Concordance & Teaching Materials

Using Concordance to make ESP Teaching Materials

In this (silent) video I show you the way in which i used AntConc concordancer to choose a text from the corpus i made for reading comprehension task. The corpus is a collection of excerpts from online articles each is about 200 words in length. Frequency and Keyness are the criteria for choosing the text that mostly represents the whole corpus. Then, from the frequency list was the basis for a grammar task (parts of speech). 

The resulted tasks are the following: 

APPENDIX A

A.    Discuss with class:

1-      What do ethics mean?

2-      Do you know Hippocratic Oath

3-      What are the ethical standards of pharmacy profession?

B.     Read the following text :

The Code of Ethics

Is the principles that form the fundamental basis of the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists. These principles, based on moral obligations and virtues, are established to guide pharmacists in relationships with patients, health professionals, and society.

1.      A pharmacist respects the covenantal relationship between the patient and pharmacist. Considering the patient-pharmacist relationship as a covenant means that a pharmacist has moral obligations in response to the gift of trust received from society. In return for this gift, a pharmacist promises to help individuals achieve optimum benefit from their medications, to be committed to their welfare, and to maintain their trust.

2.      A pharmacist promotes the good of every patient in a caring, compassionate, and confidential manner. A pharmacist places concern for the well-being of the patient at the center of professional practice. In doing so, a pharmacist considers needs stated by the patient as well as those defined by health science. A pharmacist is dedicated to protecting the dignity of the patient. With a caring attitude and a compassionate spirit, a pharmacist focuses on serving the patient in a private and confidential manner.

3.      A pharmacist respects the autonomy and dignity of each patient. A pharmacist promotes the right of self-determination and recognizes individual self-worth by encouraging patients to participate in decisions about their health. A pharmacist communicates with patients in terms that are understandable. In all cases, a pharmacist respects personal and cultural differences among patients.

4.      A pharmacist acts with honesty and integrity in professional relationships. A pharmacist has a duty to tell the truth and to act with conviction of conscience. A pharmacist avoids discriminatory practices, behavior or work conditions that impair professional judgment, and actions that compromise dedication to the best interests of patients.

5.      A pharmacist maintains professional competence. A pharmacist has a duty to maintain knowledge and abilities as new medications, devices, and technologies become available and as health information advances.

6.      A pharmacist respects the values and abilities of colleagues and other health professionals.

When appropriate, a pharmacist asks for the consultation of colleagues or other health professionals or refers the patient. A pharmacist acknowledges that colleagues and other health professionals may differ in the beliefs and values they apply to the care of the patient.

7.      A pharmacist serves individual, community, and societal needs. The primary obligation of a pharmacist is to individual patients. However, the obligations of a pharmacist may at times extend beyond the individual to the community and society. In these situations, the pharmacist recognizes the responsibilities that accompany these obligations and acts accordingly.

8.      A pharmacist seeks justice in the distribution of health resources. When health resources are allocated, a pharmacist is fair and equitable, balancing the needs of patients and society.

* adopted by the membership of the American Pharmacists Association October 27, 1994

C.     Answer the following questions:

1-      Are the ethical standards you discussed with class similar to those in the text?

2-      Can you give an example of how the relationship between the patient and pharmacist is covenantal?

3-      Give an example of a pharmacist behavior that goes against code number 4.

4-      How can pharmacists do tomaintain their professional competence?

APPENDIX B

A.    Choose the appropriate word for each group of sentences from the box and specify whether it's used as a verb or noun by writing V for verb and N for noun.

