Final Presentation ENGL 4740

Overall Reflection

After doing all these assignments, it exposes the role of internet and technology in learning especially in language learning. Nowadays, reading using hypertext becomes a trend because most of materials are provided in the internet.people still read uding printed texts because of their usual habit. Computer Mediated Communication such as chat rooms and blogs can be analyse to improve language learning. Politeness is important when we used the CMC because people want to gain trust, respect and solidarity with others. In third assignment, corpus helps in language learning and teaching. By using certain software such as corcondancer in learning language, it helps students to learn about vocabulary and grammar. In conclusion, the emergence of technology helps the language learning.

Reflection On The Third Assignment

Corpus is very useful in language learning but educators fail to exploit the corpus in learning and teaching process. Most of the software is really hard to get and only several software can be easily accessed. In future, the usage of corpus should be exposed to the educators and learners so that it will improve language teaching and learning.

Learning and Teaching English Language Using Corpus

Lesson Plan

Reflection On The Second Assignment

There are two kinds of politeness which are; positive and negative politeness. Most people in the public chat room tend to use positive politeness in the beginning of conversation. As the conversation goes by, they will use negative politeness. This kind of attitude is very common in our daily lives even in our real life. It is due to the feeling of insecure in ourselves.

Sample of Corpus

jed :Today is Chinese traditional spring day
meemo: Jed where r u from
crazyfrog: happy TSD then
jed: I m a China
meemo: wow
jed: What about you
meemo: happy this day for u
brazilian: china rox
jed: Thank you
meemo: i'm from kingdom saudia Arabia
jed: Wow
meemo: very welcomes
combro_asin: holiday means sleep late...ha ha ha
meemo: lol
jed: There is a chance that I will go
meemo: go to where?
jed: your country
meemo: really
kaan: hi
meemo: hi kaan
jed: I'm sorry my English is bad
jed: ys
kaan: hi meemo
meemo: no problem
brazilian: hey jed, you fight kung fu?
kaan: wassup guys?
jed: a little
brazilian: nice
jed: it too difficult
meemo: why do you want to come to saudia arabia
jed: Bruce lee
meemo: kaan how r u
mahesh: i am fn
combro_asin: nothing much kaan
crazyfrog: all muslim want to come KSA
brazilian: jackie chan
mahesh: what about you
mahesh: i am india
kaan: fine meemo and u
jed: ys
meemo: yeah that's right
mahesh: and you
combro_asin: they say that panda is kungfu master...
jed: Bruce lee you like KungFu?
kaan: where r u from guys
crazyfrog: turtles is better :))
meemo: i'm very well
kaan: ý m from turkey
jed: Bruce lee
mahesh: you like kung fu
meemo: i'm from saudia arabia
crazyfrog: turkey
kaan: nice
meemo: kaan u
jed: O
kaan: turkey
meemo: nice
meemo: aha aha
jed: I want to go to everywhere
kaan: ý want to go mecce and medine one day ý hope that
meemo: that's amazing
meemo: i love makkah and madinah
kaan: ý also like
jed: Who can tell me ICQ
crazyfrog: ÝCQ
crazyfrog: now i tell u :))
jed: I want to talk to SB
meemo: i don't know
jed: Meemo,
meemo: yes jed
jed: you dont have ICQ?
meemo: m i can't understand i just have emile
jed: ¡ª¡ª_,¡ª¡ª
jed: oh,that is ok
jed: Cant you tell me
meemo: sorry i can't cuz i can't understand
jed: CarzyFrong
kaan: ý want to be there like every body lands where foot marked our prophet hz mohammed
meemo: yeah
kaan: u r so lucky man cuz u live in there
Montana-Guy: hello room
meemo: yeah thanks my god
guest_131: hello
meemo: hello
meemo: no
kaan: hello montana guy
kaan: meemo how do u see last revolution that lived eygpt and tunissia ?
kaan: u support ?
kaan: there is no comment ?
kaan: :)
thaigirl: hi
kaan: hi
kaan: how's u

http://chat.icq.com/icqchat/chatroom.php?c_id=18

The Use of Politeness in Public Chat Room

Research Objective

The objective of this study is to know on how politeness elements appear in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) specifically in public chat room.

