AS Computer Room Lesson - Accents and Dialect Article

Afternoon everyone, we're almost at the end of term!

Today we are going to be continuing with our study of accent and dialect, and we are going to make a start on the work I would like you to complete over the break.

I would like you to write an article which focuses on any aspect of accent and dialect you like. This could be anything, from stereotypes/prejudices arising from one's accent or a study into your own accent and the way you speak. Be creative with your subject and make sure it is something that interests you. Spend this lesson researching your chosen topic and looking for things to include in your article.

Use the prompt sheet I have given you to give you some guidance. There are a few more points below that I would like you to consider:

• Bibliography - when you hand in your article, please include a bibliography. This will show me that you have done a good deal of reading into your chosen topic.
• The title of your article should 'hook' the audience - this is essential, otherwise nobody will read it. It should suit your audience (you need to state your audience, i.e. Guardian/Daily Mail/Cosmo readers)
• A reason for writing, i.e. a survey/something in the news/ a response to another article etc.
• A strapline for the article (this goes under the title)
• Image and caption
• Quotes and examples
• Avoid jargon that people who don't study language will not understand, i.e. dialect/sociolect.

That's a lot to consider, but try to get as much research and prep done today as you can, then after this lesson you can just focus on writing a really good, well-informed article!

Any questions, come ask me

Claudia

Language and Gender: Male and Female Conversation Styles

Hi everyone,

Today you are putting together your presentations in your groups ready to present tomorrow morning. You need to have 2 clips and analyse them in relation to Deborah Tannen's Difference theory.

I'm looking for you to analyse how each difference is presented in your clips - do they support the theory or dispute it? Try to get some discussion going, and make your presentations detailed.

I'll be coming around to see you a few times during the lesson to see how you're getting on, but this is essentially your preparation time as we are presenting tomorrow, so by the end of today's lesson you need to make sure you are presentation ready!

Below is a link to the PowerPoint we covered in class yesterday to help you along:


Difference Theory PowerPoint

Looking forward to seeing these tomorrow!

PEE Writing Frame

Here is the PEE Writing frame:

How To Write A PEE Paragraph

A2 Language - work in my absence Thursday 15th October

Hi everyone,

I am feeling unwell and so won't be in college today. I am hoping to be in tomorrow.

Could you all please continue with the Evie Talking Transcript task we began last week. I would like to take your full responses for this in by the end of tomorrow's lesson, so you have today and tomorrow to complete it.

Thank you everyone, I hope to see you all tomorrow.

Claudia 

AS Language - work in my absence Thursday 15th October

Hi everyone,

I am still feeling unwell and so won't be in college again today.  Could you please continue with the work you began yesterday on the subject of analysing your own text messages. 

I would like to collect your PEE essays for this on Monday, so you have today and the whole weekend to complete them.

Additionally, can you all post to the Padlet page I have created for this subject with a few analytical sentences identifying linguistic techniques in your text messages. Padlet link below: 

http://padlet.com/claudia_a/axvskmsr4k35

Apologies for my absence - I hoe you are finding the work challenging and enjoyable. If you have any questions please email me.

Claudia

AS Language - Work in my absence

Hi everyone,

I have gone home sick today and so it is unlikely that I will be in college tomorrow (Wednesday).

In my absence, please complete the following tasks which continue with our theme of language and communication via technology. You may not get completely through both tasks today, however if I am not feeling better by Thursday I will be absent again, and so this should be enough work for 2 lessons.

First of all, watch the following TED talk. Summarise the talk and make notes on your own blog. Discuss the following:

• The main points the talk covers
• The opinion of the speaker
• Do you agree/disagree?
• Why or why not?

John McWhorter - Txting is killing language. JK!!!!

After your have made notes and summarised the video, your next task is to analyse your own text messages. Complete the following tasks:

• Choose a selection of your own text messages, a conversation with a friend and a parent would make a good comparison. 
• Make notes on register, purpose and context 
• Using this grid (follow the link), analyse the language features of your own text messages: Text Message Analysis Grid

Once you have completed the grid, turn your findings into a short PEE essay in which you analyse your own text speak. This will be used as your half-term assessment. Answer the following questions in your essay:

• Is there anything you notice about your text speak? 
• What is characteristic about it? 
• Are there any differences between the way to text a friend and the way you text a parent? 
• Do you notice any patterns in your language when you are texting? 

AS Language Opinion Articles Task

Hi everyone,

Today we looked at two different opinion articles written about the same topic - the refugee crisis.

