As a language and literature teacher, it has always been my main concern to translate relevant theory into the classroom. And I have felt, at times, bombarded by the various approaches suggested to that end. In this series of articles, I will help you select the kind of material that will make your practice enjoyable both for yourself and, most importantly, for your students. Furthermore, since the choice of materials is of paramount importance, I will provide you with a selected bibliography, most of which I have been using for a long time, and some which I have become acquainted with – and enjoyed – in my recent studies in curriculum design.
I will start by focusing on a question Tricia Hedge asks in her delightful work Writing. Why is it that for large numbers of English language students writing seems to pose great problems? According to Hedge, it is ... (possibly) for the same reasons that large numbers of adult native speakers never achieve a high level of expressiveness in writing their first language. It is partly to do with the nature of writing itself. If we asume that the last sentence refers to the solitary nature of writing, the inability to converse with the reader, we must heartily agree with the statement. But a writer never writes in a vacuum, a writer is influenced by internal and external circumstances, such as having had a row with with a relative, or suffering from a head cold, to mention only two items from a long list! Certainly, the most influential factor affecting you, the (would-be) writer, is seeing yourself as a writer. This is probably because we associate the job of writing with the great minds (Shakespeare, Borges, Hemingway, you name the author), so it is of course difficult to imagine that what you write may be worthwhile, may capture the attention of a reader. Because, as readers, we try above all to feel, not to analyse. Likewise, when we write we are not aware of the literary elements we are using, all this is for the literary critic to detect. When we write we do so out of feeling, out of some impulse, out of some idea we wish to express. So, when the reader reads, their first experience is the impact of emotion, to move later on to intellect, in an act of 'intense narrative abstraction.
So your first task when attempting to write would be what we might call 'getting the cops off your back', i. e., getting rid of the voices you hear inside yourself, telling you, 'Now, look who can write!'And how do you accomplish such a difficult task? Simply by taking a slip of paper and writing down the name of the person who is holding you back from writing: it could be a (former) teacher, a friend, a spouse, even yourself! If there is more than one voice pestering you, write their names on separate slips of paper, put them in an envelope and take it out of the room where you are writing. This is the first exercise I ask my language and literature students to do when we embark on a writing project, and I guarantee it works wonders! Incidentally, when I enquire about the name(s) they have wrapped up, it is always my name that comes up on top of the list. What worries them is what I might think about their attempts at writing, they have confessed to being afraid of disappointing me. And I always tell them a writer is not supposed to please anyone but him/herself. If you write, say, a short story to please your literature teacher, it will most probably make a poor read, and you will attain an undesired end, i. e., boring your teacher to death! Why? Simply because your story will be empty of the passion mentioned above; it will be a wishy-washy piece of writing that will not involve anyone, will not knock anyone off the chair.
Take a few seconds to reflect upon a story that (has) had this effect on you. I am certain that you will agree with what Mark, Josephine and Esther Harris say in their inspiring book. 'We love the sound of a good story, its rhythms, its excellent phrases, the very words themselves. Maybe we can never know precisely what the story is “about.” It just is.It sounds. This, too, is what the writer may have felt: it sounded right. If you asked me which story I would select, I would answer What a Thought,by Shirley Jackson some years ago, and at this moment of my life anything written by Tolkien (but I find some of Tolkien's critics unreadable!). With this I mean to say that it is very difficult to answer certain questions as Which are the best stories you have read?, because both reader and writer are part of the process, and the reader does not exist in a vacuum, either. I would also like to make another point here. Although the stories I selected were written by great minds, do not worry if yours were not. You can include the Harry Potter series if you like! We should never be ashamed of our literary affections, and always avoid rigid categories and ranks; 'consensus is not the goal of literature.
Now that you have taken the cops off your back, you are ready to start. So the question at this point is,'What do I write about?' It all depends on the writer; some prefer writing about what they know, some about topics they are not familiar with, in order to expand their horizons. When I wrote my first (published) story, I did it to enter a contest, which I later won,to my surprise. Why was it surprising? Because on that occasion I wrote about people I know, and I did not expect the jury to be interested in a confession on paper. But there you are again, I suppose the decision was based on two criteria: ( a) it must have engaged them emotionally, some of them must have shared my feelings; (b) it was reasonably well-written; after all, I do teach people to write! Remember, they were not ordinary readers like you and me, they were also supposed to pass judgement.
