Timed Article

Discrimination in the classroom: The Teacher’s Role

A matter of considerable debate nowadays is how teachers should tackle discrimination in the classroom. On the one hand, some experts claim that such behaviour shouldn’t be taken seriously, as it is an inherent part of every classroom environment and therefore impossible to eradicate completely. However, others state that discrimination among peers, especially primary school students, may bring about negative psychological consequences in any child. So the teacher’s role should be active to prevent discrimination. This article purports to explore some possible effects that lack of teachers’ intervention in discriminatory attitudes may cause in students.

Firstly, it is claimed that most students who suffer discrimination at school might become unsociable and introverted. This stems from the fact that everyday learners who are considered the typical “laughing stocks” by their peers must face a classroom environment that rejects them. Consequently, they become insecure and find it difficult to establish close bonds with their mates and the teacher. They end up being “outsiders” because they feel whatever they do or say will become the target of jokes.

Furthermore, the sense of insecurity stated above may have another negative consequence: demotivation to learn. By becoming “black sheep,” discriminated children might eventually suffer from low self-esteem and experience no real motivation to pay careful attention to the teacher’s explanations or to fulfil any of the tasks they are expected to do.

Thirdly, another possible negative effect that tough jokes may have on students is that of violence. Indeed, recent studies have successfully proved that discriminated children may become seriously violent. Nevertheless, such behaviour is not experienced at school but at home. Being unable to cope with the embarrassing situations some jokes might cause, “laughing stocks” may channel their repressed feelings with their families, in the form of physical or verbal violent attitudes.

To sum up, it can be concluded that discrimination can bring about negative psychological problems in a child, given that he or she may eventually become introverted, discouraged to learn or even violent. This is the reason why teachers should never turn a blind eye or deaf ear to discrimination in the classroom.

SCs and AWRs_Timed Article

https://docs0.google.com/document/d/1bm1rhNkM7Sl9EBkGEIQ4nJiFQN6xxi8XAQYkZJ8ZKtE/edit#

My Experience of Writing 2

Ok, Ayelèn, what are your reflections at this time of the year? Mmmm, I don’t know. I feel we should still improve the way we edit our writings…many avoidable mistakes…I mean, there are still silly mistakes that we could just avoid by

resorting to a dictionary or any grammar book. Or by reading the piece one more time. What about you? Well, I think the troubled relationship we used to have once has become completely

harmonious. And this improvement is clearly reflected on our compositions. It’s true there’s still a lot to improve, but at the same time, we should be positive and look on the bright side: we’ve written many memorable pieces, don’t you think? A Xenophobe’s Guide…is one of my favourites. Yeah! You could say that again! And what is your opinion of process writing? This is the first time in our lives we’ve experienced something like this. And I’m so glad, indeed! And what is it that makes you like it? Basically, it lays considerable emphasis on the process of creating writing rather than the final product. Besides, I feel one of its basic premises is that every one of us can be skillful writers, you only have to believe in yourself. I totally agree! Process writing is inclusive, beyond a shadow of a doubt! By working through the different stages, we become acutely aware of all the steps involved when creating a piece: writing drafts, revising and editing. Furthermore, it allows us to share ideas with our peers and tutors, and exchange constructive feedback, which is valuable and vital to grow as better writers. Do you think we have reached our maximum potential? Mmmm, no, this is just the beginning of our writing experience. It’s a long way to the top! Writing is a process of internal maturation, and we have a lot more to give. Remember the ff lines: “process writing is learning how to write by writing” (Stone: 1995, p. 232)

A True Tale of Argentinian Life

Sally

Today Sally would turn 34. Sally… I still keep vivid memories of our childhood. So lively, witty, playful… She was my best friend, indeed. Just to think of what happened to her makes my blood freeze. It was this very same day 28 years ago that we celebrated her last birthday. I remember it as if it were yesterday: it was a chilly June day and the air as heavy with the smell of damp. However, this didn’t discourage anyone from having a good time. Some children were playing cowboys in the garden, while others, inside Sally’s house, were dancing rhythmically, swaying their bodies to the music. But everyone’s minds were on the magic show, which finally started at 5. After the magician amused the audience with some conjuring tricks, Sally’s elder sister, Maureen, stood up and tripped determinedly to the front. With an intent look she tugged at his cap and whispered sth in his ear. By her sparkling eyes I could already anticipate what she had in mind:

“Ok,” the magician said to everybody, “Maureen wants to show us a trick. Tell me dear, what are you going to do?”

