Writing by Dictation

Writers have different thinking styles that can determine the most effective way for them to record their thoughts. A writer who is very good at verbalizing may consider using dictation as a method to write. Recent advances in speech-to-text software makes this a viable choice. Fiction writing seems the most suitable to the writing by diction method. There are advantages and disadvantages in this method. 

Questions you may have include:

1. What styles of thinking affect writing?
2. How does diction work?
3. What are the pros and cons of this method?

This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.

Thinking styles affect writing

People have different ways of thinking and expressing their thoughts. Some can easily visualize what they want to say and put those pictures into words on paper, while others who think in terms of sounds and can easily explain their ideas verbally. There are some people who are extreme in only one style of thinking. Most of us work in both modes but have a preference of one over the other.

Visual thinkers

If you can visualize what you want to say, you are probably best at expressing your thoughts on a word processor or by writing in longhand. Some visual thinkers also think in a very organized manner. They may prefer to work with outlining word processors to document (and organize) their thoughts.

It may be difficult for a visual thinker to write by dictation, although it is worth a try.

Auditory thinkers

If you often think in terms of sounds you are called an auditory thinker. You can explain your ideas verbally but struggle to put those thoughts on paper. If you prefer to work in this mode, dictation methods may be a solution for material written.

Dictation methods

Methods to use dictation to put your thoughts on paper include using a typist to transcribe your dictation and using speech-to-text software.

Having a typist transcribe dictation

Dictating to a secretary who writes down your thoughts in shorthand used to be practiced in many business offices. It really isn't a viable writing method and is just stated for historical purposes.

Another dictation method is to speak into a tape recorder and then have a typist transcribe the material into text. You may be your own typist or use a professional transcriber or secretary to do the typing. This method has been used for years in the business community for writing memos and letters.

Earle Stanley Gardner

Writer Earle Stanley Gardner, who originated and wrote the Perry Mason series of books, dictated a major portion of his material. The story goes to that Gardner originally wrote his stories on a manual typewriter until his fingers bled. Seeking a better method, he turned to dictating the stories into a tape recorder and having secretaries transcribe the material into print. At one time he had nine secretaries transcribing at one time. He was a very prolific writer.

Using speech-to-text software

The modern method is to use speech recognition or speech-to-text software that allows a you to dictate directly into a microphone that is attached to your computer. The material is then automatically translated into text in a word processor. It is done with reasonable accuracy, and if something doesn't look right, you can easily delete it with a verbal command and correct it or start over.

Nuance's Dragon NaturallySpeaking is the top speech recognition application. They have versions ranging from Standard to Professional, depending on the features needed. You can buy Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Standard for about $82. They claim a 99% accuracy rate.

Using digital recorder

You can also use certain digital recorders to express your thoughts and then convert your recording into text automatically at a later time. In such a case, you need Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Preferred to transcribe audio from a digital recorder in speech-to-text. The program accepts MP3 and WMA audio files.

Use an Olympus WS-300M 256 MB Digital Voice Recorder that can be purchased for about $79. The recorder is very compact and can double as a music player. If you want more music playing capabilities, you can buy the 1 GB version, which of course costs more. The nice thing about this recorder is that you can directly plug it into your computer's USB port to download your audio files. No extra software is required to put the audio files onto your hard drive.

Once your dictation file is on your hard drive, you select it from Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and the program transcribes your story material in Word or other word processor. The software even has a playback feature that will read your text back to you.

Pros and cons of dictation

There are advantages and disadvantages to using dictation methods to create and write material.

Advantages

One advantage of dictating your thoughts is that it speeds up the writing process. Also, if you think verbally, you may lose good thoughts during the slow typing process. Another advantage of dictation is that it is a good to way to input written notes, taken at a meeting, lecture or seminar.

Seems best with fiction

Writing fiction is especially suitable to dictation. Writing a screenplay would be also work well with dictation. When writing fiction, TV or screenplays, dictation can be used to act out the roles of your characters during the writing process.

One reason that fiction may be especially suitable to dictation is the fact that often the creative process is more free-association. Fiction is not as structured as technical writing, which is often easily outlined with numbered steps. Another factor is that the writer can often get "into character" and create conversations during the dictation process.

Disadvantages

One disadvantage of dictation is that it can be cumbersome and takes some practice. Dictation software is fairly accurate, but you still need to be aware of errors or incorrect words. Also, you can often organize your thoughts better when writing or typing. Verbal communication is linear, where writing allows you to skip around.

Another drawback to dictation is that most people think visually, rather than completely verbally.

Summary

Dictation software is a great tool to enhance your writing. Some people can be highly creative through dictation, while others may struggle with it. Experiment to see how you best perform with the use of this technique of writing.

Tips on learning math easy and fun

Math is a subject that is considered difficult by most of our students , including my own for the math so it make the head turn around the city. But it turns out that if we know how to correct and pleasing in learning mathematics. Math lessons turned out not too difficult and even become very easy and fun , so no linger longer , let's discuss whatever is easy and practical way to learn math .

