UNIT 3

Language and Communication

 WARM UP
 What languages do you know, and in which
situations do you speak them? When do you
speak formally and when informally?
 What are your views about English as a
global language?
 How often and in what ways do you rely on
technology for your communication?
 PREVIEW THE ARTICLE
Once your have identified whether the text is informational
or literary, you should skim the article for text features.
1. Judging from how the text looks, where would you find
this article?
2. Are there any pictures? If so, what do the pictures tell
you about the article?
3. Look at the title, this is the shortest possible summary of
the text.
WITH YOUR GROUP...GIVE SYNONYMS
FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS
1. Exposed
2. Essential
3. Unprecedented
4. Universal
5. Pondering
WITH YOUR GROUP...GIVE SYNONYMS
FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS

1. Decay
2. Epigrams
3. Prophesied
4. Ambiguous
5. surging
WORK WITH A PARTNER. HOW DO THE FOLLOWING
DEVICES ADD MEANING TO THE TEXT?

 Statistics

 Examples

 Idioms (underlined)
CONSIDER THE CONTENT OF TEXT 3A
WITH A PARTNER.
1. Summarize in ONE sentence the
viewpoint of the writer on the subject
of communication technology
WITH A PARTNER…

 Identify arguments being used in

Text 3A and list them
WITH A PARTNER….

 Give the counter argument for as

many of the items in your list as you
can
LANGUAGE IS
FOREVER CHANGING
WORK WITH YOUR GROUP TO FIND A
SYNONYM FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
WORDS
1. Replicated
2. Pragmatic
3. Fundamental
4. Distinctions
5. Rationalizing
Then give each word its part of
speech
WORK WITH YOUR GROUP TO FIND A SYNONYM
FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS

1. Eluded
2. Accelerating
3. Minimal
4. Ultimately
5. innovation
1. Explain in your own words the five
underlined phrases in the passage

2. Comment on the effect of their use in

the passage.
1. Identify the idea expressed in the
passage and list them in your own
words.
 TIP FOR WRITING A LETTER TO A
NEWSPAPER
Letters are written to newspapers to comment on, and usually to
disagree with, something published in them. They should be in formal
style appropriate for publication. The standard format is three
paragraphs:
1. Refer to the article you are responding to, describe its viewpoint, and
say who you are and why you have a view on the subject.
2. Say what you disagree with about the article and why, giving details,
examples and counter-arguments.
3. Conclude your arugment with a strong overview point, comment on
the damage caused by the other view, or predict hot the situation
may get worse if not dealt with..
4. Begin you letter ‘Dear Editor…”
VIEWPOINT OF THE AUTHOR

The writer argues that English is

always changing/constantly evolving
 IDEAS EXPRESSED IN THE PASSAGE
1. Correctness is not always agreed upon
2. Rule books
3. .
4. .
5. .
6. .
IDEAS EXPRESSED IN THE PASSAGE
 Correctness is not always agreed upon
 Rule books cannot keep up with language change
 Words will change as necessary or new ones will be
introduced
 English spelling should become logical to fall into
line with other European languages
 Technology is simplifying written messages (THX,
F2F)
 New forms should be accepted into informal
English
ON YOUR OWN….

Write a letter to the editor of the

newspaper which published the articles,
arguing against the idea presented in it.
 EXCHANGE WITH A PARTNER
Read the letter to yourself silently

a. Does the author refer the article?

b. Does the author summarize the article’s viewpoint?
c. Does the author introduce himself/herself?
d. Does the author say what they disagree with?
e. Does the author give reasons why they disagree?
f. Does the author explain why this disagreement is important?
g. Is the text in proper letter format with ‘Dear Editor’ at the top?
h. Is the letter mostly free of spelling and grammatical errors?
LANGUAGES ARE
DYING OUT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
9vg6Qs1zeq8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
jeGiMSbgGQY
With your
partner……

Substitute each
use of the word
‘said’ in Text 3C SAID
with a more
specific verb
INDIVIDUALLY

 Write a short explanation, to share with

the class, of how you know this passage
is informative and not discursive or
argumentative.
 HOT SPOTS
Some words are more challenging 6. Extinction
than others to spell.
Look closely at the ‘hot spots’ in the 7. Professor
following words from text 3C 8. Indigenous
1. Irreplaceable 9. Absolutely
2. Exceeds 10. Tongues
3. Disappear
4. Environment
5. Successfully
Now write them from
memory…..
 POP-UPS
 From now on, when you do you pop ups, please identify the
‘hot spot’ for every new word you put in your journal.

EXAMPLE:
1. The distant army continued on their convergent path with hers.
Definition Guess: to head towards
Actual Definition: coming closer together
Connotation: This word does a good job of showing the path the
opposing army is take. Also, alliteration.
HOT SPOT: conVERGent
9-YEAR-OLD BLOGGER
DEMONSTRATES KID POWER
COMPREHENSION CHECK

 Write one sentence to explain the

cause that the writer of Text 3D is
fighting
EXAMINING LANGUAGE

Look for evidence that this article has

been written by a child in the choice
of:
1. Vocabulary
2. Style and sentence structure
 THE VERB TO GET
This is a multi-purpose verb which is often
used in colloquial and spoken English in place
of a range of other verbs. Here it is used by a
9-year-old child, and you can also expect to
find it in informal writing, such as blogs. It
should be avoided in formal writing, where
maturity is shown by the sue of more varied,
polysyllabic and precise vocabulary.
With your partner….

Look at the five uses of the

verb ‘get’ in the passage.
‘Get’ has been used
differently each time.
GOT
Demonstrate your knowledge
of how each ‘get’ is used by
replacing it with a more
precise verb.
 HOW EFFECTIVE IS THIS BLOG?

Write down a list to contribute to a class discussion

on what makes this article appealing and effective as
a piece of discursive writing.

* Discursive writing aims to inform AND also entertain. It

presents a range of views without arguing for any particular
one. The style is lively, relaxed, and sometimes humorous.
Unlike pure informative writing, the first person can be used
in places, and the writer may give their own opinion at the end
 WRITE YOUR OWN BLOG!
a. With your group create a list of injustices that
directly affect you as a teenager or student.
b. Choose a cause to start a blog about, and decide
on a name for it.
c. Write the first blog post of about a half of a page
and read it to the class.
WHALE TALK
 DISCOURSE MARKERS
The initial word or phrase in a sentence can signal whether the
argument is continuing in the same direction or switching to present
the opposite viewpoint. These transitional words and phrases give
cohesion to the piece and are necessary for enabling the reader to
follow the progression of the argument. A variety of these sentence
sentence and paragraph links should be used in argumentative writing,
always followed by a comma.

EXAMPLES – furthermore, what is more, more over consequently, in addition,

therefore, similarly, as a result, at the same time, besides, for this reason, likewise,
however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, yet, whereas, on the contrary,
conversely, instead, even so
 WITH YOUR PARTNER….

On a copy of Text 3E, put linking

discourse markers in the ten spaces to
connect the following sentences logically
with the previous one.
GIVE A SYNONYM FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS

1. Quizzical 6. Vicinity
2. Emit 7. Emulating
3. Standard 8. Establishing
4. Feat 9. Vocal
5. Deviate 10.indication
“They can emit an array of sounds, including
cackles, moos, whistles, trills, and squawks.”

What is the name of the figure of speech for

the five nouns in italics in this sentence?