A critique on Teaching mathematics Essay Example for Free

A critique on Teaching mathematics Essay Graduate students who take up mathematics are burdened not only with the passion to obtain a deeper understanding and mastery of the subject but also with the responsibility to impart the knowledge they gain in their studies. It is acknowledged that there are only a few individuals who decide to pursue a degree in mathematics much less to attain a master’s degree or even doctorate in the field. It is clear, then, that the professors of mathematics undergraduate student are handled and taught by mathematicians who have obtained a higher educational degree in mathematics. Friedberg (2005) endeavors to present ways through which mathematics graduate students can be made better teachers during their training and learning in graduate school. The importance of such a feat are also presented in the article. The audience of the article is the mathematics community specifically the administrative staff in mathematics departments everywhere. Friedberg (2005) aims to provide an alternative to the present teaching curricula in mathematics education. He hopes to supplement the status quo with innovative teaching strategies that will develop the mathematics graduate students’ skills in teaching and handling undergraduate mathematics students. The article effectively presented the subject matter at hand in a readable manner. Anyone reading could easily relate to the document. Friedberg (2005) was also able to pinpoint the audience he was addressing in the article. This was effective in bringing his point across and establishing his goals with the article. However, the content and organization of the article, itself, is not as strong as it could be. A better organization of arguments could have made it a stronger article. Article summary Friedberg (2005) noted that mathematics graduate students could develop better teaching skills by having activities called case studies. These case studies were aimed at enhancing two factors that contributed to better teaching skills: experience and good judgment. Case studies were described by Friedberg (2005) as group discussions on â€Å"depictions of aspects of teaching math to undergraduates, typically involving a difficulty or an important decision† (Friedberg, 2005, 844) Qualified individuals were assigned to act as moderators in the said discussions. The success of the activity was reported by the author, who was also the one to conceptualize and develop the process. Statements given by students attesting to the effectiveness of case studies were also included in the article. Friedberg (2005) also relates the success of the teaching strategy by noting that the materials and case discussions he and his team have come up with have already been published and are already being used in different institutions for varied purposes. Dissecting the article Friedberg (2005) was very effective in his use of simple and everyday language to present his points regarding mathematics graduate students and their teaching skills. The manner of presentation of the text was straightforward, uncomplicated, jargon-free. When a reader goes through all six pages of text, he or she will be able to easily understand everything. This is mostly because of the language used by Friedberg. The article’s target audience was also effectively identified even on the very first page of the article. â€Å"The topic of this article should thus be of genuine importance to the entire math community. † (Friedberg, 2005, 842) From this one line found on the first page, it is clear that the author has already pinpointed the audience for whom he intended the article. Knowing who the author is â€Å"talking to† is a very important factor that increases the value of the article. When the author has a clear idea who he intends the article for, he is able to narrow his discussion down to tailor-fit that particular audience. There are, therefore, a number of things that may be edited out of the article already. The value of the article thus increases for that target population because the arguments and points contained therein are meant for them specifically. In writing the article, the author was also able to focus himself on concepts that would be most pertinent and relevant to his identified audience. Thus the Friedberg (2005) article is suited for the mathematics community and as such it will have the greatest value for that particular subgroup. Despite the positive factors regarding the article, the organization of the author’s points was not well thought out. Friedberg (2005) tended to expound too much on certain topics that were not as necessary in driving home his point about case studies being effective teaching tools. For example, too much attention was given to teaching assistants and certain characteristics of that subgroup. Although the topic is related to the article’s main concern, its weight in the overall impact of the article should have been taken into consideration and the amount of time spent expounding that point should have been adjusted accordingly. Conclusion Over-all, the article was effective in presenting the use of case studies as a tool for developing the teaching skills of mathematics graduate students. However, the arguments would have been more powerful if the author had given more thought to the organization of the article’s main points. Reference Friedberg, S. (2005). Teaching mathematics graduate students how to teach. Notice of the AMS, 52(8), 842-847.

