 10 statements related to each of the 7 Intelligences proposed by Gardner (Linguistic; Mathematical-Logical; Visual-Spatial; Bodily-Kinaesthetic; Musical; Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal). Each student was required to tick the statements with which they strongly agreed. For example, some of the statements related to spatial intelligence are:

I often see clear visual images when I close my eyes.
I'm sensitive to colour.
I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles, mazes and other visual puzzles.

According to the number of statements ticked in each category, it is possible to produce an initial intelligence profile for each student and of course an overall view of the differences between the students. However, it should be emphasized that this kind of questionnaire should only serve as a starting point for the process of getting to know the students in any classroom. Constant observation and evaluation should be regarded as two of the most important factors in the teaching-learning process, factors which should be essential to the teacher's attitude in the classroom at all times. In his book The Whole Story: Natural Learning and the Acquisition of Literacy in the Classroom (1988), Brian Cambourne compares the literacy teacher to a classical anthropologist, saying the following:

"... the teacher becomes like a classical anthropologist. Like an anthropologist, she alternates between participant observer, detached observer and collector of artefacts. At times she observes the 'members of the tribe' from a distance, recording her observations for later analysis. At other times she asks questions of various informants about what they know and think and about the ways they produce their artefacts, all the time recording their responses. Her records become her store of knowledge. From this store of knowledge she tries to construct what reality is for the tribe or culture she's observing. In the case of the teacher building a store of knowledge about literacy development, the reality she is trying to construct is how each one of her pupils' knowledge and skill in literacy and all that it entails is changing and developing over time.." (p122)

Analysis of the Data

An analysis of the data obtained from the questionnaire is presented in Table 1, where the highest scores obtained by each student have been marked in green and the lowest in red. From this data it is possible to identify not only individual strengths and weaknesses but also group tendencies. First of all, it is interesting to note that individual students marked a different number of statements overall. For example, student number 23 only marked a total of 16 statements, scoring a maximum of 5 points for Bodily-Kinaesthetic and a minimum of 1 for Mathematical-Logical Intelligence. Whereas student number 5 marked a total of 43 statements altogether, scoring a maximum of 9 points for Musical and a minimum of 2 points for Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence, demonstrating a much wider range of scores than student 23.

Despite the different range of scores for each student, it is nevertheless possible to identify the highest and the lowest scores for each student, then compare the groupings for maximum and minimum scores within the class. The two Intelligences which seem to be most highly developed by the class as a whole are Linguistic Intelligence and Musical Intelligence. Both areas have 8 students registering their maximum scores in this area. Linguistic Intelligence totalling 123 points for the class and Musical Intelligence totalling 127 points __ the maximum score obtained by the class. This result might be considered surprising since the students are studying language, not music. But if we analyse both disciplines we discover that they have a lot in common. The study of language does involve the study of rhythm, stress, accent and melody, which are also fundamental concepts in the study of music. So perhaps language teachers should be more aware of the importance of music and the study of music as it relates to the acquisition of language.

Teaching Implications

Another extremely important point which teachers should be aware of when trying to relate MI theory to their practise in the classroom is that students should be encouraged to use their strengths in order to make the learning process more accessible. Thus, students who have one area of intelligence which is more fully developed than the others should be encouraged to approach their learning using that particular intelligence as an entry point. For example, student number 7 demonstrates strength in Musical intelligence, scoring 10 points for that area, whereas his next highest score is 7 points in Interpersonal Intelligence. This student should be encouraged to use his knowledge and interest in music to develop his knowledge of the English language. Whereas student number 19 scored 10 points for Interpersonal Intelligence, with his next highest score registered as 6 points for both Linguistic and Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence. This student should therefore have opportunities to develop his knowledge of English using his Interpersonal strength.

Gardner believes that the learning process will function more effectively if several points of entry are used in order to explore specific content. Therefore, teachers must learn to be flexible in the presentation of the material which is being studied in order to create opportunities for all of the students in the class to use their different strengths. It is obviously not the case that the teacher should try to involve all of the intelligences at all times in every lesson. This would be an extremely difficult thing to do. But if the teacher is aware of the intelligence profile of the class, strategies can be developed in order to use the students' intelligence strengths to acquire knowledge more effectively. Thus, according to the preliminary data obtained from this initial questionnaire, the class teacher should be aware of the fact that the group as a whole is strong in linguistic and musical intelligence.

However, it is also extremely important to bear in mind that there is a small group of students who do not demonstrate specific strengths in linguistic or musical intelligence, and these students must be given the chance to use their individual strengths at some point during the course.

Teachers should not only observe the highest scores registered by each of their students in order to discover appropriate entry points for effective learning, they should also examine the lowest scores obtained by their students in order to discover which areas of intelligence need to be developed during the course. As Gardner sates in his book The Unschooled Mind (1991):

"Not only are chances of acquiring understanding enhanced if multiple entry points are recognized and utilized, but in addition, the way in which we conceptualize understanding is broadened. Genuine understanding is most likely to emerge, and be apparent to others, if people possess a number of ways of representing knowledge of a concept or skill and can move readily back and forth among these forms of knowing." (p13)

The lowest scores obtained by the majority of the students are registered in the area of mathematical-logical intelligence, with 11 students registering their minimum scores for this intelligence. However several areas present scores below five for many students. More than 16 students scored less than 5 points in mathematical-logical intelligence, visual-spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, intrapersonal intelligence and interpersonal intelligence.

What are the implications of these low scores for the teaching-learning process in this particular classroom? Well the most important implication is that there seems to be plenty of room for development. All of the students have registered at least 2 low scores, with 17 out of 25 registering less than 5 points in at least 4 different areas of intelligence. This information can play an extremely important role in the development of the students' attitude towards the learning process. It is often the case that students will identify a small number of 'elite' students in the classroom who are considered the 'best' students. But if the data elicited by the multiple intelligence questionnaire is discussed by the whole group, it should be obvious to all of the students that each and every one of them has areas of strength and areas of weakness. Some of these strengths and weaknesses might not normally be obvious in a traditional language learning classroom, but if the teacher tries to flexibilise her approach to the learning process and uses as many different entry points as possible, then the students soon begin to appreciate that the best students have weaknesses and the apparently weak students have strengths. It should therefore be possible to build a much more cooperative approach to the learning process.

References

CAMBOURNE, Brian. The Whole Story: Natural Learning and the Acquisition of Literacy in the Classroom, Ashton Scholastic, Auckland, New Zealand, 1988.
GARDNER, Howard. Frames of Mind, Paladin Books, London, 1985.
__________________ The Unschooled Mind, Basic Books, New York, 1991.

TABLE 1 - Student Profile

(See original article for table)

The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. IX, No. 4, April 2003
http://iteslj.org/

http://iteslj.org/Articles/Currie-MITheory.html

Multiple Intelligences in Communication

2010-04-06T16:41:00.001+02:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Applied Communication Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

Multiple Intelligences in Communication

Preparation: Go to the following web site and complete the assignment there. Print out YOUR individual Multiple Intelligence chart and bring to class: http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/questions/questions.cfm

Above is the chart for Dr. Rod. What does it tell you about how he learns?

Note: This is an interactive worksheet which produces a Multiple Intelligences wheel based upon Gardner's eight multiple intelligences. With thanks to Jean Maund from whom this idea originated and colleagues in the University of the First Age who helped develop the questionnaire.

To start the activity, sign in and fill in a little bit of information about yourself. You can then begin to answer the questions. When you have finished, click on the submit button. If you have not filled in all the questions you will get a warning sign telling you what questions need answering. You can print the intelligences wheel and the unique number printed on the sheet will allow you to re-visit your wheel at any time.

Now try this one:

http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

Again, here are the results from Dr Rod.

Dr Rod’s top three intelligences:

*Intelligence*	*Score (5.0 is highest)*	*Description*

	4.86	Social: You like to develop ideas and learn from other people. You like to talk. You have good social skills. Effective techniques of enhancing your learning using your social intelligence include taking part in group discussions or discussing a topic one-to-one with another person. Find ways to build reading and writing exercises into your group activities, such as: Reading a dialogue or a play with other people Doing team learning/investigating projects Setting up interview questions and interviewing your family, and writing down the interview Writing notes to another instead of talking.

	4	Self: You have a very good sense of self. You like to spend time by yourself and think things over. You will often take in information from another person, mull it over by yourself, and come back to that person later to discuss it. You like working on projects on your own. You often prefer to learn by trial and error. Effective techniques to enhance your learning include keeping a journal and giving yourself time to reflect on new ideas and information. More ideas: Go on "guided imagery" tours. Set aside time to reflect on new ideas and information. Encourage journal writing. Work on the computer. Practice breathing for relaxation. Use brainstorming methods before reading. Listen to and read "how to" tapes and books. Read cookbooks.

	3.43	Language: You enjoy enjoy saying, hearing, and seeing words. You like telling stories. You are motivated by books, records, dramas, opportunities for writing. Effective techniques of enhancing your learning using your language intelligence include reading aloud, especially plays and poetry. Another idea is to write down reflections on what you've read. You may also enjoy exploring and developing your love of words, i.e., meanings of words, origin of words and idioms, names. Use different kinds of dictionaries. Other ideas: Keep a journal Use a tape recorder to tape stories and write them down Read together, i.e., choral reading Read a section, then explain what you've read Read a piece with different emotional tones or viewpoints — one angry, one happy, etc. Trade tall tales, attend story-telling events and workshops Research your name

The scores for your other five intelligences:


*3.29*	*3.14*	*3.14*	*2.86*	*1.57*

Just because these five are not in your top three doesn’t mean you’re not strong in them. If your average score for any intelligence is above three, you’re probably using that intelligence quite often to help you learn.

OK, So now you know how I learn from two different online assessments. What are your strengths and weaknesses. For the next session you need to have completed the above two tests and print for me the results.

Look at the results and see if you have the same strengths on both charts, if not how would you explain the differences? (DO NOT retake the tests to manipulate your scores.)

Example 2: Alex (15 yrs Old)

Alex top three intelligences:

*Intelligence*	*Score (5.0 is highest)*	*Description*

	4.71	Body Movement: You like to move, dance, wiggle, walk, and swim. You are likely good at sports, and you have good fine motor skills. You may enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together. Incorporating body movement into your learning will help you process and retain information better. Here are some ideas. Trace letters and words on each other's back. Use magnetic letters, letter blocks, or letters on index cards to spell words. Take a walk while discussing a story or gathering ideas for a story. Make pipe cleaner letters. Form letters out of bread dough. After you shape your letters, bake them and eat them! Use your whole arm (extend without bending your elbow) to write letters and words in the air. Change the place where you write and use different kinds of tools to write, ie., typewriter, computer, blackboard, or large pieces of paper. Write on a mirror with lipstick or soap. Take a walk and read all the words you find during the walk. Handle a Koosh ball or a worry stone during a study session. Take a break and do a cross-lateral walk.

	4.43	Spatial: You remember things visually, including exact sizes and shapes of objects. You like posters, charts, and graphics. You like any kind of visual clues. You enjoy drawing. Effective techniques of enhancing your learning using your spatial intelligence include creating and/or using pictures, maps, diagrams, and graphs as you learn things. Other suggestions: Write a language experience story and then illustrate it. Color code words so each syllable is a different color. Write a word on the blackboard with a wet finger. Visualize the word as it disappears. See if you can spell it afterwards. Take a survey. Put the information in a chart. Write words vertically. Cut out words from a magazine and use them in a letter. Visualize spelling words. Use colorful newspapers like USA Today. Use crossword puzzles.

	4.29	Social: You like to develop ideas and learn from other people. You like to talk. You have good social skills. Effective techniques of enhancing your learning using your social intelligence include taking part in group discussions or discussing a topic one-to-one with another person. Find ways to build reading and writing exercises into your group activities, such as: Reading a dialogue or a play with other people Doing team learning/investigating projects Setting up interview questions and interviewing your family, and writing down the interview Writing notes to another instead of talking.

The scores for your other five intelligences:


4	3.57	3.43	3.29	3.14

Question:

How would you describe the differences between Alex and Dr Rod?

What would be the best learning environment for Alex?

How would you express that in a language arts situation?

__________________________________________________

Introduction to the multiple intelligences

According to multiple intelligence theory, there are seven basic types of intelligence.

Visual-spatial
Verbal-linguistic
Logical-mathematical
Bodily-kinesthetic
Musical-rhythmic
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal

Visual-spatial

This area deals with the ability to visualize with the mind's eye, so to speak and spatial judgement. Careers which is suit those with this intelligence include, architects.

Verbal-linguistic

This area has to do with words, spoken or written. People with high verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words along with dates. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, and discussion and debate. They are also frequently skilled at explaining, teaching and oration or persuasive speaking. Those with verbal-linguistic intelligence learn foreign languages very easily as they have high verbal memory and recall, and an ability to understand and manipulate syntax and structure.

Careers that suit those with this intelligence include writers, lawyers, philosophers, journalists, politicians, poets, and teachers.

Logical-mathematical

This area has to do with logic, abstractions, reasoning, and numbers. While it is often assumed that those with this intelligence naturally excel in mathematics, chess, computer programming and other logical or numerical activities, a more accurate definition places less emphasis on traditional mathematical ability and more reasoning capabilities, abstract patterns of recognition, scientific thinking and investigation, and the ability to perform complex calculations. It correlates strongly with traditional concepts of "intelligence" or IQ.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and economists.

Bodily-kinesthetic

In theory, people who have bodily-kinesthetic intelligence should learn better by involving muscular movement (e.g. getting up and moving around into the learning experience), and are generally good at physical activities such as sports or dance. They may enjoy acting or performing, and in general they are good at building and making things. They often learn best by doing something physically, rather than [by] reading or hearing about it. Those with strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence seem to use what might be termed muscle memory - they remember things through their body such as verbal memory or images.

Careers that suit those with this intelligence include: athletes, dancers, musicians, actors, surgeons, doctors, builders, police officers, and soldiers. Although these careers can be duplicated through virtual simulation, they will not produce the actual physical learning that is needed in this intelligence

Musical-rhythmic

This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones, and music. They normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to sing, play musical instruments, and compose music. Since there is a strong auditory component to this intelligence, those who are strongest in it may learn best via lecture. Language skills are typically highly developed in those whose base intelligence is musical. In addition, they will sometimes use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information.

Careers that suit those with this intelligence include instrumentalists, singers, conductors, disc-jockeys, orators, writers and composers.

Interpersonal

This area has to do with interaction with others. In theory, people who have a high interpersonal intelligence tend to be extroverts, characterized by their sensitivity to others' moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations, and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group. They communicate effectively and empathize easily with others, and may be either leaders or followers. They typically learn best by working with others and often enjoy discussion and debate.

Careers that suit those with this intelligence include sales, politicians, managers, teachers and social workers.

Intrapersonal

This area has to do with introspective and self-reflective capacities. People with intrapersonal intelligence are intuitive and typically introverted. They are skillful at deciphering their own feelings and motivations. This refers to having a deep understanding of the self; what are your strengths/ weaknesses, what makes you unique, can you predict your own reactions/ emotions.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include philosophers, psychologists, theologians, lawyers, and writers. People with intrapersonal intelligence also prefer to work alone.

Naturalistic

This area has to do with nature, nurturing and relating information to one’s natural surroundings. They learn best by collecting and analyzing.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include naturalists, farmers, and gardeners.

Existential

This area has do to with philosophical issues of life. The learn best by thinking analytical questions.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include readers, religious speakers.

Use in education

Traditionally, schools have emphasized the development of logical intelligence and linguistic intelligence (mainly reading and writing). In fact, IQ tests (given to about 1,000,000 students each year) focus mostly on logical and linguistic intelligence. While many students function well in this environment, there are those who do not. Gardner's theory argues that students will be better served by a broader vision of education, wherein teachers use different methodologies, exercises and activities to reach all students, not just those who excel at linguistic and logical intelligence.

Many teachers see the theory as simple common sense. Some say that it validates what they already know: that students learn in different ways. On the other hand, James Traub’s article in The New Republic notes that Gardner's system has not been accepted by most academics in intelligence or teaching.

George Miller, the esteemed psychologist credited with discovering the mechanisms by which short term memory operates, wrote in The New York Times Book Review that Gardner's argument boiled down to "hunch and opinion" (p. 20). Gardner's subsequent work has done very little to shift the balance of opinion. A recent issue of Psychology, Public Policy, and Law devoted to the study of intelligence contained virtually no reference to Gardner's work. Most people who study intelligence view M.I. theory as rhetoric rather than science, and they're divided on the virtues of the rhetoric.

The application of the theory of multiple intelligences varies widely. It runs the gamut from a teacher who, when confronted with a student having difficulties, uses a different approach to teach the material, to an entire school using MI as a framework. In general, those who subscribe to the theory strive to provide opportunities for their students to use and develop all the different intelligences, not just the few at which they naturally excel.

A Harvard-led study of 41 schools using the theory came to the conclusion that in these schools there was "a culture of hard work, respect, and caring; a faculty that collaborated and learned from each other; classrooms that engaged students through constrained but meaningful choices, and a sharp focus on enabling students to produce high-quality work.”

Of the schools implementing Gardner's theory, the most well-known is “New City School”, in St. Louis, Missouri, which has been using the theory since 1988. The school's teachers have produced two books for teachers, Celebrating Multiple Intelligences and Succeeding With Multiple Intelligences and the principal, Thomas Hoerr, has written Becoming a Multiple Intelligences School as well as many articles on the practical applications of the theory. The school has also hosted four conferences, each attracting over 200 educators from around the world and remains a valuable resource for teachers interested in implementing the theory in their own classrooms.

See also http://www.miinstitute.info/ Multiple Intelligence Institute. - The Multiple Intelligences (MI) Institute is committed to the understanding and application of Multiple Intelligences Theory in educational settings, from pre-school through adult education. Through our online course and support channels, face to face professional development, consulting services, and curriculum and resource development offerings, we support programs and educators seeking to tap into Multiple Intelligences and pedagogical framework to create and provide learner-centered, goal-driven applications of Multiple Intelligences Theory in any learning context.

Sources: http://www.miinstitute.info/ Multiple Intelligence Institute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences Wikipedia - Theory of Multiple Intelligence

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/questions/questions.cfm Birmingham Grid for Learning.

http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html - Literacy Works

Advanced Skills IV: POETRY – Listening, Reading and Interpretation Skills.

2010-04-03T14:59:00.001+02:00

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Notes: Tennyson's poem, published December 9, 1854 in The Examiner, praises the Brigade, "When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!", while mourning the appalling futility of the charge: "Not tho' the soldier knew, someone had blunder'd… Charging an army, while all the world wonder'd." According to his grandson Sir Charles Tennyson, Tennyson wrote the poem in only a few minutes after reading an account of the battle in The Times. It immediately became hugely popular, even reaching the troops in the Crimea, where it was distributed in pamphlet form at the behest of Jane, Lady Franklin. Each stanza tells a different part of the story, and there is a delicate balance between nobility and brutality throughout. Although Tennyson's subject is the nobleness of supporting one's country, and the poem's tone and hoofbeat cadences are rousing, it pulls no punches about the horror of war: "cannon to right of them, cannon to left of them, cannon in front of them, volley'd and thunder'd". With "into the valley of Death" Tennyson works in resonance with "the valley of the shadow of Death" from Psalm 23; then and now, it is often read at funerals. Tennyson's Crimea does not offer the abstract tranquil death of the psalm but is instead predatory and menacing: "into the jaws of Death" and "into the mouth of Hell". The alliterative "Storm'd at with shot and shell" echoes the whistling of ball as the cavalry charge through it. After the fury of the charge, the final notes are gentle, reflective and laden with sorrow: "Then they rode back, but not the six hundred"

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" -
Merely this, and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more."
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never - nevermore'."
But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore:
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting -
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Poe was born in Massachusetts, the son of travelling actors David and Elizabeth Arnold Poe. His mother died when he was two and his father was an alcoholic, so Poe went to live with a prosperous Scottish tobacco merchant, John Allan, in Richmond. Allan always refused to adopt Poe which led to bad feeling between the two of them.
Poe was educated at Stoke Newington in London from 1815-20. Despite considerable academic success his gambling debts forced him to leave the University of Virginia, where he had gone to study, after one year. By 1827 Poe, with typical restlessness, had moved from Boston to Richmond and then back to Boston again. He gained a good reputation in the army which he joined in 1827, but spent a miserable year at the US Military Academy at West Point in 1830, before being dishonourably discharged.
Poe stayed in Baltimore from 1831-35 and began writing more seriously. In 1836 he married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia. He had been working as a journalist since 1831, earning a bare minimum to survive, and from 1835-37 edited the Southern Literary Messenger.
His short stories reveal a fascination with emotional extremes, particularly fear, though his essays show that he was capable of being objective and critical.
In 1844 Poe moved to New York, but despite popular acclaim his life was still wretched. Virginia died of tuberculosis in 1847 and Poe, still poor and an alcoholic, died in Baltimore two years later.