We looked at the similarities between the two articles and the shared techniques. In Thursday's lesson, you will be starting to develop your own opinion piece on a topic related to language so the techniques you identified are crucial for getting the structure right - well done for your thorough identification of these techniques.

For your homework I would like you to complete the second task we started in class which was to forget about shared techniques and identify the differences between the two. This is very difficult as they are so similar, but it will improve your eye and ability to identify more subtle techniques which is a crucial analytical skill in language.

Your task is to write 2 fully formed PEE analytical paragraphs about the differences you have found and post these to your blogs. Again, this is a difficult task but try to dig a little deeper and notice the subtle variations in language use.

Please post your paragraphs by the end of Thursday so I can look at them over the weekend.

Claudia

Excellent article on idioms, very useful for both AS and A2

Have a read if you find idioms difficult to identify or explain, well worth a read:

Waiting with bated breath to learn how idioms took flight

AS Language Travel Writing Task - Padlet Page

Hi everyone,

Excellent work on your travel writing pieces over the last 2 lessons, some lovely writing techniques being used and I am looking forward to reading them all.

In tomorrow's lesson we are going to start thinking about the commentary that will accompany the creative writing, in which you will critique your writing and analyse it. To make a start on this, I would like everyone to complete this 5 minute task before tomorrow's lesson:

Post to the new Padlet page, link here: Padlet Page, with the first two sentences of your travel writing pieces. Then below that, write a short sentence which identifies any techniques you have used. You don't have to include your name on this; it can be completely anonymous if you like!

Looking forward to reading your introductions.

Claudia

A2 Language Coursework Support Booklet

Hi Everyone,

Here is an electronic copy of the A2 Language coursework booklet.

Link

Claudia

Wednesday 16th September - AS Research Task

Morning everyone,

Today your task is to consolidate the knowledge and analysis skills you have built up over the last few lessons and complete a short research task on the language of blogs and travel writing.

The first thing you need to do is find an example of a blog and of a piece of travel writing. There are lots of examples of travel writing on the Guardian (link here), and there are also blogs written by celebrities such as Frankie Boyle on the Guardian too, try to avoid Charlie Brooker as we have already used his blog as an example. Many celebrities will have personal blogs, and there will be examples of blogs by YouTube stars online too; there are plenty of options but you may have to do a bit of digging to find some.

Next, do some technique and feature spotting in your 2 examples. Blogs and travel writing are similar, so what kind of language techniques are used? Do they share techniques? If they do share techniques, do they have a different effect on the reader?

Once you have done your research, write up your findings and post to your blog, comparing and contrasting the 2 genres.

If you have any questions, come and see me.

Hope you enjoy the task!

Claudia

A2 Language - Tuesday 8th

Morning A2 Language

We have the computer room today, so we will be doing more work on the research for your investigation.

I will be having a conversation with you all individually today to discuss the topic and potential hypothesis of your investigation and how you intend to make a start on putting it together to gather your research.

Your tasks for today are as follows:

1. Research 5 different theories for your investigation, summarise them on your blogs with a short discussion as to how they are relevant. This is the same kind of thing we were doing on Friday when you were researching articles.

2. Start mapping out your introduction. You should follow this structure:

INTRO (400 WORDS):
- Why I am interested
- Theories / Research
- What the theory/research leads me to expect (Hypothesis)
- Frameworks to test hypothesis


As with all of your work we have done so far, please post to your blogs.

Come and ask me if you need any help!

AS Language Grammar & Word Class Powerpoints

Hi AS Language,

Below are links to the grammar frameworks and word class PowerPoints we looked at in class on Thursday.

Look back through them over the weekend and try to familiarise yourself with them - we will be doing some analytical work in class next week so you'll need to put your knowledge to good use.

Grammar Frameworks

Word Classes

Please email me your blog URLs if you haven't done so already, and update your blog with the write up of your 'Linguistic Fingerprint'. Also, you will need to follow my blog so you can see when I have updated. If you go to your blogger homepage, you will see an orange link on the right hand side called 'Reading List'. Below this there is an 'Add' button. Click the button and paste the link to my blog (claudialanguageblog.blogspot.com) into the box and then click follow. The blog will then be added to your reading list.

Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!

Claudia

Welcome back to my A2 group!

Hi everyone, welcome to your A2 language year!

You will need to use your blogs weekly this year as we have a lot of content to get through. This will help you to organise your notes and ideas for your coursework and will be really valuable when it comes to revision.

Your first task is to post to the A2 Language Padlet wall (link below) and make a shortcut to it on your phone as we may use this in class from time to time. This is relatively straightforward and here is a link which explains how to add a webpage to your phone's homescreen.

Link to Padlet wall.

