Ladyholiday

Profiling Worksheets

2006-04-18T00:35:17Z

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I am an assistant at the Brian Coyle Community Center. Every day we spend a large portion of class time on worksheets. The worksheets are usually accompanied with a story that the students read to answer the questions of the worksheet. I took one the last time that I tutored which focuses on reading a dialogue and then filling in the blanks on the next page. The Role Play concerned a 911 converation between a 911 operator and Faduma. We have many worksheets like this which target the students that we are working with. The role play wasn't just a chance to speak and read English but a practical opportunity to engage in a 911 dialogue. If one of the students was in an emergency, it would be necessary for them to know where the accident occurred as well as the people involved. These worksheets serve a dual purpose: they help students speak and read English but they also are important for everyday situations.

Reform in all Languages

2006-04-18T00:28:03Z

I work as an assistant teacher at Brian Coyle every Friday. When I went to class last week, one of my students had a sheet titled "Community Conversation on Immigration Reform." I asked to have one and read that the Center was having a conversation about the current issues that are happening with immigration such as Labor Rights and Deportation. They had a list of prominent speakers and it seemed like an important engagement for the students. But I was concerned that the sheet was only written in English because my students are still struggling with comprehension and may not be able to read the flyer. But then I noticed on the other side that it was all written in Somali. It is great and maybe a "no brainer" that they create a sheet in both languages because the Immigration Debate is just as much a Somali issue as a white issue and it would be to their disadvantage to only have an English flyer.

Immigration Debate

2006-04-18T00:12:26Z

In class one day, the topic of immigration was brought up. Unfortunately, we weren't able to add much to the board because very few class members knew much surrounding immigration laws and proposals. But the Immigration Debate is going strong and on Sunday the 9th, 40,000 demonstrators marched from the Cathedral in St. Paul to the Capitol for the Minnesota March for Immigration with Dignity. These people opposed recent legislation that has been proposed that would classify illegal immigrants as felons. Another article in "The Daily" was an editorial that stated that 300,000 in Chicago and 1 million in Los Angeles, also marched against the proposed bans and marked "the biggest demonstrations in their respective histories." There are currently 12 million undocumented immigrants in the US and many of them are exploited. The article urged that these people deserve citizenship in order to avoid the threat of deportation and further abuse without the protection of legislation.

Literate Personality

2006-04-18T00:01:27Z

In my American Writers course we are reading "The Street" by Ann Petry. The story is about a young black woman who is trying to raise her child in Harlem during the 1940s. The story reminded me a little bit of what we read in "Our America" because it seems to correlate poor education and illiteracy with violence. When the Lutie Johnson moves into her apartment, she describes the landlord as a tall, gaunt black man who stares at her and makes her uncomfortable. This men kicks his dog and keeps a filthy, dark apartment building. But Lutie also suspects that this man is illiterate. When he is showing her the apartment for the first time she thinks that he must want to get back to his room to read the paper and then argues "Don't kid yourself, he probably can't read, or if he can, he probably doesn't spend any time at it (15). She goes on to say that she "shouldn't be making fun of him, very likely he had taught hiself to read and write after spending a couple of years in grammar school where he undoubtedly didn't learn anything" (23). This is just in the first chapter so it is interesting how her perceptioin of him is slightly based on her assumption that he is illiterate.

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Advertising Literacy

2006-04-10T20:37:55Z

In my literature course, we read Nathaniel West's "Day of the Locust." I bought a used addition which was published in 1983. In the last page of the novel, there is an adverisement about literacy which was paid for by Martin Lithographers. It may just be a public service announcement, but either way, it is urging people to take action. The page reads "There's an epidemic with 27 million victims. And no visible symptoms." In smaller letters it says that the epidemic is that 27 million people are functionally illiterate. "The solution to the problem is you" it says and then leaves a number that you can call to volunteer. I think that this was a very wise decision on the Coalition for Literacy's part because it attracted a literate audience who takes their literacy for granted. In addition, this book is probably assigned to many high school and college students who have more free time and many of whom have the desire to volunteer. I like it. It reads like a no smoking advertisement that we see today.