The existence of Intent

The first thing we should do is " straightening Intent" in the study of mathematics , let us learn math just to get a good value as a condition of passing the Math test points . If you just want to be able to value it easy to live to see the work of others . Remember our goal is to seek knowledge, not looking for value. Most of us if it has passed the test / test , then we will leave and forget the matter is that we have learned . So from that intend to learn mathematics to improve our knowledge. Because the study of mathematics , our brain will force regular well -honed making it easy to receive more education . Remember once again , not only oriented to the test results , but oriented to He learned .

Always use a pleasant way

Anyone would agree that learning something with a happy heart will be able to easily understand the matter. Similarly, in mathematics . Anything as complicated math problems , when we learn to love or to use a fun way , we can quickly master

Use symbols

Why should I use symbols ? because mathematics is essentially an abstract ( not real ) . Therefore, so that we are not the difficulties in learning mathematics , we should be able to hold , feel , and see that we should be able to create in a tangible form so that we can easily understand the mathematical

Outlining a story

A very complicated math problems and difficult , will be able to see easily to be broken when broken down in a story . This relates to the use of logical thinking. Therefore, when we have been accustomed to using logical thinking in solving math problems , then we will not have any trouble when we find a story of mathematics in the form of

Always use logical thinking

Math not only requires math skills because if just count it, then we can easily use a tool like a calculator. The most important in learning mathematics is logical thinking. Therefore, it takes a true understanding of mathematics

Know , Love , the subject

Point is a point kingpin in learning mathematics. We will be very easy to learn something if we love him first. How 'd love math if we do not recognize him? then the first step is we need to recognize it or the term used to approach young people. We need to know what the math?, What mathematical function for the daily life ?

It is difficult to know , but if it is your intention certainly can. If you already know him , then you will know that mathematics is extremely needed in our day today . Simplest example is that each person will have to count the money . It's not likely we could live away from mathematics . Then implant in our minds that mathematics is something useful , beautiful, exciting and a fun puzzle to solve. if we already know so please love math . If we have love, all seemingly complicated formulas will suddenly be easy to learn.

Such is the power of love , when it's love we 're happy to give everything for the sake of our beloved .

Much- much, Training and Learning

Some of the points above will be very useful if the tip end of it you do not take immediate steps to learn and a lot of hard and consistent training . Sometimes there is a time once the spirit to learn, but there are also times when lazy once to learn . So here takes discipline and consistency in learning mathematics.

In one day No need to spend too much to learn, quite a bit of time but is still continuous and consistent . Math is arithmetic , the better course would learn arithmetic by counting with diligent practice . banyakin discuss training / have questions , because if we have grown accustomed to , it will be easier for us to solve the same problem in the future . In addition they may also be making our understanding of mathematics more deeply.

Next Level Learning Math Good

• Understand creative with his formulas
• The mass formulas are formulas
• Start working on the questions that are deliberated .
• Last question do without clay discussion .
• Other question that had type do the same .
• Continue to train other matters .

Do not just learn from a book , because usually there is a book that does not explain in detail the equation makes it difficult to learn. Be advised to find other reference books more easily to learn .

Nothing says " I Can not " and "desperate "

Asa cut the disease most often found everyone when trying to get something. When we learn mathematics, as far as possible, avoid despair says, when we find a complicated question, then immediately ask for assistance to teachers of mathematics or to someone who already understands .

As much as possible to stay away from uttering the words "I Can not " , because it is only exacerbating the situation, when you feel that you could not have done , say, " Sure I Can " ! Give me the spirit of motivation for yourself , for every problem there is definitely solve it .. Remember I'M SURE CAN .....

Be Patient

Patience in the study , the patient in question breaks , indulgent in discharging all things, Remember the patient people will got more from god

Pray

Work already , but it's good before and after studying the mathematical remember to pray, because without prayer effort will not produce anything.

The Missing Link

Every few years scientists unearth the bones of humanity's forefathers. From Lucy to the Hobbits of Flores Island -- we are gradually seeing building the puzzle of mankind's evolution.

1. Neanderthal Stocky and squat and well suited for the cold, Neanderthals looked distinctly different from modern humans. But they were like us in other ways: they buried their dead, cared for their sick and injured and may have been capable of language and music. Scientists recently put together a complete Neanderthal skeleton and are working on the genome.
2. Cro-Magnon These people looked identical to modern humans and lived in Europe between 35,000 and 10,000 years ago. Their cave paintings and sculptures are the earliest known examples of art by a prehistoric people.
3. Homo floresiensis It turns out those Floresians were actually on to something. For centuries, their mythology described a race of very small human-like creatures called the Ebu Gogo. Hardly anyone took them seriously, however, until 2003, when word broke that a new species of diminutive hominids was discovered on the Indonesian island
4. Homo erectus For H. erectus, it may have paid to be dense. According to one theory, males rammed each other with their thick skulls in order to win females. H. erectus is generally believed to be the direct ancestor of modern humans and also the first hominid to live in caves and tame fire.
5. Homo ergaster Scientists can't decide whether this African hominid is just a failed predecessor of H. erectus or the rightful ancestor of modern humans. It had a thinner skull than H. erectus and was more proficient at making tools and using fire.
6. Homo habilis Many scientists believe H. habilis is the missing link between the ape-like hominids like Lucy and the more human-like ones that came after. It had long ape-like arms but walked on two feet and was capable of creating crude tools.
7. Paranthropus boisei If P. boisei and its relatives weren’t such picky eaters, we might not be here to wonder about them. They split from the line leading to modern human some 2 million years ago and lived alongside our ancestors for millions of years, but died out after failing to adapt their diets
8. Paranthropus aethiopicus This early ape-like hominid walked on two legs and lived between 2.8 million and 2.2 million years ago. Based on skull measurements, scientists concluded this species had the smallest adult hominid brain ever discovered.
9. Australopithecus africanus A. africanus was an early descendent of Lucy and lived in Southern Africa between 2 million and 3 million years ago. Its brain was larger than Lucy's and its facial features were more human-like.
10. Australopithecus afarensis The most famous member of this species is Lucy, an adult female skeleton discovered in 1974 and nicknamed after a Beatles song. Lucy lived about 3.18 million years ago and was fully capable of walking and running on two legs.

