1. Language and Communication
Unit 3
Language and Communication

2. Warm Up
What languages do you know, and in which situations do you speak them? When do you speak formally and when informally?
What are your views about English as a global language?
How often and in what ways do you rely on technology for your communication?

3. Preview the Article
Once your have identified whether the text is informational or literary, you should skim the article for text features.
Judging from how the text looks, where would you find this article?
Are there any pictures? If so, what do the pictures tell you about the article?
Look at the title, this is the shortest possible summary of the text.

4. With your group...give synonyms for the following words
Exposed
Essential
Unprecedented
Universal
Pondering

5. With your group...give synonyms for the following words
Decay
Epigrams
Prophesied
Ambiguous
surging

6. Statistics Examples Idioms (underlined)
Work with a partner. How do the following devices add meaning to the text?
Statistics
Examples
Idioms (underlined)

7. Consider the content of Text 3A with a partner.
Summarize in ONE sentence the viewpoint of the writer on the subject of communication technology

8. Identify arguments being used in Text 3A and list them
With a partner…
Identify arguments being used in Text 3A and list them

9. With a partner….
Give the counter argument for as many of the items in your list as you can

10. Language is forever changing

11. Work with your group to find a synonym for each of the following words
Replicated
Pragmatic
Fundamental
Distinctions
Rationalizing
Then give each word its part of speech

12. Work with your group to find a synonym for each of the following words
Eluded
Accelerating
Minimal
Ultimately
innovation

13. Explain in your own words the five underlined phrases in the passage
Comment on the effect of their use in the passage.

14. Identify the idea expressed in the passage and list them in your own words.

15. Tip for writing a letter to a newspaper
Letters are written to newspapers to comment on, and usually to disagree with, something published in them. They should be in formal style appropriate for publication. The standard format is three paragraphs:
Refer to the article you are responding to, describe its viewpoint, and say who you are and why you have a view on the subject.
Say what you disagree with about the article and why, giving details, examples and counter-arguments.
Conclude your arugment with a strong overview point, comment on the damage caused by the other view, or predict hot the situation may get worse if not dealt with..
4. Begin you letter ‘Dear Editor…”

16. Viewpoint of the author
The writer argues that English is always changing/constantly evolving

17. Ideas expressed in the passage
Correctness is not always agreed upon
Rule books .

18. Ideas expressed in the passage
Correctness is not always agreed upon
Rule books cannot keep up with language change
Words will change as necessary or new ones will be introduced
English spelling should become logical to fall into line with other European languages
Technology is simplifying written messages (THX, F2F)
New forms should be accepted into informal English

19. On your own….
Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper which published the articles, arguing against the idea presented in it.

20. Exchange with a partner
Read the letter to yourself silently
Does the author refer the article?
Does the author summarize the article’s viewpoint?
Does the author introduce himself/herself?
Does the author say what they disagree with?
Does the author give reasons why they disagree?
Does the author explain why this disagreement is important?
Is the text in proper letter format with ‘Dear Editor’ at the top?
Is the letter mostly free of spelling and grammatical errors?

21. Languages Are Dying out

22. https://www. youtube. com/watch. v=9vg6Qs1ze q8 https://www. youtube
q8 GQY

23. SAID With your partner……
Substitute each use of the word ‘said’ in Text 3C with a more specific verb
SAID

24. Individually
Write a short explanation, to share with the class, of how you know this passage is informative and not discursive or argumentative.

25. HOT Spots Extinction Professor Indigenous Irreplaceable Absolutely
Some words are more challenging than others to spell.
Extinction
Professor
Look closely at the ‘hot spots’ in the following words from text 3C
Indigenous
Irreplaceable
Absolutely
Exceeds
Tongues
Disappear
Environment
Successfully

26. Now write them from memory…..

27. POP-UPS
From now on, when you do you pop ups, please identify the ‘hot spot’ for every new word you put in your journal.
EXAMPLE:
The distant army continued on their convergent path with hers.
Definition Guess: to head towards
Actual Definition: coming closer together
Connotation: This word does a good job of showing the path the opposing army is take. Also, alliteration.
HOT SPOT: conVERGent

28. 9-year-old blogger demonstrates kid power

29. Comprehension Check
Write one sentence to explain the cause that the writer of Text 3D is fighting

30. Style and sentence structure
Examining Language
Look for evidence that this article has been written by a child in the choice of:
Vocabulary
Style and sentence structure

31. The verb to get
This is a multi-purpose verb which is often used in colloquial and spoken English in place of a range of other verbs. Here it is used by a 9-year-old child, and you can also expect to find it in informal writing, such as blogs. It should be avoided in formal writing, where maturity is shown by the sue of more varied, polysyllabic and precise vocabulary.

32. With your partner….
Look at the five uses of the verb ‘get’ in the passage. ‘Get’ has been used differently each time.
Demonstrate your knowledge of how each ‘get’ is used by replacing it with a more precise verb.
GOT

33. How effective is this blog?
Write down a list to contribute to a class discussion on what makes this article appealing and effective as a piece of discursive writing.
* Discursive writing aims to inform AND also entertain. It presents a range of views without arguing for any particular one. The style is lively, relaxed, and sometimes humorous. Unlike pure informative writing, the first person can be used in places, and the writer may give their own opinion at the end

34. Write your own blog!
With your group create a list of injustices that directly affect you as a teenager or student.
Choose a cause to start a blog about, and decide on a name for it.
Write the first blog post of about a half of a page and read it to the class.

35. Whale Talk

36. Discourse markers
The initial word or phrase in a sentence can signal whether the argument is continuing in the same direction or switching to present the opposite viewpoint. These transitional words and phrases give cohesion to the piece and are necessary for enabling the reader to follow the progression of the argument. A variety of these sentence sentence and paragraph links should be used in argumentative writing, always followed by a comma.
EXAMPLES – furthermore, what is more, more over consequently, in addition, therefore, similarly, as a result, at the same time, besides, for this reason, likewise, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, yet, whereas, on the contrary, conversely, instead, even so

37. With your partner….
On a copy of Text 3E, put linking discourse markers in the ten spaces to connect the following sentences logically with the previous one.

38. Give a synonym for the following words
Quizzical
Vicinity
Emit
Emulating
Standard
Establishing
Feat
Vocal
Deviate
indication

39. “They can emit an array of sounds, including cackles, moos, whistles, trills, and squawks.” What is the name of the figure of speech for the five nouns in italics in this sentence?