Language Fusion

2006-04-10T20:26:13Z

I promise this is the last entry from my Granada trip. But after reading Andaluza's piece about the fusion of the Spanish and English languages, I was reminded of this picture that I had taken. She refers to her language as the "bastard" language because it doesn't really have a legitimate background. Yet I would argue that language fusion or the combination of two or more languages occurs quite frequently. Like we mentioned in class, in the US we have taken many words from other cultures and made them part of our every day conversation. The following picture was an advertisement for a Dinosaur Exhibit. The word dinosaurs in Spanish is "Dinosaurios" which sounds very close to the English version. In addition, they also use "Expo" which is very familiar to us. Even if you couldn't read all of the Spanish words in this advertisement, you would definitely get a clear picture of what it is saying. Numbers often indicate dates and times which are also universal in some ways.

Here is the picture: View image

Sacred Defamation

2006-03-28T03:00:11Z

During Spring Break, I was staying in Granada which was first ruled by the Muslims and then overtaken by the Spanish Catholics. As a result of its rich history, there are many sacred monuments and statues. On my way home, I woke up very early and headed outside to catch a taxi. I passed by a the back of a beautiful statue which had been defamed with a simple phrase or word "piru." It is interesting how the use of literacy is often viewed as a tool for advancement and good. But in this case, it seems that the use of written words scarred a beautiful statue. I love how the purple light of the sunrise casts light on this object and the purple graffiti seems to bleed down its back. It creates a unique juxtaposition.

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Newsworthy Fashion

2006-03-28T02:42:44Z

I had a lot of "literary experiences" during my trip to Spain. While I was walking around the city of Granada, I noticed that there was a crowd of people standing around a woman. At first, it appeared that she was simply wearing an old fashioned hat and gown. But when I approached her, I noticed that she was wearing an entire outfit made of newspaper. It is funny that for all practical purposes, the newspaper is used as a literary tool for gaining information and also a form of entertainment. In her case, she used the newspaper as a substitution for fabric and its original purpose was lost. Yet both me as an English speaker and a Spanish passerby would have no need for literary understanding and would both perceive the usage of newspaper as unique.

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Traveling Detachment

2006-03-28T02:39:17Z

I recently returned from Spain and found this excerpt from the magazine Real Simple. It was taken from a book titled A Year in the World by Frances Mayes. I thought that it echoed my thoughts on traveling in a country with a foreign language and was very poetic.

Following is the excerpt:
Invisible, if you want. I do want. I like to be the observer. What makes people who they are? Could I feel at home here? No one expects you to have the stack of papers back by Tuesday, or to check messages, or to fertilize the geraniums. When traveling, you have the delectable possibility of not understanding a word of what is said to you. Language becomes simple a musical background for watching bicycles zoom alongside a canal, calling for nothing from you. Travel releases spontaneity. You become a godlike creature full of choice, free to visit the stately pleasure domes, make love in the morning, sketch a bell tower. You open, as in childhood, and - for a time - receive this world. There's the visceral aspect, too - the huntress who is free. Free to go, free to return home bringing memories to lay on the hearth.

The Art of Food

2006-02-16T04:26:47Z

I am a big Food Network Buff. I love to watch people like Rachel Ray cut onions perfectly or whip up egg whites in minutes. I also like to cook on my own but I haven't quite mastered the skills of professionals. I wanted to make a fancy dinner for my boyfriend and I decided to cook lobster. When I went to the Food Network site and searched for a recipe, I came across "Lobster Thermidor." The recipes are assorted by difficulty and this one was an expert level. I have attached a link to this recipe but as you can see, it is very extensive. I would argue that very few people know what Spaetzle is let alone how to make it. The Thermidor Sauce has a huge list of ingredients, many of which may be unfamiliar to knew cooks.