With her typical mischievous grin she announced: “I’m going to make Sally disappear.”

So Sally went next to her sister. We were all cheering and clapping our hands in delight. Maureen took the magic wand, stood upright, and closed her eyes firmly. Just then an eerie silence descended. She seemed as if possessed by some driving force, paralysed in a state of deep concentration. After a couple of seconds without moving a single muscle, she tilted her head back and took a deep breath. Then, she began raising the wand so gently, that for a second I thought she was a conductor waving her baton, ready to lead an orchestra. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, and with a creepy voice she yelled “ABRACADABRA!!”

No sooner did she say this than all the lights in the house went out. After a couple of minutes the girls’ father turned on the switch and crept towards the couch, thinking Sally was hiding behind it. He poked his head over it but to his surprise, Sally wasn’t there. He also pulled back the curtains, but she wasn’t there either.

“Where’s your sister?” he asked Maureen.

“I haven’t the slightest idea,” his daughter replied innocently.

Mr Glith couldn’t believe her words, “How come you don’t know? Come on, tell her to come, the game’s over.”

“Really, I dunno,” she insisted.

At this point Mr Glith became anxious for his seemingly lost daughter, as he had eventually realized Maureen wasn’t lying.

“Oh, please, make her appear again!!” he cried desperately.

“I wish I knew how. The old woman next door told me the trick yesterday, but she forgot to teachme the solution."

On hearing this, a shudder of fear ran through his veins: the old woman, who was no other than Mrs Bridgewood, was believed to have committed suicide some years before, after the widespread rumour that she had killed her husband with an axe.

The police scoured every corner of the house and the neighbourhood, including Ms Bridgewood’s house, now uninhabited, but there was no sign of my friend anywhere. Indeed, no trace of her has been found so far. I know it’s hard to believe, but since her disappearance, many neighbours have reported seeing bright lights inside the mysterious house now and again, although nobody has been able to prove it conclusively.

Just in case, every 24^th of June Maureen has done the very same trick as a kind of ritual, hoping to see her sister again.

SCs and AWRs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nHS1OymV172-EgkRtPLxnbkzdHDmunUq8u--C7Cww-4/edit?hl=es#

Essay 2

Motivagement: a Tough Task for Teachers

Nowadays, most teachers believe the need to increase student motivation in school is urgent, as the number of learners who fail to satisfy learning objectives continues to grow every day. However, it is common to observe that many educators do not know how to promote strong commitment in them. This essay purports to explore several ways to encourage motivation and student engagement in

learning, what I call “motivagement”.

Firstly, the teacher’s own attitude towards his/her job is considered one of the most motivational tools. Indeed, it is thought that positively influential teachers who demonstrate engagement, devotion and love to their subject become a role model for the class. Since students admire passion, they become stimulated by the teacher’s commitment towards the subject and they follow the same example in order to pursue knowledge.

Secondly, teachers should also be deeply engaged with their students’ progress. An educator should manifest intense curiosity about their educational development, and that he/she is not teaching just for the salary. For instance, by offering personal assistance if necessary, showing concern when things are not going well or responding immediately when help is needed.

Thirdly, another motivational tool is associated with teachers’ expectations towards students’ learning abilities. In fact, if teachers believe that students can reach high levels of achievement, students will probably too. However, if teachers have low expectations and consider that students cannot manage their academic lives, they will probably fail.

