Wacky Theories Weird Techniques Peculiar Cultures Fabulous English

1
Wacky Theories Weird Techniques Peculiar
Cultures Fabulous English

• Anne Bliss, Ph.D.
• University of Colorado at Boulder, USA
• Fulbright Fellow 2005, Chile

2
Whats a THEORY?

• Somebody has an idea
• That person does some research, usually
• Then the person finds out whether the idea seems
  to be true.
• Yep, he/she thinks so
• The person claims the idea is TRUE writes an
  article, and a THEORY is born
• Some argue for/some argue against

3
Wacky theory 1

• The Square Earth Society claims
• the earth is
• SQUARE!

4
PROOF SHIP SAILS APPEAR ON THE HORIZON, TOP
FIRST, AND THE DISAPPEAR IN REVERSE ORDER.
5
Wacky Theory 2

• Some guy on a boat looked up into the night sky
  and saw stars moving in circles.
• He claimed that the earth is
• ROUND!
• ?

6
Wacky Theory 3

• Two fellows who studied linguistics and
  psychology decided that we view the world through
  our language. Voila, the Sapir/Whorf Hypothesis
  (still a theory)
• LANGUAGE DETERMINES
• OUR WORLD VIEW.

Edmund Sapir/Benjamin Whorf
7
World Views through Language

• Laguna Lagoon,
• Salt Lake, Waste Water,
• Mineral Water and
• VACATION
• Iglesia Church,
• Religion, Catholic,
• Historic Site, Holy,
• Faith, Padres, Heaven and HELL.

8
World Views through Language

• Ohiogozaimas Good morning!
• My name is Amami I live on Kikai-ijima island,
  and I speak Japanese. My grandmother speaks Ho
  Gang, an old language of this island. We cant
  talk to each other very well, but we are good
  friends.

9
World Views through Language

• Woof, woof!
• Woof, woof, woof!
• Oooooow! Ooooow.
• Woof, woof!
• Grrrrr
• (Im a dog, and I
• can communicate
• without words. Do I
• have a world view?)

10
World Views through Language

• Ni Hao! Hello!
• (ni you hao good)
• Im Dr. Zhang, and this is my wife, Dr. Gao. We
  recently got married, and we speak Chinese.
• Zaijian (goodbye)

11
World Views through Language

• Hola! Hello!
• Yo soy Ching y ella es mi amiga, Paula.
• Nosotromos somos maestros de ingles en un colegio
  en Arica, Chile. Hablamos español.
• Ciao, er Adios, er Hasta la vista, bebe! Baby!
  Uh, bye-bye

12
Whats a Technique?

• A professor of Educational Psychology once said
  that a good teacher could teach in a barn,
  without chalk, whiteboards, desks, books, etc.
  All a good teacher needs to do is
• MOTIVATE STUDENTS.

Reference Dr. S. Thompson
13
Motivating Students

• What do students like to do?
• Hang out
• Play games ?
• Eat
  ?
• Sleep ?
• Compete ?
• Goof off .
  ?
• LEARN! We learn what we want or need to know.
  Experiences are good teachers.

14
What do teachers like to do?

• Hang out
• Play games
• Eat
• Sleep
• Compete
• Goof off .
• TEACH! Use weird techniques.

15
Weird Techniques 1In Person Taking
TripsScavenger Hunts
16
In Person No Risk Games and Having Fun English
Corners/English Nights
17
Weird Techniques 2Using Materials Story
Starters and Picture Shows
18
Weird Techniques 3 Using Words
The first little piggy went to market
Nursery Rhymes and Tongue Twisters
Pronunciation Games, Chants, Music and Untied
Tongues
19
Peculiar Cultures

• CULTURE Shared knowledge among a group of
  humans artifacts used by members of the group
• PECULIAR Ideas or things that seem strange to
  people who dont understand them

20
Peculiar Cultures 1

• Members of some Asian cultures enjoy eating
  dogmeat when the weather is hot, or for good
  health. Other cultures despair of eating dogs
  still other cultures approve of eating snakes,
  raw fish, mules, etc.
• Members of some Latino cultures enjoy eating very
  hot/spicy food when the weather is hot, or for
  good health. Other Latino cultures prefer cool
  food.
• Words and expressions for foods and sharing food
  are important linguistic and cultural knowledge.
• FOOD IS NOT JUST ABOUT EATING ITS ABOUT
  EVERYTHINGand food is a good topic to use when
  learning English and sharing cultures.