Source of sample corpus

We have chosen one sample of public chat room known as ICQ Chat Rooms. We also selected one of the channels which are ‘asia’ (# asia). http://chat.icq.com/icqchat/chatroom.php?c_id=18

Literature Review

Instant Messaging (IM) enables participants to engage in multiple one on one conversation, chat rooms allow multiple users to converse with one another in groups (Herring, 2004). Chat rooms have dual origins: in Internet Relay Chat (IRC), begun in the late 1980s, and in multi-user dungeons (MUDs). Both of these allowed real time text-based online conversations among participants. Online chat rooms appear to be an activity in which many young adult Internet users take part as well. Toward the mid 1990s, many chat systems began to incorporate graphics and multimedia elements into what had previously been text-only communication environments. According to the estimate of one recent study (Madden & Rainie, 2003), about 29 million people used chat rooms online in 2002 and about 5 million of them participated in a chat room on a typical day. The same study also indicated that, in general, chat room participation appears to be less popular than IM. Consistent with IM use, the study also found that teens and young adults create most of the traffic to chat rooms and online discussions.

According to one of the articles ‘Politeness and Online Communication’ by Michael Petitti from Marist College, he asked whether one’s dual needs for appreciation and freedom from imposition (according to Brown and Levinson) able to be sufficiently achieved during this age of overwhelming CMC? The answer may be surprising. He argued that through e-mails and in IM conversations, chat rooms and list serves one’s use of negative and positive politeness to mitigate face-threatening acts increases due to the lack of aforementioned physical and/or verbal cues.

Also interesting to consider is the extent to which the loss of a physical presence or voice during CMC levels the playing field for those typically shy or insecure, and how the negotiation of politeness and impoliteness during online interaction affects identity construction and the negotiation of face (Locher, 2010, p. 3). Will these individuals grow more confident during email, IM, chat room and list serve conversations, especially if with whom they are communicating is physically unknown to them? Will this shift in attitude thus create a greater urge to push for, and exchange, mitigation of positive and negative face-threats? (Petitti, 2010).

From the article by Lynn Westbrook entitled, “Chat reference communication patterns and implications: applying politeness theory” ”, she has conducted a research by examined the syntactic and content markers of formality levels employed by both the user and the librarian in reference chat sessions in an effort to understand the nature of the relationship over the course of the exchange. The finding shows that brevity was one of the most consistent patterns, employing chat conventions that emphasize interaction rapidity through the use of shortcuts such as abbreviations, contractions, emoticons, acronyms, and sentence fragments. Vocalizations were equally employed is a part of negative politeness.

Formal language choices indicate social distance, seriousness, and respect for the addressee (Westbrook, 2007). Librarians who can actively help resolve those concerns must go well beyond simply providing information. In order to do so, they must make effective use of politeness theory to build the relationship between the librarian and the users.

Nancy Schimelpfening (2008) stated that we have to respect each other and the hosts while chatting via chat room. Strong language, vulgarity and crude sex words are prohibited because might be inappropriate to other chatters. Nancy also mentioned that politeness is not only in language use but also the topic being discussed.

Analysis

Politeness means employed to show awareness of another person’s face. In this sense, politeness can be accomplished in situations of social distance or closeness. Showing awareness for another person’s face when the other is socially close is often described in terms of respect or deference. Showing the equivalent awareness when the other is socially close is often described in terms of friendliness, camaraderie, or solidarity. In everyday social interactions, people generally behave as if their expectations concerning their public self image, or their face wants, will be respected. (Yule, 1996, p.60)

Based on the corpus, it observes that the chatters are quite friendly and polite because they greet each other by saying ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ when they just log in to the chat room. They also thanks other by saying “thank you” and asked for apologise by saying “I’m sorry”. Also, they do not use harsh or curse words which might insult others. It examines that when one say “thank you”, another party will reply it with “very welcomes” those words are categorized as adjacency pairs. This shows that they apply positive politeness in their discussion via chat room. Most of the participants who participated in the conversation seem to use more positive politeness rather than negative politeness. Even though each of them comes from different part of the world and from different background, they seem to be connected and try to create solidarity among them.

From the conversation in the chat room, they tend to use formal language because they do not know each other and they are strangers to each other. The communication norm for strangers tends towards greater use of formality in order to establish a basic level of trust and rapport.

In this chat room, they were exchanging information on their country. All of the chatters were Asian so they are discussing about their culture. In terms of turn taking, it shows that the aspects of politeness are being used by some chatters. In the beginning part, the transition of the conversation was in relevance place. When the chatting goes on, some of them try to interfere and establish new topic by asking question.

Besides that, it also can be detected by the using of emoticons during the conversation. The use of emoticons such as; :)) (long smile) :) (smile) shows that they more likely to use positive face which means the need to be connected or to belong to a group. The use of emoticon helps to alert other chatters to the tenor or temper of a statement, and can change and improve interpretation of plain text.