The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

PART THE FIRST

It is an ancient mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
"By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?

"The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
May'st hear the merry din."

He holds him with his skinny hand,
"There was a ship," quoth he.
"Hold off! unhand me, greybeard loon!"
Eftsoons his hand dropt he.

He holds him with his glittering eye -
The wedding-guest stood still,
And listens like a three years' child:
The Mariner hath his will.

The wedding-guest sat on a stone:
He cannot chose but hear;
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed mariner.

"The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,
Merrily did we drop
Below the kirk, below the hill,
Below the lighthouse top.

The sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!
And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea.

Higher and higher every day,
Till over the mast at noon-"
The Wedding-guest here beat his breast,
For he heard the loud bassoon.

The bride hath paced into the hall,
Red as a rose is she;
Nodding their heads before her goes
The merry minstrelsy.

The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast.
Yet he cannot choose but hear:
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.

"And now the Storm-blast came, and he
Was tyrannous and strong:
He struck with his o'ertaking wings,
And chased us south along.

With sloping masts and dipping prow,
As who pursued with yell and blow
Still treads the shadow of his foe
And forward bends his head,
The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast,
And southward aye we fled.

And now there came both mist and snow
And it grew wondrous cold:
And ice, mast-high, came floating by,
As green as emerald.

And through the drifts the snowy clifts
Did send a dismal sheen:
Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken -
The ice was all between.

The ice was here, the ice was there,
The ice was all around:
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
Like noises in a swound!

At length did cross and Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.

It ate the food it ne'er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
The helmsman steered us through!

And a good south wind sprung up behind;
The albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariner's hollo!

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white moonshine."

"God save thee, ancient Mariner:
From the fiends, that plague thee thus! -
Why look'st thou so?" - "With my cross-bow
I shot the Albatross."

Coleridge's comments

In Biographia Literaria XIV, Coleridge writes:

The thought suggested itself (to which of us I do not recollect) that a series of poems might be composed of two sorts. In the one, incidents and agents were to be, in part at least, supernatural, and the excellence aimed at was to consist in the interesting of the affections by the dramatic truth of such emotions, as would naturally accompany such situations, supposing them real. And real in this sense they have been to every human being who, from whatever source of delusion, has at any time believed himself under supernatural agency. For the second class, subjects were to be chosen from ordinary life...In this idea originated the plan of the 'Lyrical Ballads'; in which it was agreed, that my endeavours should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least Romantic; yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith. ... With this view I wrote the 'Ancient Mariner'.

WILFRED OWEN

Dulce et Decorum Est - best known poem of the First World War

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares² we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest³ began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots⁴
Of tired, outstripped⁵ Five-Nines⁶ that dropped behind.

Gas!⁷ Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets⁸ just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime⁹ . . .
Dim, through the misty panes¹⁰ and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering,¹¹ choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud¹²
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest¹³
To children ardent¹⁴ for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.¹⁵

8 October 1917 - March, 1918

1 DULCE ET DECORUM EST - the first words of a Latin saying (taken from an ode by Horace). The words were widely understood and often quoted at the start of the First World War. They mean "It is sweet and right." The full saying ends the poem: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - it is sweet and right to die for your country. In other words, it is a wonderful and great honour to fight and die for your country

2 rockets which were sent up to burn with a brilliant glare to light up men and other targets in the area between the front lines (See illustration, page 118 of Out in the Dark.)

3 a camp away from the front line where exhausted soldiers might rest for a few days, or longer

4 the noise made by the shells rushing through the air

5 outpaced, the soldiers have struggled beyond the reach of these shells which are now falling behind them as they struggle away from the scene of battle

6 Five-Nines - 5.9 calibre explosive shells

7 poison gas. From the symptoms it would appear to be chlorine or phosgene gas. The filling of the lungs with fluid had the same effects as when a person drowned

8 the early name for gas masks

9 a white chalky substance which can burn live tissue

10 the glass in the eyepieces of the gas masks

11 Owen probably meant flickering out like a candle or gurgling like water draining down a gutter, referring to the sounds in the throat of the choking man, or it might be a sound partly like stuttering and partly like gurgling

12 normally the regurgitated grass that cows chew; here a similar looking material was issuing from the soldier's mouth

13 high zest - idealistic enthusiasm, keenly believing in the rightness of the idea

14 keen

15 see note 1

Notes copyright © David Roberts and Saxon Books 1998 and 1999. Free use by students for personal use only. The poem appears in both Out in the Dark and Minds at War, but the notes are only found in Out in the Dark.

English Forum - Additional Resource

2010-03-17T17:27:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

Ardian in Year 2 – Advanced Skills IV class has created the forum listed below for discussion of events in class as well as various other topics. I encourage all my SEE University students to sign on and actively participate – you never know – it might get you extra credit!

http://enforum.justgoo.com/forum.htm

Shakespeare Extracts:

2010-03-17T17:17:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Merchant of Venice – Act IV

ACT IV
SCENE I. Venice. A court of justice.
Enter the DUKE, the Magnificoes, ANTONIO, BASSANIO, GRATIANO, SALERIO, and others
DUKE
What, is Antonio here?
ANTONIO
Ready, so please your grace.
DUKE
I am sorry for thee: thou art come to answer
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.
ANTONIO
I have heard
Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify
His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate
And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury, and am arm'd
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.
DUKE
Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
SALERIO
He is ready at the door: he comes, my lord.
Enter SHYLOCK
DUKE
Make room, and let him stand before our face.
Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,
That thou but lead'st this fashion of thy malice
To the last hour of act; and then 'tis thought
Thou'lt show thy mercy and remorse more strange
Than is thy strange apparent cruelty;
And where thou now exact'st the penalty,
Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,
Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture,
But, touch'd with human gentleness and love,
Forgive a moiety of the principal;
Glancing an eye of pity on his losses,
That have of late so huddled on his back,
Enow to press a royal merchant down
And pluck commiseration of his state
From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint,
From stubborn Turks and Tartars, never train'd
To offices of tender courtesy.
We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.
SHYLOCK
I have possess'd your grace of what I purpose;
And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn
To have the due and forfeit of my bond:
If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter and your city's freedom.
You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive
Three thousand ducats: I'll not answer that:
But, say, it is my humour: is it answer'd?
What if my house be troubled with a rat
And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats
To have it baned? What, are you answer'd yet?
Some men there are love not a gaping pig;
Some, that are mad if they behold a cat;
And others, when the bagpipe sings i' the nose,
Cannot contain their urine: for affection,
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood
Of what it likes or loathes. Now, for your answer:
As there is no firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
Why he, a woollen bagpipe; but of force
Must yield to such inevitable shame
As to offend, himself being offended;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?
BASSANIO
This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To excuse the current of thy cruelty.
SHYLOCK
I am not bound to please thee with my answers.
BASSANIO
Do all men kill the things they do not love?
SHYLOCK
Hates any man the thing he would not kill?
BASSANIO
Every offence is not a hate at first.
SHYLOCK
What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?
ANTONIO
I pray you, think you question with the Jew:
You may as well go stand upon the beach
And bid the main flood bate his usual height;
You may as well use question with the wolf
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb;
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops and to make no noise,
When they are fretten with the gusts of heaven;
You may as well do anything most hard,
As seek to soften that--than which what's harder?--
His Jewish heart: therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no farther means,
But with all brief and plain conveniency
Let me have judgment and the Jew his will.
BASSANIO
For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
SHYLOCK
What judgment shall I dread, doing
Were in six parts and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them; I would have my bond.
DUKE
How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?
SHYLOCK
What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchased slave,
Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts,
Because you bought them: shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why sweat they under burthens? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours and let their palates
Be season'd with such viands? You will answer
'The slaves are ours:' so do I answer you:
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought; 'tis mine and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law!
There is no force in the decrees of Venice.
I stand for judgment: answer; shall I have it?
BASSANIO
Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
SHYLOCK
To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.
GRATIANO
Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou makest thy knife keen; but no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
SHYLOCK
No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.
GRATIANO
O, be thou damn'd, inexecrable dog!
And for thy life let justice be accused.
Thou almost makest me waver in my faith
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit
Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam,
Infused itself in thee; for thy desires
Are wolvish, bloody, starved and ravenous.
SHYLOCK
Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond,
Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud:
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To cureless ruin. I stand here for law.
=====================================================================

Soft!
The Jew shall have all justice; soft! no haste:
He shall have nothing but the penalty.
GRATIANO
O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
PORTIA
Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more
But just a pound of flesh: if thou cut'st more
Or less than a just pound, be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part
Of one poor scruple, nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair,
Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.
GRATIANO
A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have you on the hip.
PORTIA
Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeiture.
SHYLOCK
Give me my principal, and let me go.
BASSANIO
I have it ready for thee; here it is.
PORTIA
He hath refused it in the open court:
He shall have merely justice and his bond.
GRATIANO
A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel!
I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
SHYLOCK
Shall I not have barely my principal?
PORTIA
Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.
SHYLOCK
Why, then the devil give him good of it!
I'll stay no longer question.

Romeo and Juliet Act II

SCENE II. Capulet's orchard.
Enter ROMEO
ROMEO
He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
JULIET appears above at a window
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!
JULIET
Ay me!
ROMEO
She speaks:
O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.
JULIET
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
ROMEO
[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
JULIET
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.
ROMEO
I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
JULIET
What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night
So stumblest on my counsel?
ROMEO
By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am:
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee;
Had I it written, I would tear the word.
JULIET
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words
Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound:
Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?
ROMEO
Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.
JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
ROMEO
With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls;
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do that dares love attempt;
Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.
JULIET
If they do see thee, they will murder thee.
ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.
JULIET
I would not for the world they saw thee here.
ROMEO
I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight;
And but thou love me, let them find me here:
My life were better ended by their hate,
Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.
JULIET
By whose direction found'st thou out this place?
ROMEO
By love, who first did prompt me to inquire;
He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes.
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea,
I would adventure for such merchandise.
JULIET
Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'
And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st,
Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries
Then say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.
ROMEO
Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--
JULIET
O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
ROMEO
What shall I swear by?
JULIET
Do not swear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And I'll believe thee.
ROMEO
If my heart's dear love--
JULIET
Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract to-night:
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night!
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart as that within my breast!
ROMEO
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?
JULIET
What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?
ROMEO
The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.
JULIET
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
And yet I would it were to give again.
ROMEO
Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love?
JULIET
But to be frank, and give it thee again.
And yet I wish but for the thing I have:
My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.
Nurse calls within
I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu!
Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay but a little, I will come again.
Exit, above

Macbeth Act I

ACT I
SCENE I. A desert place.
Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches
First Witch
When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
Third Witch
That will be ere the set of sun.
First Witch
Where the place?
Second Witch
Upon the heath.
Third Witch
There to meet with Macbeth.
First Witch
I come, Graymalkin!
Second Witch
Paddock calls.
Third Witch
Anon.
ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
Exeunt
SCENE II. A camp near Forres.
Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant
DUNCAN
What bloody man is that? He can report,
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
The newest state.
MALCOLM
This is the sergeant
Who like a good and hardy soldier fought
'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!
Say to the king the knowledge of the broil
As thou didst leave it.
Sergeant
Doubtful it stood;
As two spent swimmers, that do cling together
And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald--
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
The multiplying villanies of nature
Do swarm upon him--from the western isles
Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;
And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,
Show'd like a rebel's whore: but all's too weak:
For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name--
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valour's minion carved out his passage
Till he faced the slave;
Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps,
And fix'd his head upon our battlements.
DUNCAN
O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!
Sergeant
As whence the sun 'gins his reflection
Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,
So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come
Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark:
No sooner justice had with valour arm'd
Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels,
But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage,
With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men
Began a fresh assault.
DUNCAN
Dismay'd not this
Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?
Sergeant
Yes;
As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.
If I say sooth, I must report they were
As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they
Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe:
Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorise another Golgotha,
I cannot tell.
But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.
DUNCAN
So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.
Exit Sergeant, attended
Who comes here?
Enter ROSS
MALCOLM
The worthy thane of Ross.
LENNOX
What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look
That seems to speak things strange.
ROSS
God save the king!
DUNCAN
Whence camest thou, worthy thane?
ROSS
From Fife, great king;
Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky
And fan our people cold. Norway himself,
With terrible numbers,
Assisted by that most disloyal traitor
The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict;
Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof,
Confronted him with self-comparisons,
Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm.
Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude,
The victory fell on us.
DUNCAN
Great happiness!
ROSS
That now
Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition:
Nor would we deign him burial of his men
Till he disbursed at Saint Colme's inch
Ten thousand dollars to our general use.
DUNCAN
No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,
And with his former title greet Macbeth.
ROSS
I'll see it done.
DUNCAN
What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.
Exeunt
SCENE III. A heath near Forres.
Thunder. Enter the three Witches
First Witch
Where hast thou been, sister?
Second Witch
Killing swine.
Third Witch
Sister, where thou?
First Witch
A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:--
'Give me,' quoth I:
'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries.
Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger:
But in a sieve I'll thither sail,
And, like a rat without a tail,
I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.
Second Witch
I'll give thee a wind.
First Witch
Thou'rt kind.
Third Witch
And I another.
First Witch
I myself have all the other,
And the very ports they blow,
All the quarters that they know
I' the shipman's card.
I will drain him dry as hay:
Sleep shall neither night nor day
Hang upon his pent-house lid;
He shall live a man forbid:
Weary se'nnights nine times nine
Shall he dwindle, peak and pine:
Though his bark cannot be lost,
Yet it shall be tempest-tost.
Look what I have.
Second Witch
Show me, show me.
First Witch
Here I have a pilot's thumb,
Wreck'd as homeward he did come.
Drum within
Third Witch
A drum, a drum!
Macbeth doth come.
ALL
The weird sisters, hand in hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
Thus do go about, about:
Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace! the charm's wound up.
Enter MACBETH and BANQUO
MACBETH
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
BANQUO
How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these
So wither'd and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her chappy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips: you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
MACBETH
Speak, if you can: what are you?
First Witch
All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!
Second Witch
All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
Third Witch
All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!
BANQUO
Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.
First Witch
Hail!
Second Witch
Hail!
Third Witch
Hail!
First Witch
Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.
Second Witch
Not so happy, yet much happier.
Third Witch
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
First Witch
Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
MACBETH
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.
Witches vanish

William Shakespeare Plays

2010-03-17T13:35:00.001+01:00

William Shakespeare - the Complete Works

Shakespeare Site Map
Shakespeare Biography
Bubonic Plague
Shakespeare Sonnets

First Folio
Shakespearean Insults!
Pictures of Shakespeare
Shakespeare Poems

Shakespeare Facts
Shakespeare Dictionary
Globe Theater
Identity Problem

Shakespeare Quotes
Shakespeare Quiz!
Elizabethan Theater
Shakespeare Forum

The Plays of William Shakespeare
The plays written by the great Bard are listed below by category and alphabetical order. The section relating to the Chronology of Plays provides a list of when plays were written and published. This section provides access to the plot summary of each play, pictures, key dates, characters, history and the full script of every one of William Shakespeare's plays.

History themed Plays
**Click a link below to access full scripts and information about Shakespeare's Plays**

Tragedy themed Plays
Click a link below to access full scripts and information about Shakespeare's Plays

Comedy themed Plays
Click a link below to access full scripts and information about Shakespeare's Plays

Registration of Plays

Plays were required to be registered prior to publication. It was important that plays were regulated as playwrights used the stage as a forum to express their own views on religion and politics. Registration provided an opportunity to invoke a form of censorship and the means to suppress too much freedom of thought and criticism of the crown and public affairs.

Information provided about the plays

The Bard never published any of his plays and therefore none of the original manuscripts have survived. Eighteen unauthorised versions of his plays were, however, published during his lifetime in quarto editions by unscrupulous publishers (there were no copyright laws protecting Shake-speare and his works during the Elizabethan era). A collection of his works did not appear until 1623 (a full seven years after Shakespeare's death on April 23, 1616) when two of his fellow actors, John Hemminges and Henry Condell, posthumously recorded his work and published 36 of William’s plays in the First Folio. Some dates are therefore approximate other dates are substantiated by historical events, records of performances and the dates plays appeared in print.

The Characters and Scripts
These enduring works feature many famous and well loved characters. The text and scripts convey vivid impressions. The language used today is, in many ways, different to that used in the 16th century Elizabethan era and this is often reflected in the script and text used in the plays. It is therefore not surprising that we have no experience or understanding of some of the words contained in the text / script of the various works. We have therefore included a Shakespearean Dictionary for most of the more obscure words used in the script of his plays, some of which are obsolete in modern language or Dictionaries. Make a note of any unusual words that you encounter whilst reading the scripts and check their definition in the Dictionary by clicking Dictionary at the top of the page to access Elizabethan Dictionary - Guide to language and words used in the Elizabethan era.

Chronology of Plays
The section relating to the Chronology of Plays provides a list of when plays were written and published. This section provides access to the plot summary of each of the plays, pictures, key dates, characters, history and the full script of every one of William Shake-speare's plays.

Chronology of Plays - First performance and publications

Editions of Plays
This selection of Collections of Shake-speare conveys the number of different editions of the Plays of the Bard that have been published. Editions may vary in content and variations are generally detailed and explained in the modern forewords.1623 The First Folio (F1)
1632 The Second Folio (F2)
1663 The Third Folio (F3) Second issue of the F3 in the following year includes Pericles.
1685 The Fourth Folio (F4)
1709 Nicholas Rowe's edition
1723-25 Alexander Pope's edition.
1733 Lewis Theobald's edition.
1734-5 Robert Walker's small-format editions of the individual plays
1734-6 Jacob Tonson
1743-4 Thomas Hanmer's edition.
1747 William Warburton's edition.
1765 Samuel Johnson's edition.
1767-8 Edward Capell's edition.
1773 George Stevens's revision of Samuel Johnson's edition.
1773-4 John Bell's edition - Based on the prompt books then being used in the London theatres.
1778 Isaac Reed's revision of Stevens's Johnson edition.
1790 Edmond Malone's edition.
1791-1802 J. & J. Boydell's edition.
1795 First American edition published at Philadelphia.
1807 Francis Douce's edition
1821 A revised edition of Malone, prepared by James Boswell.
1822-23 Pickering edition.
1838-43 Charles Knight's edition.
1859-60 Mary Cowden Clarke's edition.
1863-6 Clark, Wright and Glover Cambridge University Press edition.
1870-1911 William J. Rolfe edition
1899-1931 W. J. Craig and R. H. Case's 'The Arden Shakespeare'.
1921-66 John Dover Wilson and Arthur Quiller-Couch's 'New Cambridge Shakespeare'.
1937-59 George B. Harrison's 'Penguin Shakespeare'.
1951 Peter Alexander's edition.
1956-67 Alfred Harbage's 'Pelican Shakespeare'.
1974 G. Blakemore Evans's 'Riverside Shakes-peare'.The edition most widely used among US colleges
1986 Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor's 'Oxford Shakespeare'.
1995- Richard Proudfoot, Ann Thompson and David Scott Kastan's revision of the Arden (now known as 'Arden 3').

