Decoding new meanings – Language Experiment in Paris France

      Coming into contact for the first time with Gertrude Stein’s work will likely leave the inattentive reader feeling confused and disoriented.  The experience is that of being transported into an alternate reality where the world is recognizable but where things work somehow differently.  The inability to figure out the dynamics of this new reality and failure to decode the seemingly queer elements will doom the reader to wonder aimlessly unable to connect with this new location.   

     One of the elements that contribute to the complex literary style present in Stein’s work is the decontextualization of words.  Stein experiments with words by taking them out of familiar settings and placing them within new associations.  As a result of this experiment, words are reclaimed and infused with new meanings.  This process is actually reminiscent of semiotics, the study of language as signs, pioneered by Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure.  For Saussure, language is an arbitrary system composed of a series of signs. These signs are in turn the result of the association between the signifier, which is the form of the sign; and the signified, the concept it represents. (Saussure 67) For Saussure, both the signifier and the signified are purely 'psychological' (14 -15, 66) and therefore, the meaning they convey cannot be tied to an absolute truth or reality.

     This frame of thought is helpful when trying to make sense of the project behind the peculiar writing style of Paris France. This reference does not imply, however, that Stein’s inspiration was originated in semiotics or even in linguistics for that matter. Stein was quite the language revolutionary by her own merit. In her plethora of lectures, the American writer shows a sweeping contempt for grammar conventions.  For example, her feeling about commas was that, “at the most a comma is a poor period that lets you stop and take a breath but if you want to take a breath you ought to know yourself that you want to take a breath." (Poetry and Grammar 221) This contempt is perhaps, more beautifully stated, in the following excerpt:

            “...capital letters and quotations marks are useless. They are hangovers from the days when people didn't read very well, that all goes into the question of life and death of punctuation marks, if you don't know a question without a question mark what is the use of writing the question? ...the average reading mind does not need them. (Watts 94)

                                                          

     Relocating this discussion to the realm of Paris France, I would like to bring attention to a quote from this text that might shine some lightning into Stein’s inquisitive approach towards language.  The quote is in a passage that refers to the English studies of French girls and how they choose Hamlet for their translation assignments.  The narrator speculates that the reason behind this choice is that a great number of archaic English words found in said text are “completely French words” (74-75) and follows with the insight that: “I have often thought a lot about the words that make the English language, and much as I have thought about it, a war makes it even more definite, as in this Hamlet.” (75) 

     I consider this quote to be an acknowledgment on Stein’s part of her profound interest in the way words work within a language system.  She also seems to be implying that no matter how much she or anyone thinks about the meaning of words, random events such as a war or other historical factors end up creating or transferring terms across languages in arbitrary and sometimes even spontaneous occurrences. The anecdote of the French girls illustrates that the arbitrary nature is not only inherent to the form of the sign but also of the concept it represents.  For the French girls, a set of archaic words has great significance in their study of the English language while those same signs seem to be completely irrelevant to others given the fact that these are terms that, “the English language to-day no longer uses.” (75)  

     Both the fluidity and randomness of the signified provide Stein with a sort of elastic clay that can be manipulated, shaped, deconstructed, and reconstructed to give form to her language project.  Sara J. Ford explains that Stein juxtaposes words in a way that removes them from their usual context or order and places them within new relationships and associations. (50)  Linda Wagner-Martin complements this idea and points out that Stein “[lets] language find its own patterns, to express whatever meaning the reader might favor, viewing written art as a system of true and mutable communication.” (Oxford University Press) This fluidity of patterns allows Stein to experiment with words, peeling off ordinary and stale meanings to infuse them with new and more interesting ones. 

Note: This is an extract of a paper that I wrote for a class called The 20th Century International Novel. If you are interested in acquiring this essay, you can contact me at   www.adamslanguagesolutions.com

References

     Ford, Sara J. Gertrude Stein and Wallace Stevens: The Performance of Modern Consciousness. Routledge, 2011.

     New World Encyclopedia. “Art for art's sake.” http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org

     Oxford Dictionaries. “Fashion.” http://www.oxforddictionaries.com

     Saussure, Ferdinand de. Course in General Linguistics (trans. Roy Harris) London: Duckworth, ([1916] 1983)

     Stein, Gertrude. Paris France. Liveright, 1996.

     Stein, Gertrude. “Poetry and Grammar,” in Lectures in America. New York: Random House, 1935. 

     Wagner-Martin, Linda.  “Stein's Life and Career” from The Oxford Companion to Women's Writing in the United States. Oxford University Press, 1995.