Teach Manner at School

These Information might be useful for a teacher who wnt teach a good manner for their pupils (just shared useful information).

Manners are of more importance than laws. Upon them, in great measure, the laws depend. Manners are what vex or smooth, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us . . . . According to their quality, they aid morals, or they destroy them. 

-- Edmund Burke, British Statesman 

The people who really know your character are waiters and clerks.

-- Katherine Pipin

In April 2002 The Public Agenda published a survey that struck a national nerve: Aggravating Circumstances: A Status Report on Rudeness in America (www.publicagenda.org). Based on interviews with 2,013 U.S. adults, the report included these findings:

• Nearly 60% of Americans say they often encounter reckless and aggressive drivers on the road.
• Almost half say they are of ten subjected to loud and annoying phone conversations.
• Almost half say bad service has driven them out of a store in the past year.
• Three-quarters say they often see customers treating salespeople rudely.
• 79% say that "the lack of respect and courte sy should be regarded as a serious national problem."

Commented Public Agenda's president, Deborah Wadsworth: "Lack of manners for Americans is not about whether you confuse the salad fork with the dinner fork. It's about the daily assault of selfish, inconsiderate behavior on the highways, in the office, in stores, and in myriad other places . . . ."

"In the long decline of the civilized West," observes one social historian, "there has been nothing so grating as the gradual disappearance of manners."

Manners are minor morals. They are the everyday ways we respect other people and facilitate social relations. They make up the moral fabric of our shared lives. 

Saying please when we'd like something, thanking people (waitresses and clerks, for example) when they do us a service, holding a door for the person behind us, not talking in movie theaters, turning off our cell phones when we're in a group setting, covering our mouth when we yawn or cough, using language that doesn't offend -- all these are small but meaningful ways of trying to make life a little more pleasant for the people around us. 

If we fail to teach these everyday habits of courtesy and consideration to our children, we will not prepare them to be socially competent and likeable people. When society in general fails to teach manners to the young, it coarsens human relations and paves the way for the gross violations of civility that are ever more common. One example of the latter: Funeral directors and police, especially in metropolitan areas, increasingly report blatant disrespect for funeral processions. One Virginia funeral director says drivers regularly cut off his hearse and often give him an obscene gesture as they go by. 

What can we do in our classrooms and schools to restore the habits of civilized conduct known as good manners? 

1. Get kids to think about why matters matter

One year, Hal Urban put up a sign in his high school classroom: "No one ever went wrong by being polite." He had always enjoyed a good rapport with his students, who were college-bound and typically from affluent families. But he was troubled by what he saw as a decline of basic courtesy. He decided to hit this issue head-on by devoting the first class of the new school year to a discussion of manners.

He began by making two points:

In my experience, most people are capable of courtesy when they know clearly what is expected of them. Moreover, the classroom is a more positive place when everyone treats everyone else with courtesy and consideration.

He then distributed a handout titled, "Whatever Happened to Good Manners?" At the top was a quote from George Bernard Shaw: "Without good manners, human society becomes intolerable." Below that, under the heading "How Things Were Different Not Too Many Years Ago," were ten changes he'd seen in student behavior over his 20-plus years of high school teaching. He walked his class through these observations. For example:

• Students rarely came late to class. When they did, they apologized. Today many come late. Only rarely does one apologize.
• Students didn't get up, walk across the room, throw something in the wastebasket, then walk back across the room while the teacher is talking. Today this is done often, and nothing is thought about it.
• Students used to listen when the teacher was talking. Today many students feel they have a right to ignore the teacher and have a private conversation with their friends.
• Students didn't swear in classrooms or the hallways. Today some students can't talk without swearing.
• Students used to say "Please" and "Thank you." Today only a few students use those words.

Under this list of observations were several questions:

• Why is this happening?
• Is society better when people treat each other with respect? If so, why?
• Is a classroom better when both students and teacher show mutual respect?
• Why does Henry Rogers say, "Good manners are one of the most important keys to success in life"?
• What is the "Golden Rule"? If it's so simple, why do more people today have difficulty practicing it?
• Which impresses people more -- being "cool" or being courteous?

His instructions to the class: "Please take out a sheet of paper and answer these questions. Don't sign your name. I'll collect your papers and read them aloud to the class." 