21
FOODIES

• Chow chao mein, ciao, chow man
• Delicious finger-lickin good, chuparse los
  dedos, oishi-des, yum!
• Cup cup-u, taza, copa, coffee or tea?
• Table table-u, mesa, flat-top mountain

22
Peculiar Cultures 2

• Music and lyrics shared within a culture may or
  may not be enjoyed by members of a different
  culture.often the lyrics are related
• Lyrics - Vocabulary
• Rhythms Repetition
• Tunes - Intonation
• Mozart vs. the Beatles
• Bach Cantatas vs. Rap
• Lullabies vs. Country Western
• Traditional Folk Songs vs. Heavy Metal

23
Peculiar Cultures 3

• Personal affect varies from one culture to
  another. These stereotypical affects influence
  language use and risk taking in language
  learning.
• Native Americans of the Warm Springs Tribe
  typically do not look at elders when they speak.
• Some Muslim males do not look at female
  professors when they speak. Some Muslim females
  are hidden behind veils when they speak.
• Some Asians are reluctant to voice their
  opinions, especially in public.
• Some North Americans and some Europeans speak
  loudly and insistently.
• Some Latin Americans tend to keep quiet unless
  they know exactly what they want to say.

24
Fabulous English

• THEORY International English is a new breed of
  English, it belongs to no nation or specific
  culture, and this new English is fast becoming
  the most used language in the world.
• Whose theory? Mine, and it might be wacky. But,
  lets consider, research, and argue for and
  against the theory.
• PROOF
• International English follows some rules of
  English (British, American, Australian, Canadian,
  other) and not others.
• It is a sponge and soaks up whatever lexicon,
  grammar or syntax seem to be useful and
  efficient, or it makes up new words and
  constructions.
• Its linearity complements technology and
  algorithms.
• It sponges up different world views and spits
  them out in new places.
• Using English brings about powerful cultural
  influences and changes.
• Is it round or square or linear? Its all of
  thoseso long as its communicable.

25
Proof of Theory 1

• International English follows some rules of
  English (British, American, Australian, Canadian,
  other) and not others.
• Words meaning, order, use/intention,
  omission/addition, pronunciation, Latinate or
  Germanic terms, invented terminology
• Grammar not especially important.
• Syntax follows linear patterns, usually
• Punctuation can change intention, use carefully
• CONSIDER BRITISH/AMERICAN PUNCTUATION

26
Proof of Theory 2

• International English is a sponge and soaks up
  whatever lexicon, grammar or syntax seem to be
  useful and efficient, or it makes up new words
  and constructions.
• Words cultural, conquered, borrowed, changed
• Grammar linguistic differences, fossils,
  flexibility
• Syntax word order for clarity
• What to worry about? Communication!

27
Proof of Theory 3

• Its linearity complements technology and
  algorithms.
• English is a word order language with little
  flexibility compared to other languages. English
  can be more specific than most other languages
  to be and articles (a, an, the).
• Many Asian languages are somewhat circular.
• Many African languages depend on sounds.
• Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) depends on
  tones.
• Most Eskimo and Native American languages tend to
  be somewhat indirect/circular.
• Latin based languages tend to use inflections and
  flexible structures.
• Mathematics/algorithms are linear structures
  computers work by means of mathematic and
  linguistic algorithms.

28
Proof of Theory 4

• It sponges up different world views and spits
  them out in new places.
• Consider GLOBALIZATION.
• Consider the Sapir/Whorf Hypothesis.
• Consider your use of Spanish compared to your use
  of English which words do you prefer to use for
  which actions, things, ideas, emotions?
• Consider ACCULTURATION.

29
Proof of Theory 5

• Using English brings about powerful cultural
  influences and changes.
• Media print, cinema/film, electronic including
  computers, Internet, cell phones
• Cultural Artifacts food, clothing, tools, etc.
• Cultural Behaviors religion, relationships,
  family structures, etc.
• Vocabulary gain/loss
• Cultural gain/loss

30
THEORY International English is a new breed of
English, and the new English is fast becoming the
most used language in the world.

• Wacky Theories
• Weird Techniques
• Peculiar Cultures
• Fabulous English Learn it, Use it, TAKE RISKS,
  free your students to TAKE RISKS, MAKE MISTAKES,
  PLAY WITH WORDS AND STRUCTURES.WE LEARN
  LANGUAGES BY LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING, AND
  WRITINGBY DOING!

31
Keep Talkin !!

• Thank you for your attention. (big smile)
• Muchas gracias por su attencion. (smile)
• Shi-shi, hen hao. (with a nod)
• Arigato goziamas. (with a bow)
• Ciao, y hasta luego! Talk a lot, a lot, a lot!
  Englich? Ingles? Eengleesh? Engleesh-u?
  ENGLISH! FABULOUS ENGLISH!