Other than emoticons, the words that indicate positive meaning also have been included in the corpus, for example; ‘Thank you’,’ha ha ha’, ‘lol’, ‘wassup’ and others. By using these kinds of sign or words in the conversation, we can see that they were trying to find similarities among each other and try to build common or same interest. There is no face threatening act (FTA) and face saving act (FSA) in this discourse.

Conclusion

Based on the corpus that we have analyzed which is public chat room, it shows that politeness is being applied during conversation. They used adjacency pairs, formal language and emoticons because of one main factor which is they do not know each other. Generally, all people tend to be polite to strangers either in spoken or written discourse. It happens because they want to gain trust, respect and solidarity from others.

References:

Darics, E. (2010). Politeness in computer-mediated discourse of a virtual team.
Journal of Politeness Research. Language, Behaviour, Culture. Volume 6, Issue 1,
Pages 129–150.

King, J.N. (2010). Various Uses of Chat Rooms. Retrieved on February 8, 2011 from
http://ezinearticles.com/?Various-Uses-of-Chat-Rooms&id=5573450

Nancy. S. (2008). Chat Room and Forum Rules. Retrieved on February 8, 2011 from
http://depression.about.com/od/onlinesupport/a/chatforumrules.htm

Westbrook, L (2007). Chat reference communication patterns and implications: applying politeness theory. Retrieved on February 3, 2011 from
www.emeraldinsight.com/0022-0418.htm

Yule, G. (1996). Introduction to Pragmatics. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

Reflection On The First Assignment

After finishing this assignment, it observes that people love to read using printed text rather than hypertext. This happened because reading using hypertext causes headache and eyestrain. In addition, it is a habit of student to read using printed text because they had been introduced to that reading style since they were a small children. In IIUM, students tend to print their notes rather than read in on computer screen. However, reading using hypertext helps students to find more information by clicking the hyperlink.

Comparing EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension Between Hypertext and Printed Text

From the article “Comparing EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension between Hypertext and Printed Text” by Min – chen Tseng, she investigates the effects of reading printed text and hypertext on the EFL learners' reading comprehension. Previously, people read using printed text. After the emergence of internet, the reading style changes from printed text to hypertext.

Methodology

Reading comprehension and test were used to collect the data. Forty-six Taiwanese students were equally divided into two groups; Experimental Group has to view the pictures and read articles shown on the computer screens, while Control Group has to look at the pictures and read articles from printed documents.

Four articles were used in this study. Three of the articles were adopted from the book "Master GEPT (General English Proficiency Test) and "Issues for Today". Three parts were included in each article: pictures & relevant vocabulary, text, and five reading comprehension questions. The participants were tested on their reading skills after being asked to read four articles. Firstly, the participants has to read the articles and then answered five reading comprehension questions containing the requirement of using skimming skill, scanning skill, and guessing unknown words from the context. After finishing the four articles, they were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding the reading comprehension questions.

The participants in the Control Group were given test papers and they have to answer all of the questions. The participants in the Experimental Group were looking at the pictures, texts and questions on the computer screens. They were given separate answer sheets. After finishing the tests, all students were asked to fill out a questionnaire printed on the paper.

Literature Review

According to Barnes (1994), he states that hypertext is unique because it enables readers to pick and choose blocks of text by interacting with the machine. Hypertext now includes "a wide range of computer applications such as interactive books, encyclopedias, online reference indexes, and other forms of nonlinear reading and writing which are created by means of computer technology" (p. 26). (Jones and Fortescue, 1991 cited by Tseng, 2008)

Ojala (2000) states that a print document encourages readers to start at the top left-hand corner and finish at the bottom right-hand corner, but when they read electronic information their eyes move in a circular motion rather than a straight line.

Findings

The reasons why participants in the Experimental Group received lower scores were much related to factors that affected them when they read hypertext. Participants in the Control Group performed better in reading printed text, especially on the reading skills of skimming and scanning, but not on vocabulary question. In vocabulary knowledge, participants in the Experimental Group made higher scores than the ones in the Control Group. About 78% of participants said their eyes got very tired and strained while reading texts on computer screens during the test. Therefore, almost 60% of students preferred to read via papers instead of computer screens.

The researcher investigated the elements that affected participants while reading hypertext on the computer screens. About 78% of participants mentioned that their eyes got tired or they got headaches upon reading hypertext on the computer screens for a long period of time. 18.8% of participants could not underline any sentences or leave notes on the computer screens. They said that reading hypertext on the computer screens was not the same as they read text on printed documents. Some students complained that they have to put fingers on the computer screens to point out certain words, but when they used scroll bars to move up and down the web pages, they got lost where they were earlier. They commented that by reading via computer screens, the words were "hidden" inside the monitors and students could not "touch" the words. It gave them a sense of distance. They used to read using printed text due to their old habit of reading style.