He then collected students' written responses, read them aloud, and used them as a springboard for a discussion of manners. This took the rest of the period.

Urban comments: "This activity made a noticeable difference in students' behavior. In the weeks that followed, several told me they wished their other teachers would discuss good manners." An exchange student from Germany told him, "I enjoy your class not just because I'm learning a lot of American history but also because of how polite everyone is." At the end of the semester a boy said: "That manners page you handed out really made me think. Sometimes we do rude things and aren't even aware that we're being rude." 

What were the features of this lesson that made it an effective character education experience for these high school students?

First, Urban took a whole class period to discuss good manners. That sent an unmistakable message: Manners matter.

He exercised directive leadership. He didn't ask students, as a values clarification approach might, "How many people think manners are important?" Rather, he designed the whole structure of the lesson to guide students to the conclusion that manners are important in school and life. 

He started positively by stating his belief that most people are capable of courtesy if they know clearly what's expected.

He involved students actively. He recruited and respected them as thinkers by seeking their input.

He succeeded in getting all of his students to think about this issue by posing good questions and having them write anonymously. Anonymity gave them the freedom to be candid. About the importance of writing, Urban says: 

If I want quality thinking and quality discussion, I almost always have students write first. Writing gets everyone involved. I get a much richer range of responses than if I simply posed the questions to the whole group -- in which case only a few students carry the class.

Finally, he taught this lesson on day one. Students could reflect on manners without feeling defensive, since they hadn't yet had a chance to commit the kinds of lapses he was describing. One of the hallmarks of character education is that it's proactive: It teaches what's right before something goes wrong.

Things will still go wrong, of course. It takes time to change habits:

By the end of the first month, I'm usually exhausted. It takes me that long to persuade all of my students that I really do expect them to abide by these standards. This past semester I had one kid who thought he could go to sleep in my class because that's what he did in other classes. I just kept walking over to his desk and saying matter-of-factly, "I'm sorry, Dan, but you can't sleep in this class." He eventually got the message.

Character education doesn't eliminate human nature. But by being proactive, the teacher puts a framework of expectations in place. Then the teachable moments -- the inevitable times when students fall short of the expectations -- are more fruitful, because there's an established standard of behavior to refer to and a shared commitment to honor that standard. 

2. Teach the hello-goodbye rule

All across the country, teachers say that many students today do not return adults' greetings. "You say hello to a kid in the hall," says one elementary school teacher, "and they don't say anything back."

Returning a greeting, like all manners, must be learned. Gary Robinson made it a point to teach his 4th- and 6th-grade students the courtesy of greeting another person and saying goodbye. After establishing the Golden Rule as his "most important classroom rule," Mr. Robinson said:

My other rule is my Hello-Goodbye Rule. When you come into the classroom, I'd like you to say, "Hello, Mr. Robinson." I will, of course, return your greeting and say hello back to you. And when you leave the classroom, I'd like you to say, "Goodbye, Mr. Robinson."

When you enter somebody's space, it's common courtesy to greet them. You should do the same thing with your parents whenever you come into your house. And when you leave a person's space, you should always say goodbye. That's just the polite thing to do. Besides, when 24 of you guys walk through that door and say, "Hello, Mr. Robinson," it makes me feel great. 

3. Teach alphabet manners

Susan Skinner teaches kindergarten in Columbia, South Carolina. She has a bulletin board displaying a different manner for each letter of the alphabet. When she teaches a letter of the alphabet during a given week, she teaches the corresponding manner at the same time.

A -- Accept a compliment graciously.

B -- Be on time.

C -- Clean your hands.

D -- Do chew with your mouth closed.

E -- Elbows off the table.

F -- Friendliness to others.

G -- Good grooming shows self-respect.

H -- Hang up your clothes.

I -- Interrupt only for a very important reason.

J -- Join in and include everybody.

K -- Kindness to all living things.

L -- Lend a helping hand.

M -- Magic words: "Please" and "Thank you."

N -- Never point or laugh at others.

O -- Obey the rules.

P -- Pleasant tone of voice is a plus.

Q -- Quiet when others are working or sleeping.

R -- Remember others on special occasions.

S -- Sit up straight.

T -- Thank the host or hostess.

U -- Use your beautiful smile.

V -- Visit a friend who is lonely or sick.

W -- Watch out for little ones.

X -- "X" out bad habits.

Y -- Yawn if you must but cover your mouth.

Z -- Zip your zipper.

She says: "I've probably gotten more positive parent feedback on my Alphabet Manners than any other thing I do. Parents are very happy that their children are learning these manners in school." And by sending home a copy of the alphabet manners she's teaching in her classroom, she gives parents an unspoken invitation to do the same at home. 

4. Implement a manners curriculum

Implementing a formal curriculum on manners is a way to ensure that all students in a school, not just those in a particular teacher's classroom, get instruction in basic courtesies. 

Jill Rigby is a mother-turned-educator who got drawn into creating such a curriculum. An interior designer by training, she was asked in 1992 to volunteer at her twin sons' school -- St. James Episcopal Day School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She soon found herself in conversations with other parents about students' unruly cafeteria behavior. She said, "Why don't we come into the cafeteria once a week and talk to the children about manners?"