Also, in order to generate a motivating classroom environment, teachers should create relevant lesson plans structured to match learning styles. Therefore, it is vital that they create a learning profile of every student, which will allow them to detect strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. By designing lessons based on learners’ preferences and abilities, teachers will be able to draw their attention, and motivate them to learn.

To sum up, it can be concluded that what teachers do in the classroom has a considerable motivational impact on students. This is the reason why a positive attitude towards their profession and their students’ learning progress is highly important to foster motivagement. Furthermore, educators should also have high expectations of what learners can achieve and be able to employ teaching methods effective for all of them.

SCs and AWRs_WT8

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RqXiBJkzGBWJ-bjj__W4I-yBqvLE3myylBqSh251HCI/edit?hl=es#

Essay 1

The New Media Law

A few days ago the Argentinian Senate approved the Law of Audiovisual Media, which establishes new regulations for open signal, cable, and satellite television and radio. Public opinion is deeply divided on this issue, as we find two main groups which can be considered polar opposites: basically, one of them claims that this new law attempts against the press and politicalfreedom, therefore increasing the power of the national government. On the other hand, the other firmly states that the new law will foster more pluralist media and the spread of democracy in our country.

Firstly, it is argued that the new law will curtail freedom of speech. Indeed, Argentina’s biggest media conglomerate, Clarìn, which must now let go a number of television channels, radio and a percentage of cable subscribers, has been providing completely negative coverage of the law, and other media and politicians belonging to the opposition have done so as well. However, it should be remarked that it is the previous order that has been regulating this market since the last dictatorship which has paved the way for the establishment and maintenance of private monopolies for the last three decades. For instance, Clarìn group itself is the owner of more than 250 media. Consequently, it can be found that most of the information we absorb every day comes from the same source. So I wonder, if thousands of journalists write according to the private interests of one owner, where is the freedom of the press?

Conversely, the new broadcasting law will fight against the concentration of media ownership by limiting the number of broadcasting licenses in the hands of media giants. Consequently, communication will become a public service, the airwaves will be diversified and one-third of the licenses will be issued to non-profit organizations, state broadcasters and small private companies. The result will be the guarantee of the right to varied communication and information.

Secondly, the opposing viewpoint states that the treatment of the media law shows the intention of the so-called “presidential couple” to erode the supposedly “scarce credibility of institutions” Moreover, those antithetical to the Media Law argue that its chief aim is to concentrate media ownership in the hands of the government, a fact which will in turn weaken democracy. Thus they claim that the new law is not only against the press but also against those who have opposing political views: “I’m convinced that this law attempts to abolish all free journalism in Argentina. Today it is against Clarìn and tomorrow it’ll be someone else. It’s not just a battle against one means of communication, they attempt to leave the country without freedom,” affirmed Elisa Carriò some days ago during the launch of the new Civic Coalition group-ARI.

Nevertheless, the law stipulates that at least 70 percent of radio content and television programming must be produced in the country, while requiring that cable TV stations have channels run by trade unions, universities, indigenous groups and other social organisations. As a consequence, social groups and minorities of all kinds will have a voice. We will get news from other parts of the country, too. Cultural diversity will be encouraged, which is one of the fundamental rights granted by the Constitution and one of the central pillars of a democratic government.

For the aforementioned reasons, I therefore conclude that the new Media Law does not promoteeither the restriction of the national press or a considerable influence of the government over the media. Contrariwise, the effects of the Media Law will be nothing but beneficial for the pres- and political and social equality. As the Cabinet Chief -Anìbal Fernàndez stated in a recent interview, the new law represents "a stride forward in Latin America against the increasing concentration of media ownership."

