GREETINGS, MY FRIEND!
- SWEET HOME
- ABOUT
- SELF-STUDY AND PROGRESS
- GRAMMAR
- READING
- WATCHING
- PROJECTS
- PRESENTATIONS
- TA FORUM
- MY MARKS
- CONCLUSION
- CONTACT ME!
INTRO!
Are you a pilgrim of the Internet or do you have some special purpose, it's not important. I just want to treat you with respect and say how glad I am.
This website belongs to one girl who is living in Riga - Latvia.
Actually, it's me!
My Name is Anna W and I want to tell you something about theory that has changed my attitude to learning. Would you like to know something about Thinking Anatomy, or correctly saying THINKING APPROACH?
If you do than welcome to my final portfolio where you can become acquainted with this funny system.
I really want you to understand what the TA is and present me as a student who is following this theory. So I present you my works what I've done during 3 school years (2006./2007. - 2007./2008. - 2008./2009.)
HELLO AGAIN!
The portfolio belongs to a me - Anna Vahromeeva or simply Anna W.
I've started to learn English seriously in the 10th form in Herderschool Riga. I learn this language with a help of my teacher Mr. Sokol, who uses Thinking-Approach methodic to teach the English language.
So this web-page that used to be called a portfolio helps you to find out what the thinking-approach method of learning languages is and how it looks like to learn with a help of TA. You also have ability to see what I've done during these school years (2006./2007., 2007./2008. & 2008./2009.)
My aim was to present me as a learner who uses a TA system so that it would be clear to everybody, even those, who find out about TA and OTSM-TRIZ only today.
Here you can see many interesting things like presentations, grammar models, texts, movie trailers, some creative tasks that are connected with them and many other things that can be especially interesting for you, if you are going to work with TA. With my e-portfolio you can imagine what we are doing in our lessons. And my Self-Study report helps you to understand what kind of Aims I had. You may also read the Reflection part on the TA FORUM. There are my answers to Mr. Sokol’s questions. This part can help you to imagine what kind of discussion we usually have in the lessons. We also have some Project part, what shows you, how TA students work with problems and tries to solve them.
So, I hope it will be interesting for you. Hope you’ll understand everything and won’t have unanswered questions too!
Now some theory!
Traditionally, language teachers were responsible for teaching languages. Despite numerous differences currently used approaches have, there is one thing in common - all of them aim at the development of language skills of students. Unfortunately, this is no longer enough. The modern language teacher is responsible not only for the language competence of his or her students, but also their preparation for the future life. As well as teachers of other subjects, the language teacher is supposed to help students acquire skills necessary to live in the world we still know very little about. (eg from thinking-approach.org)
It is the most important thing in TA. TA learning system teaches us not only to speak in foreign language, but also prepare to live in this world. And it’s the hardest thing that not all the teachers are able to do.
TA is combined with OTSM-TRIZ. OTSM-TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving and the General Theory of Powerful Thinking) is a theory about constructive thinking. So, we are learning not only the language, but also we are learning how to use our brain in a best way, we are learning how to think most productive. There are a lot of pluses in the way of learning English in with such a method. We learn new interesting tools what aren’t very widely distributed in the school, but are desirable for each of the students and people in general. Contradiction building, model making, planning and self analysis… During these lessons we find out many new things and learn to do something that we won’t do in other lessons. I’m sure that each experience is good for a human, because it gives some skills that aren’t very visible, but are still in the head. It is much harder to learn like that, but I’m sure it will give me something in the future ^_^.
Perhaps my portfolio has not very much information about this system in theory, so I offer you to visit www.thinking-approach.org, but if you want to try out TA by yourself visit www.thinking-approach.eu where you can try to learn some of the foreign languages.
So, wish you pleasantly conduct your time and I hope that you like this portfolio. So, let’s go!
MY LAST SELF-STUDY REPORT
Information about Self-Study Technology
Every year we write some General Plan or Problem Network.
About Problem Network
This is one of the most difficult things in our learning process. It is hard to find out where the actual problem is. So, it is pretty hard for me to write about my problems when there are too many of them and they are too superficial. So, actually, I'm not happy with my Problem Network, because the main thing isn't very different from the previous one, from form 11. And it lead us to the conclusion that I wasn't very successfull in my previous year.
According to my last Problem Network (12th form (2008./2009.)) I can say that my aim was to improve my Grammar Skills. I'm not sure I've done it very good, but atleast I tried. I've done some grammar systems and I've bought some nice book called Use of English that should prepare me to the 12form exam.
My Stylistic-problem didn't dissapier, BUT! As I already told you, I've bought some
Mega-Ultra-Use Of English Book!
and also now I'm working with tasks from the other book (that is really like the previous one, but a little bit bigger)
Before Exam. Ready for your English exam. Anglju valodas 12. klases eksaamena darbu paraugi
So, I'm still not perfect, but at least, I'm working on my improving!
I've also done some little research about some English proverbs and now I know what Walking on air means (Some time ago I thought it was in the literal sense of this word ^^) I also watch many films. It is my first year when I watch films ONLY with original sound. I watch some serials like Scrubs (first two seasons are done for me), DR. House (saw everything they have) and etc… In this year I watched also many other films and cartoons in English. And I really hope it gives me something. Atleast now I know what the word "tumor" and "biopsy" means…
With my communication problem I still have some problems. It was my third aim to improve speaking. But I'm sure I'm not so bad at it. Firstly, because I finally started practising! Now I'm visiting IELTS courses where I have to speak about various themes. And I can't say I'm the worst one. + IELTS courses are fantastic thing for me. TA made me who I am now XD and my English was pretty good without these courses, but in these courses I learned some new things also. Now I finally understand why my Microsoft Word was always unhappy when I wrote "advices". Not long ago I learned that the word "advice" can be used only in singular. That was eyeopener for me. + Listening and reading practice as well.
Understanding with the native speaker? It was my 4th aim… And I used to visit semiothics lessons in LU where the teacher isn't English, but his accent is different from those that I used to hear. I think it's a plus for my Aim-Reaching.
Self-S itself and ProgresS
Overview:
The second semester 12th form was really useful for my English. I've made a lot for me. Now, when I'm not into my German language I give all my strengh to this language, visiting courses, writing personal statements for universities, making portfolios, watching movies, finally reading English books that I had to read long time ago… I'm satisfied with my work this time. Perhaps, it is not very good in terms of OTSM-TRIZ, but my project is also a big progress for me. In 10th form my project was not very good (Actually, it was, but only because it was the first one). My second project can't be evaluated exactly, because I had a really good team. We worked as a team and our result was very good. But analytical stuff was made more by Inga & Nastya, bacause I wasn't very sure about what should it be in the end. But this time, the 3th project is something I proud of. All analyzis was made by me, because my partner was not able to help me here. And my version of the test is also very nice. I really like what I've done. I needed a little bit more time then I should, but still, it is a really big progress for me.
Progress in compare to the 10th form
I deffinetely have a big progress in all the fields.
Speaking
Deffinetely. 3 years ago I was able to speak a bit. But it was pretty hard for me. Now, I can even think in English and there is no problem for me in speaking for hours with my friends, who also want to practice their language. It isn't even hard for me, I guess. But still, it is much more easier to speak russian XD.
Writing
My writing improved a lot. And I couldn't even believe how much it improved when I remembered me in form 10.
It was really hard for me to write a 100 words long essey. Now I can write 1500 words without any thinking. It will take much time only because I'm not very fast at typing. My project analyses can prove that. Now I write more, without using dictionary very often and without so much mistakes. And here I think I must be grateful to TA system. Because in compare of that my progress in 8-9 form (when I learned English in additional lessons in stantard way) was nothing.
Here you can see some changes:
10th form
(first homework)
TASK: About TV by Roald Dahl - System of Tasks
An excerpt from
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.
