Monday, March 15, 2010

RRJ#5

Reference:

Tip-of-the-Tongue Moments Explained (2010, February 26). FOX NEWS.com. Retrieved February 28, 2010, from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587483,00.html

Summary:

Tip-of-the-tongue is one of the disappointing emotions because this situation is that in which people know the meaning of the word and its existence, but they can’t say it. It may change with how often people use correct words. Researchers tested people who are bilingual, and people who are inaudible and use American Sign Language for communication to know how they establish and memorize language in the brain. They found that inaudible people have an experience tip-of-the-finger. It may happen nearly once a week, the same as speakers do. When people try to remember a specific word, similar-sounding words will come up in their brain, and shut out the access ability to the certain words. It is called phonological blocking. Next, researchers compared bilingual speakers, and people who can speak English and use ASL. They showed that bilingual people have more experience of tip-of-the-tongue, for they have twice as many words in their brain as phonological blockers. Tip-of-the-tongue is more common in any types of bilinguals because they have difficulty accessing correct words in their brain more than one language speakers.

Reaction:

Actually, I am having some experience of tip-of-the-tongue almost every day. It makes me really frustrated. When I want to say something in English, sometimes I just can remember the Japanese words. Now, I’m learning two languages. Before I learned them, tip-of-the-tongue has just happened a few times. However, when I speak a different language, I can’t remember correct words because many kinds of similar words come up in my brain. Therefore, I agree with the article. From the article, I learned a new interesting thing that deaf people also have this kind of experience like me. They use gestures to communicate, but it is the same as our speaking language. To decrease tip-of-the-tongue, people have to use frequently all languages that they speak. It is difficult for me to try it because my skills of language are not perfect in each of languages that I learn, but I will try it because I would like to learn the languages.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

RRJ#4

Reference:

Schmid, R. (2010, February 20). Research finds brain link for words, music ability; finding may lead to better stroke care. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 22, 2010,from http://www.latimes.com/news/science/wire/sns-ap-us-sci-words-and-music,0,5341031.story

Summary:

Natural partners such as words and music work together obviously. Scientists are thinking that these abilities are connected in the brain. Also, a new study mentions that extensive musical therapy may help stroke patients to improve their speech. In addition, music education can give a good speech for children who have developmental dyslexia or autism. A long time ago, there were some reports about stroke patients who couldn’t talk but could sing. Today, researchers are trying to find the answer if music can help them as a therapy. According to director of the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, new studies mention that musical training can improve the ability to do other things in the brain. Musical experience enhances important abilities such as understanding the nuances of language more accurately in our life. When people learn to talk and talk to babies, they usually use musical things. Many years’ musical training will be able to improve how sounds are developed in language and emotion. Also, music involves large parts on both sides of the brain. Some scientists think that musical ability in humans may be developed before language.

Reaction:

I’m listening to music almost every day. I can hear many kinds of sounds in daily life. Before I read the article, I heard about music therapy just a little. I was thinking that it is just for relaxing, but it has many abilities to improve speech skills. I was surprised that playing an instrument has some benefits, and it involves our brain. Also, I was interested in that some people can’t talk, but can sing. They have some problems with speaking in their brain or mind; however, they can communicate by using music. It is an amazing research because I didn’t know music has such great power. People have to have some experience with musical instruments for many abilities in future. According to the article, we can get a good hearing system if we have these experiences. Therefore, it is good for learning language. It will be good to hear the different words as music, not as just words.

Monday, February 22, 2010

RRJ#3

Reference:

Aiyar, S. (2010, January 31). Don’t teach English to your children in Class 1. The Economic Times. Retrieved February 15, 2010, from
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/columnists/swaminathan-s-a-aiyar/Dont-teach-English-to-your-children-in-Class-I/articleshow/5518821.cms

Summary:

According to the NGO Pratham, Gujarat, the city in India, had the worst record about English skills. The Gujarat government offers to teach English in Class 1 for improving the problem and joining the globalization. However, according to the Global research, it is a mistake. They mention that children should learn reading and writing from the tongue of their mother because it makes learning a second language much easier. Teaching of a second language earlier for children can’t give them learning to read faster in their mother tongue. Actually, children who are under 8 years old assimilate the new language most easily. Also, learning the first language gives children more good realizing networks of their mind. Although the skills of English are definitely important for improving our ability to make the money, children should become good in their language first because it makes them skilled in English more easily. Therefore, introducing English from Class 1 will be a severe mistake. The most important thing is reading and writing in the tongue of their mother.

