Mark Twain celebrated in Google doodle

Google celebrates Mark Twain's 176th birthday today with its latest doodle, which depicts a famous scene from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
The full-width illustration greeting web users logging on to the search engine portrays an episode in the novel in which the protagonist is made to whitewash a fence. Resembling a drawing from a children's story book, the picture appears to show Tom and his friend Ben at various stages of the paintwork job, with the 'e' and half the 'l' of "Google" subjected to their brush.

Teaching in the 21st century

Creativity and time pressure

Bring chaos theory to English language teaching

Maurice Claypole

Guardian Weekly, Tuesday 5 July 2011 14.00 BST

Fractal inspiration ... by using language we change it. Photograph: Stocktrek/Corbis

A van pulls into a UK service area sporting in foot-high letters the query, "Does my broadband look big in this?" Nearby, McDonald's announces to the world: "I'm lovin' it." To the learner of English, often brought up on a diet of grammar rules and comfortably defined meanings, such instances of language use, while commonplace, often seem to defy analysis.

In particular, it is pointless to debate whether the hamburger slogan represents correct use of a stative verb. If the rule does not match such widespread usage, it is the rule, not the example, that has to go.

But why are grammar rules so elusive? Why do so many items of vocabulary seem to defy the attempts of lexicographers to tie them down to anything other than a vaguely defined core meaning? Why does the socio-cultural context of today exert such a powerful influence on the received meaning of tomorrow?

The answer lies in the dynamic nature of language itself and in the complex network of ever-changing patterns that are constantly being expanded and reformed through an ongoing process of interaction, iteration and feedback.

Sometimes a simple phrase can, through a process of quasi-repetition, spread from its initial roots to spark off a new generation of inferences. Thus, the example cited above is being used by a British telecoms provider to capitalise on a popular catch-phrase from a 1990s comedy series in which the question, "Does my bum look big in this?" is repeated in a variety of humorous situations.

Learners and teachers generally favour practical solutions to language problems in the form of easy-to-follow guidelines and clear categories that serve to package language structures and utterances for easy consumption. But there are times when we can benefit from taking a broader view by considering the language we use in the context of other, more rigorous, scientific disciplines.

One view of the world in particular embraces a wealth of perceptions that extend from the beauty of a rose to the violence of lightning, from the magnificence of the fjords to the mysteries of the macrocosm; science, nature and art coalesce in the fantastic world of fractal forms.

A fractal is essentially a mathematical construct – a formula, if you like – but unlike the Euclidean geometry of perfect circles and triangles, fractals are forms that are present in nature and that embody the key features of self-organisation, self-similarity and dynamism.

Human language shares these traits; like the weather, it changes in a dynamic way as seemingly insignificant factors are fed back into a loop of cause and effect in which the magnitude of the outcome bears no relation to that of the input values, a phenomenon which frequently produces unexpected results, the so-called butterfly effect of chaos theory.

For this reason the dynamic nature of the English language does not properly lend itself to static analysis; it is not governed by simple rules but driven by an ongoing, iterative process of self-referential contextualisation. In other words, English usage obeys a set of "laws", but these are complex in nature and often defy prediction.

The paradigm used in the fractal approach to ELT concentrates on creative output rather than on a fixed initial state of the language. Since the model is rooted outside any notion of formal language structure, it may be counterintuitive to many language teachers, but also opens up new possibilities by placing more emphasis on non-verbal contributors to meaning, acknowledging more grey areas of acceptability, stressing the fleeting nature of the spoken language and allowing the teacher to use material that may previously have been disregarded since it did not conform to a previously perceived pattern.

Each time a word or expression is used, it acquires a new valence as a result of external factors such as the context in which it was uttered, the intention of the speaker and the medium in which it occurred. By declaring "war on terror", George W Bush had already redefined the notion of "war", and by similarly declaring a cyber attack to be an "act of war", the Obama administration has recently extended this notion still further – or more accurately, has provided an additional instance variable within the mathematical boundaries of the set of meanings attributable to the term "war".

