Student response to blog assignment

I appreciate your honesty and openness to discuss both the pros and cons of the blog assignment. Below please find a summary of your responses to last class written task. The figure after some of the comments represents the number of times that particular issue was mentioned. I'll discuss this in class further but, meanwhile, here you can see the details.

Negative

Economic effort/too expensive – the assignment does not consider our socio-economic reality: 12

Time consuming: it takes me more than 30 min. – when it becomes a race against time it can be really exhausting – I’ve no Internet at home so I have to go to a cybercafé: 9

Difficult to keep up with weekly assignments: a lot of work – I dislike the idea of working under pressure: 5

Frustrating to learn to use a comp: creating and using a blog should be taught as part of the curricula: 4

I’d like to know if I’m using the right expressions and structures – most of us don’t get a comment from the teacher: 3

Don’t think using blog helps to improve language skills - it’s been an obstacle rather than help to improve language skills – I haven’t noticed any improvement in my learning a foreign language: 3

We’ve no skills to use tech: 2

Two entries per week would be better

No typing skills

Resistance to tech

Mental effort

Usually run out of ideas to write about

We’re not prepared with the best tech support

Social problems (did not specify)

Difficult to find good articles to read

Oral presentations are scary

Screen light affects eyesight

Positive

Learning to use computers – I’ve learnt many things about using a computer – good to be pushed to use a comp: 5

Improves writing: developed my fluency – I write and think faster in English – when I read my entries I realize I use expressions that I picked up from other people and I thought I would never use – journal writing improved my language: 4

Good to keep up with tech – keeps us involved with the world of tech: 3

I enjoy it: 3

More positive than negative – quite beneficial to me – writing in a blog keeps students in a continuous hard-working task: 3

Enlarged my vocab – you need to develop a rich vocabulary in order to remain faithful to those thoughts: 3

Good experience – future teachers should be familiar with tech: 2

Idea is great: 2

The experience helps me explore my thoughts: 2

Not difficult to create and use it

Interesting: I had to create an email address

I can now communicate with friends via email

I’ve learnt to use the Internet and a blog

I’ve improved my typing skills

I have my own personal space in the blog

I’ve written more things in English than in all the three years since I started at Lola Mora

Interesting resource

Choosing the topics to write about, ok

I generate ideas better and faster

We can be spontaneous and creative

By going through the process of writing a journal entry, we can express our ideas, experiences, stories, etc. fluently and spontaneously, and mainly use language flexibly

Gives me the chance to let my classmates know a little bit more about me, and me to learn more about them

It’s motivational

Writing helps me overcome stress: I talk about what bothers and makes me sad – like going to my shrink but cheaper!

Easier to communicate with teacher and classmates

IMPORTANT: Wrong message about Tuesday Class

I want to apologize for my confusion with the schedule of class for today, Tuesday August 21. I do not have class with you today, SO you are not attending J. Etcheverry's lecture with me. I'm sorry again and hope this will cause no further inconvenience. Please, pass the word. See you tomorrow! (when we DO have class)

Tomorrow's Parcial

Sorry I could not make it to class yesterday. I just wanted to clarify a few points about tomorrow's parcial. It'll include:

• Fahrenheit 451: the whole book even though we could not finish our analysis in class.
• Textbook: the first four (4) units. You need to study Unit 4 on your own. Your workbook has plenty of exercises.
• Creative writing piece: you need to bring a revised piece of writing from your blog. It should be a hard copy, typed with a complete header and double-spaced. It counts as a practico.
  

The blog entries and your reading log are due in August. If so far you have not started a blog, you should do so over break. I will not accept handwritten journals in August.

Best luck and inspiration for tomorrow's parcial, and have a great winter break!!!

News for your relief!

In recognition of your good work since the beginning of the year, I've decided to postpone the deadline for the blog completion and presentation of article reviews until the first week of class when we're back in August. This way you can focus on preparing for the first parcial. HOWEVER, your best piece from your blog MUST be turned in on Thursday - in hard copy, double-spaced, etc.

Hope this encourages you to keep working as hard and as well as you have throughout this very intense first term.

Calendar Update for the Remainder of this Term

Week 11
Tue Jun 5
F451 discussion Part II

Thu Jun 7
F451 Practico or Writing workshop

Week 12
Mon Jun 11
Practico Units 1-3

Tue Jun 12
Oral presentations (Practico) (a)

Thu Jun 14
Oral presentations (b)

Week 13
Mon Jun 18
Oral presentations (c)

Tue Jun 19
F451 Whole book discussion

Thu Jun 21
Unit 4 TB (a)

Week 14
Mon Jun 25
Unit 4 TB (b)

Tue Jun 26
General Review and Consolidation

Thu Jun 28
1st Written Parcial. Includes TB: units 1-4; F451 plot and analysis;
Journal Presentation Practico: 39 entries; turn in 2 best entries.
Reading Log: 24 articles

Winter recess reading assignment: To be announced

Intro & Conclusion Practico

This is just a reminder that you need to email me an introduction and a conclusion, adding
a) a brief statement of what the article is about;
b) include the title, copy and paste the introduction and the conclusion;
c) describe the strategy the author used to introduce the essay and to conclude it;
d) include the link to the article at the end.

The weekend is over and I've only received two practicos assigned last weekend. I hope you'll be emailing it before class on Thursday.

Samples of good writing from essays on video gaming

Two good introductions:

Typical of our culture is to make use of technology, especially computers, as a way of entertainment. And in this respect, video gaming is at the top of the list. Despite the widespread criticism it has attracted, there will always be defenders ready to point out a number of good reasons to go on playing without feeling any kind of remorse. (TN)

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Have you ever imagined that a simple video game could ever become as real as life? Over the years, video games have increasingly developed into a widespread form of entertainment, and, while the characters and situations they present are made even more lifelike, the heated debate of its social impact is intensifying. (MM)


Two good discussion paragraphs:

First of all, video gaming starts as a form of entertainment, but it can become an addiction so the primary reason for playing is not fun anymore, but inner necessity. The consequence of becoming an addict is alienation and social isolation. This has become a main point of discussion since the mass public shootings occurred in the United States. The teenagers who killed their classmates were thought to have found inspiration in a very well-known video game. Therefore, video games can create addiction and promote violent behavior. (PC)

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There is a widespread idea that video games are very violent and that they are polluting gamers' minds. A lot of people think that playing violent video games might be bad for children, as it might turn them into violent adults. However, millions of people around the world play these games and the vast majority of them are very peaceful people and never pick up a gun in real life. The violence in video games after all is very crude, exaggerated, and cartoon like. It bears no relation to real life and people who play video games know this. Now, it is certainly true that if a slightly disturbed child plays these video games too much, he might become more violent, but then it is also true that sort of child would become violent if he watched a film or listened to heavy metal, or did any one of a number of other activities. Video games themselves cannot be blamed for causing people to act violently in real life. (AS)