ENGL 1102 Daily Work Schedule

Note: This schedule may change depending on the needs and pace of the class.

Abbreviations: IL: An Introduction to Language

EBk: E-book
Res: Articles on e-reserve or on t-square

Mon. Jan. 10
No Class – Snow day

Wed. Jan. 12
No Class Again! – Snow day

Fri. Jan.14
Introduction to course, review of syllabus, introduction of students
For HW, read the syllabus and sign the verification of syllabus completion document
Read: IL Ch. 1 What is Language? Pgs. 3-37.
EBk 2.8 The nature of language

Mon. Jan.17 MLK Day. No class.

Wed. Jan. 19
Turn in the verification of syllabus completion document
Readings discussed
We’ll work on a word puzzle in class to look at how language is ruled by grammar. You
might end up learning some Swahili!
Read: Res: Steven Pinker. 1994. The Language Instinct: Ch. 1 An Instinct to Acquire
Art.
Read: Deciphering the Chatter of Monkeys and Chimps
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/science/12monkey.html?fta=y&pagewanted=all
Read IL. Ch. 8 Language Acquisition. 324-368

Fri. Jan. 21
Blog posting due
Reading discussed
Invented languages (Klingon, Na’vi)
Excerpts from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) and from Avatar (2009)
Read: Res: Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner. 2005. Freakonomics – A Rogue
Economist explores the hidden side of everything. Ch. 6 Perfect Parenting, Part II; or
Would a Roshanda by Any Other Name Smell as Sweet? 175-207
Read: Words of the year
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/weekinreview/19sifton.html?ref=languageandlang
uages>
Read: “Junk” <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/magazine/02FOB-onlanguage-
t.html?ref=languageandlanguages>
Read: IL. Ch. 3 Morphology - the Words of Language
Mon. Jan. 24
Blog Posting Due
Library session conducted by Sherri Brown, First Year English Instruction Librarian, at
the Homer Rice classroom (2nd Floor East of the Library). We will meet there for class.
Read: What’s in a New Logo? <http://finance.yahoo.com/career-
work/article/107520/whats-in-a-new-logo.html>
Read: Abstract Thoughts? The Body Takes Them Literally
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02angier.html?pagewanted=all>
Read: Ebk 5.77 Making Oral Presentations

Wed. Jan. 26
Readings discussed
Languages and language families
Groups for photo essay assignment
Reading words and images
Visual Rhetoric
Body language
We will examine the website <https://www.adbusters.org/> to look at how images can
make powerful arguments
For Homework, go through the Ethnologue web site for background information on the
languages you want work on for your photo essay.
Read: IL Ch. 2 Brain and Language. 43-69
Read: Does your language shape how you think?
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/magazine/29language-
t.html?_r=1&sq=language&st=cse&scp=4&pagewanted=all>
Read: Ebk Ch. 6 Visual

Fri. Jan. 28
NO CLASS

Mon. Jan 31
Blog Posting due
Photo essays discussed
Using sources
Work on photo essay draft

Wed. Feb. 2
Photo essay workshop
Oral presentations discussed
Work on draft of photo essay

Fri. Feb 4
Turn in: Photo essay draft
Dry run of oral presentations
Work on final photo essay
Mon. Feb 7
Dry run of oral presentations

Wed. Feb 9
Group oral presentations

Fri. Feb 11
Group oral presentations
Final photo essays due

Mon. Feb. 14
Language variation
Film: Do you speak American?
Read: IL Ch. 10 Language and Society. 430-479.

Wed. Feb 16
Blog posting due
Readings discussed
Dialects of English
Read: EBk 2.12 Language in Context
For Homework: Think about what you want to work on for the dialect project.

Fri. Feb 18
In-class writing exercise: Write a one-page topic proposal
Individual Research papers discussed
Social variables (gender, age, occupation etc) and language use.
Read: Res: Angel Levine. Bernard Malamud (1950) The Magic Barrel. 43-56
Read: Res. Behold the Key. Bernard Malamud. (1950). The Magic Barrel. 57-83

Mon. Feb. 21
Blog Posting due
Interviews and surveys discussed
Identify participants for your survey questionnaire.