This phenomenon applies to every use of the language and is the generating force behind all forms of peer group discourse, from rhyming slang and Hinglish to financial jargon, political obfuscation and Twitterese. The dynamic model recognises that by using the language we change it. Once you have used or encountered a word or a phrase in a new context, it takes on associations and meanings it did not have before. Such instances of linguistic iteration frequently fall outside the scope of regular language lessons and yet the patterns they reveal are as commonplace as they are complex.

For teachers, it is important to resist the temptation to dumb down or sanitise the language in order to teach it. If a received grammar rule or text-book explanation fails a harsh reality check, then it is time to throw it out, but by contrast, educators should be wary of discarding real-life material by characterising it as "slang", "regional", "jargon", or similar and instead seek to emphasise the effect that context has on meaning and introduce new material from a wide range of sources, even if they appear to conflict with one another.

Above all, the fractal approach favours a goal-oriented method of teaching combined with a holistic view of language acquisition. It encourages students to explore new paths and expand their language skills by discovering new aspects of English through pattern recognition rather than static language acquisition. The objective is not to tame the chaos of language but to encourage learners to appreciate the dynamic qualities inherent in its use.

Rather than being alienated by new instances of self-referential language in practice, students, too, should be lovin' it.

Maurice Claypole is pedagogical director of LinguaServe and author of The Fractal Approach to Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Source

Mary Blair

Mary Blair (October 21, 1911 - July 26, 1978), born Mary Robinson, was an American artist who was prominent in producing art and animation for The Walt Disney Company, drawing concept art for such films as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella. Blair also created character designs for enduring attractions such as Disneyland's It's a Small World, the fiesta scene in El Rio del Tiempo in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, and an enormous mosaic inside Disney's Contemporary Resort. Several of her illustrated children's books from the 1950s remain in print, such as I Can Fly by Ruth Krauss. Blair was honored as a Disney Legend in 1991.

Source: Wikipedia



How students wake up in the morning

Time management

100 years / Style / London

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the European Day of Languages with us!

At the initiative of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001 on 26 September.

Throughout Europe, 800 million Europeans represented in the Council of Europe's 47 member states are encouraged to learn more languages, at any age, in and out of school. Being convinced that linguistic diversity is a tool for achieving greater intercultural understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent, the Council of Europe promotes plurilingualism in the whole of Europe.

Learn more about this, click here.

For some language fun, click here.

Self-evaluate your language skills here!

The truth about what motivates us, Dan Pink

Dan Pink has a new book – Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us – that may help people rethink the entire notion of the carrot and stick approach to motivating and rewarding employees. Seems that autonomy is a much greater motivator than we understand.

TED Ideas worth spreading

The pictures. The quotes. The controversies. The big new ideas.

Watch more here.



The story of stuff

With over 12 million on-line views, The Story of Stuff is one of the most widely viewed environmental-themed short films of all time. Since its release in December 2007, The Story of Stuff has been shown in thousands of schools, houses of worship, community events and businesses around the world.



The story of electronics


To watch more, click here.

RSA Animate (selection)

300 Years of FOSSIL FUELS in 300 Seconds



Smile or Die



Language as a Window into Human Nature

Stereomood

behind every song there's always an emotion.
 we don't know why but maybe that's why we love music.
so we've created a way to suggest songs that follow your feelings:
stereomood is the emotional internet radio, providing music that best suits your mood and your activities.

listen to the music that best suits your mood or your activity here.

Ardora 5 - creation of school activities for the web

Ardora 5

Creation of school activities for the web

Ardora is a computer application that allows all the teachers to create their own activities in html format, in order to be used by the students in a very simple way.
With Ardora, you will be able to create more than 45 different kinds of interactive activities, crosswords, word searches, fill in the gaps, graphical panels, clocks ... as well as ten different kinds of multimedia activities including: photo galleries, panoramic views or image zooms, mp3 or flv players, etc.
So, the teacher should only focus on the activity elements and not on the computing process.
Once you have inserted the activity elements, with the help of very simple forms, Ardora will create the website and the file which contains the activity. Then, you will only need a browser to view and carry out the designed exercise.

