81-O,  812-L     First Year English  for LL English minors and OCI English majors (surnames A-Z)
Prima annualità per gli studenti LL di “inglese 2a lingua” e gli studenti OCI di “inglese 1a lingua” (cognomi A-Z)

“Seeing and saying things in English”
 Module on learning to internalize English as a way of being  (timetable below).
Tutorials with the Lettori, levels A2 (Prodromou), B1 (MacLaren) or B2 (Connealy)  – timetable here

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News for the exam!>  Notizie, avvisi, forum – News, Messages, Forum >  

  < Goals, rules, credits – Scopo, regolamenti, crediti

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Associazione Studentesca di Lingue   click     Forum Studenti Roma Tre Lingue


Forum degli Studenti di questo corso

25.8.09

Esame “orale” (questo modulo) di Inglese, I anno 2a lingua, per la SESSIONE AUTUNNALE.
Premesso che bisogna superare prima l'esame dei lettori, o a giugno o il 9.9.09,
l'esame si terrà martedì il 22 settembre
ore 9: I anno non frequentanti
ore 12: I anno frequentanti.

Per le modalità di svolgimento valgono le indicazioni date per la SESSIONE ESTIVA qui sotto, sotto la voce “27.5.09”.

17.6.09

Purtroppo ho i risultati stampati ma non convertiti in html
(che è un lavoro manuale che richiede molto tempo)
quindi nulla da vedere sta stera,
domani porterò un albero da natale,
così quando scendete la mattina in facoltà troverete i doni sotto l'albero
o meglio affisso sul muro.
Intanto, con i 3 punti in più (che ho incautamente concessi) sono regali davvero!!.

27.5.09

Qualche chiarimento riguardo allo svolgimento degli esami

Vedo che non sono stato chiaro a dicembre; infatti molti studenti mi scrivono per esprimere le loro perplessità, ad esempio:
“Ciao, sono Cristina del primo anno OCI. Ho saputo che dobbiamo venire da lei il 23 giugno o il 7 luglio solamente per verbalizzare il voto, è vero? Se si, come facciamo a sapere chi deve venire e chi no? Guardo giornalmente il suo sito ma vorrei avere le idee più chiare. Grazie per l'attenzione.”

Per svolgere l'esame di inglese – che si chiama in modo diverso a seconda se sei LL (“I anno 2a lingua”) o OCI (“I anno OCI”) – devi:

-- dare l'esame “scritto” (che, del resto, non è solo scritto ma anche parlato) , ossia l'esame con i lettori (che non andrebbero chiamati lettori ma CEL).  Lo “scritto” ha luogo venerdì, il 29.5.09, per la prova Listening al laboratorio linguistico; poi il 4.6.09 per il Reading/Writing e l'8.6.06 per lo Speaking (l'orario esatto verrà probabilmente annunciato durante il Reading/Writing).
  N.B. Tutto ciò è apparso 2 mesi fa nelle NOTIZIE della pagina DIDATTICA del mio sito (ma non qui, perché riguarda tutti gli studenti);
  dovresti consultare quella pagina regolarmente per avere notizie di carattere generali, quindi va a leggerla ora se ti è sfuggita!

  Pochi giorni prima degli “orali”, i risultati dello scritto saranno affissi davanti alla stanza dei lettori (ufficiosamente anche su questo sito, appunto sulla pagina DIDATTICA). Quindi anche se non sai se hai superato l'esame (ma a mio avviso tutti i frequentanti sono in grado di superarlo senza problemi), devi comunque prenotarti per la prova “orale” (che del resto non è orale ma anche scritta – comunque è solo una formalità per chi è frequentante).  Ci sono due date o “appelli” per la prova “orale”, il 23/6 o il 7/7.  Ti chiedo di prenotarti per l'uno o l'altro dei due giorni a seconda delle indicazioni che darò più avanti.  Sei ti sei già prenotata per il giorno sbagliato, puoi accedere al Portale dello Studente, annullare la prenotazione e rifarla per il giorno giusto (secondo le indicazione che sto per dare);

-- dare l'esame “orale” (che, come dicevo, non è solo orale ma anche scritto). Questo esame è per i non frequentanti soltanto:  Come sai, è non frequentante chi ha avuto più di 4 assenze (puoi controllare il foglio delle presenze qui oppure, per chi ha dovuto frequentare solo fino al 17.11 perché servono solo 4 crediti, qui). Inoltre per avere un voto decente, devi aver svolto tutti e 4 i task e i 2 esoneri (o 1 esonero se hai dovuto frequentare solo fino al 17.11 perché hai bisogno di soli 4 crediti).  Quindi dovresti sapere tu se sei frequentante o meno, ancora prima che io affigga la lista con i lavori fatti.

N.B.: PER CHI NON HA FATTO TUTTI I TASK O TUTTI GLI ESONERI.  Non accetto più compiti in ritardo; vuol dire che se non hai fatto uno dei task avrai un voto più basso... pazienza.  Invece per gli esoneri, come ho annunciato a lezione, siccome non c'erano altre occasioni per rifare queste prove, faccio un'eccezione.  Se non hai potuto svolgere uno degli esoneri (o entrambi) potrai farlo il giorno dell'esame, insieme ai non frequentanti (quindi ti devi presentare alle 9.30).  I non frequentanti faranno un esame su tutti i testi, tu invece farai un esonero analogo a quello che hai perso. Se hai perso il primo esonero, avrai 5 domande su “How to Interview” e sul Recap of Lessons fino al 17.11. Se hai perso il secondo esonero (il 15.12), avrai 5 domande su “'Seeing and Saying Things in English” più il Recap of Lessons per la seconda metà del corso.   Non puoi ridare l'esonero se l'hai già dato (sennò ci riprovano tutti e il giorno degli esami non finisce mai!).

Come ho appena detto, chi deve recuperare un esonero si presenterà, insieme ai non frequentanti, per uno dei due appelli alle 9.30: risponderà per iscritto ad una serie di domande stampate (mentre i non frequentanti risponderanno all'intero programma che si vede qui). Poi passeremo appunto alla parte orale in cui guarderò insieme a ciascuno studente quello che ha scritto, approfondendolo.  IN TEORIA avrò finito con i non frequentanti e i “recuperanti” verso le 14; farò una pausa per il pranzo e poi inizierò la verbalizzazione con i frequentanti.  

Come si svolgerà, dunque, questa “verbalizzazione” con gli studenti frequentanti? 

Si tratterà di copiare i tuoi dati su un registro, indicare il lavoro svolto, mettere il voto e firmare/controfirmare il tutto.  Ma siccome è saltato la parte orale dei due esoneri, per via della chiusura dell'edificio in quei giorni, non ho mai avuto il piacere di chiacchierare con te a tu per tu.   Quindi, per quanto sia una mera formalità, approfitterò della verbalizzazione per istaurare un piccolo colloquio con te in inglese su uno di questi temi:
1) In Shakespeare’s “problem comedies,” what is the relationship between law and grace (as per the external documental evidence)?
2) How was Bertrand Russell's analytic philosophy and that of the Cambridge school influenced by Einstein's theory of relativity?
3) In what way was our course a real “English course” (even if we said very little about English grammar); how did it help you improve your English (if it did); and how will it influence the way you approach the study and use of English in the future?

La scelta è tua.  Come rispondi non avrà influenza sul voto – tranne, ovviamente, in casi eccezionali del tipo:

– in senso negativo, scopro solo ora che non sai dire neanche buon giorno in inglese perché hai sempre mandato la tua sorella gemella poliglotta a lezione e a fare gli esoneri al posto tuo; oppure,

– in senso positivo, non solo mi fai capire il senso profondo del mio corso ma mi mostri addirittura dei collegamenti insospettati tra il corso, la filosofia analitica di Russell alla luce della teoria della relatività, e le commedie problematiche di Shakespeare...

Ma mi appaiono piuttosto improbabili questi esiti.  Quindi, qualsiasi cosa tu dica. rimarrà verosimilmente immutato il voto che hai ottenuto con i task e gli esoneri.

Voto? Qualcuno ha detto voto? Già, avrei dovuto calcolare durante le vacanze di Natale i voti, ma da allora una valanga di cose mi ha sempre impedito di farlo, quindi mi tocca mettermi sotto in questi giorni.  (Meno male che hai capito il mio discorso sull'arbitrarietà dei voti in ogni caso, quindi te ne infischi di sapere il voto.)   (Vero?)  Per compensarti della tua pazienza (ma anche perché come classe eravate tutti bravini) aggiungerò 3 punti ai voti, come avrai visto se hai già visitato questa pagina.   Ora il tempo stringe. Quindi affiggerò su questa pagina i miei voti per “l'orale” negli stessi giorni in cui i lettori affiggeranno i loro voti per “lo scritto”, ossia pochi giorni prima del primo appello il 23.6. Come sapete, il vostro “voto finale” per il corso sarà la media tra i due voti (“scritto” e “orale”), essendo ognuno dei due corsi di 6 cfu.

Per quanto riguarda l'organizzazione della verbalizzazione, di solito tutti gli studenti si prenotano per verbalizzare durante il primo appello, quindi c'è la ressa e, calata la luna, la guardia ci caccia e molti, dopo aver atteso ore, devono tornare l'indomani per verbalizzare.  Per limitare il disagio, dunque, ho deciso di scaglionarvi d'ufficio secondo le indicazioni che seguono.

N.B. La designazione dei Gruppi si riferisce ai GRUPPI INIZIALI quando il corso ha cominciato, NON ai gruppi finali.
Se non ti ricordi qual'era la lettera del tuo PRIMO gruppo (a ottobre), ecco l'elenco qui!

