tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87782182014676344402023-11-15T08:17:38.296-08:00bookdrunkblogBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-83661249978558193092019-03-28T08:08:00.001-07:002019-03-28T08:11:13.968-07:00Becoming a writer requires hard work<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are a lot of
people that decides to become a writer with the <a href="https://philosophyterms.com/">philosophy</a> that an artist must pours
his soul into a piece of paper and does not pay a lot of attention to the commercial
aspects of writing. There is some truth in this, as, in the end, writing a
novel is a creative act and the ability to transmit our essence to the pages is
what will make it honest and enhance its literary quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">However, writing
fiction is a business; writers create stories for readers to read, and there
are all sorts of intermediaries between the writer and the reader, which
encompass the publishing industry: agents, editors, publishers, distributors,
book-sellers, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In order to be
successful in the literary fiction market you need to be a part of this
industry, and even when creating a product that readers want to read depends on
your artistic side, getting it known within the editorial market directly
concerns with your professional approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This means to be
organized and efficient in your writing routines (delivery of the product needs
to be guaranteed). You also need to be responsible and pay attention in your
meetings with agents and publishers, setting aside your creative side to make
room for the business side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This does not mean to
“sell yourself to marketing”, but to establish a basis of responsibility as a
professional that will encourage others to invest in your project and will keep
your writing career spinning, feeding of money and respect. This is the job we
have chosen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The background also
helps, that is why we need to have the tools to become a professional writer at
hand. It is impossible to think of a carpenter without a hammer; that would give
a clear impression of what kind of professional he is.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Managing our time also
leads us to become professional.</span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Give it some time:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we know, becoming a
writer takes time. You cannot reach the objective with less time that it takes
to walk the path; there are no shortcuts. That is why it is good to focus as experienced
workers do, in small tasks, one at a time, doing them in the best possible way,
without worrying how long they will take. This is the best way to make the
process faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Quality time:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This refers to making
the best of your writing sessions. By applying writing techniques, overcoming
blockings, applying to detail resolution, you will unintentionally reach the
goal in less time while enjoying the ride. You need to write intelligently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Becoming a writer
requires creativity.</span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is time to discuss
the third aspect (perhaps the most important one) that will help us sustain as
writers: creativity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The good news is that
we all have some creativity and, if we take this as a basis, that creativity
can be developed, amplified, strengthen, with different exercises, generating a
constant flow of ideas to which professionalism will need to give form, without
letting motivation fade, during the whole process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The creativity we all
have when we are children, that one which allows us to spend hours with a group
of trees turned into an enchanted forest, or on some cardboard boxes that are
to be our spaceship, grows rigid, and we tend to lose it while growing up, due
to the false believe that it goes against seriousness and responsibility. This
is false. You can be responsible and creative at the same time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you want to become
a successful novel writer, it is key to learn to make the most of your
creativity. Creativity will not only allow you to write much better, but it
will also help you enjoy the writing process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Inspiration, our
writing muse, is derived from creativity, from that right hemisphere of our
brain where imagination and emotions reside. Nevertheless, it is not possible
to wait sitting for our muse to come to us, we need to wake it and call it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Picasso said “I do not
believe in muses, but in case they come down, I would rather they find me
working”; and there are many creativity exercises that can be useful at
different times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A great grey cloud in
our creative sky is the dreaded “writers blocking”. Do not be scared, there are
many ways to overcome it and get on with our task until we complete our novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now stop for a while
and take the necessary time to absorb all the advice on this article. I know
you are anxious to embark on this new adventure to become a writer, but you
need to understand that writing is a career by itself, not a sprint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Taking the time to get
ready before starting, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can save you a
lot of time later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-30571399096531680022015-10-10T17:06:00.000-07:002015-10-10T17:06:00.126-07:00Essays’ characteristics<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Free structure </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">•Synthetic and
relatively brief <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">•A variety of themes <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">•Careful and elegant
style <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">•Diverse tones,
corresponding to the way in which the author sees and interprets the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">•The tone can be deep,
poetic and didactic, satirical, etc. There’s amenity in the exposition, which
stands out above its systematic rigor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s classified by:
Personal character essays, where the writer talks about himself and gives his
opinions about events, using a light and natural style. Another, more ambitious
or extensive and with formal character or closer to scientific work, but always
taking interest in the author’s point of view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">True essayists have to
have perfect control of the subject, and a nice dose of general culture in
order expand upon an artistic subject, and they need to have musical motivation
expressed through rich and varied tonal relationships. The essay is a brilliant
game in the world of ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-25968582551476129072015-10-06T17:18:00.000-07:002015-10-06T17:18:00.216-07:00Exercises for reading comprehension: three steps for 50% more efficiency in a week<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In
