Improving your writing and grammar through cloze and reading

Can you place the following prepositions into the correct spots in the following passage?

WORDLIST:    * for * under *  between *  but *  by *  from *  in
                            *  into *  like *  of *  on *  since* to * with 

The world has been jolted again, this time __ the senseless and tragic events __ Paris. Because one __ the perpetrators may have smuggled themselves ____ Europe masquerading as a refugee, there is the risk __ a backlash. This would be most regrettable and unfair, _____ so many __ the refugees are themselves victims __ the Islamic State, much ____ the victims __ terrorism __ Paris.


This should not distract ____ the fact that a human tragedy __ unprecedented proportions is unfolding. Waves __ refugees fleeing violence and war are flocking __ the borders __ Europe ____ Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Others are migrating northward, ____ such places as Eritrea, Mali and Libya, seeking deliverance ____ dictatorship, ethnic exclusion, religious hatred and hunger.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has shown political courage and humanitarian solidarity __ announcing her country's intention __ accept 500,000 refugees this year alone. And here __ Canada? _____ our previous federal government, we planned __ accept just 10,000 Syrian refugees this year. The new government intends __ take __ 25,000 __ the end __ the year" an improvement, __ be sure, ___ is it enough?


You can check your answer here


This activity is called a cloze (or gap fill)  and it can easily be created by copying and pasting any piece of text into a website called George's Online Cloze Creator.         You can then choose which words you wish to delete as you can see in the image below.   Explore this tool.   Just remember to keep the original text so you can check your answers after.

Cloze activity is one of the most challenging for second language learners, but it is also one of the most beneficial.     It combines focussed grammar with reading in context.

Classroom Engagement Through Effective Questioning -- from a workshop

Here is the slide presentation and handout from a workshop delivered by English Language Support to graduate students at VIU on November 17th.

Classroom Engagement through Effective Questioning:

 A workshop for MASLM

November 17,  2015

Presented by Les Barclay and Bruce Cornwall

http://viulanguagesupport.blogspot.ca/

1.  Introduction   The wise man know what he does not know.

2.  Effective questions and discussion vs.  ineffective questions and discussion

                      

            Effective                                                                      Ineffective

3.   Fundamental Principles                                             & Strategies

        *  Attitude = spirit of inquiry                                            *   Have a clear purpose

        *  Be a critical thinker (reading & listening)             *   Practice

        *  Be collaborative                                                           *  Notice

        *                                                                                          *

What is the problem I am trying to solve?   What is the key concept I need to understand?

     

4.   What underpins engaged and critical reading and listening?

5.   Making good questions:

 a)   Principles                                                                   Strategies

  *   Build a conversation                                             *  Attend to grammar and vocabulary

  *   Focus on critical and higher order thinking          *  Use 10 Question Types

  *   Good questions have multiple answers                *  Don’t know/expect the answer

  *   Seek to build connections and understanding     *   Use follow-up questions

  *   Consider multiples voices and perspectives        *   Keep spoken questions simple and clear

  *   Good questions can lead to more questions       *    Save complex questions for written form

  *   Good questions are useful                                    *    Be guided by purpose

   Ten Higher Order Question Types

1.     Explore – facts, theories

2.     Challenge –assumptions, conclusions, interpretations 

3.     Relate/Compare – theories, ideas, issues

4.     Diagnose – motives, causes

5.     Action – to reach conclusions, actions

6.     Cause and Effect – look for causal relationships

7.     Extension – expand the conversation

8.     Hypothetical – what if

9.     Priority – identify most important issues

10.  Summary – bring it all together

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

           b)  grammar:  Statement usually goes

                   SUBJECT  (+AUXILIARY) + MAIN VERB (+OBJECT )

            But in a question it goes  QUASM    (QU=QUESTION WORD)

         Power is destructive. à

            Power can destroy. à

            Power destroys. à

            Power destroys communities. à

           

             Remember the 7 “WH”   questions:  

             Who   What  Where   When   Why   How   Which

               

            c) practice 1 – unscramble the questions

               Statement:   Inequality is the most important global social issue.

       

 Practice 2:    

People who serve as change agents in their organizations or communities also must work in intentional ways to produce the desired effects.

*****************************************************

The change agent, from this definition, is a person committed to a dynamic leadership process, lifelong learning,  and relationships.  

6.    Critical Listening

Think as you read,  watch listen …

• What surprised,  shocked, intrigued you?
• What didn’t you know?
• What do you disagree with?   What do you agree with?
• What was important?
• What was wrong?
• What was incomplete?
• What was biased?
• What came to your mind?
• How does this connect to you, your country, your
• What did you learn?