Part 3. Co-authoring. № 3.2
HOW PART:
Instruction:
1. - First you need to read the book.
2. - Read the task again.
3. - After that you must try to imagine that you are the writer, who wrote “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”. Close your eyes I think that you are not you. Maybe it isn’t so easy, but it is only way to do this task well. Think that you wrote this book & now you are taking part in a radio show. You can do it with your friend who can be a person who asks “the writer”. Now you must think about yours answer.
4. - Now you must write all your answers in the paper. And don’t forget, that you are in the radio show, not in the castle to Queen of Britain. You can write words like “Well I guess” or “hmm…good question” or something like this. Your speech must be natural, like in life.
5. - Your answer must not be very large, because it is just a little answer to the listener, one of 5-10 questions. Normal radio shows don’t have so much time to listen yours lecture!
6. – Finish your homework & give it to your teacher on the next lesson.
Good luck!
TASK
25.09.2006
Homework.
Thank you for your question. I shall try to explain you…Well…hmm…I wrote many books and for whole my life I didn’t care about all stereotypes. I just say, what I think & indeed I think that the TV isn’t good for people. They don’t read enough. They change a good book for foolish TV show. Like a world mania!!! Time will pass & what?! No one reads books, because there is a TV, what you can see: just see not straining your brain. I really care what will happen with my children, our children. And I do for them all what I can!
11. form
TASK: The Odd One by Aldous Huxley - System of Tasks
The Odd One by Aldous Huxley.
Part 6. Transformation Tasks. Task 5 a)
Imagine that a year passed. Lenina has changed so that Bernard thinks that she is more like him now. Write a short text illustrating the changes mentioned above.
HOW PART:
1) Please, answer the follow questions:
What can be changed in such a situation during one year in general to the general human? Make a list of these changes. (taking into consideration of the way the are living there, political situation, regime, the way of their normal love relationship)
What can be appropriate for Lenina’s personal character from these general changes?
Are they still together (your opinion)?
What strains can she take from Bernard?
(If you have problems to answer, you can compare with your personal experience. If you have problems with basing on your personal experience, you may use my version 1. for this task.)
2.) Now you can use the answers for doing this task. You may write it in any style you want.
TASK:
19.11.2007.
One year passed, but they were still together. Something changed. She’s changed, he’s changed and their relationship has changed too.
She was still she, but now, after this hard year, she started to understand Bernard. He wasn’t so Odd for her any more. Yes, he thought too much strange thoughts, so she reflected, but now she wasn’t so astonished about it. For her, he was just a freak, but now she was looking at Bernard’s personality, not just at his “awfully nice hands”.
Time after time she started to be nervous, when there were too much people around her. Sometimes she understood that she is too tired from all this society. The longer she spoke with Bernard, the more she wanted to be with him. He said a lot of strange things. Most of them she didn’t understand, but something nice was there “To be free to be happy in some other way, Lenina?” “Yes, I really want it.”-she answered and tried to imagine what he means with all these beautiful words.
She thought more and more. Her thoughts were still primitive and full of usual parties and she was still a complete part of society, but something has changed in her thoughts. Something wider was there. She still hated to look at that moon and be alone with him, but in such moments she sat beside him and didn’t disturb him. She understood, how were these moments special for her friend and she was silly happy with her handsome and exalted boyfriend.
12th form
TASK: Silk Cut by David Lodge - System of Tasks
Silk Cut by David Lodge Part 6. Task 2:**
Write a letter and provide comments on why Vic would write it like this.
There is no How part for this task, but you may go to the READING part and there will be an example of How Part for tasks from part 3 that I wrote this year.
Task:
12.10.2008
Vic’s letter to his friend Mark.
Dear Marik!
Long time no see, huh?
How are you, old buddy?
I’ve heard you’ve got a good job as a journalist? How is it going there? Did you already pick up some pretty girl? I’ve heard that journalists often become lovers of some famous stars after the interview. So use your chance!
Do you want to hear smth about me? There’s nothing special about my life. As I already said to you in the previous letter, my work totally sucks! I expected much more. My salary isn’t enough big to pay all bills, because my boss think that if I’m practicing student he can pay me nothing! But my job is pretty interesting. I’ve even met some cute girl, (not blond, but with long legs like I always wanted). We met in a cafeteria (The one nearby West station) and it’s turned out that she’s working in the same company as I. She’s older than me, but it’s Ok. But I think that it’s totally not OK that she’s in this Semiotic stuff. Do you know about this thing? I’ve never even heard about it before she told me. It’s so stupid when a normal girl is keen on this semiotic! Is she a swot or something?!
About this semiotic! I think you as a journalist can be interested in it too, because I’ve found it pretty amusingly. I didn’t understand it, but I guess I can explain the main stuff <He doesn’t really understand it>. So, it’s something about symbols. Like you take some normal obvious thing and try to make your life harder. For example, these Silk Cut cigarettes. Have you seen this advertisement (a poster! You must have seen it, because it’s everywhere) with this rippling expanse of purple silk in which there was a slit? Some plain commercial, there’s nothing special in it. <Wic thinks that this advertisement is very simple and has no metaphor in it>. But Robin, my girlfriend, interpreted it as a female body where the cut symbolized a vagina. How’s that, huh!? Do you think my girlfriend is a pervert? Well, she is! (Well, maybe it looks kind alike it, but even I’ve never noticed that.) I even have no wish to smoke after she told me it! Thank Goodness I usually smoke Marlboro… So as I understood semiotic searches for some signs in everything! Like she said: “Is there any other point to use cloth to advertise cigarettes? It’s the only reason they must have!” This semiotic makes people take things in the non-logic value! <Wic said that people who use semiotic can’t take things at their face value>. You‘re always trying to find hidden meaning in things! Yeah, it’s diverting to play this semiotic game, but not with your girlfriend. I can tell Robin nothing, because she always understands it otherwise! I remember she told me that signs are never innocent. I didn’t understood what she wanted to say with it. Perhaps you will explain it to me?
She also tried to explain me about metaphors and metonymies. It’s one of the fundamental tools of semiotics to distinguish these 2 things. Metaphor is smth based on similarity, but metonymy is smth like an effect of the thing for the thing itself. Did you understand? If your answer is no then I must confess that I have problems with understanding too. I just learned it by heart; because it’s beyond my understanding… <Wic didn’t understand Robin’s explanations>. You know, after that conversation I can’t sleep well. I think I’m starting to do this semiotic too! I just don’t want to do this, but sometimes I think about these blue jeans… Why are blue jeans so popular? Why not black or green? Is it connected with masculine or is it connected with that rumors that Levis was a homosexual?
Ok, too much about semiotics. Perhaps it wouldn’t be interesting for you, but I can’t write any longer. My sheet of paper is already done, so, I guess, I must say good bye to you.
Cheerio! -like the British say, Wish you amount of luck,
Your pal, Vic Wilcox!
Listening
Wekk. I'm sure there must be some progress. Because 3 years ago I always watched all movies with russian subtitles. Now I just don't need them.
Reading
I've read a lot of English books during these three years. It wasn't difficult for me even 3 years ago, so it is hard to speak about that…
Thinking
Here I improved a lot. I can even say my way of thinking changed. Now when I have some problems I can think about it only in contradiction way. I also tried to applyed OTSM-TRIZ in psychology when I analyzed myself and it gave me pretty nice results that worked well. My attitude for planning has changed also. Since 11th form I started to write plans for each day in my special diary. Now it is much more easier to organize my day.
And I really enjoy solving problems in www.trizland.ru. I can spend a lot of time there.
GRAMMAR SYSTEM
The Creative Grammar Technology is the only technology within TA where students work with language as an object of study. This fact determines the main aim for the technology: to help learners see language as a system. Such a vision will include the following features: understanding of a hierarchic nature of language, awareness of various functions of language elements, conceptualisation of various language elements as a network, perception of the role of context in using language, and seeing language as constantly evolving in time. (eg from thinking-approach.org)
The foolow link will bring you to the web site thinking-approach.org where you can find some more information about it:
Grammar part on TA.org
As you can see the base of this method is that the learners should get to the rule by their own selves without using any grammar book.
