Beyond the sentences

   

                                                                                                                                  Scott Thornbury

An Apolitical Policy of Appeasement

Mansilla, Adriana

Saubidet, Stella

LEE 4

October 6, 2014

An Apolitical Policy of Appeasement

The artist Daniel Barenboim who has an undoubted talent as a musician and a conductor, has gained a deservedly recognition throughout the world. Many people might claim he is a persevering artist; perhaps the most remarkable work has been the creation of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which was devoted totally to promote the unification among people in Palestine. Although this warlike conflict between Palestine and Israel would seem to be in one of the worst moment, Daniel Barenboim has not lost his hope and continues putting emphasis in the Divan orchestra as a peaceful demonstration that it is possible to live in a friendly and sociable atmosphere even with whom have been traditional rivals.

The West Eastern Divan project has been an important initiative in bringing people together. The Israeli Argentine pianist and conductor of several major symphonic and orchestras, Daniel Barenboim, founded the Divan orchestra with the purpose of demonstrating to the entire population that it is possible a peaceful conviviality among countries that have been since long times rivals. The motive for this initiative has been to establish a group of young classical musicians from such controversial countries like Israel, the Palestinian territories and Arab countries to promote mutual reflection and understanding. Daniel Barenboim has accounted for the project that “It is a project against the fact that it is absolutely essential for people to get to know the other, to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it”

A top priority for Daniel Barenboim and his orchestra has been to promote cultural exchanges between students and thus to achieve a fair solution for the Arab Israeli conflict in the times ahead. The Divan project provides musical education that promotes cognitive, social and emotional development, offering through music new ways of expression and development of students’ imagination and the curiosity of the other as well as their creativity and personality. Besides, this work becomes relevant since the students, who are in a social neglected environment, are given the opportunity to become aware of the cultural differences among them. Thus, it is expected that this orchestra allows the students not only a physical space but also the acquisition of a wide range of experiences while learning the art of music.

Although it is unlikely that music will resolve a conflict that dated since long times, there is still a glimmer of hope in Barenboim’s heart. As a critic of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, Daniel Barenboim continues with the Divan project as a solution to a problem which seems far to be solved, simply because such conflict has its roots from the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and consequently the Israelis and Palestines have been living this rivalry for almost sixty-six years. Besides, the stubborn resistance of both countries to change their thought that they have the right to live in the same territory, has made this conflict even more difficult to deal with. What is more, the cruel violence that these people have been living during all this time resulting in a large number of fatalities in civilian population on both sides, has left an indelible mark on them and a profound hatred toward the other. In an interview, Barenboim has referred to his own situation with the orchestra:

It is not only a musical project but it is also a forum for the dialogue and reflexion over the Palestine and Israel conflict. If someday this conflict comes an end, we will have much advanced musical work; on the contrary if the situation worsens, as it has happened every year, the motivation to follow with this project will multiply. I am not going to leave the Divan.

All in all, it is a great deal of effort what Daniel Barenboim has been spent with his west Eastern Divan project. A project which, according to Barenboim, was not a political project and not only a musical one but also a place in which people from different countries and cultures can have the opportunity to share and understand their differences. Barenboim would seem to be convinced that music could stand for the most appreciated miracle which may solve the Israel and Palestine problem but nevertheless, this is conflict which has entrenched since decades leaving pain marks on civilians impossible to forget.

Works Cited

J.A “Let public intellectuals take the stage”. Available at: http://www.economist.com/blogs/theworldin2012/2011/12/daniel-barenboims-new-way-israelis-and-palestinians. Retrieved on: October 2, 2014

El Pais opinion “Podemos vivir juntos” Available at: http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/07/24/opinion. Retrieved on: September 29, 2014

El Pais opinión Available at: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional. Retrieved on: September 30, 2014

Writing and Reading Skills report

   Writing and Reading Skills are fundamental to successful communication. Both skills involve an interaction among three elements; the writer, the reader and the text. In this interactive communication the main importance is stressed in the connection between bottom-up and top-down processes.