First Folio - Description of William Shakespeare Quarto Texts and first published plays as Comedies, Histories and Tragedies

Plays and the Globe Theatre
Plays were big!! There was money to be made!! There was a constant demand for new material!! Rivalry between the Theatres Playhouses was enormous!! As soon as plays were written they was immediately produced - printing followed productions! So the actors initially used 'foul papers' or prompts. Rival theater companies would send their members to attend plays to produce unauthorised copies of plays - notes were made and copied as quickly as possible. In Shakespeare’s time copyright did not exist. Alternative versions of Shakespearean plays were produced! These unauthorised and inferior text copies of Shakespeare's plays are called Quarto Texts.

The success of the Elizabethan theaters, including that of the Globe, was such that other forms of Elizabethan entertainment were being seriously affected. In 1591 the growing popularity of theatres led to a law closing all theaters on Thursdays so that the bull and bear bating industries would not be neglected! Many of the plays of the Great Playwright were first featured in the Globe Theatre of London.

Comedies, Histories and Tragedies

William Shakespeare Plays

Merchant of Venice – Complete Script

2010-03-17T13:27:00.001+01:00

Picture - The Globe Theatre which was the
venue of many first performances of
William Shakespeare's plays

Page Back

Text / Script of Merchant of Venice
a play by William Shakespeare

Merchant of Venice the play by William Shakespeare
Cast and characters in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Index of plays by William Shakespeare

Introduction - Full , free online text - Merchant of Venice
This section contains the free online text of Merchant of Venice the famous Shakespearean play. The enduring works of the great Bard feature many famous and well loved characters. The full online text and script of Merchant of Venice convey vivid impressions. The language used today is, in many ways, different to that used in the 16th century Elizabethan era and this is often reflected in the script and text used in Shakespearean plays. It is therefore not surprising that we have no experience or understanding of some of the words contained in the text / script of Merchant of Venice. We have therefore included a free online Shakespeare Dictionary for most of the more obscure words used in the script and text of his plays, some of which are obsolete in modern language or Dictionaries. Make a note of any unusual words or text that you encounter whilst reading the online text of the play and then check their definition in the free online Shakespeare Dictionary.

Script / Text of Merchant of Venice
The script of the play is extremely long. To reduce the time to load the script of the play, and for ease in accessing specific sections of the script, we have separated the text into Acts. Please click on the appropriate links to access the Act of your choice.

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV

Act V

William Shakespeare never published any of his plays and therefore none of the original manuscripts have survived. Eighteen unauthorised versions of his plays were, however, published during his lifetime in quarto editions by unscrupulous publishers (there were no copyright laws protecting Shakespeare and his works during the Elizabethan era). A collection of his works did not appear until 1623 ( a full seven years after Shakespeare's death on April 23, 1616) when two of his fellow actors, John Hemminges and Henry Condell, posthumously recorded his work and published 36 of William’s plays in the First Folio.

Script of Merchant of Venice a play by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet – Full Scripts.

2010-03-17T13:11:00.001+01:00

Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Romeo & Juliet play, complete original script, full text, with annotations translated into modern language, plus and adapted modernized version, annotated translations

Original Script
(Word doc 279kb)
Shakespeare's complete original script based on the Second Quarto of 1599, with corrections and alternate text shown from the First Quarto of 1597, Third Quarto of 1609, Fourth Quarto of 1622, First Folio of 1623, and later editions. Spelling and punctuation are modernized (American) with some indications of pronunciation. Stage directions are clarified. Side notes are given for vocabulary, figurative language, and allusions. This script may be downloaded and used for free for education and performance. Editor: David Hundsness.

Adapted Script (ready to read)
(Word doc 142kb)
Adapted Script (unabridged)
(Word doc 308kb)
This is an adapted version of the play using Shakespeare's original language. It is shortened to under two hours, cutting scenes that are typically slow to modern audiences. Dated references are minimized so the story may be set anytime and anywhere. A Wedding Ceremony and Juliet's Funeral are created from cut-and-pasted lines, and some scenes are altered for dramatic impact (all from the original script, of course). The unabridged version shows all cut lines in gray text, so you can easily restore lines and make your own edits. The first version is easier to read. Adapted by David Hundsness. This adaptation may be used for free in part or whole for performance, even for profit; I ask only that you contact me at scripts@hundsness.com to let me know who is using it, and give credit to David Hundsness and www.hundsness.com where appropriate.

Review by Austin Live Theatre: "This is no Reader's Digest edition. The adapter did a scrupulous, ethical job of fileting the original text, preserving the story line and the essentials of the characters. Almost all of the most memorable lines of verse were retained. Purists would certainly object to his reducing the text by 30 to 40 percent, adroitly stitching together scenes while adhering to original texts and crafting both a brief marriage scene in Friar Laurence's chambers and a funeral for Juliet. But none of this diminishes a whit the power of Shakespeare's language or plot. The adaptation is directly in the centuries-old tradition of moving the bard to the audience."

Original Editions
(Word doc 874kb)
Side-by-side comparison of the First Quarto of 1597, Second Quarto of 1599, and First Folio of 1623 with original spelling and punctuation. Sources:
http://ise.uvic.ca/Annex/DraftTxt/Rom/index.html
scripts@hundsness.com

Skills IV Reading: KES extract

2010-03-14T15:02:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

The following I recommend reading and we will discuss it in class on Tuesday.

**Optional reading*For Tuesday 16th March.***

BARRY HINES: Kes
Barry Hines (1939- ) was born in Yorkshire into a working-class family. After finishing school, he had various jobs, among them as a teacher, before he started his career as a writer. He has written a number of novels and short stories which are all set in Yorkshire. The following extract is taken from his most popular novel, Kes (1969), which has also been made into a film. It deals with a working-class boy called Billy Casper, who comes from a fatherless family and is unloved and neglected both at home and at school. At the beginning of the extract, five pupils, including Billy, are standing in front of the headmaster's study, awaiting some sort of disciplinary measures.

When you read this text, observe the attitudes of the headmaster towards his pupils and note them down for yourself and later use.

"I'm sick of you boys, you'll be the death of me. Not a day goes by without me having to deal with a line of boys. I can't remember a day, not one day, in all the years I've been in this school, and how long's that? ... ten years, and the school's no better now than it was on the day that it opened. I can't understand it. I can't understand it at all." ...

"I've taught in this city for over thirty-five years now; many of your parents were pupils under me in the old city schools before this estate was built; and I'm certain that in all those years I've never encountered a generation as difficult to handle as this one. I thought I understood young people, I should be able to with all my experience, yet there's something happening today that's frightening, that makes me feel that it's all been a waste of time. ... Like it's a waste of time standing here talking to you boys, because you won't take a blind bit of notice what I'm saying. I know what you're thinking now, you're thinking, why doesn't he get on with it and let us go, instead of standing there babbling on? That's what you're thinking, isn't it? Isn't it, MacDowall?"

"No,sir."

"O yes it is. I can see it in your eyes, lad, they're glazed over. You're not interested. Nobody can tell you anything, can they, MacDowall? You know it all, you young people, you think you're so sophisticated with all your gear and your music. But the trouble is, it's only superficial, just a sheen with nothing worthwhile or solid underneath. As far as I can see there's been no advance at all in discipline, decency, manners or morals. And do you know how I know this? Well, I'll tell you. Because I still have to use this every day."

He brought the stick round from behind his back for the boys to have a look at.

"It's fantastic, isn't it, that in this day and age, in this super-scientific, all-things-bright and-splendiferous age, that the only way of running this school efficiently is by the rule of the cane. But why? There should be no need for it now. You lot have got in on a plate."

"I can understand why we had to use it back in the 'twenties and 'thirties. Those were hard times; they bred hard people, and it needed hard measures to deal with them. But those times bred people with qualities totally lacking in you people today. They bred people with respect for a start. We knew where we stood in those days, and even today a man will often stop me in the street and say 'Hello, Mr Gryce, remember me?' - And we'll pass the time of day and chat, and he'll laugh about the thrashings I gave him."

"But what do I get from you lot? A honk from a greasy youth behind the wheel of some big second-hand car. Or an obscene remark from a gang - after they've passed me. 'They took it then, but not now, not in this day of the common man, when every boy quotes his rights, and shoots off home for his father as soon as I look at him. ... No guts... . No backbone ... you've nothing to commend you whatsoever. You're just fodder for the mass media!"

He slashed the stick in front of their chests, making the air swish in its wake, then he turned round and leaned straight-armed on the mantelshelf, shaking his head. ...

"So for want of a better solution I continue using the cane, knowing full well that you'll be back time and time again for some more. Knowing that when you smokers leave this room wringing your hands, you'll carry on smoking just the same. ...

"Now get that other junk back into your pockets, and get your hands out."

He picked his stick up from his desk and tested it on the air. The first smoker stepped out and raised his right hand. He proffered it slightly cupped, thumb tucked into the side, the flesh of the palm ruttled up into soft cushions.

Gryce measured the distance with the tip of his stick, settled his feet, then slowly flexed his elbow. When his fist was level with his ear, the hinge flashed open swish down across the boy's palm. The boy blinked and held up his left hand. The stick touched it, curved up and away out of Gryce's peripheral vision, then blurred back into it and snapped down across the fingers.

"Right, now get out."

White-faced, he turned away from Gryce, and winked at the others as he passed in front of them to the door.

"Next."

They stepped forward in turn, all adopting the same relaxed hand position as the first boy. Except for the messenger. He presented his hands stiff, fingers splayed, thumbs up. The full force of both strokes caught him thumbs first, cracking across the side of the knuckle bone. The first stroke made him cry. The second made him sick.

Difficult words:

sophisticated

(here) trendy

gear

(here) clothes

all-things-bright-and-splendiferous:

allusion to children's hymn "All things bright and beautiful"

splendiferous

(infml. or humorous): splendid

cane

stick for beating

thrashing

(here) beating

guts

(infml.): courage

mantelshelf

(old-fashioned) = mantelpiece: shelf above a fireplace

junk

(infml.): useless things

proffer sth.

offer sth.

English for Specific Purposes – 2010 - M.A. ELT Program (4+1 / 3+2)

2010-03-10T17:56:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: English for Specific Purposes – 2010 - M.A. ELT Program (4+1 / 3+2)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

DRAFT OUTLINE

*The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus as the course progresses if necessary

Course Overview and Objectives:

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is known as a learner-centered approach to teaching English as a foreign or second language. It meets the needs of adult learners who need to learn a foreign language for use in their specific fields, such as science, technology, medicine, leisure, and academic learning. This course is recommended for graduate students and foreign and second language professionals who wish to learn how to design ESP courses and programs in an area of specialization such as English for business, Engineering, and for Academic Purposes. In addition, they are introduced to ESP instructional strategies, materials adaptation and development, and evaluation.

Its objectives include:

To develop an understanding about the factors that led to the emergence of ESP and the forces, both theoretical and applied, that have shaped its subsequent development.
To assist students develop needs assessments and genre analyses for specific groups of learners.
To provide guidelines to adapt or create authentic ESP materials in a chosen professional or occupational area and to critically evaluate currently available materials
To become knowledgeable about assessment procedures appropriate for ESP and apply this knowledge in developing course and lesson evaluation plans in their professional or occupational area.
To assist students in preparing a syllabus, lesson and assessment plan based upon their needs assessments and genre analyses.

Knowledge and Understanding:

Learning Outcomes
A1 : Knowledge of key principles involving the historical development and existing practice in ESP
A2 : A detailed acquaintance of genres spanning written/spoken discourse and a variety of specialised contexts (academic and non-academic) in which English is taught and used
A3 : An appreciation of the strategies employed by ESP learners in different disciplines and of the roles of ESP teachers
A4 : An understanding of how the above apply to particular teaching situations, especially those that the student is familiar with, in the context of accepted contemporary professional practice

Teaching Methods
1-4 are taught initially through staff-led modules, using a variety of means of delivery (formal lecture, seminar, question-answer discussion session, group-work task-based session, computer lab session, student oral reports, workshop). 4 is enhanced by classroom observation where possible. Staff feedback to students on coursework is a connected important feature enhancing learning. Learning is expected to be deepened through directed and independent self-access library study and use of web material both put up by staff and generally available on the internet.

Intellectual / Cognitive Skills:

Learning Outcomes
B1 : Critical skills needed to evaluate disparate sources of information, both academic (e.g. lectures, books) and experiential, and collate, select, and apply the information to a specific teaching issue or situation critical skills needed to evaluate disparate sources of information, both academic (e.g. lectures, books) and experiential, and collate, select, and apply the information to a specific teaching issue or situation
B2 : An ability to formulate coherent and logically sound arguments
B3 : Ability to reflect independently on own teaching/learning experience and relate it to the ideas and research in the field
B4 : Ability to identify a research question or hypothesis, choose appropriate research methods, and interpret own and others' data and see the implications for a hypothesis or question

Teaching Methods
1-4 are fostered repeatedly by all the means of teaching/learning described in (A)

Practical Skills:

Learning Outcomes
C1 : Ability to seek and retrieve relevant information from a variety of sources (e.g. library, journals, WWW)
C2 : Ability to communicate lucidly in speech and writing about theoretical matters, teaching and learning issues and own teaching experience, in appropriate style
C3 : Practical skills in analysing the core properties of syllabuses and materials in different language learning/teaching situations
C4 : Ability to propose, plan, execute and write up an original, complete but limited study related to ESP with due treatment of appropriate prior research and theory, generation of research aims, application of relevant methods (e.g. empirical data gathering, or syllabus/materials design or evaluation) and management and presentation of the whole project with due attention to proper professional practice and ethics.

Teaching Methods
1 is promoted by staff guidance as well as being guided by staff teaching, and giving advice
2 is promoted by the oral and written tasks associated with the taught modules, and feedback on them, and by guidance in course booklet and an unassessed module on assignment and dissertation writing
3 is dealt with by embedding practical data analysis tasks into specialist modules.
4 is promoted by supervision of the obligatory dissertation
1-4 are further supported by advice from me in consultation hours or by email, and by web-based self-access material.

Key Skills:

Learning Outcomes
D1 : a. Oral participation in group discussion and lectures b. Academic writing, both in the form of argumentative academic papers and research reports, in appropriate style c. Critical reading: researching and utilising information, including scanning, recognising opinion and bias, detecting relevant points, collating different sources.
D2 : Using advanced computational tools and software packages to obtain, store and process information stored in electronic form (e.g. from the Library, WWW or CD-rom).

D3 : a. Analysis of tasks and identification of objectives b. Identification and use of relevant information sources c. Establishing main features of a complex problem d. Planning and selection of approach to reach a solution
D4 : Participation in pair/group class tasks (including organising and evaluating own and others' contributions)
D5 : a. Use of independent time management skills, initiative, and different approaches to working autonomously to meet assignment and dissertation targets b. Use of feedback and support from peers, lecturers and supervisor to meet targets and improve over the year

Teaching Methods
1 and 5 are promoted by many taught modules, and involve listening and note taking in lectures. They are also facilitated by feedback.
2 is promoted mainly by self access material on WWW. More generically, students will be expected to become familiar with basic PC management and the word processing of academic documents, internet searching, etc. in connection with their work for all modules.
4 and 6 are promoted via the assignments which impose requirements for students to apply these skills
1-2 and 4-6 are all further practised for the dissertation, and aided when necessary by staff advice by email or consultation

Attendance policy:

In accordance with the university’s attendance policy, students must attend 70% of the meetings in order to be able to pass the course. If a student misses more than 30 % of the classes, the student will automatically fail the course, regardless of performance on the assignments. The dismissal of excused absences (medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.) will be taken up on a case by case basis.

Academic Dishonesty

An incident of academic dishonesty occurs when a student commits any of the following acts (this list does not preclude other acts of academic fraud):

1. Cheating refers to the use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in an academic exercise or assignment.

2. Fabrication refers to the unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

3. Facilitating academic dishonesty is the act of helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of the institutional policy on academic dishonesty.

4. Plagiarism describes the unacknowledged adoption or reproduction of the ideas, words, statements of another person, including classroom peers.

Students caught engaging in academic dishonesty once will fail the assignment. Two or more incidents of academic dishonesty will result in failure of the course.

Assessment:

Grade Scale	Grade Description	Grade Points
95% - 100%	Excellent	10.0
86% - 94%	Very good	9.0
77% - 85%	Good	8.0
68% - 76%	Satisfactory	7.0
60% - 67%	Passing	6.0

Assessment in this course will be continuous (ongoing). Students therefore should be advised that each and every meeting is crucial to their success in the course. The students will be assessed for these components:

Please be well aware that while there will not be formalized mid and final year examinations, the continuous assessments, in total, have the same effect and weigh equally.

Grading Rubric:

Attendance	10 %
Homework	20 %
Participation	20 %
Debate	10 %
Writing assignments	40 %
Total	100 %

Course Outline:

Session 1	Introductions and backgrounds ESP: Teaching to perceived needs and imagined futures in worlds of work, study and everyday life How is ESP different from ESL Syllabus and course outline
Session 2	What is ESP? Needs Analysis and Course Design Identifying as completely as possible a real group of English language learners. Give and receive feedback on each other’s target population.
Session 3	Discussing issues related to the design of needs analysis tools for your specific group of learners Assignment 1: Design a needs analysis plan for your target population that you would carry out if you had sufficient time and money.
Session 4	Defining what genre is and operationally identifying different types of genre. Discussing issues related to planning, conceptualizing, developing, implementing and evaluating ESP programs. Assignment 2: Find written or spoken texts for analysis that are appropriate for your learners and conduct genre analysis
Session 5	Discussing how the results of your needs analysis help setting the parameters of your ESP course design. Give and receive feedback. Assignment 3: Propose a course design plan
Session 6	Discussing factors involved in the identification of ESP materials. Discussing issues related to how technology can enhance teaching ESP, and important points to consider when integrating technology into classroom practice. Assignment 4: Write a reflection paper on selecting materials for your target population
Session 7	Discussing student evaluation methods Discussing issues related to the evaluation of the ESP course

Incomplete (IN): An incomplete grade may be assigned if a student has not finished all course requirements by the end of the semester, but has completed a substantial amount of the work. It is the student’s responsibility to bring pertinent information to the teacher and to reach an agreement on how the remaining course requirements will be satisfied. If requirements are not completed within one year, a failing grade is automatically assigned.

Recommended reading:

English for Specific Purposes by Keith Harding –

Oxford University Press 2007.

ISBN – 13: 987 019 442575 9 and ISBN – 10: 0 19 442575 9

Articles:

Basturkmen, H. (1998). Refining procedures: A needs analysis project at Kuwait University. English Teaching Forum, 36(4). Also available at: http://exchanges.state.gov/forum/vols/vol36/no4/p2.htm

Bhatia, V. K. (1997). Applied genre analysis and ESP. In T. Miller (Ed.), Functional approaches to written text: Classroom applications (pp. 134-149). English Language Programs: United States Information Agency. Also available at: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/engteaching/pubs/BR/functionalsec4_10.htm

Bosher, S. & Smalkoski, K. (2002). From needs analysis to curriculum development: Designing a course in health-care communication for immigrant students in the USA. English for Specific Purposes, 21(1): 59-79. (can be accessed online from IU Library website with an IU account)

Douglas, D. (1999) Assessing Languages for Specific Purposes CUP
Dudley-Evans,T and M. St. John (1998) Developments in ESP: a Multi-Disciplinary Approach C UP

Dudley-Evans, T. (2000). Genre analysis: A key to a theory of ESP? Iberica, 2, 3-11. Also available at: www.uv.es/aelfe/WebRAs/RA-2-Dudley.pdf

Hutchinson, T. and A. Waters (1997) English for Specific Purposes, CUP

Johns, A. M. (1991). English for specific purposes (ESP): Its history and contributions. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (2nd ed., pp. 67-77). New York: Newbury House.

Johns, A. M., & Price-Machada, D. (2001). English for specific purposes (ESP): Tailoring courses to students' needs-and to the outside world. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3^rd ed., pp. 43-54). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

Mackay , R and A Mountford (Eds) (1978) English for Specific Purposes Longman

McDonough, J. (1984) ESP in Perspective. Collins

Munby, J (1978) Communicative Syllabus Design CUP

Richterich, R (Ed.) (1983) Case Studies in Identifying Language Needs Pergamon

Robinson, P. (1991) ESP: A Practitioner's Guide. Prentice Hall International

Swales, J (1985) Episodes in ESP Pergamon

West, R. (1994). Needs analysis in language teaching. Language Teaching 27(1): 1-19.