Why is it that reading is frequently mentioned alongside with writing? They go hand in hand because you need to be a good reader if you want to write well. Just as young children learn by emulating the behaviour of significant people in their lives, we learn to write by being exposed to the writings of significant authors in our lives. I should stress the word significant here, as I never read what is not significant to me. That is the reason why I never expect my literature students to enjoy all of my literature syllabus, but I encourage them to make their own selection, which is subject to availabilty of materials when one lives on an island! In my next article I will provide you with some strategies to become an effective reader, as well as with some ideas to start a writer's workshop, which might be useful to introduce you and your students to different forms of writing.
At this point I should mention two other elements a (prospective) writer needs; one is easy to get, the other might be somewhat harder if you are a busy adult. You will then need: (a) a notebook, which in my case is small enough to carry in my pocket; what do I scribble there? Notes about interesting people and situations I observe around me, possible titles for my stories, and sentences or phrases I overhear. And (b) time.Time to record ideas as they come to you, time to plan, time to write and to rewrite. Time, that is, for the sustained effort and craftsmanship that are essential in writing well. But finding the time to write is possible if you learn to organise your daily schedule and leave no more – and no less – than forty minutes per day to write. That is all that is needed provided you do not have to meet a deadline and you are behind! So, let nobody persuade you that writing is an impossible task; what you should always bear in mind is that it is learned by writing, rewriting, and by perceiving yourself as a writer.
About the Author
For more useful tips & hints, please browse for more information at our website:- http://www.newbies-copywriting.com http://www.articlewriting.reprintarticlesite.com
Writing & Education : How to Teach Vowel Sounds Using Literature Books
There is no single magic formula for developing a winning business plan (But you knew that anyway., right?)
And now the good news ..
There are some common elements that appear to have appeared in all successful business plans that can be modeled successfully by everyone in business. (Hooray!)
The problem is that generic / Formula plans (perhaps built using a template business plan) are easy to "see through" professional investors and reviewers plan. These guys are like bloodhounds in this regard.
Ask any professional investor anywhere in the country, and you'll hear sometimes funny, often embarrassing stories of ill-conceived, poorly written or carelessly together business plans. Oh and you are not happy with that alone, there will be no more stories about presentations also laughable.
OK, you receive the item, so now what?
Its overall objective is a credible plan, professional, unique in nature, with features that indicate a sound business proposal, along with finance is considered and well researched.
Before preparing your plan really need to have a clear idea of what a great example of a business plan looks, feels and sounds like to the investor.
We are obliged to do some work. Start with some Google searches on MSN or through "business plan sample" or "sample business plans," as the search phrase and read the results to extract the best parts.
It is a common misconception that business plans are written with the sole purpose of obtaining investment capital. Clarify objectives and set goals and communicate effectively to other members of the company are all objectives that can achieve effective business plan.
While plans business are a mandatory requirement for any business seeking new external financing, are also a great way to draw a comprehensive strategy, yet you need to control your business: - financial ratios and key performance indicators, calendar schedules, staffing requirements, marketing tactics, procedures operation and of course funding.
But trying to be all things to all audiences is a recipe for failure. Keep your plan tight and concise - no more than 15-20 pages, and tailored to their specific audience.
Remember that the magical powers of review. Proof read your plan in a day different from the day it was written, and better yet, get an outsider who is knowledgeable of business plans (an accountant, bank manager, local enterprise agency) for review. Comments and constructive criticism is worth its weight in gold.
Practice the presentation of his plan to friends and family before having to do truth, and be prepared for some pointed questions to test their commitment and knowledge.
Role playing is the potential investor or a bank and think of so many questions as possible for you to ask, and then prepare responses in advance. The surprises unless you get, the more professional you can be seen, and can only be a good thing ..
Writing a love poem for the one you love can seem like an impossible task when you've memories of struggling with English in school. But it needn't be.
Even if you remember the correct grammatical terms for verse and rhyme is not important here? Whilst that's great to know when you're studying literature, it might hold you back when you're starting out on your very own love poem.
Only two things are important here.
1. To think from the heart
2. To write from the heart
So how to start?
1. First of all get yourself some paper and a pen and block off a bit of time when you won't be undisturbed. If you want to play some music fine, but let it be inspiring stuff, rather than loud and aggressive. I've often found that setting aside a particular block of time, (say
About the Author
Geraldine Jozefiak has written widely on how to choose and write a Love Card. Greeting Card Guide gives you the latest news, trends and products to make your greeting card selection as quick, fun and painless as possible. http://greetingcardguide.com
POLICE STATE - Cops Arrest 12-Year-Old Girl For Writing "I Love My Friends" On School Desk
White Smoke Writer Writing Software 10 - Urgent Tip !