this article, I will explain what you need to do to increase your reading
comprehension by 50% in just a week, so that you can study for your exams or
read your books of interest taking full advantage of the time you have available.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Once
and for all, you will eliminate the frustration you used to experience when the
day of the exam came, and you felt that you don’t remember anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Scientific
studies have shown that if you do something regularly, your brain will include
those things in your subconscious, which will allow you to create a reading
habit. By practicing things constantly, you will see that, with each passing
day, you will do them better and better. This is totally true. It worked for
me, and it might as well work with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I
started by asking one of my literature teachers for a piece of advice, and here
is what she told me: “If you want to learn how to study and understand what you
are reading, you need to get your brain used to the process of studying”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">!<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Every day, you
will dedicate half an hour to reading, and once you finish the daily half-hour,
you will write a personal commentary, using your own words, about what you have
read. Write no more than five lines. This will exercise your brain even more,
and will force it to remember what you read, and then transpose in onto a sheet
of paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">!<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Then, formulate a
conclusion based on the things you already knew about that topic and write it
down. Make the connection between what you read and your personal experiences,
and see how relevant the text that you read is. Write your opinion about it.
This step is essential for a real understanding of the text. So far, your brain
has worked three times as much as usual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">!<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember that the
brain is a muscle, and like any muscle, it requires exercising to keep it from
atrophying. The steps above are the ideal activities for exercising your brain
and slowly acquiring a better reading comprehension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-54488191168607361932015-10-05T17:08:00.000-07:002015-10-05T17:08:00.121-07:00Things to be aware of when writing an essay <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• Writing essays means
checking. Using this genre, the author checks what he thinks, and manifests it
in an informal manner, making it almost like a written conversation between
himself and the reader, with the complicity of pen and paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• The essay is an open
construction, and it’s known for being supported by the author’s point of view;
it implies a responsibility to expose their own ideas and opinions, backing
them with the compromise of their personal signature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• It’s a subjective
genre, and can even be partial. Usually, the author’s purpose is to persuade
the reader of his particular views.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• It’s a free form and
rebels against all rules. It makes space for doubts, commentary and even
anecdotes and experiences of whoever is writing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• In the essay, the
author is not trying to exhaust the subject, but rather to expose his thoughts.
It’s a reflection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• The author writes
about something familiar to him, something that’s already part of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">• The essay
encompasses all of these alternatives, but also demands rigor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-43801560253188079002015-10-04T17:27:00.000-07:002015-10-04T17:27:00.612-07:00Book review in Literature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xw9Au9OoN88/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xw9Au9OoN88?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-15116579747127856122015-10-04T17:24:00.000-07:002015-10-04T17:24:00.212-07:00How to properly read a book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
And how to take care of books:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-1444982401923146692015-10-03T17:19:00.003-07:002015-10-03T17:19:51.975-07:00Exercise your brain by reading more<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">What
if you take action once and for all and you decide to exercise your brain now! If
you don’t do it now, you may forget about it and lose your opportunity to
increase your reading comprehension by 50% in just one week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If
you really want to end your frustrations, think no more: finish reading this
article and get to read what you like. Always do this from today on. These 3
steps won’t take you more than 50 minutes. I advise you to make a daily
schedule that allows you to complete these steps every day in the morning,
because this is the moment when the brain is more fresh and ready to receive
information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Half an hour of reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Synthesis and explanation in your own
words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-36158864939451071392015-10-03T17:18:00.004-07:002015-10-03T17:18:36.610-07:00Reading is a process that implies a series of steps<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The steps are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Perception<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Comprehension<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Interpretation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Reaction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Integration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Perception</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> is the first step. It involves recognizing the
graphical symbols, using any technique – composition, structural analysis, background,
etc. The perception must be quick, precise, extensive and rhythmic. This means
that during the stage of perception, our eyes must be able to perceive a word
or phrase in just a split of a second, our mind must catch its meaning, at the
same time guarding the precision and security of reading, despite the speed.
For this, you must take full advantage of the visual capacity of your eyes. On
a single glance, you must read three or four words; this involves a focused and
alert psychical activity. The activities in this stage are predominantly motor,
and they mostly involve the senses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Comprehension</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> is the stage when you recognize the meaning that the
author assigned to his text. It requires the ability to understand the message,
or the ideas behind the graphic symbols, in the light of past experiences or
creating a mental image according to the idea evoked by the message. According
to studies made on cognitive processes, this is a very complex cognitive activity,
as this stage can comprise a simple codification, up to the elaboration of a
synthesis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Interpretation</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: interpreting something means assigning it a meaning.