The main element of the Creative Grammar Technology is a system of grammar tasks that help you to develop a rule, called THE MODEL.
Here you can see the systems of grammar tasks that helped me to make my own models!
Form 10.:
Speaking about Past 1
Speaking about Past 2
Form 11.:
Speaking about the Future
Expressing Conditions
In the next site (thinking-approach.eu) you can get the experience of independent work on your language and problem solving skills. Because TA method usually isn't studied in the schools, it is a nice place to try out how to learn language with a help of TA without a teacher. In this site you can do all what we usually do in the lessons and also try out how to develop a model for grammar system that we usually do. You may write a plan for yourself and make some discussions in the forum. But the registration is a must.
Form 11.: I was doing following grammar systems:
Expressing Modality 1 with overall progress in comparison with the entry test in 50% (from 18% to 68%).
Form 12.: I was doing following grammar systems:
Expressing modality 2 with overall progress in comparison with the entry test in 23% (from 35% to 58%).
Here you can see an example how the test looks like (ex.Modality 2)
(click on a link to flickr and use magnifying glass, if you want to see the model better)
Speaking about objects, phenomena, people with overall regress in comparison with the entry test in 36% (from 87% to 51%).
As you can see my progress is not good. First was so-so, but the last one is … well, it makes me cry… Well, I can justify myself… The main problem of mine is my distraction. Most of all mistakes could be written in the right way in the other time. Because I make some silly mistakes that I can see later with my own eyes. And then I rail at myself and well, it is very sad…
But still, if you are unterested, you can visit out web page!
Grammar and other stuff on TA.eu
If you didn't get how the model must look like you can download an example made by me!
You can do it pushing on "files" button below the page content.
Example Model for Future
| Time | Specific time | Connection with past | Something special | Time-line |
| Present Simple(do) | yes | yes | - | point |
| Future Simple(will do) | no(ex.Tomorrow) | no | Прогнозы, repeated actions | - |
| Going to future(is going to) | no | no | Some wish, what is connected with other things | period |
| Present Contin.(is doing) | yes | yes | - | period |
Example Model for Conditions
| FORM | TIME | POSSIBILITY | NOTES |
| If do, do | General | Realistic(maybe) | probably |
| If do, will do | Future | More realistic | Can be |
| If did, would do | General | Doubly realistic | Not sure |
| If had done, would have done | Past | Not realistic | Can’t be 100% |
Example Model for Modality 2 in TA.eu
(click on a link to flickr and use magnifying glass, if you want to see the model better)
Example Model for objects, phenomena, people in TA.eu
(click on a link to flickr and use magnifying glass, if you want to see the model better)
My personal opinion to the online grammar learning:
Generally I like the idea, but there are some problems like answering the questions. By your own it is very complicated to answer it. There must be many variants of the meaning of those questions, and there are a lot of varieties when you discuss it with friends. But when you talk about it in the class without obvious examples there are many lost questions and all explanations are clear and unintelligible in the same time.
And some technical problems make me really sick. It is very nice to work on computer. All work is organized, no lost papers, all you want is available by one click with the mouse. But these errors are sometimes unbearable! //
But still, it is a good chance to find out about this method for those people, who has no money for private lessons.//
LITERATURE
Here you can see criterias that help teacher to decide wether it is an appropriate text for learning or not!
Criteria for Choosing Texts and Films
Form 10.:
Little prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Form 11.:
Software for the brain by Edward de Bono
War and Peace Issues by Isaac Asimov
Problem Solving by Edward de Bono
A Man of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Form 12.:
Playboy Interview by Kurt Vonnegut
My favorite book is Little prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry. I think it is totally awsome!
(Illustration to a part with the Fox.)
I liked this book very much. Now it is one of my favorites, because it is very sweet but in the same time very serious. It make me think about lot of things. I worship this french writer.
So I made another drawing.
My friend smiled gently and indulgently.
"You see yourself," he said, "that this is not a sheep. This is a ram. It has horns."
So then I did my drawing over once more.
But it was rejected too, just like the others.
"This one is too old. I want a sheep that will live a long time."
By this time my patience was exhausted, because I was in a hurry to start taking my engine apart. So I tossed off this drawing.
And I threw out an explanation with it.
"This is only his box. The sheep you asked for is inside."
I was very surprised to see a light break over the face of my young judge:
"That is exactly the way I wanted it!
I simply love this book!!!
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach was good too. I would give the second place for this book from this list. It's a beautiful and philosophical story about the one who wanted to fight for new preorities in the society. This seagull had a dream and he wanted to reach perfection in the flying. It is a short but nice story.
I liked Me by K.Z too. It was pretty funny and it was really nice to read it. So I recommend all of you to read it also.
From the 12th form literature I like Kurt Vonnegut. He is really something unusual. With all these parallels and interesting ideas… And I also liked Weekend by Fay Weldon what was really atmospherical. After reading this short story I thought about my future life and life of my mom for a long time. It was really sad and in the same time enjoyable to read it. Also recommended for everyone.
Would you like to have a look at my homework for texts?
You may look at one more task for Silk cut by David Lodge.:
Part 3. Co-authoring. Task 1.
(8.10.08.)
You are being interviewed by a journalist from a feminist magazine. She’s raging at you and asking how you dared to write such a provoking and discriminating text? What will you answer?
J. - Hello. My name is Mary-Jane Hawkeye. I’m a journalist from a magazine “FKOH” (From knees on a horse). Our readers have some questions to you. Your book “Silk Cut” has won recognition of the respectable critics; many readers have found a lot of interesting details in your work. But some moments are pretty daft and it can insult somebody, especially women part. What did you want to tell us with “Silk Cut”? Is Vic a generalized character, personification of whole women? And if it is so, and the majority believes in that, how could you write such a provoking and discriminating text?
D.L. - Thank you for your question, Mary-Jane. I appreciate your attention to my work, but actually, I didn’t mean anything like that. This is an unfortunate misunderstanding. In fact, I didn’t want to draw attention to sex at all, because may aim was to show 2 points of view that aren’t inherent to the concrete sexes. See, I didn’t want to offend anybody. I just wanted to make two good examples of different people with different views and positions in life. I confess that I wanted the girl has this opinion, because women are usually more careful and draw more attention to some signs. I understand, it’s nothing more than a cliché, but most of men do see the world very simply, so for my reader it would be easier to understand the positions in the given situation. And I have to make one of them more meticulous and penetrating. If not the girl, than it must be the guy. In that case you could feel hurt too, like the girl is a too perfunctory person, she can’t see obvious signs and etc. If you ask me, I’m very interested in semiotics too.
Perhaps, I could take two men or two women, but my future plot needed one guy and one girl.
Well, I guess you can ask me the next question.
There is one more important part in doing such a creative homeworks that you have read now:
It is HOW PART!
How part is a tool that helps you to reach your aim doing your task. Usually the person writes how part by himself. Once you have written a how part for some of the types of the tasks - and then you can use it for all similar tasks! How part must help student to make a task quicker and better. Here you can see my variant of How Part for systems of tasks to books, Part 3. (Co-Authoring)
the How Part is connected with one of Kurt Vonnegut's books. But after reading this How part you can compare this given task with the Co-authoring task for Silk Cut. The given How Part should be suited to Silk Cut's task too.
Part 3. Kurt Vonnegut.
Write a discussion in a talk show between you and Vonnegut about appropriate books for school.
How Part.
Defining the aim:
1. Define your aim as a student (What task do you have and what do you want to become in the end)
2. Define the aim of the author (Here Kurt Vonnegut What kind of aims does Vonnegut have and what kind of books are appropriate according to his aim).