IN BASE ALLA LETTERA DEL TUO GRUPPO IN OTTOBRE,  PRENÒTATI  PER 1 DI QUESTI 2 GIORNI

FARE LA PRENOTAZIONE PER IL 23.6.09 (che vale anche se poi ti devi presentare il 24.6):
23.6 – (mattina: non frequentanti). Poi Ore 15: Gruppo A;   Ore 16: Gruppo B;   Ore 17: Gruppo C;   Ore 18: Chi “cambia orario”
24.6 – Ore 13: Gruppi A+B del corso delle ore 18-20;   Ore 14: Gruppo D;   Ore 15: Gruppo E;   Ore 16: Gruppo F;   Ore 17: Gruppo G;   Ore 18: Chi “cambia orario”

FARE LA PRENOTAZIONE PER IL 7.7.09 (che vale anche se poi ti devi presentare L'8.7):
7.7 – (mattina: non frequentanti). Poi Ore 15: Gruppo H;   Ore 16: Gruppo I;   Ore 17: Gruppo J;   Ore 18: Chi “cambia orario”
8.7 – Ore 13: Gruppo K;   Ore 14: Gruppo L;   Ore 15: Gruppo M;   Ore 16: Gruppo N;   Ore 17: Gruppo O;   Ore 18: Chi “cambia orario”


ATTENZIONE:

1. Chi si presenta in un orario che non corrisponde al proprio gruppo verrà pregato di tornare all'orario giusto o dopo le 18, che è l'orario stabilito per chi “cambia orario”.

2. E' scontato che diversi studenti non vorranno le date 7.7 e 8.7 per vari motivi, generalmente legati alle ferie ma anche per via di conflitti con altri esami; essi possono quindi venire il 23.6 o il 24.6 dopo le 18 nell'orario previsto per “Chi cambia orario.” Ma attenzione, se tutti decidono di evitare le date 7.7 e 8.7 e si presentano alle ore 18 del 23.6 o del 24.6, ci sarà appunto la ressa, la guardia ci caccerà alle ore 20 e dovremo comunque concordare un orario per un altro giorno (dipenderà dagli altri esami che dovrò svolgere).   Quindi se non volete correre rischi, NON CAMBIARE ORARIO, attenetevi allo scaglionamento indicato qui sopra.  

3. E' quindi inutile scrivermi spiegando perché dovete dare l'esame tale giorno e non tale altro giorno. O venite all'orario indicato qui sopra per il vostro GRUPPO INIZIALE, o alle ore 18 di uno di quattro giorni: 23.6, 24.6, 7.7 e 8.7 – sapendo che i primi due giorni, essendo in giugno, rischiano di essere pieni e quindi corri il rischio di dover tornare comunque un altro giorno che concorderemo lì per lì.  Chi non si presenta non potrà scrivere poi chiedendo un altro giorno, ci vedremo a settembre per la verbalizzazione. 

4. L'esame dei lettori rimane rimane valido per un anno – ossia per le sessioni: estiva (giugno luglio 2009), autunnale (settembre 2009) e invernale (febbraio 2010), dopo di che scade.  Se non completate entrambi gli esami (“scritto”, “orale”) per il I anno entro febbraio, tocca ridare l'esame dei lettori il prossimo estate.

5. Il credito accumulato per il mio esame (i task, gli esoneri) in teoria non ha scadenza (perché sono un docente serie A); ma in pratica dovrei cessare di insegnare ottobre prossimo per raggiunto limite di età.  Uso il condizionale perché l'interpretazione della legge da parte dell'Ateneo è stata discutibile.  In ogni caso, in pratica potete contare di far valere il lavoro da voi accumulato durante il mio corso, sia in questa sessione sia in autunno.  Poi c'è la reale prospettiva di un cambio della guardia (e quindi cambio dei programmi per il I anno d'inglese).

DOVE?

Dove avverrà l'esame orale alle 9:30? Probabilmente in Aula !0, forse in Aula A o B (valico San Paolo), lo si saprà solo qualche giorno prima quando verrà affisso nelle bacheche luminose.

Dove avverrà la verbalizzazione nel pomeriggio? Nella stessa aula della mattina... a meno che faccia troppo caldo, in tal caso nel mio ufficio (aria condizionato), stanza 3.01, terzo piano.


A.A..A. Cercasi
Per andare spediti nelle verbalizzazioni, avrei bisogno di una o due segretarie (per riempire i verbali con le cose ripetitivi, il codice del corso, la data, ecc. ecc.) e per gestire l'afflusso degli studenti. Chi vuole rendersi disponibile (€3000 al mese, laute cene, Ferrari di servizio) mi scriva a:   patrickboylan.it.

Sarebbe bene che una persona che deve passare alle 17 o alle 18 si dichiari volontario per venire alle 15 a fare la segretaria o il segretario fino al proprio turno. Comunque anche l'inverso è possibile, se vuoi dare una mano, vedi un po tu.

Ringrazio in anticipo.

-- Patrick                                   

01.6.09

Prof. MacLaren informs 1st year OCI students that
the schedule for her Speaking Exam,
in conflict with the exam in Chinese, will be changed.
The new times will be announced during the written exam on 4.6.

16.2.09

17.6.09

Prof. MacLaren ha affisso i risultati degli esami A2 e B1
nella bacheca della stanza dei lettori.
Per vederne una copia, cliccare qui.

NOTICE FOR THE STUDENTS TAKING THE “ESONERI” ON JANUARY 12TH:

THE EXAM WILL BE AT 3 PM IN THE AFTERNOON,
NOT AT 10 AM IN THE MORNING
(I have an urgent doctor's appointment in the morning)

THE ESONERI AND STUDENTS WHO NEED ONLY 10 CREDITS

Students who need only 10 credits (5 or 6 credits with the prova lettori McLaren, and 4 or 5 credits with the modulo docente Boylan) must take the second esonero, both the written and the oral tests.

Many of these students think that they do not have to take the esonero because their lessons stopped on November 28th.  They are mistaken.  If they look at the section with the program (Click on “PROGRAM” in the main menu) they will read:

“Students ... who need 5 credits for the Teacher's Module will study texts 1, 3 and 4 if they are non frequentanti.... As frequentanti they will attend lessons up to November 28th and take both esoneri.”

Of course, for the esoneri they will be responsible for for the class discussions up to November 28th, but not after. They will also be responsible for the first half of “Seeing things in English”.

Problem: the written test was December 10th and the oral test December 15th. What can these students do now?

Answer: I will organize a special written and oral exam for them after the Christmas holidays.   I propose, as a date, Monday, January 12th, 10 am, 3 pm in my office.  All students who need 10 credits only should send me an email telling me if they can or cannot come at that time.  I will confirm the date when I have heard from all the students.

 How will you be evaluated for your oral exam on December 15th?
See the criteria by clicking here.
(You will see a model sheet that I will fill out;
the criteria are at the top and
the explanation of the criteria is at the bottom.)

 
The Lettori contracts have been signed.
All Lettori courses will take place as scheduled from now on
(one hopes). 

TWO INVITATIONS:

(I) Mercoledì 10 dicembre, ore 21.00

PRESENTAZIONE DEL NUOVO LIBRO DI LIDIA MANCINI
"CARO PRESIDENTE, MI RACCOMANDO..."
Libreria Bibli
via dei Fienaroli, 28 (in Trastevere; vedi qui)

(II)  Giovedì 11 dicembre, ore 20.

PROIEZIONE DEL FILM (in lingua inglese): Iran...Is Not the Problem!
Ultimo film della serie organizzata dagli U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice - Rome
8pm sharp! (Doors open at 7:30)
Circolo Arci “Arcobaleno”, via Pullino, 1
(metro Garbatella, vedi qui)

- Why our class activities and tasks prepare for the lettori exam in June (although they do not seem to).

- December 10th: written exam. No cheating. Request for collaboration.

- You are on your own now. I won't be giving you alternative information. You will have to find out by yourselves. So remem                      “      “      “   ber:
Be active! Even more:
Be proactive!!!
Example: Have you read L'invito dei Rappresentanti? 
                     “      “      “    Il verbale dell'assemblea  ? 
                     “      “    voted in the sondaggio after hearing both sides?

 
 Last lesson: December 5th; if you want to celebrate it, bring something to eat and drink.
 
 Written exam on December 10th (regarding class all discussions and the first half of “Seeing and Saying Things in English.”
 
 Oral exam on December 15th; here is the list of bookings (you are to appear at the time you signed up for)> 
 

No lesson on:

1 December – SCIOPERO DEI TRASPORTI indetta dai soli sindacati autonomi (ma potrebbe paralizzare tutti i mezzi): dettagli qui

12 DICEMBER – SCIOPERO GENERALE (università, ma anche fabbriche, uffici, trasporti, ecc., quindi “chiude il paese”)
contro la “Risposta del Governo alla crisi economica” (= salvare i ricchi, scaricare la crisi sui ceti medi e bassi): dettagli qui.

 Regular lesson on November 28th: there is a demonstration in the morning but not a suspension of lessons all day.
The students are discussing a possible suspension of lessons for Tuesday morning, Dec. 2nd, to favor participation at the
Assemblea Interfacoltà conto la Legge 133 a Scienze Politiche,
martedì, 2 dicembre, ore 11
(Scienze Politche si trova qui, in via Chiabrera)

 Lezione regolare mercoledì.

 ASSEMBLEA RAPPRESENTANTI DEGLI STUDENTI:
giovedì ore 17, aula 18 (vedi sotto). Per ragguagli sul primo punto all'ordine del giorno:
http://tinyurl.com/chivotare
 
COMUNICATO DEI RAPPRESENTANTI:
 ASSEMBLEA Studenti di Lingue (OCI, LL)
Giovedì, 27.11.08, ore 17, aula 18 
indetta dai Rappresentanti degli Studenti al CdL
Valentina, Federica, Kostya:
 Ordine del giorno: 
- Elezioni presidente del Collegio Didattico
- Prospettive per il futuro
- Questione Lettori (ci sono novità importanti)
- Vostre proposte
Invitati tutti gli studenti del nostro collegio didattico
interessati a migliorare il futuro del Corso di Laura.
 
 ASSEMBLY Language Students (OCI, LL)
Thursday, Nov. 27th, 5 pm, Room18
called by the Language Program Student Reps
Valentina, Federica, Kostya
 Agenda: 
- Election, President of the Language Program.
- Future prospects
- The Lettore Issue (there's news)
- Your proposals.
All those interested in improving
the Language Program are invited to attend.

 What to do after cases of intolerance (we discussed two at our last lesson)?  COME TOGETHER.  MEET with other people.  Do NOT stay home with the door locked and windows closed.  Here is an occasion to come together.  It is organized by a group that includes two teachers from Roma Tre (professors Pompeo and Fusaschi).   If you are thinking of becoming a “mediatore interculturale sul territorio”, this may interest you.

