Week 02: The Handmaid’s Tale and FOAs

Tuesday: Getting Back on Track

Today some time was needed to get things back on track, set dates for FOAs this month, and recap/collect work from last week.

People were also able to see their semester 1 exam (Paper 2) and we did a reflection activity with these.  You were asked to think about and write your thoughts on what happened with the exam and how you can move forward for the next time we try this task.

After this activity, we moved into some initial conversations with “The Handmaid’s Tale” so that I could gage how well people have done with the reading over break.  Please be aware that you will need to produce your annotations for me during the next class.

HW: Insure your annotations are completed

HW: Submit your FOA proposal if it has not yet been approved

HW: Prepare for your FOA

Friday: FOAs Start and “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Today you received a packet you need to read by February 1.  This needs to be annotated.  Please make note of any questions you have as we move into this new topic of “semiotics”.

Then I showed you a book called “Projects in Linguistics and Language Studies” by Wray and Bloomer.  Your job is to look through the chapters I have marked with post-it-notes and select a project to complete.  These projects are related to language development, history, and use.  Your next FOA will focus on your exploration of the project, and relating your findings in these areas to your classmates as the findings relate to the content of the class. FOA #3 will be an individual project in presentation, but you may need help as you work on the actual project you have selected.  FOA #3 will be presented in March, so make plans now.

Next we spent time developing an action plan based on the reflection statements you created last class.  You needed to create MEASURABLE goals, a concrete TIMELINE, and consider how you will MEASURE your progress toward success.

Khoi and Huy then presented their FOA on media bias.

After that, you were put into motif groups to look for evidence of the following:

  • the flower as a symbol of womanhood
  • the eye as a reminder of control and authority
  • the color red
  • the deliberate avoidance of the narrator’s name

Here is the work that Megan needs you to do to be prepared for the FOA on Tuesday.

Read the following articles and answer the questions below for each.

The questions are:

  1. Who is the text targeted at and why?
  2. How does the author of each article use style and register to persuade the audience?
  3. Is the text full of bias? Why? How do you know?
  4. What figures of speech are used to help each author present their point of view?
  5. How are Latino characters portrayed?
  6. What are the stereotypes of Latinos?
  7. How does the article bring the characters closer or further away from the stereotypes?

These questions are here to help with the analysis of the text for the debate question. The debate question is: The question of mass media as a form of persuasion.  

The groups are:

  • group 1: Zoe, Lina, Violet – first article
  • group 2: Stephanie, Min, Paris, – first article
  • group 3: Lucy, Pearl – second article
  • group 4: Khoi, Huy – second article

Each group must present a 2 minute speech debating if the articles are a form of persuasion or not. It is important for the groups to show an understanding and analysis of the text. Each group must have one representative.

HW: Do the preparation Megan asks of you for Tuesday.

HW: Read the handout I gave in class on semiotics by February 1, 2018

HW: Come look at the linguistics book and choose a project– ASAP.