They drafted her for the job. Soon she was doing weekly, often humorous lessons on putting your napkin in your lap, chewing with your mouth closed, and the like. 

Other schools began calling the school asking, "Where can we get this program?" In response, Rigby developed her lessons into a K-5 curriculum guide titled Manners of the Heart (www.mannersoftheheart.com), now used by hundreds of schools around the country. There's also a companion guide for parents, Manners of the Heart at Home. The school curriculum has three parts: (1) Everyday Courtesies (such as smiling, saying please and thank you, playing by the rules, and saying I'm sorry); (2) Communication Skills (such as introducing someone, telephone manners, and writing thank you notes); and (3) Table Manners (such as asking for something to be passed, sitting up straight, table talk, and manners for eating out). Rigby comments:

I define manners as an attitude of the heart that is self-giving, not self-serving. The objective of our curriculum is to teach children that manners come from the heart, not from memorizing a set of rules. If respect is the foundation of how we treat each other, manners and etiquette will come easily.

Rigby has had graduates of her curriculum come back to her with stories of how her lessons in manners helped them in high school and even on dates. 

When our children act with good manners, they will elicit a positive response from other people. They will be happier themselves -- more secure, confident, and poised -- when they know how to behave. They will be more likely to teach manners to their own children someday if they become parents. By their courteous behavior, they can help to create a more considerate, gracious, and well-mannered society. These are all good reasons to make the teaching of manners part of every character education program.

An excellent resource for getting kids to reflect on manners is George Washington's Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviours in Company and Conversation, 110 guides to good conduct that he wrote out for himself when he was fourteen years old (available from Applewood Books, Box 365, Bedford, MA 01730).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thomas Lickona "Teach Manners." Chapter 8 in Character Matters: How to Help Our Children Develop Good Judgment, Integrity, and Other Essential Virtues (New York: Touchstone, 2004): 165-172. 

Reprinted with permission of Thomas Lickona.

How To Make Portofolio for Students

Portfolios can be used as an authentic assessment tool in the classroom, or as a method to showcase your professional accomplishments. This collection of articles and resources will help your students build portfolios to demonstrate what they've learned so that you can monitor their progress with fewer tests. There are also resources for collecting your professional accomplishments to provide potential employers with an example of your work.

Student portfolios are a way to monitor student progress and show growth over a period of time while maintaining documentation for what students are learning. Creating a portfolio enables parents to see their children's work quickly during parent conferences and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center states "through the portfolio process, students develop the self-awareness, goal-setting, and decision-making skills essential for lifelong self-determination." 

 

 

Instructions

1. Get a binder and dividers. Put the dividers in the binder and use them to separate the different areas within the portfolio.
2. Determine how many sections the portfolio will contain. Decide if the portfolio will have a section for each subject area or a few subject areas. PreKinders also suggests things such as "photographs, art and stories."
3. Label the areas of the portfolio. Use the divider labels to write the different name of the subject areas then insert the labels into the part of the divider that holds the labels.
4. Insert student work in the appropriate section. For example, if it's a writing sample, insert it in the writing section of the portfolio. Punch holes in the work sample if the paper doesn't already have holes in it or to avoid punching holes in the work sample, put the work in clear sheet protectors and then insert the work into the portfolio.

Read more: How to Make a Student Portfolio | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_10036170_make-student-portfolio.html#ixzz0qCyuR9Gs

Nation

Nation has different meanings in different contexts. In worldwide diplomacy, nation can mean country or sovereign state. The United Nations, for instance, speaks of how it was founded after the Second World War with “51 countries” and currently has “192 member states”. Nation may more broadly refer to a community of people who share a common territory and government—but who are not necessarily a sovereign state; and who often share a common language, race, descent, and/or history. The word nation can more specifically refer to a tribe of North American Indians, such as the Cherokee Nation

Etymology

The word nation came to English from the Old French word nacion which in turn originates from the Latin word natio (nātĭō) literally meaning "that which has been born".

As an example of how the word natio was employed in classical Latin, the following quote from Cicero's Philippics Against Mark Antony in 44 BC contrasts the external, inferior nationes ("races of people") with the Roman civitas ("community")

"Omnes nationes servitutem ferre possunt: nostra civitas non potest."
("All races are able to bear enslavement, but our community cannot.")

– Cicero, Orationes: Pro Milone, Pro Marcello, Pro Ligario, Pro rege Deiotaro, Philippicae I-XIV

An early example of the use of the word "nation" (in conjunction with language and territory) was provided in 968 by Liutprand (the bishop of Cremona) who, while confronting the Byzantine emperor, Nicephorus II, on behalf of his patron Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, declared

"The land...which you say belongs to your empire belongs, as the nationality and language of the people proves, to the kingdom of Italy.'"