During the interpretative function, the reader is introduced into another
personality, taking the place of the lyrical voice. Through interpretation, we
get to know the author’s thoughts and feeling, that the reader can agree with,
or not. Or they can simply serve for informative purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Reaction</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: during this stage, the reader displays an attitude
of acceptance or rejection of the ideas expressed by the author. This is the
result of the similarity (or contrast) between the meaning assigned by the
author and the reader’s previous knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Integration</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: the reader decides the value of the ideas that are
expressed; that is, he takes and adds them to his flow of personal experiences,
if he considers they are worthy. If reading is done orally, we must add the
following steps: emission of sounds, hearing and self-control in regard to the
string of sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-56350086869903109932015-10-03T17:17:00.006-07:002015-10-03T17:17:49.162-07:00SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE YOUR READING<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Address any visual problem
that might appear.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Choose a properly lit place
where to read.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Sit properly but
comfortably while reading.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Hold the book at around 30
to 40 cm (11 to 16 inches) from your eyes.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">When reading silently,
don’t move your lips and don’t repeat the words in your mind.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Don’t move your head side
to side.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Don’t follow the line with
your finger or another object – they won’t help, they’ll just distract you.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Move your eyes from one group
of words to another, not from word to word, and don’t repeat lines.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Try to understand what you
read, as this stimulates permanent learning.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Make the connection between
the topic you are studying and other lessons.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Practice what you have
learnt (overlearning).</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Try to find applications
for what you have learnt; abstract as the topic might be, it can prove useful
in everyday problems.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Think about the text and
ask yourself questions in regard to it; it’s unacceptable to simply agree to
everything the author says.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Draw the right conclusions. </span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-91832340232915473242015-10-03T17:16:00.002-07:002015-10-03T17:16:46.042-07:00OPTIMIZATION OF READING<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Usually, older students don’t read a text properly,
but immediately try to reproduce its form mechanically, giving the feeling that
they want to finish as quickly as possible – in other words, they read for the
sake of reading. Actually, reading implies concentrating your personal
resources in learning and retaining data, making connections and using
techniques, aiming to master new knowledge. Most teachers agree that there is a
relation between the students who can’t read appropriately and those who fail;
therefore, if students lack healthy reading habits, it’s important to start
acquiring them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In the following, we will present a method proven
to be efficient for reading comprehension. This method was developed by Thomas
Staton, who named it PQRST (preview, question, read, state and test).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">STEPS IN READING – PRACTICAL EXERCISES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Preview</b> –
consists in superficially glancing through the material you need to read,
localizing the essential aspects or ideas of the text, taking a look at the
index, the introduction, the headers, the graphics and the abstract. It
shouldn’t take you more than 5 minutes to revise a chapter. This helps you form
an idea about what you are going to read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Question</b> –
implies asking yourself – and answering – questions regarding the text before
starting to read, so that later you can compare your answers to those offered
by the author. This way, you are practicing your imagination and critical
thinking. Some of these questions could be: What do the titles and headers
suggest? What do I know about this topic? What am I interested in? What does
the author want to say? What do I need to know after I have finished reading?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Read</b> – after
formulating and answering your own questions, you’ll find that the text seems
more familiar and easier to understand. This is the moment when you actually
start reading, always careful about the intonation, punctuation and spelling of
the terms. Pay attention to the words, phrases and sentences that the author
stresses out, and mark the relevant information using a yellow highlighter or
by underlining it – do this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">after</i>
having read a paragraph, not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">while</i>
you are reading it. It is also advisable to write notes on the margins of the
text, but only if the book is your own. If you don’t understand the meaning of
a word, look it up in the dictionary. It’s good to make synoptic charts and
summaries, formulate questions and conclusions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">State</b> – this
implies closing the book and presenting, with your own words, what the author
said, so that you can see how much you understood and what you need to read
again. Studies show that if you repeat a piece of information after having read
it, you’re more likely to remember it, provided you clearly understood what you
have read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Test</b> – consists
in studying in advance, to avoid an exaggerated influx of information and the
pressure of the exams. It’s useful to review the contents of the text you have
studied, in order to consolidate learning and self-documentation. Also, seek to
expand your knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-5471220651335748112015-10-03T17:15:00.003-07:002015-10-03T17:15:45.514-07:00The significance of reading and writing<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is pertinent to note, that this
inquiry for the significance of reading and writing in the universities led the
“National Conference on Institutional Policies for the Development of Reading
and Writing in Higher Education”; they also concluded that reading
and writing should be commitments backed up by precise and explicit
