Getting into Unit 7 = Survival (SkR&W3, p67, Discussion point)

What we read

Click the image to
see full size.

As is usual, Bixby and Scanlon introduce Unit 7, "Survival", with a large photograph and some questions to get us thinking about the coming topic and ideas in this unit of Skillful (2013, p. 67). 

___________________________________ 

Why do this exercise as response writing on a blog?

In addition to practising the useful skills of response writing for fluency, another reason we use an online discussion board in our reading and writing class is that the research solidly shows that brainstorming or discussion activities for groups are more effective if participants start by working individually (O'Connell, 2010; Markman, 2017): by writing on a blog, we can generate a greater variety of independent ideas, which is what we want here and in similar exercises in Skillful. 

In fact, experts at Harvard University's School of Management and elsewhere are sure that this can be very effectively done using online tools (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2015). Blogging is one effective way to do this, which is the reason I've turned Bixby and Scanlon's discussion exercise into a quick blogging discussion. Over the coming weeks, we will do several of the discussion exercises as online discussions, which is also a common component of university classes today.

Bixby and Scanlon's questions

Discuss these questions in a comment. 

• Describe a geographical place (just one) where survival is difficult. Have you ever been in such a place?
   
• What makes survival so difficult there? 
• What would you need to have to survive there? What are the two most important things you would need?  

Write two or three paragraphs to address the questions in any order. Remember, it's response writing where we want your ideas written down in sentences as quickly as possible. Think for a minute or two, and then write. Then write your next idea, and the next one. And repeat. 

Write as though your readers have not seen the questions. Your writing should make sense as an independent piece of work. 

___________________________________ 

Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing: Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education
   
• Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2015, April 2). Why brainstorming works better online. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/04/why-brainstorming-works-better-online
   
• Markman, A. (2017, May 18). Your team is brainstorming all wrong. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/05/your-team-is-brainstorming-all-wrong
   
• O'Connell, A. (2010, February 4). Sometimes, it’s better to brainstorm alone. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/02/when-its-better-to-brainstorm

Welcome to RW2d and to our class blog

What I read

Although I've read a bit in preparation for it, this post has a different purpose than summarizing and responding to something I've read. I want to welcome you to your EAP class on Monday and Wednesday mornings.

So, welcome.

___________________________________ 

My response 

Thank you for joining our Saturday class in Reading and Writing for academic purposes. I hope you find the next four weeks useful, productive, also challenging, and perhaps even fun. 

Click on them to
see images full size.

In her foreword to students on page 6, the series editor, Dorothy E. Zemach, gives some strategies for successful learning, one of which is to "be an independent learner" (in Bixby & Scanlon, 2013). This class blog is one way for us to do this. As Zemach suggests we do in her comment, it is one way for you to "find and then share information about ... different topics." Some of the topics you will write about here are the unit topics, but I also like Zemach's suggestion that "reading for pleasure and using the Internet in English" are important, so your writing here will not be limited to the topics of the units that we study over the next four weeks. 

___________________________________ 

Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education 

Study skills: "Strategies for writing timed essays": (SkR&W3, p56)

What we read

We have now read and thought about Bixby and Scanlons (2013, p. 56) ideas and suggestions to enhance your success in timed exams, which most students have to do at some point in their academic careers. 

___________________________________ 

Bixby and Scanlon's questions 

These are the three questions that Bixby and Scanlon ask us to discuss in their "Over to you" section, which concludes this study skills page.  

• What could you do to avoid feeling nervous in timed essay situations?
   
• Which tips are the most important to you?
   
• The next time you do timed writing, what will you do differently? 
• Which tips will you try?  

As usual, you can address these questions in any order. You can write one comment, or if you prefer, two comments. I thought that their second and third questions were the most important, so you might like to start with them; however, you are the writer, and that is a decision for you to make.   

___________________________________ 

References

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing: Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education

Getting into Unit 5 = Movement (SkR&W3, p47, Discussion point)

What we read

On page 47, Bixby and Scanlon present us with the usual unit opening of a large image and several discussion questions. For Unit 5, the title is "Movement" (2013). 

___________________________________ 

Bixby and Scanlon's questions

You can either click the image on the right, or look at it in your book, to see the full-sized photograph and the accompanying discussion questions. 

The three discussion questions are: 

• Look at the photo. Why do some birds migrate?
   
• What other animals migrate? What animals migrate to or from your country?
   
• What human activities can disrupt or interfere with animal movement? 

Think about them for a minute or two, and then respond to these questions with your responses. 

Remember

It doesn't matter in what order you discuss them. I usually start with the one that most interests me first, and then see what ideas come next. 

And it's good practice to write so that  your response is a piece of work that makes sense without having read the questions. 

___________________________________ 

Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing: Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education 

Disease: readings 1 & 2, "Long-distance Care" & "Do We Know Too Much?" (SkRW3, p62, Developing critical thinking)

What we read

We have now read both "Long-distance Care" (Bixby & Scanlon, 2013, p. 59) and "Do We Know Too Much?" (p. 61). As usual, the authors now invite us to respond critically to the ideas from both readings.

___________________________________ 

Bixby and Scanlon's questions

The questions that ask us to respond to both readings are: 

• Are all advances in science and technology good for humankind? Why or why not? Give examples to support your ideas.
   
• What might be some long-term consequences of so many medical developments that continue to extend human lives? 

Writing tips

• You can answer the questions in any order. If one idea leads to another and then another for one question, it won't matter if you don't cover both. I usually start with the one that interests me most, and then see where that leads to.
   
• To help ensure that your writing is a unified piece of work that makes sense by itself, image that your reader has not seen the questions. In other words, your first sentence needs to function as a topic sentence that clearly states your main idea about the topic. 

___________________________________ 

Reference

• Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education