LA401 Although the Last, Not Least2015 Semester 1

This famous phrase from the opening of Shakespeare’s King Lear serves to remind students that the last year of their Junior High Language Arts Programme should be not their least, but their most exciting, most challenging and most satisfying year. Language skills have been cumulatively acquired through the Junior High curriculum. Students will have mastered the basic skills. They have learnt to construct arguments, discuss opinions and to support these with evidence from research. Students are aware of the many purposes for which language is used and the diverse forms it can take to serve specific objectives and for different audiences. As they have moved through the Junior High Language Arts Programme, they have been assigned texts of increasing complexity as they develop their language skills and have been required to use language with ever-increasing accuracy and fluency in an expanding range of situations. The LA401 module will further develop these important language competencies. Students will read and think about topics, themes, and issues from a variety of subject areas and a higher measure of depth and maturity will be demanded in their responses. Language acquisition will be linked to key competencies such as critical thinking, the management of information and its transformation into useful knowledge, negotiation and problem-solving, and communication in complex and diverse networks of relationships. Students will develop flexibility and proficiency in their understanding and use of language. Using language for a broad range of purposes will increase both their ability to communicate with precision and their understanding of how language works.

Assessment Schedule:

Wks Assignments Marks % Due Date1 – 5 Assignment 1 – Read & Annotate

Read “Life that Does Not End with Death” and annotate it using the Contextualise Consider Conclude (CCC) Reading Strategy.

30 5 Week 1

1 – 5 Assignment 2 – Listen, Synthesize and Respond a)Watch the three TED videos listed. Select ONE to

work on. Listen and jot down the key ideas, then organise them in the form of a mindmap.

b) Write a short response to the video that you have chosen by answering the 3 questions provided.

20 5 Week 1

11 – 15

Graded Essay Writing Skills Test (for MYA) 50 45

2 weeks before MYA

11 – 15

Graded Reading Comprehension Skills Test (for MYA) 50 45

During MYA Week

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LA401 Although the Last, Not LeastAssignment 1 – Read & Annotate Task Sheet

Instructions: Read “Life that Does Not End with Death” and annotate it using the Contextualise Consider Conclude (CCC) Reading Strategy.

Notes on the Consider Conclude (CCC) Reading Strategy The CCC Reading Strategy is an active reading strategy that helps you to analyse the style and content of the article that you are reading.

How to use this strategy:1. Chunk up each passage into the 3 sections:

a) Contextualisation, b) Consideration of views/problems/factors etc, c) Conclusion

2. Analyse the 3 sections to answer the questions that follow:

Contextualisation a) How do you know that this/ these paragraph(s) make up the contextualization part

of the article? b) How does the writer contextualize and introduce the issue? Identify and explain

the rhetorical form(s) used by the writer in bringing across his main point in each paragraph.

c) What is the main issue the writer is going to talk about? d) What is the writer’s thesis statement?

Consideration of views/problems/factors e) What is the main point and function of each paragraph? f) Identify and explain the rhetorical form(s) used by the writer in bringing across

his main point in each paragraph.g) [when applicable] What does the diction (i.e. choice of words) tell you about the

writer’s tone/attitude/take on the issue that is being discussed? h) [when applicable] What literary devices are used and what effect(s) is/are created? i) How are the different paragraphs linked? (i.e. Is it by coherence – does the writer

present and discuss different views/problems/factors? Or is it by cohesion – what kinds of connectors does he use?)

Conclusionj) How does the writer conclude? Does he show preference for one of the discussed

views? Or is he being a moderate – not taking extreme views but sees the good in both and suggests a balance in view? Or..?

Your Turn! Practise using the CCC Reading Strategy. You may use your different coloured pens/ highlighters to do your annotations. After you have done your annotations, please use Annex B: Annotation Guidelines for Students to assess your own work and to use it to help you make improvements before submitting your work.

Submission Deadline: First LA lesson of 2015

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LA401 Although the Last, Not Least Assignment 2 – Listen, Synthesize and Respond

Instructions : 1. Watch the following videos and select ONE of them to work on:

a. "Kavita Ramdas: Radical Women, Embracing Tradition" video on TED (http://www.ted.com/talks/kavita_ramdas_radical_women_embracing_tradition.html).

b. “Kakenya Ntaiya: A Girl Who Demanded School” on TED (http://www.ted.com/talks/kakenya_ntaiya_a_girl_who_demanded_school)

c. "Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0" on TED (http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_atheism_2_0)

2. Listen for key ideas mentioned in your selected video. 3. Jot down these key ideas and present them in the form of a mindmap. 4. Your mindmap should showcase your understanding of how the different ideas connect to

each other. 5. Write a short response to the video that you have chosen by answering all three questions:

a. What is the issue that the speaker has raised? b. Why is this issue worth considering? c. How is this issue relevant to you and the people living in your society?