Giornata di Studi Urbani: Paesaggi dell'esclusione a Roma. Politiche degli spazi, nuovi razzismi e altre malattie del territorio   -   Roma, 27 novembre 2008 - ore 9:30 - Nuovo Cinema Aquila

Gli episodi di razzismo delle ultime settimane, l'acuirsi del disagio abitativo, la recrudescenza di retoriche di stampo neofascista e la crescita delle diverse forme di povertà, più o meno visibili, costituiscono gli elementi della crisi che attraversa il territorio romano. Una concatenzione che rappresenta il punto di arrivo di un processo politico di convocazione dell'insicurezza sulla scena mediatica e di continua sollecitazione della prossimità come spazio della paura.

Si rimette così radicalmente in discussione un panorama urbano che per anni si è voluto rappresentare attraverso le vetrine del turismo, del commercio e dello spettacolo, e che si rivela oggi, al di là dei risultati elettorali, in tutte le sue durezze. E' lo scenario dei quartieri non più periferici, ma non centrali, di meccanismi di esclusione e marginalizzazione che colpiscono direttamente ampi strati della cittadinanza. Scelte e dinamiche che non gestite o peggio imbrigliate dagli interessi consolidati destrutturano il già precario rapporto fra spazi urbani e territori sociali.

L'Osservatorio sul razzismo e le diversità "M. G. Favara", sulla scorta dell'esperienza del Contratto di Quartiere Pigneto, e a seguito di un processo di riflessione comune, organizza una giornata interdisciplinare di studi urbani, con interventi di antropologi, urbanisti, economisti ed esperti del territorio metropolitano.

 PROGRAMMA COMPLETO DELLA GIORNATA QUI  -   ULTERIORE INFO: ossrazzi@uniroma3.it   - 

 ESONERO RESULTS:

NOT READY YET, I'M STILL BUSY WITH THE ELECTIONS;
PLEASE BE PATIENT

 The Department of Linguistics announces:

 Il prof. Suresh Canagarajah sarà ospite da noi a Roma Tre per due diversi incontri. Il primo incontro - un open meeting - si terrà mercoledì 26 dalle 14.00 alle 16.00 in aula 14, sul tema: WORLD ENGLISHES and LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY What does being proficient in English mean today when there are diverse varieties of English. Implications for testing.

Questo incontro - un open meeting - è prevalentemente rivolto a studenti, studenti della SSIS, dottorandi, lettori e insegnanti di TESOL Italy.

Il secondo incontro è previsto giovedì 27 novembre alle 15.30 (Aula Riunioni, III piano, Dip.to Linguistica) per il ciclo dei Seminari di Linguistica e avrà come tema THE POSSIBILITY OF LINGUA FRANCA.

Per chi non può venire (posti limitati), un recente testo qui.
 

Della serie, “In che mondo viviamo?
Vogliamo far qualcosa per cambiarlo?”

1° Fatto  Radu (Group M – one of our class secretaries) wrote me to say why he was absent last time.  He was walking along the street when four young men approached him:

“I live in an area of Rome which is very right-wing... a friend of mine got beaten up 2 days ago in exactly the same place as me...4 of [these people] came along. I knew one of them because he goes to the school where I used to go, where me and my friend ran for "rappresentanti d'istituto". During the elections he referred to me as a "drunken, satanic Romanian." And to my friend, the one who got beaten 2 days ago, as "a terrorist" just because he's Egyptian.

I was thrown to the ground and they all started kicking me in the head and in the back after a while a car came by; it didn't stop, actually it went away, but it was enough to scare them away...I got up...called a friend of mine who took me to the hospital. Nothing broken...lots of bumps and bruises...”


2° Fatto Elezioni per il presidente del Corso di Laurea  -  Bullismo durante e dopo le elezioni
I rappresentanti degli studenti comunicano:
Assemblea generale aperta a tutti gli studenti del corso di laurea in lingue e comunicazione linguistico-culturale
Non più mercoledì (per meglio prepararlo), verrà annunciato quando e dove sul sito studenti di lingue.
Gli argomenti:
- Perché i rappresentanti degli studenti hanno votato la candidatura della prof.ssa Nuccorini e non quella del prof. Lancioni?
- Quali sono i problemi più sentiti dagli studenti del corso di laurea ? Ovvero i problemi da portare al prossimo consiglio del collegio didattico?
Sono invitati a partecipare tutti gli studenti non indifferenti al futuro del nostro corso di laurea
Per ragguagli: leggete le pagine 4 e 5 del topic sul forum degli studenti di lingue di Roma Tre qui (prima devi iscriverti).
 

 
17.11.08

 TROVATI!      

The 2 “permanent” class secretaries, to help me at the beginning of class (distributing roll sheets, collecting
homework, etc. etc.) are: Veronica (backed up by Christel) and Radu.
 
Thanks.
 

 14.11.08

Results of the request to sign for “being Anglo during the lessons on Anglo language and culture”
(and not to sign if one prefers maintaining one's habitual Italian identity during the lessons)

Out of 87 students, 86 signed up to “be Anglo” during the lessons. And, hopefully, when interacting with Anglos!

One person did not sign, but perhaps this was because this person had already left early when the signing took place.
In any case, there is no problem: even if this person wants to act according to the rules of Italian culture, the people around her will “educate her” during the lesson.  They will be just like the Dutch boy (the one who felt it was his duty to educate the French girl who threw the cigarette pack onto the street).

So lessons will continue as usual.   AND the esonero will take place as scheduled: Monday.

As for the composition of the esonero, there will be five open questions regarding “How to Interview” and anything said in class – the themes of which appear in the section “Recap of Lessons”. 

No dictionaries allowed. And obviously no “cheat sheets” (foglietti con altri accorgimenti) allowed.

Since you will be Anglo during the exam, if you see anyone talking, looking at a cheat sheet or anything of the kind, you will tell him or her to stop.  So I don't have to intervene and play the “vigile”.   If I have to play the “vigile” as a traditional teacher does, I will continue being a traditional teacher for the rest of the course.

You will not sit in your group.  Just as with the Trinity students, I will give you a ticket telling you where to sit.

You will answer the five questions in one hour; that means 12 minutes per question. (Class begins at 4 but the exam begins at 4:30 and ends at 5:30). So you don't have time to write a draft (“la brutta”).  Just write straight off (“di getto”) what you remember.  Imagine you are taking an oral test – but with a time advantage (you never have 12 minutes per question during an oral exam: you must say the answer immediately, within a minute or two, or the teacher assumes you don't know it).

Sample questions:

Why is hand language (for example, Ada McGraph's English, expressed with her hands, in The piano) just as much English as the verbal language used by an Anglo student that you interview orally? (Discussed on October 15^th).

Define “culture” and say what it means to understand an Anglo speaker “culturally”. (From “How to Interview”, Part 1, “More on the concept of “culture” and “cultural values”...)

Remember: exams do not “prove” anything.  They are fundamentally arbitrary and therefore intrinsically unjust (just like “marks” for your Tasks).  So don't worry about “doing well” -- I never judge a student from an exam, I take into consideration most of all the kind of work done on the Tasks.  (And, numerically for your mark, your tasks count twice as much as both esoneri put together.)  For me the exam is just a tribal ritual to follow.

13.11.08

YES, We're having the encounter with the Trinity students this evening, despite the rain.
(What's a little water?)
 

 
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH , AN EVENING
WITH THE STUDENTS OF TRINITY COLLEGE

Information about Trinity College: in the United States>           in Rome> .
(To interview effectively, you should document yourself on your future interviewees!
   Read their sites!)
 
 

Information about the “Contro-inaugurazione studentesca” on Thursday:
ore 15-17: Marco Travaglio: una discussione sulla P2 (che controlla l'Italia o comunque sta cercando di controllarla) 
ore 18-20: Tavola rotonda sull'università: che università abbiamo in mente. Approfondimento dei documenti per l'assemblea della Sapienza;
ore 20-22: Incontro tra gli studenti di Trinity College e gli studenti di inglese del I anno, Aula 10
                   Gli americani spiegheranno l'elezione di Obama. Gli italiani spiegheranno la protesta contro la legge 133 in corso.
Ore 21-22:30: Spazio autogestito dal Dams: proiezione del documentario:
                         The Weather Underground (più intervento sul film della prf.ssa Antonelli)
ore 23-alba: Musica (dj set drum'n'bass, reggae, ska, rock, punk)
                       Videoproiezioni, mostre fotografiche, banchetti
 

If you can't send your Group Leader your audio/video files because your email service doesn't accept big emails,
then use the http://intertransfer.interfree.it/ service.   After registering, you send your files directly to the service
(not by email).  Then the service sends an email to the person you indicate with a password.   That person can then download the files. Group Leaders can use this system to send me their group members' audio/video files.


 A student has written to me that APPENDIX “F” (in “How to interview”) DOESN'T WORK.   SO PLEASE CLICK HERE.

 
HERE ARE THE CRITERIA THAT I WILL USE IN EVALUATING THE MARKS THAT THE GROUP LEADER GIVES>

 
 7.11.08

LEZIONI CON I LETTORI: le lezioni sono sospese oggi 7.11.08 ma riprenderanno regolarmente da domani – comprese le lezioni con MacLaren e con Fallon -- MA NON LE LEZIONI DELLA PROF. CONNEALY (e 2 lettrici di cinesi, 1 di russo, 1 di arabo)
 
MOTIVO: L'amministrazione ha trovato i soldi per i loro contrati ma, quando hanno esaminato i contratti, hanno visto che per una parte delle ore dovevano ricevere un compenso più basso.  Il sindacato è intervenuto a loro difesa; non si sa quando le trattative si concluderanno.
 
What can you do?  Nothing, at least if we accept the logic of the student who goes around saying that I (Patrick Boylan) should not criticize the Corso di Laurea since I belong to it. With that logic, YOU should not criticize the Corso di Laurea either (even if you have no lettori lessons now) because you belong to it, too. 

Of course there is ANOTHER logic.  According to this logic, precisely because you belong to an institution you have the DUTY to criticize it when it is not serving the public interest... and to work to make it better.  In the case of the missing lettori, you could write a petition to the Rector criticizing the fact that you have paid for a service you are not receiving.  And you could work to make the situation better by meeting in Connealy's classroom during her class hours and forming self-study groups, using materials from the lab. (If you bring your tape recorders, I can ask the lab to duplicate tapes for you to listen to.)

