Book Review (Corrected Version)

Pablo Valdés Rivera
Language IX
Crystal Hickerson
13th May, 2009.


Literature as one fundamental source for developing critical thinking strategies.


Walker, Richard. Language for Literature: A guide to language use, style and criticism. London: Collins ELT, 1983.


Whenever we think how to teach critical thinking strategies to our students, we always face the following question: What materials or teaching approaches do we have to use to do so? Having this issue in mind, it is been said that many literature sources and texts are fundamental guides to build a bridge between critical thinking strategies and language teaching. “Language for Literature” claims for that particular purpose because it is intended to approach literature from authentic English texts and exercises in order to guide students on how to read and think those texts critically and effectively.

Moreover, this book contains extracts from well-known twentieth century novels and authors such as: “1984” by George Orwell or “Dubliners” by James Joyce; which increases the level of texts complexity and the reading approach at the moment of developing reading skills as well as critical opinions about the given topics.
The book’s audience has a range from secondary to tertiary students as well as students who are studying basic literature courses. It is also intended for students who are doing research on literature use, style and criticism regarding to academic purposes.

The importance of having this book in teaching has to do with the central idea that it encourages students in extensive and intensive reading practices. Consequently, it will help tremendously teaching from inside to outside the class, giving students autonomous ways of approaching literature and literature reading strategies. At the same time, it enables teachers and students to have the possibility to analyze literature critically and connect it with their own teaching practices and life experiences.

Undoubtedly, this book allows teachers to build confidence on students by giving them vocabulary knowledge and literary style in order to encourage further reading and analysis outside the classroom.

Annotated Bibliography (Corrected Version)

Annotated Bibliography
Pablo A. Valdés
Language IX
Crystal Hickerson
Wednesday 13th, May, 2009


Burns, D. J. “Will I do as well on the final exam as I expect? An examination of students’ expectations.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 8, No. 3, October 2008: pp. 1 – 19. In this article the author, researcher at Xavier University, tries to test his hypothesis on how students’ expectations influence their performances on a final exam. According to him, levels of anxiety, past performances, absences, self handicapping and the preparation before a test influence the way students take an actual final exam. This is given by the detailed information this article shows on students’ expectations and by the methodology carried out in order to obtain the desired results. Nevertheless, his hypothesis is not widely supported because the results were mixed. The data obtained from this research does not necessarily establish that students’ expectations influence future test performances. Notwithstanding this, the information contained in this article is useful for teachers who desire to make an improvement on students’ results as part of their own reflective process of teaching. At the same time, it invites to analyze and reflect on the nature of students’ failing at the moment of taking final tests.

Book Review

Pablo Valdés Rivera
Language IX
Crystal Hickerson
8th May, 2009.


Literature as a fundamental source for critical thinking strategies


Walker, Richard. Language for Literature: A guide to language use, style and criticism. London: Collins ELT,1983.


Whenever we think on how to teach critical thinking strategies to our students, we always face the following question: What materials or teaching approaches do we have to use to do so? Having this issue in mind, it is been said that many literature sources and texts are fundamental guides to build a bridge between critical thinking strategies and language teaching. “Language for Literature” claims for that particular purpose because it is intended to approach literature from authentic English texts and exercises in order to guide students on how to read and think those texts critically and effectively. Moreover, this book contains extracts from well-known twentieth century novels and authors such as: “1984” by George Orwell or “Dubliners” by James Joyce; which increases the level of texts complexity and the reading approach at the moment of developing reading skills as well as critical opinions about the given topics.
The book’s audience has a range from secondary to tertiary students as well as students who are studying basic literature courses. It is intended too for students doing research on literature use, style and criticism regarding to academic purposes.
The importance of having this book in teaching has to do with the central idea that it encourages students on extensive and intensive reading practices. Consequently, it will help tremendously teaching from inside to outside the class, giving students autonomous ways of approaching literature and literature reading strategies. At the same time, it enables teachers and students to have the possibility to analyze literature critically and connect it with their own teaching practices and life experiences. Undoubtedly, this book allows teachers to build confidence on students by giving them vocabulary knowledge and literary style in order to encourage further reading and analysis outside the classroom.