Listening Skills week 2 – Air Traffic Control.

2010-03-09T16:04:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Below are samples from the notes given to act as a reminder. You already have the printed full transcript.

TRANSCRIPT

Air traffic control communication at Portland International Airport - July 1, 1990
Researchers: Karen Ward, David Novick, Carolyn Sousa
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Oregon Graduate Institute

Introduction

This report contains a transcript of radio communications between air traffic controllers and pilots. The transcript was prepared as part of the ATC Interaction Research Project (AIR Project) at the Oregon Graduate Institute, which has been investigating computational representations of Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication.

This transcript covers 30 minutes of the radio communications of one controller in the Portland International Airport (PDX) Terminal Radar Control (TRACON) Facility. The controller was
working one of the two approach positions; that is, he was responsible for aircraft entering and leaving a portion of the PDX Approach Radar Service Area (ARSA).

The transcript was made from a recording taped from radio at a site approximately two NM from the airport on July 1, 1990, between 10:45 and 11:15 AM. A copy of this recording on cassette
may be obtained by writing to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of the Oregon Graduate Institute. The recording exhibits high-frequency cutoff and high noise levels, however, so it may not be suitable for direct use with speech recognizers.

The transcript is in two parts. The section entitled “Full Transcript” depicts all exchanges chronologically as they occurred. However, air traffic control dialogue can be viewed as many interleaved yet fairly independent conversations, so in the “Separated Transcripts” section utterances are grouped by aircraft to show the course of each individual conversation. The utterance numbers from the full transcript are preserved in the separated transcripts so that the utterance context may be located easily

Full Transcript

(1) Unknown: (-forty) five.
(2) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn right heading one two zero.
(3) Horizon 64: Turn right one two zero Horizon sixty four.
(4) Horizon 391: Horizon uh, three ninety one (uh we’d like to) uh join the localizer.
(5) Approach: Horizon three ninety one turn right heading three one zero join the localizer.
(6) Horizon 391: Three one zero. (Three) ninety one.
(7) Approach: Horizon three ninety one you’re eight miles from uh, Laker maintain three thousand till established localizer cleared ILS two eight right approach.
(8) Horizon 391: Cleared the ILS, two eight right approach three thousand till establish. Horizon Air three ninety one.
(9) Approach: -ska two oh five turn left heading three two zero.
(10) Alaska 205: Three two zero, Alaska two oh five.
(11) Approach: Alaska six zero four reduce speed to one five zero until Laker and contact tower one one eight point seven.
(12) Alaska 604: Slowing to uh one fifty and uh, tower uh, eighteen seven for Alaska six zero four.
(13) Approach: Horizon three ninety one maintain one seven zero knots until Laker.
(14) Horizon 391: One seventy till Laker, Horizon three ninety one.
(15) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn: correction uh, continue on your present heading.
(16) Horizon 64: ((garbled))
(17) Unknown: ((Mike depressed))

(18) Horizon 391: Horizon three ninety one has the field in sight.
(19) Approach: Horizon three ninety one roger cross abeam of Laker at or above, two thousand, you’re cleared for the visual approach runway two eight left.
(20) Horizon 391: Laker at or above two thousand, cleared the visual to the left, roger three ninety one.
(21) Approach: Alaska two zero five (practical) increase speed to one niner zero until Laker.
(22) Alaska 205: Alaska two oh five reduce- uh increasing.
(23) Approach: Delta seven forty five turn right heading two eight zero, join the localizer.
(24) Delta 745: Right two eighty, join the localizer, Delta seven forty five.
(25) Horizon 391: Three ninety one, can we pick it up, (just a) little bit.
(26) Approach: Horizon three ninety one, uh that’s approved.
(27) Horizon 391: Horizon three ninety one, (roger).
(28) Unknown: ((Mike depressed))
(29) Unknown: ((squawk))
(30) Approach: ((garbled)) zero papa service terminated squawk twelve hundred, frequency change approved.
(31) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn left heading zero, six zero.
(32) Horizon 64: Zero six zero, Horizon, uh, sixty four.
(33) Approach: Alaska two oh five, nine from Laker, maintain three thousand till established on the localizer cleared the ILS two eight right approach, maintain speed (of) one eight zero until Laker.

(34) Alaska 205: Roger Alaska two oh five, uh, cleared approach three thousand till established on the localizer at three thousand, and uh hundred ‘n uh ninety till Laker?
(35) Approach: Alaska two zero five, uh turn left heading two five zero now to join the localizer and maintain three thousand
till established on the localizer, cleared ILS two eight right approach, maintain speed one eight zero until Laker.
(36) Alaska 205: Roger one eighty, till Laker Alaska two oh five copy the rest.
(37) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn left heading three one zero join the localizer.
(38) Horizon 64: Three ten and join Horizon sixty four.
(39) Approach: Tingle one (four eight) Portland Approach, r:oger, fly your present heading and reduce speed to two one zero.
(40) Approach: Tingle one (four eight) thank you.
(41) Approach: Delta seven forty five descend and maintain four thousand five hundred.
(42) Delta 745: Down to four thousand five hundred Delta seven forty five.
(43) Approach: Horizon, uh disregard.
(44) Approach: Delta seven forty five is one zero miles from Laker, maintain four thousand five hundred till established on the localizer, cleared ILS two eight right approach, maintain speed one, seven zero until Laker.
(45) Delta 745: One seventy till Laker forty five hundred (descending fifty seven) uh, ILS twenty eight right Delta seven forty five.

Listening Skills Week 2

2010-03-09T15:52:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Obama inaugural speech

Barack Obama 44th US president. Here is his inauguration speech in full.

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and co-operation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms.

At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

Serious challenges

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

“ We have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord ”

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

Nation of 'risk-takers'

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and ploughed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

'Remaking America'

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

“ The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift ”

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise healthcare's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Restoring trust

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

“ We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals ”

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programmes will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

'Ready to lead'

As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

“ We will not apologise for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence ”

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater co-operation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologise for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

'Era of peace'

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

'Duties'

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

“ What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility ”

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

'Gift of freedom'

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7840646.stm

Listening Skills Week 2 - Lincoln

2010-03-09T15:49:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Gettysburg Address

At the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg President Lincoln delivers a two-minute speech. Immediately following the speech he calls it a "flat failure." The speech is known today as the Gettysburg Address – November 19, 1853

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Listening Skills Week 2

2010-03-09T15:44:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

I have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jnr.

Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!³

Listening Skills Vocabulary - New Pilot's Guide to ATC Communication

2010-03-09T15:42:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

New Pilot's Guide to ATC Communication

Learn the right words and talk like a pro

By Robert I. Snow

There is an art to using the right words when you communicate with air traffic control (ATC). Effective aviation phraseology combines brevity with the transfer of complete and correct information.

Long, detailed transmissions ensure the controller receives the needed information, but these monologues also tie up the frequency. If the controller is working five other airplanes and needs to issue timely control instructions, he can't do it until you release the microphone button. This delay may affect the safety of the other airplanes. Transmissions that are too brief usually result in the controller asking you to provide more detail. When that happens, it defeats the point of being brief.

So how do you learn the right mix? The same way you learn other aviation skills—study and practice.

Learning the language

Your first and most important lesson as you learn to use the right words is do not be afraid of using the wrong words. Regardless of the form it takes, communication is the goal. As you learn aviation's language, your vocabulary and phraseology will improve, so relax and communicate.

Expecting the words

You can increase how fast you hear, and improve what you understand, if you know what to expect during a transmission. ATC instructions mostly consist of numbers preceded by key words that tell you what the numbers mean. For example, "climb and maintain...." is always followed by an altitude assignment. Controllers frequently combine the three words into one—"climbandmaintain" but they're more deliberate with the altitude assignment, such as "one-two-thousand." An experienced pilot recognizes the word group and knows that an altitude follows.

You should learn to use the right words for many reasons, and safety is at the top of the list. Another is the fact that "talking the talk" means you'll spend less time conversing with ATC and more time enjoying your flight.

ABEAM—An aircraft is "abeam" a fix, point, or object when that fix, point, or object is approximately 90 degrees to the right or left of the aircraft track. Abeam indicates a general position rather than a precise point.

ACKNOWLEDGE—Let me know that you have received my message.

AFFIRMATIVE—Yes.

BLOCKED—Phraseology used to indicate that a radio transmission has been distorted or interrupted due to multiple simultaneous radio transmissions.

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF—ATC authorization for an aircraft to depart.

CLEARED FOR THE OPTION—ATC authorization for an aircraft to make a touch and go, low approach, missed approach, stop and go, or full-stop landing at the discretion of the pilot. It is normally used in training so that an instructor can evaluate a student's performance under changing situations.

CLEARED TO LAND—ATC authorization for an aircraft to land. It is predicated on known traffic and known physical airport conditions.

CLOSED TRAFFIC—Successive operations involving takeoffs and landings [touch-and-goes] or low approaches where the aircraft does not exit the traffic pattern.

EXPEDITE—Used by ATC when prompt compliance is required to avoid the development of an imminent situation.

FLY HEADING (Degrees)—Informs the pilot of the heading he should fly. The pilot may have to turn to, or continue on, a specific compass direction in order to comply with the instructions. The pilot is expected to turn in the shorter direction to the heading unless otherwise instructed by ATC.

FUEL REMAINING—A phrase used by either pilots or controllers when relating to the fuel remaining on board until actual fuel exhaustion. When transmitting such information in response to either a controller question or pilot initiated cautionary advisory to air traffic control, pilots will state the APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF MINUTES the flight can continue with the fuel remaining. All reserve fuel SHOULD BE INCLUDED in the time stated, as should an allowance for established fuel gauge system error.

GO AROUND—Instructions for a pilot to abandon his approach to landing. Additional instructions may follow. Unless otherwise advised by ATC, a VFR aircraft or an aircraft conducting visual approach should overfly the runway while climbing to traffic pattern altitude and enter the traffic pattern via the crosswind leg. A pilot on an IFR flight plan making an instrument approach should execute the published missed approach procedure or proceed as instructed by ATC; e.g., "Go around" (additional instructions if required).

HAVE NUMBERS—Used by pilots to inform ATC that they have received runway, wind, and altimeter information only.

HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?—A question relating to the quality of the transmission or to determine how well the transmission is being received.

IDENT—A request for a pilot to activate the aircraft transponder identification feature. This will help the controller to confirm an aircraft identity or to identify an aircraft. Do not confuse this with squawk, which means to tune the transponder code or transponder operating mode, such as Mode C, altitude reporting, a controller gives you.

IMMEDIATELY—Used by ATC when such action compliance is required to avoid an imminent situation.

MAINTAIN—Concerning altitude/flight level, the term means to remain at the altitude/flight level specified. The phrase "climb and" or "descend and" normally precedes "maintain" and the altitude assignment; e.g., "descend and maintain 5,000." Concerning other ATC instructions, the term is used in its literal sense; e.g., maintain VFR.

MAKE SHORT APPROACH—Used by ATC to inform a pilot to alter his traffic pattern so as to make a short final approach.

MAYDAY—The international radio telephony distress signal. When repeated three times, it indicates imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is requested.

MINIMUM FUEL—Indicates that an aircraft's fuel supply has reached a state where, upon reaching the destination, it can accept little or no delay. This is not an emergency situation but merely indicates an emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur.

NEGATIVE—"No," or "permission not granted," or "that is not correct."

NEGATIVE CONTACT—Used by pilots to inform ATC that the previously issued traffic is not in sight. It may be followed by the pilot's request for the controller to provide assistance in avoiding the traffic. Used by pilots to inform ATC they were unable to contact ATC on a particular frequency.

RADAR CONTACT—Used by ATC to inform an aircraft that it is identified on the radar display and radar flight following will be provided until radar identification is terminated.

RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED—Used by ATC to inform a pilot that he will no longer be provided any of the services that could be received while in radar contact. Radar service is automatically terminated, and the pilot is not advised in the following cases: 1. An aircraft cancels its IFR flight plan, except within Class B airspace, Class C airspace, a TRSA, or where Basic Radar service is provided. 2. An aircraft conducting an instrument, visual, or contact approach has landed or has been instructed to change to advisory frequency. 3. An arriving VFR aircraft, receiving radar service to a tower controlled airport within Class B airspace, Class C airspace, a TRSA, or where sequencing service is provided, has landed; or to all other airports, is instructed to change to tower or advisory frequency. 4. An aircraft completes a radar approach.

READ BACK—Repeat my message back to me.

REPORT—Used to instruct pilots to advise ATC of specified information; e.g., "Report passing Hamilton VOR."

SAY AGAIN—Used to request a repeat of the last transmission. Usually specifies transmission or portion thereof not understood or received; e.g., "Say again all after ABRAM VOR."

SAY ALTITUDE—Used by ATC to ascertain an aircraft's specific altitude/flight level. When the aircraft is climbing or descending, the pilot should state the indicated altitude rounded to the nearest 100 feet.

SAY HEADING—Used by ATC to request an aircraft heading. The pilot should state the actual heading of the aircraft.

SPEAK SLOWER—Used in verbal communications as a request to reduce speech rate.

SQUAWK (Mode, Code, Function)—Activate specific modes/ codes/functions on the aircraft transponder, e.g., "Squawk two—one-zero-five." Squawk does not mean pilot should press the transponder's IDENT button.

STAND BY—Means the controller or pilot must pause for a few seconds, usually to attend to other duties of a higher priority. Also means to wait as in "stand by for clearance." The caller should reestablish contact if a delay is lengthy. "Stand by" is not an approval or denial.

TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD—Used by ATC to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway in takeoff position and hold. It is not authorization for takeoff. It is used when takeoff clearance cannot immediately be issued because of traffic or other reasons.

THAT IS CORRECT—The understanding you have is right.

TRAFFIC—A term used by ATC to refer to one or more aircraft.

TRAFFIC IN SIGHT—Used by pilots to inform a controller that previously issued traffic is in sight.

UNABLE—Indicates inability to comply with a specific instruction, request, or clearance.

VERIFY—Request confirmation of information; e.g., "verify assigned altitude."

Listening and Reading Skill Week 1

2010-03-09T15:40:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Listening Skill Week 1

Dear Teacher,

A letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the Headmaster of a school in which his son was studying. It contains an advice, which is still relevant today for executives, workers, teachers, parents and students.

A WORD TO TEACHERS

"He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just and are not true. But teach him if you can, the wonder of books... but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside.

In school, teach him it is far more honourable to fall than to cheat.....

Teach to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him he is wrong.

Teach him to be gentle with gentlepeople and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone getting on the bandwagon...

Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad... Teach him there is no shame in tears.

Teach him to scoff at cynics and to be beware of too much sweetness.. Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to highest bidders, but never to put a price on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob.. and stand and fight if thinks he is right.

Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient.. Let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have faith in humankind.

This is a big order, but see what you can do. . He is such a fine little fellow my son!

- Abraham Lincoln"

Listening Skill Week 1 - ‘Lord of the Flies – Piggy’

2010-03-09T15:38:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Lord of the Flies

Piggy - to the 'littleuns.'

“Now, this story is about the place where I live, called Camberley. Now, Camberley is quite an old place, but it hasn't been called Camberley all the time. It used to be called Cambridgetown. And they used to get mixed up with the letters... between Cambridge or Cambridgetown. So letters that were to a person in Cambridgetown... used to go to a person in Cambridge. So they got a bit mixed up. So they thought they'd change... the name at the post office, because it was a post office... that had all the trouble of sorting the letters. And they thought they'd leave the ''cam'' from Cambridgetown, and they-- ''ber'' is a river, and there are a lot of rivers around there. ''Camber.'' And then ''ley,'' because often the towns near there ended with ''ley.'' Their names ended with ''ley.'' So they called it Cam-ber-ley. Camberley. And that's the true story of Camberley.”

Advanced English Language Skills IV Course Outline

2010-03-09T15:35:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Course description:

Advanced English Language IV is an integrated skills course designed to develop student competencies in the four (speaking, listening, reading and writing) language skills. The focus of the course will be on combining (integrating) the skills in a flexible, creative manner so that students with varying needs can still meet their own academic, personal and professional objectives. To this end, the methodological approach will be communicative with pedagogical emphasis on grammatical accuracy, lexical depth, syntactical fluency and socio-linguistic sensitivity.

Attendance policy:

Assessment:

Attendance	10 %
Homework	10 %
Interview	10 %
Debate	10 %
Reading skill (reading for gist & reading for details)	10 %
Oral interaction (conversation & argument )	10 %
Listening activities	10 %
Writing assignments	20 %
Quizzes	10 %
Total	100 %

Please be well aware that while there will not be formalized mid and final year examinations, the continuous assessments, in total, have the same effect and weigh equally.

Grading Rubric:

Grade Scale	Grade Description	Grade Points
95% - 100%	Excellent	10.0
86% - 94%	Very good	9.0
77% - 85%	Good	8.0
68% - 76%	Satisfactory	7.0
60% - 67%	Passing	6.0
59% - below	Failing	5.0
	Incomplete (IN)	0.0

WEEK 1	Introduction to Skills
WEEK 2	Listening – Lord of the Flies / Air Traffic Control / Skills we use
WEEK 3	Listening – Romeo and Juliet / Macbeth skills in retelling
WEEK 4	Listening Assignments
WEEK 5	Speaking – Style. Audience, Purpose, Interest Level
WEEK 6	Speaking (Interviews) Reporting and recording
WEEK 7	Speaking Assignments
WEEK 8	Various interactive group activities associated to class grades
WEEK 9	Reading – Why? Purpose, audience, style. Literature / Informative
WEEK 10	Reading – Special skills and uses.
WEEK 11	Reading Assignments
WEEK 12	Writing
WEEK 13	Writing
WEEK 14	Writing Assignments (short-story summary, reflection and essays)
WEEK 15	TBA

All of the above is subject to change.

Importance of Soft skills development in education

2010-03-09T15:33:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Applied Communication Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Importance of Soft Skills Development in Education

What are Soft Skills?

“Soft skills” can be said to incorporate all aspects of generic skills that include the cognitive elements associated with non-academic skills. Soft skills are identified to be the most critical skills in the current global job market especially in a fast moved era of technology. The reorientation of education which is one trust of education for sustainability also relates the importance of these so-called soft skills.

Vast research and expert opinions have been sought in the effort to determine the specific soft skills to be implemented and used in higher institutions of learning. Based on the research findings obtained, seven soft skills have been identified and chosen to be implemented in all institutions of higher learning here. They are:

i. Communicative skills.

ii. Thinking skills and Problem solving skills.

iii. Team work force

iv.. Life-long learning and Information Management

v. Entrepreneur skill

vi.. Ethics, moral and professionalism

vii. Leadership skills

Each of the above soft skills comprised of several sub-skills. These sub-skills are divided into two categories of implementation. The first category delineates the soft skills that every individual must have and the second category represents soft skills that are good to have. Despite the emphasis being put on the soft skills that must be present (must have), it is also encouraged to inculcate the soft skills that are good to have. All elements of soft skills must be acquired by each individual student and evaluated effectively and comprehensively. Table 1 shows the seven soft skills and the two categories of sub-skills respectively.

The must have soft skills must be acquired by each and every individual in the institutions of higher learning without which, the student is regarded as incompetent in the above skill. The good to have soft skills can be regarded as the additional generic skills and a bonus to the student. If these skills are acquired by the students together with the must have soft skills. Table 1 gives a detail description of the different categories of implementation for each of the sub-skills for the respective seven soft skills.

It can be observed that education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability. We all realized that the current economic development trends are not sustainable and that ….