3. Define the aim of you as a character in the task (In this current situation What kind of aims do you have as a student and what kind of literature is appropriate for your aim)
Author’s feature:
4. Make a list of interesting facts that can affect the aim of the author (Usually these facts should be connected with the political, philosophical points of view, the social status and a general aim of the author as an author)
5. Make a list of features of the language of the author according to the texts that will distinguish your speaking and author’s speaking and that will detect the style of the author. (You have to use minimum 2 texts to define these features) To make a list please answer the following questions:
Choice of words (If there is something unusual? How can you classify, what can be common to all these words?)
Which style (high English/ informal language/ filthy language/ science-orientated language/ …)
Use of metaphors and other literary tools
Structure of the sentence (long complicated sentences/ short sentences/ average sentences/ if there are complicated structures/ …)
Try to find out what is different between your language and Vonnegut’s language and make a list of differences that can distinguish you two. It will be easier if you will use minimum 2 author’s texts and minimum 2 yours texts.
6. Do a short research to find out where the author came from (The differences in languages and philosophy are often connected with the motherland), when did the author live =which century= (The differences in languages and philosophy are often connected with the time he lived in.) and what kind of education does the author have (It will help you to understand how well educated the person is and in which spheres does the author have deep knowledge); (In the current theme it will be useful to know if the author had a family and how much is this theme connected with him and his interests (for example, Vonnegut will be much more interested in education if he will have 2-… kids/grandchildren and etc who are going to study in school)
7. Make a short analysis of the texts (minimum two of them) and find out what features can you see in the author’s text (For example good sense of humor, references to other authors, other books and his own books, presence of a character who you meet in other his books (Kilgore Trout), his personality as a hero, writing from I-view and other things)
Your character’s feature:
8. Make a list of interesting facts that can affect the aim of the student =you= (Usually these facts should be connected with the philosophical point of view, the social status, desired future and a general aim of the student as a student)
9. Make a list of distinction and similarity of your interests in the current situation. (This will help you to find the discussion’s theme of you and Vonnegut)
10. Go to the question 5.5 and look at the differences between your language and author’s language. Write down features that can affect your language in this current situation.
Peculiarity of the medium:
11. Make a list of features of the current medium (In this case talk-show). How can they affect the remarks of Vonnegut and of a student? (How can they affect the language and ideas? = Talk show is more comparable to the natural speaking it must be more informal language then the used one in the texts it must be build like a dialogue it must include discussion with arguments …) To understand more you can read/ watch interviews of the author if it is possible. It would be nice to read/ watch at least 1-2 interviews (if it is possible – connected with the task-related theme)
12. In the current task you may use “ *…* ” to show emotions of the characters to make your task more like a talk-show (it will make your visual side better). You may also use the 3th character: the Host of the talk show who will preset the author in the beginning and can be in the conversation too.
At the end, please, compare your text (author’s remarks) and author’s text. If there are too many differences, try to find out what else should you include improving your task.
ABOUT THESE MOVIES
My favorite films are One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest & Night on Earth. I like these films very much. I've seen them approximetly each film 3 times. I think you should watch them too.
LIST OF THE WATCHED FILMS
(a part of the curriculum of English lessons)
Form 10.:
-Psycho (Alfred.Hitchcock.1960)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTkrSlsNfxQ
Form 11.:
-Once Upon a Time in America (Sergio Leone.1984)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFobVUhKzGc
-Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch.1995)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07xKQakj1hM&feature=related
-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Miloš Forman. 1975)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN1cCviBXmY
Form 12.:
-Night on Earth (Jim Jarmusch.1991)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7wa9kSI5Ew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96R9MG0DxLc
And one more film which I watched with some of my classmates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyFq0N00wNU&feature=PlayList&p=FAAC50A90DB68A79&index=53
Would you like to have a look at my homework for films?
The task was to make an own system of tasks for films.
Own task for the film “Dead Man”.
Part 3. Co-authoring
For task, you should answer from the point of view of the director of the film Jim Jarmusch
Task 3.1.
You are a film director. A part of the advertising of your film “Dead Man” is to take a part in a talk show. Present people have already seen your film and all of them have found some deep sense in it, but they are still interested in your opinion. One of the people is asking you
what was the main idea of your film. What did you want to tell people with your work?
The other question you must answer is that there is a scene where William Blake finds the remains of a young deer whose body he grieves over. What did you want to tell with this? Is it an important moment of the film or just a usual sentimental moment for those people who like melancholy and etc?
Write a small speech where you are answering these questions (3-5 min.).
Part 4. Content Generation Tasks
Task 4.1.
You may choose one of the tasks.
This film is very interesting, because there is a problem that everybody divides this film in the different genres: thriller, film about travel, vanguard cinema or western.
a.) Decide what kind of genre is this film and why? Explain your choice with the help of parameters. You may use offered variants or find some other genre. Try to find 2 examples for each of your parameters.
b.) Make some model for the genres. Write parameters and values for each of genres that could be connected with „Dead Man”. Find the examples for each genre that could proof that this film can concerns to it.
Part 5. Speaking task.
Task 5.1.
There must be 2 people for doing this task. First person will take a role of William Blake and the other will take a role of Mr. John Dickinson.
Prepare the dialogue that could occur between Williams Blake and Mr. Dickinson, if he decided to listen to William. Don’t forget that there are no more places in the desired work, because it is already taken. You may offer an alternative version of refusal or if you want, you can offer some other work. It is up to you to resolve this situation. Build the dialog and don’t forget to speak so that it will be appropriate for the style of this film.
Part 6. Transformation Tasks
Task 6.1.
Tell a story from Nobody’s point of view. You may choose one of the tasks.
a.) The film show us Williams Blake’s and Nobody’s first met (00:27.H). But we don’t know how Nobody has found William Blake. Write a story from Nobody’s point of view how he’s found him and why he has decided to help him.
b.) In the “Dead man” there is a moment when Nobody leaves Blake briefly alone in the wild when he decides Blake must undergo a vision quest (01:09.H – 01:22.H). In the film you can see what was doing William Blake, but we don’t know what has happened with Nobody in these 13 minutes. Write a short story from Nobody’s point of view like he is telling William where he was at that moment and why he decided to leave him for such a long time.
Part 8. Language Tasks
Task 8.1.
Give 5 different definitions of the word „dead”. What kind of definition is appropriate for this film. Do you think there is only one appropriate definition for the sense of this film or there can be some more? Explain your point of view.
Task 8.2.
a.) Write 8 different synonyms of the word „dead”. Write an explanation when this word is appropriate for using.
b.) Write 8 situations where the word „dead” isn’t used in the usual sense. Explain what kind of other words can be used instead of word „dead”.
This is my homeworks for film Night on Earth by Jim Jarmusch
In this part you can see how the system of tasks to films looks like and how have I done these tasks
The information about the film you may see here:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_on_Earth_(film)]
The system of tasks to this film you may see here:
[http://www.thinking-approach.org/index.php?id=1169]
Here you can see my Homeworks for 12 form 1. semester:
these are my favorite homeworks of mine. I hope you will enjoy them
Night on Earth by Jim Jarmusch - System of Tasks
Part 4. Content Generation Tasks
Task 4.6. Write the inner monologue of the “bishop” in Episode 4.
The inner monologue of the Father Ambrosiano. (Final version. December 2008.)
What a horrible night! Why do all the people always want to visit a church after midnight? Next time I won’t let in those drunken barbarians. The door of the holy house must be opened for everybody, but I’m not sure they have a body at all, because they look more like a snivel on the God’s floor.
Where’s that taxi!?
I wish I would come home sooner. My left leg grew quite numb. When I come home, I will definitely apply some compress at once (I can’t correct this mistake in any other way). It’s so cold here. Perhaps, I should measure my blood pressure too. I have a misgiving that I will have a long night doctoring myself. Lucky me I’ve had insomnia last five years.