Concepts of Family and Home in Jane Austens Persuasion Essay -- Jane

Concepts of Family and Home in Jane Austen's Persuasion In Jane Austen's last completed novel, Persuasion, England is one large family with two distinct branches, the navy and the aristocratic upper class-it is no accident that the two large books consulted in the novel are the Baronetage and the Naval Lists. The naval family poses a threat to the aristocratic family; in fact, undertones of social instability riddle the text, through imagery of death, illness, and accident. The marriages of Anne Elliott, Louisa Musgrove, and Harriet Musgrove reveal a gentry which can only redeem itself through intermarriage with the professional meritocratic class, symbolically taking on their values of utility and social responsibility, and abandoning an idle aristocracy in decline. In Persuasion, the only novel of Austen's that does not center around a landed estate, the letting of Kellynch Hall shows an aristocracy ousted from its familial seats of power, in favor of the fashionable world of Bath. Landed responsibility is given up for a hollow world of rented rooms and social display. The aristocracy is replaced in their hallowed hall by members of the new meritocracy, the Admiral and Mrs. Croft. The English navy has been world-renowned from the time of the Spanish Armada, in 1588, and played a key role in the expansion of the British Empire; not only does the navy serve as an example of Englishness, it helped create that very notion of national identity. In Persuasion, Austen domesticates the navy, portraying it as one large brotherhood. In fact, Captain Wentworth cancels a trip to his biological brother in order to visit his injured friend, Captain Harville. Officers discuss transporting each other's wives to and fro on their boats,... ... Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. London: Penguin Classics, 2003. Beer, Gillian. Introduction. Persuasion. By Jane Austen. London: Penguin Classics, 1998. vii-xxviii. Butler, Marilyn. Jane Austen and the War of Ideas. 1975. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987. Wiltshire, John. Jane Austen and the Body. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Works Consulted Austen, Jane. Mansfield Park. 1814. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1998. Austen, Jane. Emma. 1816. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000. Colley, Linda. Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992. Copeland, Edward and Juliet McMaster, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Johnson, Claudia. Jane Austen: Women, Politics, and the Novel. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

Phonetics and Phonology

REPUBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGOGICA EXPERIMENTAL LIBERTADOR INSTITUTO PEDAGOGICO DE CARACAS CATEDRA DE FONETICA Y FONOLOGIA ASIGNATURA: FONETICA Y FONOLOGIA II AN ANALYSIS OF A SPEECH SAMPLE IN WHICH UNDERLIE A VARIETY OF ENGLISH VOWEL SOUNDS Authors: Aymara Villasmil Daniel Rodriguez CARACAS, FEBRERO DE 2011 INTRODUCTION Throughout the years, a variety of famous linguists have made an attempt to define the difficult question of what language is. For instance, Halliday (1973) affirms that language is an instrument of communication among members of a social group.In relation to this, Gimson (1962) states that a language is a system of conventional signals used for a communication by a whole community. On the other hand, Whitman (1975) when trying to describe the concept of language establishes a particular connection between the use of language and the mental processes speaker experiences. He states that language, far from being independent of the mind, was so in extricably tied to the mind that the study of language was virtually the study of human mind.These different assumptions of what language is impel us, as future EFL teachers, to recognize the enormous responsibility teaching English as a foreign language involves. Due to the fact that we will necessarily have to handle several definitions of what language is and its components (syntax, grammar, phonetics and phonology, semantics,†¦) in order to help students realize the variety of elements they use when communicating with others.For instance, when teaching our students a language level such as phonetics and phonology, which primary involves pronunciation we have to make them aware that it is not only a matter of pronouncing sounds in isolation, but that these sounds are part of a communicative system the use in daily life. In relation to this, Strickland ( U. D ) states that learning a language, whether it is the mother tongue or a foreign one, is learning a system of sounds an d their arrangements in words and patterns of organization together with the concepts the words and patterns represent.The following written work has as a primary proposal, the analysis of a speech sample recorded from a beginner speaker of English language who read a four – paragraph newspaper