All those who are interested with White Smoke Writer writing software 10 will consider the information contained below really astounding. It seems that there's finally an easy to use solution that enables any of us to write proper english sentences, even if writing used to be a struggle. Are you interested in hearing the details? We'll soon share the facts - it is going to change everything you thought you knew about writing in the english language.
Not long ago, and as you well know, acquiring advanced english grammar writing skills was not an easy thing to do and required seemingly endless drills and practice. There are tons of grammar rules that you need to follow as you begin to write even the most straightforward of sentences - naturally, we all want all the important things we write to be seriously considered by the reader.
If it happens that you are looking for information about White Smoke Writer writing software 10 I have some good news - a simple solution is now available which allows you to write as usual while this "behind the scenes" tool does its job of correcting your errors. A group of natural language processing (nlp) specialists have recently created an amazing Program for correcting english errors. This tool is stocked and regularly updated with millions of 'correct' words, phrases, and sentences, thus when it examines your written output, it has the capability to recognize the errors and helps you create an error-free document.
I think that students and professionals alike who are looking for White Smoke Writer writing software 10 should check out this amazing tool. The art of writing has been a means of human interaction for thousands of years; we must always recognize its relevance in our lives as it is seen as a sign of our intelligence and how professional we are at what we do. If you've ever wished you could change your writing into something lively, intelligent, and full of style in a few moments' time, then this patented solution seems to be the answer. Try to envision what this tool can do with your humdrum emails, papers, and all your current and future projects. And that's not all - it won't just take care of your grammatical mistakes, but your spelling and punctuation as well.
Do you feel that it is easy to write songs? Can anyone be creative? A song is the end product produced by stimulating your song writing powers in many different ways. Let's take a look!
Here are some tips on how to stimulate and develop your song writing abilities:
Listen
An obvious tips of course! You have to listen to songs to find and develop your taste. But don't just listen to the music you usually listen to. Listen to things you don't normally hear on the radio. It will help your unconscious to create more interesting songs.
I recall that John or Paul in the Beatles talked about the music they heard on the radio when they were young. The radio channels in those days played many different types of music and they were inspired by the melodies heard on the radio like evergreens, jazz, folk music and classical music and so on.
On commercial radio channels nowadays you'll often find very niched music but I think it is important to find music that differs a lot from your normal taste. All these musical ideas will hopefully mold into interesting new melody lines. A form of fusion music.
Chord progressions
Sit down with your guitar or at your piano just playing chords that loosely seem to fit together. Don't worry about the quality of your progressions. It is important to have moments when you play without evaluating things, otherwise you will not dare to take the step into the unknown.
Song melodies
Humming melodies as you play chords on your guitar or piano in a relaxed manner will stimulate your creative powers. If you find it hard to improvise melodies, it might comfort you to know that it is a talent but also a skill that can be dveloped by practice. It can become a form of meditation that will clear your mind, stimulate your imagination and improvisational skills.
Lyrics
Well, what do you expect me to write here? Right, humming melodies with nonsense lyrics is a great way to stimulate and actually write a song. Nonsense lyrics might not be the apropriate term as every word you sing can trigger ideas that will lead you to a phrase that might be the beginning of a great song.
Documentation
A very boring and bureaucratic word indeed but somehow you have to find a way to remember all nice words and melodies. A recording device like an mp3-player, mobile, digital recorder or tape recorder might do. The simpler the better. You can of course do as I do, write sheet music and lyrics on scrap paper. However, this requires you to know sheet music notation unless you have invented your own notational system.
Using a computer
Personally I have discovered the advantage of using a word processor at this final stage of creating the song lyrics. I usually write down the text with a font size that will fill a printed page. This makes it easy to see the text on the screen and taste the lyrics with my heart.
This might sound a little weird but I guess that you want the listener to feel the same as you feel when you sing the song. You have to be touched by you own song first.
When you have the lyrics on your computer you can change a word here, a word there and and read the words over and over. One day you will realize that the song is complete and you can relax and be proud over your creation.
A song is not a song until it is sung
Well, this means that you have to give your song a chance to shine by singing it, working on your way to perform it and learning it by heart. By singing a song often, even in front of other people, it will most likely mature and the performance will develop and convey the message of the song better and better.