      
          At the top-down level, the writer's ability should be focus on creating a comprehensive text so, a coherent written text which could be interpreted by a reader; even in a setting where interaction is decontextualized (Bereiter and Scardamalia) since the reader is distant in time and place from the moment of the writing process. At the same time, the reader's ability is focused on the interpretation of the written text so, the reader should decode the message as well as understand the writer's intention. At the top-down processing, the following components are important to develop a communicative text; the content schemata -prior knowledge and writing experience-, formal schemata discourse knowledge and writing convention, assessment of writer's intention and awareness of the audience and finally, metacognition which is important in revision and editing of the written text. Besides, at this level, an effective reading is achieved through considering prior knowledge and reading experience- Content schemata-, application of knowledge of written convention-Formal schemata- and the consideration of the purpose of reading.

     
       At the bottom-up level, a well written text is considered at the local level which imply more specific knowledge components to bear in mind; such as the use of proper lexical and grammatical items, an appropriate use of cohesive devices and punctuation and finally metacognition in editing and revision of the written product. As regards reading skill, at this level the elements to take into account are the following; language knowledge-Vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, cohesion, orthography- and reading strategies so as to achieve a successful interpretation of the written text. Furthermore, metacognition is a key component which allows the awareness of the various processing, top-down and bottom-up techniques in order to be able to use them consciously whenever linguistic or content deficiency create difficulties in reading.

       All in all, both bottom-up and top-down processing plays an important role in the writing process as well as the reading process. These techniques are related to one another and this interaction allows the writer to achieve a successful communicative written text which at the same time the reader is able to interpret through the application of these both techniques.

Writing and Reading skills

Causes of Students' Failure

First Version

Students’ failure

        Nowadays, students have many problems getting passing marks. The most important reason for the students’ failure during schooldays, comes from the family environment. First, violence is a key matter which affects learners’ attention, typically associated with  a serious event as abuse. Adding to this problem, people who are beaten by their partner do not have the courage to ask for help. Secondly, divorce influence students’ behaviour and consequently their attention during a lesson. [It is an issue of great importance that students’ family should provide emotional stability to them.] Finally, inadequate nourishment has a strong influence on students’ learning. Sometimes, parents cannot provide them with healthy and nutritious food, as a result, they do not eat appropriately which helps with the students’ mind development. 
      Some learners get low marks in their exams because of many factors which depend mostly on learning strategies. For instance, some students may have difficulties [in understanding the topic so they are not able to learn properly. Since the best way to acquire knowledge without complications expressing adequate answers,  is to be aware of such learning strategy. Inconvenience in taking notes is also another example because it makes students learning a bit difficult. The skill in taking notes helps students to study easily and without problems]. In addition, the ability to remember things plays an important role when a student have to prepare an exam. [There are people who have short and long memories and these aspects have direct influence on passing an exam. Clearly, some learning strategies and skills are crucial to the success in students´performance during the examinations]

Second Version

 Nowadays, students have many problems obtaining passing marks in school. The most important reason which affect students’ performance during schooldays, comes from their  families who are unable to provide emotional stability . First, violence is a key matter which affects learners’ attention, typically associated with  a serious event as abuse. When students have difficulties in paying attention or in learning things  is mostly due to many problems that are usually experienced in a negative family environment. Secondly, divorce has also a negative influence on students’ behaviour and their attention is shorter during a lesson. Sometimes, such crisis between parents affects the relationship with the young and this impacts greatly on their learning.  Finally, inadequate nourishment has serious consequences for students’ learning. There are families who are in a difficult financial situation so they cannot provide them with healthy and nutritious food which might have influence over students’ mind development.

        Some learners obtain low marks in their exams because of many factors which depend mostly on a good use of some study strategies. Taking notes is an important ability which provides learners with relevant information and knowledge conveyed by the teacher so that learners would be able to prepare an exam confidently. In addition, making summaries  is really important  as an strategy because students identify what is really necessary to read avoiding extra  information. Lastly, students have to make the material meaningful, this helps to acquire knowledge and to understand the subject easily. Clearly, the strategy of taking notes as well as making the material meaningful are helpful and necessary  to remember and assimilate  important things of the subject. Therefore, the  good use  of these study strategies may be crucial to achieve a better mark in an exam. 