[Your response should NOT exceed 1 A4-size page with 1-inch margin all around, and your font size should be Times New Roman, font size 12.]

6. Please refer to the rubric in Annex C to know what is expected of your mindmap and short response.

7. Please attach the rubric to your mindmap and short response for submission.

Submission Deadline: First LA lesson of 2015

If you have any queries, please email Ms Jan at janlhm@gmail.com or lim_hui_mei_jan@moe.edu.sg to clarify your doubts BEFORE the end of November 2014.

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Annex A

Adapted from “Life that Does Not End with Death” by Kelli Swazey

[1] I think it is safe to say that all humans will be intimate with death at least once in their lives. But what if that intimacy began long before you faced your own transition from life into death? What would life be like if the dead literally lived alongside you?

[2] In my husband's homeland in the highlands of Sulawesi island in eastern Indonesia, there is a community of people that experience death not as a singular event but as a gradual social process. In Tana Toraja, the most important social moments in people's lives, the focal points of social and cultural interaction are not weddings or births or even family dinners, but funerals. So these funerals are characterized by elaborate rituals that tie people in a system of reciprocal debt based on the amount of animals -- pigs, chickens and, most importantly, water buffalo -- that are sacrificed and distributed in the name of the deceased. So this cultural complex surrounding death, the ritual enactment of the end of life, has made death the most visible and remarkable aspect of Toraja's landscape. Lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, funeral ceremonies are a raucous affair, where commemorating someone who has died is not so much a private sadness but more of a publicly shared transition. And it is a transition that is just as much about the identity of the living as it is about remembrance of the dead.

[3] Every year, thousands of visitors come to Tana Toraja to see this culture of death, and for many people these grandiose ceremonies and the length of the ceremonies are somehow incommensurable with the way that we face our own mortality in the West. Even as we share death as a universal experience, it is not experienced the same way the world over. And as an anthropologist, I see these differences in experience being rooted in the cultural and social world through which we define the phenomena around us. So where we see an unquestionable reality, death as an irrefutable biological condition, Torajans see the expired corporeal form as part of a larger social genesis – the physical cessation of life is not the same as death. In fact, a member of society is only truly dead when the extended family can agree upon and marshal the resources necessary to hold a funeral ceremony that is considered appropriate in terms of resources for the status of the deceased, and this ceremony has to take place in front of the eyes of the whole community with everyone's participation.

[4] After a person's physical death, his body is placed in a special room in the traditional residence, which is called the tongkonan. The tongkonan is symbolic not only of the family's identity but also of the human life cycle from birth to death. Essentially, the shape of the building that you are born into is the shape of the structure which carries you to your ancestral resting place. Until the funeral ceremony, which can be held years after a person's physical death, the deceased is referred to as "to makala," a sick person, or "to mama," a person who is asleep, and they continue to be a member of the household. They are symbolically fed and cared for, and the family at this time will begin a number of ritual injunctions, which communicates to the wider community around them that one of their members is undergoing the transition from this life into the afterlife known as Puya.

[5] Am I really saying that these people live with the bodies of their dead relatives? Yes, that is exactly what I am saying.

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[6] But instead of giving in to the sort of visceral reaction we have to this idea of proximity to bodies, proximity to death, or how this notion just does not fit into our very biological or medical sort of definition of death, I like to think about what the Torajan way of viewing death encompasses of the human experience that the medical definition leaves out. I think that Torajans socially recognize and culturally express what many of us feel to be true despite the widespread acceptance of the biomedical definition of death, and that is that our relationships with other humans, their impact on our social reality, does not cease with the termination of the physical processes of the body, that there is a period of transition as the relationship between the living and the dead is transformed but not ended. Torajans express this idea of this enduring relationship by lavishing love and attention on the most visible symbol of that relationship, the human body. My husband has fond memories of talking to and playing with and generally being around his deceased grandfather, and for him there is nothing unnatural about this. This is a natural part of the process as the family comes to terms with the transition in their relationship to the deceased, and this is the transition from relating to the deceased as a person who is living to relating to the deceased as a person who is an ancestor.

[7] The funeral ceremony itself embodies this relational perspective on death. It ritualizes the impact of death on families and communities. And it is also a moment of self-awareness – it is a moment when people think about who they are, their place in society, and their role in the life cycle in accordance with Torajan cosmology.

[8] There is a saying in Toraja that all people will become grandparents, and what this means is that after death, we all become part of the ancestral line that anchors us between the past and the present and will define who our loved ones are into the future. Essentially, we all become grandparents to the generations of human children that come after us. And this metaphor of membership in the greater human family is the way that children also describe the money that they invest in these sacrificial buffaloes that are thought to carry people's soul from here to the afterlife, and children will explain that they will invest the money in this because they want to repay their parents the debt for all of the years their parents spent investing and caring for them.

