Hi!
I've just finished enjoying the activities Sarah suggested us to do using youtube sources. They were really interesting, funny and absolutely useful! How much it is possible to learn from a song or a short video...I think that youtube can be a wonderful indrect source of language learning!
As far as comedy on youtube is concerned, the video about translation is definitely funny! I laughed watching it really a lot although I'm not an English native speaker! I think that this video moves from English stereotipes about foreign people speaking English and shows how British people and culture perceive the fact that their language is spoken by people from all over the world. Watching the video I would say that they laught a lot!
Let's move to the music scene and talk about my experience singing the refrain of This is the Life...oh, that was practically impossible! I needed to hear the song at list 4 times before being able to sing it correctly...but if I had to repeat the refrain now I'd have difficulties in remembering it and repeatig it so quickly!
Anyway, in the end it was a very useful activity to learn some new words and a new song!
I appreciated the activities linked to the song of the Coldplay because I learned new words and reflected on the use of verbs and rhymes. In my opinion Viva la Vida is a song about the concept of power and all its implications. It is the story of an old king who looks back at his glorious past and reflects on his experiences, he realises that his power was vain and that there were revolutionary people who wanted to kill him...Power as something vain (it was as a castle built on the sand and salt) and power as a ciclical entity: once a king or a person looses it, there is always someone ready to take his place. Accorsing to this idea, this song may have political meanings and be addressed to those powerful people who can be considered the kings of the world.
mercoledì 20 maggio 2009
martedì 19 maggio 2009
My PLE
My PLE is basically divided into two main areas: formal and informal sources of language learning. In the former I included whatever is linked to my university career, whereas in the latter informal sources that regard my everyday life and experiences. I defined as source those activities, tools and people which put me in contact with a foreign language and enrich my linguistic and cultural eritage. Comparing both formal and informal inputs I think that they are equally important and complementary.
As far as the formal instruction is concerned, university has been giving me (this year in particular) a great number of occasions and possibilities to learn foreign languages, as you can see listed in my PLE map. Moreover, it provided me with tools, materials and advices that will be useful in my future as well. I'd like to point out how important this aspect of my academic language learning is and how I appreciate it!
On the other side of the map I added experiences and tools that are part of my everyday life but excluded from the academic environment. These are at hand and linked to my personal interests and passions. I'd say that they will be very important for me in the future, especially if I won't have further accademic opportunities to go on studing foreign languages! Consequently I can affirm, as other people and professors have already done, that language is really a lifelong experience! So it is necessary for me not to underestimate them!!
In conclusion, my PLE provided me a complete snapshotof my current language learning situation. What I keep in mind is that it is necessary to be continuously in contact with languages to maintain a ood level of lingui
As far as the formal instruction is concerned, university has been giving me (this year in particular) a great number of occasions and possibilities to learn foreign languages, as you can see listed in my PLE map. Moreover, it provided me with tools, materials and advices that will be useful in my future as well. I'd like to point out how important this aspect of my academic language learning is and how I appreciate it!
On the other side of the map I added experiences and tools that are part of my everyday life but excluded from the academic environment. These are at hand and linked to my personal interests and passions. I'd say that they will be very important for me in the future, especially if I won't have further accademic opportunities to go on studing foreign languages! Consequently I can affirm, as other people and professors have already done, that language is really a lifelong experience! So it is necessary for me not to underestimate them!!
In conclusion, my PLE provided me a complete snapshotof my current language learning situation. What I keep in mind is that it is necessary to be continuously in contact with languages to maintain a ood level of lingui
lunedì 11 maggio 2009
How to use the Internet critically
Hi everybody!!
Hope everything's going on well...let's reflect on the risks connected to the Internet and all its different uses.
I think that the Internet is a great tool, expecially for those people who know how to use it properly. Unfortunaltely, it is necessary to pay attention and be aware of the fact that it can be dangerous as well. In class we discussed the risks of the Internet and I realized that my opinion of the Internet is too optimistic.
I'm not afraid of all these problems because I use the Internet cautiously and not very often. As a consequence, I hope that this attitude prevents me from facing serious and unpleasant consequences. Moreover, I tend to ask people to help me or give advices when I'm not sure how to use the Internet properly. My point of view is that if I wonder about how dangerous the Internet can be, eventually I won't use it at all. So, I prefer to be cautious and asks for advices in order to avoid risks and keep on using this great source.
I've recently become a member of Facebook and I'm perfectly aware that my personal information have become public. In a way I think that it can be dangerous because someone can "steal my identity" or use them unproperly without my consent, but on the other hand I accepted this risk when I decided to join the social net.
So, I think that awareness is the best way to use the Internet properly.
Hope everything's going on well...let's reflect on the risks connected to the Internet and all its different uses.
I think that the Internet is a great tool, expecially for those people who know how to use it properly. Unfortunaltely, it is necessary to pay attention and be aware of the fact that it can be dangerous as well. In class we discussed the risks of the Internet and I realized that my opinion of the Internet is too optimistic.
I'm not afraid of all these problems because I use the Internet cautiously and not very often. As a consequence, I hope that this attitude prevents me from facing serious and unpleasant consequences. Moreover, I tend to ask people to help me or give advices when I'm not sure how to use the Internet properly. My point of view is that if I wonder about how dangerous the Internet can be, eventually I won't use it at all. So, I prefer to be cautious and asks for advices in order to avoid risks and keep on using this great source.
I've recently become a member of Facebook and I'm perfectly aware that my personal information have become public. In a way I think that it can be dangerous because someone can "steal my identity" or use them unproperly without my consent, but on the other hand I accepted this risk when I decided to join the social net.
So, I think that awareness is the best way to use the Internet properly.
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