As I have pointed out before, literacy takes many forms and the art of cooking may be just another one. Reading the recipe for Lobster Thermidor feels kind of like reading a dense text. There are unfamiliar words and terms. The material is not intended for the beginner. One must have a strong background in understanding food and cooking before they can attempt to conquer the reading it. Like a text, successfully comprehending a recipe can be rewarding but it takes a couple reads to reach full understanding. I think that I have made my point but never underestimate the routine. Even a skill like cooking can reach expert form.

Here is the attached link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32044,00.html

Company Errors

2006-02-15T23:35:07Z

In my management class, we have been discussing the importance of understanding other cultures in today's global economy. The importance of understanding other peoples languages is key to effective advertising. In the textbook, we read the Chevy marketed its popular NOVA car to Spansih countries. The Nova which means, "no go" in Spanish, struggled to gain the same popularity as it did in the states. IKEA, a Swedish company which is known for some of its strange product names, has sold a children's bed which they label the "Gutvik." Gutvik, however, means "good fuck" in German and understandably, some people have been upset. Finally, sometimes even words in people's own language can have negative connotations and as a result, they struggle to gain popularity. When Toro introduced its SnowPup, a lightweight snowblower, customers did not but it because they perceived the name as a toy. When Toro changed its name to Snow Master, sales increased sharply.

Words as Motivation

2006-02-14T04:29:55Z

I often run around the U of M campus and I have come across a lot of billboards from the Foundation for a Better Life. The Foundation is a non profit organization that "believes that capable people may also benefit from encouragement and reminders from time to time." As a result, they have advertisements that place specific emphasis on a single word or short phrase: examples are caring, overcoming, and team work. These words are intended to inspire people and make them live in a way that drives them to better themselves and subsequently, the lives of other people.

It is amazing that a single word can influence a person but this Foundation believes that effective advertising will serve as a catalyst for change. By displaying a word and then a face to associate with the word, a passerby is given a role model for a particular value. I have attached a couple of these billboards for your viewing pleasure. It would be interesting to see whether or not they have made an impact.

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Writely sounds right to me :)

2006-02-12T02:36:40Z

In class, we have discussed technology comprehension as a form of literacy. It seems like in any job these days, you have to have some knowledge of computers. Information technology is a huge and growing field and supplies many jobs in all types of areas. I have found a web site called Writely.com which blends tradtional written literacy with technological developments. Writely is like the new Microsoft Word. It allows you to type a document just like you would on any other word processor and also enables you to view and modify wherever you have internet capabilities. All you have to do is sign in to your account and you can access any of your your documents. You can even upload documents from word or post them directly as blog entries. The coolest aspect of Writely is a feature which allows people to share documents with others. That means that my friend could access a document that I have written and make additions or revisions to it.

Heres a story I published on Writely:
http://www.writely.com/View.aspx?docid=bcv4hfm3gxbz

And heres what it looks like when your writing a document:
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Pictures as Words

2006-02-09T04:46:35Z

I decided that specific emphasis should be placed on the symbolic literacy. I was inspired by the Big M of McDonald's because people may not be able to read the text underneath, but they can read the Golden M above. People immediately associate the symbol with McDonald's and often ignore the restaurant's title below. I believe that symbols are often paired with words, such as the red octagonal stop sign. These symbols eventually become greater than the words themselves so whether someone is literate or not, they can still identify the red stop sign with its command to STOP. Words are symbols as well so a shape or a single letter is just another way of interpreting and reading a simpler type of symbol.

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High Thoughts

2006-02-02T23:39:34Z

I thought that it would be interesting to write down the thoughts that I experienced when I was high. You think differently so it is often difficult to express your thoughts into written words. There is a desperate need to remember because you forget everything so easily and a simple thought seems like a milestone.

These are only three...maybe I will have to get high again :)

My head feels like a rectangular when it should feel like a square
I am in the yellow zone with my parent’s love when I should be in green
AIM etiquette: if you are the one to sign on, you are obligated to say hello

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