Homework
This homework has two parts: a group presentation and an individual research paper (about 1000 words).
1. Form a group (2 to 4 people) and sign up for the homework as soon as possible.
2. Find a country to present(see the document Homework1 Groups for the groups and their countries). Each group will select a different country. You cannot choose USA or Turkey because we will be discussing the USA situation through our readings.
Do research and prepare a report on your country's language policy concerning the primary education. The main focus of this mini study will the minority groups and their native languages versus the standard or the dominant language in the country. In your report you should briefly describe the country and the ethnic (linguistic) groups living in that particular country (are they immigrant families, are they native people in that country?), their proportions, language backgrounds and the language policy regarding the use of native languages (non-standard or non-dominant languages). Do they speak their language at home and then study in a different language? Do they need to learn the standard language before they start school? Do schools accommodate their language needs through bilingual education?
This is not a project on foreign language education. This is not a project on education beyond elementary school. So do not talk about universities, or high school.
You should have at least one reliable source that you use in your report. Have a look at your source availability before you decide on your country. Your source of information cannot be your own experience or what you hear from your friends. Remember, you will write a research paper on what you find.
Group Presentation
After you work with your group, you will present your report to the class using Power Point. The presentation will be a group presentation (but everybody will speak, so divide your labour accordingly). Each presentation will be 10 minutes long and will focus on the following topics:
- Official name of the country
- Geographical location
- Brief history, with special focus on the ethnic groups and languages
- Languages, official as well as ethnic languages
- Primary education with a special focus on the languages and minority, immigrant children.
Presentations should have the name of the country and the names of the presenter students on the first slide.
Presentations should be visually appealing, to-the-point, and easy to understand and read. You may use visual aids to make your presentation more interesting. Try to present information in bullets, graphics or pictures.
Do not read from the screen or your notes. Speak to the class.
**Your presentation should list all the sources, including the pictures if you use any, on the last slide. Do not show this page to the class.
Individual Paper
Each and every one of you will write an individual report on your project. This will basically be the written form of the presentation, but everybody will submit an individual report written alone by each student. So you will share the sources, but the written presentation will be your own work. Your paper should have a formal essay format and tone, with an informative title, proper introduction, development, and a conclusion.
**You should have a references part where you list your sources.
Comparison with the language policies in Turkey and the USA
Your essay should have one paragraph on Turkey and one paragraph on the USA where you compare/contrast your country (the country that you selected) with Turkey and the USA.
Your presentation will nothave this part.