About the Author
Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music
and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com
My Original Song "I Wanted to Write a Song for You" by Myself Nichole337
Single Mother University and College Scholarship Federal Grant Information
Scholarship and federal grant money are readily available for a single mother desiring to attend university. The uncertainty of being able to afford the tuition fee is one of the main concerns many single parents fear when considering higher education.
The information a needed to determine if she qualifies for a university scholarship or grant to offset these costs can be found by searching online, visiting a library or inquiring at federal agencies. Finding grant money is easy.
However here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.
Narrow your search by focusing on the single mother university scholarship federal grant that best suits you. For instance, if you plan to study at a local university, do not include out of state university scholarship programs.
Do not assume that because the information about the scholarship does not spell out that it is a single mother university scholarship federal grant that you cannot apply. Apply for grants liberally.
Ask questions about any scholarship orl grant that seems to meet your other criteria. For example, if it's for a nursing degree or engineering degree, these should be specified.
Checkout grants for individuals under the nontraditional, reentry, or adult students program. Because of the many diverse circumstances in our society these grant programs are becoming more available at major universities.
One of the most overlooked areas for advancing education is through online university degree programs. These may also be eligible for single mother university scholarship federal grants under newer programs.
You will also need to know how to apply for university scholarship federal grants. The way you write your application and the type of information you provide can make the difference between getting the financial aid you need and being denied. The most important advice here is to never omit pertinent information. Answer all the questions to the best of your ability. And don't be afraid to do research for inspiration. This little extra effort will give you the edge over other single moms and general scholarship applicants.
Many universities offer scholarship federal grant program. Both mature and young mothers can access some of the single mother federal grants, however many are specifically for older, more mature students in special circumstances. Don't allow this caveat to sway you. As a single mother you're probably qualified.
Begin with making a list of the universities you are interested in attending. You can gather significant amounts of scholarship information just by visiting websites all over the internet. If you cannot understand all the information on the website or you need clarification, pick up the phone and call the financial aid office. I have found this to be the greatest and quickest way to learn the language of university scholarship federal grant terms and get those in between questions answered. Even if the university itself does not offer single mother university scholarship federal grants they may well know where you can get help.
Selecting a thesis topic interesting and written to perfection to score good grades is a dream for all students. The work is not as easy though. You need to be the goal driven, analytical, creative and rational, as well as having a step by step systematic approach.
What is the thesis? Thesis, in the literal sense of the term, do research in a relevant project, and to represent in print. Topics thesis can be anything related to our studies. The thesis of the school level, although not very complex, requiring a systematic approach to follow. However, the thesis to do at the doctoral level is undoubtedly a huge task. From mathematics to literature, biology to economics, statistics to music, engineering management across the board issues a written thesis is a challenging work for students. The basic steps to follow when writing thesis are the following:
Selection of the topic: You must select a major issue that has substance in it and can draw the reader's interest. Extensive research, advice expert or professional assistance will be beneficial while the choice of subject for his thesis. Always keep in mind the item must be somewhat rare for states the attraction of the audience to you and your work.
The introduction and thesis statement: The introduction of any claim must be a vision general of the whole work and consistent with the background. A thesis statement should be written below the introduction which should be well structured, goal-oriented and rational.
Literature: The sources of the documents of the thesis is taken to be absolutely true and relevant and should not deviate from the aim or the main theme of the dissertation.
Method: Each chapter must be consistent, easy-flowing, well synchronized with the other chapters, analytical and creative all at the same time. It requires much time and effort to write a thesis, and even may need professional help sometimes.
Statistical Data Analysis: To all scenarios mentioned in his dissertation, it is important to provide the required statistical data that support it. A systematic analysis of data adds value his thesis.
Conclusion: The conclusion of the thesis is as important as the introduction, which should contain a reflection or summary of the entire thesis. The end must be impressive, portraying the proper perspective with which you are writing your thesis.
Format Editor: As a final touch these two steps are important before going to publish his dissertation. Each chapter, each table, examples and data must be put in the correct sequence. The title page and the conclusion must exercise great care. Correction must be done many times to get rid of grammatical errors, misspellings or syntax error.
If you above steps is very difficult to implement, do not panic. Experts and professionals are always there to help with the right advice. You can obtain guidance from zero at the end of the experts writing his dissertation topic. This will definitely make your life easier. However, even if you seek professional help make your argument, try to get as involved in the process as possible. As they always say, self-help is the best help.