article in which the following vocalic sounds were immersed: mid – low back /? /, low front /? / , mid -high back / /, mid – high front /? / . Through the record we will be analyzing the substitution the speaker made or not of any of the four vocalic sounds mentioned before.We will be explaining why the speaker made that substitution, which factors influenced in the substitution and finally, we will be giving a variety of suggestions / recommendations for the appropriated production of vowel sounds of English and the rest of the inventory sounds. General Objective ? To explain the transference the speaker makes when pronouncing the English vowels which do not belong / exi st to Spanish inventory sounds. Specific Objectives ? To demonstrate the articulatory features that influence the speaker when pronouncing English vowel sounds. To establish different factors that affect the Speaker when pronouncing English vowels. ? To provide students accurate and useful pronunciation techniques that will make them improve their pronunciation of English. ONE of the few surprises at the Golden Globes two weeks ago — you’ll be forgiven if you’ve already forgotten about that odd little broadcast — was the award given to â€Å"Carlos,† the French director Olivier Assayas’s five-hour-plus reconstruction of the life and career of the notorious terrorist of the 1970s and ’80s Carlos the Jackal.The award represented a high point of cosmopolitanism at a predictably parochial event: 11 languages spoken on screen; dozens of locations across Europe and the Middle East; a polyglot cast led by a Venezuelan star, Edgar Ramirez, wh o has the potential to become an international sex symbol. What more could you want from a foreign film? /w? n ? v fju s? rprajz? z ? t gold? n globz tu wiks ? go ju ll bi f? rg? v? n ? f ju vealready f? rg? t? n ? bawt t ? d l? t? l br? dk? st w? z ?w? rd g? v? n tu k? rlos, fr? nt? d? r? kt? r ol? vie assayas sfive- aw? r- pl? s rik? nstr? k n ? lajf ? nd k? r? r ? v not? ri? s t? r? r? st ? v 1970s ? nd 80s k? rlos d k? l. ?w? rd r? pr? z? nt? d ? haj p? jnt ? v cosmopolitanism ? t ? pr? d? kt? bli p? roki? l ? v? nt: 11 l gw? d z spok? n ? n skrin; d? z? nz ? v loke nz ? kr? s j? r? p ? nd m? d? l ist; ? p? liglat k? st l? d baj ? v? n? zwel? n st? r, dgar r? m, rezwho h? z p? t? n l tu b? k? m ? n ? nt? rn n? l s? ks s? mb? l. w? t m? r k? d ju w? nt fr? m ? f? r? n f? lm/ |Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? / | | | | |/? f/ | | |Substitution of the mid-high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/ t/ | | | | |/l? t? l/ | | | | |/br? k? st/ | | |Back closing diphthong /ou/ instead of | | | | |the mid low back /? / in the first | | | | |syllable. | |/br? dk? st/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central schwa /? in the second| | | | |syllable. | |/g? v? n/ | | | | |/ol? vie/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central schwa /? in the second| | | | |syllable. | |/k? r? r/ | | | | |/t? r? r? st/ | | |Substitution of the Mid- high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/sev? nt? / | | |Deletion of the mid-high back vowel. |/? nd/ | | | | |/e? t? / | | |Deletion of the mid-high back vowel. | |/d k? l/ | | | | |/? t/ | | | | | | | | | |/pr? ? kt? b? l/ | | |Substitution o the Mid- high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the mid front in the | | | | |first syllable and substitution of Mid-| | | | |high front vowel /I/ for the Spanish | | | | |/i/ in the second syllable. |/? v? nt | | | | |/l gw? d z/ | | |Substitut ion of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central /? / in the first | | | | |syllable. | |/? kr? s/ | | |Substitution of the mid-low back /? , | | | | |for the Spanish /o/ | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central schwa /? / in the second| | | | |syllable. | |/m? d? / | | |Substitution of the Mid- high front | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/k? st/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the Mid-low back /? / | |/r? mirez/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? | | | | |for the central Schwa /? / | |/h? z/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the Mid-low back /? / | |/b? k? m/ | | | | |/? n/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? | | | | |for the central Schwa /? / | |/? nt? rn n? l/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? /| | | | |for the central Schwa /? / | |/? nt? rn n? l/ | | | | |/s? mb? l/ | | | | |/k? / | | | | |/f? lm/ | | | | Except that â€Å"Carlos† was not n ominated for the Golden Globe in that category (the winner was â€Å"In a Better World,† from Denmark): it was made for, and first shown on, French television, a fact that also rendered it ineligible for consideration — as a foreign-language or any other kind of film — by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which announced its nominees last Tuesday.Mr. Assayas’s dark-horse victory at the Globes was for best