Table 1 the Must Have and Good To Have Elements of Soft Skills

No.	Soft Skills	Must Have Elements (Sub-Skills)	Good To Have Elements (Sub-Skills)
1.	Communicative Skills	Ability to deliver idea clearly, effectively and with confidence either orally or in writing Ability to practice active listening skill and respond. Ability to present clearly and confidently to the audience.	Ability to use technology during presentation. Ability to discuss and arrive at a consensus. Ability to communicate with individual from a different cultural background. Ability to expand one’s own communicative skill. Ability to use non-oral skills.
2.	Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills	Ability to identify and analyze problems in difficult situation and make justifiable evaluation. Ability to expand and improve thinking skills such as explanation, analysis and evaluate discussion. Ability to find ideas and look for alternative solutions.	Ability to think beyond.. Ability to make conclusion based on valid proof. Ability to withstand and give full responsibility. Ability to understand and accommodate oneself to the varied working environment.
3.	Team Work	Ability to build a good rapport , interact and work effectively with others. Ability to understand and play the role of a leader and follower alternatively. Ability to recognize and respect other’s attitude, behavior and beliefs.	Ability to give contribution to the planning and coordinate group work. Responsible towards group decision.
4.	Life-Long Learning & Information Management Skill	Ability to find and manage relevant information from various sources. Ability to receive new ideas performs autonomy learning.	Ability to develop an inquiry mind and seek knowledge.
5.	Entrepreneurship skill	Ability to identify job opportunities.	Ability to propose business opportunity. Ability to build, explore and seek business opportunities and job. Ability to be self-employed.
6.	Ethics, Moral & Professional	Ability to understand the economy crisis, environment and social cultural aspects professionally. Ability to analyze make problem solving decisions related to ethics.	Ability to practice ethical attitudes besides having the responsibility towards society.
7.	Leadership skill	Knowledge of the basic theories of leadership. Ability to lead a project.	Ability to understand and take turns as a leader and follower alternatively. Ability to supervise members of a group.

….public awareness, education and training are the key elements to move our society towards sustainability. Only a quality future human capital can envision development of its nation to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, the inculcation of soft skills among the students will be two prongs, to produce quality human capital and to develop their knowledge, understanding, values and skills as well. How the two skills blend together will be discussed here.

(1) Communicative Skills

The communicative skills involve effective communication in both the national language and English language in different contexts and with different people. There are eight sub-skills under communicative skills of which three are the must have skills and five are the good to have skills. Communicative skills are an integral part of any education system either in higher education or lower education. As mentioned earlier, in many countries, basic education or primary education is mandatory and it focuses on reading, writing and ciphering. People learn to read books, write letters, figure accounts and develop skills necessary to fulfil their expected roles in their households and community. At this very level, emphasis has been given to develop the communicative skills of individual so that by the time they leave college, they are able to participate in public and community activities and decision making. What is found to be missing in the nation’s present human capital is the lack of communicative skills. The absence of good communicative skills somehow or rather has an influence on the poor presentation of their views and decisions made to gain others confidence and respect. Communicative skills have also been greatly emphasized in the reorientation of basic education for ESD (Education for Sustainable development) which is: the ability to communicate effectively (both orally and in writing). The communicative skill seemed to be one important component that lacks in the future human capital. The incompetence of the future graduates to master both languages will be a set-back to a lot of potential development and advancement of the country. Thus, this is a good time to reorientate the curriculum of higher institutions to embed communicative skills.

2. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

This skill includes the ability to think critically, creatively, innovatively and analytically. It also involves the ability to apply knowledge and understanding to new and different problems as well. For ESD to be successful, it must give people practical skills that will enable them to continue learning after they leave school, to have a sustainable livelihood and to live sustainable lives. The critical thinking skills, skills to organize and interpret data and information, skills to formulate questions and the ability to analyze issues that confront communities are greatly addressed in the reorientation of basic education in ESD. The following are some examples of skills that comply with ESD and some of these skills are similar to the soft skills being emphasized in the curriculum of higher education. The ability to think about systems (both natural and social sciences).

(i) The ability to think in time-to forecast, to think ahead, and to plan.

(ii) The ability to think critically about value issues.

(iii) The ability to separate number, quantity, quality and values.

All the above skills are important and ‘most’ students will require them as the grow into adults.

(iii) The Skill of Team Work

The ability to work with people from different social and cultural backgrounds to achieve a common goal. Students are encouraged to play their role in the group and to respect opinions and attitudes of others in the group. They are also expected to contribute to the group’s plan and coordinate the group’s effort besides being responsible to the group’s decision. This skill is also part of ESD as stated in the reorientation of basic education: the ability to work cooperatively with other people. If the future human capital can attain these skills, we can be rest assure that the future generation will collaborate ideas and cooperate a taskforce towards the well-being of the nation.

(iv) Life-Long Learning and Management of Information

This skill involves an effort to learn to be independent or self-regulated learning in acquiring skills and new knowledge. The ability to find and manage relevant information from various sources is also a criterion of this soft skill. Besides this, students are also expected to develop an inquiry mind and crave for knowledge. As mentioned earlier, these characteristics are equally important in ESD in order for an individual to be media literate and consumer knowledgeable. Life-long learning will enable individuals to accumulate as much knowledge and skills over the years. The ability to manage information well will allow an individual to distinguish between good and bad, to adopt the best practices and to make sound decisions.

(v) Entrepreneurship skill

The ability to seek business opportunity and develop risk awareness. It also involves being creative and innovative in activities related to business and tasks. To design and plan business propositions and the ability to be self employed. This skill can in some ways contribute to the society if the training and practice is done for a good purpose.

(vi) Ethics, Moral and Professional

The ability to practice a high moral standard in professional tasks and social interaction. This skill also includes the ability to analyze ethical problems and make problem solving decisions. Having a sense of responsibility towards society is another criterion of this soft skill.

(vii) Leadership skill

The ability to lead in various activities and tasks. This is an important criterion in ESD for planning and implementing ideas in a group. This skill is also important to lead in discussion and make decision.

Model for implementing soft skills in higher education

A holistic approach is used to plan and implement the soft skills among students of higher education. This approach is based on the combination of several programs and main activities; formal teaching and learning activities (include all curricular and co-curricular elements); support programs (academic and non-academic focused) and the students? campus life (students? residences and the campus surroundings). Figure 1 shows the framework for implementing soft skills among students of higher institutions. In general, the development of soft skills among the students via the formal teaching and learning activities takes two models: (i) stand alone and (ii) embedded..

(i) Stand Alone Subject Model

This model uses the approach of training and providing opportunities to students to develop soft skills through specific courses that are carefully planned for this purpose. Usually, these subjects are offered as university courses (such as English language, entrepreneurship, etc) and elective courses (such as public speaking, critical thinking, etc). The courses in this category are often a part of the overall requirements that make up the program. The number of courses and credits in this category depends on the curriculum design and the requirements of the program. The stand alone subject model can also be initiated by encouraging students to sign-up several additional courses which can be accumulated to be a minor course which is different from the initial program signed-up. For example, a student who is pursuing an engineering program is encouraged to take minor courses in management or mass communication. However, such an approach will require an increase in the number of credits and time spent for the particular program.

(ii) Embedded Model

This model uses the approach of embedding the soft skills in the teaching and learning activities across the curriculum. It does not require the student to take special courses as in the stand alone subject model. Instead the students are trained to master the soft skills through various formal teaching and learning activities that are planned and carried out using specific strategies and methods. In this way, the content and learning outcomes to be achieved for the respective courses are maintained. The learning outcomes related to the soft skills will be integrated and be part of the learning outcomes of the respective courses. This is the suggested model to be implemented in all the courses for the different programs in institutions of higher learning. Each element of soft skills is spelled out in the learning outcomes and then translated into the instructional plan for the semester. This is followed by implementing several teaching and learning activities such as questioning, class discussion, brain storming, team work, presentation, role play and simulation, task/project, field work and site visits.

In general, the development of soft skills using the embedded model requires the expertise of the lecturers to use the various teaching strategies and methods that are entirely student-centered. It also involves active teaching and learning and students should participate actively in the activities. Some of the appropriate strategies and methods that are practical include (i) learning by questioning, (ii) cooperative learning, (iii) problem-based learning (PBL), (iv) e-learning.

(iii) Combination of Stand Alone Subject Model and Embedded Model

Each of the respective models described above has its weaknesses and strengths. From the framework, planning, implementing and assessment, the stand alone model is definitely at an advantage. This is because the course or subject is specially developed to assist students to acquire the soft skills. However, this model lacked the opportunity for students to develop and acquire soft skills as integrated with other knowledge and skills in the major discipline studied. The existing number of credits for the respective program is also a constraint for students to sign-up for additional courses on soft skills.

On the contrary, the framework, planning, implementing and assessment of the embedded model are more challenging than the stand alone model. This model requires the lecturers to master specific teaching and learning skills and then apply these skills in teaching the respective core courses for the specific program. However, when carefully planned and used the appropriate teaching and learning strategies, this model is more effective in developing and acquiring the soft skills as integration with the other knowledge and skills in the program. In addition, this model does not require any additional courses to the already existing courses of the respective program.

Based on the weaknesses and strengths discussed, the higher education institutes are encouraged to use the embedded model as compared to the stand alone model. This is because the embedded model focus on student centered learning such experiential learning, problem-based learning and gives students the practical experience as well.

Development of soft skills through support programs

This involves programs and activities that are created, developed and used to support soft skills either directly or indirectly. In general, the program and activity can be divided into two: (i) academic support program and (ii) non-academic support program.

The academic support program is to help students acquire the soft skills that are associated with academic matters. Some of these programs include ‘Learning Skills’ and the English Language Support Program (ELSP).

As for the non-academic support program, it assists students to acquire the soft skills that are not related to academic matters but more of personality and professional development of the students. Most of the programs and activities are in the form of co-curriculum and extra co-curriculum.

The development of soft skills through Campus Life Activities.

Most university students spend half of their student life living in residences in the university campus. As such, institutions of higher learning should use this golden opportunity to develop their soft skills. This can be done through carefully crafted programs and carrying them out in the conducive campus grounds.

Conclusion

To live to the challenge of globalization which is in line with the era of information economy, the strength of a nation is strongly dependent on the ability of its citizen to be highly intellectual and skillful. The development of human capital is thus important and necessary since it drives the nation to the envision vision and mission. Without a quality human capital, a nation will be weak as there is no human factor that is capable to embark on new initiatives and perspectives. A quality human capital comes from a quality education process. A carefully designed and well planned education system is critical to developing such human capital. Thus, institution of higher learning plays a very important role to produce a human capital that is highly knowledgeable and skillful to meet the demand and expectations of many people. The teaching and learning processes in institutions of higher learning should be capable to provide such knowledge and skills to future graduates.

Teaching Strategies:

2010-03-09T15:30:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Applied English Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Teaching Strategies:

As a teacher working with students who are also not native English speakers you are likely to encounter many international students in your career. Their levels of English fluency will vary. Some may have spoken English in school from a young age, while others may be new to the language. English is relatively challenging to learn, and some students will have difficulty with it. I offer the following table as a teaching guide.

Teaching Strategies Chart

	EASIER STRATEGIES	MODERATE STRATEGIES	ADVANCED STRATEGIES
CRITERIA	Don’t assume lack of comprehension simply because a student’s spoken English is heavily accented, or assume high levels of comprehension simply because of oral fluency. Get to know the students.	Be aware of the difference between the student who makes a variety of grammatical or lexical errors and the one who makes the same kind of error often.	Point out the most prevalent error pattern and ask the student to concentrate on that pattern when editing.
LECTURE	Highlight key points and articulate them in more than one way. Write key terms on the board or overhead. Give students breathing room by illustrating key points anecdotally rather than packing too many ideas and factual support into your presentation.	Provide written handouts for key ideas and instructions. Vary presentation methods and forms of student-teacher interaction. Supplement oral presentations with visual material.	Build rhetorical and actual questions into lectures. Supplement visual with oral information and vice versa. Supplement exposition with interactive exchange of information.
READING	Check reading comprehension by giving short writing assignments – abstracts, brief summaries, and brief responses to text. Regularly read student writing and clarify concepts and facts for students who have repeated difficulty.	Help students understand how to use the dictionary strategically for field specific and frequently used academic terms. Provide study questions or lists of key terms. Ask students to identify terms or concepts they think are unclear.	Have students write about passages of text that don’t make sense or that seem contradictory to them. Illustrate how word form affects the meaning of key terms and concepts.
DISCUSSION	Periodically review and ask questions about main points. Be sensitive to the reluctance of students to speak voluntarily. Acknowledge the difficulty of some concepts.	Have students write and talk in small groups before asking them to articulate answers to interpretive and sophisticated questions in whole-class discussion.	Imagine the ways that students are likely to experience confusion and ask questions that will illustrate the potential for confusion in the material.
PAPERS	Encourage students to share rough drafts with you and focus first on content, not grammatical error or stylistic weakness.	Suggest ways to improve drafts by separating issues of organization and content from issues of language error. Encourage language improvement by noting one or two most pervasive errors at the word or sentence level.	Address key problems with comprehensibility, pointing out the elements that create confusion for you as a reader. Encourage self-editing with a focus on pervasive patterns of error.
STRUCTURE	Encourage students to come to office hours by bringing a sign-up sheet. When returning an assignment, issue a written invitation to see you.	Allow students to do oral presentations (at least the first one) in groups or pairs, and build in practice time. Offer review sessions before exams.	Offer a variety of group work opportunities. Let students select tasks that emphasize their strengths.
ASSESSMENT	When writing questions, express them in simple, clear language, avoiding confusing constructions such as double negatives. Emphasize the value of authentic work and redrafting or editing.	Assess students’ comprehension early in the quarter and frequently. Provide instructive comments on written assignments and invite those who are having trouble to make an appointment to see you.	Ask students to submit all drafts of work to you with editors’, tutors’, and your comments visible to assure work is their own.

7 Rules For a Successful Communication Approach With Non-native English Speakers

2010-03-09T15:29:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Applied English Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

7 Rules For a Successful Communication Approach With Non-native English Speakers

Poor communication with non-native speakers may create feelings of alienation, hostility, and resistance due to the ineffective use of English. Those feelings could create an unfavorable working environment.

Here are 7 rules for a successful communication approach when you interact with non-native English speakers:

Never assume that non-native English speakers understand and speak English. Do not presume that they are capable of using English as fluently as native English speakers. Address differences in language and communication difficulties to create a communication-friendly environment.
Show non-native speakers that you are making an effort to speak their language. You do not have to be fluent in the language they speak. Try to learn important words and expressions to make a positive impression. If non-native speakers see that you are trying to speak their language, they will make an effort to speak your language.
Prepare differently. You cannot interact with a non-native speaker the same way you communicate with a native English speaker. Be aware of specific difficulties and prepare ahead of time. Before a conference call, meeting, or presentation, send a prepared written document to the non-native participants. Detail important items and action plans in clear and precise English.
Be creative. During a conference call, meeting, or presentation, it is important to improvise. Creativity is a key element in successful communication with non-native English speakers. Be attentive to their body language and non-verbal communication. Look for signs that they do not understand. If you sense that your message is not clear, be creative and use different words or sentence constructions. Do not hesitate to clarify by asking, "Is that clear?" and "What questions do you have?"
Use a thesaurus. A thesaurus is the most useful tool a native English speaker can use with a non-native speaker. One vital element of effective communication is the ability to systematically use different words if one word is not clear. If there is a word that a non-native speaker has difficulty with, replace it with a synonym.
Keep a journal. Communicating with non-native English speakers is a learning process. It takes time to see which methods and techniques work effectively. If you write down your interactions, you can see the techniques that work and the problems to avoid.
Smile! A smile is universal and communicates more than words. When you are sincere, a smile represents patience, warmth, kindness, and empathy. Those are important qualities you must have when you communicate with non-native English speakers.

Applied Communication Skills (Elective) Course Outline

2010-03-09T15:27:00.001+01:00

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Course description:

Applied Communications Skills is designed to focus on those who are going to be teaching core and additional subjects IN English to NON Native English speakers – i.e. Teachers who use English as a Second Language teaching subjects others than English in English. The focus of the course will be on identifying the challenges of teaching in this environment as well as the development of strategies that allow you to become an effective and successful teacher or presenter. We will be combining (integrating) the various skills in a flexible, creative manner so that students with varying needs can still meet their own academic, personal and professional objectives. To this end, the methodological approach will be communicative with pedagogical emphasis on teaching in an ESL environment.

Attendance policy:

Assessment:

Attendance	10 %
Homework	10 %
Interview	10 %
Debate	10 %
Reading skill (reading for gist & reading for details)	10 %
Oral interaction (conversation & argument )	10 %
Listening activities	10 %
Writing assignments	20 %
Quizzes	10 %
Total	100 %

Please be well aware that while there will not be formalized mid and final year examinations, the continuous assessments, in total, have the same effect and weigh equally.

Grading Rubric:

Grade Scale	Grade Description	Grade Points
95% - 100%	Excellent	10.0
86% - 94%	Very good	9.0
77% - 85%	Good	8.0
68% - 76%	Satisfactory	7.0
60% - 67%	Passing	6.0
59% - below	Failing	5.0
	Incomplete (IN)	0.0

WEEK 1	Introduction to Applied Communication Skills – Overview, present situation and history of ESL teaching within an multi cultural, ethnic classroom
WEEK 2	The philosophy behind multi cultural classrooms and learning environments. What happens when you have 13 mother tongues in one room? How to establish the ground rules.
WEEK 3	Available resources and how to use them. Challenges of those resources and how to identify which resources best meet the needs of your audience
WEEK 4	Developing educational goals and outlines, establishing the expectations of: the student, the teacher/institution and client or parent
WEEK 5	Presentation in groups of 2 on the first 4 weeks work. Essay on ‘The challenges and advantages of multi lingual, cultural and ethnic teaching situations.
WEEK 6	Adapting available resources for an audience that cannot or does not culturally relate to the materials available vs. using available materials regardless of cultural understanding.
WEEK 7	Designing and adapting your presentation techniques using all available media to get across to your student/audience the main points you are presenting.
WEEK 8	Plan a sample 15 minute lesson on a topic of your choice and present it to a group of 6 students – (Three groups in the class) Rotate the teacher and topic.
WEEK 9	Working with less capable students. Consideration of the home and neighbourhood environment. Family conditions. Accounting for deficits in language acquisition.
WEEK 10	Presentation in groups of 2 on the second 3 weeks work. Mini project on adapting resources vs. creating resources.
WEEK 11	Design a course unit for a specific group of students (assigned by the professor) – describe the challenges of the course design as well as how you overcame them.
WEEK 12	Review of current educational methodologies and practical examples using videos of teachers/trainers in classroom situations – analysis by class.
WEEK 13	Presentation of 15 minute lessons to and using your fellow classmates.

All of the above is subject to change.

SEEU Advanced Skills IV and Applied Communications Skills Classes

2010-03-08T17:37:00.003+01:00

Welcome SEEU students. There is a lot of information on this site and even more on the links that are here. Try out the vocabulary especially and work towards improving your skills. Also as we look at Lord of the Flies read through the notes and background information. I will be interested in your comments as potential English Teachers!

Dr. Rod

Sample IGCSE BASIC Lord of the Flies Questions and answers

2009-08-16T18:35:00.001+02:00

Question 1:

Consider the role of the Conch and the Beast in the novel.
Consider: Why they are important, What their use is in the novel, Their relationships with others.

The examiner wants you to show that you understand the role of the conch and the beast in the novel. They want you to explore both roles in detail.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to consider the role of the conch and the beats in the novel by looking at why they important and what their purpose is.

2 – Why are they important

Consider the role of the conch and the beast, why are they important?

Use relevant quotations to support your answer.

3 - What their use is in the novel

Select a few examples which explain their use in the novel, consider why they are needed in the novel?

4 – Their relationships

Consider their relationships with others, why are these relationships important?

Look at words and actions and how they behave towards others.

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of the characters sum up they role of the conch and the beast and why they are important in the novel.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E (Point, Evidence, Explain) /PQD (Point, Quotation, Develop) THROUGHOUT.

Question 2:

Roger refers to Jack as ‘A proper chief’

What does this tell us about Jack’s leadership? You need to consider at least two episodes.

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand the character of Jack and his role as a leader in the novel.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to consider the role of Jack in the novel and also his role as a leader.

2 – Jack’s character

What is Jack like?

What are his characteristics?

How does Jack treat others?

Look at Jack’s words and actions. Remember to use quotations throughout to support your points.

3 - Jack as a leader

What is Jack as a leader?

How does he treat others in his role as leader?

What are Jack’s actions and words like when he is a leader?

What leadership qualities does he have?