[9] But the sacrifice of buffalo and the ritual display of wealth also exhibits the status of the deceased, and, by extension, the deceased's family. So at funerals, relationships are reconfirmed but also transformed in a ritual drama that highlights the most salient feature about death in this place: its impact on life and the relationships of the living.

[10] People ask me if I am frightened or repulsed by participating in a culture where the physical manifestations of death greet us at every turn. But I see something profoundly transformative in experiencing death as a social process and not just a biological one. In reality, the relationship between the living and the dead has its own drama in the U.S. healthcare system, where decisions about how long to stretch the thread of life are made based on our emotional and social ties with the people around us, not just on medicine's ability to prolong life. We, like the Torajans, base our decisions about life on the meanings and the definitions that we ascribe to death.

[11] I am not suggesting that anyone should run out and adopt the traditions of the Torajans. But I want to ask what we can gain from seeing physical death not only as a biological process but as part of the greater human story. What would it be like to look on the expired human form with love because it is so intimately a part of who we all are? If we could expand

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our definition of death to encompass life, we could experience death as part of life and perhaps face death with something other than fear. The shift in perspective to looking at the social life of every death might help us recognize that the way we limit our conversation about death to something that is medical or biological is reflective of a larger culture that we all share of avoiding death and being afraid of talking about it. If we could entertain and value other kinds of knowledge about life, including other definitions of death, it has the potential to change the discussions that we have about the end of life. It could change the way that we die, but more importantly, it could transform the way that we live.

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Annex B: Annotation Guidelines for Students

Task Requirements Exceeding Expectations Meeting Expectations Approaching Expectations

Chunking

I am able to accurately chunk the paragraphs into

three distinct sections (i.e. contextualization, consideration of views/problems/factors, conclusion)

correctly explain why I have chunked the sections up in that way in a concise and clear manner

I am able to chunk the paragraphs into three distinct

sections (i.e. contextualization, consideration of views/problems/factors, conclusion) though there might be some mistakes

explain why I have chunked the sections up in that way but my explanations might not be fully correct due to various reasons (e.g. I mis-chunked)

I attempt to chunk the paragraphs into three distinct sections (i.e. contextualization, consideration of views/problems/factors, conclusion) but I have little understanding of how it should be done.

I do not know how to explain why I chunked the paragraphs in the way I did.

Analysis of Contextualisation

I am able to clearly and accurately articulate how the writer contextualises and introduces the main issue(s) through: Accurately identifying and explaining

which rhetorical form(s) are used and purpose(s) behind using it/them

Articulating the topic of discussion correctly

Articulating the issue(s) brought up correctly

Articulating the writer’s thesis statement correctly, succinctly and clearly

I am able to articulate how the writer contextualises and introduces the main issue(s) through: Identifying and explaining which rhetorical

form(s) are used and purpose(s) behind using it/them, though some might be wrong

Articulating the topic of discussion correctly Articulating the issue(s) brought up, though

expression might not be clear or precise Articulating the writer’s thesis statement

correctly, though expression might not be clear and precise

I am not able to articulate how the writer contextualises and introduces the main issue.

I tried to identify some rhetorical forms and explain the purpose(s) behind using it/them but I am unsure of how to do these/

I have difficulty identifying the topic of discussion.

I have difficulty identifying the issues brought up. I am able to guess what the writer’s thesis

statement is but I cannot express it (fully).

Analysis of Consideration of

views/problems/factors

I am able to: Accurately identify the main point and

function of each paragraph Accurately identify and explain the

rhetorical form(s) that is/are used to organise the information in each paragraph

Accurately notice certain diction (i.e. choice of words) and explain how they reflect writer’s tone/attitude/take on the issue being discussed

Accurately point out the literary devices used and explain the effect(s) created

Correctly explain how the paragraphs are linked (i.e. by coherence or cohesion)

I am able to: Identify the main point of the paragraph but

might not be able to explain its function Identify the rhetorical form(s) used to organise

ideas but might not be able to explain how it is done

Notice certain diction (i.e. choice of words) and explain how they reflect writer’s tone/attitude/take on the issue being discussed but my explanation might not be correct/precise

Identify literary devices used and but might not be able to fully explain the effect(s) created

Explain how the paragraphs are linked (i.e. by coherence or cohesion) but explanations might sometimes be wrong

I am able to: Identify the main point of the paragraph but I find

difficulty in expressing it. I cannot articulate the function of each paragraph.