miniseries or motion picture made for television. Fair enough, given its origins. Then again, â€Å"Carlos† has encountered its American audience in the way more and more foreign films do these days: on a handful of movie screens in big cities, and on cable and video-on-demand. So its exclusion from the Oscars seems somewhat arbitrary. /? ks? pt t k? rlos w? z n? t n? m? net? d f? r gold? n glob ? n t k? t? g? ri ( w? n? r w? z ? n ? b? t? r w? rld, fr? m d? nm? rk): ? t w? z med f? r, ? nd f? rst ? on ? n, fr? nt? t? l? v n, ? f? kt t ? so r? nd? rd ? t ? n? l? d b? l f? r k? ns? d? re n ? z ? f? r? n- l gw? d? ?r ? ni r kajnd ? v f? lm baj ?k? d? mi ? v mo n p? kt r ? rts ? nd saj? ns? z, w? t? ?nawnst ? ts n? m? niz l? st tuzdi. m? st? r. assayas sdark- h? rs v? kt? ri ? t globz w? z f? r b? st m? nisiriz ? r mo n p? kt r med f? r t? l? v n. f? r ? n? f, g? v? n ? ts ? r? d nz. n ? g? n, k? rlos h? z ? nkawnt? rd ? ts ? m? r? k? n ? di? ns ? n we m? r ? nd m? r f? r? n f? lmz du ? iz dez: ? n ? h? ndf? l ? v muvi skrinz ? n b? g s? tiz, ? nd ? n keb? l ? nd v? dio- ? n- d? m? nd. so ? ts ? ksklu n fr? m sk? rz simz s? mw? t ? rb? tr? ri/ |Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? ks? pt/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the mid front /e/ | |/ t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? | |/? n/ | | | | |/ t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/k? t? g? ri/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? | |/w? n? r/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? n/ | | | | |/? t/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/t? l? v n/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/f? kt/ | | | | |/ t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/? t/ | | | | |/? n? l? d b? l/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ in the second | | | | |syllable. | |/k? ns? d? re / | | | | |/? z/ | | | | |/l gw? d? / | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the mid-front /e/ | |/en? / | | | | |/f? m/ | | | | |/? k? d? mi/ | | | | |/p? kt r/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | | | |/w? t? / | | | | |/? s/ | | | | |/l? st/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? / | |/m? st? r/ | | | | |/v? kt? ri/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/m? st? r? z/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/p? kt / | | | | |/t? l? v n/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/g? v? n/ | | | | |/? ts/ | | | | |/? ? d nz/ | | |Substitution of schwa /? / for the highest | | | | |front vowel /i/ in the second syllable, | | | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ in the third | | | | |syllable. | |/h? / | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/? ts/ | | | | |/? n/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? d/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/f? lmz/ | | | | |/h? ndf? l/ | | | | |/ h? ndf? l/ | | | | |/? / | | | | |/b? g/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/s? tiz/ | | |Substitution of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/? d/ | | | | |/v? dio/ | | | | |/d? m? nd/ | | | | |/d? m? nd/ | | | | |? s | | | | |? ksklu n | | | | |? sk? rz | | |Substitution of the mid low back /? /, for | | | | |the Spanish /o/ |But so does everything else about the way the Academy deals with movies from the rest of the world. An elaborate and mysterious winnowing process pares down the thousands of potential nominees to five. This year they are â€Å"Dogtooth† from Greece, â€Å"Incendies† from Canada, â€Å"Biutiful† from Mexico, â€Å"Outside the Law† from Algeria and â€Å"In a Better World,† which might be considered the front-runner if you take the Globes as an omen. /b? t so d? z ? vri ?ls ? bawt we ?k? d? mi dilz w muviz fr? m r? st ? v w? rld. ?n ? l? br? t ? nd m? st? ri? w? no pr? s? s p? rz dawn ?awz? ndz ? v p? t? n l n? m? niz tu fajv. s j? r ? e ? r dogtooth fr? m gris, incendies fr? m k? n? d? , biutiful fr? m m? ks? ko, awtsajd l? fr? m ? ld ri? ?nd ? n ? b? t? r w? rld, w? t? majt bi k? ns? d? rd fr? nt- r? n? r ? f ju tek globz ? z ? n om? n/ |Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? vri / | | | | |/? k? d? i/ | | | | |/w / | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/? l? br? t/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | |/m? st? r? z/ | | |Substitution of mid high front /I/ for the | | | | |mid-front /e/ in the second syllable. | |/w? no | | | | |/ s/ | | |Replacement of the mid high front /I/ for | | | | |the highest front /i/ | |/j? r/ | | | | |/k? n? d? / | | |The speaker did not produce de vowel sound. |/? ld ri? / | | |Substitution of mid high front /I/ for the | | | | |mid-front /e/ in the second syllable. | |/? ld ri? / | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the Mid-low back /? / in the first syllable | |/? n/ | | | | |/w? ? / | | | | |/k? ns? d? rd/ | | | | |/? f/ | | | | |/? z/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? | |/? n/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel /? / for| | | | |the central Schwa /? / | â€Å"Dogtooth† came and went on a few American screens last spring, and â€Å"Outside the Law† had a brief run in December (and may return shortly); only â€Å"Biutiful,† whose globally famous star, Javier Bardem, was nominated for best actor, is likely to be playing now at a theater near you.The others will be released in the late winter or early spring, in the hopes of realizing some kind of box office bounce. The usual pre-nomination handicapping — the canvassing of critical opinion and the weighing of popular sentiment — does not apply to these movies, which might in principle make the choices less compromised, but in practice only serves to make them more confusing. dogtooth kem ? nd w? nt ? n ? fju ? m? r? k? n skrinz l? st spr , ? nd awtsajd l? h? d ? brif r? n ? n d? s? mb? r ( ? nd me r? t? rn rtli); onli biutiful, huz glob? i fem? s st? r, h? vi? r bardem, w? z n? m? net? d f? r b? st ? kt? r, ? z lajkli tu bi ple naw ? t ? ?i? t? r n? r ju. rz w? l bi rilist ? n let w? nt? r ? r ? rli spr , ? n hops ? v ril? jz s? m kajnd ? v b? ks ? f? s bawns. ju w? l pri- n? m? ne n h? ndik? p k? nv? s ?v kr? t? k? l ? p? nj? n ? nd we ?v p? pj? l? r s? nt? m? nt d? z n? t ? plaj tu ? iz muviz, w? t? majt ? n pr? ns? p? l mek t js? z l? s k? mpr? m? jzd, b? t ? n pr? kt? s onli s? rvz tu mek m m? r k? nfjuz / Phonetic Transcription |Well pronounced |mispronounced |Segment used for substitution | |/? nd/ | | |Substitution of the low front vowel| | | | |/? / for the central Schwa /? / | |/l? st/ | | |Substitution o f the low front vowel| | | | |/? for the low-back. | |/spr / | | | | |/? nd/ | | | | |/h? d/ | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/? d/ | | | | |/? kt? r/ | | | | |/? z/ | | | | |/ple / | | | | |/? t/ | | | | |/n? / | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the central diphthong| | | | |/I? / | |/w? l/ | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/? / | | | | |/w? nt? r/ | | | | |/spr / | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/ril? jz / | | | | |/? ? s/ | | |Substitution of the mid low back | | | | |/? /, for the Spanish /o/ | |/h? ndik? p / | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/h? ndik? p | | | | |/k? nv? s / | | | | |/k? nv? s / | | |Substitution of the mid-high back | | | | |vowel /I/ for the Spanish /i/ | |/kr? t? k? l/ | | | | |/? p? j? n/ | | | | |/? nd/ | | | | |/we / | | | | |/w? t? / | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/pr? s? p? l/ | | | | |/? n/ | | | | |/pr? kt? s/ | | | | |/k? nfjuz / | | | | METHODOLOGYAn IPC s tudent from the Second semester was selected for the recording of the speech sample which was one of the main concerns of this investigation. The recording was made on February 9th in a classroom of the IPC. The electronic device used was a low quality cell phone whose recording application allowed us to record the student’s speech and then, through USB connection, transferred the audio to the PC and copied the data in a CD-ROM. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS †¢ CHART N? 1 Production of the vowel sound mid – low back /? / in a text read by a student of the second semester at the IPC. | |Pronunciation | | |Sound | | | | | |Substitution | | |Well – Pronounced | | | | | |Mispronounced | | | | | |Substitution of the mid | |/? |0 |4 |low back /? /, for the | | |0% |100 % |Spanish /o/ in most of | | | | |the cases. | †¢ For the vowel sound low front /? / (fifty – three times). †¢ For the vowel sound mid -high back /? / (two – times). †¢ Fo r the vowel sound mid – high front /? / (eighty – two times). †¢ For the vowel sound mid-low back /? / ( four times) Sound |Right |Wrong |Substitution | | |2 |0 | | |/? / |100% |0% |None | |Sound |Right |Wrong |Substitution | | |57 |24 | | |/? |70% |30% |In most of the cases, | | | | |replacement of the mid high | | | | |front /I/ for the highest | | | | |front /i/ | Sound |Right |Wrong |Substitution | | |22 |31 | | |/? / |42% |58% |In most of the cases, | | | | |Substitution of the low front| | | | |vowel /? for the central | | | | |Schwa /? / | 1- The speaker’s most troublesome sound was the mid – low back vowel of English /? /, although its incidence in the whole article was very low, only four times. Nevertheless, the student substituted the English sound /? / whose lip- position is similar to the one of Spanish / o /, that is, slightly rounded. 