The lawyer is a student. Normal stress may be indicated in writing in several ways, for example: The LAWyer is a STUdent. or The lawyer is a stúdent or The lawyer is a student. or The/law/yer is a/stu/dent. or (de 'lɔyer iz ǝ 'studǝnt) A teacher may prefer to tap with a pencil, making a loud tap when there is to be stress as she pronounces the sentence orally. Students practice first in unison. Then those with a feeling for rhythm are asked to repeat the sentence alone with the pencil. Finally, even the shy speakers will repeat it. Proverbs are useful in teaching rhythm. In memorizing a proverb the student seems to fix the rhythm in his mind, and it carries over into other sentences when he speaks. Contractions must be taught. Even if a student does not wish to use them, he has to be able to recognize them. When others are speaking to him the student will constantly hear such words as: don't, doesn't. didn't, won't, I'll, you'll, he'll, we'll, they'll, I'm, you're, and they're. In regard to English as it is commonly spoken with slurred sounds, recognition is more important than production. Even though a student prefers to speak with precision, he must learn to understand when rapid English is spoken to him. For example, the word to (tu) in the phrase to the store is reduced to (tǝ); the is already (ðǝ) so a student must recognize (tə də stɔr). When English is spoken quickly the word he (hi) becomes 'e (i); his (hiz) becomes 'is (Iz); and 'is (1z) becomes a slight buzz (z). When all of this was being taught to one foreign student, he remarked, "Now I learn how to unpronounce all the words I learned to pronounce in the last lesson." A good drill for a few minutes each day to is speak everyday questions quickly, either turning from one student to another for answers or letting the student who is first to recognize the phrase have the privilege of giving the answer. How are you? What is your country? When did you come? Where did you eat lunch? What day is today? Finally a note about dictation. Dictation may be a list of sounds to be written phonetically, or words, phrases, sentences, or a paragraph to be written for spelling practice. Unless the student reads back what he has written, dictation is solely training in recognition. The teacher's rate of speaking varies with the level of the class and the type of material being taught. But every student should have an opportunity every day to hear normal conversation of a native speaker or speakers. And he should, in addition, be given an opportunity to try to participate in such a conversation. Occasionally the question of regional differences in pronunciation of English is raised by a student. Although we do not emphasize these differences, particularly with beginners, we acknowledge that they do exist. Sometimes they may be used to illustrate the fact that the rhythm in English is as important as the pronunciation of individual sounds, and that regional differences of pronunciation are therefore not as vital as at first they may seem. Members of the staff of the Orientation Center have different regional speech backgrounds, and the fact that the student hears each of these teachers at some time during the week makes it easy for him to accept regional differences without much difficulty. Courses for General Orientation for All Levels In addition to the periods of study devoted to the mastery of reading, writing, speaking, and hearing of English, we have one period a day in which we present some aspects of life in the United States. The subjects we emphasize are principles of the United States Government, the geography and early history of the United States, current events, literature, education, social customs, common idioms, and professional vocabulary. The teacher responsible for teaching one of these subjects prepares an outline of lessons which she can cover in about 8 weeks, giving one lesson a week to each group. In a beginning class, the material that can be introduced is limited and is stripped down to basic elementary construction; in the advanced classes, on the other hand, a more comprehensive course can be given. Field trips are taken to illustrate these courses. Linked with the lessons in government are trips to the Congress, to the Supreme Court, to meetings of congressional committees, and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. History lessons are brought to life by the murals in the Capitol Rotunda, and through visits to Mount Vernon, the Lee Mansion, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Lincoln Museum and Memorial, Colonial Williamsburg, and other historic places in this area. Lessons in the cultural life of the United States are illustrated by visits to art galleries, libraries, schools, and universities. In addition students are kept informed about the many free concerts and art lectures and are encouraged to attend them. While spending the day together on these trips, we become better friends, and the teachers learn the personal needs and desires of those students who would hesitate to mention private matters in a classroom atmosphere. We can also give lessons in names of foods and the selection of inexpensive nourishing lunches, and demonstrate without words an aspect of democratic living by going in and out of congressional meetings and court sessions without special permits. Although the location of the Center in Washington provides many advantages, it does not have some special advantages possessed by centers in other locations. For example, the informal atmosphere of Hat tiesburg, Miss., is