Identify one or two rhetorical forms used but I cannot explain how they help to organise information to support the point

Guess the writer’s tone/attitude/take on the issue being discussed from the diction used but I might have misidentified.

Identify one literary device used but am unable to explain the effect(s) created

See that that the writer is making different points but am not able to explain how they are linked

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Task Requirements

Exceeding Expectations Meeting Expectations Approaching Expectations

Analysis of Conclusion

I am able to: Accurately explain how the writer concludes

by making explicit reference to content Adequately explain how the writer’s choice of

rhetorical form helps to convey his concluding point more effectively

Articulate if the writer shows preference for one of the views discussed or if the writer is being a moderate by citing/ highlighting relevant evidence

I am able to: Explain how the writer concludes by making

reference to content Notice the writer’s use of rhetorical form but am

unable to explain how this helps to wrap up his conclusion

Guess if the writer shows preference for one of the views discussed or if the writer is being a moderate by referring to some evidence but I am not entirely sure of my reading

I am able to: Paraphrase the conclusion but am unable to explain

how this section acts as a conclusion Notice the writer’s use of rhetorical form but am

unable to explain how this helps to wrap up his conclusion

Identify words/phrases that have connotations but I am unable to tell if the writer shows preference for one of the views discussed or if the writer is being a moderate

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Annex C: Grading Rubric for Assignment 2 – Listen, Synthesize and Respond (20 marks)

Task Criterion Mark

Mind Map

Approaching Expectations (0-3 marks)

Student is able to identify only a few key ideas in the video and record them in the mind map

Student has difficulty differentiating key ideas from details Student attempts to categorise key ideas and details but might not

always does it correctly. Relationships between key ideas and details are also vague.

Student shows ability to recognize rhetorical forms and devices but does not show understanding of how form affects content

Student is not able to articulate thesis statement/ argument but is able to state key ideas OR student might show misunderstanding of the thesis statement/ argument

Meeting Expectations (4-6 marks)

Student is able to identify most key ideas in the video and record them in the mind map

Student is able to differentiate key ideas from details most of the time Student is able to categorise key ideas and details but their

relationships might not always be clear Student shows ability to recognize rhetorical forms and devices and

attempts to include this this knowledge his/ her mindmap but it could have been better used

Student shows a general understanding of what the speaker’s thesis statement/ argument is but the thesis statement/ argument might be phrased awkwardly or might not show complete understanding

Exceeding Expectations (7-10 marks)

Student is able to accurately identify all key ideas in the video and record them in the mind map

Student is able to differentiate key ideas from details with no difficulty at all

Student is able to cleverly categorise all key ideas and details such that the relationships between them are clearly demonstrated

Student shows ability to recognize rhetorical forms and devices and use this knowledge prudently to construct his/ her mindmap

Student shows clear understanding of what the speaker’s thesis statement/ argument is and is able to articulate it succinctly and clearly.

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Task Criterion Mark

Short Response

Approaching Expectations (0-3 marks)

Student is unable to articulate the main issue(s) clearly and correctly. His/ her response shows partial/ wrong understanding.

Student is unable to explain why this issue is worth considering or is only able to cite superficial reason(s) why this issue is worth considering. Response is lacks consideration of the context in which this issue arose and how it affects people in that society.

Student is unable to explain how this issue is related to him/ her and people living in his/ her society. Reason(s) cited is/ are at best superficial and overly generic.

Student’s response is poorly written, with major grammatical and expression errors. Response appears to be a regurgitation or paraphrasing of contents of the video, and does not reflect student’s understanding.

Meeting Expectations (4-6 marks)

Student is able to articulate the main issue(s) clearly and correctly. His/ her response might show slight misunderstanding but in general understanding is intact.

Student is able to state and explain why this issue is worth considering by making reference to the contents of the article as well as his/ her own research or prior knowledge. Response shows effort in trying to explain how the lives of people are affected by this issue though explanation could have been better.

Student is able to explain how this issue is related to him/ her and people living in his/ her society though explanation might not be backed by reliable evidence or knowledge of his/ her society and might not be fully developed.

Student’s response is average, with some grammatical and expression errors. Response may lack coherence or substantiation.

Exceeding Expectations (7-10 marks)

Student is able to articulate the main issue(s) clearly and correctly and shows full understanding of discussion.

Student is able to state and explain why this issue is worth considering by making reference to the contents of the article as well as his/ her own research or prior knowledge. Response shows consideration of how this issue affects more than those mentioned in the video and why it should be addressed.

Student is able to explain how this issue is related to him/ her and people living in his/ her society by drawing clear connections and elaborating on why this issue is relevant.

Student’s response is well-written, with little to no grammatical and expression errors, and thoughts and ideas are expressed coherently.

Students’ response contains some insightful/ interesting comments or observations.

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