  Metacognitive Analysis 


     To start with, my classmate and I made a brainstorming after deciding about the topic. I realized that it is the best way, or at least an easy way to write something confidently for it allows you to keep the writing organized and not writing about anything else, out of subject. However, once the first version was corrected I noticed that in the first paragraph as well in the second one, the developers that were supposed to support the main ideas in the topic were not so well developed. And it made the reading a bit difficult to follow. Another issue was that we began to write focusing on the structure we had chosen for each paragraph, "by listing and then giving examples"without taking into account the use of an appropriate vocabulary for the writing that we were asked to write. For these reasons we had to return to read once again the bibliography from paragraph to essay and watch such videos related to this. Finally, we tried to respect both a formal vocabulary and the supporting sentences which serve to guide the reading.

On writings and writers

To start with, we all know that writers as well as writings may vary a lot. Writings may take different forms or styles and these aspects have direct connection with their own writers, that is to say their authors.
There are writers who are devoted entirely to write stories or a piece of text which are addressed to ordinary people, those who are everyday readers. To put it in other words, such writings are intended to be read by people who enjoy reading as a ritual or hobby. They tend to read for fun and the reading gives them a period of time for pleasure and enjoyment.
On the other hand, depend on the style of writing that a writer choose to write, we may say that some stories, novels or piece of information are addressed to people who read to get information and to acquire some knowledge. These people read for learning or just to pass an exam. We should include within this kind of writings themes such as history, writings connected to culture, etc.
To conclude, writers and writings go hand in hand, for most of the writers express in their writings what their lives is about, either explicitly or implicitly. In this way, this piece of writing take such form and not other. Their writings tell the readers about writers' experiences. As a result, readers tend to share the same feeling as writers or at least writers achieve the most difficult thing that is to catch readers' attention, since they identify with writers' lives which is hidden in a story.



Metacognitive Analysis

 
According to the theory discussed in google doc, Steps of writing, there are some items that I have skipped in my original version. This theory is about the different steps that a writer should bear in mind in order to achieve a successful writing. Such items are mentioned in the introduction part; for instance, the type of writing, genre and vocabulary and the audience who will read it. It also includes the relevance of the structure of a paragraph, the usefulness of writing a topic sentence in each one and the use of drafts before accomplishing a final production. All these issues should be taken into account to succeed in writing a coherent piece of text. 

 In the case of my original version, writers and writings are words that I should have focused on. These key words as they are mentioned at the beginning of my text should have been useful to write the rest of the writing. I was supposed to write about how a piece of writing takes certain form and not other according to the person who writes it, his/her perspective in life. However, I realized that these words as themes were not developed at all. Instead, I write about the different audiences who were able to read some things and not other. In this aspect, what is written in the rest of the text is not supporting the topic sentence at the introduction part.

Apart from the fact that I tried to focus on such topic mentioned before without success, I was not also aware of a topic in each paragraph which might have been helpful to develop the rest of each one.  Besides, I didn’t focus on the type and purpose of the writing before starting to write it. I didn’t take into account the style, if it was formal or informal so I began writing without realizing about an appropriate vocabulary. Above all, the help of a brainstorming was missing as well. It would have been very useful for the whole writing to not write about irrelevant things out of subject.  And I was not able to make any draft to get the final writing.

 To conclude, every item mentioned in the steps of writing theory were missing. I realized that they were important to achieve a good writing. Besides, such steps along with an appropriate brainstorming help you to start and follow your writing with confidence. 


List from Academic Writing

  Part of paragraph

 -indent or skip a line
-content (one central idea)
-ideas related to the main idea 
-details *importance
            *reasons
            *examples
-flowbridges (every sentence creates a link to the next one)
-key terms (avoid repetition)
-end or start with bridge (one paragraph connect to the next one)

-Topic (interesting)
-Body (details and argument for the topic)order of importance or chronology
-Closing sentence (restate the topic)