Oh there it is… Oh, no. I’ve taken some other car for the taxi. How much time I must wait for it? I don’t see any progress in the technology. 20 years ago they were more punctual, than these days. Perhaps, I should quit my service and begin to grow my own vineyard. I’m not so young anymore to understand the problems of others and absolve this naughty modern youth. I think the Father Davino is ready to take my job.
Oh well, at least the taxi is already here.
(The car is driving off from him)Ok…
(The car is driving off from him)Ok…
What a jerk! He does it oin purpose!
It’s not funny!
Stop, you rascal! … Bloody jackal. Forgive me, my God. Ok…
(The driver excuses) Yes, yes, just drive me home faster.
-Across town please. To Tiburtino.
(The driver asks him whether he is a bishop)
-No, not the Vatican. And I’m not a bishop.
Oh, please, not this type of drivers! Please, not this type! That's a bit too thick! Can you shut up and let me take a rest!
Pfhr… You can think that there are no other church workers except a bishop.
…
I can’t remember this way. Oh yes. I know this house. Alright.
(The driver tells that he’s honored that he has a bishop in his taxi)
-My dear son, I’m not a bishop.
… He IS that type of drivers.
Oh dear, what is he thinking about? Wearing sunglasses driving taxi at night! I’d better ask him to remove them. I want to go home today, not to the church again.
-My son, may I ask you a favor? … Could you remove your sunglasses? It’s not safe to drive at night with dark glasses.
(The driver removes his sunglasses and thanks the Father)
This man is strange. Because of such a people there are so many accidents. This man is really strange. I’ve never seen anyone so dissipated like him.
Oh, there is not enough fresh air in this car. And who invented such an uncomfortable collar!? How stuffy is in this car! I don’t feel so well. My heart is too heavy… But stay calm. It will pass. Soon I will be home and Julia will make me therapeutic massage. My dear Julia… She always knows how to relieve suffering to her old father.
(This driver asks him if he is Ok.)
-Everything’s OK.
… Nice house this blue one…
Eh? What is he doing? Is he going to smoke in my presence? I thought it is forbidden to smoke in taxis. Shouldn’t you ask permission at least? It’s already smoky in here. Ok, I will hint at it, perhaps he’s just forgotten himself. *coughing*
(No reaction) Ok… Maybe he didn’t understand… *coughing* (No reaction) I guess, I don’t have any other alternative:
- Excuse me, but it says NO SMOKING.
(The driver throws out the plate with NO SMOKING)
*shock* Unbelievable! It is the height of impudence! I just have no words for it. Ok… I guess I can’t do anything about it. But I hope he will smoke only one cigarette during our trip.
This smoke makes me feel giddy. I wish to have some fresh air here… Interesting, is Julia still awoken?
(The irksome driver wants to confess)
Oh no… Not this! I’m too tired of hearing all sorts of nonsense from this crazy man.
- Dear son, confession is an act that must remain anonymous. The church must preserve this anonymity. Otherwise…
(The driver stands his ground)
God, save me!
Why does he stick to me? …
-But this is unacceptable.
Oh my poor heart. Stay calm.
(The driver starts to confess)
Blah-blah-blah! Yes, yes. Hope we will arrive soon. Can I eat something now or should I wait until the morning? Oh, brother! He went over the limits… Haven’t they got any other sins that aren’t connected with sex? I am sick and tired of them!
Perhaps I should move to another place that will be nearer to the church. I’m too old for such a long way.
Oh, there’s that store. Father Davino recommended it so much. Perhaps I should visit it tomorrow.
Oh, it hurts. Perhaps I should take my medicine.
(The driver tells him about pumpkins)
WHAT? Is he joking? He is definitely not right in the head. How can he only tell me about it!? Or is it something with me? Perhaps I didn’t understand him right? He’s a pervert! It must be a bad dream. Somebody, please, wake me up! Oh how I wish I could have stayed nearby my church waiting for another taxi! It’s unbelievable! I’m starting to feel really sick. Oh, this heartache again. I can’t stand it! Ok, Mario, you can make it. Just relax and don’t listen to this jerk. You’ve already taken more than 4 tablets today. It’s very bad for your health. Try to manage without it.
(The driver tells about his sheep)
WHAT! No… It can’t be so… He’s jeering at me! Or not? What is he thinking about? I think I’ll puke now… Oh my god. I’m so tired of this ribald. Oh, please! Stop with it! I really don’t want to hear it anymore! Oh, my poor diseased heart. Where is my medicine!
He is mentally diseased! He’s mad! Why does he bleat like a sheep? I don’t care how it sounds like. Oh, can somebody help me? Perhaps, I should ask him to stop the car?
It’s too hot in this car. And it’s too smoky. I can’t breathe normally.
*tries to abstract away from everything and thinks nothing*
It’s hard to relax when some crazy man annoys you with his sexual problems! Why can’t he just shut up for a while? Only for a while?! God in heaven…
NO! I can’t take this anymore! Where’s my medicine? Here it is my sweet medicine! All will be alright now. Just be careful, Mario… And this jerk is still blabbing.
(The medicine slips out) OH NO!!!! NOT THIS! NO! I just can’t believe it… no… no…
(Meeting streetwalkers)Why are we stopping here? And my medicine? Why are we staying here? Why is he talking with these whores? I must go home! I don’t want to have anything with these ugly loose women! God in heaven, help me! I pray you! Why is it happening to me!!! And I’m so old, please, God, have mercy!
(Again on the road)
My tablets, I see them, just a second… I will pick them up… No, no, I can’t. My heart! Where’s the bottle? There’s nothing in it! Empty! Empty… I can’t breathe… So hot, my heart… my heart… Stop talking, please… It hurts so much… And I can’t breathe! The collar… it hinders my breath… I can’t take this anymore! It’s too excruciating… Is it my last minute? Why must I die in such a place with this crazy man? I didn’t want to die like that… It is harder and harder to breathe… Am I still alive? Or is it my hell? What did I do wrong in my life? Perhaps, I’ll be still alive when we’ll drive up to my home. Perhaps, I will even see Julia again? It hurts so much… I can’t think anymore, I must… Why is he talking! Help me, you jerk… My heart! It hurts! I just … can’t do … anything… no… My… heart… HURTS… …
Night on Earth by Jim Jarmusch - System of Tasks
Part 6. Transformation Tasks
Task 6.1. Choose at least two of the taxi drivers and write their monologues about their jobs. Comment on the differences.
1.version 2.11.2008
Taxi driver from Los Angeles: Corky
What do you think about your job? Do you like to work as a taxi driver? What aim do you want to reach?
*loud champing* Like, yeah… I’m Corky, Car № 36 and I’m a taxi driver or something, and I… I like my job, you know? Everything’s cool, except my car. Man, it runs like shit. It’s totally not cool, you know? I know something about good cars, you know? B’cause, I want to be a f*cking mechanic, b’cause, all my family are mechanics and I’m the youngest, the girl and because of that I must work as a taxi driver, you know? But, no man, everything’s great! I understand that I must work on my skills, right? B’cause all my bros were working hard to get their jobs and so do I. I already arrange that Mike will give me that job in their auto repair shop, if Jade gets fired. So, man! I’m totally happy. I have some plans already… for the future, you know?
Do you think that this work is appropriate for a girl? Don’t you want to work as a designer or teacher like all other girls?
Don’t worry about nothing, Ok? I mean, hey, it just my life, you know? I’ve chosen this job by myself, you know? It’s f*cking not cool when other asks me why do I want to be a mechanic only because I’m a girl. My bros always wanted to see me as a part in our family business, Ok? And I’m not a kid, Ok? I know what I want, relax! Man…
Shit! I broke my cigarette…
Taxi driver from New York: Helmut Grokenberger
What do you think about your job? Do you like to work as a taxi driver? What aim do you want to reach?