– Liutprand, Relatio de legatione Constantinopolitana ad Nicephorum Phocam

Nation state

A nation state can be variously defined as one in which the boundaries of a state and nation coincide, or a state in which there is a relative homogeneity among its inhabitants.
Nations without a sovereign state

Nations that are a community of people sharing a common territory and government but are not sovereign states can be controversial subjects due, in no small part, to national security concerns of neighbouring countries. A notable example of a group of people who are sometimes claimed to constitute such a stateless nation are Palestinians. Palestinian nationalism in modern times arose between 1948 and 1950. Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005 spoke of "the Palestinian nation" in the context of Jerusalem and Palestine. The State of Palestine is today widely recognized by sovereign states, although often in equivocal terms. Still, op‑ed pieces in Israeli media question the existence of a Palestinian nation, partly due to its very short histor

Games on Classroom

ad Fruit: A Shoppers' Nightmare
Level: Easy to Medium

This is an oral communication activity appropriate for EFL learners in elementary/primary school. (It's optimal for grades 3-6). This game is designed for practicing "shopping" dialogues and vocabulary.

Materials: "produce" and play money.

Object of Game: To accumulate as many products as possible.

      Students are divided into clerks and shoppers.

      The clerks set up "stands" to allow easy access for all shoppers (e.g. around the outsides of the room with their backs to the wall).

      The shoppers are given a set amount of money* (e.g. dollars, euros, pounds, etc.) and begin at a stand where there is an open space.

      Students shop, trying to accumulate as many items as possible (each item is 1 unit of currency).

      Periodically, the instructor will say "stop" (a bell or other device may be needed to attract attention in some cultural and classroom contexts) and call out a name of one of the products. Students with that product must then put ALL their products in a basket at the front of the room. The remaining students continue shopping. Students who had to dump their products must begin again from scratch (with fewer units of currency).

      The student with the most products at the end wins.

      Students then switch roles.

*It is recommended giving students as much money as possible since students who run out can no longer participate.

Alternative play for more advanced students: Clerks set the price of items. Shoppers have the option of negotiating the price. There are two winners in this version: The shopper who accumulates the most products and the clerk who makes the most money.

Submitted by: Mike Yough
What's the Question?
Level: Any Level

Type of Activity: listening and speaking

Purpose: review question forms previously studied in class

Procedure:
Form two teams (three will work, but two seems to add just the right amount of competitive tension).

Explain the game, with a few examples of answers in search of questions. Ask, 'What's the question?', and get students to correctly say the corresponding questions for your answer.

Have two players--one from each team--come to the front. Style it like a game show if you like, with the students standing side-by-side. If you have access to bells or buzzers, it's even more fun.

Next, read an answer to a question and say, 'What's the question?' The fastest player to respond wins a point for her/his team. New contestants come to the front for a new round.

Rationale: This game forces the students to think backwards a little, so they must provide a grammatically perfect question. All too often, they are used to answering rather than asking questions, so this is challenging and useful as review.

Submitted by: Tim
Toilet Paper Icebreaker
Level: Any Level

This activity is used as a "getting to know you", icebreaker on the first day of class.

   1. Teacher takes the toilet paper roll and takes several squares of toilet paper, then hands the roll of toilet paper to a student. The teacher tells the student to take some, more than three.
   2. After everybody in the class has some paper, we count the squares we have, then we have to tell that many things about ourselves, in English.

This activity works well with substitute teachers also.

The toilet paper is such an attention getter.

Submitted by: Linda LeBlanc
Chain Spelling (Shiri-tori)
Level: Easy to Medium

The teacher gives a word and asks a student to spell it, and then a second student should say a word beginning with the last letter of the word given. The game continues until someone makes a mistake, that is, to pronounce the word incorrectly, misspell it or come up with a word that has been said already, then he/she is out. The last one remaining in the game is the winner.

This game can be made difficult by limiting the words to a certain category, e.g.. food, tools, or nouns, verbs, etc.

Submitted by: Huang Shufang
Bang Bang
Level: Easy

Divide the group into two teams. Explain that they are cowboys and they are involved in a duel. One student from each team comes to the front. Get them to pretend to draw their pistols. Say "how do you say..." and a word in their mother tongue. The first child to give the answer and then "bang bang", pretending to shoot his opponent is the winner. He remains standing and the other one sits down. I give 1 point for the right answer and 5 extra points if they manage to "kill" 4 opponents in a row.

Editor's Note: Instead of saying the word in the students' mother tongue, it would be possible to use a picture or to say a definition ("What do you call the large gray animal with a long nose?")

Submitted by: Liz
Battle Ships - A Vocabulary Game
Level: Easy to Medium

Preparation:
Divide the students in to groups of four or five. Then ask the student to make the name for their ships for example with the names of animals, cities, movie stars or let them find their own favourite names.

Ask them to choose the Captain and the Shooter. The captain's duty is to memorize his ship's name, so he can reply if somebody call his ship's name. The shooter's duty is to memorize the names of the ships of 'their enemies', so he can shoot them by calling their ship's name.

Activity:
Arrange all the captains in a circle, the ships' crews must line up behind their captains. The shooter is the last crew member in line.

The teacher must decide a lexical area of vocabulary, this vocabulary will be used to defend their ships from the attacks. Every students (except the shooters) must find their own words. The lexical area for example, "Four Legged Animals". Give the students 1-2 minutes to find as many possible words as they can and memorize them.