2- After the mid-low back vowel, the most troublesome sound was the low front vowel /? /, due to the f act that the speaker substituted this sound /? / in most of the cases for schwa /? or Mid-low back /? /, in which the lips are slightly spread and the vowels for the substitution are lax (/? /) and tense (/? /) respectively. Some aspects that may cause trouble for the speaker is the word spelling, because sometimes they tend to get confused or doubtful when pronouncing a word, in the moment they see a difficult or uncommon spelling. RECOMMENDATIONS In order to facilitate our labor as future English teachers and to encourage our students to learn the language while developing effective skills, being speaking our main concern, the researchers selected a series of educational techniques: ? ReadingsAs future EFL teachers we have to expose our students to English language through â€Å"readings† in which students will find a visual stage (graphemes) and an auditory one (phonemes). Students will read aloud pieces of writings made by them or any selected reading material made by the teacher such as, short stories A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, To Build a fire by Jack London, or any play such as: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Students will read or hear structures like: pot – stop, tip – sleep, car – bad and the will also be aware of the likenesses or differences among vocalic sounds immersed in the readings. Dictation EFL teachers must develop listening skill, so as a speaking one, in their students and this can be done through the appropriate use of dictation as a useful and realistic technique that will allow students to receive a phonic background and then to analyze the spelling data involved, that is, graphemes. The most important part of this method is that students will be able to create the pieces of writings that will be read by the teacher or among the classmates and whose content will be according to their interests and experiences, so student? creative expression will also be taken into account as essential par t of the learning process. ? Poetry According to Stuckland (1962) students like poetry first for its singing quality, for its rhyme, rhythm and all that goes into the melody of verse. That is, the enjoyable environment poetry creates when students interpret its content. Suggested poems will be: Hickory, Dickory, Dock by William Wallace Denslow in whose content are presented a variety of vowel sounds. CONCLUSIONSIn order to make our students aware of the different vowels in English, we as English teachers, have to clarify and exemplify several exercises for them, to make a distinction in pronunciation patterns of the sounds they can find more troublesome in English. We can write similar words in the board and provide a distinction of sounds to differentiate them, so students could see the pronunciation if we would practice with them the distinction and very essential, the spelling patterns for the English vowel productions and examples with these.Furthermore, if we teach these spelli ng patterns criteria and we practice the pronunciation of these difficult vowels for our students, they will assimilate and acquire a better understanding, specifically if we focus our attention on these vowels /? / and /? /. As another useful activity, we can encourage our students to produce the different vowels of English by different techniques, and be aware of common mistakes in the utterance of the mid-low back and /? / and the low front /? /.Regarding this, we can explain our students different techniques to practice in the classroom, such as reading activities, dictations, spelling patterns, pronunciation differences and others. Finally, we as EFL teachers have to be more sensible while listening to our student? s vowel production and when they find it difficult to make a distinction between the vowel systems of English and Spanish, and we can provide them with a comparison and contrast pattern, in order to provide them with the comprehension and accurate distinction between these systems, making their pronunciation more accurate. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCESSAPIR, EDWARD  (1921)  Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech. Harcourt Brace and Company, Orlando, Florida. STRICKLAND, RUTH (1969) The language arts. D. C Health and Company. Lexington, Massachusetts. A. C,GIMSON (1962) An introduction to the pronunciation of English. Reader in Phonetics, University College, London. A. C,GIMSON (1975) A practical Course of English Pronunciation, a perceptual approach. Edward Arnold Publishers, 25 Hill Street, London. ———————– Professor: Viktor Carrasquero Hickory, dickory, dock The mouse ran up the clock The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, dickory, dock