Annotated Bibliography

Pablo A. Valdés
Language IX
Crystal Hickerson
Friday 24th, April, 2009


Burns, D. J. “Will I do as well on the final exam as I expect? An examination of students’ expectations.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 8, No. 3, October 2008: pp. 1 – 19. In this article the author, researcher at Xavier University, tries to test his hypothesis on how students’ expectations influence their performance on a final exam. According to him, levels of anxiety, past performances, absences, self handicapping and the preparation before a test influence the way students take an actual final exam. This is given by the detailed information this article shows on students’ expectations and by the methodology carried out in order to obtain the desired results. Nevertheless, his hypothesis is not widely supported because the results were mixed. The data obtained from this research does not necessarily prove that students’ expectations influence future test performances. Notwithstanding of this, the information contained in this article is useful for teachers who desire to make an improvement on students’ results as part of their own reflective process of teaching. At the same time, it invites to analyze and reflect on the nature of students’ failing at the moment of taking final tests.

Good Online Sources for Research in Education

1.- Academic Journals.-

This journal is provided by lots of material regarding to Education and others areas of study. At the same time, you can get information for free and it has full text papers.

http://www.academicjournals.org/journals.htm



2.- Education Policy Analysis Archives.-

In this journal you can find information about analytic archives in relation to educational policies. You can also have access to Spanish and Portuguese articles.

http://epaa.asu.edu/


3.- International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (IJTLHE)

This journal provides free information for researchers, teacher, administrators, and so on who are interested in post secondary instruction.

http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/


4.- Networks: An On-Line Journal for Teacher Research

As its name says it is a journal for teachers from kindergarten to higher education, in order to research in current events on education. Articles in html format.

http://journals.library.wisc.edu/index.php/networks/index


5.- Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation (PARE)

It is an on-line journal which purpose is to provide access to refereed articles that can have a positive impact on assessment, research, evaluation, and teaching practice.

http://pareonline.net/




Database

1.- Education Journals: an annotated database
This database is oriented to teacher and educators who research in different areas of study. At the same time it provides full text journals and papers which are useful for any research.

http://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/8478

2.- Edresearch online.-

Database full of PDF articles and journals. There are some you have to pay for, but there are other for free.

http://cunningham.acer.edu.au/dbtw-wpd/sample/journals_edresearch.htm


3.- The WilsonWeb journals database

This database group information on needs of education students, professionals, and policy maker. It has a journal directory where you can find the information you want.

http://www.hwwilson.com/databases/educat.htm#Abstracts

Religion in Education

Since immemorial times Religion has been compulsory taught in schools as part of any curricula. Public as well as private school have always had this subject in order to enable students to learn religious morals. Nevertheless, its importance in the classroom has turned into a debatable issue.

This event has occurred mainly because of the articulation of new religions and beliefs considerably different from the Roman Catholic Church viewpoints. At the same time, Bill Maher, a well-known American comedian and critic of religion, comments, “The 16 percent of Americans who in a recent poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life describe themselves as ‘unaffiliated’ with any religion.” (2). Consequently, the amount of people that have become atheist and agnostic have increased throughout the years. In another interview from NPR website, Maher argues that, “I believe in the doctrine of the I don’t know”(2). Having this issues in mind, Religious Education has not only changed but people has changed in a way they are more open to knew and different religious point of views. It does not matter if people are atheist or Muslims, there should be ongoing discussion about religion and how it is taught at schools. What is more, it is valid to question if people really want to have religious education as part of their educational system.

Although it is been explained that Religious Education operates more as an option than an obligation , it is also important to focus on the teachers’ roles at the moment of teaching this or any other subject where the topic of religion is being discuss. Teachers’ responsibility and critique are tremendously important in order to have a free debate on this subject. That is why, conscious teachers should know that “Religious education should be conceived as a tool to transmit knowledge and values pertaining to all religious trends, in an inclusive way, so that individuals realize their being part of the same community and learn to create their own identity in harmony with identities different from their own.” Therefore, teachers become active in this process delivering classes and responding to students’ questions and opinions with tolerance, responsibility and respect because he or she has to be aware that cannot disrespect others’ beliefs.


To sum up, it is important to have debates and discussions about the subject of religion. Moreover, if the teaching of it is appropriate for students who, most of the time, have different perspective on their own beliefs. Simultaneously, the teaching of this subject through tolerance and critique will enable students to be more respectful to each other and also they will learn about different beliefs.

Maher, Bill. Interview with Larry Charles. NPR. 30 September 2008.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95210724

Leland, John. “Cameras Roll, and Faith hasn’t a Prayer” The New York Times. 26 Septermber 2008. 28 March 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/movies/28lela.html

Amor, Abdelfattah. “The Role of Religious Education in the Pursuit of Tolerance and Non-discrimination”. International Consultative Conference on School
Education in relation with Freedom of Religion and Belief, Tolerance and Non-discrimination. Madrid, 23-25 November 2001. http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/7/b/cfedu-basicdoc.htm