Reaction:

Before I read the article, I was thinking that starting learning another language as soon as possible is a good thing for children. However, I learned that it is the most important to learn their own language first. English is the most common language in the world, and a lot of people try to learn it. Therefore, a lot of people think and have interest in it. I found some interesting information from the article. It is that rich children with pre-school education have 6 times as much vocabulary as poor children. When poor children enter school, they already have some handicaps. It is unfair because it is not their fault. They might be not able to communicate with their parents a lot because of their works. Before the government proposes to teach English, they should think about such situation. This situation will happen not only in India but also in many countries that have a large difference in earning.

Monday, February 8, 2010

RRJ#2

Reference:

Vickerman, M. (2010, January 28). Never too young to start learning languages. nj.com. Retrieved January 30, 2010, from http://www.nj.com/columns/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/living-0/126466352870450.xml&coll=3

Summary:

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages mentions that learning a second language when people are young has a lot of benefits for them. Bonneau, who built a language school, said that children who started learning a second language at their early age have many benefits because they understand the structure of the language, and get good scores on language tests and also on math tests. It is a big benefit for children to speak many kinds of languages for their career, and for their open mind. If the children experience another language earlier, they become more fluent even if they learn just a little times. Involvement of parents in learning experience for their child is another important factor of success for children. Parents have to keep working on supporting the learning process of their child. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 8.5 percent of American students study a new language for more than four years. It is not a good thing for American society in the future. To get a successful life in the future, it is important to be able to speak at least two or more languages. If the children can speak another language, they can have choices, have a good future, and learn easily from other cultures.

Reaction:

I agree with the article. According to it, children can assimilate many things more quickly than adults. When I was a child, I tried to do many things such as swimming, dancing, playing the piano and so on. It was easier to learn these things as a child than it is now. I regret that I didn’t start studying the language when I was a child. If I get a child, I will let my child learn the new language in their young ages. It will give them more good effects. It is very important to learn other languages in this global world because it affects our future or career. Therefore, children should learn the language to get many benefits before they become older.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

RRJ1

Reference:
Court, B. (2010, January 24). A look at the language of ‘Avatar’. Timesunion.com. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=892121&category=LIFE.

Summary:
The author is writing about the language that is spoken by the blue aliens in ‘Avatar’. The language is called “Na’vi” in the movie. This language did not exist in the real world, and that was made by Paul Frommer who is a professor of communication at the University of Southern California. He had to work with obligation at the beginning of his work because the director of the “Avatar” already invented some new words such as the name of the language, “Na’vi”. When Frommer made the a new language, he had to always keep in his mind that all the words are supposed to be pronounceable for not only aliens but also humans like us. All of his invented words should also have their sound because actors need to speak. A handy pocket guide about “Na’vi” was made for all staff members in order to understand it easily. The author found a new thing that is a difference between “Na’vi” and English. This language fills many lexical gaps and has many important gaps of itself.

Reaction:
It is very hard to imagine making a new language. We are just learning the language that people speak and use. I saw the ‘Avatar’. The language that the blue people speak sounded like an existing language in the real world. We have many kinds of language in the world. There are some similarities and differences like between “Na’vi” and English. For example, Japanese and Chinese have many of the same characters, but sometimes they have different meanings. It is difficult to learn the new language, but when we learn the new one, we can find new things, which are not only language but also other things such as their own culture or life. So, I’d like to learn the new language. This article makes me more interested in the language.

Monday, February 1, 2010

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