You can find a wide variety of activities created with Ardora here.

Download Ardora here.

If you need some help, click here.

Dear 16-year-old Me!

A Poesia saiu à rua

No passado dia 7 de Maio, pelas 16 horas, a poesia saiu à rua, pelas mãos da Criamar, e encheu o Largo da Capela do Corpo Santo de um perfume juvenil inebriante. Deu-se voz aos jovens que declamaram os seus textos, revelando uma maturidade poética surpreendente. Quem por lá passou, sentiu esta brisa arrebatadora de quem escreve com o coração.

A Tribute to Trees (backstage)

A Tribute to Trees - Theatre

A Tribute to Trees - Poetry

A Tribute to Trees - Music, Poetry & Dance

A Tribute to Trees - Exhibition

PhotoScape

PhotoScape é um software de edição de imagem, leve, muito simples e gratuito. O programa permite a edição individual ou em massa de imagens, impressão, visualização, conversão, combinação e até mesmo criação de gifs animados, para além de muitas outras funcionalidades.

Vídeo de apresentação:

Download Photoscape aqui.

One year in 2 minutes

 A true timelapse made from more than 3500 high resolution images shot from the same spot during all of 2010.

Music by Magnus Gangstad (http://thephilterlounge.com/).

Download the video and learn how it was made here: http://eirikso.com/2011/01/05/one-year-in-2-minutes/

eHow - How to do just about everything!

eHow now has over 150,000 How to videos!
These video tutorials will provide you with even more ways to research, share and discuss all things How To.

Dr Donald Silva at ESFF

"Why English?" was the title of the address performed by Dr. J. Donald Silva at ESFF, on January 18th.

Dr. J. Donald Silva is Professor Emeritus at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, where he taught English for 42 years.

He is the author of A Bibliography (works in English) on the Madeira Islands. Durham, N.H.: Essays in Portuguese Studies, Number 5, 1978, and "With Columbus in Madeira." Portuguese Studies Review (Durham, NH), vol. 1, number 1 (Spring-Summer 1991).

Prof. Silva's newest publication is titled "Black Kestrel" and is sold by amazon.com.

He often visits Madeira where his family has lived since the 15th century.

Prof. Silva is also a writer, poet, mountain climber, swimmer and gardener. He is a stone cutter and stone mason.

On behalf of the school board, the staff and the sutdents, we thank you, Professor, for sharing with us your experience and knowledge.

It was a pleasure and an honour to have you here with us.

Acordo ortográfico aplicados nas escolas em 2011/2012

O Acordo Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa será aplicado no sistema educativo e nas escolas portuguesas, em todas as disciplinas de todos os anos de escolaridade, a partir do início do ano lectivo de 2011/2012, em Setembro de 2011.

Os manuais escolares utilizarão progressivamente a nova ortografia, seguindo o ritmo das novas adopções ou quando um manual já adoptado tenha de ser reimpresso durante o seu período de vigência. Assim, os novos manuais a adoptar para 2011/2012 já estarão de acordo com a nova ortografia, que, até 2014, será utilizada em todos os novos manuais adoptados.

Durante o segundo período do presente ano lectivo, estarão acessíveis em linha, para todos os professores, informações úteis sobre o uso da nova ortografia e sugestões para a sua aplicação em sala de aula. Serão, ainda, disponibilizados materiais e instrumentos para o esclarecimento de dúvidas.

Os exames nacionais e as provas de aferição serão, nesta matéria, objecto de orientações do Gabinete de Avaliação Educacional (GAVE), em devido tempo.

No Portal da Língua Portuguesa, podem ser encontrados recursos auxiliares para a aplicação do acordo ortográfico. Em particular, neste portal encontram-se disponíveis o Vocabulário Ortográfico do Português e o Conversor Lince, que foram oficialmente adoptados pelo Governo.