     Watts, Linda S. Gertrude Stein: a study of the short fiction. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1999. http://www.english.illinois.edu 

Journal Review: Teaching Language Skills and Cultural Awareness with Spanish Paintings

Ortuño, Marian Mikaylo. “Teaching Language Skills and Cultural Awareness with Spanish Paintings” Hispania 77, No. 3 (Sep., 1994), 500-511.

Abstract: This article points out the advantages of using slides or other reproductions of Spanish paintings in the promotion of language learning and cultural awareness. It also gives suggestions on how to incorporate some paintings into the curriculum at various levels.

The article begins with the question of “How does the instructor create the optimal learning environment in which to develop the four skills - comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing- along with an awareness of cross-cultural similarities and differences?” With the proficiency orientation that the ACFTL has promoted, this becomes a matter for all instructors to ponder about. Ortuño suggests the possibility of using visually engaging authentic materials, which have been shown by some studies as facilitators of language acquisition and the formation of cultural attitudes. She proposes the incorporation of art works into the curriculum in one of the following ways: As a cultural supplement at any level of instruction, in a cross-disciplinary course, or to prepare students for study abroad. In the following subheadings the author shows us the benefits of using Spanish paintings in order to help students achieve proficiency standards.

Learning in Context

Making a reference to Krashen’s theory, Ortuño writes that using slides of Spanish paintings can encourage students to engage in creative discourse if the instructor focuses on meaning as well as on grammatical form. Visual sensory stimuli embedded with cultural connections have the power to convey emotions. They attract the student’s attention and can cause an affective reaction. It could be shock, surprise, disapproval, or even laughter. The instructor then can begin to personalize the learning experience by asking for descriptions or by giving questions to draw a verbal or written response. It is the author’s experience that even the most inhibited students are able to risk grammar mistakes to comment on colorful visual symbols.

According to Ortuño, the Magdalena Penitente of medieval Greek painter, El Greco, could be used at any level of language learning. The basic questions for this image would be: “¿Qué ve usted?” and “Diga algo sobre esta pintura.” The questions can be answered by individuals, pairs or groups working together to analyze the picture and come up with a list of adjectives that describe it. The teacher can also offer clues about the identity of the person depicted on the painting. Questions about when, where, and why can follow, and the level of the group will determine the types of responses that the teacher has to encourage. Before the students look at the slide, the instructor can provide background information on El Greco and point out the historical importance of the lives of the saints as models of behavior in sixteenth century Spain.

At the novice and intermediate levels, a painting such as the above can be used as a focal point for an entire lesson. Colors, clothing, parts of the body, and the agreement in number and gender can all be practiced by describing the visual. To practice the present progressive, for example, students can ask one another: “¿Qué está haciendo María Magdalena?” Students at all levels can be encouraged to compare and contrast different slides. Learners at the advanced level can develop analytical thinking skills and writing techniques by creating a composition on how the use of color establishes a different mood in each painting.

Due to the focus on oral skills, instructors tend to overlook the socio-cultural factors of language. Using paintings as a visual aid can help incorporate culture in the language learning experience and make it both enjoyable and intellectually profitable. On the Connection aspect of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning, Standard 3.1 states that: “students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language” (Omaggio, p.37). Ortuño’s proposal seems to adapt to this standard perfectly as paintings are well suited to the teaching of history, literature, and art itself along with language and culture. Viewing slides of paintings can provide students with a global context, on which the society and institutions of a culture are reflected as they respond to social, religious, and political forces.

Transition from Language to Literature Class

One of my classmates who got her Spanish major at ETSU, told me how overwhelming it can be to switch from the basic language courses, grammar, and conversation, straight into the literature part of the curriculum. Ortuño explains that students can feel at a loss during the period of transition because they lack the historical background, the confidence, language skills, and sometimes even the interest in literature required to understand the essays, short stories, and poetry which comprise this part of language learning. By providing historical background through Spanish paintings, instructors can help bridge the gap between language and literature classes. Through the showing of selected slides, the instructor can relate a literary work to a particular period in Spanish history by providing a cross-disciplinary introduction. By emphasizing the confluence of the visual arts, history, and literature, the instructor can help students identify and understand parallel trends.

Ortuño suggests that the religious fervor of sixteenth-century Spain captured by El Greco in his paintings of saints and biblical characters, can be related to the intensity of the mystical experience described by Santa Teresa de Jesús in Camino de Perfección. Goya’s social criticism, or Picasso’s reflections on the dissonance and fragmentation of twentieth-century life though cubism provide many possibilities for the development of linguistic skills and cultural awareness.

