What are you going to school for at Northern Illinois University (NIU)? Master of Arts in Teaching plus ELL endorsement What year are you in school? (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) It’s my 5th semester, Why did you decide to go to school at NIU? I worked as a teacher in Poland for 12 years. When I immigrated to the U.S., it was obvious to me that I needed to start going to school and obtain a teaching certificate in order to be able to get a “normal” job. The Board of…
What was the most challenging thing you have ever done in your life? For some people it’s moving to the new place, for others to go to school. My journey started from the most important test for international students – TOEFL test. If you want to study at a university or find a job abroad, you need to pass the TOEFL test (Test of English as a Foreign Language). This test measures the ability of non-native English speakers to use and understand the English language as it is heard, spoken, read,…
In this article Edwin L. Battistella approaches the idea of how the English language throughout history has been seen as representing the American identity and unity, and explores the attitudes towards other minorities languages and foreign tongues. The article focuses on why those who choose to speak foreign languages are seen as bad citizens and the fear of multilinguistic within the time line. Batistella also mentions the concerns for standardization of the founders of the United States, that…
The first two paragraphs of the except introduces Jordana Confino as an average high school student who is inspired to make a change in the lives of women all over the world. The authors begin by describing Confino. The readers learn about where she was born, her appearance, and personality traits. The authors also give Confino a sense of importance by stating, “Jordana could have just alighted from a prom queen’s throne.” By including this statement, the authors acknowledge Jordana’s importance…
Street Talk Published on September 26, 2016 by Aeon Media Group, Michael Erard explains the importance of “bidialectal” people and their relation to bilingual people in his article “Street Talk.” Those who can speak more than one language are at a higher advantage than those who don’t. But Erard stresses that those who can speak multiple dialects from different cultures are on the same level as bilinguals. This “bidialectal” idea is as simple as one American speaking formal English as well as…
one’s language skills, but it is in the public space where students lastly make the language their own. As a teacher, I need to provide them with the critical tools and educate my pupils about the potentials and options of communicating with their second language in forthcoming careers outside the classroom. Nationwide, these days, is a demand for a labor force that can communicate efficiently in a language other than English. Our country needs persons that are not just monolingual, but if they…
In her article, Boroditsky discusses how languages change how we think by appealing to common knowledge, using examples from different languages and cultures, and using rhetorical questions for her audience of students, scientists, and professionals. Boroditsky applies references to common knowledge by using nursery rhymes, popular culture, and a literary allusion. By using common knowledge in the text, the author helps readers understand that language changes the way we think by using examples…
Standard English Grammar takes priority in teaching from kindergarten to college and university. The Standard English Grammar sets rules on the way both professional and nonprofessional writing is conducted; these rules place priority on the structure of a sentence, where punctuation is placed, and consistent tenses. While the issue of consistent verb tenses within writing is valid, the punctuation and structure of a sentence itself should not have priority over what is “good” and “bad” writing…
“The Problem is Palestinian Rejectionism,” by Yosef Kuperwasser and Shalom Lipner and “Israel’s Bunker Mentality,” by Ronald Krebs attempt to dissect and solve one of the most complex geopolitical conflicts in recent human history, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yosef Kuperwasser and Shalom Lipner discuss that the one thing that’s stopping this conflict from being resolved is Palestinian reluctance to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. On the other hand, Ronald Krebs argues that it’s in…
Lera Boroditsky’s article “Lost in Translation” explains why and how different languages heavily influence the way people think. Thought processes change from language to language, creating the basis of culture from those languages. Due to the large variety of languages throughout the world, it is important to understand the effects of language on behavior and thoughts. Through this knowledge, people worldwide could begin to appreciate and respect why others think the way they do. Because her…