My name is Helmut. Helmut Grokenberger. I am from eastern Germany, from the city of Dresden. It is close to Czechoslovakia. I am a taxi. A taxi… My work is very important to me. I like to live in New York. New York is nice. I mean it is cool. New York is very cool. It was my will to go in New York. It is very pretty here. I like to work as a taxi driver. My passengers are very good persons. I like to work with people. They are always very nice to me. I make friends during my work. I already have one friend, named Yo-Yo. I like his name. It reminds me on one thing .You can play with it. It is very funny. And my friend is very funny. He is clever too. He helped me in my first time. And he has a sister. His sister is beautiful like New York’s bridge in the night.
What about the taxi driving?
Oh yes, yes. It is good to go. Taxi driving is very good, but sehr schwer… hard! It is a very hard work. You must know very much to drive as good as Yo-Yo. I can’t drive so well, but I will. In Dresden I was a clown. And clowns never give up. We always learn something new.
And I always drive carefully and I observe the rules, because I know how important they are. But my friend told me that in New York it isn’t important to observe the rules. Ich verstehe das nicht! In Germany we always do like the law says. But I still like to be a taxi in New York. I’m new in this Bereich… Bussiness? Yes. I’m new here and I will become better.
//2.version 7.12.2008 ! Here you can see how I improved my work! You can clearly see how much changes there are ! //
Taxi driver from Los Angeles: Corky
*loud champing* Like, yeah… I’m Corky, Car № 36 and I’m a taxi driver or something, and I… I like my job, you know? Everything’s cool, except my car. Man, it runs like shit. It’s totally not cool, you know? I know something about good cars, you know? Because, I want to be a f*cking mechanic, b’cause, all my family are mechanics and I’m the youngest, the girl and because of that I must work as a taxi driver, you know? But, no man, everything’s great! And the taxi driving is pretty interesting work. Always different people. It’s a pretty social work, you know. I like people, especially when they don’t disturb me when I’m driving. Like I always said, “Good passenger is sleeping passenger”. And this feeling, when you cut in front of another car! There is no music that sounds better then curses from those suckers! I understand that I must work on my skills, right? B’cause all my bros were working hard to get their jobs and so doam I. I’ve already arranged that Mike will give me that job in their auto repair shop, if Jade gets fired. And it will be Jades problem, if he gets fired! You must respect any car, you know? A drunken mechanic can’t help, if he can’t even remember his own name! So, man! I’m totally happy. I have some plans already… for the future, you know? So I’m not kind a like those persons who always worry about nothing. I’ve chosen this job by myself. And the one thing that makes me mad is when others ask me why I want to be a mechanic only because I’m a girl. Its f*cking not cool, you know? My bros always wanted to see me as a part in our family business, Ok? And I’m not a kid, Ok? I know what I want, relax! Man… I can’t imagine myself being an economist, even if I do know mathematics very well. My teachers also couldn’t understand it. But where is thea reason in it? I learned for myself! Like yeah… I do have a golden medal (I did finish the school with honors!). But it doesn’t mean that I must go and study some science, yeah? It doesn’t mean anything! The only thing is what I want. And you know, my aim is to be the best mechanic in our town. And I will be, b’cause it’s the thing that I always wanted to become. I never wanted to getbecome some elite job, that’s true! I don’t see any reason there, and I…I have enough money for myself. I sleep in this car, and I have a quite a good salary to buy cigarettes and all other stuff, you know? I really like to smell this exhaust, to fell a wheel on my hands. It’s me! And I’m not scared of any dust! It’s me! It’s my world. Cars are my life style. I think, it’s even more, you know? Like… it is whole my life!
Shit! I broke my cigarette…
Taxi driver from New York: Helmut Grokenberger
My name is Helmut. Helmut Grokenberger. I am from eastern Germany, from the city of Dresden. It is close to Czechoslovakia. I am a taxi. A taxi… My work is very important to me. I like to live in New York. New York is nice. I mean it is cool. New York is very cool. It was my will to go in New York. It is very pretty here. Oh yes, it is good to go. I like to work as a taxi driver. My passengers are very good persons. I like to work with people. They are always very nice to me. My previous work was similar to this. In Dresden I was a clown. I enjoyed my work very much. But last years the German people have lost their sense of humor. They don’t like to go in circus. My last time, one of the children cried, when he saw me and my friend Heinrich. The owner of our circus is very nice person. He asked us to do other job, connected with our circus. But I have an allergy to household dust. So, I should leave Heinrich alone. So I couldn’t work as clown more. Now I drive taxi. I’m not very good yet, but I always learn something new. Zum Beispiel… I mean, for example, I’ve noticed today, that this round window tells you about how fast you are driving. It is very funny to watch it. I’ve even wrote down my record! You see? 34 km pro Stunde! I’m proved of my progress! Clowns never give up. And I will always be a clown in my soul. Because there is nothing more important than a happy smiling face! I love smiling faces. I often see them through the window when I drive in New York. I make friends during my work. I already have one friend, named Yo-Yo. I like his name. It reminds me on one thing .You can play with it. It is very funny. And my friend is very funny. He is clever too. He helped me in my first time. And he has a sister. His sister is beautiful like New York’s bridge in the night. I want to meet him again. But I never did. Last time I saw him in February. Now it is already May. But I think we will meet again, even if New York is a very big town. Friend always meets each other. Perhaps, next time I will be the one, who will drive him. Taxi driving is very good, but sehr schwer… hard! It is a very hard work. You must know very much to drive as good as Yo-Yo. I can’t drive so well, but I will… I always drive carefully and I observe the rules, because I know how important they are. But my friend told me that in New York it isn’t important to observe the rules. Ich verstehe das nicht! In Germany we always do like the law says. But I still like to be a taxi in New York. I’m new in this Bereich… Bussiness? Yes. I’m new here and I will become better. Perhaps, I even buy a new car, because it is not very good. My car is not very fast. The most cars drive faster than mine. I think it is somehow connected with that motor. It makes funny noises. But I’m not sure it is good when motor make funny noises, because I’ve never seen any other car that does the same. So, I’m going to ask my taxi company to give me another car. I’d like to have a red car. But I’m not sure I can. Usually, taxis are yellow. It is New York. I can’t remember whether in Dresden they all were yellow. I’ve never used a taxi in Dresden. My trailer was nearby the circus. I usually walk with my feet, especially, when my wife was alive. I didn’t want to go home too early. I loved my wife. But she usually was a little bit dissatisfied with her life. It was very hard to make her face smiling.
So, I like my life very much. And I like my job very much. I’ll be good at driving very soon. I usually learn very fast. The Main thing is that I like my work in itself.
RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY.
Useful Information about Research Technology
Research Technology or how we usually say Project Making is one of the worst and hardest things in TA. We usually have 1 product in one year. It is a very hard work to find an interesting theme where you can develop some new and useful thing.
Here you can see how my products look like.
Form 10.:
My first research wasn't very good, because we didn't understand the main idea of this technology. So, my first project is not very interesting. It's about how to get money (for teens)
You can click on a link or download it with the button "filez" below the page, if you want to see the result.
<iframe src='http://docs.google.com/EmbedSlideshow?docid=dmp2px4_122hhrdtjff' frameborder='0' width='410' height='342'></iframe>
Form 11.:
The second variant is much better. I really like what we've done. This time I did it with my two best friends Ingu and Nastya. Our project was about cheating in our school. Here you can see our products - some educational video "How to cheat" and a Powerpoint file where you can see a contradiction part and a special table where you can find out whick crib is appropriate for whichteacher (acording to our teachers, cause we did it for our class). Anyway, I really like our result so I guess, it will be inbteresting for you to watch both of the files.
Specially for you, the Script.
by I. Pavītola, A. Vahromeeva, A. Soldatenko
1). The most popular cribs – what are they? How to use them better?