 7.11.08

TRANSPORTATION STRIKE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH – NO LESSON

Note on Task 2: As explained in class, Task 2 has been increased
so that you can be ready to interview the Trinity Students next Thursday.

The increase: in addition to answering the questions to Part 2 of “How to Interview”, you will do Part 5 (“First Outing”) as well.
 Read the explanation under Task 2 (in the Main Menu, click on “Research Tasks”).
You should also read the CORRECTION SHEET that Group Leader 4 will use in correcting you,
so you know what will be considered important.

 26.10.08

 
STUDENTS OF THE 6-8pm COURSE:
ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, THERE IS NO LESSON FROM 6-8-
I will be participating in the initiative “I Bambini all'Università” from 6 to 8pm in Room 10.

PLEASE COME (IF YOU CAN) TO THE LESSON FROM 4-6

STUDENTS OF CHINESE:
ON WEDNESDAY ROOM 10 WILL BE USED FOR THE CHILDREN'S INITIATIVE,
SO YOU MUST GO WITH PROF. ZANG TO ANOTHER ROOM.

 26..10.08

NO MAKE-UP LESSON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28

Our “alternative lesson” on Monday, October 27th, was rained out after 20 minutes!   So there was no lesson. And thus there is no lesson to make up.

To escape the rain, the students found shelter in a pub for American students, near piazza Farnese.   Here are a few pictures of them, studying hard.

   
 

 26.10.08
 

The weather report says it will rain heavily on Wednesday and Friday, so for now our ONLY Lezione in Piazza will be Monday.
We'll see what the Assembly on Tuesday proposes for alternative methods of protest.

 
 26.10.08
 
 GROUP LEADERS (week 2): I have just put the EVALUATION SHEET (to use in giving your marks for Task 1, Second Part)
at the end of the explanation of Task1 – Second Part.  Go to the Main Menu above and click on “Research Tasks.”

Please print a copy of the form (if you don't have a printer, no worry – at our lesson Monday in Piazza Farnese I will distribute copies), then fill it out and give it to me on Wednesday.

I am giving you two extra days because I was late in putting the form on this web site.

Some students, when they read the form, may decide they want to re-write their papers to be more in line with the criteria.  You can give them an extension – it's your business – but please consign the EVALUATION SHEET on Wednesday:
 
 

 MONDAY, OCTOBER 27,

OUR LESSON WILL BE HELD IN PIAZZA FARNESE
for the 4-6 group and the 6-8 group together
from 4:30 to 6:30 (a half hour late for transportation time).
It's easy to get there with Bus 23: see the map here.   

Our lesson will be partly on “How to Interview”, partly on the law 133 and partly on how to talk in an English pub and in an American bar.
(There is a famous American students' bar near piazza Farnese – The Drunken Ship in Campo de' Fiori – so bring some beer money to practice what your learn.)

The sit-in is AUTHORIZED so there will be NO problem of any kind.

Bring something to sit on (you'll be on the ground): a cushion, a plaid, a newspaper...
And bring something to write with (a pen, a pencil...): we may do an exercise.

And, finally, to explain to the people in the square why we are there, if you want you can bring IN ITALIAN
a big sign that you put on your back (or wear like a “sandwich-man”.
For information on the reasons for the protest,
see for example the declaration of the Conferenza dei Rettori here  about Law 133 (here)
For the government's point of view see here.
For opinions against the Law 133, see here or here,
For an opinion against the profest, see here   (Don't be like the students described!   Come informed!)


Group Leaders will take roll and collect the homework as usual.   The lesson will count for your “presenze”.*
(N.B. Last Wednesday the two classes freely voted to hold lessons outside the classroom by a huge majority: 82 – 7.)

*If you do not want to participate in this initiative (or if for some reason you can't come),
there will be a make-up lesson on Tuesday, October 28, FOR BOTH GROUPS (4-6 AND 6-8),
from 5 pm to 7 pm in Room 22.

24-10-08

 
ASSEMBLEA sulla Legge 133 e sulle iniziative di lotta
QUESTO MARTEDÌ, ore 12, AULA MAGNA
volantin qui 
 

 24-10-08

THIS THURSDAY EVENING...
                                                 another interesting film in the “Eyes Wide Open” film series, 8 pm, Circolo Arci Arcobaleno (Metro Garbatella):

Michael Moore's latest film (made in 2007 but just released)    Slacker Uprising (il risveglio degli studenti menefreghisti)

This Thursday, October 30^th, at 8 pm, U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice - Rome will present Slacker Uprising, a documentary film that shows how Michael Moore, just before the last United States Presidential election (2004), held rallies on college campuses all across America, to convince college kids (who traditionally boycott elections) that THEY CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.   With him: musicians and artists like Eddie Vedder, Steve Earle, Roseanne Barr, Joan Baez, and Viggo Mortensen. The film shows "the birth of a new political generation."

Doors open at 7:30pm, films begin at 8pm sharp. The Circolo Arci Arcobaleno is in Via Pullino, 1. Take the “Metro B” to the Garbatella stop, then take the “via Pullino” exit from the station. Turn right and continue (200mt) across Piazza Albini to Arcobaleno. Map here.

 24-10-08

NOTICE for the students I assigned to classes with Connealy/Fallon.  
Your schedule has changed.
See your new schedule here.

 22-10.08

PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME PERSONAL QUESTIONS
BEFORE THE CLASS BEGINS.
IT TAKES TIME AND MAKES THE CLASS START LATE.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU MAKE 70 PEOPLE WAIT
DURING YOUR PRIVATE CONSULTATION.
THAT'S NOT FAIR.  

SO PLEASE SEE ME DURING OFFICE HOURS:
MONDAY AND FRIDAY: 2-3 (ROOM 3.01).
IF YOUR QUESTION IS URGENT AND YOU CAN'T WAIT,
SEND ME AN EMAIL OR USE THE FORUM ABOVE.

NATURALLY YOU MAY ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST DURING THE COURSE.

 22.10.08

Question to answer at the beginning of the class: How many students are taking prof. MacLarens's Speaking Module (Thursday , 2-4pm) and would be able to take it instead on Tuesday 10am-12 noon?

 22.10.08

SUGGESTED LETTORATI FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS (OCI and LL 2a lingua)
click here

 20-10.08
 

Please read the instructions on how to “take roll” (“segnare le presenze”).
You will be a group leader one day and should know how.
Instructions here> 
 

 20-10.08

TWO CHANGES IN CLASS DATES:

-- There will be a lesson on October 27^th. (I thought I would be out of Rome and so I had said there was no class; that has changed now. There will be no class on Friday, October 24th, but on Monday the 27th we will meet as usual.)

-- There will (probably) be no lesson on Friday, November 14^th.  The major union for University personnel has called a General Strike nationwide on that day (see details here) unless the Government changes Law N° 133, which cuts university funding and initiates the privatization process.


ABOUT THE STUDENT PROTEST AGAINST LAW 133...

-- There will be an assembly to discuss opposition to the law, Tuesday, October 21stx, in front of the Petrocchi Library:  Students may vote for forms of protest like: stopping “official” lessons, occupying the university, holding alternative seminars, holding lessons in public places, and so on.  You can participate, if you wish, and express your vote. 

In any case, whatever form of protest is approved on Tuesday or in the future, THIS CLASS WILL CONTINUE TO MEET ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE given under the Main Menu above.  The place and course content may change, but lessons will continue to help you learn to express yourself better in English.  In other words, going on strike does not mean going on holiday. 
 

  15-10.08

TUTTI GLI STUDENTI DI INGLESE, PRIMO ANNO, SONO PREGATI DI CONTROLLARE
I RISULTATI DELLA PROVA AMMISSIONE (QUI)
PER VERIFICARE SE DEVONO SEGUIRE UNO DEI CORSI DI RECUPERO ED EVENTUALMENTE QUALE.
(In classe ho distribuito una lista di nomi che ho preso da qui, ma posso aver sbagliato; quindi controllare qui per sicurezza.)

I CORSI DI RECUPERO AL CENTRO LINGUISTICO DI ATENEO (CLA)
INIZIANO IL 3 NOVEMBRE.  MA...

MA GLI STUDENTI INTERESSATI DEVONO METTERSI IN CONTATTO SUBITO
– E NON OLTRE IL 29 OTTOBRE – CON IL CLA
PER STABILIRE LE MODALITA' DELLA LORO PARTECIPAZIONE.
http://www.cla.uniroma3.it

La partecipazione ai corsi non dà diritto a crediti ma serve unicamente ad assolvere gli obblighi formativI.
 

15-10.08

How to do “Task 1” (compito) for Monday?

For full instructions,
click on “Research Tasks” in the Menu here.

If you have problems using your computer to do the task (password, downloading, etc.)
call one of our PC-HELP volunteers.
You can find their telephone numbers under “PC-HELP”... To get to PC-HELP, click on ROLL in the Main Menu.

15-10.08

The lessons on Wednesday, 6 – 8 pm, will be held in Room 12 instead of Room 10.

 15-10.08

As of October 15^th: NO MORE NEW STUDENTS ADMITTED TO THE FREQUENTANTI PROGRAM 

TO SEE THE DEFINITIVE LIST OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM; CLICK ON “ROLL” IN THE MAIN MENU.
 

 15-10.08

 FRIDAY (October 17th): NO LESSON – SCIOPERO GENERALE, read about it here and here.
But... in the afternoon (4 to 8 pm) Aula 10 is empty and at your disposition to meet in groups and do the assigned tasks.

15-10.08

“Solution” for the conflict in class schedules

There were no large classrooms available on Tuesday 4-6pm or Thursday 10-12pm, so these two proposals could not be taken into consideration.

The Lettrice of Chinese came up with a solution.

FIRST YEAR ENGLISH (OCI + “strong” LL students):
Monday 4 - 6pm, Wednesday 4 - 5:30pm*, Friday 4 – 6pm
*On Wednesday, no break and no “quarto d'ora accademico”: class begins at 4 on the dot.

FIRST YEAR CHINESE
On Wednesday: 5:45 – 7:30pm

13-10.08

Schedule of the Lettori Lessons
(Not complete and perhaps with mistakes:
This is what some Lettori sent me;
I'm waiting for the rest.)
Click here.

