SOME of the Projects...

Understanding Cultures and Worldviews: ETHNOGRAPHY

You will implement as part of a team of 3-4 students an ethnographic survey. These projects must be implemented in a non-Christian cultural context. This ethnography must conclude with 1) an application of biblical contextualization to an issue (thought or behavior pattern) significant for evangelizing or discipling this people group and 2) a reflection on a relevant apologetic issue. Be creative as you think about how to reach these people for Christ. This ethnography will be carried out in close cooperation with a local church or active evangelist/contact person.

1) Your team will conduct an ethnographic survey of an ethnic community with careful keeping of ethnographic notes as described in the course.
2) Results in 30-40 page paper analyzing the community targeted.
3) Tie into local churches that are interested in doing outreach to the community.
4) You must use elements of both ethnographic interview and participant observation in this study.
5) You must contextualize one thought or behavior pattern significant to evangelizing or discipling this people group.
6) You must reflect at least one apologetic insight which is relevant for evangelizing this group. 7) Your study will include a list of resources and contact people.
8) You must work carefully with the pastor or contact person for your team. They will be evaluating your level of cooperation and that evaluation will account for 10% of your grade for the course. See “Cooperating with Pastors…” at the back of this syllabus.
9) Your paper will be divided into sections according to the following template:
I. Introduction: Target Group and Methodology
II. History and Demographics of Target Group
III. Ethnographic Findings: Social Structures
IV. Ethnographic Findings: Ontology
V. Ethnographic Findings: Epistemology
VI. Ethnographic Findings: Axiology
VII. Contextualization
VIII. Apologetic Issue
IX. Conclusion
X. Resources and Contact Persons
10) You will individualize sections of your paper by identifying by name the writer. Each team will subdivide their paper into approximately equal sections with each member of the team responsible for the writing of their section. 10 points out of 35 for the paper will be based on the individual writing and 25 points will be based on the overall team achievement.
11) Your group paper will reflect 45 hours of individual work times the number of people on your team. The paper will be worth 45% of the grade of this course.
12) Your team will present their findings according to the oral report format grading sheet provided on the website. This oral report is worth 5% of the class grade.

My group only consists of one other person - Christian. We met with the pastor of Temple Zion last Thursday and attended Sunday School and Worship this morning. The church was probably close to 200 people. We were the only white folk in the building. (www.templezion.org) We will be working with a project that Pastor Flynn has started called The Nehemiah Project.


Theoretical Foundations of Language Teaching: PAPERS, PAPERS, and MORE PAPERS!

Here's one: LEARNER INTERVIEW: A task to help you see through the eyes of a language learner. Due Oct. 24.

Interview a person who has learned or is learning English as a foreign language, using the instructions given on the interview handout (attached). Write a summary of the interview in essay form. Give background information on the language learner, and discuss insights that you gain through the interaction. Relate your insights to the knowledge you have gained in this class. Tell how these insights could contribute to making you a more effective teacher. Do not merely list the questions and give answers, but organize the information into an essay.

Grading criteria: Following directions, background information, insights, connecting your findings to what you are learning in class, synthesis and organization, clarity, mechanics.

I'm thinking of asking Juan, the cousin of my landlord's wife who is staying with them from Spain. He's 14.


Introduction to Linguistics: LANGUAGE ANALYSIS PROJECT

Purpose: This assignment is to apply your knowledge of morphology and phonology (and syntax - Spring semester) by analyzing a language in a systematic way. It also gives you the opportunity to analyze an ESL person's speech closely, a skill that should be very useful when you are teaching English.

Procedure: This project is usually a team project. You are expected to choose a language to analyze and work with someone who has an interest in the same language. In order to complete the project, you will need to record on audiotape or in a sound file the English speech of a non-native speaker and write an analysis of that person's speech. The ideal situtation is to record someone whose English is not too advanced so that you can analyze the irregularities. You may wish to suggest that you could share the results of your analysis with the person and thus be of help in his or her learning English.

(...the syllabus explains a lot more... and then...)

The paper is to be a thorough description of your subject's English speech. It should include appropriate examples of each feature discussed.


WOOHOO! ...?