The [orchid cloud and ] tangerine stars in the graphic … [above] highlight weighted values from the … [2nd] iteration of the ACTIVE Reading Unit Preferences survey for this academic year (2011-12).
[The cloud marks the unit of most interest overall: Unit 01, done first semester. The three stars mark the next units we'll study in class during second semester {2011.10.13}.]
There are some noteworthy differences between results this year and those for last year (2010-11). To discover them, please check out this previous post:
To take closer looks at the graphics in [any of] these posts, please click on the graphics.
(ACTIVE Skills for Reading: Book 1, 2011-12, first go [May 19, 2011])
Note: Most of this announcement, except for the new graphic and elaborations in square brackets, comes from the May 19 post. I’ll be showing and telling a bit more in the way of survey results in upcoming class meetings. Nevertheless, if you have concerns or questions about the graphics or survey results announced in this post, I hope you will feel free to post them in comments here, and voice them in class as well.
The tangerine stars in the graphic … [above] highlight weighted values from the first iteration of the ACTIVE Reading Unit Preferences survey for this academic year (2011-12).
There are some noteworthy differences between results this year and those for last year (2010-11). To discover them, please check out this previous post:
There are three screen snapshots below showing data that you, your classmates, and your peers provided in responses to the Unit Preferences and Reading Habits Questionnaire. Thank you for all of your timely contributions.
Although there are [quite] a few more faulty data entries that I spotted after taking these screenshots, the entries highlighted with various colors below should give you a general idea of common problems. As I did for the initial ACTIVE Readership survey, I’ve highlighted problems of reading, understanding, and following survey instructions with red, blue, and yellow.
Red backgrounds flag entries with too much or too little background information, as well as entries unsuited to survey questions;
Blue backgrounds in single cells (columns G, H, and K) flag inappropriate choices of units that we’ve started reading already;
Blue backgrounds across a row flag a redundant set of individual responses in less than 10 minutes; [and]
Yellow backgrounds flag entries with unnecessary line returns, or lack of capitalization.
I’ve highlighted other faults with pastel colors close to pink and orange.
Pinkish backgrounds flag numerous grammar and stylistic faults also marked with leading asterisks (“*…”); [and]
Orangish backgrounds flag entries typed with double-byte Japanese characters, or including double-byte Japanese spaces.
I trust that you will be able to locate your own data entries, in response to this online survey, and recognize any faults that they include. I also hope that you will carefully examine faulty entries that your classmates and peers have made, and avoid making similar mistakes when your respond to the next survey.
If you have concerns or questions about this survey, the rough data and markup in particular, please voice them during our next class meeting, or spell them out in comments on this post.
On part of a children’s books site pointed out by a friend in Canada (capriciousmuse, March 2, 2011), I found a challenging U.S. geography, history, trivia game called “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
If you’re interested in traveling to or through the U.S., that game combined with a bit of Internet research might help you learn your way around. It provides listening and reading practice, and gives previews of a number of well- or less well-known tourist destinations.
The other games on that site might be interesting, too. If you find any you like, please leave a comment about them on this post.
It belongs to a rather well known U.S. cartoon character, perhaps the best known at this time. If you’re interested in learning whose ‘do that is, and more, check out this infographic:
15 Things You Didn’t Know About The Simpsons (Infographic) – Oddee.com
It includes some very interesting trivia about a long-running animated TV show.
The three stars in the chart below highlight… the top three choices of units to read next during 2nd semester. Data for the graph include first, second, and third choices of unread or unfinished units for both 1st semester (excluding U. 9, 2010.05.14) and 2nd semester (also excluding UU. 1, 6, & 8; 2010.10.18).
Top Choices after UU. 1, 6, 8, & 9
for ACTIVE Skills for Reading: Book 1 (Anderson, 2007)
[68 + 12 +20 words]
ACTIVE Reading Unit Pref's: combined survey results
[Click on either of the graphics to view them in separate windows. {2010.10.25}]
[Reference
Anderson, Neil J. (2007). ACTIVE Skills for Reading, 2nd Edition, Student Book 1. Boston: Thomson ELT [ISDN 978-1-4240-0186-6]. {2010.10.29}]
There are now buttons with links to take you (back) to the English I-II and English V-VI wikis at the foot of the inboard sidebar (see: Stars Flag… in Graphic, below), as well as corresponding links in the CourseLinks list (blogroll) partway down the outboard sidebar.
The chart below show results from a unit preferences survey of classes V (c) and V (d) from May 6 to 14, 2010. Weighted values (1st choices * 3 + 2nd choices * 2 + 3rd choices) will guide the selection of units we’ll study in coming weeks. For example, U.1 was 25 students’ 1st choice, 9 students’ 2nd choice, and 12 students’ third choice: 25*3 + 9*2 + 12 = 105. U. 8 was 19 students’ 1st choice, 21 students’ 2nd choice, and 12 students’ third choice: 19*3 + 21*2 + 12 = 111.
Top Choices after U. 9
for ACTIVE Skills for Reading: Book 1 (Anderson, 2007)
“The real voice of Japanese university students about their English learning in JHS and HS … [making] recommendations for students, teachers, and the ministry of education …” (mitsmurphey, YouTube, 2010.01.20).
Please feel free to add your recommendations for English education in Japan to comments on this post. You may wish to focus on junior high, high school, or university language learning experiences that you’ve had, and would like to repeat (or not). You also can read and leave comments for the students who made the video in the “Respond to this video…” field below the display on YouTube.
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