08-10.08

If you didn't do (or finish) the DiaLang test today, do it (or finisih it) at home tonight.
You will have to install two programs on your computer (Java, DiaLang) before you can do the test.

All necessary information is here.

There are 15 PC's (with DiaLang ALREADY INSTALLED) in the in Language Laboratory that you can use until 4 pm.

Send me the results on the form here. Download it, fill it out, and send it to: patrickboylan.it

NB:  1. You will not always have a "prova di livello" or "autovalutazione". If you do them once, often this is enough and the computer will not ask you to do them again.
         2. Write your "autovalutazione" like this: "me: A2, test: B1".
This means: my autovalutation was "A2" but the test showed that I am really "B1". So I underestimated myself.

 Return to Menu 

08.10.08

The next film in the Eyes Wide Open* film series, this Thursday (Oct. 16), 8pm:

RADIANT CITY, directed by the Canadian surreal comedy king, Gary Burns.
 
To see a trailer of the film, click here.
To see a review of the film, click here.
 
The Eyes Wide Open film series is organized by a group of “U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice” living in Rome; see their site here.  Screenings are at the Circolo Arci Arcobaleno, via Pullino 1 (Metro Garbatella).  Admission is free; a donation of 2 euros is accepted.

Next Tuesday, October 14, 2 pm,  Meeting of the Collegio Didattico, at the request of the Student Representatives (Federica, Kosyta, Valentina), to examine the conflicts in the course schedule.
(See the exchange of messages between a “matricola” and me on the Course Forum: first message, last message.

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  YOUR DATA*
*ENROLLMENT,  ATTENDANCE,  MARKS

Enrollment form and instructions ( in Italian)>     (Informativa privacy> )
                     You must enroll to be a frequentante and take the esoneri.  Otherwise it is unnecessary.
 
  PC HELP*: Problems using your PC?   Phone a student for help>  

If you don't have a computer, how can you enroll and follow the course?
Here are various solutions>     (Per la versione italiana cliccare qui> )
 

Students enrolled on   
>  

 
Attendance as of
> 
(view directly>  )

 
Photos >  

 
   

Marks for
Research Tasks>  

Marks for Partial exams*:
Written + Oral> 

*Partial exams: To take the “partial exams” (esoneri), you must enroll in this course (use the form above).  But no booking is required since they are not "real"exams -- they simply reduce the study load for the final exam (for which you must book).  Each partial exam you pass eliminates one of the texts from the final exam and counts for a part of your final mark.  But only the final mark goes on your libretto.

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ASSESSMENT

Non frequentanti   Final exam contents: As a non-attender, you are responsible for all texts (book, articles) on the Reading List> 

    Criteria determining your mark >    (Studenti italiani: Leggete il testo in italiano)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Frequentanti   Final exam contents: Le domande verteranno sulle discussioni in aula (non sui testi al programma) così come risultano dai RECAP OF LESSONS, dalle spiegazioni dei Tasks nella rubrica TASKS e dalle NOTIZIE, comprese le discussioni sul Bulletin Board del nostro corso a cui si accede, appunto, nella rubrica NEWS cliccando sul tasto arancione nel riquadro rosso "Students' Bulletin Board."

Also the two articles if you didn't eliminate them by taking and passing the partial exams (esoneri).

 Criteria determining your mark (out of a maximum of 30 points*):
   4 automatic points for attendance and completion of all assignments
+ total of marks received for the Research Tasks (out of 20)
+ average of marks received for the mid-term tests (out of 10)
+ mark (from -2 to +3) on the final exam (for an explanation, see here> ).
    *The sum of of all the points listed here is more than 30. This increase is meant to compensate for the fact that, in the Italian grading system, rarely do students get more than 8 out of 10 on partial tests and assignments.  Yet graduate schools and employers expect at least 25 out of 30 on undergraduate exams, and the university itself requires at least 28 out of 30 for an Honors Degree.
 
 

                                     YOUR MARKS   (I TUOI VOTI)
YOUR MARKS FOR THIS MODULE (tasks, partial exam) are in YOUR DATA : click here> 
YOUR MARKS FOR THE ESERCITAZIONI  (LETTORI EXAM, June, September, January) are here> 
 
 
 

                                                      EXAM DATES
     Calendar* for final exams (due o tre appelli per ogni sessione di esame): click> 
     For last minute changes, go to the “Didattica / Notizie” page by clicking here> 

*NOTE: There are regulations governing when you can take the exam and in what order you must take each component of this course (the Module, the Tutorial).  See the regulations under Regulations on the main menu or simply click here>   

 
 
   Computerized exam booking>   
No booking is required for the mid-term tests (esoneri) since they are not "real" exams (their purpose is to "exonerate" you from some of the material on the final exam) and the mark you get for them does not go on your libretto.
 
Booking is required, however, for the final exam -- and at least 8 days in advance.  Click on the orange button above to connect to the booking site, usually active 20 days before the exam period.  But before you click to book, see the “Calendar for final exams” in the paragraph above – it will help you determine for which exam to book.

 

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SYLLABUS,  SET TEXTS,  HANDOUTS 
 aaa

Syllabus 

 
“Seeing and saying things in English”  

     In this Module we will examine what language is "beyond words and syntax" -- a move toward a linguistics of parole alongside the traditional Saussurian linguistics of langue.  Then, on the basis of our wider definition of language, we will attempt a cultural description of "English" -- or rather, Englishes, as they exist in today's globalized yet fragmented world.

Students will acquire English as a “will to mean” and thus a particular existential state.  They will, in addition, be able to describe the multiple varieties of English – in our globalized yet fragmented world – as a family of such states.  In addition they will learn to use a local English in encounters with culturally diverse native speakers of that variety, as a practical application of the concepts elaborated.

Tutorial with a Lettore/Lettrice

During the Lettore tutorial students will acquire a better formal competence in using contemporary R.P. English – at level B1 or higher – through class and lab work.

The organizational aspects of the Module -- requirements and credits, evaluation 
   criteria and so on – are indicated in the main menu.   The Reading List follows. 
 

 Set texts
("programma")

 
 
Frequentanti and non frequentanti
are responsible for:

1. Monograph: P. Boylan. "Understanding others". SIETAR Deutschland Journal 10:1 (April, 2004), pp. 28-32.  To read the text click here>    To download the text click here> . 
 
2. Monograph: “P. Boylan, 'Seeing and Saying Things in English', IV annual IALIC conference, Lancaster University, 16.12.2003.” To read the text click here>    To download the text click here> . 
 
3. Book: D. Crystal.1997. English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.   Available at university book stores – for example, the book store across from the Facoltà.
 
 

Non Frequentanti only
will also read

4. Monograph  P. Boylan “Il come e il perché degli esami”
Attention: The exam will contain questions on this text! To read the text click here>    To download the text click here> .  This text analyzes what it means to "know" English in the context of the exams for this Course.  International students: read the English version; Italian students: read the Italian version as it discusses your particular situation in more detail.
 
 

For Frequentanti only;

Frequentanti do not read text (4.) Boylan “Il come e il perché degli esami.”   In addition, they will substitute most of (2.) Boylan and (3.) Crystal with How to Interview* (click here .).
User name: PICTUREX   (maiuscole),  Password: .corkos   (minuscole)

     
  STUDENTS FROM LETTERE AND OTHER DEGREE COURSES   

Students from the corso di laurea in Lettere (and other degree courses) who need 6 credits will study texts 1, 2, 3 and 4 if they are non frequenanti; as frequentanti they will study the program indicated in the paragraph above. 
 
Students who need fewer credits (for example, only 4) will have a proportionally reduced program. As frequentanti they will attend the first 2/3 of the lessons (Oct. 6th to November 17th).  As non frequentanti they are responsible for texts 1, 2 and 4.
 
At the beginning of the course and in any case before the esoneri, all Lettere students are asked to see the teacher during his office hours indicated here.

     
  STUDENTS FROM LINGUE (Vecchio ordinamento) WHO NEED 10 CREDITS  

Students from the corso di laurea triennale in Lingue e Comunicazione Internazionale who need 5 credits for the Teacher's Module will study texts 1, 3 and 4 if they are non frequentanti.   As frequentanti they will attend lessons up to November 28th and take both esoneri.
 
At the beginning of the course and in any case before the esoneri, all such students are asked to see the teacher during his office hours indicated here.
 

 Handouts 
 
("Dispense per i soli frequentanti -- i non frequentanti NON devono leggere questi testi.")

<cliccare                     "Learning language as culture" (in italiano)
 
Documento storico di 20 anni fa: è il Manifesto (la prima dichiarazione di principio scritto in lingua italiana) di una nuova concezione di apprendimento delle lingue vive, basata sull'introiezione culturale.
La pagina riprodotta è la Postfazione al volume Accenti sull'America di Patrick Boylan, Roma: Armando Curcio Editore, 1987, p. 387. In glottodidattica, "Learning language as culture" viene chiamato anche "l'approccio comunicativo-culturale".

 
Cultural Parameters Illustrated: How to predict communication friction.
Slides from a course by Linda Beamer, California State University, Los Angeles, 2001,
and modified by Patrick Boylan for University of Rome III students, 2002.
Warning: To see this text, your computer must have a PowerPoint Viewer (most do).  
You can get one free at www.microsoft.com  (enter “PowerPoint viewer”
in the search box or, for a direct link, click here).
 

 
Common European Framework of Reference (CEF)
You'll hear teachers at Roma Tre (and elsewhere) speak of the Common European Framework (CEF) levels of competence in a second language. For example, our university entry test is targeted for Level B1 in reading ability and A2 in speaking ability. What does this mean? Click the orange dot if you want to know more about the system (which many people criticize as simplistic, so it will probably undergo change in the near future).
 

Learn English on the Internet... FREE (no fees to teachers or schools!)
Clicking on the orange dot will open a page full of Internet sites where you can practice and extend your English. But you have to know how to distinguish what sites are most useful to you. This means asking yourself (1.) what learning English really means and thus (2.) what kinds of competence you need to acquire and only then (3.) what exercises are best for you.

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LESSONS
 

     
AFTER EACH LESSON, SEE HERE FOR THE SLIDES/NOTES USED.
 