Start the game by calling a ship's name, for example the ship name is "THE CALIFORNIAN". The captain of THE CALIFORNIAN must reply with a word from the lexical area given, for example he says "TIGER" followed by his crews behind him one by one, "COW"; "SHEEP" until it  is the shooter turns and he calls out the name of another ship and the captain of the ship called must reply and his crews must do the same thing. No word can be repeated.

If the captain is late to reply (more than 2 seconds) or his crew can not say the words or a word repeated or the shooter shoots the wrong ship (his own ship or the ship that has already been sunk) the ship is sunk, and the crew members can join the crew of another ship.

The teacher can change the lexical area for the next round.

In the last round there will be two big groups battling to be the winner.

Submitted by: Agung Listyawan

Describing Appearances & Characteristics of People
Level: Easy to Medium (Low to low intermediate)

Each student is then give one sheet of paper.  One student sits at the front of a room.  He/she describes a person and the rest of the class draws the person being described.

It is more interesting if the person being described is known by everyone. Once the student has finished describing that person then he/she reveals who it is and each student shows his/her drawing. The laughter from this is hilarious as the impressions tend to make the character in question look funny.

It is a good idea to encourage students to ask the interviewee student questions about who they are describing.

Submitted by: Darrell
Sentence Race
Level: Any Level

A good game for large classes and for reviewing vocabulary lessons.

   1. Prepare a list of review vocabulary words.
   2. Write each word on two small pieces of paper. That means writing the word twice, once on each paper.
   3. Organize the pieces like bundles, 2 bundles, 2 sets of identical words.
   4. Divide the class into 2 teams. get them to make creative team names.
   5. Distribute each list of words to both teams. every student on each team should have a paper.  Both teams have the same words.
   6. When you call a word, 2 students should stand up, one from each team. The students must then run to the blackboard and race to write a sentence using their word.

The winner is the one with a correct and clearly written sentence.

This is always a hit with kids. For more advanced students, use tougher words.

Submitted by: Thomas D. J-B
Paper Airplane Game
Level: Any Level

Draw a target (with points - like a dart board) on the white board or use a cardboard box in the middle of the room. Then, students make paper airplanes and launch them after they answer your question in the form of a sentence. I don't except my beginners/low intermediate students to form complete sentence so I help them to form correct sentences. To my surprise they will repeat the sentence several times (while I'm helping them) just so they can throw their airplane. For beginner and low intermediate classes, I recommend formulating questions that lead to 1 or 2 types of answers. This allows for better memorization. For example, use CAN/WILL questions and write the beginning part of the answer on the board "I can/will...".  I recommend giving a prize to make the target points mean something, thus peaking their interest.

Submitted by: Ell Saunders
Pictionary (Game 1) - revamp - Charades (Game 2)
Level: Any Level

Write out series of categories like professions (doctor, bus driver, etc.), animals, foods, actions (fishing, haircut, etc.) then divide the class into groups of 2. One student draws and the other guesses. Next turn, the guesser draws and drawer guesses. This game works best with the arbitrary stop watch (30 seconds). This is designed for one lesson.

Then for another day take the same categories (or create new ones) and play the same game except students, this time, act it out (no speaking or noises).

Submitted by: Ell Saunders
Spelling Contest
Level: Any Level

First, if you have a large class you have to divide it in 2 teams. then the teacher says a word or a sentence depending on the level for the students to spell.  Students should spell these correctly with not even one mistake. The team that has more points is the winner

Submitted by: Revolle Soyer
What's the Meaning?
Level: Medium to Difficult

You, the teacher, may need a dictionary do this activity.

    * Choose a word which is long, difficult, and unknown to the students, a good word to begin with is: warmonger.
    * Without using a dictionary, your students write down a definition. (They can work out the definition in groups of three).  Allow them a few minutes to think and write.
    * Collect the definitions and read them aloud.
    * When you have finished reading, they will have to vote which of those is the correct one. (It doesn't matter if none of them is the correct one)
    * After they have voted and none of the groups guessed the meaning you read the correct one aloud.

The idea of this game is to let students be creative and practice writing skills.

Then you can have the students to discuss their writings.

Submitted by: Natalia Iglesias from Argentina

Teach Kids to Write Paragraphs

Use the Sandwich Paragraph Writing Strategy
How to use the sandwich paragraph writing strategy to help elementary students write complete paragraphs with a topic sentence, details and a closing sentence.

The sandwich paragraph writing strategy utilizes a concrete graphic organizer to help students learn to write a complete paragraph with a topic sentence, details, and a closing sentence. The sandwich visual helps students organize their thoughts by providing them with a formula for writing.

This strategy can be taught as a whole class writing lesson, a writing workshop mini-lesson, or as remediation for those who struggle with writing. The bread in the sandwich represents the topic and closing sentences, while the details are represented as the fillings. While using this strategy, students will construct and deconstruct paragraphs to examine and internalize the process of writing a complete paragraph.

Grade Level
Third grade and above based on ability and needs of the students
The Objectives
·    Students will identify the topic sentence, details, and closing sentence in a paragraph.
·    Students will order sentences in a given paragraph correctly.
·    Students will write a topic sentence and a closing sentence about a chosen subject.
·    Students will write three or more details describing the chosen subject in the topic sentence.
·    Students will write a complete paragraph according to the sandwich paragraph model.