You need to consider at least two specific episodes in detail where Jack is a leader.

4 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of the Jack’s leadership sum up Jack’s leadership.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 3:

How does the character of Jack develop and change during the novel? Consider: His role as leader, his words and actions , how he interacts with others, the increase in violence as the plot develops

The examiner wants you to show you understand the character of Jack and how Jack changes in the play.

They also want you to consider how Jack’s development is linked to the increase in violence in the play.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to show you understand Jack's character and his development during the novel.

2 – Jack as a leader

What is Jack like as a leader?

What are his actions as a leader?

How does he treat others in this role?

How does he behave towards others?

Consider his words and actions when he is a leader. .

3 - How he interacts with others, his words and actions

Select specific examples which show how Jack interacts with other characters and how his words and actions reflect his character.

Remember to select relevant quotations.

4 – The increase in violence

How does the increase in violence reflect Jack’s leadership?

Consider how Jack views violence and how his character is linked to violence.

Remember to select relevant quotations

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of Jack sum up how you think Jack changes and develops throughout the novel.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 4

How does the writer show conflict between Jack and Ralph? Consider: The causes of conflict, how the conflict develops, why Golding creates conflict

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand the characters of Jack and Ralph and how they conflict throughout the novel.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do?

You are going to explore how Golding shows conflict between Jack and Ralph.

2 – The causes of conflict

What is the relationship between Jack and Ralph?

Why is this relationship important?

Why does this relationship cause conflict?

How is this relationship confrontational?

Select specific examples which show this conflict.

3 - How conflict develops

Select relevant examples which show how and when the conflict develops.

What events lead to this development?

Why is this development important?

4 – Why Golding creates conflict

Why do you think Golding create conflict?

What is the importance of conflict?

How does Golding create conflict?

Look at language, description and the development of conflict.

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of conflict sum up how and why conflict is shown

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 5

Choose two of the following: The Beast, Fire, Hunting

Write about how these two things : Reflect the boys attitudes, The importance they have in the novel, The way the writer reflects them

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand how symbols i.e. fire, the beast and hunting relate to the boys and how these symbols are reflected by Golding.

You MUST select 2 of the 3 symbols and then cover all three bullet points.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to explore the use of the beast/fire/hunting (remember to choose2) and how these reflect attitudes on the island, why they are important in the novel and why Golding reflects them in this way.

2 – How do they reflect the boys attitude?

What do these symbols tell us about the boys and their attitudes?

Are these symbols of danger, fear, success, independence?

Why are these symbols important to the boys?

3 - Why are they important?

Why are these things so important?

Firstly why are they important to the boys?

Secondly why are they important in reflecting the themes and ideas of the novel? E.g. What does hunting tell you about the boys and the novel is it considered evil or good?

Remember to us lots of quotations to support your points.

4 – How does the writer reflect them

You will need to look at language and descriptions here.

How does the writer describe these things?

How do the writer describes the boys response to these things?

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion use your analysis to sum up why your two symbols are important to the boys and in the novel

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 6

Are there more heroes or villains in the novel?

Consider: Which character are heroes and why? Which characters are villains and why? How the writer shows that they are heroes or villains

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand firstly the idea of good and evil and secondly that you can decide which characters are good and which characters are evil.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to explore heroes and villains in the novel. You are going to decide which characters are heroes and which characters are villains.

2 – Which characters are heroes?

You need to select examples of characters who are heroes and you need to list why you think they are heroes by selecting specific events in the novel – you must use PEE.

You need to also refer to how the writer shows these characters as heroes – you should look at language and characters actions and words.

3 - Which characters are villains?

You need to select examples of characters who are villains in the novel.

What makes them a villain?

You need to select specific events which show these characters are villains.

You need to also refer to how the writer shows these characters as villains – you should look at language and characters actions and words.

4 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of heroes and villains you need to sum up who is a villain or hero, why they are a villain or hero and how the writer shows this.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 7:

‘The most obvious leader was Jack.’ What makes Jack a powerful leader?
Consider Jack’s qualities, how Jack is shown as a leader, how you respond to Jack.

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand the character of Jack and how he responds and behaves when he is a leader.

You need to consider the qualities that make Jack so powerful.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to consider Jack’s role as a leader, by exploring his qualities, words and actions which make him a powerful leader.

2 – Jack’s Qualities

Select examples from the novel which show Jack’s qualities as a leader.

You need to explain how he is a leader by looking at how he behaves, how he treats others and his actions towards others.

3 - How Jack is shown as a leader

Select examples which show Jack as a leader.

You should select specific examples of when Jack is in charge – E.g hunting.

When Jack is a leader how does he treat others?

How does he behave?

4 – Your response

What is your opinion of Jack?

Do you think he is a powerful leader? Why / why not?

Is Jack the most obvious leader? Why/why not?

Use relevant examples from the novel to support your points.

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of Jack sum up whether or not he is the most obvious leader.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 8

The examiner is looking for you to show that you understand the changes that take place in the novel.

At the beginning there is a sense of childhood freedom and fun, however as the novel progresses violence and death are more prominent. Cover all points in your response.

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to explore the changes that take place in this novel. You are going to consider reasons for change, how change is shown and what this tells us about the characters in the novel.

2 – Reasons for change

Select reasons for change from the text.

Why do these changes occur?

Is is a result of peoples actions?

Is it a result of the island?

3 - How the writer shows change

Select a few examples which show this change and consider how it is shown by looking at language and description.

Consider characters words, actions and behaviour towards each other following this change.

4 – What is the writer saying

Consider what the writer is trying to tell you about the boys.

Why is he showing them as violent?

Why does he include death?

Is he simply saying this is a story about growing up?

Or is he trying to say that the boys cannot be trusted? Y

ou need to make your point and supply relevant quotations to support.

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis of changes in the novel sum up what the changes are, how the writer shows changes and what the writer is trying to say, maybe end with a quotation which sums up this change.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

Question 9

How does Golding show evil at work in Lord of The Flies?

Consider: Evil signs, Character’s evil intentions

The examiner is looking for you to show that you

a) understand the evil theme in the novel

b) you know who the evil characters are and why they are evil

c) you can explain how evil is shown

Plan

1 – Introduction

What are you going to do? You are going to explore evil in the novel, you are going to look at the evil signs and characters in the novel and you will then consider how Golding shows evil.

2 – Evil Signs

What are the evil signs in the novel?

Are they signs the boys show?

Are they signs already on the island?

Consider the boys actions and words and consider the symbols such as fire, the beast.

3 - Evil Characters

Select relevant examples which show evil characters at work.

You can also consider good characters who maybe have evil intentions at points.

What is the effect of this evil?

4 – How Golding shows evil

You need to consider language and description, how does Golding show evil, look at how evil characters and symbols are described.

Consider how evil characters interact with each other.

5 – Conclusion

Come to a firm conclusion using your analysis sum up how evil is shown through evil symbols and evil characters in the novel.

REMEMBER TO USE P.E.E/PQD THROUGHOUT.

REMEMBER TO USE THIS SITE TO HELP YOU WITH REVISION QUESTIONS:

http://www.revisionworld.co.uk/gcse-us-grades-8-10/english/

Exam preparation and practice AQA

2009-08-16T18:21:00.001+02:00

Types of question set by AQA

You will have two questions to choose from. It is likely that one of them will focus on a particular character or characters, and one will focus on a theme or idea.

Foundation Tier

Questions on this paper are likely to consist of a question or instruction followed by several bullet-pointed suggestions about parts of the book you could refer to in your answer.

It is a very good idea to follow these suggestions.

You might be asked about:

1 how a character changes and develops

2 a character’s role in the book

3 how the ideas in the book are presented.

Example

The boys think that Simon is odd, but he is one of the most important characters in the novel. Do you agree?

You may wish to consider:

1 What Simon is like

2 How Simon is shown to be odd

3 Why you think Simon is important

4 How Golding uses Simon to convey his ideas.

You might be asked to consider more than one character. Or you might be asked your opinion about how well Golding presents his themes.

Higher Tier

Questions on this paper may not contain suggestions or prompts for writing your answer. They are likely to present you with a statement and ask you to agree or disagree with it, or ask you an open question which encourages you to structure and develop your own ideas through your own choice of examples and textual reference. You might be asked to compare aspects of the book, such as the way in which different characters or contrasting settings are presented. Be prepared to give your opinion about the effectiveness of William Golding’s techniques and how convincingly he presents his ideas.

You might be asked about:

1 how characters are presented

2 what characters represent

3 how the ideas in the book are presented

4 your response to how the ideas in the book are presented.

Example

Some of the characters in the novel could be described as outsiders. How does Golding present these characters and use them to highlight his ideas?

Choosing which question to answer

The first thing you should do is read each question carefully to make sure that you have understood what it is asking you to do. Even if there is one question which you instinctively choose, take a few moments to check out both questions.

Understanding what the question requires

For each question, go through the brief but vital process of checking that you have understood what it requires you to do. This process has two parts:

1 Check that you understand what the key words are. You could underline or highlight them.

2 Put the question in your own words, making sure that you do not distort or change its meaning. A good way to practise this is to imagine that you are explaining it to someone else.

You could use the following prompts:

1 ‘This question is asking me to write about ...’

2 ‘In answering this question, I will have to focus on ...’

Practice exercises

1 Try out this two-part process on the questions in the previous section:

The boys think that Simon is odd, but he is one of the most important characters in the novel. Do you agree?

1 Key word? What does it mean?

2 Own words:

Some of the characters in the novel could be described as outsiders. How does Golding present these characters and use them to highlight his ideas?

1 Key words? What do they mean?

2 Own words:

2 Now try the process on two or three of the essays you have done for class or homework.

Analysing William Golding's Lord of the Flies and other useful activities

2009-08-16T17:15:00.001+02:00

The island is very dense covered in shrubbery and plantations
including tropical pines. This is generally recognised when the ground is described as "steamy". The island itself is very hard and rocky this is shown by piggy's quote "no plane could've landed here with wheels anyway".
There were a beautiful lagoon not too far in from the reef that went out from see - it was (the coast) surrounded with palm trees.
There was a coral reef and beyond that, dark blue leading out to the ocean. The island was also quite large "to Ralph's left the
perspectives of palm and beach and water drew to a point of infinity".
The island was not perfect landscaped either, large pink granite rocks which also become a source in the novel. In general, the island was not a flat surface with hills; it was one with rockiness, weeds, vines, terrible fruit in which the children get diarrhoea, jungle (shade) and sand. But perhaps Golding sums it up the
best when he explains "It was roughly boat-shaped: humped near this end with behind them the jumbled descent of the shore."

The ship is an old symbol of human society.

2)
a) As soon as Ralph gets back to the meeting after exploring the island and seeing a Ginny pig on the way, he begins to set-up rules along with his partner in command (at the time) Jack.
The rules include "A sense of working together". Ralph says "We need hunters to go and get us meat". He also quotes, "We need to look after ourselves because there are no grown-ups".
No talking at once (a democracy) Ralph - "it needs to be like school" The first rule to be broken was straight away by Jack, as he climbed up the mountain, with the crowed of littluns following him. Meanwhile Ralph and Piggy are left stranded - Ralph still with the CONCH in his grasp.

Another key rule which is broken following this was on top of the fire mountain in which Piggy's specs were used. This was mainly due to Piggy's appearance (hence the name!) and intellectual ability. His glasses represent the power of science and intellectual endeavour in society. They end up taking his glasses with force. Thus, when later on Jack's hunters raid Ralph's camp and steal the glasses, the savages have taken the power to make fire, and Ralph's civilization is left helpless. But more importantly Piggy should've had the right to say something, after all he did have the conch - but they didn't care.
Rules end up failing towards the end of the novel and the obvious
culprit is Jack. He is the one who leads them into savagery. He is
arrogant and does not let the others have a fair say - He wants people to say what he wants to hear. This is clearly demonstrated when Jack looses his temper and shouts to Piggy "You, Shut-up!" Roger is like Jack's sidekick - he represents evil, whilst Simon is the first one to realise the Lord of the Flies is coming into the island and therefore represents goodness. (In a more generalised term)

b) I believe the dead fire symbolises the hope of rescue and for the boys' connection to civilization. As long as the fire is well
maintained, the boys exhibit a desire to return to society, but when the fire burns low or goes out, the boys lose sight of their desire to be rescued, having accepted their savage lives on the island.
Ironically, at the end of the novel, it is a fire that finally summons
a ship to the island, but not the signal fire: it is the fire of savagery-the forest fire Jack starts as part of his quest to hunt and kill Ralph. Ralph therefore feels like the boys do not have the same incentive to get rescued as he does and becomes naturally cross at the boys.

3)
Dossier: Piggy
Name: Piggy
Age: 12 approximately
Physical Description: Wears big thick glasses, is in quite poor health (his as-mar), very fat and round, fine brown hair, freckles and with a "piggish" type face.
Personality: He likes intellectuals who discuss matters of interest
and have concern for one another. He dislikes people who are rude and do not listen to others (JACK - "Piggy was so full of delight on Jacks departure, so full of pride on his contribution to the good of society, which he helped to fetch wood.")
Beliefs: A democratic society in general.
Other: He is always left to baby sit the littluns when the boys go off on adventures, told by Ralph that he "isn't good for this sort of
thing." Obviously made fun of in school, he often feels left out and
isolated early on in the story although increasingly as Jack and Ralph drift apart, Piggy's voice of reason and insight come to fill the gap, and he and Ralph become good friends.

Dossier: Ralph
Name: Ralph
Age: 12 approx.
Physical Description: attractive young boy, thinly built, his mouth and eyes reflected his skin and represented no evil. His skin is dark, tanned with fine brown hair - A boy whom looks like a leader - Golding - His body described as 'golden'.
Personality: Establishes a mock-democratic government for the group in order for them to be rescued, and to maintain peace and order. Also likes intellects (Piggy) and jobs being completed for the good of society. Dislikes include: Jack, arrogance and not following orders atoll.
Other: Ralph is the one boy at the close of the novel who is not a
hunter. Having been pursued ruthlessly by Jack and his tribe, Ralph begins weeping on the beach before his grown-up rescuers. The naval officer shows disapproval at the destructive state of things on the island, which Ralph laments that he had done everything he could do to be a good leader.

Dossier: Simon
Name: Simon
Age: 13 - 15
Physical Attributes: He is a small skinny boy along with a small chin "and eyes so bright they had been deceived as wicked". A long mop of black hair concealed most of his forehead and ears. His feet were bare and his skin colour was dark which glistened by his sweat.
Personality: When he is given orders he does what is needed (shown when Ralph and Simon build shelters for everyone). He was very quiet and yet there was something about him as though he was always suggesting something. He is also kind and thoughtful in thinking.
Beliefs: Represents natural human goodness.

Dossier: Jack
Name:Jack Merridew
Age: 15 - 16
Physical Description: Tall, thin, and bony...his hair was red beneath the black cap. His face was...freckled, and ugly without silliness' (Chapter 1 pg. 19). His eyes were bright blue and turned to anger if necessary.
Personality: Likes; being in charge (power), being important, telling others what to do, build up a colt??? Dislikes; People telling him what to do, people saying he's wrong, people like Piggy
(intellectuals).
Beliefs: Only when Simon faints does he show sympathy, to create his own number of hunters.
Other: It is Jack who leads the boys' turn to savagery, or at least gives it a certain order.

4)
The Conch Shell - The conch shell is the first important discovery Piggy and Ralph make on the island, and they use it to summon the boys together after they are separated by the crash. As a result, the conch shell becomes a powerful symbol of civilization and order. It is used to govern the boys' meetings: the boy who holds the shell is given the right to speak, making the shell more than a symbol; it is an actual vessel of political legitimacy and democratic power. As the island civilization erodes and savagery begins to dominate the boys, the conch shell loses its power and influence among them. Ralph clutches it desperately when he talks about his role in murdering Simon. Later, he is taunted and pelted with stones when he attempts to blow it in Jack's camp at Castle Rock. When Roger kills Piggy with the boulder, the conch shell is crushed, signifying the complete demise of the civilized instinct among almost all the boys on the island.

Piggy's Glasses - Piggy is the most intelligent, rational boy in the group, and his glasses represent the power of science and intellectual endeavour in society. This is most clearly demonstrated when Piggy's glasses are used to make fire by intensifying sunlight with their lenses. Thus, when Jack's hunters raid Ralph's camp and steal the glasses, the savages have taken the power to make fire, and Ralph's civilization is left helpless.
The Signal Fire - The signal fire burns on the mountain, and later on the beach, to attract the notice of passing ships that might be able to rescue the boys. As a result, the signal fire becomes a symbol for the boys' connection to civilization. As long as the fire is well maintained, the boys exhibit a desire to return to society, but when the fire burns low or goes out, the boys lose sight of their desire to be rescued, having accepted their savage lives on the island. The signal fire thus functions as a kind of measuring stick by which the strength of the civilized instinct on the island can be judged. Ironically, at the end of the novel, it is a fire that finally summons a ship to the island, but not the signal fire: it is the fire of savagery-the forest fire Jack starts as part of his quest to hunt and kill Ralph.

5)
The hunters lose their Identity primarily when "play was good and life so full that hope was not necessary and therefore forgotten." They start to get caught up in this 'frenzy' of hunting and as they kill more and more. There desires take over - for killing and even sexual desires "right up her ass!" This soon leads to power corrupting and eventually wanting more control over the island itself.

6)
a) Lord of the Flies: This is the name given to the inner beast, to
which only Simon ever actually speaks. As Simon's waits for the
beast's arrival near the bloody sow's head on the stake (buzzing with flies), The Lord of the Flies speaks to him, warning him not to get in its way or else he shall be killed by the boys. The Lord of the Flies name comes from the sow's head and the countless flies buzzing about it, which soon move from the sow's head to swarm around the head of Simon as the Lord of the Flies tells him, "I'm a part of you." It is quite ironic that in biblical terms the term means a demon of Hell and cohort of Satan.
b) The Lord of the Flies came into being by civilization and savagery. One is devoted to values that promote ordered society and the other is devoted to values that threaten ordered society. When 'evil' comes onto the island the Lord of the Flies has now come down on the boys and society has changed.
c) Simon conversers with the pig head because he is the one who
understands what the pig head is coming to. He realises it is evil
after the head says "Aren't you just a silly little boy?" Simon
clearly tries to ignore the interrogation speaking to him and says
virtually nothing. From that point on Simon realises that the beast is in all of them and collapses rolling into the pig's head.
d) The conversation to Simon is I believe about changing his ways and turning into evil if possible "I'm warning you. I'm going to get waxy. D'you see? You're not wanted. Understand?" The pigs head knows that Simon is its only threat in wanting to turn good into society and says "Where going to have fun" "Don't you mess it up" If Simon does not change into the evilness that most of the boys are getting possessed by - he will end up dead, which is exactly what happens.
e) The weather was dark and there was a sense of dullness in the air. It reflects what is happening to Simon when he makes his way to the feast, he starts acting less secure and starts to question what is actually happening on the island. The weather has a dramatic affect on the boys, they want to go home and further more it is the turning point into savagery as Jack breaks up and society is heading to its downfall. "Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape".

7) RALPH DIARY ENTRY 1:
I arrived on this island with my fellow friend 'Piggy' and what was to seem quite a good place to have a functional society with no grown-ups to tell us anything of the sort. I blew this thing called a conch explained to me by the cockney 'Piggy'. It had a great low frequency sound which ended up calling boys from all over the island; they and I were greatly pleased for performing an act of leadership. Soon afterwards a group of choir boys dressed in black clothes appeared up on the beach where we held a meeting, one of them was the obvious leader named Jack. Jack and I sort out a vote on who should become chief of this new island paradise
and I was elected naturally with the exception of Jack's choir boys.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Jack had taken this matter
quite disapprovingly, so as a good Englishmen would do I gave him the choir group to be governed by him. They would become hunters that would supply us with food. After the matter of voting who would be chief was sorted out we decided to do some exploring, Piggy wanted to come to but was not wanted so Jack and I made him stay back to look after the littluns (children).
The island was very dense with all kinds of plantations growing
everywhere it was also hard and rocky. The beach was surrounded by sea which then lead to dark blue and not a single grown man or woman in sight. I returned with many thoughts and issues in my head. We needed to be rescued and to be rescued we needed a plan. I quickly realised that the boy called Piggy was also a determined intellect that had thoughts in his head. He raised the issue to me that a smoke signal was need on top of a big mountain. So all of the biguns (adults) went up the mountain enthusiastically to create a great smoke signal, in which was for us to become rescued.