October 6

Introduction to course

October 8

DiaLang test in the PC lab

October 10

Class organization.

News...

The next film in the Eyes Wide Open* film series, this Thursday (Oct. 16), 8pm:

RADIANT CITY, directed by the Canadian surreal comedy king, Gary Burns.
 
To see a trailer of the film, click here.
To see a review of the film, click here.
 
The Eyes Wide Open film series is organized by a group of “U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice” living in Rome; see their site here.  Screenings are at the Circolo Arci Arcobaleno, via Pullino 1 (Metro Garbatella).  Admission is free; a donation of 2 euros is accepted.

Seeing this film is OPTIONAL and is part of the ETHNOGRAPHIC APPROACH* to language learning that this course promotes. 

*Rome offers many occasions to learn English, or other languages, ethnographically, through participant observation of native speakers while they interact as a community in real life situations.  For example, you can learn about British pub life by observing Brits in one of their “locals” in Rome (see the addresses here) and using the techniques Kate Fox describes here.  Or you can see and discuss “alternative” films with American expats in Rome who have organized the film club described above. See other opportunities here.
 

October 13

 
 
-  New arrivals, once again an explanation of the course,
-  Organization into groups
-  Explanation of the “corsi di recupero” offer
-  An interminable discussion on how to eliminate conflicts with other classes

Lesson:
Introduction to the concept of Language and Culture.

Ask yourself: how can I define the culture I am observing? (For example, Canadian culture if you see the film Radiant City.)

First technique: Note deviations from standard speech patterns and ask yourself what they correlate with. (You will never know exactly. But you will begin to see possible significant associations.)
For example, in the trailer to the film Radiant City, a young boy, indicating a sprawling Canadian suburb, says: “This is my neighborhood.”  But he says those words with hesitation, he pauses before saying “neighborhood” and says the word with an suspensive intonation.  He does not speak like this in other utterances.  So the word “neighborhood”, with reference to the visual context, must have a special meaning for him.

Second technique: Triangulation -- note how the culture is described by people of a third culture that you are familiar with.  (This will help to relativize your subjective impressions.)
For example, in the song Hey, Sarah Palin, which you can see here, Canada is mentioned in a special way by MC Howie (with Julie K), two American singers who make “viral web music”.  Since their song has spread virally, this means that it “talks to” young American mentality.  See also this spot on obtaining Canadian citizenship. 
 

October 15

Reminder: Eyes Wide Open film series tomorrow evening, 8pm, Circolo Arci Arcobaleno, Metro Garbatella

More on the concept of Language and Culture.

Third technique: Acting “as if” (see Stanislavsky's “Magic If” here, and how you can use it to enter into another culture here).


Class conduct.

Being in class

Discussion on a Short Story (about a boxer who looses a match) in the English literature class at El Cerrito High School, El Cerrito, California.  Teacher Joan Cone.

What cultural values are expressed by the turn-taking* procedures used spontaneously by the students?

 
 
*Turn-taking: obtaining the possibility to speak for a while in a two-party or group discussion.

Cultural Differences among Students – In class

The stereotype of the White, middle-class American of Anglo descent versus the stereotype of the South-Central middle-class urbanized Italian. See here.

Learning a language – in this case, English – means acquiring a will to mean that expresses a will to be shared by some English speaking community. Thus, when we are speaking English in class, we will be acting and thinking and feeling things as we would in an American classroom (later, if time allows, we will experiment doing things in a British, Australian, Irish, Jamaican etc. way).

As for American ways of seeing and saying things, specifically in a classroom environment, here is what an American student from Trinity college has to say about:

Coming late to lessons  Chatting during lessons  
To hear the recording, click on the words in red.
If your browser cannot play the recordings, download them by clicking here:
zip file for coming late         zip file for Chatting
and play them with Windows Media Player or a similar program.

This is what YOU should think, feel and want during the lesson,
in order to speak to the teacher using his language (American English).
How can you want things that, as an Italian, you have not been taught to desire?
This will be a central, recurrent question during the course.

A language like English is therefore not simply a code (words + rules for combining them). A language can seem like a code because, from the standpoint of acoustics, people do use a set of rules for signal/message conversion; and from the standpoint of semiotics, people do use a set of signs in lexical-syntactic opposition to each other. But this is only the superficial aspect of language. If language were only a code, under normal conditions there would be no ambiguities or misunderstandings or inventiveness. Talking would be a mere bureaucratic function.

In this course we will consider the “English language” (langue) to be a particular sedimentation in the minds of the members of some Anglo community (including “elected members”, like language students who speak “naturally” enough to be accepted as a de facto member by their native-speaker interlocutors) .

That sedimentation is the product of repeated acts of willing to mean in a certain “Anglo” way (and trying to impinge on some communicative situation in that way) – even when no words are used, as in signing (= the systematic use of gestures) by deaf people or babies in some Anglo community.

Ada McGrath, the deaf woman in the film The piano, is speaking “English” to her daughter, using hand gestures + head inclination + shoulder roll + gaze + facial expressions and so on. But note that most of her gestures + ... + ... + ...+ facial expressions are NOT equivalent to any single word or grammatical construction in what grammarians call  “(verbal) English”. They are, on the other hand, Ada's attempts at making her daughter feel a specific configuration of Ada's “English” will to mean (actually her Scots English will to mean, since, in the story, she was born and raised in Glasgow).


Fourth technique: Interviewing a native speaker. (But how?)

To discover what values constitute the will to mean (when communicating) and the will to be (as a shared existential state) of a given English-speaking interlocutor, we will prepare an interview using the materials from the PICTURE Project: HOW to INTERVIEW using a questionnaire -- to see the videos you need to give a User Name (PICTUREX) (LARGE letters) and a password (corkos) (small letters).

“Task 1” (compito) for Monday: For full instructions, click on “Research Tasks” in the Main Menu here.
 

October 20

More on “being in class”...

See the values of two linguistic/cultural groups belonging to the “middle class” in their respective societies:

Stereotypical upper class White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) students
(The students you will meet from Trinity college will be like this)
vs.
Stereotypical petty bourgeois, South Central, mostly Catholic, Italian students
(You are most probably like this.)

CLASSROOM VALUES

October 22

Discussion of (a.) your comments on the film clip “Littering” and (b.) your linguistic/attitudinal questions..

-- Valeria's comments and questions.

-- Lela's comments, typical of most students.

-- Francesca's astute questions.

October 27

     
 
A Lesson in Piazza Farnese...
 
CLICK ON THE PICTURES

      
1.                                         2.                                            3.

      
4.                                        5.                                            6.

HANDOUTS

1. Warm-up: “Hey, Sarah Palin”.

2. Comment on the criteria for marking Task 1.

3. Why I support the protest movement against Law #133 (ex Decreto Legge 122).

4, How to construct an interview of native speakers of English (Appendix A of How to Interview*).
*How to interview is a module of PICTURE, the European Community Lingua2 project aimed at encouraging students to learn languages by conducting interviews of native speakers -- http://www.worldenough.net/picture/

5. “How to ask for a drink in English”*
    *Reference: Charles Frake's famous study: “How to Ask for a Drink in Subanun”; American Anthropologist, 1964, 66 (6):127-130)
     with a “Breaching Experiment”*
     *Reference: Harold Garfinkel (1967), Studies in ethnomethodology, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall
    See Kate Fox's fascinating study of the sociology of British pub life here.

6. Preparatory exercise before “pub crawling”.
 

October 29

-- Lesson to part of the class only (the other students at an Assembly on the Law 133).

-- Once again, distinguishing cultural description from moralistic judgments.

-- THIS THURSDAY EVENING...
   another great film in the “Eyes Wide Open” film series, 8 pm, Circolo Arci Arcobaleno (Metro Garbatella):

Michael Moore's latest documentary (made in 2007 but just released)    Slacker Uprising (il risveglio degli studenti menefreghisti)

This Thursday, October 30^th, at 8 pm, U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice - Rome will present Slacker Uprising, a documentary film that shows how Michael Moore, just before the last United States Presidential election (2004), held rallies on college campuses all across America, to convince college kids (who traditionally boycott elections) that THEY CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.   With him: musicians and artists like Eddie Vedder, Steve Earle, Roseanne Barr, Joan Baez, and Viggo Mortensen. The film shows "the birth of a new political generation."

Doors open at 7:30pm, films begin at 8pm sharp. The Circolo Arci Arcobaleno is in Via Pullino, 1. Take the “Metro B” to the Garbatella stop, then take the “via Pullino” exit from the station. Turn right and continue (200mt) across Piazza Albini to Arcobaleno. Map here.
 

October 31

-- Photos of each group
-- example of Task 1 (b) paper here
-- How to describe cultures using “dimensions” (Beamer's list)>

November 3

-- 8 cultural dimensions: Which characterize stereotypical Americans and Italians?
                                             What questions could you ask an American (or Italian) to test for each dimension?

  Individualist vs. Collectivist
  Form distrusted vs. Form trusted
  Horizontal vs. hierarchical
  Self in control vs. Other in control
  Learn from experience vs. from authority
  Rules-observant vs. Rules-bending
  Communication direct vs. indirect
  Uncertainty-tolerant vs. Uncertainty-averse

Also see the original
5 cultural dimensions and comparison of countries
that Geert Hofstede (a Dutch sociology professor)
devised to evaluate intercultural communication
among the IBM offices worldwide. 



Test: What would YOU say or do in the intercultural situations described? >

Homework for Friday: “How to Interview”, Part 2 “Other Options”
(See the detailed explanation under “Research Tasks – Task 2”)

November 5

Regarding a question raised by a student during the last lesson...
Here's what seems to be the general opinion of San Francesco d'Assisi (source: the Italian Wikipedia):
          “Il francescanesimo si inserisce in quel vasto movimento pauperistico del XIII secolo, in uno spirito di
          riforma volto contro la corruzione dei costumi degli ecclesiastici del tempo, troppo coinvolti negli inte-
          ressi materiali e politici, nella sanguinosa Lotta alle investiture.”

Another source: (http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/21750) -- “In un ambiente corrotto da ecclesiastici indegni e dalle violenze della società feudale, egli non prese alcuna posizione critica, né aspirò al ruolo di riformatore dei costumi morali della Chiesa, ma ad essa si rivolse sempre con animo di figlio devoto e obbediente.”