Implications to Language Learning in General

Teacher should choose appropriate websites because not all are designed for language learning purposes. Teacher should teach on how to look for information on the internet and how to read hypertext effectively. Students tend to print the electronic information due to their usual habits of reading printed text.

(Question B)

Based on the article above, it observes that the role of printed document is replaced by hypertext and computer. Centuries ago, printed documents serve as important role as tool of learning. Due to the emergence of technology, computer becomes an essential instrument in learning especially in language learning. By replacing the printed document to hypertext, the computer is functioning as tool, tutor or pupil. Computer as tool means that computer does not provide any language material at all but it helps the student to understand language. Examples of computer as tool include word processors, spelling and grammar checkers, desk-top publishing programs, and concordances (Warschauer, 1996).. Students use computer as alternative of learning language. The behaviorist might use hypertext’s special features only to link text with explanations, tests and answer. However, the constructivist model might use the same features and use them to encourage learners to collaborate over the structure and the sequence of their own learning (Beatty, 2003)

The main function of the computer in this research is to be a mechanical tutor and tool in assisting or helping the students in reading and developing their understanding the knowledge. In this particular research, other than testing their reading skills we can also said that the computer also help them in contributing the stimulus effect to the students in reading and also understand the content much more better.

This research also is interrelated to the theory of cognitive approach which encourages discovery learning. It was not only what the students did with the computers but also what they did with each other while carrying out the given task was emphasized on (Warschauer & Healey, 1998). At the same time, it also develops the construction of new knowledge by engaging in problem activities. In such a nonlinear reading context, it still remains basic to sort out the true from the false, reality from fantasy, to discern cause and effect and to apply critical thinking skills. Therefore, there is a need for students to have knowledge in differentiating between the true and false knowledge.

By using hyperlink in language learning, one might click on a hypertext link to go to one of several choices in a word to get a floating box offering its dictionary definition. In a printed document, it would be intolerably pedantic to write footnotes to footnotes (Beatty, 2003). In the computer, writing in layers is quite natural and reading in layers is effortless.

Many teachers are unwilling to spend their time in thinking of other ways of teaching the students. They prefer their students to use stand alone software for reinforcement or enrichment. From this situation, the role of human as tutor has changed. Now, the computer serves the role as tutor and drillmaster. The computer serves as a vehicle for delivering instructional materials to the students rather than human beings (Warschauer, 1996). When the student rely too much on computer in language learning, it becomes student centered learning.

Some of educators argue that drills on computer can be more effective than tutoring or conventional practice drill (Costanza, 1989). Students feel less anxious in making mistakes with a computer than a human tutor because computer does not respond emotionally when student make mistakes. Computer screen presents information dynamically (Costanza, 1989). The words can be highlighted and the font can be changed. The sounds and animated images create sensory depth. That are the reasons why students enjoy learn language from computer rather than human.

By using computer in learning language, students can receive quick and accurate feedback, progressing at flexible rates without public approbation of their errors (Underwood & Underwood, 1990). However, when they spell words using a pencil, there is less time available to think about the meaning of the sentence being composed.

In CELPAD Self- Access Centre, computer been used as tutor and tool. The computer functioned as tutor when the students used the language software that has been installed in the computer. The language software contains drills and practices to help the students to understand the language. Grammar, vocabulary, listening and speaking exercises that contain in the software helps the second language learners of English to improve their English skills.

When the teacher teaches in front of the class, he or she will used interactive whiteboard as teaching aid. Interactive whiteboard is a large interactive display that connects to a computer and projector. A projector projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface where users control the computer using a pen, finger or other device. The board is typically mounted to a wall or floor stand. The whiteboard is connected to the main computer and the teacher has full control of the main computer. Now, the computer serves as tool to aid the teaching process.

In conclusion, the hypertext which is part of computer serves a role as tool and tutor. Hypertext is subject to rearrangement and reordering by the user beyond the tradition linear organization of books. Hypertext and computer helps the students in learning language. Technology makes learning become interesting and convenient. Students to love use technology especially computer and internet because it is interactive and fun

Reference

Beatty, K. (2003). Teaching and Researching: Computer-assisted Language Learning. Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited.

Costanzo, W.M. (1989). The Electronic Text: Learning to Write, Read and Reason with Computers. New Jersey: Educational Technology. Inc.

Tseng, M.C. (2008). Comparing EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension Between Hypertext and Printed Text. CALL-EJ Online. Retrieved on January 11, 2010 from http://callej.org/journal/9-2/tseng.html

Underwood, J.D.M & Underwood, G. (1990). Computers and Learning. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd.