RALPH DIARY ENTRY 2:
They have become savages. Jacks lot have gone mad. I do not know what to do and Piggy, Samneric and I all need help though there is none in sight. Civilization has become ruined and Simon is dead and word of this beast is spreading.
I know we cannot fix this situation. Jack has become brutal and has taken power through force and ignorance. They have set up camp at castle rock. Piggy and I have arranged that we will travel there tonight in search of answers, though I am aware that it is a faint possibility.
There is an evil force on this island, and yet there is quietness. We
need help, if only adults were here¦ they'd understand. Tis no good, it looks like we must become savages or die here.

JACK DIARY ENTRY 1:
I am disappointed on my involvement on the island. I clearly should've been chief, but this Ralph person doesn't seem to be too bad. My group of hunters have been unfortunate with no kills yet, but we'll get them. I think Ralph doesn't know how to run the place that well. He's like Piggy, however I don't wanna talk to dem - they might get upset and do something. Not enough gets done here. The littluns just play all day in the beach and throw sand at each other. We need a chief like me a hard one, that doesn't allow this sort of behaviour. They should be told to do
there jobs and shut-up, otherwise they do nothing and just want to live off our hard work.
I don't like some of the boys here, especially that Piggy. That fat
ogre I'd like to give him some stick O'well I got get back to do
some hunting, using war paints so I can get the bastards.

JACK DIARY ENTRY: 2
At last things have been put to good uses. We have formed our own camp outside of Ralph's - serves him right for standing up to Piggy and not being a proper leader. Tonight we will toast my victory and the goodness of the tribe. Finally thing's are lookin up and I don't wanna see Ralph and dem lot Eva again unless they join us or else they'll cop one. Me and Roger have plans for this island and where gonna hunt with spears and hold ceremonies and dances. The island finally seems to have got order and it's gonna stay dat way forever.

Roger – who is he?

The Most powerful character in the novel I believe is Roger. Although he does not say a great deal and character is not mentioned that much, he still has a vital impact on the novel and outlines the key allegorically.
Once again, The overriding theme of the novel is the conflict between two competing impulses that exist within all human beings: the instinct to live by rules, act peacefully, follow moral commands, and value the good of the group on the one hand; and the instinct to gratify one's immediate desires, act violently to obtain supremacy over others, and enforce one's will on the other. These two instincts may be called "the instinct of civilization" and "the instinct of savagery," as one is devoted to values that promote ordered society and the other is devoted to values that threaten ordered society.
The conflict might also be expressed as order vs.. chaos, reason vs.. impulse, law vs.. anarchy, or in any number of other ways, including the more generalized good vs.. evil. Throughout the novel, the instinct of civilization is associated with goodness, while the instinct of savagery is associated with evil - In this case Roger represents evil.
Roger is a character almost like the Lord of the Flies - He represents all evil in human being's whether it may be power or corruption. Roger has outlined the significance in the way human being's react and their focus towards the way in which human being's lose there moral principals. Indications from Golding have lead to the conclusion that Roger represents brutality and bloodlust at their most extreme. Golding, however, writes that the children all have innate evil and savagery within themselves. Civilisation, in other words, can mitigate but never wipe out the innate evil that exists within all human being's.

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LORD OF THE FLIES: THE INNATE EVIL OF MAN LUIS FERNANDO GOMEZ

2009-08-16T16:55:00.001+02:00

" . . . But his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself and, by Heavens I tell you, it had gone mad . . . No eloquence could have been so withering to one's belief in mankind as his final burst of sincerity. He struggled with himself too. I saw it. I heard it. I saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no faith and no fear, yet struggling blindly with itself."