1 Question:  ____________________________________________________

1 Observation/Statement:  __________________________________________

7.      I will change the way I make questions by …

          

Making meaning of English through Reading: A Graduate Education Reading Workshop Slideshow

What meaning do you make of the following aphorisms?  How do you make meaning?

You are probably familiar with The early bird gets the worm.

What does The second mouse gets the cheese mean? 

          

How does your brain process these ideas?      Do you translate each word and then try to make sense of the sentence?      Do you try to think of the same aphorism in your own language?    What connections do you make?     Do you get the hidden parts of these aphorisms? 

A large part of reading is about this getting.   Unfortunately,  if English is not your first language,  this is more of a challenge.     

Improving your reading

How to read more efficiently

Graduate Student Reading Workshop Slide Presentation and Handout

Yesterday,   English Language Support led a reading workshop for Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management students.    Here is the slideshow,  summary of the reading survey results,  and the accompanying handout for students who attended or did not attend.

Reading Survey Results (x=16)

Workshop Handout

Strategic Reading for Graduate Students:

 A workshop for MASLM

October 22,  2015

Presented by Les Barclay and Bruce Cornwall

http://viulanguagesupport.blogspot.ca/

1.   Introduction

·       What do you find difficult in reading? 

·       4 themes:

1. Approaches and process – an overview of effective processes involved in critical and active reading of academic articles from both macro and micro perspectives

2. Knowledge, context and thinking when reading – what happens when you read?

3. Interacting with a text – effective annotation process and strategies

4. Collaboration and reading – how to use the power of groups to get more meaning out of a text

2.         Process: Macro and Micro

·       Different types of readings/text need to approached differently (academic  

      article/newspaper article/website

·       Big picture: Scan title, subtitles, intro, conclusion

·       Purpose: entertain or inform or persuade

·       Find thesis, and 2-3 supporting arguments

3.         Knowledge and Context 

●       SLM,   Canada,  North America

●       What is context?     Sources?    Influence?   Importance?

●       5 dimensions of context

●       Degrees of context

●       Long term strategies?

●       Short term strategies =  compensation strategies

·       know what you know and don’t know (at the start, and during reading)

·       ask questions

·       don’t translate

·       talk to others (including teacher)

·       Google stuff

·       think in terms of Canada and North America first

·       annotate

·       prioritize

·       keep the reading purpose in mind

4.   Annotations:   Know the author’s purpose, the text structure, and of course,your purpose

·        Prioritizing –find the main/key ideas in a section of writing and decide why the information is useful or not;

·        Interpreting/Inventing – a key stage where you must use your own words to express the main ideas. Inability to do this could indicate barriers in understanding, and it is here that you to need to not give up and find solutions to gain understanding;

·        Analogizing –for example, in a literature review, you need to understand each article to the point that you can connect the similarities, differences, and additional information to discuss the value of each text.

·        Bruce will demonstrate using p.66 ‘The development of the ecotrekking strategy’.

5.        Collaborative Reading:

 Benefits:

·        helps paraphrasing and summarizing as you practice putting ideas in your own words

·        makes discussing the readings in class easier as you have already practiced talking        

         about them in English

·        deepens your knowledge and understanding --  explaining to someone else forces you 

         to strengthen your vocabulary and depth of understanding;   you realize what you don't 

         understand or don't understand well enough.

·        you can fill in missing pieces with the other person

·        you  can organize the text you are reading

·        if you both/all don't understand something, then it isn't just you

 

Steps and principles of effective collaborative reading:

1.     Find someone (or a group) to discuss readings with; this person should not speak the 

         same first language as you unless it is English

2.     Have a plan for your reading discussions; what do you hope to discuss? When will you

         meet?  How often will you meet? How long will you meet for?

3.     Read before meeting and identify the parts/aspects of the reading to discuss; annotate

         (especially what you don't get)

4.     Speak English only in your discussion

5.     Your discussion should happen before the class

6.     Have a strategy for dealing with new vocabulary -- don't translate

7.     Be an active and critical reader (both alone and collaboratively); find something you 

        agree and disagree with -- first ensure you all understand and agree on the thesis

8.     Reflect and connect -- together,  reflect on the reading and connect it to your course    

         and to your lives

9.      If the text has discussion questions,  please use these

10.   Consider context -- what do you and don't you know about this topic; what is the 

        situation in your own country and culture?

11.   Consider the purpose of reading this text

12.   Make a concept map from the text

                             **********************************************************

Are you good at email?

Students and teachers often complain that they get too much email and this is a valid complaint.

