Grading Software Offers Professors a Break By John Markoff, New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

Robotic grading is not really new. There are already automated grading systems for multiple-choice and true-false tests  used in schools everywhere in the U.S.  Teachers spending hours correcting written essays is also nothing new. What is different is having essays corrected by an automated software program. The idea of using artificial intelligence in place of teachers to grade essays has not been accepted by everyone, especially those in the teaching profession. Will this type of program benefit teachers and students? The following article offers the pros and cons of robotic essay grading.

Robert Pearce.

Excerpt:

“Imagine taking a college exam, and, instead of handing in a blue book and getting a grade from a professor a few weeks later, clicking the “send” button when you are done and receiving a grade back instantly, your essay scored by a software program. And then, instead of being done with that exam, imagine that the system would immediately let you rewrite the test to try to improve your grade.

EdX, the nonprofit enterprise founded by Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to offer courses on the Internet, has just introduced such a system and will make its automated software available free on the Web to any institution that wants to use it. The software uses artificial intelligence to grade student essays and short written answers, freeing professors for other tasks. The new service will bring the educational consortium into a growing conflict over the role of automation in education.

Grading Bot photo- School of Doubt.

Although automated grading systems for multiple-choice and true-false tests are now widespread, the use of artificial intelligence technology to grade essay answers has not yet received widespread endorsement by educators and has many critics.

Anant Agarwal, an electrical engineer who is president of EdX, predicted that the instant-grading software would be a useful pedagogical tool, enabling students to take tests and write essays over and over and improve the quality of their answers…

Photo- Reuters.

But skeptics say the automated system is no match for live teachers. One longtime critic, Les Perelman…a retired director of writing and a current researcher at M.I.T.  has drawn national attention several times for putting together nonsense essays that have fooled software grading programs into giving high marks. He has also been highly critical of studies that purport to show that the software compares well to human graders.

He is among a group of educators who last month began circulating a petition opposing automated assessment software. The group, which calls itself Professionals Against Machine Scoring of Student Essays in High-Stakes Assessment, has collected nearly 2,000 signatures, including some from luminaries like Noam Chomsky…

Avram Noam Chomsky. Photo Wikipedia.

The group’s statement reads in part: “Computers cannot ‘read. Let’s face the realities of automatic essay scoring… They cannot measure the essentials of effective written communication: accuracy, reasoning, adequacy of evidence, good sense, ethical stance, convincing argument, meaningful organization, clarity, and veracity, among others.

Harvard joins MIT in EdX platform. Photo- Inside Higher ED.

But EdX expects its software to be adopted widely by schools and universities. EdX offers free online classes from Harvard, M.I.T. and the University of California, Berkeley; this fall, it will add classes from Wellesley, Georgetown and the University of Texas. In all, 12 universities participate in EdX, which offers certificates for course completion and has said that it plans to continue to expand next year, including adding international schools.

Mark D. Shermis, a professor at the University of Akron in Ohio, supervised the Hewlett Foundation’s contest on automated essay scoring and wrote a paper about the experiment. In his view, the technology — though imperfect — has a place in educational settings. With increasingly large classes, it is impossible for most teachers to give students meaningful feedback on writing assignments.” Read more…

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic of automated grading software through discussions, debates, and writing activities.

I. Pre-Reading

 Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Place students in groups and ask  each group to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to create a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.

II. While Reading

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Directions: have students choose the synonyms (the words closest in meaning) for the  words in bold. Students will find this great Vocabulary Cluster Map By Learnnc.org a useful tool.

1. Imagine taking a college exam and receiving a grade back instantly.

Synonym   ___________.

a. at once

b. later

c. eventually

2. EdX is a  nonprofit enterprise. Synonym   ___________.

a. space ship

b. business

c. prize

3.  The use of artificial intelligence technology to grade essay answers has not yet received widespread endorsement. Synonym   ___________.

a. real

b. synthetic

c.  genuine

4. He said the technology would offer distinct advantages over the traditional classroom system.  Synonym   ___________.

a. latest

b. unestablished

c. long established

5. EdX predicted that the instant-grading software would be a useful pedagogical tool.  Synonym   ___________.

a. game

b. non-teaching

c. teaching

6. But skeptics say the automated system is no match for live teachers.

Synonym   ___________.