• Using the course-book or the notebook (minuses)
• Crib in a pen case
• Very small cribs
• On the book cover
• The mobile phone
• On the desk
• “The Bomb” (the task\test, that is already done (before the lesson))
• The “Body-crib” (on hands or legs)
• The “Gadgets” (pens or rulers with a special place for a crib)
• One student drawing the attention away – the other one cheats.
2). Comparison of two students: one has a good crib, but doesn’t know how to use it (successfully); the other has a bad crib, but good “crib usage skills”.
Scene: students sitting it the classroom. Test.
• The first student – uses a good crib, but gets caught.
• The second student – uses a bad crib but succeeds.
The moral – first learn how to use a crib, instead of taking the risk.
<iframe src='http://docs.google.com/EmbedSlideshow?docid=dmp2px4_91gps87cdz' frameborder='0' width='410' height='342'></iframe>
Form 12.:
The third project is about the Choosing of English groups. In our school we have two groups with different methodics. One is standart and the second is TA method. Not all accept TA, so I decided to help 9th formers to make a right choice.
I do it with my classmate Rita I.
So THEME is How to choose a right English group?
OUR AIM is to show 9th form what they will have in the nearest future. We want them to start thinking about it. In the result the future 10th form should be informed about general differences in the groups and they must be interested in seaching information about TA and deciding whether it is appropriate for them or not. Our product is the test that will help students to find out which group is more suitable for them. The second product of the project is a short film where we are telling some basis about TA and show some moments from our learning process.
The problem to be resolved by the project - is the problem with learning process. There are several people in the group who want to learn by an other teacher, but they can't, because it is too late to change the group. But in the other group there are some people who probably could successfully learn with TA method. So, we are solving this problem with our project so that there will be less people who've chosen the wrong group.
Sources As I always said, THE PEOPLE ARE THE BEST SOURCE, because all of us like to use each other. An the students in our project play the main part. They are our basic source. We make different quizes to understand where the problem is and how to solve it.
I can share some result from the quiz with you:
Questions are more pointed at teachers and the atmosphere of the group and less on methodology
| Questions | TA method gr. | Standard method gr. |
| teacher as a person (mark) | 6 | 7 |
| teacher as a person (mark) | 7 | 88 |
| subjective mark | 7 | 8 |
| progress satisfaction (mark) | 6 | 5 |
| like method | 50/50 | 50/50 |
| want to change the group | 5 no yes 4 | no |
| tle level of worload is enough | 6 yes 3 no | no |
| satisfiing with evaluation (mark) | 6 | 5 |
| wanna more creativity? | no | yes |
| are going to do exams | not sure 3 yes -all others | 50/50 |
So, it's the result of the quiz. Here you can clearly see that not everybody accepts the system of their groups!
Our next source is different TA web-pages, that help us to make a primitive and clear definition of what TA and OTSM-TRIZ is and that help to find some important things we used in the test.
For example, we can share some links with you ^^:
http://trizland.ru
http://www.trizminsk.org/index0.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ
our good old *www.thinking-approach.org
and some other pages.
We've also made a big source-analyzis and we also tried to build big network of contradictions. Here you can see our conclusions:
• We decided to do our test in a paper variant, because it is more comfortable for the students, if somebody will really use our product.
• We thought we will do our test so that there will be no need for a help of a teacher in analyzing the tests (it will be more comfortable and objective), but the students will analyze their results by themselves.
• We understood that the only source for our test can be 12th formers, because we have some little practice in test-making (in psychology lesson we already have made some test and if there will be some problem, we will ask our psychology teacher) and we also have some good conception about how we learn and what is appropriate for whom. Because our theme is really too specific and there is no good advises for it even in internet.
• We have written a plot for our movie that will bring some info for our audience. The plot is based on Anya’s and Rita’s experiences (that are pretty different what is very good, because it can bring some piece of objectivity) and also is based on some answers from the questioner that we already have shown.
• We decided to make Russian subtitles for our film, because we suppose that our teacher won’t be satisfied if we will make the whole film in Russian. That will solve our contradiction ^^.
• We still need to work on TA and TRIZ adoption and we are just wandering if there is a reason to do that? Perhaps, if we’ll translate it in Russian, there will be no sense to do it.
• We decided to use the information from www.thinking-approach.org as a basis for our own version of definition, or just translate the given thing.
Test
Our test will be given to the students in the end of the 9th form. The test is written in russian so that everybody could understand it (because in our 10th grade there are people who never learned English and that is why they won't understand anything written in English). In the test there are 12 questions. 9 of them are pretty general. They abserve all basic spheres and qualities of character that can influent on their choice. There are 4 variants of answer. Each question is relevant to some of the group or to both of them. In the answer sheet each answer has it's own symbol that shows that the person who choosed this answer is appropriater for current group. The geoup who uses Thinking approach has a symbol - TA. The other group who uses standard methodics has a symbol CT. There are answers which are appropriate for both of the groups and they are marked as ЛБ (LB).
The questions are:
1. What is your reaction when you come in for criticism? => this question shows one of the most important sides of learning with TA system, because it is very hard to learn in such a group, if you can't cope with criticism. You always must improve yourself and there are times when the teacher could be too cavil.
2. How do you usually solve your problems? => Ta is fully based on problem solving. That's why it is important to know whether potential students like problem solving or not.
3. What do you think about planning you life? => Learning with a help of TA means always to plan everything. There are people who don't understand why they should do this. Or there are people who understand it, but are too lazy to plan something. The answer on this question is somehow connected with the final result of the test ^^
4. What should be evaluated by your teacher => There are different teachers in different groups. And some of them evaluete skills and knowledges, some of them evaluete the amaunt of work and etc.
5. What will you do, if there will be given a task that you don't understand? => In TA group most of the tasks are really unclear. Especially in the first year of your learning. There are things that you can understand only in the end of year 12. But you should do it already in year 10.
6. What will you do in the lessons, if your English is very bad? => A typical situation in our school. Most of 10th formers doesn't understand anything, because it is the first year when they start learning English language. The choice of the group is connected with a reaction of a student.
7. What do you think about a selfs-tudy? => In TA group self-study is integral to the plot. Most of your knowledges you get from self-stadying. If you don't want to spend whole your free time for English, you shouldn't go to TA group.
8. What is the aim of the teacher? => Some of teachers believe that their aim is to teach students giving them all knowledges they know. Some of teachers think that their aim is only to show how can you get thses knowledges.
9. If you will have a huge task that should be presented after half of a year, what will you do? How will you do it? => In TA group there is a big project every year that you can make during approximetely 6 month. Some of our students do it all these 6 month, some of them do it in the last week. Some of them do a nice project, some of them do nothing, because they forgot to do. It is important to know whether a person could cope with such tasks.
Second part is connected only with TA. There are given 3 problematical situations that you must solve. And there are some 5-6 answers how to solve it. Solutions can be different. Some of them are those that are usually given by those who knows about OTSM-TRIZ. These solutions are more appropriate for TA group. There are more standard answers that suits to standard group better. All these problematical situations are taken from www.trizland.ru.
Here is some two questions from original test of mine: (hope you can read russian)
1. Как вы относитесь к критике?
a. Я из твердолобых. Меня этим не смутишь. Если кому то не нравится, это лишь его проблемы.
b. Достаточно болезненно. После некоторых комментариев вообще хочется всё бросить и никогда больше этого не делать.
c. Положительно. Здоровая критика помогает мне улучшить мои результаты. Я часто прислушиваюсь к замечаниям людей, и если мне кажется, что они обоснованы, я готов исправить все недочёты, пока не останусь полностью довольным результатом.
d. Критика заставляет меня задумываться над тем, что и как я сделал, хотя далеко не всегда я следую тому, что мне сказали.
