Task 2

In this task you will have to identify all Noun phrases in the following essay. After you have done it, select 10 and label each of the elements constructing the phrase. Use brackets to label them. We will correct some of the phrases in the workshop. This task is due on Friday, Sept 26th.
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Learning is definitely best developed socially. Thus, what others think about you is relevant and can help you build your own identity. Peer feedback should be included in all classes so that students become more aware of how they see themselves and how others do too. I will mainly discuss the importance of peer feedback with adolescents and its richness.

Being an adolescent implies the construction of yourself. As Marshall and Stern pointed out "they are forming a whole picture in their minds of who they are" (2004); consequently, the formation of that self image can be extraordinarily improved by receiving comments from one’s peers. When we realize that another student believes you are not kind with him or her that feedback can help us change the image we present to our peers.

Apart from helping students build their self image, you can aid the class create their own identity. If we know each other, we can respect opinions, care about others and grow together. Respectful environments can be extremely useful when teaching. Having worked with teenagers, I could see how they bullied and insulted each other. I believe that with the incorporation of emotional learning exercises of peer feedback all these situations could have been somewhat avoided. In addition, establishing trust inside the class will absolutely assist students solve their personal problems. Thus, we will avoid misunderstandings and bad energy within the classroom.

Having peer feedback incorporated in the class can aid students build their own identity. Also, it will help the class be more respectful to each other and be able to solve problems more easily. As a final conclusion, peer feedback can and must be included in our EFL classroom because everybody will be at ease when dealing with problems and developing social interaction.

Task 1

In this task you will have to print the following essay and highlight all the noun phrases you can find. We will work with it in the first assistantship.

Being under Pressure

It is known that sometimes people under pressure perform actions which do not want to. The main character of the story “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell is pressured to shoot the elephant even though he did not want to. In this essay, I will try to prove this thesis with three different assertions presented in the story.

The first assertion is: “As soon as I saw the elephant I knew with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him.” The character is from the beginning desiring not to perform the action of killing the elephant. The second fact is that the character explains that when he was facing the elephant a huge crowd of “natives” were behind him so “And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it; I could feel their two thousand wills pressing me forward.” It is clear that this man felt the pressure and immediately understood that he would have to do something he did not want to. The last piece of evidence is that since he was a “sahib”, a European man, he had to act like one, being very resolute and do definite things. “For it is the condition of his rule that he shall spend his life trying to impress the “natives,” and so in every crisis he has got to do what the “natives” expect of him.” So, the character finds out that in the end all sahibs need to do what others want them to do.

In order to conclude, I can say that with the evidence provided I was able to prove the fact that the main character had to shoot the elephant because of the pressure natives imposed on him. Throughout human history, many situations have occurred because of the pressure people feel, for example wars. Many of the actions we performed are modelled by what the society expects of us. Sometimes, people should try to act correctly, doing good to others, instead of acting according to what others expect of them.

Task 2

Write a 150-300 words entry answering the following questions. Use different sources (Video seen in class, class notes, web pages, texts, etc) to give a complete answer.

• What is the English Profile?
• Do you think the English Profile will/should be adopted in learning/teaching English in Chile? Give reasons.
• What is the Common European Framework? How does it relate to the English Profile?
• Do you think the Common European Framework should be implemented in Chile? Explain why.

TASK 1

Write a 150-300 words entry answering the following questions. Use different sources(classes, web pages, texts, etc) to give a complete answer.

What is Corpus?
What does it mean that a textbook is Corpus based?
Do you think it is important for language teaching?
How can you use it in your class?
Give reasons and examples why Chilean English teachers should be using it.

Due on Wednesday August 26th, 2009 at midnight.