Why am I interested in making this point?  I'll explain why during the lesson.


The purpose of the 5 SUB-GOALS in conducting interviews to learn English:

SUB-GOAL A – Learn how to ask for clarification as explained in Appendix B
SUB-GOAL B – Recognizing body language as explained in Appendix C. 
SUB-GOAL C – Asking the person you interview (the “interviewee”) about critical incidents s/he has had in Italy.
SUB-GOAL D – Practicing accommodating linguistically and culturally to an interlocutor.
SUB-GOAL E – Having fun -- and why this is important in learning.
 

November 7

-- The concept of intercultural understanding as a “decentering”.  (Love, too, is a decentering; thus the similarity.)
-- The concept of egocentric questions in “everyday interviews” (e.g., when try to get to know someone in a pub)
-- The two “first rules” to be able to interview effectively, especially a person linguistically-culturally different.
-- Why it is important, in interviewing linguistically-culturally different people, to test your stereotypes about them.
-- What kind of question permits you to “get into the mind” of your interlocutor?
-- Why questions to discover an interlocutor's“cultural dimensions” (Beamer...) are unpopular with students,
    although they effectively help one “get into the mind” of a person who is linguistically-culturally different!
 
 
Additional homework

IN ADDITION, TO COMPENSATE FOR THE MISSED LESSON (TRANSPORTATION STRIKE) AND TO BE READY FOR THE TRINITY INTERVIEWS, PLEASE DO PART 5 OF “HOW TO INTERVIEW” AS WELL.
 
Part 5 tells you to translate into Italian your Questionnaire for the Trinity students.  (It should be ready in English by now.)
Then you are to interview one, two, three Italians (as many as you want) to see if your Questionnaire gives you the information you think it does, to practice conducting and interview, to acquire a point of comparison with the culture of the Trinity students.  YOU MUST RECORD AT LEAST ONE OF THE INTERVIEWS AND GIVE THE TAPE (OR AUDIO FILE) TO GROUP LEADER 4, WHO WILL GIVE IT TO ME WITH THE EVALUATION SHEET.

This means that, in addition to a sheet of paper with the three answers requested above, you are to give Group Leader 4 a sheet with:
-- the translation into Italian of your questionnaire, following the rules of Intercultural Translation explained in Appendix E;
-- your comment on what you learned from interviewing Italians “ethnographically” (to discover their culture).

November 12

-- Go over news (has everyone read all the news items?):

      -- Still looking for two permanent secretaries... Any volunteers?
             -- The unpleasant but highly educational part: checking attendance when collecting the Attendance Sheets
             -- There is a problem with false Attendance Sheets; there may be a problem with cheating on the exam.
             -- If you want to be traditional students, then I will be a traditional teacher (it's much easier for me!)

      -- Counter-Inauguration – don't miss Marco Travaglio's talk on the P2 at 3 pm
      -- In italiano: Primo riscontro alla protesta, Decreto Legge “correttiva” approvato dal Consiglio dei ministri il 6 novembre e pubblicato sulla Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 263 il 10 novembre..   Vittoria?   Mah!  Decidete voi.

      -- Encounter with 30 Trinity students (2 per group); two secretaries at the entrance to the Facoltà
         to greet the Trinity students, take them to Aula 10, and give each student a Ticket to go to a particular group.
          (Will all groups be represented?  Will all groups bring something to eat and drink?   Clean-up Committee.)

         -- Still no lessons with Prof. Connealy, because of a contract dispute. -- Do you know the Lettori's situation?

         -- Homework for today: Part 2 and Part 5 (translation and interview in Italian). To know how to write your Report, see the link here or under “Task 2” in the Research Task section or click here (the link to Appendix F doesn't work in the text “How to Interview”).
        -- The criteria that I will use in evaluating the marks that the group leader gives>

November 17

 
Mid-term Exam (esonero)

November 19

-- REGROUP (2 groups of 2 or 3 together, towards the front)

-- Chinese and Arab lettori may interrupt lessons. Explanation.

-- Comments on interviews:
-- Recordings: few Clarification Routines.
-- Comments: “The American boy seemed just like me.” (Many ill-fated love affairs start like that, too.
         So what can one do to really understand others?)
      DESCRIBE AMERICAN CULTURE FROM THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED AT YOUR INTERVIEW.
      GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU WOULD SPEAK TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR AMERICAN INTERLOCUTOR'S MIND-SET
 

November 21

Suresh Canagarajah Negotiating the local in English as a lingua franca qui.

(from Kachru, 1982, 1988)

[from Graddol 1997:10]

November 21

Note the different social, geographical and linguistic-cultural backgrounds of the people below.  They are representative speakers of the following English idioms:
 

SBE (South-east British English), posh, standard R.P.*; N.W. Regional English; Estuary English (educated, uneducated).

*R.P. = “Received Pronunciation”: the Queen's pronunciation, one that you receive from your parents and do not learn in the streets; one that permits you to be received in the “best” salons.



GA (General American) – Standard, Regional (South),
AV (Afro-American Vernacular or Ebonics),


IE (Indian English) – Cultivated IE (like R.P.),
Hinglish.

Lady Diana Frances Spenser, Princess of Wales: Interview on the BBC program Panorama, November 1995:  “The most daunting aspect was the media attention...”     “I don't want to be seen to ... be indulging in self-pity. I'm not.   I understand they have a job to do.   But...” (Upper class South-east British English, with posh “Sloane” R.P. Accent)
Listen>  I.  II:   Read both texts>

Presenter of BBC's HARDtalk      Robert Brown, ex-convict

       Cynthia (from Croydon)    Elizabeth (from London)

George W. Bush

Condoleeza Rice 

Topic: the new President of China, Hu.

Audio       Text


Photo of Bush and wife meeting Hu and wife

Martin Luther King, Baptist minister and political activist, Nobel peace prize 1964. This sermon, “Why I am opposed to the war in Vietnam,” was delivered at the Ebenezar Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, on April 16, 1967. (Afro-American vernacular English; the term Ebonics is more politically correct, especially when designating the uneducated variety.)
Listen>  I.  Read the text>     II. 

Speakers of Indian English: using R.P.-like IE, using Hinglish.

    
Text: “Seeing and Saying Things in English” qui.  Read pages 1-3.

November 24

The future of English: expanding circle or one of the outer circle Englishes (e.g., Southeast Asian English)?
What is English, then? As langue, the sedimentation of (Anglo-derived) states of will to mean. As parole the specific (Anglo-derived) state of will to mean in a specific comunicative event.

Taxonomically, English is a métis family of Idioms. What does this mean?

Comment on the first part of “Seeing and Saying Things in English”: Description of the module

November 26

Comment on the second section of “Seeing and Saying Things in English”: Justification

Explanation of Task 4 (see notes in the Task Section).   Task 4 is due on December 5th.

November 28

More on the concept of claiming to understand the Englishman interviewed by the two Dutch students.
Additional evidence: pub conversation with another Englishman afterwards.
- Concept of using hedges, when speaking, to produce understatement. Problem of interpretation.

December 3

A description is given of a module in English for Intercultural Communication currently offered at the University of Rome III (Italy). It teaches students how, in intercultural exchanges conducted in 'English', mutual understanding can be best achieved by relativising the concept of 'English' and by reconsidering the relationship between language and 'thought' (or, more precisely, 'being'). Students introject English-speaking cultural 'doubles' and then, as their doubles, carry out intercultural research tasks. This constructivist pedagogy is based on a radical redefinition of the concept of 'language', inspired by Husserl in philosophy, Piaget in developmental psychology, and Saussure and Halliday in linguistics.

- Sign up for Oral exam on December 15th, in my office (not in Room 10 !!! )
HERE IS THE LIST OF STUDENTS AND THE TIMES FOR THEIR ORAL EXAM (“5 minutes of glory”)> 

- Last class on Friday: celebration? (bring food and drink)

- Task 4: lots of intelligent interruptions, not just 1 or 2, to qualify for points
- Purpose of YOUR deciding criteria: self-directed learning. (not self-correcting materials)
.

- Understanding a speaker of English “ethnographically”. Problem: Labov's “observer's paradox”.
Examples from the films: Every Good Marriage Begins with Tears and Secrets and Lies.

December 5

- Understanding a speaker of English “ethnographically”. Problem: Labov's “observer's paradox”.
- videos.
Flavia's interview:  (video)  (text).    
Annachiara's interviews:  (videos 1-Italo,  1-Sam;    2-Italo,  2-Sam;    3-Italo,  3-Sam)

- Mateo's question (Seeing...): cultural parameters of business letters.

" In the same way, to give another concrete example, the composition of a business letter in English may be described as the realisation of a predisposition to express oneself in ways that are not entirely rule-governed yet appear -- post factum, once the letter is completed -- coherent with a particular Anglo culture and with the practices of a particular business community. (The predisposition to compose culturally-authentic letters in English has in fact been modelled on a computer using a self-generating neural network instead of pre-determined procedural algorithms, in order to allow for indeterminacy

" Thus, while it is easy to guess how the phone [a] or the 'subjunctive mood' or 'backchanneling' will be realized throughout a given homogeneous British English or American English corpus, the exact way in which 'Individualism' or 'HighContext' will be realised -- and what they will mean specifically, situation by situation -- cannot be predicted. "

Last remarks:

- Why our class activities and tasks prepare for the lettori exam in June (although they do not seem to).

- December 10th: written exam. No cheating. Request for collaboration.

- Be active. Proactive. (Esempio: L'invito dei Rappresentanti,  Il verbale dell'assemblea  e  il sondaggio.)

RESEARCH TASKS

Marking Scheme

Italian school marking system:          0

1 - 3

4,  5

 6

7,  8

(9,  10)

Points for each Task completed:          0

   1

   2

 3

   4

   (5)

Research task 1 – First part, due on Monday, October 20th 

Read the Recap of the lesson on October 15th  and be prepared to answer questions on the concepts expressed.

Read Part 1 “Goals” of HOW to INTERVIEW using a questionnaire. (For now you do not have to read Appendix A).
    N.B: To see the videos, use the User Name (PICTUREX) (LARGE letters) and password (corkos) (small letters).