Lowering Classroom Anxiety

According to the author of this article, viewing art can alleviate anxiety in language learning. As stated by Krashen’s affective-filter hypothesis, “comprehensible input can have its effect on acquisition only when affective conditions are optimal” (Omaggio, p.62). By not eliciting a defensive position, concentration on visual images helps heighten sociability and encourages the sharing of information. Ortuño asks the reader to consider the benefits of a darkened classroom where attention remains on the image instead of the speaker. This will lead to less inhibition on the part of students as there are less chances of embarrassment. Another suggestion for creating a safe environment in which everyone feels comfortable to participate is for the teacher to allow students to direct the question session around a picture of their choice.

Meeting Oral Proficiency Standards

Ortuño states that as a complement to any language learning approach, slides of paintings can help students achieve proficiency. To prove her point, she uses as an example Murillo’s painting Una joven con su dueña, claiming that a picture like this offers many possibilities to practice proficiency within the novice to the superior level. At the Novice level students can repeat basic vocabulary items dealing with what is seen and what can be implied. At the intermediate level students may answer questions such as “¿Dónde está esta chica?, ¿Qué está haciendo?, and ¿Quién es la otra mujer?” At the Advanced level, students can make comparisons between the two women. At the Superior level, learners can work with abstract topics such as parental love or the concept of friendship. Further discussion could lead to culturally relevant topics such as the historical role of the dueña, the attitude toward women in the past and in present-day Spanish society, among others.

Conclusions

Ortuño mentions that it is important for the instructor to select the paintings so that they have a thematic connection to a lesson or they are suited for practicing certain linguistic functions. I think this consideration is crucial to enable students to get the benefits highlighted by the author throughout the article. The instructor should not improvise and just “Google” a random image without carefully researching those paintings that can provide support to a specific topic or function.

I think that the fact that Spanish paintings offer a cultural context and the opportunity to analyze historical facts, make them an excellent tool to be used to enhance the learning process. Unless it is an Art course, I am not sure if I would use the paintings as a focal point, but definitely as supplemental material at any level in the university setting. At the school level, it is my impression that teachers would need to be very selective of the material to be shown since children and adolescents do not necessarily have the judgment capacity required to understand and appreciate certain pieces of art.

After reading about the language learning benefits explained by the author of this article, I will strongly consider incorporating paintings in my classes so that I can provide a basis for proficiency-centered lessons which facilitate the learning of grammar and vocabulary, and the development of oral skills, written skills, analytical thinking, and cultural awareness. I think I would also like to show students paintings from other Hispanic countries so that besides learning about those specific places, they can compare and contrast the cultural and historical factors of the different regions and countries in the Hispanic world.

References

Omaggio, Alice. (2000). Teaching Language in Context. 3^rd Ed. Thomson Heile.

Ortuño, Marian Mikaylo. (1994). Teaching language skills and cultural awareness with Spanish paintings. Hispania, Vol. 77, No. 3, 500-511.

Teaching Language Skills and Cultural Awareness with Spanish Paintings

This is a PPT presentation I prepared for a journal review assignment. The scholarly article I chose, points out the advantages of using reproductions of Spanish paintings from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries in the promotion of language learning and cultural awareness. I think it is something we can explore for implementation in the Spanish classroom.

Teaching language and culture with Spanish paintings

View more presentations from Dorothy 76

El manejo del tiempo en la clase

Saben que es lo mejor de ser estudiante? Poder detectar errores en el manejo de la clase y comprometerme a NUNCA cometerlos yo misma.

Hoy tuve una clase que pudo haber sido muy interesante. Se suponía que ibamos a tener un debate sobre la controversia de la autobiografía de Rigoberta Menchú. No sé por qué a la profesora se le ocurrió que antes del debate cada estudiante debía resumir tres capítulos. Cuál era el propósito de esto? De todas maneras teníamos que leer el libro para prepararnos para el debate. En fin, el punto era resumir, entonces si cada uno lo hacía por unos minutos no se perdía mucho tiempo.

Pues les cuento el resultado de no ser capaz de manejar el tiempo de la clase. Hubo personas que hablaron por media hora, volviendo a contar la historia que ya se nos había relatado en el libro. Todo el tiempo tenía ganas de gritar y preguntarles: No saben lo que es un resumen? Por favor! Hubo una estudiante que se dedicó a hablar de unos detalles gráficos que una película de terror gore le quedaba corta. Terrible!

Conclusión, que yo era la sexta persona que debía presentar y nunca lo pude hacer y el debate... bien gracias, no hubo tiempo. Claro, seguimos en la próxima clase, pero como también debemos cubrir el material de ese día, pues ya se imaginan la calidad del debate.