Writing college essay can be the hardest part of the whole process of applying for college. Choose a university and write an impressive college essay can be equally important for their future. The university may questions varied, but the point of writing an essay the university is only reduced to one - to know through his writing. In general, college essay questions directly asked to write something about yourself, or may be indirect, requiring me to write about an event, a book or even a budget.
Since the college essay is the first impression that you are about to give the governing bodies of the university, so every word you put in is crucial. From the choice of title, the university may consider that as a way of assessing their personalities, including their mental processes, creativity and depth of knowledge. The way to create your college essay can also reflect their level of English, the power of persuasion, style, etc. Therefore, your college essay will reveal their preferences.
So in other words, your college essay is a piece to write about yourself. So there is no right or wrong answer. However, if your handwriting appears to be sloppy, confusing, disingenuous or not organized, then it might hurt your cause. Therefore, try to write clear course for the reader. Try to focus on one point, Butterfly place several areas simultaneously. This only confuses your readers and make your college essay is too general.
Brainstorm what write your college essay can be daunting, but it is a vital process. Some of you might get overwhelmed with many things to say in his college paper, some of you might be trying to impress some of you might simply have nothing to say. Generally, a student can take up to a week or two for a brainstorm what to write in their college paper. After deciding on what to write, then you should try to do a sketch about his essay.
Although the college essay can be all about you, but you can still ask the help of their parents, friends, neighbors or colleagues to help you with your writing. After all, they are the ones who have an important role in his life. You can also help you better decide what to write in the role of the university.
Another way to help have a better idea about the college essay is read about the trial of another university that had been done by others. Enter the Internet, there are many sites that provide the test University of the sample. And you might also find some tips and ideas on what to write in their college paper.
Another important process in writing the paper College is having a framework before writing his first draft. It is always a good practice, even for other types of writing too. The process can help ensure you're still on track.
After finish writing, you may want to read your college essay to someone who are close you or know you well. They can help realize his trial and overall, they can polish your essay.
About the Author
The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com.
Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at Term Papers writing. Get some useful tips for college essay and buy term paper.
Do you constantly experience of being rejected in his job application, even if highly qualified for it? Do you have not called for an interview after submitting your resume along with your letter? If so, then you may be doing wrong. Making the resume and cover letter is the most important step in applying for a job.
If you think the story is the most important to get a job then you thought wrong. We must face the fact that hundreds of other equally qualified people are also applying for the position you want in a company. So, to be achieved as far as getting interviewed, more in getting a job, you have to write a simple but a letter professional presentation.
It may be useful if you try and find cover letter samples on the internet for what to do when writing a letter. However, not all samples are perfect and not everyone can make an effective cover letter.
First, think of the letter as a formal presentation to the company. We must face the fact that even if you graduated Magna Cum Laude in college or who has recorded his former company from bankruptcy the company you are applying for not knowing about the special skills and achievements. Therefore, we must let them know about yourself and your skills through a letter professional.
Despite a resume to the company can provide all necessary information about you, you still need a letter to seal the deal. You need to know that a lot of CVs end up in recycling bins in the office just because the recruiter or the employer does not like that even before taking a look at it. Magna Cum Laude or not, a letter can make a difference in the application for a business. As So this is what you should look at a sample letter to know what to do next time you apply for a business.
Paragraph first need to be there. Do not try to make it as elaborate as you can, but try to do is as simple as you may like to introduce you to a friend of the parents of their children.
When introducing yourself, it is important that there should be a connection between you and the company you are applying. You have to write as have in common and what you can do work hard at your company. You also need to put why you are writing the letter in the first place. This means you must clearly state what position you are applying for in the company.
In the second paragraph, here is where to show your knowledge about company and also about the position you are applying. To this end, attempts to describe its achievements previous work experience related to the position you are trying to apply. You must also explain in a brief form about your qualifications in the particular position you are looking to get. In this section, the employer is trying to say why you are better than the other equally qualified persons are also looking for the application to the same position.
The third and last section is where thank you to employees and provide your email address and phone numbers if they want to contact you to schedule an interview.
These are the things that you should look at a sample letter that you should follow. With this, your chances of getting hired will definitely go up. Only make sure the test you read it first before you can post or fax.
About the Author
Mario Churchill is the President of CareerJimmy and author of "Amazing Cover Letter
Creator." Visit him at: http://www.amazing-cover-letters.com for your "instant" cover letters
today.
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