Email Overload Is Costing You Billions -- Here's How To Crush It

Top Tips:

For Receiving Email

1. Use separate email accounts for separate purposes. I recommend 3 accounts.   For example,  use one specific account for VIU matters,  and another account for personal non-VIU matters.  Have a third as a general account where when you have to give an email address to someone  you don't know (ie. a business) you use this.  This is where your junkmail will go. 
2. Try not to check it constantly as this wastes time.   Have a routine of regular times to check your messages, such as first thing in the morning,   first thing when at work,  before or after lunch,  and later in the afternoon.   Four times a day should be enough.  And have a set time for fully processing/managing all your daily emails.
3. Use your folders to organize your mail.
4. Don't be afraid to delete emails.
5. Make certain that you are receiving important emails such as from VIU ISS.
6. Keep your inbox to a minimum.  Some suggest no more than 25 messages.  All other messages should be read, filed, or deleted.
7. Acknowledge that you received the message.   Otherwise the sender may not be sure you got their message.    Keep this reply short and prompt.
8. Use the 80/20 principle.  

For Sending Email

1. Don't send an email unless it is really necessary.   If there is a better way to communicate (i.e. talking to someone or using a wiki),  then do this.
2. Always include a clear "subject line".
3. Make certain that your name is in English, and that you have an appropriate email address (i.e. one that indicates who you are, and is not silly or offensive).  Otherwise,  it may not be read.
4. Keep it short.    Long messages are better sent as letters, perhaps as an attachment to a short email message.
5. Use spell-check.
6. Reply promptly,  clearly,  and briefly.
7. As with all writing,  consider the reader and write for them.   You are not writing for yourself.
8. Have your email program remember email addresses so you don't have to type them in each time.    If you do type in an email address,   be certain to spell it correctly.   A misspelled email address is a serious problem!
9. Put your most important point at the beginning of the message.
10. Avoid text-speak (i.e. emojis).   This is email, not texting.   
11. Remember 'please' and 'thank you'.
12. Have a signature block at the end of the message.   A message should always be signed to ensure the recipient knows who sent the message.

Remember that email is a tool for fast convenient (and potentially mobile) communication.  Use it for this.   It should be not be a place to store information or for discussion;  these are better left to wikis or discussion forums.

You may want to explore Evernote  or  PBWorks for these purposes.

I really like this webpage

11 Essential Tips to Manage E-mails Effectively

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Succeeding at multiple choice quizzes, tests, and exams

Most students are familiar with multiple choice type tests,  particularly international students who have taken entrance exams or IELTS or TOEFL tests.    Some students are very good at these types of tests,  while others do very poorly on them.

Multiple choice tests can be a serious challenge for students for several reasons.   First,  you need to carefully read all of the question including all the choices.    If your reading and vocabulary skills are limited,  this can be problematic.    Second,  you need to think seriously and strategically.    Usually,  if there are four choices,   then you should be able to eliminate two of them fairly easily.   This leaves just two choices, both of which may be possible.    Your job however,   is to choose the best answer.  There isn't always only one right answer.   If you are not comfortable with ambiguity,  then this can also be a problem.

Therefore,  the following recommendations should improve your multiple choice test taking performance.

1. Improve your reading and vocabulary skills,  with a focus on your area of study.   Improving your reading speed may be especially helpful.   You may want to do practice multiple choice tests to practice specifically this kind of reading.
2. Carefully read the question to make certain you understand it.    A good strategy is to not look at the choices until after you have read and understood the question.
3. Eliminate the unlikely or impossible choices.
4. Choose what under the circumstances and in accordance with the question is the "best" choice.
5. Manage your time carefully.  Usually with multiple choice questions,  there are many questions to answer.  For example,  if there are 60 questions in a one-hour exam,  you have 1 minute per question.     
6. Know the details of your area of study,  not just the general ideas,  because multiple choice questions usually include such details.
7. Be certain to answer all the questions on a test.   If there are 4 choices,  you  have a 25% chance of getting it right just by guessing.
8. "All of the above"  is often the correct answer.   
9. Manage your anxiety.   If you are nervous and stressed,   you especially won't do very well on these type of exams.   Do something before and during the test to relax.
10. I like to do the easy questions first as it builds my confidence and my  context.   This can be like a kind of warm up.   Don't get stuck on difficult questions.   See tip #5.

There are more strategies out there that can help you, but following these simple ten tips should add a few percentage points to your multiple choice test results.    The most important piece of advice is to know and understand the material that is being tested because then you will be better able to read and think,  which underlies successful multiple choice test performance.

The following webpages provide additional advice and information.



Multiple Choice Exam Advice

Answering Multiple Choice Questions

More tips for taking multiple choice tests

Test taking strategies

Mastering Multiple Choice  (some handy tips in an ebook)


Finally,  you can practice taking some multiple choice quizzes here.    Try to use the new tips you have learned.

Multiple Choice Reading Quiz (6 questions)

Canadian Citizenship Practice Test (100 questions)

BC Driving Test 

International Economics Practice Test (25 questions)