described in the report from the Latin American Institute of Mississippi Southern College. This report says that the stu dents are housed in some of the better homes of the town, near the campus, and that the families with whom they live take warm personal interest in the students, inviting them to eat with them and to spend their free time in their company. We quote: As a regular part of the course, business and professional people from the Hattiesburg trade area give talks to the groups. The professional men of the class are introduced to men of their profession and are afforded an opportunity to study and observe their profession or business at first hand. One dentist from Peru was invited by a local dentist to his office to observe procedure in dentistry. The visiting Peruvian dentist was the guest of honor at a con. vention of doctors of dentistry in Atlanta, Ga. Lawyers are invited to attend sessions of court, and trials by local lawyers. Medical doctors and nurses are invited to visit the hospitals to observe medical practice and are guests of honor at city and county medical meetings. Ranchers, farmers and those interested in agriculture are taken on tours of inspection by the local County Farm Agent. The same procedure is observed with other professions represented. A member of the Mississippi State Senate and a member of the Mississippi Legislature lecture to the group on the local, State and national governments. (28) The bulletin of Louisiana State University reports that, in their program of 1949, there were three trips of outstanding interest. A unique feature of all of these trips was the cooperation of groups in the communities visited. For example, in a day spent in Natchez, Miss., the students were entertained at luncheon, dinner, dancing, and in antebellum homes by Rotarians, newspaper groups, two garden clubs, and many local people. (55) In the Orientation Center we use many films in our courses for general orientation. To prepare the class for a film before showing it, we obtain the script and paraphrase it, putting the story into short, simply constructed sentences. We retain the vocabulary of the film so that the students will recognize the words as they hear them. After seeing the film, the students comment on it orally or in writing. A brief description is given of several of these courses for general orientation as a suggestion of possible ways to approach these subjects. PRINCIPLES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES The following brief outline of the organization and the major functions of the United States Government forms the basis of discussion with foreign students who are studying the language and the institutions of the United States. The vocabulary is selected as appropriate for use with students whose knowledge of English is limited. The main purposes of the course are: 1. To assist the students in increasing their English vocabulary and to provide practice in English usage. 2. To enable the students to understand the general plan and the main functions of the government. 3. To provide the students with a background in democratic group cooperation; and with some knowledge of current activities of the Government and of personalities in the National Government. FORM OF GOVERNMENT The government of the United States is a democracy, since the will of the people prevails through elections. The people elect the legislators and the chief executive. Some officials are appointed. Most appointed officials, however, including judges and cabinet members, are approved by the people's representatives. Thus the people have final authority. The United States has a written constitution. The Constitution outlines the form of government, prescribes the general method of selecting officials, outlines the functions of the three branches of the Government-the legislative, the executive, the judicial. The Constitution defines the major powers of the National Government, such as the power to make treaties, to coin money, to establish and maintain a postal system, to regulate trade and commerce among the States, and to regulate commerce with foreign nations. The Constitution recognizes the State governments. It mentions a few specific things which a State shall not do. For example, no State shall make a treaty with a foreign government or coin money. No state shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law. The Constitution provides that all powers not given to the National Government nor denied to the State governments are reserved to the States. This dual nature of the Government leaves many independent functions to the States. Such functions performed by the States include provisions for public education, for enforcement of State laws, for attention to matters of local government. The Constitution may be amended by the approval of three-fourths of the States. A National law or a State law must be consistent with the Constitution. The courts may decide whether National or State laws are in conflict with the Constitution. The Federal Government is composed of three branches: the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch. Each branch has certain duties to perform, and each branch acts as a “check” on the other two branches. The Government is called a government of "checks and balances." The purpose of the system of "checks and balances" is to keep any of the three branches from taking too much power. Examples of "checks and balances": 1. A bill becomes a law when it passes both Houses of Congress and is signed by the President. |