Then do the written tasks in Part 1:

a) watch the video Littering once again and then describe each person's principles and attitudes – the ones that explain why they expressed themselves as they did (through their body language) and why they behaved as they did. Then write a half-page in English saying what this incident might teach us about intercultural understanding;

b) after you finish writing, read the remarks on the video Littering that appear in the blue box (highlight it to read it);

c) now imagine you will have the opportunity to interview some American students and select the topic you want to investigate by interviewing them.  Write four questions on your topic: two linguistic questions and two attitudinal questions.

NOTE: When you write your questions (and, in the future, for all written tasks), DO NOT USE a small piece of paper, use an A4 sheet and leave wide margins, like this:

Give your paper to your group leader. (You should make a second copy to keep in case the Group Leader looses yours.) Next Wednesday I will explain to the group leaders how they are to evaluate your work. For now the Group Leader must do only one thing: mark the papers from 0 to 5 (see the values of each mark above) and select what s/he considers to be the best paper (s/he should write “BEST” on it at the top)..
 

Second Part – due on Monday, October 29th  (two extra days)

Read Appendix A:

d) view the video of an interview of a British man conducted by two Dutch students to verify stereotypes; then read how the students chose their topic and made their questionnaire;

e) view the video of a scene from The Spanish Apartment and write your answers to ALL 5 questions;

f) finally, make your questionnaire following these steps:
     i) define a few characteristic language habits or attitudes that you attribute to young American people;
     ii) make questions that you think reveal if your future interviewee (a student from an East-Coast American university) has these language habits or attitudes,
     iii) predict the answers that you think you will get from your interviewees,
     iv) say why the answers you obtain are valid evidence of certain (stereotypical? constitutive? mythical?) characteristics of the culture of your interviewee.

Write your answers using the format indicated for the First Part of this task, and give your paper to your Group Leader who will write “BEST” on the best paper.

The Group Leader will also indicate a mark from 0 to 5 at the top of the paper. This mark will take into consideration not only the present work, but also the work done on the First Part (which has already received a mark).

In other words, the mark that the Group Leader gives this paper – from 0 to 5 -- includes EVERYTHING: the first mark already given, the value of the second paper, the clean or untidy appearance of both papers, the punctuality of the student in presenting both papers, the improvement from one paper to the other, the geniality (if any) of the contributions, etc..

The mark on this paper (from 0 to 5) is a super mark – and the definitive one for Task 1. It must be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Marks like 2½ or 4.6 are not acceptable.

GROUP LEADERS (week 2): Use this form to mark the other students' papers (as well as your own)>  (printable copy>

ALL STUDENTS: Read the form so you know the criteria your Group Leader will use in judging your papers!
If, after seeing the criteria, you want to re-write your paper, ask your group leader for a new consignment date (email or in person if your Task report is on paper).  Give your Group Leader the time to correct your paper and turn it in ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29.

Research task 2 – due on Friday, November 7th  Wednesday, November 12th 

SUB-GOAL A – Learn how to ask for clarification as explained in Appendix B
                            (There is nothing to write; but we will do exercises in class and you won't be able to do them if you haven't learned to use SPONTANEOUSLY and IMMEDIATELY all the expressions listed in Appendix B.)

SUB-GOAL B – Do the exercise on recognizing the British man's body language as explained in Appendix C.  Write your answers on a sheet and give it to your group leader.
(There is a second exercise in Appendix C, a green sheet to fill out next week after you do your interview of an American student. You cannot fill it out now.)

SUB-GOAL C – Read the comment about critical incidents and answer the question about the American and French delegates at an International Congress. Remember what we said about your comment on the Dutch boy and the French girl: YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN EACH BEHAVIOR AS “RIGHT” AND “PERFECTLY LOGICAL” FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE PERSON DOING THAT BEHAVIOR. Only after justifying both can you answer the question and say which person you agree with more.

SUB-GOAL D – Read the explanation of the importance of accommodating linguistically and culturally to an interlocutor of another culture.  Then look at the video and answer the questions.  Do you remember my criticisms of the answers to the “Spanish Apartment” question in Part 1?  Well, this time try to answer this question showing intercultural relativism. The question is: “What does the video show? Did the man demonstrate that accommodating can be negative?” (The text gives part of the answer: build on it to give the complete answer.)

SUB-GOAL E – Have fun (if you can) doing the assignments!


IN ADDITION, TO COMPENSATE FOR THE MISSED LESSON (TRANSPORTATION STRIKE) AND TO BE READY FOR THE TRINITY INTERVIEWS, PLEASE DO PART 5 OF “HOW TO INTERVIEW” AS WELL.
 
Part 5 tells you to translate into Italian your Questionnaire for the Trinity students.  (It should be ready in English by now.)
Then you are to interview one, two, three Italians (as many as you want) to see if your Questionnaire gives you the information you think it does, to practice conducting and interview, to acquire a point of comparison with the culture of the Trinity students.  YOU MUST RECORD AT LEAST ONE OF THE INTERVIEWS AND GIVE THE TAPE (OR AUDIO FILE) TO GROUP LEADER 4, WHO WILL GIVE IT TO ME WITH THE EVALUATION SHEET.

This means that, in addition to a sheet of paper with the three answers requested above, you are to give Group Leader 4 a sheet with:
-- the translation into Italian of your questionnaire, following the rules of Intercultural Translation explained in Appendix E;
-- your comment on what you learned from interviewing Italians “ethnographically” (to discover their culture).
    NOTE:  TO KNOW HOW TO WRITE YOUR REPORT, READ APPENDIX F HERE (the link doesn't work in “How to Interview”)


GROUP LEADERS: HERE IS YOUR CORRECTION SHEET>
Other students: It is in your interest to read the correction sheet so that you know how you will be marked.

HERE ARE THE CRITERIA THAT I WILL USE IN EVALUATING THE MARKS THAT THE GROUP LEADER GIVES>

EMAIL PROBLEM?

If you can't send your Group Leader your audio/video files because your email service doesn't accept big emails,
then use the http://intertransfer.interfree.it/ service.   After registering, you send your files directly to the service
(not by email).  Then the service sends an email to the person you indicate with a password.   That person can then download the files. Group Leaders can use this system to send me their group members' audio/video files.

Task 3 due on Wednesday, November 19th
Interviewing a native speaker of English (Part 6 of How to interview”)

NOTE: Students who are NOT able to come to the evening with Trinity College on November 13th must find, on their own (per conto proprio), American students in Rome to interview exactly as they would have done on the 13th.  They can find these students during the day at American book stores, churches, etc. and, in the late afternoon (“Happy Hour”, after 5 pm) in the pubs. For a list of “lairs” where the Anglo community holes out, click here.

The report should discuss:
the findings of your questionnaire, i.e. what you learned about the way Trinity students interact when dating;

what this kind of knowledge is worth (does it really help you understand Trinity mentality? How? Why?);

the findings of your ethnographic questions, in terms of your initial hypotheses regarding the position of Trinity students on Hofstede's cultural dimensions chart: AND, most of all, in terms of “empathetic intuitions” that you had listening to your interviewees' narrations (if you were able to provoke any such narrations).

what this kind of knowledge is worth (does it really help you understand Trinity mentality? How? Why?);

For advice on HOW TO WRITE YOUR REPORT, click here

See the Evaluation Form for the criteria in judging a good report>
HERE ARE THE CRITERIA THAT I WILL USE IN EVALUATING THE MARKS THAT THE GROUP LEADER GIVES>

Task 4
Due date: December 5^th

This task is only for students doing the full course (6 credits module + 6 credits lettore)

You are to make a recording in which your group explains the first part of the text “Seeing and saying things in English” (Description of the module, Justification)..

Each person reads the ENTIRE text but explains one section. (Your group leader L7 will divide the text into equal parts, according to the number of people participating.)

You will meet with your group to make a recorded discussion of the text. That is, you will explain to the other members of the group the section for which you are responsible.

When you are not giving the explanation, you will be listening to the explanation given by the other students. But you will not listen passively. You will interrupt continually, every time you do not understand a word.  You will interrupt using the 4-step technique you will find here> 

If you are the Group Leader, you will interrupt to ask questions less than the others, because you have another important function: saying the names of the people who speak.
  This will help me understand who is who, when I listen to the recording.  So you say things like a TV presenter says: “That was Mario Rossi speaking, thank you very much, Mario. Now we have Maria Bianchi who wants to add something.” Or “Thanks, Mario, for your interesting explanation. Maria Bianchi has raised her hand: Maria, what can YOU tell us about the text Seeing and Saying Things in English?”

After everyone has spoken, the Group Leader will listen to the recording and give a mark to each participant. The leader will use the evaluation sheet you will find here> 

The Leader will give you:

-- 0, 1 or 2 points (not good, good, excellent) for your presentation; obviously you must be extremely clear in your speaking and in your exposition to be excellent; but what importance should you give (1.) to pronunciation and grammar, (2.)to the intelligent analysis you make of the text, (3.).... to.... to...??? I'm stopping here. It is up to you and your group to decide what criteria you think should apply. This means you must define what it means to speak English well. The group leader will write the criteria on the back of the sheet;

-- plus 0, 1 or 2 points (not good, good, excellent) for your participation as a listener; obviously you must use intelligently all 4 steps in questioning to be excellent. But what is enough questioning and what is too much? What is an intelligent way of questioning? These are questions you must answer in your group. The group leader will write the criteria on the back of the sheet;

-- plus 0 or 1 point (passive, active) in helping organize and conduct the recording; “passive” means you were a dead weight (peso morto) in fixing the day to record and during the recording: “active” means that you helped the Group Leader make the recording a success. (You don't have to discuss this criteria. Just apply what I wrote above.)

On Friday, December 5^th, the Group Leader gives me the evaluation sheet with the cassette. I will accept whatever criteria the group has chosen and whatever marks the Leader gives each participant. But if I think the marks are irresponsible, the Leader will be penalized and receive a bad mark. So the group leader is responsible for the integrity of the evaluation sheet.

GROUP LEADERS: Do not send a recording to me (or else you'll loose points) in which:
(1.) a student speaks like someone reading from a sheet (s/he must be spontaneous!!!);
(2) the student just paraphrases the text (s/he must really help the others understand it!!!);
(3.) the clarification requests seem planned al tavolino (they must seem spontaneous!!!);
(4.) the clarification requests seem like pretexts to earn points (they must seem sincere!).

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