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Comprehension questions to "The Famous Poll at Jody's Bar"

Story map - write notes while reading your short stories - NA16F

US Election - demographic maps

MIL (Media and Information Literacy) week 2016 in Brazil

Global MIL Week 2016: MIL at the heart of learning and education

© UNESCO

The inspiring second day of the UNESCO-led Global MIL Week 2016 Feature Event in São Paulo, Brazil, brought to light the relevance and urgency of policy on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) around the world. Media and Information Literacy and the Global MIL Week received high recognition from the government of Brazil, with the Secretaries of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Transparency, Oversight and Control and the State of São Paolo. These high-level officials together with representatives from UNESCO, the University of São Paulo and the Global Alliance for Partnerships on MIL expressed commitment in advancing MIL and called for it to be placed on the global development agenda.

Uncertainty: a difficult task for education

Marco Antonio Zago, Rector of the University of São Paulo and the keynote speaker of the Feature Event, underlined the “uncertain” times we live in. “Universities have the difficult task of educating for times of uncertainty. We don’t know which technologies will be available but we know they will be different than today”, he said. He pointed out that “we need to look into strengthening the behaviors and abilities to take decisions, to communicate and argue and to train for the future”. And this is a challenge as well as a responsibility. He noted that “Universities are the sisters of freedoms”.

“This conference also provides us with responsibility, to think critically about the purpose of MIL and what kind of society we want to live in. We are here to seize the opportunity that UNESCO provided,” said Carolyn Wilson, Chair of GAPMIL Interim International Steering Committee and instructor at Canada’s Western University.

How to measure the impact of MIL policies?

During the first plenary sessions, focusing on MIL as a tool for bridging the divide between learning and living in formal, informal and non-formal education, Alexandre Barbosa, Director of CETIC.br approached a critical issue of public policies – their impact (or lack thereof) over the lives of youth in Brazil. Using research conducted by CETIC, such as the Brazilian Kids Online Survey, Barbosa highlighted that MIL can reduce the gap that exists between the learning and everyday empirical experience in formal, non formal and informal education environment.

Paulette Karr and Paulette Stewart from the University of the West Indies added another perspective on this: “Research done shows that technology issues were not at the heart of the problem. It was more policy and infrastructure”, they concluded. The importance of policy was also highlighted by Ismar Soares, professor at the School of Communication and Arts at USP, who stated that “this conference can promote dialogue surrounding public policies, so that we can empower educators in Brazil”.

“Learners at the centre of a networked world”

Tessa Jolls, President of the Centre for Media Literacy, USA, noted that education reform is needed, as “through MIL, learners are placed at the centre of a networked world where MIL is brought to the centre of all learning.” The first plenary session opened with a recollection that 2 November is the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and the appropriateness that Global MIL Week 2016 was opened on that day. Journalists were recognized as important information providers relevant to MIL, as are librarians, archivists, museum creators, researchers and academics. All were called upon to offer a moment of silence for journalists killed in 2015 and 2016.

Exciting time for MIL education

“Today the majority of our schools are still following the Industrial Revolution model; a bell signals when we must start and finish, students wear uniforms, there is a professor”, highlighted Rosa Maria Vicari, UNESCO Chair for ICTs in Education, adding that access to technology is viewed as a challenge. “The new media provide possibilities and opportunities, with many new models”, she concluded at the round table session “Innovation in MIL Education: transforming learning in a multimedia environment: best practices and pedagogical models for MIL and teacher’s education”. The fundamental role of teachers in MIL education was further reinforced during other round table sessions. Primary school education is very important but most teachers are not currently trained in MIL, so its integration into their curricula is crucial.

Intercultural impact and critical attitudes

MIL skills are also having a profound impact on intercultural dialogue. Prejudices often exist because of a lack of knowledge; most people are afraid of what they do not know. Grassroots and everyday collaborative activities will contribute to reducing fear and promoting mutual understanding, and so can the media and journalists.

Dennis Reineck from Deutsche Welle (DW) Akademie shared a project carried out in Cambodia and Palestine focused on the use of social media amongst rural populations who were not aware of how to use it. “There was a bit of knowledge there, but mostly it was about motivation among young people and, along with that, access to developing critical attitudes,” Reineck explained, highlighting that MIL competencies, among others, are knowing how media work and demanding media quality.

Global MIL Week 2016 is led by UNESCO in cooperation with the General Assembly of the Global Alliance for Partnerships in Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) University Network and hosted by the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Global MIL Week’s Feature Event was celebrated from 2-5 November 2016 in São Paulo.

source: 

http://en.unesco.org/global-mil-week-2016/global-mil-awards

Two more videos from Florida - SA16M

Two more videos arrived from Vero Beach, Florida 

Global Read Aloud - slow chat questions for week 6 of All American Boys

Mystery Skype with Vero Beach, Florida, USA

The Friday ended with a mystery Skype call to somewhere in the world. The students in SA15M had 15 minutes to prepare questions and settle in their groups before we received a call....from what we at the end then discovered was St. Edward's School in Vero Beach, Florida. Here are some images from the Skype session that put a wonderful end to the week:

We have received videos from our friends in Florida and Tokyo - for SA16M

Kelly and her students in Florida have responded to the video that we sent, introducing ourselves and our city and school. Here are two videos from the Chinese students that go to high school in Florida. Enjoy! 

and here's one from our friends at St. Mary's High School in Tokyo:

Follow Pernilla's English Classroom on Instagram

Follow Pernilla's English Classroom on Instagram to get an insight into the actual classroom:

Tip of the day - read and listen at the same time - The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

If you want to practice your reading and listening skills, then take a look at www.manythings.org and maybe this classic short story by O. Henry. 

What would you do? - SA16M

Self assessment post presidential pitch - SA15P

Quiz - The main branches of the U.S. Government - NA16F

I Am NOT Black, You Are NOT White - Diversity

Now, more than ever, the urgency to emphasize that diversity enriches us is great....and growing day by day. After starting to read All American Boys (we're part of the Global Read Aloud 2016) we are starting to soak our minds in the notion that we don't like labeling, it confines us and limits our thinking. Today the lesson starts with the video above....

Against The Wall from Against The Wall on Vimeo.

Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to Bob Dylan

The Nobel Committee announced a few minutes ago that Bob Dylan has been awarded the prize in literature 2016. Here's an example of his lyrics: 

Like a Rolling Stone

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People call say 'beware doll, you're bound to fall'
You thought they were all kidding you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hanging out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging your next meal

How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ahh you've gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street
And now you're gonna have to get used to it
You say you never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
A complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ah you never turned around to see the frowns
On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on a chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discovered that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal

How does it feel, how does it feel?
To have on your own, with no direction home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ahh princess on a steeple and all the pretty people
They're all drinking, thinking that they've got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you better take your diamond ring, you better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him he calls you, you can't refuse
When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you've got no secrets to conceal

How does it feel, ah how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Read more:  Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Evaluation of Module ": The Curious Incident... - NA16F

For those interested - the second presidential debate

The actual debate starts about 30 minutes in...

Snapshot from today - Giving presidential speeches

Evaluation of Module 2: the U.S. Election 2016 - to be answered after giving your own speech

After giving your speeches I want you to do this evaluation of module 2. After completing this evaluation you log onto PingPong and do the self-assessment there. Thanks!