 

Form, Abuse,  Help,  Cause,  Control,  Need,  Care,

Group 1:

-          Aspirin in its present . . . . .  has been around for over 100 years. (     )

-          A tremendous amount of empirical information has accumulated to . . . . . a nebulous system of "herbal medicine. (     )

Group 2:

-          They begin to . . . . .drugs when they repeatedly take them to solve their problems or to make them feel "normal". (     )

-          Drugs such as marijuana, meth, and the. . . . .of prescription medications are on the rise.(     )

Group 3:

-          Newer medications . . . . .  reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. (     )

-          Vitamin D . . . . . your body absorb the amount of calcium (a mineral) it needs to form strong bones. (     )

Group 4:

-          Cancer is gradually becoming the leading disease-related . . . . . of death of the human population. (     )

-          The names of some drugs are similar and, if not written clearly, . . . . . confusion. (     )

-           

Group 5:

-          All they . . . . . is a computer and some free time. (     )

-          There is an ultimate . . . . . for innovation in drug discovery and development. (     )

 Refrence

"Code of Ethics." American Pharmacists Association 27 October, 1994. Web. 9 April 2015.

Retrieved from http://www.pharmacist.com/code-ethics

 

Affordances & Misaffordances

Ola Sayed Ahmed

Professor Dima Daioub

Integrating Technology with Language Teaching

15 February 2015

Affordances & Misaffordances

      Affordance is first used by the American ecological psychologist James Jerome Gibson in his article "The Theory of Affordances". He defined it as something that  " cuts across the dichotomy of subjective-objective and helps us to under-stand its inadequacy. It is equally a fact of the environment and a fact of behavior. It is both physical and psychical, yet neither. An affordance  points both ways, to the environment and to the observer". This term was then used by his wife Eleanor J. Gibson in an educational context where environment was considered as an affordance to infant's growth. The scope of this term broadened along time especially with the arrival of web 2.0 and its tools in pedagogy. McLoughlin and Lee define affordance as " an action that an individual can potentially perform in their environment by using a particular tool. In other words, an affordance is a “can do” statement that does not have to be predefined by a particular functionality, and refers to any application that enables a user to undertake tasks in their environment, whether known or unknown to him/her. For example, blogging entails typing and editing posts, which are not affordances, but which enable the affordances of idea sharing and interaction"(p. 3) .

      Ken Beatty defined not only affordances but also misaffordances as the following:" 

 (p. 50). 

Thus, Affordances are the self-evident and mysterious properties of something that allow an individual to use it in a way determined by the individual and his/her environment.

      However, the definition of misaffordance that Beatty gave might look problematic because flashing words -although they are meant to be read- are considered as affordance in the context of advertisement. Actually the word "intended" in the definition of misaffordance carries within it the subjectivity to a certain context. As a result an affordance in a certain context can be a misaffordance in another. 

     Smart phones are so celebrated nowadays. Their affordances allow them to be considered as educational tools. They are portable, allow interaction, can display different types of media, help organizing tasks, access to internet, allow synchronic and asynchronic communication, allow sharing info as well as files. However, apps' notifications  can be considered as misaffordance because they distract a reading intention from an e-book. However, they are considered as affordance when the intention is social networking.

The Draft of My Writing Class

Reality

"Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living happy, healthy and rewarding life."

                                                         by Marilu Henner

So sticking to reality and being realistic the way to live happily

1-    Reality is full of disasters. Illusion is an outlet tham we can resort to.

Although reality is full of suffering and hardships, yet this is the only way that reality uses in building up a balanced, strong and thankful personality. Illusion might comfort people but it's dangerous because it makes them naïve, weak and very sensitive. There's no permanent suffering. Reality offers some precious moments of happiness and pleasure that remain in our memory forever.

Ex: Who doesn't know Oprah Winfrey?!  Who doesn't respect her and admire her?!She experienced lots of hardships in her childhood. She spent her first 6 years without her parents in poverty. She was raped at the age of 9 and got pregnant at the age of 14. Her baby died. She was fired from her job many times yet she never gave up this merciless reality to a world of illusions and rosy dreams.

Ex: what if Lattakia was hit by a tornado. Will you sit in your bed imagining that you are in Paris or Dubie spending a nice vacation?? Or will you run as fast as you can to find a shelter?

2-    Without imagination we are transformed into machines and robots that keep working all the time.

"I think what makes us human is our interconnectedness among people. It's our ability to form and maintain relationships. It's the barometer by which we call ourselves human."

                                                          By Thomas Jane

So being human is connected to relationships with others. By illusions we isolate ourselves from society and lock ourselves in our imaginary world. In the contrary, Reality keeps us in touch with our families, friends and community.