2. Один американский кинотеатр стал прогорать. Оказалось, зрители были недовольны тем, что во время киносеанса дамы не снимают шляп, загораживая экран. И чего только не делала администрация кинотеатра. Повесили объявление в гардеробе, просили по громкоговорителю быть вежливыми - результат нулевой. Как же заставить упрямых дам снимать шляпы во время киносеанса? Желательно, что бы дама сама захотела снять шляпу.
A. Текст объявления изменили: " Во время сеанса просим дам снять шляпы. К пожилым леди это не относится". Ни одна дама не захотела, чтобы ее приняли за старушню. Даже в темноте зала.
B. Устраивать конкурс на лучшую женскую прическу.
C. Переделать кинотеатр в мужской клуб.
D. Расположить ряды с последовательным увеличением высоты, как это обычно и делают.
E. Выдавать в гардеробе специальные шляпы дамам, прозрачные, ажурные, любые, которые не мешали бы смотреть сидящим сзади.
F. За сдачу шляпки в гардероб предлагать какой-нибудь милый мелкий приз - шоколадку, например. А особо отличившимся в сдаче шляпок (после 100 раз или больше) выдавать театральный бинокль!
Film
Our fist idea was to make an educational video where we will show everything about both groups:
1. Intro (3 years English learning from the 10th form) 3 photos in succession (10th, 11th, 12th forms (like performance)
2. Average progress of the students in two groups
3. Examples of students from these two groups (comparing their skills in the beginning and in the end (12th form))
Short stories and overall progress.
4. Why? 2 different groups. Then we show Group 1. Group 2.
5. Which group is more appropriate for you?
6. Group 1 - Olesya’s
• System/ structure of the lessons
• Video from the lesson
7. Group 2 – Sokol’s
• Video from YouTube with Altshuler
• System/ structure of the lessons
Forum
Texts and Films
Homeworks
Project
Presentation
Portfolio
Grammar technology
• Video from the lesson
8. Advantages and disadvantages (both groups + & -)
9. Some examples of the personality that is more appropriate for each of the groups (a picture of an ideal student from each of a group)
10. And who are you? Check yourself with a help of our test!
So, here was our first thoughts about it! And now some changes based on our further analysis:
Something that we came up and will change in previous version
NO EXAMPLE OF IDEAL STUDENT FOR EACH GROUP (it can keep us from diffident, but talented and potentially interested students)
NO PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW = MORE FACTS LESS PHILOSOPHY
MAKE FACTS PRETTY RADICAL = STUDENTS MUST SEE CLEAR DIFFERENCES AND DECIDE THEIR PREORITIES
ONLY BASIC INFORMATION = OTHER WILL BE AGITATION THEM TO DO SOMETHING BY THEIR OWN
PRODUCT MUST NOT USE HUMAN RESOURCES IF IT IS POSSIBLE
INTERVIEWS AND OFFICIAL OPEN LESSONS FOR ALL COMERS
MUST SPECIFY OUR AIM (from our aim will depend the containt of our product)
So, we've done a 1th version of our educational video based on these conclusions:
After recieving a feetback we understood that there is still something to change.
Here is our feetback from other students:
1. Subtitles – other place
2. Subtitles too fast
3. To translate not in a free form, but correctly like I said
4. Time differences between voice and subtitles
5. Pictures don’t suit to each other – mmm… well I think they’re ok…
6. Only voice without written things & only Russian subtitles
7. Need specific examples
8. More objective = more facts less own impression
9. CHOICE – GOOD MARK OR KNOWLEDGES – is offensive
10. Some of them noticed that it looks like a horror film which is a good thing because it was my aim
11. They ask us about Olesya’s group. That’s not my aim! We show only Sokol’s group. I can’t say anything specific about Olesya for my own important reasons.
12. Red and black = disturbing
13. Bad font – hard to read
14. Inappropriate music = change or switch off
15. they think I did advertisement for Sokol’s group and it was not my aim!
16. Explaining written works in TA and in other group (but not sure that I will have so much time in my video to add such details.
17. Rerecord the sound – too much eeer, sometimes not clear enough
18. Music must be more funny. But it shouldn’t be funny! You must be afraid of your future! It’s not ice-cream advertisement!
19. Video is shaking – com on! It doesn’t look so shaking!
20. Remove words like инфа, домашки…
21. More real life examples
22. Pathetic things saying
23. Wrong intonation and speaking slower
24. More concrete info about open lessons (better in form 10)
25. Nothing new
26. Mistakes in my Russian XD
27. Repeating one & the same
28. Structure of story-telling
29. Boring paper-showing
After some changes in the movie it looks so:
PRESENT YOURSELF.
Each year we do 2 presentations (one pro semester). The aim of the presentations is alike with portfolio- to present a student as a learner. To show what did you do in the semester and give an evaluation to yourself.
You may see my presentations, but the second one is in Microsoft Powerpoint and I didn't find how to mkake it more visible in this wiki-site. So you can simply download it pushing on the "files" button below the page or you may click on the link!
Feel free to send me any comments on presentations. I will answer any questions with pleasure.
Form 10.:
<iframe src='http://docs.google.com/EmbedSlideshow?docid=dmp2px4_0f7p76knz' frameborder='0' width='410' height='342'></iframe>
Form 11.:
Form 12.:
FORUM - THE THING THAT ALWAYS CONNECTS US
During our English learning we often face different challenges. That's why it is very important to have a good place where you can ask some help or discuss new things that are connected with our studies. With Thinking-Approach forum we always have an opportunity to give consideration to our problems and proposals or simply to have a little conversation with each other.
Each year we've started a new forum. So it is easy to follow our programm.
Here is the web page where you can find all forums connected with different interesting themes:
http://forum.thinking-approach.org
Here are the forums that are connected with my class:
You can simply find me there. My name is AnnaW (Perhaps, you've already guessed it) and I have a cute avatar with a deplorable mouse!
Each school year:
Form 10:
Reflections - Herder School - F10 - 2006-2007
MY RESULT IS MY KNOWLEDGE.
If you are interested in my marks, I can share them with you.
I think that it isn't very important you to know all my marks, because there is no reason in it. That's why I decided to write the last ones.
My final marks:
| 10th form | 8 |
| 11th form | 9 |
| 12th form | don't know yet, but I'm sure it won't be 10 |
MY VISION
Do you want me to tell you my vision?
It became almost clear to me how TA looks like, what it is made of and where is the difference between TA and OTSM-TRIZ. I feel I’m starting to understand it more and more. Now it isn’t something like a swamp for me, like it was in form 10. Now I exactly know what are we doing and why. The main idea is to think creative and to dig deeper in problems and destroy the root of the problem, not only what is on the surface. If we see some problem that must be solved it isn’t that it is THE PROBLEM what we must fight, it’s just a little clue that is helping you to find the real one.
This is the main philosophy of TRIZ in my vision. And I’m sure that everybody agrees with it. But why are we resisting this useful system? Why are we so lazy to do some model that will took not very much time, but will be useful for a long time and suffer during elimination the tiny problem that is a part from 100 of others same problems that will come after this first one?
Perhaps, it's because of our habit - always to put off everything till tomorrow. This is my problem in TA learning.Generally, I agree with the great part of this theory, but still can’t convince me to make all thoroughly at once and waste some time on some full made contradiction. It’s too complicated and needs too much time.
So all my school time I'm trying to beat myself and make me to take TA and OTSM-TRIZ serious. I fight with myself all the time and I try to do my best, because I don't want to make some marchess for myself. Or, perhaps, I don't want to complitely understand TA because of the same reason? Would you like to fight side by side with me? Go on! You always can try to learn something more! Don't be lazy, check some info about this intricate philosophy. Anyway, I think it is useful for you to look in this web-page.
MY DEAR VISITOR!
If you have even a little silly question, don't be shy! Write me anything you want! I will answer your questions or with pleasant will discuss this portfolio and English learning with you!
I accept any suggestions, so feel free to write me on my e-mail:
vl.xobni|arujna#vl.xobni|arujna
I'm already waiting on your comments!