institutional policies; that the meaning building processes have an essential
role in the social and professional life of the productive sector of a country,
and they also emphasized on the need for looking into new trends and
theoretical approaches that are underlying the educational and curricular
proposals on reading and writing on the Higher Education of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">These initiatives, in addition to the
multiple dissertations and Master and PhD thesis, like the research conducted
in the University in a study called “Teaching how to understand texts in the
university”, invite us to recognize reading and writing as a process of discovery, inquiry, discussion, explanation; actions that
are characteristic of research, understood as a social activity that leads to
the production of knowledge. This way, research, assessment and the results,
among them, the ones originated from the Quality Assessment on Higher
Education, have put into evidence the existence of issues related to reading
and writing that is necessary to expose and intervene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finally, it is worth noticing the impact
that the educational and teaching national proposals on reading and writing
have had. Within these, the ones proposed by the Research Group on Reading and
Writing, the Linguistics, Spanish and Literature Departments and the programs of
the bachelor’s degrees in Ethno-education, Primary school education with a
focus on Spanish and English, Speech Therapy, among others, which, from many years, have not only explored and promoted the research
on this field, but have also achieve that the students transform their
practices of reading and writing and recognize these processes as needs of the
contemporary human being. The results are shown in the number of academic
programs that have incorporated to their curricular structure the subject of reading
and writing, in some cases, many levels or classes; on the dissertations that
have made on the topic students from programs related to Language Studies, in
various university publications, in the existence of a Specialization program in
the Pedagogy of the reading and writing, and on the results of the reading and writing tests,
among others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-4838826147508815222015-10-03T17:12:00.001-07:002015-10-03T17:12:17.980-07:00Reading and writing in an University level<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The research, stimulation, promotion and
mediation activities on reading and writing, have gained great importance in
the national and international university contexts, thanks to the agreement of
the academic communities about the essential role that the meaning building
processes play in the development of knowledge, in academic life and in the
integral formation of the students. Likewise, the constant transformation of
the social and discursive practices on societies, leads the universities to
face new challenges in the academic and professional life, especially in the reading
and writing of diverse text types that evolve within the different fields of
knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another element relevant to this
educational proposal is the inquiry within the research communities in the Colombian
universities about: How to guide the reading and writing processes in the
Higher Education? What should be taught? What kind of skills should be
strengthened? What are the appropriate methodologies? How to offer the courses?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">These questions have put into evidence the
complexity and the need to start a permanent research and action process on
reading and writing, from within the teaching and learning practices, which
implies a laborious and committed work. It is important to note that the
Universities have been aware of the questions mentioned, which don’t
lead, necessarily, to unique and definitive answers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-9254798410776694612015-10-03T17:10:00.001-07:002015-10-03T17:10:20.791-07:00GENERAL IDEAS FOR THE READING AND WRITING COURSE <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-transform: uppercase;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Reading and writing have had, in the last
decades, an important development on research from fields such as linguistics,
semiotics, psychology, anthropology, sociology, literature, philosophy,
pedagogy and education, among others. This has made possible the emergence of
new theoretical and methodological perspectives that suggest the importance of
effectuating changes in their understanding and practice, and in the way they
are addressed in the teaching and learning processes, on the different
educational levels.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the Higher Education level,
specifically, the encouragement of reading and writing skills is gaining ground
due to the essential relations that these have with the academic success or
failure and the connection it has with the institutional and State policies of
quality assurance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On this sense, the Linguistics, Speech Therapy,
Spanish and Literature, Education and Pedagogy and Intercultural Studies
Departments, present to the university community a proposal titled “GENERAL
GUIDELINES FOR THE READING AND WRITING COURSE”, with the purpose of being
developed within the policy framework of Integral Social and Human Training (FISH),
on the line of Society, Art, Language and Culture in the various Undergraduate programs
in the University of Cauca, following the institutional requirements stated on
the Agreement nr. 1 on the 30th of January 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The purposes behind this proposal are: to
recognize reading and writing as complex processes that are essential for the
university education; to transform the ideas and practices on reading and
writing; to develop abilities for reading and writing in the university; to
contribute to the processes and practices of research training through Reading
and writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span><br />
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-75821370662878382092015-10-03T17:08:00.002-07:002015-10-03T17:08:38.424-07:00Choosing the subject<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If the teacher asks
you to write a paper on ethical values and justice, he’s asking you to research
those subjects, because it’s very likely that you don’t have a solid grasp of
legal matters, but if he asks you to write about children who dress like clowns
and perform in the streets of many cities, in front of cars at red lights, then
it’s very likely that he’s asking you to write an essay, because unfortunately,
many Latin American people are familiar with these kinds of experiences. Essays
require that you draw from your own experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When writing about
these children, you might have your own opinion on their behavior. You’re free
to write whether you’re for or against it, saying they’re victims of an unfair
society, or you can say that they put themselves at risk if they don’t work.