Todo por no saber manejar el tiempo. Para un educador esa debería ser una habilidad básica. Créanme, hablando desde la perspectiva de una estudiante que quería tener una clase interesante, pues al final me sentí frustrada y decepcionada. No me quedan ganas de prepararme adecuadamente para la siguiente clase.

En fin, seguimos en la lucha...

Sentence and word stress in the ESL classroom

Stressed-timed language: Stressed syllables tend to occur at roughly equal intervals in time.

Syllable-timed language: Rhythmic beat by recurrences of syllables, not stresses.

Spanish is a syllable-timed language. When Spanish speakers transfer the intonation patterns of their native language into English, which is a stress-timed language, the result can be barely comprehensible to native English speakers. This is because the meaning or information usually conveyed in English by the combination of stress, pitch and rhythm in a sentence is flattened or evened out by the Spanish learner.

The following lesson is designed to enable students to identify and place sentence-level stress on content words and reduce the function words in order to produce stress-timed rhythm. The activities consider visual and auditory learners. The last activity takes advantage of cooperative learning and provides students with the opportunity to share their experience and get feedback from their classmates. The lesson uses both inductive and deductive strategies, providing students with the background and theory but also allowing them to discuss initial perceptions and make predictions. This lesson could extend to the following class session, depending on how quickly students grasp the concept of stress-timed language.

Sentence and Word Stress Lesson

1. The teacher starts the class by dragging the end of a ruler on a smooth surface and then on an irregular surface. This activity is used to illustrate stress-timed and syllable-timed languages, followed by the definition of each.

2. After having listened to an audio taped speech in Spanish and English, students make correlations with their own language and talk about their perception of the English rhythm. Finally, they determine which language is syllable-stressed and which is time-stressed. The rationale for devoting part of the class to discussing this matter is to allow students to have a clear understanding of the difference between the stress-timed nature of English and the syllable –timing of Spanish.

3. Sentence stress awareness will be built on students` knowledge of word stress. It is important to remind students that a tonic syllable has a longer duration, is louder and has a more prominent pitch movement. They are given a handout that shows the connection between word stress and sentence stress. Then, students are asked to differentiate function from content words. They will also be given a list of “Content versus Function Words”.

4. Listening Discrimination:

Students listen to the following sentences and write down the stressed words:

Nice to meet you

My name is Ray

I’ve got to go.

I’m sorry.

Want a ride?

That`d be great!

What do you do?

I’m a physician.

After students have identified stress in short sentences, they can be introduced to longer stretches of speech. A listening discrimination activity that is fun as well as effective is jazz chanting. To begin the activity, the teacher provides an explanation and an example of primary and secondary stress. Next, the teacher provides students with the jazz chant and after reading it, students have to predict where the stresses are. They also attempt to mark the primary stress with a large dot and the secondary stress with a smaller one over the word. Afterwards, students listen to the chant recording and make comparisons with their predictions.

5. Guided practice and feedback:

The teacher asks students to imagine themselves in a cafeteria crowded with noisy people. They have to call out a message across the cafeteria to a friend. Since it is very noisy, their friend will not be able to understand every single word, but it is the students’ responsibility to ensure that the main idea gets across. The objective of the activity is to promote learners` further understanding of word prominence and the fact that function words can be inferred by the interlocutor when they are not heard.

Half of the class receives utterances on paper slips (Handout 4) and then decides which word(s) will receive primary or secondary stress and which will be unstressed. In order to help students visualize the degree of stress each word will receive, they can cut up the sentences and place the words in different levels.

They sit facing each other keeping some distance and then say the utterance while fairly loud music/noise is playing in the background. The music will make the students say the prominent words louder.

After the activity, pairs get together to discuss what was heard and discuss why they were successful or unsuccessful in carrying out the task. In an open-group discussion, students share their experience, comment on each others` performance or make suggestions.

References

Frankfurt International School. A guide to learning English. The differences between English and Spanish. http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/spanish.htm

Ribeiro, Evelise. “Pronunciation intervention for visiting Spanish speaking faculty.” Master’s Thesis, Georgia State University.

Why our students need to study foreign languages

This is an assignment I had to complete for a class called "Teaching Modern Languages". I had to explain the importance for American schools to keep their foreign language programs.

Studying a foreign language can improve students’ skills in other areas such as reading and math. It can also induce greater cognitive development in creativity and problem-solving areas. In today’s competitive world, all of these are abilities necessary to succeed in any field that students wish to pursue in the future. Learning a foreign language can help students to better understand their native language and therefore increase their abilities in standardized tests. This represents a huge advantage when we consider the importance of tests like the SATs, GMAT, GRE, etc., in our education system.