Islamization Of Knowledge

Islamization is a concept of structuring the life of human being in line with the principle of Islamic teaching. It is a process of a Muslim seeking the pleasure of Allah by practicing what is recommended in Islam. Islamization through transformation and improvement help to achieve happiness, peace and security in this life & hereafter.

Islamization of knowledge is a term which describes a variety of attempts and approaches to synthesize the ethics of Islam with various fields of modern thought. Its end product would be a new ijma’ or consensus among Muslims on an appropriate fiqh or jurisprudence and a scientific method that did not violate Islamic ethical norms. According to Imad al-Din Khalil, Islamization of knowledge means involvement in intellectual pursuits by examination, summarization, correlation and publication from the perspective of an Islamic outlook on life, man and the universe (Salisu Shehu, 2011). A Palestinian philosopher, Ismail Al-Faruqi argued that by using tools, categories, concepts and modes of analysis that originated wholly in the secular West, there was a disconnect between the ecological and social reality of Muslim nations. It leads to the total inability to respect or even notice violations of ethics of Islam itself.

The Islamization of knowledge is the foundation of Tawhidi episteme, which holds that the universe has a Creator who is One and Unique, the Originator of all things and their Provider, Observing yet Unobserved, Subtle and All-Knowing. He made revelation and the natural world principle sources of knowledge, so studying them within a framework of pure tawhid would result in the production proper, discerning, and purposeful knowledge.

Knowledge becomes imperfect or polluted due to human error and bias. For this reason, these imperfect knowledge need to be Islamized (Sa’idu Sulaiman, 2011). The Islamization of knowledge is essential so that people cannot be misled by imperfect knowledge. Many people thought the knowledge that they acquire does not require Islamization. The moment people hear the phrase “Islamization of Knowledge”, they begin to argue that knowledge is neutral or it is already Islamic, hence it does not require Islamization to it. A person who is lacking proper understanding of the concept of Islamization of knowledge can make mistake. For instance, a person who is trying to Islamize Economics may end up by economizing Islam. The task of Islamization of knowledge involves the mastery of Islamic teachings contained in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Also, it involves the mastery of discipline that want to be Islamized.

There are three basic goals in Islamization of Knowledge (Sa’idu Sulaiman, 2011).. There are: 1) to ensure that what is known or to be known does not oppose the Islamic teaching. 2) To ensure that the procedures, methodologies and means of acquiring, validating, imparting and applying knowledge are in line with Islamic teaching. 3) To ensure that the purpose of acquiring and applying knowledge does not oppose the Islamic teaching. Islam has its own guideline in which we as Muslims have to follow. But, before we implement the Islamic elements into the knowledge, we should first instill the Islamic elements in our own self. Only then we can Islamize the knowledge.

Abu Darda (one of the sahabah) reported from Prophet Muhammad s.a.w that whoever was given a share of politeness was, in fact, given a share of goodness; and whoever was deprived of a share of politeness was, in fact, deprived of goodness. It is reported by Jabir that God’s Messenger said, “The people from among you who are dear to me and will sit close to me on the Day of Judgment are those who have good manners and are POLITE. And the people among you whom I dislike and will be far removed from me on the Day of Judgment are those who are impertinent and impolite to people.”



References:

Sa’idu Sulaiman. Islamization of Knowledge: Background, Models and the Way Forward. Retrieved from World Wide Web on March 6, 2011 from http://www.i-epistemology.net/e-books/toward-islamic-anthropology/571-islamization-of-knowledge-background-models-and-the-way-forward-.html

Salisu Shehu, Islamization of Knowledge: Conceptual Background, Vision and Tasks. Retrieved from World Wide Web on March 6, 2011 from http://www.i-epistemology.net/e-books/toward-islamic-anthropology/623-islamization-of-knowledge-conceptual-background-vision-and-tasks.html

Theme of the Semester: Pragmatics

Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics which has been developed in the late 1970's. The term "pragmatics' was invented by C.W. Morris in the 1938. Pragmatics can be define as the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker or writer and later interpreted by a listener or reader. It is a study of the meanings that a sentence has in a particular context in which it is uttered. Body postures and gestures are also important in understanding meaning. Pragmatics require people to make sense of people and what they have in their mind. Some of the aspects of language studied in pragmatics are deixis, presupposition, implicature and politeness. In this, blog, we are focusing on politeness. Politeness is an interaction that can be defined as the means employed to show awareness of another person's face. In this sense, politeness can be accomplished in situations of social distance or closeness. Politeness is important in order to gain trust and respect from others. There are two types of politeness which are positive politeness and negative politeness.

Ideal Classroom Environment