You might want to recount an anecdote, something that happened while they were
doing their brief show; you might even want to talk about your feelings, and
write that you don’t understand why, but when you see them, you get a knot in
your throat, and you don’t know how you can help to solve the problem of the
poor human rights in the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The essay can include
all of these things, but above all, it demands rigor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rigor in essays </span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">1. Writing well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2. Supporting the
validity of your opinion: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">– Comparing your text
to other texts about the same subject. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">– Providing an
analysis that requires supporting a central hypothesis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">3. Whatever your
opinion is, for example, regarding children working in the streets, you have to
explain the objective reasons that they got to be in the streets in the first
place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">– So, you have to do
some research, data compilation and conjunction of opinions. </span><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-88559265364628530432015-10-03T17:07:00.001-07:002015-10-03T17:07:56.376-07:00Types of Essays<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Literary essay</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Some of the conditions
the literary essay needs to fulfill are variety and a free selection of themes.
The literary subject is more of a form problem than a depth problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Montaigne’s essays
established the genre’s autonomy, and many times they derive from literary
quotes, readings and works, but they also present many other themes motivated
by the observation of customs, human behavior and vital experience. The
literary essay can be defined beginning with the ideas encompassed in many
disciplines like morality, science, philosophy, history and politics, which
create a free and dynamic reading. In the essay, the author captures his ideas
and thoughts about life; it is and should be personal, subjective: a vision
from the writer’s own mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The essay is, by
definition, a provocative concept that invites one to violate aesthetics and
moral norms. Journalists say that people make essays every day as an
informative note about reality. The essay is the quintessential critical
product. On the other hand, philosophers defend the essay as a real form of
expression of philosophical manifestations, calling it a treatise, discourse or
retort. So, the essay can’t be boxed into only one concept, because the
different disciplines adjust it according to their own needs, and use
instruments to defend their genre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Scientific essay</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One of the frontiers
between science and poetry is in the essay. It’s been known as the
“literary-scientific” genre because it strays from scientific reasoning with
its artistic imagination. The scientific creation has roots, like poetry, in
the imaginative capacity, and it can’t be completely ignored. However, it
doesn’t stray far from nature or logic. The essay shares one of its essential
purposes with science: deeply exploring reality, approximating the “truth” of
things. It shares originality, intensity and expressive beauty with art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There’s not really a
defined style for essays. There are many styles, according to the author’s
personality. But, there is one essential condition they must all meet: clarity
of expression, the transparency that can help the reader get a better
understanding of the authenticity of the thoughts captured by the
essayist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-5738039496037101712015-10-03T17:06:00.001-07:002015-10-03T17:06:25.486-07:00HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Essay basics</span></b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The essay is a
relatively modern genre, although its origins can be traced back to olden
times. It’s developed importance to the modern ear. It’s possible that liberal
thought and journalism have had a great influence in its development and
hegemony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nowadays, the essay is
defined as a literary genre, but the essay is actually reduced to a series of
meanderings, most of the time in critical aspects where the author expresses
his thoughts about determined subjects, or even without a specific subject.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What separates essays
from other literary genres is a proper feature, and it’s suggested by its own
name. The word essay comes from the Late Latin “exagium”, which means “act of
thinking”. It’s also related to the origins of the word given to the testing of
the quality of metals. Essaying is thinking, testing, recognizing and
examining. So, the essay is a writing, usually brief, about diverse subjects.