According to Thomas L. Friedman, author of the bestseller “The world is flat”, the first, and most important ability we can develop in a globalized world is the ability to “learn how to learn”, to constantly absorb and teach ourselves new ways of doing things. I believe that learning a language does not only help us to acquire abilities to learn but it also gives us, through cultural awareness, a greater and different perspective on how to do things.

Knowledge of a foreign language will increase students’ chance to be accepted into high quality university programs. Higher education institutions look at many aspects when reviewing applications and one of them is the applicant’s interest in other cultures and languages. It is very important for students to be able to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pool of candidates and a great way to do this is by showing the ability to speak and understand another language. Even more, if they can take advantage of volunteering opportunities through their foreign language knowledge, students will be setting their applications in a privileged situation.

Imagine how many people apply to a nursing program each semester. And then imagine the percentage of those students who speak a second language and who have been involved in health care related activities by providing services to minorities. The latter students will have a greater chance of their applications being looked with a special interest.

Once they are in college, having studied a foreign language will allow students to take advantage of study abroad programs. In the areas of business, arts, and architecture for example, an internship or course overseas is highly recommended if not mandatory. If students want to study literature, theatre, or music, there is a great probability that their programs will require and advanced knowledge of a second language.

After college, students will be able to increase their career opportunities if they speak another language. It does not matter which field people end up choosing. In a globalized world, the knowledge of other languages and cultures is necessary to succeed as a professional. For students that decide to work in the business world, the knowledge of other language can lead to a promotion and transfer to a subsidiary overseas. All other skills being equal, the candidate that a company such as P&G will choose to transfer to another country will be the one with knowledge of the language and culture of that foreign market.

It does not matter if students decide not to travel to other countries. According to U.S. Census records, minorities, classified as those of any race other than non-Hispanic, single-race whites, currently constitute about a third of the U.S. population. But by 2042, they are projected to become the majority, making up more than half the population. By 2050, 54 percent of the population will be minorities. This means that students will need a second language to communicate with people in their own community. If they have a business or an idea to sell, they must be able to reach a market that represents more than half of the population. They will need to speak the language of their workers in order to train them appropriately and avoid factory accidents due to lack of proper warning signs. Evidence suggests that companies that implement good diversity management programs are more likely to attract and maintain employees as well as create a good reputation in the market.

Studying another language, will allow students to feel closer and connected to other cultures. This will create a positive emotional experience as they increase their global understanding. This increased global understanding will in turn, make it easier for these young people to adapt to the fast pace of our world. Their view of the world will be expanded and considering that in this region, people’s perspective in general is rather limited, it becomes vital for this to change. Proficiency in another language means having access to international news sources, which can lead to a more educated perspective of world issues.

Students are the citizens of tomorrow and therefore, their increased cultural awareness and sensitivity will have a positive impact on our society. We are not isolated from the rest of the world and it is imperative to train our future leaders on how to deal with cultural diversity. In a globalized world, our society cannot afford to remain ignorant of what is happening in other countries or to minorities in our own one.

To conclude, I would like to quote Columbia University’s President, Lee. C. Bollinger. His view on cultural awareness is that “connecting with people very – or even slightly – different from ourselves stimulates the imagination; and when we learn to see the world through a multiplicity of eyes, we only make ourselves more nimble in mastering - and integrating – the diverse fields of knowledge awaiting us”.

Reflexión sobre el Análisis en las clases

Ahora que estoy una vez más involucrada en la enseñanza de clases de Comunicación, me asusta ver la poca capacidad que tienen los estudiantes para analizar. Confunden el análisis con un mero resumen y no encuentran la manera de comunicar sus perspectivas y opiniones.

Estoy segura que eso es el resultado de una enseñanza escolar donde se promueve el no pensar, el seguir los lineamientos del profesor como borregos y ya. Es muy frustrante la verdad pero al mismo tiempo se convierte en un atrayente desafío como docente, conseguir que estos jóvenes aprendan a pensar por sí mismos y que logren comunicar esos pensamientos.

Pienso que una buena manera de despertarlos de ese letargo es realizar en clase ejercicios como el de "El Holocausto Nuclear" y el de "Los terroristas en la montaña". Los pueden buscar en la Web, ya he usado el de los terroristas y generó mucha controversia lo cual es justamente lo que se busca. Vamos a ver qué tal me va con el del holocausto nuclear. Les cuento y mientras tanto...

Seguiremos en la lucha...