Materials Needed
·    2 white poster boards
·    1 pink poster board
·    1 orange poster board
·    1 green poster board
·    1 red poster board
·    Black marker
·    Multi-colored construction paper
·    Pens or pencils
·    Sandwich bags

Procedure
Before the Lesson
1.    Using the poster board, draw and cut out the parts of a ham sandwich- two pieces of bread, ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
2.    On one of the pieces of bread write topic sentence and on the other write closing sentence. Then write the word detail on each of the filings for the sandwich. Tape the large visuals in order to the wall or white board.
3.    Write a six-sentence complete paragraph about a topic of interest to your students, and cut the sentences into strips.
4.    Find two paragraphs in your classroom books that follow the model. Retype the paragraphs on the computer, writing one sentence on each line.
5.    Cut the sentences into strips and place each paragraph in its own baggie. Make enough baggies so that every two students in the class get both paragraphs.

Day 1 Lesson
1.    Talk to the students about eating a sandwich. Discuss how all of the parts of the sandwich work together to make it taste good.
2.    Show students the sandwich visual you made and explain how it relates to writing paragraphs.
3.    Place the sentence strips on the board out of order and have a student read the sentences. Ask if the paragraph sounded right.
4.    Talk aloud your thinking process as you reorder the sentences and match them up with the correct part of the sandwich.
5.    Have a student read the new paragraph and discuss how much easier to read this paragraph is.
6.    Guide students to draw and cut out their own sandwich visual using the construction paper. Tell them to label the parts of the paragraph on the sandwich pieces and store them in a sandwich bag.

Day 2 Lesson
1.    Have the students take out their sandwich bags and review the parts of a complete paragraph.
2.    Pair the students and pass out the sandwich bags with the sentence strips from the first paragraph in it.
3.    Have the pairs identify the topic sentence, closing sentence, and details. Prompt them to recall that the topic sentence and closing sentence say the same thing in a different way and that the details tell about the topic sentence.
4.    Guide them through ordering the sentences and matching them to the correct part of the sandwich model.
5.    Have them identify and order the strips from the second paragraph with their partner.

Day 3 Lesson
1.    Review the sandwich paragraph strategy using the sandwich visuals the students have created.
2.    Assign or allow them to choose topics to write about. Ask them to write a topic and closing sentence for the topic and three or four details relating to the topic sentence.
3.    Have them double-check their work by cutting up their paragraphs and matching to the parts of the sandwich visual.
4.    Invite volunteers to share their complete paragraphs with the class. Display all final products on a sandwich paragraph bulletin board.

How to Teach Narrative Writing to Elementary School Students
Teaching narrative writing is the best way to get elementary school students to begin to develop their writing skills. Through stories, journal entries and other narrative assignments, elementary school students learn how to organize their thoughts and ideas.

Instructions
Step 1 

Have your students keep all of their writing assignments in a journal. This makes it easier for them to keep track of their compositions and easier for you to evaluate them.
Step 2 

Have them write every day in class. Two pages of double-spaced writing every day is usually a good requirement.
Step 3 

Tie the journal to your literacy program. For example, if you are reading a book together as a class, you can have your students write an alternate ending to the story or write their own predictions for the next chapter.
Step 4 

Assign some more personal assignments. You can have your students tell you about their favorite day, for example, or something they did over the summer.
Step 5

As the students develop their skills, begin to do lessons on what makes a story. Write a few stories as a class, showing the students how to introduce the characters, write the main action and end the story.
Step 6 

Allow the students to do some narrative writing in small groups. Have them first plan out the story by drawing and describing the characters, setting and obstacles. Then have each student write a part of the story.
Step 7 

Put together a book as a class. Allow each student to pick his favorite piece of writing to include in the book. Give a copy out to each student. Make them feel good about themselves and their writing.

Progress, Grade by Grade
It helps to gain perspective on the progress children make in writing by generalizing on how children write at the various grade levels, bearing in mind the wide range of individual differences. Lucy McCormick Calkins, with her wealth of experience in teaching children to write, provides the following descriptions in her book,  

worksheet for english morphology

WORKSHEETS

MORPHOLOGY: INTRODUCTION

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Below are some terms related to English morphology. Consult a recent dictionary for any whose meaning is not clear to you and define them.

morpheme, free morpheme, bound morpheme (form), allomorph, base morpheme, affix, inflectional affix, derivational affix, prefix, suffix, compound (compounding)

Divide the following words into morphemes by writing them with dashes at the morpheme boundaries. For examples: cat-s, re-view, power-point.

                applejack              Wisconsin                        houseboat              uniform                          playback               transplant                       joyous                 generative                       poisonous              coolness                         grievous               codify                           unsightly              microwave                        sees                   joyless                          don't                  reception                  

The word reactivation has five morphemes in it (one free and four bound). Analyse it step by step:

Derivational affixes may be either prefixes or suffixes. Most derivational prefixes simply change the meaning of the word to which they are attached (for example, unbelievable and desensitize). Derivational suffixes normally change the part-of-speech category and may also change the meaning of the word to which they are attached. Notice how derivational suffixes change the part-of-speech category and the meaning in the following words.

a. generative, b. coolness, c. codify, d. joyless