It’s not defined by its subject, but rather by the author’s attitude to it; deep
down, it could be a hypothesis, an idea that’s being essayed. The essay is the
product of long meditations and thoughts, and its sense of exploration, its
audacity and originality are essential. The essay is the product of the mind’s
adventures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">An essay is written in
prose, it’s usually short, and expresses depth, maturity and sensitivity. It’s
a personal interpretation of any subject, whether it’s philosophical,
scientific, historical, literary, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The way in which a
subject is exposed and examined borders that of scientific work; didactic and
critical. It doesn’t follow a rigorous and systematic order of exposition. The
point of view taken by the author when dealing with the subject is predominant
in the essay. The individual notes, the author’s feelings, tastes or aversions
are what characterize an essay, coming close to lyrical poetry. What separates
them is the language, which is more conceptual and expository in the essay, and
more intuitive and lyrical in poetry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-46565145346607055872015-09-30T17:21:00.000-07:002015-10-03T17:21:24.593-07:00We propose the following steps during the reading process<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pre-reading<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reading<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Post-reading<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. The pre-reading stage</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: This is the
phase that helps raise the reader’s interest in the text they are going to
read. It is the right moment to revise previous knowledge and state prerequisites.
The former are acquired in the environment students grow in, while the latter
give us a formal education, such as: vocabulary, notions of the reality and the
use of language. Moreover, this is an opportunity to motivate and generate
curiosity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="hps"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Specific</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <span class="hps">pre-reading</span> <span class="hps">skills</span> <span class="hps">are
developed</span> <span class="hps">through activities such as</span>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 119.25pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">&<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Denotative
and connotative analysis of the images attached to the text. Denotative
analysis invites the reader to observe and describe the graphics exactly as
they are, while the connotative one implies interpreting them in a creative
manner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 119.25pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">&<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Activation
of the previous knowledge: ask yourself what you know about the topic and what
you can connect it to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 119.25pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">&<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Elaboration
of predictions about the content, starting from the factors that draw your
attention: title, the year the text was published, author, graphical elements,
keywords, prologue, bibliography etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 119.25pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">&<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Defining
the purpose of reading: </span><span class="hps"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">recreation,</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
<span class="hps">practical application</span>, <span class="hps">finding
information</span>, <span class="hps">critical evaluation.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 119.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">2. The reading stage: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">This is the stage when you perform the actual
reading of the text, which involves the mechanical aspects as well as text
comprehension. The level of comprehension that you will reach depends a lot on
the skills you demonstrate during the stage. This is the moment to put the
emphasis on the global image that words, phrases and sentences create, avoiding
syllabic reading and reading aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">Activities for this stage depend on
the type of text you are reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">3. The post-reading stage: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">For this stage, we propose activities
that show how much the reader understood from the text. The type of questions
that will be asked determine the target level of comprehension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">The post-reading stage is ideal for group
work, since this way, students can compare their interpretations with their
classmates’, and build the meaning of the read texts from different points of
view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: ES;">The activities proposed for this
stage must be varied and creative, to stimulate a positive attitude on the
students’ side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-57197652883279628792015-09-27T17:24:00.000-07:002015-10-03T17:25:47.534-07:00Reviewing books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-45177652123678322392015-09-20T17:20:00.000-07:002015-10-03T17:20:47.510-07:00Reading activities to do at home<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The
objective of each family who wishes to help develop their young members’
reading abilities must try, above everything, to generate curiosity for reading
and interest and attraction for books and the written language. You can achieve
this by using different activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Read
them a little each day.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Choose a quiet time, like
the moments before bedtime, and start reading your little ones stories
appropriate for their age. This exercise will allow them to see reading as
a pleasant activity and will start associating sounds with letters. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Help
them see the usefulness of reading.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The written word does
not only appear in books, but also on various objects and spaces we use
every day. Parents can start teaching the children to make associations
between the written and the spoken language, if they involve the little
ones in these reading situations. You can read the street and shop signs or
the labels on food together. Another option is to place labels written in
large font on different objects in the house. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Letter
games:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> there are games that help children learn and
recognize the letters of the alphabet, and associate them with complete
words. Some interesting games that you can play with your child are “I
spy…”, “Word chain”, or spelling names and words.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Reading
with pictures:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> stories with pictures include images
that are easy to understand for children, and that can be easily replaced
by an appropriate word. This type of reading is very motivating, as the
children, though still unable to read properly, become more than mere
spectators of the process of reading.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Be
an example yourself:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> growing up in an environment
that encourages reading is one of the most influential background factors
with direct implications on the child’s future reading skills. Parents
must allow their children to join them when they read, talk to them about
the text they are reading, help them create their own bookcase and
introduce to them the public spaces where they can get books from – that
is, libraries and bookstores.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8778218201467634440.post-34376828236837156782015-09-01T17:28:00.000-07:002015-10-03T17:28:39.338-07:00Book Metaphors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17386921314964402915noreply@blogger.com