Joseph Conrad in Heart of Darkness

The range of the fiendish acts of all the children in Lord of the Flies lead to their own moral degradation as they develop a savagery behavior and adopt a brutal nature which universally confirm the scathing and destructive conduct of man. Lord of the Flies is a stunning exploration of the deepest and darkest sides of the bestiality of the human being which is gradually revealed, in this particular case, in the apparent innocence of a bunch of children who are marooned on an isolated island. Hence, the loss of innocence turns into a diabolical and ruthless conduct as the children intend to coexist among each other along the whole novel. Unfortunately, their clumsy attempt to establish a civilization in the middle of wilderness makes them split until they ultimately set a barbaric tribe. Ralph, who is the only straight character that remains civilized until the last second of their painful adventure in the novel, is first introduced as an innocent boy. After their plane has been wrecked in the sea, he appears on the island picking his way towards a lagoon. He is described as "a boy with fair hair" who possesses the perfect physical conditions to keep himself alive. He is a strong and healthy child who is nimble to clamber heavily among the thick vegetation and the heavy rocks of the island. His innocence is remarked as he plays around the island without pondering about the real harmful consequences of being trapped at an isolated place. Equally, his innocent behavior is manifested when Piggy, the fat boy, reaches the lagoon. Ralph comments to Piggy that his father, who is a commander in the army, will come pretty soon to rescue them, so there is no need to be worried about. The inexperienced life of Ralph allows him to see his stay on the island as an easy and entertaining way which gives him the chance to be released from the authority of his commander father. He considers that being on the island is an occasion to be free from authority and rules. Therefore, he assumes that life over there is meant to do everything he was prevented from doing in the adult world. His blissful and heroic spirit fosters his expectancy to undertake an adventurous experience in the bewildering vastness of the island while he awaits the moment to be rescued. In fact, Ralph never imagines that he really is on the threshold of danger and death. As the author, William Golding, introduces Piggy, we also learn about his pure innocence. Piggy happens to be an overweight asthmatic boy who, in contrast to Ralph, lacks the physical skills to survive on the island. His whole life depends on his spectacles, and these facts immediately suggest that he would not be able to endure the obnoxious anarchy of the insane children later in the novel. He is also initially underlined as an outsider as he makes a great effort to obtain Ralph's sympathy and acceptance before the other children show up. Piggy is pathetic when he believes that if he confesses how he was called at school, then Ralph will become his friend and will not call him names. " 'I don't care what they call me' he said confidentially, 'so long as they don't call me what they used to call me at school.' Ralph was faintly interested. 'What was that?' The fat boy glanced over his shoulders, then leaned toward Ralph. He whispered. 'They used to call me Piggy' " (11). Ralph obviously laughs at this confidence and starts amusingly calling him "piggy, Piggy." In this particular instance, Piggy allows himself to enhance his pathetic condition of being ridiculed because of the shape of his body and his nickname. He was expecting consideration from Ralph, who seemed to be a different guy, but in return Piggy is subject of scornful mockery. In this way, Piggy demonstrates his level of innocence as he wrongly intends to trust a stranger. Ralph also emphasizes his immaturity here one more time since he is not still grown up enough to stop making fun of people. His laughter is just an expression of a childish boy who finds it funny someone called by that name, and that is why Ralph tends to be cruel with Piggy on the regular basis of children's normal cruelty. William Golding's expertness to develop the characterization of all the children from innocence to evil in Lord of the Flies, vividly comes into view since their first appearance. We can observe that while Ralph is an attractive, athletic, sort of a smart boy still in the state of innocence, Piggy, in spite of his small age, is the frightened outsider but intellectual boy. Piggy cerebrates the effectiveness of the conch and persuades Ralph to blow it in order to summon the first assembly so that all the children reach the lagoon. Although Piggy is still an innocent boy, he seems to have the precious gift for knowledge and is able to advise Ralph with brilliant insights to establish order. Piggy' s level of intellectuality determines a higher innocent maturity compared to that of Ralph's, whose first expression of cruelty takes place when he makes fun of Piggy's physical weaknesses. Ralph ridicules Piggy by telling him rude comments such as "suck to your untie" and "suck to your ass-mar" when Piggy affirms he cannot swim because of his asthma (13). Ralph also achieves to evoke contemptuous laugher from the rest of the children when he tells them that the fat boy is called Piggy, though Ralph would not have known this, unless Piggy himself had told him. From now on, the children thrive a harsh instigation against Piggy who is ridiculed for his fatness, his asthma, his spectacles and his limitations to do hard work. The embarrassment and the severe humiliation that the children cause Piggy at the beginning of the story overshadows the scathing brutality they are endowed with in the end of the novel. The loss of innocence is clearly initiated when Jack Merridew appears with the choir. He is an arrogant and onerous bully who exerts total power on the choir and who later becomes delighted with a taste for violence and severity. His lack of human compassion is first seen when he demands the children to stand still in line sweating in the sunshine and one of them falls down in the sand. His words, "He's always throwing a faint. He did in Gib,: and Addis; and at mantis over the precentor" (20) reveal the exploited uneasiness of his temper and his peevish coercion to people. Thus, when all the survivors are present and vote to choose the leader of the children, Jack makes haste to assure his leadership; " 'I ought to be the chief,' said Jack with simple arrogance, 'because I am chapter chorister and head boy' " (22) His authoritative attitude intends to force the children to elect him as the leader, and he even protests when they do not approve his will. Ralph is acclaimed by all except the choir which votes for Jack, and this implies the forcible restrain Jack brings upon the members of his group of singers. In this way, he also covets the attainment of the rest of the children under his repressive control, a goal he eventually achieves. At the moment of the elections, all the children are still in the realms of innocence since their benevolent and righteous behavior let them observe Ralph as the indicated leader for their new society. They are aware of the qualities of this boy; "There was a stillness about Ralph . . . there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees" (22). Ralph is conceived as an intelligent boy with the natural inclination to do charitable acts for those around him and, as he holds the conch, he is considered as a chief who will rule with optimal principles of democracy as he pertains the interests and the participation of all the children. The election of Ralph as the chief undoubtedly emphasizes the boys' innocence because this action shows their urgent craving for establishing an island society based on the rules of democracy and civilization. Thus, the conch, with which Piggy instructs Ralph to summon the children, becomes the symbol of social order in the middle of wilderness among these immature boys who want to live in an organized and lawful community. Our concept of Ralph changes at this point. The first impression we have of Ralph when he mocks Piggy's asthma is that of cruelty since Ralph shows himself as an immature and insensitive boy to get along with Piggy. However, the method Piggy has used to teach him how to blow the conch and the concerns Piggy has exposed to him previous the first assembly, make Ralph acquire certain maturity. When Ralph says that his father is coming to rescue them, the immediate question Piggy asks is "How does he know we're here"(14). Piggy is indeed more realistic than Ralph and sees things as they are; "Did you hear what the pilot said? About the atom bomb? They're all dead. . . and this is an island. Nobody don't know we're here. Your dad don't know, nobody don't know. We may stay here till we die" (14). Since Piggy exposes their real conditions on the island, Ralph begins to assume a mature role. Therefore, Ralph learns from Piggy and is capable of becoming more aware of the atrocious outcome if they do nothing quickly to be saved. That is why when all the children get together by the lagoon, Ralph utters their first priority, "We've got to decide about being rescued" (22). So far, Ralph has learned to be more responsible and more understanding. We can observe that when Jack verbally attacks Piggy for the first time by shouting at him, "You're talking to much. Shut up, fatty.", Ralph answers back, "He's not fatty, his real name is Piggy" in defence of the person who has opened his mind to adopt a sense of responsibility and maturity. Lamentably, in his haste to defend Piggy, he lets everybody know what the overweight boy's nickname is, and this suggests that, although Ralph has started to change, he is still quiet inexperienced to deal with serious affairs. We can estimate that both, Ralph and Piggy, like most of the children, represent pure innocence and civilization. Piggy is the intellectual leader who measures the realistic conditions of their loss on the island and consequently provides reasonable solutions to their problems. Ralph, on his hand, has the necessary physical requirements and credibility to lead the children. So, both working as a team can assure their eagerness to be rescued. Unfortunately, their willingness to set a society is threatened by the disruptive and overbearing presence of Jack Merridew whose constant ambition for power causes friction between the leader and himself until he scatters the oneness of the children and besieges with a kingdom of destructiveness and beastly felonies. Therefore, William Golding's theme in Lord of the Flies refers to the truth of our vicious, depraved and belligerent human nature. Evil happens to be a ferocious inner force that endlessly operates on our human code as we are tempted to perform mundane and insane acts in order to destroy our own kind. Then, if we are naturally evil, we will never be able to reach real civilization. This is the central idea of the novel because just having "one" Jack in one society, it is enough to disintegrate civilization. We can witness that the collapse of the social order the children try to set in a wild spot of the island, is directly caused by, on the one hand, their own wicked personal limitations, and on the other hand, the diabolical machinations of Jack to achieve his macabre purposes. Then, because of their weaknesses, the boys of the island lose their innocence to acquire the inmost brutal level of degeneration. Along the action of the novel, all the limitations of the boys are clearly displayed. After the exploration of Jack, Ralph and Simon on top of the mountain to verify if they are on an island, the boys again summon an assembly in which they confront reality. They discover that their situation is cumbersome, and in this sense, they have to talk about priorities. They realize they are lonely; for this, they have to get food, find shelter to protect from the weather, adhere to a system of rules and the use of the conch, defend from the possible existence of a beast on the island, and most importantly, determine the way they can be rescued, which undoubtedly is their most urgent priority. These concerns let us see again that a society is being established by the boys as they have the mutual disposition of living together and organizing themselves to solve their inconveniences of loneliness, hunger, helplessness, defenselessness and rescue; that is to say, they are operating on a reasonable conception of civilization. However, we are about to see that their plans for bringing up a social system is going to be ruined by their own inconcinnities. In order to satisfy their necessity of food, Ralph empowers Jack to be the chief of the hunters, who are only those involved in the choir. Ralph already knows that Jack has been resented as a result of not having been chosen as the leader, so there is already a high rivalry between these two boys, although Ralph never intended to maintain such aversion. Ralph presumes his opponent is going to aggrieve and revenge sooner or later; in consequence, he is prepared to appraise Jack as a brave hunter to make him feel as an important adventurous chief for hunting and bringing food for everyone. Ironically, Jack is never satisfied of being promoted to a second position, and this suggests that he is plotting an intense offense against Ralph. This is of course, the first limitation of the boys because both authorities, the chief of their whole new society and the chief of hunters, hold an extreme opposition as they start a senseless struggle for power. Their second limitation resides on their failure to built shelter. First, because the children are not disciplined to help with hard work, and therefore, only Ralph and Simon end up building huts, which is a labor that goes beyond their physical possibilities. We observe that they can hardly erect two unsteady, quivering huts while a third one is in ruins. For instance, Piggy abhors doing hard physical effort so he rather prefers to hide in the weeds for not being involved in the huts construction. Second, because the chief of the hunters, Jack, gradually becomes obsessed for hunting until the point he is completely careless of building any kind of civilized refuge. He prefers to creep in the forest with his hunters to train themselves in view of killing piglets. At a critical moment when Ralph is indignant because of the boys' negligence, he says to Jack, "the best thing we can do is to get ourselves rescued". Then Jack replies, "Rescue? Yes, of course! All the same, I'd like to catch a pig first" (53). Jack's comment reveals that he is practically adjusting to his new life and does not need any kind of rescue as long as he can hunt pigs. In fact, he is severely disappointed with himself after a frustrating day trying to get any prey. In addition to these weaknesses, the rest of the children, the littluns and the remaining biguns, procrastinate all the time spending long hours lying on the beach or just playing around. The ideal of society is already broken up. This number of limitations demonstrates that these human beings cannot longer yearn for a society because they are entirely devoid of a sense of cooperativeness, responsibility and compromise, and without these basic human principles, they obviously cannot succeed in their enterprise. They are so immature and somehow innocent to harmonize and bring into agreement their various differing interests, their diversity of goals and their personal characteristics, that their intention to keep their human, civilized and social dignity becomes technically ineffective. Surprisingly, all the boys concern about their own business and leave all the responsibility on Ralph's shoulders. William Golding certainly wanted to show how easily our own society can collapse due to our carelessness, selfish purposes and corruptive actions, because after all, a social order consists of the mutual interests and companionship of every single human being in search of a common goal. It also seems that the author of Lord of the Flies wanted to give us a warning and a guideline to be aware of our own incendiary evil conduct in this modern society. Indeed, one of the major incidents that elucidates the failure of the boys to live in harmony, is when they let part of the island get aflame. Ralph announces that if they want to be rescued, they immediately have to start a fire. There is an instantaneous reaction; the boys split out following Jack in search of wood. Here, the boys demonstrate how unprepared they are to deal with those affairs related to their own survival. They collect a huge heap of firewood, but then they find themselves inevitably inept to light it up. Ralph shouts at Piggy, "Have you got any matches?" (40). This question indicates the absurdity of their plan to start a fire. To what extend could it be possible that a boy had any matches in the middle of wilderness after being wrecked in the sea? At a first sight, Ralph's question and the situation in which they are involved may look ridiculous and funny. However, this event clearly points out the pathetic condition of the children on the island because they are not suitable for these hard times as they lack the simple judgment, that for starting a fire, at least in civilizable terms, matches are needed. Thus, they will never be able to measure the consequences of their acts, and this remarks again the immaturity and innocence of the boys to pursue their goal of establishing a society. On the contrary, they progressively move away from social decency. Since they are incompetent to light the fire, the unbecoming reaction of Jack is to grab Piggy's glasses against his will. "Jack pointed suddenly. 'His specs- use them as burning glasses!' Piggy was surrounded before he could back away. 'Here- let me go!' His voice rose to a shriek of terror as Jack snatched the glasses off his face" (40). The rest of the children get excited about this unbridled outburst and as a sign of approval there are "pushing and pulling and officious cries" (40) which imply that all the boys perform the first aggressive physical assault to the poor Piggy who is, at this moment, totally blind without his glasses. Unfortunately, his physical disabilities make him fearful of attack, and Jack is wise to discover this. Radically, one of their brutal laws is here stated, only the strongest are those who have privilege to be respected, those who are weak are ineluctably compelled to be abused and sacrificed. As the children over-collect wood and are at the risk of starting a huge fire, Piggy, the intelligent and reasonable boy, holds the conch, which is the symbol of democratic participation, to have the right to speak in order to persuade them of their mistake, but they inexorably refuse his warning, " 'I got the conch', said Piggy indignantly. 'You let me speak!' 'The conch doesn't count on top of the mountain,' said Jack, 'so you shut up' "(42). Jack initiates his dominion of repression since he despoils Piggy to express his viewpoint on democratic basis. Paradoxically, Jack holds out his hands for the conch and proclaims, "We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything. So we've got to do the right thing" (43). In this particular instance, we can witness the immorality and dishonesty of Jack as a human being. First, he exercises all his detrimental despotism upon Piggy to not let him speak, breaking in this way the rules of social order with which Piggy has the human right to speak. Then, contradictorily, he publicly declares the others to follow the rules because they are not "savages". But indeed, his act of having repressed the asthmatic fat boy to warn them about the danger with the fire is a heightening expression of savagery. Therefore, Jack is a manipulator whose persuasive ideas have a misleading intention that affirms his fraudulent and corruptive nature. Deep inside, he strategically wants to stand out to gain status with his statement of following the rules due to the fact that he looks forwards for snatching Ralph's leadership and becoming the absolute ruler. The boys quickly discover that part of the island is on fire. The bonfire they have lit has gone out of hands and they are powerless to stop it. With this disgraceful accident William Golding seems to consider that our brutal stubbornness and our instinctual impulses devastate our civilized condition. Piggy's worries, which stand for the pure intellectuality of man, are destroyed by Jack, who represents our innermost inane and primitive bestial side. Once our bestial part has caused damage, it is impossible to remedy and restore things, because in many cases, like it is presented in this incident, rationality is so completely crushed by the ignorance of our own thoughtless actions that, in fact, there is nothing to be done in order to save civilization. Jack's limitation to maintain the fire going also needs to be carefully accounted. He himself compromises when he says "Ralph, I'll split up the choir - my hunters, that is- into groups, and we'll be responsible for keeping the fire going-" (43). However, he ignores his task when he starts developing an uncontrollable obsession for killing piglets. He knows that his act of killing not only grants his manhood, but strongly ratifies his dexterity to dominate nature, and in this way, to dominate every alive creature on the island. We can notice that the first time he sees a piglet he is ossified to stab the animal with his knife "because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood" (31). He is still quiet innocent and civilized to kill an animal, but he is instinctively turning into a savage primitive level because he believes that meat is vital to live; and to obtain meat, he must challenge himself to use his knife, which is the symbol of lustful rapacity. In this sense, as a wild carnivorous animal, his existence will be subsisted on live prey, so later he will be delighted to assume a predator animal role as a means of capturing piglets to maintain himself alive and subsequently, to victimize those of his own kind. Eventually, as soon as he accomplishes his fixed plan of hunting a piglet, he totally loses the remains of his boyish innocent behavior and starts to develop a spirit of riotous perverseness since he is convinced that the act of killing assures him the privilege to be honored and respected by the rest of the boys. He is aware that, in one sense, he is more powerful than Ralph because, while Ralph spends his time trying to built shelter, that is to say, concerns the priority of hiding from danger in order to survive, Jack, in contrast, bravely confronts danger in order to be the dominant and not the dominated, and for Jack's code, being a courageous warrior is the main requirement to be addressed as a chief. That is why he emerges as a bloodthirsty to start gaining power. A great significant revelation in Lord of the Flies is that the boys not only fail in their endeavor to set civilization on the island because of their vicious natures of selfishness, competitiveness, cruelty and irresponsibility; but most striking, because they also lack the traditional restraints of society that, to a certain extend, would have controlled their degeneration. For instance, they never adhere to any strong moral doctrine, to an ethical code, to a religious creed, to an intellectual disposition, to a legal system, or at least, to a conduct of good manners. It is meant that as soon as they reach the island, they distort all of the valuable elements they brought from their traditional, social and cultural English background. The fact that they intend to establish a democratic society based on the proper use of the conch but it does not work, clearly suggests their incapacity to maintain a close adherence to their previous coherent structure of social organization. Besides, as the boys experience a successive chain of frustrating attempts, they reach to the point of displaying the natural corruption every human being unconsciously holds inside. They realize that it is less complicated to act without restrictions than to depend on the traditional complexities of civilization. Once Jack has lost his innocence after killing a piglet, he manages to engage a fight with Ralph, proclaims to establish his new kingdom based on his own rules and persuades the boys to join his tribe. Jack adopts both, a mental perversion and a physical deterioration. He and all of the boys of the choir, who are now hunters, walk semi-naked in the woods, have already long hair, and have gotten their faces and bodies painted. They use white clay and charcoal, and are so transformed that they do not recognize themselves. Their decadent physical change is caused by the necessity of killing a prey so that the piglets will not sense them when hunting. Now that Jack is transformed into a savagery and his identity is hidden behind his painted face, he is "liberated from shame and self-consciousness" (66). This is the frightening truth about the human nature. Jack and his hunters become the antithesis of civilization since they acquire the attitude of primitive creatures who content with the simple satisfaction of eating meat. Their whole existence depends on the gratification to please their physical needs and appetites. Symbolically, Jack and his hunters are now survivors of the stone age bearing the row meat to their cave from the kill in the jungle. These events, therefore, introduce a tone of the total brutality which Ralph and Piggy are about to undergo. His obsession for meat leads Jack to kill a pig; however, the fire has gone out. Ralph, Piggy, and the other children go through an instance of agony and despair because they have missed the chance to be rescued. Meanwhile, the hunters, who should have kept the fire going, return with their first piglet as they boast over their heroic daring. Unavoidably, there is a direct defiance between Ralph and Jack. "Jack, his face smeared with clay, reached the top first and hailed Ralph excitedly, with lifted spears. 'Look! We've killed a pig- we stop up on them- we got in a circle-' . . . Ralph spoke. 'you let the fire go out.' Jack checked, vaguely irritated by his irrelevance but to happy to let it worry him. Jack spoke again, hoarsely. He had not moved. 'You let the fire go out.' This repetition made Jack uneasy. He looked at the twins and the back at Ralph. . .'The fire's only been out and hour or two. We can light up again-' " (70). This is the ineffectual encounter between reason and brutality. Ralph and Jack are two opponent forces from two opposite ways of assuming life. In the examination of this hostile conflict, it is indicated that Ralph embodies the whole reasoning capacity of man while Jack stands for the instinctual darkness of the soul. One is stronger than the other. With social restrictions, reasoning moderates brutality, but at a place like this saturated with debauchery; brutality completely surrogates reason. Jack does not care about his mistake, and the violence with which he reacts is the insane and untamed force of his evil perversion that limits the recognition of his own fault. When Ralph says, "There was a ship. Out there. You said you'd keep the fire going and you let it out. They must have seen us. We might have gone home", and when Piggy begins to cry out shrilly, " You and your blood, Jack Merridew! You and your hunting! We might have gone home!" (70), Jack is portrayed as a selfish, irrational individual who is only concerned with his beastly priority of meat and who disregards the well being of the rest of the boys. The author describes that Jack, in an wrathful impulse of anger, "transferred the knife to his left hand and smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plaster hair" (71). This is a horrifying action Jack perpetrates as he denies his human dignity to confirm the deplorable deviation of his innate brutal self. Since he is obdurate to accept his big mistake, he also unreasonably "stucks his fist into Piggy's stomach . . . smashes Piggy's head" (71) and shatters his glasses while the rest of hunters laugh hysterically at this mischievous act. In this passage, we can notice that Ralph has already influenced the hunters to behave as he does, so the community of boys are becoming violent as well. The significance of the shattering of Piggy's glasses refers to the destruction of man's intellectual and reasonable side. Piggy has "only got one eye" (72) which means that the rationality of man is becoming blind to give way to the cruel monstrousness of mankind. Later we see that Piggy is completely blind, and for this, he cannot longer survive in this decadent and horrid world. It is relevant to bear the idea that after all, Ralph is powerless to stop Jack. Ralph holds a conduct based on dialogue, respect and communication, so he naturally cannot act in the same arrogant and abusive behavior as Jack's. Undoubtedly, Jack knows about Ralph's benevolent and righteous tendency, and for that, Jack takes advantage to do whatever he wants. He no longer respects Ralph as the chief and becomes an anarchist who advocates total rejection for those rules imposed by Ralph. In one of the assemblies, which is supposed to be a rational meeting in which a group of persons gather together for agreeing a common purpose, Ralph claims in sharp agony, "I'm the chief. I was chosen. . . The rules! You are breaking the rules" (91), when he sees how Jack's insane thoughts, the boys' detachment, and their current social instability are causing an unbearable chaos. But Jack rouses to revolt by saying "You shut up! Who are you, anyway? Sitting there telling people what to do? You can't hunt, you can't sing- Just giving orders that don't make any sense" (91). This fight is even more devastating because Jack proceeds to attack Ralph verbally, humiliates Piggy once more, and breaks up the assembly. Anarchy is then established in spite of the deterrence verbalized by Ralph in his hope for making things up. Immediately, Piggy and Ralph express a significant reality of the human being. When they say, "We're all drifting and things are going rotten. At home there was always a grownup. Please, sir; please, miss; and then you got an answer. How I wish! . . . I wish my auntie was here." (94), Both believe in the conception that the human being necessarily has to be controlled by rules because, without them, man displays the most unimaginable and lowest degeneration, which is innate as one part of our human condition. For Piggy, and in this way, for the author, every soul has a light part and a dark part. If our dark part is not regulated by rules and social restrictions we naturally become beastly creatures. That is why "grownups", in other words, the social laws, are those who educate and moderate man in conformity to an authoritative direction. Thus, without grownups to control the boys on the island, they lose their innocence and end up being pure savages. Jack's lavish obsession for getting meat keeps going and he becomes skilled in his trade. Having more power and counting on most of the boys' consent to treat him as the real leader, he decides to establish his dominion on the other side of the island at Castle Rock. Besotted with hunting, he enjoys the process of ending the life of piglets. "Jack began to clean his bloody hands on the rock. Then he started work on the sow and paunched her, lugging out the hot bags of colored guts, pushing them into a pile on the rock while the others watched him" (136). This exerts the credibility of the boys to be ruled by Jack and deny Ralph's authority. But Jack goes further than killing mere pigs. Since he is in contact with blood, he determines he is one who can decide if any creature on the island can live or die, so he starts being a diabolical force plunging the children into a demoralizing abyss of brute activities. One of his first and most impacting moral deviations is that after causing a total anarchism against Ralph's social system, he gains the power and makes his kingdom a dictatorship. He allows Roger, one of the boys who evolves as a terrorist, to lambaste and torture those who disobey his commands, like when Roger performs an arbitrary beating of Wilfred for doing a foolish thing. We see in Jack the abuse of absolute power with which he displays all the characteristics of a despotic ruler. As an overbearing tyrant he also forces the members of his barbaric tribe to engage in primitive rituals after hunting. These wild ceremonies consist of circling movements around their pray holding their spears and reaching a state of collective excitement as they yell "Kill the beast! Cut her throat! Bash her in!" (75). This is clearly the ratification of their bestial behavior. At this point the boys have driven away from civilization, and what is ever worse, they degrade themselves to a lower inhuman level when Jack commands some of their subjects to get in the middle of their ritual circle and pretend they are the beast, an imaginary creature they think remains hidden somewhere on the island. The excited emotion and the fun that this ritualism provides, lead the boys to entangle in a sort of satanic ceremonies. It is a matter of intense horror when a large pig is killed and Jack decides to sacrifice the head of the pig to the beast. The head is placed at the upper end of a wooden stick which is stuck in a clearing, right in the middle of the wild vegetation. " 'This head is for the beast. It's a gift.' The silence accepted the gift and awed them. The head remain there, dim-eyed, grinning faintly, blood blackening between the teeth" (137). This primitive ceremony bears revealing implications. Jack emerges as a messenger of the Devil addicted to the powers of darkness, murder and death. He finishes the life of innocent creatures to make demoniacal offers to the beast, who represents the Devil itself. Consequently, his devilish practices provide him with a satanic force to corrupt and destroy the boys' innocence. In fact, later, when Simon curiously approaches the head of the pig to contemplate its ugliness, we discover that indeed it is the demon. Simon, who is still one of the few ones allied to Ralph, has the gift of being a visionary. His religious orientation lets him posses the power of foreknowledge, and as a privileged mystic he experiences a visionary hallucination with the beast, which is the Lord of the Flies. " 'You are a silly boy,' said the Lord of the Flies, Just an ignorant silly little boy . . . You'd better run off and play with the others. They think your batty. You don't want Ralph to think your batty. Do you? You like Ralph a lot, Don't you? And Piggy and Jack' " (143). In a broad sense, the head of the pig, which is the materialization of the devil, simply mistreats Simon of being ignorant and silly, however, in a deep examination of this passage, we discover that this is a straight confrontation, not between civilization and brutality, but between good and evil. Evil seems to be worse than brutality because it is evil the diabolical force that has caused brutality among the children. It is a major impact to see that the head of the beast is the antagonist force of Simon, the innocent little boy that represents good. Since Simon is the benevolent religious and moral figure, the beast attacks him with offensive and obscene words like ignorant, silly and batty to remark that Simon, the sort of holy Saint, is completely unaware of the sinful ignominies that evil is causing. Further more, the word "ignorant" also ironically implies the plan that the devil has already made to deprive him of life. In fact, Simon never imagines that right after having an encounter with the Lord of the Flies, he is brutally assassinated. Therefore, The beast happens to be Simon's enemy because on an island harassed by depravation, degeneration and satanic practices, a saint figure obviously can not exist. The beast also says to Simon, " What are you doing out here all alone? Aren't you afraid of me? There isn't any one to help you. Only me. And I'm the beast" (143). The devil, who according to a religious viewpoint always deceives human beings, actually intents to lead Simon into an evil treachery. The Lord of the Flies' questions try to force the boy to feel fright and horror so that he feels the need to run away and find the other boys who will be in charge of his fatal fate. Moreover, the devil also says to Simon sarcastically, "You knew didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go. What things are what they are?" (143). These words once more disclose the meaningful but scary idea about life. Evil is part of our human condition, it is part of us, we all human beings posses an innate evil force located in the inside of our souls. When the beast says "I am part of you", it is suggested that all the boys have actually become the embodiment of pure evil. The demon himself confirms this horrifying disgrace of the humankind through Simon's supernatural visionary experience. Defiantly, the Lord of the Flies also states that the boys' current wild madness and all of the bad fortune they have undergone on the island are a result of his mysterious force. Everything has gone wrong because the spirits of perverseness are on the island. Next, the beast expresses his total hatred to Simon, " I' m warning you. I am going to get angry. D' you see. You're not wanted. Understand?" (144). Due to the fact that Simon is the representation of the Christian religious faith, it is implied that he is the antithesis of the beast, and consequently, he is refused and destroyed by the violent forces of evil. Therefore, we are about to witness the deplorable slaughter of the innocent Simon. These frightening facts demonstrate how far the boys have gotten away from innocence; and remark in philosophical terms that we, the humanity, were naturally barbaric brutes if social restrictions wouldn't be established. It is noticeable that Jack and his tribe have developed to a great extent their destructive instincts and do not care anymore about society. That is why one of the most abhorrent depravities in the novel is the murder of Simon. As soon as Simon recognizes the existence of evil not only on the island, but inside the soul of the children as their inborn and despiteful force, and right after confronting the demon and discovering what the beast really is on the top of the mountain; he runs desperately to let the others know of the intense malignity that runs out of control among themselves. However, it is already too late. The boys are having a feast to celebrate their fulfillment in getting meat. As they are eating their prey, Jack urges them to conduct their ceremonial rites. They start moving in circles to begin their violent subhuman dance. At first, Roger pretends to be the pig and the others, at a moment of a mad and wild excitement, scream their motto, "Kill the beast, cut his throat, spill his blood" (152). Then the center of the circle is empty again, and it is right at this instance that Simon breathlessly crawls out of the jungle into it where he is brutally slaughtered because the crowd of boys believe that the creature crawling in the circle is the beast. "The beast struggled forwards. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock. Leapt on the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words and no movements, but the tearing of teeth and claws . . . even in the rain they could see how small a beast it was; and already its blood was staining the sand" (153). This is a remarkable decline of moral degradation because Simon, one of the few survivors of civilization in the novel is murdered by the rude vehemence of savages. From a Christian and religious interpretation, Simon is in consequence, a martyr because he is force to endure an unfair death, but victoriously, the sacrifice of his own life points out the defense of his moral and religious principles. We deduce tha t this crime is committed by the evil inside the soul of the children and by the demon itself who tempts them to reject not only the morals of society, but the commandments imposed by God's will. We readers suffer an emotional shock with Simon's death because it is a sacrilege against our own moral code. Simon is probably the only holy character in the novel that stands for the high spirituality and the beauty of the soul that is inside of us, that is to say, the enlightening part that we constantly seek. William Golding may want to present that the real fight of man is his own personal struggle with his dark side and his spiritual side. Once Simon is killed, it is suggested that unfortunately our evil part is stronger that our good one, and then, the complete devilish chaos in which we all live is the outcome of our own corruptive actions. Therefore, the murder of Simon is an irreverent profanation performed by the demoniacal powers and the instinctual potential of the boys. They have killed Simon because they were having fun with their obsessive hysteria of killing pigs. Indeed, as soon as Simon is victimized, we regret why the group of boys were never able to depend on the simple set of rules they themselves intended to obey in the beginning. After this abusive contempt the bestiality of Jack and his tribe becomes limitless. They are a plague of hostile violators determined to finish the traces of humanity. Jack continues his sadists and oppressive dictatorship beating other boys, plans a conspiracy to go where Ralph and Piggy are hidden to steal Piggy's glasses and convinces the boys that Ralph is their enemy so they must destroy him. The tribe of primitives sidle up to where the four boys, Ralph, Piggy Sam and Eric are abandoned, to take Piggy's glasses so that they can start a fire. At this point, piggy, the intellectual boy, is completely blind, and in this sense, intellectuality and rationality are totally eradicated because from now on Piggy can not depend on his own. He is so physically and mentally isolated from the world that he cannot function appropriately any more. Sam and Eric are so afraid of being killed that they are forced to abandon Ralph and become new members of the barbaric tribe. Thus, Piggy, the intellectual, and Ralph, the democratic leader, are the remains of what could have been a dignified civilization. Surprisingly, although Piggy is scared and physically disable, he decides to go to Castle Rock to confront Jack. Piggy holds in his hands the conch, their symbol of democracy, as he is leaded by Ralph. He makes a speech about the urgency of coming back to the obedience of the rules, "I tell you I got the conch! I got this to say. You are acting like a crowd of kids. Which is better- to be a pack of painting Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is . . . Which is better- to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill. Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?" (180). But it is also too late for Piggy to make the irrationality of these savages turn into intellectual sensibility. The boys attack Piggy with indecent words and the perversity of Roger, the torturer, emerges when he levers a large rock on Piggy's head. Thus, religion, and intellect have been rudely eliminated from the island. Piggy, equally to Simon, dies in the name of his decent rational principles. The most abominable decision of Jack and the savagery boys is their determination to kill Ralph, who is the only one left from civilization. They set a human hunt to trap Ralph like a pig. This is their highest inhuman aberration because the boys are consciously aware of what their are going to do. Their unrestrained destructiveness have changed them, not only into brutal beasts, but into non-stop cruel murderers who desire to hunt not for necessity, but for mere pleasure. With this deviating plan, it is expressed the total loss of the human virtues and moral values. We can take for granted that if there had been more boys allied to Ralph, all of them would have been hunted just for the sake of pleasure, fun, and adventure. Here, the boys go to end the life of Ralph just because they want to enjoy, there is not other reason why. Once there is not respect for the human life, there is no respect for anything else in the world. This is the sin of the boys and the sin of man in general, man's inhumanity to man without logical reasons has always existed since the creation of the human race. That is why, The hunting of Ralph is also another impacting part of the novel as he struggles to hide and escape from his predators, and specially because he is so lonely to defend himself. While the savages have spears and hunting tools, Ralph is portrayed as a defenseless innocent pig ready to be sacrificed. Incredibly, what started like a game to hunt pigs, ended in the decadent passion to hunt real human beings. At this point, the boys have lost absolutely all their innocence to give way to all the evil spirit inborn in themselves. Fortunately, Ralph is saved by grown ups right at the instant he is about to be slaughtered. The presence of a naval officer that has come for rescue is the only lawful figure that can stop the boys from their merciless human hunt. It is concluded that only the social restrictions and the moral system imposed by the authority and the presence of adults can control the instinctual wild animal behavior of every child. The end of the novel leads also to conclude that we are naturally born savages, while civilization is acquired and learned by a constant daily training of those who have already been civilized. Because of all of the events discussed in this novel, we can observe the destructive and corrupt conduct of man. Lord of the Flies is a deep examination of the real nature of the social man. The boys parallel our actual modern civilized society, which in reality is not as civilized as we believe. Although we think our social order is efficient, there is an unmeasured variety of human vices such as selfishness, ambition, violence, exploitation, dishonesty, competitiveness, corruption, racism, discrimination, among others; and even the desire of murdering our own race. William Golding declares through his novel that, in spite of man's intention to live on civilized standards, we would never be able to be released from the innate intrusion of evil. That is why there are so many successive injustices and crimes in our society because of man's inhumanity to man. Therefore, we can easily identify with the characters of the novel. How many of us are fighters as Ralph? How many of us are isolated intellectuals as Piggy? How many are religious men as Simon? How many are sadists as Roger? And how many of us are brute murderers as Jack? What we must be sure about is that we definitely have a "Lord of the Flies" inside of us. It is the evil part that can emerge when least expected. Luckily, our inner instincts and impulses are regulated by the morals and restriction of society, but those norms are not always effective because in some cases even the most civilized person lets his spirit of savagery come out. The real truth about our human existence is that we will always intend to destroy everything we love, We love life, but we destroy life. This has been the big mistake of our dysfunctional society and that is why we will never be capable of achieving real civilization.

Notas

* Profesor Departamento de Lenguas. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional

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