Wed. Feb 23
Workshop on Research Paper
How to identify key concepts and terms
Gathering data, protecting your sources, organizing and presenting information
effectively, bibliography
Constructing questionnaires
Read: IL Ch. 5. The Meaning of Language. 179-218
Read EBk 2.40 APA style

Fri. Feb. 25
Reading discussed
Using charts and tables
Grammar revisited – Top 20 common errors

Mon. Feb 28
Draft of Research paper due
Peer Reviews

Wed. Mar. 2
Reflections: peer reviews
Using peer comments to improve your final draft
Class discussion: Technology as a context for language use
New words; language varieties
Language and gender
Read: Is Google making us Stupid?
≤http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-
stupid/6868/>
Read: The Many Powers of Maybe
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704141104575588460082408950.html
?KEYWORDS=the+many+powers+of+maybe>

Fri. Mar. 4 (last day to drop class with a “W” grade)

Blog Posting due
Reading discussed
Constructing arguments
Language and Identity
Read: Ray Bradbury, "The Veldt" <http://www.veddma.com/veddma/Veldt.htm>
Read: Computers that can see and watch over you
<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/science/02see.html?sq=&st=nyt&scp=7&pagewan
ted=all>
Read: Websites Rein In Tracking Tools
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703957804575602730678670278.html
?KEYWORDS=tracking+tools>
Watch: Digital Fingerprinting
<http://online.wsj.com/video/what-they-know-your-digital-fingerprint/49B4A220-88A5-
4F53-BA89-20BBB0A83CB2.html?KEYWORDS=tracking+tools>

Mon. Mar. 7
Blog Posting due
Readings discussed
Film: Digital Nation
<http://video.pbs.org/video/1402987791/>
Read: IL Ch. 9. Language Processing: Humans and Computers. 375-421

Wed. Mar 9
Language and Social networks
Read: Your Blackberry or Your Wife
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576073801833991620.html
?mod=WSJ_newsreel_lifeStyle>
Read: How to Sell on You Tube, Without Showing a Video
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704654004575517673165122024.html
?KEYWORDS=Dennis+Nishi>
Read: Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys To Sign Off Twitter For Charity
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/28/lady-gaga-alicia-keys-to-_n_788864.html>

Fri. Mar. 11
Blog Posting due
Drafts returned and discussed
Work on Final drafts

Mon. Mar. 14
Language and Identity
African-American English
Read: Res. Tan, Amy.1996. Mother Tongue. In Wong, Shawn (ed.) Asian American
Literature – a brief introduction and anthology. The Longman Literary Mosaic Series,
New York.
Read: Better to Use a Translator for Calls and E-Mails
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/business/global/21iht-
busnav21.html?ref=languageandlanguages>

Wed. Mar 16
Blog posting due
Readings discussed
“This I believe” essays discussed

Fri. Mar. 18
Final drafts due
Reflections
Work on Audio essays

Mon. Mar. 21
Spring Break. No class.

Wed. Mar 23
Spring Break. No class.

Fri. Mar 25
Spring Break. No class.

Mon. Mar 28
Social networks and alienation
Read: Beyond facebook
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704635704575604353719548676.html
?KEYWORDS=beyond+facebook>
Read: Video games – why we can’t stop playing
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703945904575644940111605862.html
?KEYWORDS=why+we+can%27t+stop+playing>
Read: Hafner, Katie. 2009. To Deal With Obsession, Some Defriend Facebook. The New
York Times. December 20, 2009
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/technology/internet/21facebook.html?_r=1>
Read: Hesse, Monica. 2007. An Unmanageable Circle of Friends, Washington Post.
August 26, 2007<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/08/24/AR2007082400481.html>

Wed. Mar 30
“This I believe” sound files due
Presentations
Readings discussed
Bilingualism and Multilingualism
Speaking two or more languages
We will watch clips of codeswitching in films and talk about the implications of having a
multi-language repertoire
Read: IL Ch. 11, Language Change: The Syllables of Time.488-532.

Fri. Apr. 1
Blog posting due
Reading discussed
Endangered Languages
The dominance of English

Mon. Apr. 4
Web projects and presentations discussed
Portfolios discussed
Using images and videos

Wed. Apr. 6
Writing for the web
Using sources and web templates

Fri. Apr. 8
Reading discussed
What makes an effective web site?
Oral Presentations revisited

Mon. Apr. 11
Out of class conferences
Wed. Apr. 13
Out of class conferences

Fri. Apr. 15
Out of class conferences

Mon. Apr. 18
Out of class conferences

Wed. Apr. 20
Website presentations

Fri. Apr. 22
Website presentations

Mon. Apr. 25
Website presentations

Wed. Apr. 27
Website presentations

Fri. Apr.29 Last class day

Portfolios due
Portfolio reflections