SCs and WRs_WT6

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lX0qQ_Y-R5Nk8igI7gdLlqSgrC0uIlhdcqGcJseaY40/edit?hl=es#

Article 1: A Xenophobe's Guide to Argentinian Culture

Buenos Aires City: a Central Core of International Tourism

Are you looking for a popular holiday resort full of pleasant, unforgettable and even exhilarating experiences? If so, then Buenos Aires is a must! As the capital of the Republic of Argentina, BA is considered one of the most fascinating cities in the world. The main attractions include jaw-dropping tourist spots, delicious food and well-organized transport facilities. Are you ready? Then let’s fasten our seatbelts and start exploring some of them!

Gondolas in the Riachuelo River

Together with famous rivers like the Nile or the Avon, the Riachuelo doesn’t stay behind: this river is usually praised for its peaceful and romantic atmosphere. In fact, loverbirds from all parts of the world become absolutely amazed, not only at the cleanliness and purity of the water, but also at the delectable, fresh smell of the thousands of exotic flowers along the shore. Indeed, if you happen to travel on a gondola, your nose will get trapped in a sea of the most exquisite and aphrodisiac scents you will hardly find in other parts of the world. You can take it for granted!

A gondola about to cross

la Noria Bridge .

Shopping in Eleven

Ranked number five in the world chart for the best shopping sites, Eleven- Once in Spanish- has absolutely no reason to envy European counterparts like Victoria Street and Champs Elysèes. Eleven, situated in Balvanera neighbourhood, is a district consisting predominantly of commercial property and social housing, with offices and shops lining most of the thoroughfares. Here you will also find renowned department and global chain stores offering all types of refined, classy and value- for-money brands.Besides, the arrival of luxury specialty shops in recent years has turned this district into an undoubted archetype of fashion trends. So, if you are thinking of pampering yourself with a special treat, go out on a shopping spree and visit Eleven.

A marvel for the eyes: that’s eleven at night !

Choripanes in La Costanera

If you are near La Costanera, you should go and try one of the most mouth-watering inventions in the history of gastronomy: the Argentinian Choripàn. Also known as Chori, this traditional meal is basically made up of two pieces of bread, chorizo* and chimichurri sauce*. What are the ingredients of the last twocomponents? That’s the million dollar question, my dear friend!However, most choripan sellers claim that it is this unsolved mystery that makes this meal even more appealing. And although there are differentmagic words to start this edible journey- “¿Me dàs un -, the destination is always the same: a world full of the most exquisite and delicate flavours your sense of taste will never forget!

A proud choripan seller and her stall

Efficient and Comfortable Transport Network

In case you get tired of the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires City, you may wish to visit pleasant spots in the province. Nowadays, the transportation system from BA city to the outskirts is nothing but modern and user-friendly. For example, some train lines like the Sarmiento are starting to provide invaluable services. One of the most innovative is the well-known Furgòn. The Furgòn is a first-class saloon car where you will encounter sumptuous standards of comfort, decor, and service. Even if you are a foreigner visiting the country for the first time, take up the challenge and use public means of transport to go sightseeing!

A picture of the Sarmiento train, which runs

from Eleven to Brunette City (Moreno in Spanish)

To sum up, we can conclude that BA city is one of the greatest choices for foreign holidays. In fact, it’s common knowledge among us natives that it is hardly impossible for you tourists not to get hooked as soon as you set foot on Argentinian ground. It’s like a scientific rule, an old axiom: you get so extremely excited that you take leave of your senses! Trust me, if you come, you won’t live to regret it!

Chorizo* a Latin American or Spanish sausage.

Chimichurri* A spicy sauce which is said to be made up of natural ingredients.

SCs and WRs_WT7

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GpImlRw_eAnsspu72KFgVLSnw99ZcFkAwfGfj3sM_tM/edit?hl=es#

Abstract-Edapi's Presentation

Are you a switcher?

The aim of this poster is to encourage teachers of English to reflect on one specific aspect of their experience in the classroom, namely, code-switching, which refers to the use of the mother tongue when teaching a foreign language. In order to do so, we will provide figures obtained through a survey on the frequency with which, and the reasons why, teachers of English speak to their students in Spanish.