O texto da Resolução da Assembleia da República n.º 26/91, de 4 de Junho de 1991 e publicado no Diário da República, I Série A, de 23/08/91, contém não só as 21 bases do Acordo Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa, como também a explicação das alterações de estrutura e de conteúdo deste acordo em relação aos anteriores.

Criação de bolsa de classificadores dos exames nacionais

Despacho nº1860/2010, de 3 de Dezembro

Estabelece as regras de apresentação das propostas de docentes para o exercício da função de professores classificadores dos exames nacionais dos ensinos básico e secundário.

Resumo do Despacho

Informações de Exame 2010 - 2011

Informações relativas aos exames nacionais do ensino secundário referentes ao ano lectivo de 2010/2011

Inglês

Prova 550 - Continuação Bienal
(10º e 11º ano - DL nº74/2004)



Alemão

Prova 501 - Iniciação Bienal
(10º e 11º ano - DL nº74/2004)

Prova 801 - Continuação Bienal
(10º e 11º ano - DL nº74/2004)

Digital storytelling

Digital stories: some examples

We tell stories. Six authors. Six stories. Six weeks.

If I love you

Love stories around the globe.

Take a walk in my shoes

IV Simpósio John dos Passos - 14 Janeiro 2011

JOHN DOS PASSOS FACTOS E FICÇÃO

FACTS AND FICTION IN JOHN DOS PASSOS

IV SIMPÓSIO / IV SYMPOSIUM

14 DE JANEIRO DE 2011

JANUARY 14, 2011

CENTRO CULTURAL JOHN DOS PASSOS

AUDITÓRIO / AUDITORIUM

Rua Príncipe D. Luís, 3 – Ponta do Sol

PROGRAMA / PROGRAM

9h30 – Sessão de Abertura / Opening Session
10h00 – 11h00 Conferência / Keynote Lecture
« Facts in John Dos Passos’ fiction » Maria do Céu Marques (UA / CEAUL, Lisboa)
11h00 – 11h15 Intervalo / Coffee-break
11h15 – 11h35 «Notes on aesthetic reinvention of an idiom – John Dos Passos and Modernist ruptures» Mário Avelar (UA/ CEAUL, Lisboa)
11h35 – 11h55 «John Dos Passos: What a Waste!» Graça Valério (APEL, Madeira)
11h55 – 12h15 «From Manhattan Transfer to Gaga Delusion » Ana Kauppila (CEHA, Madeira)
12h15 – 13h00 Debate / Debate
Moderador / Chair : J. Donald Silva (New Hampshire, USA)
13h00 – 14h30 Intervalo para almoço / Lunch-break
14h30 – 15h30 Conferência / Keynote Lecture
«Tide and Current in the Art of Dos Passos» J. Donald Silva, (New Hampshire, USA)
15h30 – 15h45 Intervalo / Coffee-break
15h45 – 16h05 «John Dos Passos on the Color Line » Miguel Oliveira
16h05 – 16h25 «Visions in the American mosaic: immigration and multiculturalism in Manhattan Transfer» Luísa Feneja (ISLA, Lisboa )
16h25 – 16h45 «John Dos Passos’ Three Soldiers: Facts and Fiction about the American Way of War» Isabel Oliveira Martins (FCSH-UNL/ CEAUL, Lisboa)
16h45 – 17h30 Debate / Debate
Moderador / Chair : Maria do Céu Marques (UA/ CEAUL, Lisboa)
17h45 – Lançamento do livro / Book Launch : John Dos Passos: Biography and Critical Essays
Editado por / Edited by Maria Zina Gonçalves de Abreu e
and Bernardo Guido de Vasconcelos
Apresentado por / Presented by Dominique Costa (Universidade da Madeira)
20h00 – Jantar para convidados / Dinner for guests

Celebrating Christmas (ESFF)