"Our flaws are what make us human. If we can accept them as a part of who we are, they really don't have to be an issue."

                                                         By Ellen DeGeneres

Imagination and Illusions take us to an ideal world that has no suffering and mistakes. In reality people make mistakes repeatedly. It's in the human nature to make mistakes and feel regret then correct their mistakes. Illusions don not have such things.

As a result we fig that illusions and imagination are what transform human not only to robots but to corpse (dead body)

1-    Reality helps us avoid mistakes and failure because when we stick to reality we see thing as they are. By reality we can know the truth of everything around us, so we can avoid being hurt, making mistakes and failure. Illusions give us what we want. Imagination enables ego to blind our eyes.

Ex: The Greek tried for 10 years to conquer Troy but they couldn't because Troy was like a part from the mountain. Trojans felt glorious that they took the wooden horse as a victory trophy. Their illusions made them think highly of themselves so they were defeated.

2-    Reality is active while illusion is passive. Sticking to reality directs us to improvement and development. Illusions give us what we want so we stop working hard to achieve our goals. Illusions keep in the same place due to the thought that you can have whatever you want through imagination.

Ex: the whole world would have never known light if Thomas Edison drowned in dreams full of lights. He tried 1,000 times before he could make the light bulb.

3-    By imagination we can motivate ourselves to achieve our goals. Imagination helps us in putting our goals and targets.

Imagining success can motivate you only for a short time. When you realize that you are standing still you'll be upset. If you really wanna motivate yourself walk a step towards your goal. Finding that work is rewarding and that you are nearer to your target is a better motivation to continue. "A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step"

4-    Imagination is the mother of scientific inventions and arts.

"Necessity is the mother of invention". Due to the fact that reality is not perfect and ideal, people are always in need. So reality is the mother of invention. Illusions are rosy dreams that take us to an idealist world. Imagination has no value without applying it to reality.

Ex: how many inventions died in the minds of people because they never applied them to reality?? What is the value of all this modern technology if it remained as imagination?

3-    Sticking to reality is the only way to live happily and have healthy relationships with others. When you stop making expectations about people you'll have more friends and a better social life. When you stop judging others from their appearance, you'll have more opportunities and fewer fears. How many times you discovered that that person who you thought is the last person you'd ever befriend turned out to be very kind and helpful.

Being realistic helps you criticize yourself and know your real abilities. When you're able to criticize yourself you become humble. Illusion justifies your mistakes so you grow arrogant and people hate you. Illusion makes you think highly of yourself and puts you in a lot of embarrassing situations as what usually happens with guys.

Ex: once upon a time there was that usual guy that loves a girl but she doesn't know. He imagined how is he gonna tell her time after time giving credit to himself that he is handsome and that she's gonna return his love immediately. The conversation with her in his mind is something like:

He: hi

She: hi, I was waiting for you for my whole life…..etc.

But in reality this is what happens..

He: hi

She: hi

He: (&$%^#$%@

4-    Reality offers real experience and is the only way to discover the world. No matter how illusions are realistic they can't be as strong as real experience. Illusion can take you in a tour around the world but the real experience will always be better even if it included some hardships. Real experience teaches you and allows you to discover the world. Illusion keeps in ignorant .

Ex: In old ages people thought that violent natural phenomena is a kind of god's wrath. So they sacrificed each other in order to gain gods satisfaction.

Sometimes we run out of means to solve problems so imagination is an outlet.

Ex: Hellene Keller is a deaf blind. She is the first person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She helped to establish the American Civil Liberties Union. She met every Us president along her life. She befriended Mark Twain, Alexander Graham Bell and Charlie Chaplin.

Is there worse than her situation?? Yet she never resorted to illusions and dreams. I believe that there is a solution for every problem as long as you stick to reality.

Imagination allows us to imagine solution to our problems

Imagine as you like reality is very far from illusions and full of surprises that you can't expect. There's no use of these solutions unless you apply them to reality. reality is the basic that you can't separate yourself from.