The Buffalo Creek Tragedy - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1737 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category History Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Topic: Buffalo Creek Paper In February of 1972, there was a collapse of a coal waste impoundment dam that was situated along the Buffalo Creek in Logan County of West Virginia. The flood that resulted killed one hundred and twenty-five people and caused damage of over fifty million dollars. The disaster to date continues to be one of the most deadly while at the same time preventable mining catastrophe. Following the Buffalo Creek dam collapse, three investigative commissions were established. The investigations revealed that Pittston Coal Company, who was the owners of the Buffalo Creek improperly, constructed the dam that collapsed i.e. dam No. 3. They wilfully disregarded the safety concerns of the dam and two others. It was also revealed that the West Virginia regulations, inspection policies, as well as, penalties for those who violated the mining safety codes contributed to the catastrophe. While the management, Pittston Coal, avoided criminal charges aga inst them, three lawsuits filed by the survivors were successful. (Nugent 35) Evidently, what happened at Buffalo Creek was not the right act of a capricious God. It was the human hand that killed the people. Notably, the more things changed in Buffalo Creek, the more they also stayed the same. Investigators have concluded that the third dam on the Middle Fork was established of an old age practice of disposing of waste materials. It was also constructed without using the due technology and without the consultation of professionals qualified in designing and building such a massive structure. They failed to find a conclusive answer that the incident was an act of God. Fifth, a reaction from the commission of enquiry showed that the officials of the Pittston Company disregarded the safety of Buffalo Creek residents and the people who lived around the coal refuse impoundments. The Buffalo Creek tragedy led to the development of more stringent mine safety regulations. From the bo ok, West Virginia legislatures and the Congress passed new rules that regulated the construction and maintenance of the dam. It notes that the entire blame was put on the Pittston Company. They had the knowledge of what could transpire in the case that a flood occurred. All its managers at whatever level had completely ignored the recommendations that had been passed to them. They were simply not doing their job. They had ignored the recommendations that were submitted to them by those who had vast knowledge in the field. There were no engineering constructions that were made when the third dam was under construction. That was a blatant disregard of the law From a personal assessment, the outcome of the case was a bittersweet victory. The cash received by the victims of the tragedy was more than what they had witnessed in their lives. 13.5 million dollars was much less than the 32.5 million dollars they had originally proposed settling their claim, but it was, however, larger tha n the three million dollars Pittston had proposed. Huge compensation would serve Pittston justice since it had a financial implication on its operation. As a result of the case, immense lessons were learnt from the happenings at Buffalo Creek. Coal mines today are no longer part used because of the attention that was brought by the mining practice at Buffalo Creek. The outcome of the case is thus laudable. It has made the corporate culture of most mining companies to change drastically. They now take into consideration their stake-holders safety with high regards because they would be held accountable for the damages they cause. The outcome of the case also showed the importance of working in large law firms. It is explained by the fact that, without them, the efforts would be futile. Though the case was opened to media attention and scrutiny, its significance was felt. It promoted its publicity owing to the limitation that was put on the case that came afterwards. (Nugent 31) In the book, ethical perspectives can be seen. Starting as of is the manner in which the management of Pittston was quick to dismiss the tragedy as an act of God. It was completely unethical of the company since the accident was responsible for the mass deaths that were experienced in the area. The practise sparked off rage and fury amongst the Buffalo community. The step by the company was in a bid to absolve the company from payment of the huge amounts of funds to the victims and also the legal responsibilities that would come with it. Even when the company was opened to the community of Buffalo Creek, it still did not accept responsibility for the flood. It showed clearly that the case had not reached an advanced stage that warranted payment to the victims. The above scenario raises an ethical question of Pittston. Be here a code of ethics that the company followed so as to guide its everyday operations? (Nugent 45) Gerald Stern, the attorney, also puts forward issues of ethics as he handles the case. It had been the most persuasive case that he had worked on. Since it was his most rewarding case, his passion as he deals with the case can be widely seen. He dutifully represents the people who were pleased enough to have survived without having anything left. Thanks to his high ethical values, he goes against the Buffalo Mining Company so as to support the victims of the flood. It brings him out as a prosecutor who wants justice for all members of the society. Stern’s desire for justice makes him to be personally