For homework, please complete the extended analysis of the Guardian article and hand this into me at the beginning of Tuesday's lesson. I will then mark it and give it back to you with feedback. After you have made the changes I have suggested, you will then post this analysis to your blog.

Claudia

AS Language - Welcome!

Welcome to all of the first year language students. It was excellent to meet you all and I look forward to our lessons together!

Below is a link to the Language Padlet page. Remember to post to the page with your name as the title and your non-fiction review. In addition, try to make a shortcut to the Padlet page on your phone. This is relatively straightforward, but if you're having trouble then here is a link which explains how to do this on all smartphones.

Padlet Page

Also, remember to email me your blogger URLs to cal@stbrn.ac.uk

Happy blogging!

Claudia

Compulsory Summer Task

The following are your AS to A2 progression tasks to complete over summer before you return.

These are small tasks which which greatly benefit you in A2 and won't take you too long - if you complete these you'll be in an excellent and well-informed position going into next year!

Please complete the following:

1. Finish Task 5 on the Phonetics worksheet and fill in the IPA grid

2. Keep a log of five different sources you have read in preparation for your individual investigation, and provide a summary of each.

Have a great summer guys!

Claudia

A2 Language Investigation - Lesson 1 PowerPoint, Transcribing and Homework Tasks

Welcome back all,

Below is your task for today. Work together in pairs and follow the instructions carefully - you will need to use the transcription handout to help you here:

Before you chose the type of data you would like to investigate, we will do some activities to help you see what might work well by looking at some sample data.

Today: watch two of the following You Tube clips, then choose one to transcribe. Use the transcription conventions to transcribe the data then answer the following questions. In note form, write up your findings on your blog ready for next Monday.

1. What is interesting about the language used? (annotate the data)
2. What theory could you use when analysing the transcript? (add more annotation)
3. What other data could you collect that would compare with it?
4. What could you title an investigation into data like this? (Use the title format of an interrogative e.g. How does… or a declarative e.g. An investigation into…
5. What real data could you collect (rather than just going to You Tube?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW9ENhFoWBE (The Apprentice – Language and Power)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kORINpVUEtE (USA Fox network discussion - ‘challenging’ Language and Gender)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_4PvRZi3XY (‘Geordie Shore’ interview – easier Language and Gender - transcribe up to time reference 2:06 “being your wife forever”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2EertzeHjM&feature=related (Child directed speech - Child Language Acquisition)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNEWatD0viw (Bill Bailey parody of 1300s poetry by Chaucer using some modern language - Language Change)

When you present your findings, you should discuss:

• Which data you chose and why
• What you found and what theory you linked it to
• What other data you could choose to go with it or replace it with to make an investigation
• What you would call that investigation

This is the PowePoint we have covered:

Investigation PowerPoint

Please re-read and familiarise yourself with the information and guidance about the investigation.

Homework Task

Complete the activities on slides 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16, and be prepared to feedback at the start of next week.

Language and Gender introductory PowerPoint

Below is a link to the PowerPoint which introduced the module - you may find this useful for terminology and a brief overview of some of the ideas we have discussed and covered this week.

Introductory PowerPoint

Note to all: Please continue to update your blogs weekly - when you progress to A2 you will be using the blogs much more and it will be useful when you come to write your coursework. Please remember to update with not only your notes, but with articles, videos or any research you come across which relates to language that you think you may find useful in the future. Look at blogs on the Guardian, and also the Guardian's language pages as a starting point - the link to this section of the website is in the RSS feed to the right hand side of my blog.

Language and Power - Speeches

Hi Everyone, below is a link to the Prezi we covered in class this week

Speeches

Language and Power introductory powerpoint

A copy of the PowerPoint we covered in class - use this to help you with your presentations.

Language and Power ppt.

15th January - GAP re-cap analysis task

Hello everyone!

Below is your task for the first half of today's lesson.

I have linked you all to a Charlie Brooker blog post in the Guardian in which he discusses inventions such as the 'selfie stick'. It has been a while since we have done a GAP style model analysis, so this task is intended to refresh your memories.

In this task I would like you to identify the GAP, comment on the frameworks used, and comment on the individual language techniques that Brooker uses.

Write this up as a mini-essay, either hand-written or typed. It maybe helpful to you if you print out the article so you can annotate it. We will be leaving for split lunch at 12:55, so you have 45 minutes!

Link to the article:

Never mind the 'selfie stick' or the 'smart belt' – here are some REALLY useful inventions

Commentary PowerPoint

Hi everyone, here is the PowerPoint for the commentaries that we looked at in class.

Commentary PowerPoint