involved in the cases he undertakes even though he knows that lawyers should not do that. The personal interest he had in the case drove him harder on the defensive. He had the view that someone must be held responsible for the tragedy that occurred. It serves only to give a background of the code of ethics that he followed in his professionalism. However, one would argue that he exorbitantly charged his clients the lawful fees. He remained with a huge chunk of the amount that was given to the victims. (Gleser, Green and Winget 65) Another ethical perspective can be viewed in terms of Buffalo Mining Company negligence on its environment and the infrastructure laws that it never complied with. Coal mine safety and security bill were enacted into law in 1969. The law outlawed the construction of coal refuse dams. The mining company, however, went against the law to construct the Buffalo Creek dam. In compliance with the law, the mining company have to stopped the dumping of coal refuse into the dam. Commissions that were formed also stated that the dam had not been built to the required engineering standards. All the above brings the question of ethics in the Buffalo Mining Company. It was tantamount to follow strictly the regulations that had been pre-set for the construction of the dam. (Stern 12). Through the incident, I would say that the law came to life as it was rightfully served to the members of the Buffal o Creek community. It provides an insight into crime and correctional perspective. The case presented a good consideration suitable for the victims of the floods. It has got me a reason for settlements as an option over jail terms. However, settling the matter out of the court system would have become a better option than the litigation process the case went through. It is because the citizen’s commission was at a disadvantage since it had lost key witnesses to the suit. In spite of this, the story reaffirmed my belief in the legal system. The remedy to the victims of the floods serves as a good starting point for legal representation. The verdict that the federal court system gave was appropriate since there had been perceived corruption in the state judicial system. It has eliminated the initial fear that I had of the courts being controlled by the privileged in the society such as the governor. In such a case, the courts would be supervised by the Governor, who would have an influence on the judges’ appointees. In the case, incidences of bribery, corruption and obstruction of justice were not experienced. My view of the judicial system has, therefore, been positively revamped as justice was dutifully meted out. (Stern 32). One would quickly note the good job that was done by attorney for Stern. I would advise him that Pittston also needed to take place accountable for their actions. The compensation that was paid to the victims was not enough. An entire community of Buffalo Creek lay in ruin due to the neglect of Pittston. It would have done it fine if Stern had advocated for the withdrawal of their licence. It would caution other companies in the mining sector. As an addition of salt into injury, no indictments were produced against Pittston. A jury that looked into the charges that were levelled against the company failed to remit any definite charge against the company. Stern, the attorney, would have followed and ensured that every part y to the case was given justice. All in all, Stern did a commendable job in establishing that the defendant was reckless in his actions. Anybody who would find himself in a similar situation would be advisable to follow suit in attorney stern’s footsteps. His strong desire for justice for the affected victims is something extra lawyers can employ in their daily duties in the judicial system. (Gleser, Green and Winget 21) In conclusion, it was said that an avoidable tragedy took the lives of several people and also destroyed property. The society wipes away could have influenced the town of Buffalo Creek for prosperity. If only the mining company had learnt a lesson from preceding incidences such as the Aberfan that happened in 1972, the day would have proceeded just like any other bright and joyful Saturday. The case is expected to be taken with utmost concern. Similar mining companies should learn from the occurrences and take precautions as regards the accident. Strict l egislations should also be set up to control the mining. Lobbying by state corporations should also be illegalise. The measures above would ensure that a similar accident at the Buffalo Creek does not occur. Works cited Glaser, Goldine C, Bonnie L Green, and Carolyn N Winget. Prolonged Psychosocial Effects Of Disaster. New York: Academic Press, 1981. Print. Urgent, Tom. Death at Buffalo Creek. New York: Norton, 1973. Print. Stern, Gerald M. The Buffalo Creek Disaster. New York: Vintage Books, 1977. Print. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Buffalo Creek Tragedy" essay for you Create order