a. believers

b. doubters

c. faithful

7. The challenge is that this requires human graders. Synonym___.

a. answer

b. solution

c. problem

8. With increasingly large classes, it is impossible for most teachers to give students meaningful feedback. Synonym   ___________.

a. non-comments

b. silence

c. response

9. Critics of the technology have tended to come from the nation’s best universities. Synonym   ___________.

a. judges

b. contestants

c.  artists

10. They often come from very prestigious institutions. Synonym___.

a. minor

b. distinguished

c. unimportant

Reading Comprehension

True / False

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if  a statement is false they  write (F)  and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. EdX the nonprofit enterprise was founded by Stanford  and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
2. The software uses artificial intelligence to grade student essays.
3. Automated grading systems for multiple-choice and true-false tests are new in the education system.
4. The use of artificial intelligence technology to grade essay answers has received widespread endorsement.
5. Agarwal Agarwal is a professor and  volunteer at EdX.
6. According to Agarwal,  the technology would offer distinct advantages over the traditional classroom system, where students often wait days or weeks for grades.
7.  Les Perelman is  a retired director of writing and a current researcher at M.I.T. who has  put together nonsense essays that have fooled software grading programs into giving high marks.
8. Perelman’s  greatest objection to the research was that they did not have any robots writing essays.
9. There is now a range of companies offering commercial programs to grade written test answers.
10. According to Mark D. Shermis with increasingly large classes, it is impossible for most teachers to give students meaningful feedback on writing assignments.

 Grammar Focus

Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article (some may be abbreviated versions). One sentence in each group contains a grammatical  error. Students are to identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3) from each group that contains the grammatical error and make the correction.

I. 

1. The software uses artificial intelligence to grade student essays.
2. The new service will brings the educational consortium into a growing conflict.
3. The use of artificial intelligence technology to grade essay answers has not yet received widespread endorsement.

II.

1. The EdX assessment tool requires human teachers,  to first grade 100 essay questions.
2. The software will assign a grade depending on the scoring system created by the teacher.
3. It will also provided general feedback.

III.

1. This is machine learning and there is a long way to go.
2. We found that the quality of the grading is similar to the variation you find from instructors.
3. EdX is not the first to used automated assessment technology.

III. Post Reading

Reading Comprehension Check

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Directions:  An option is to have students use this advanced organizer from Enchanted Learning to assist them with  discussing  or writing about  the main points from the article.

Discussion/Writing 

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics.

1. Anant Agarwal, stated that “the instant-grading software would be a useful pedagogical tool, enabling students to take tests and write essays over and over and improve the quality of their answers.” Do you think that a machine can “improve” a student’s quality of writing? Explain why or why not.
2. Restate the following comment into your own words. “The EdX assessment tool requires human teachers, or graders, to first grade 100 essays or essay questions. The system then uses a variety of machine-learning techniques to train itself to be able to grade any number of essays or answers automatically and almost instantaneously.”
3. “Computers cannot ‘read.’ They cannot measure the essentials of effective written communication: accuracy, reasoning, or meaningful organization.”  Provide reasons to support or to refute this statement.
4. What are your thoughts on having a computer grade your essay?  Do you think that you gain more by having your teacher grade your writing? Provide reasons for your answers.

 Group Project

Team Debate

Directions: Divide students into  two teams for this debate. Both teams will use the article as their source of information.

Team A will list five reasons for automated essay checking.

Team  B will list  five reasons against automated essay checking.

For organization, have students use this great Pros and Cons Scale organizer  from Freeology .

IV. Listening Activity 

Video Clip: Japanese School Tests Robot Teacher

Students at the Kudan Elementary School in downtown Tokyo were told a special teacher would help them with their science class. They had a big surprise!

 While Listening

True  /False/NA statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is  false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer. If there is no information available for a statement then students write NA.

According to the video:

1. The robot teacher needed 2 men to carry her up to the podium.
2. She was built by a student from Tokyo University of Science.
3. The robot teacher has been used at other Japanese schools.
4. She’s not meant to take jobs away from teachers.
5. The main reason for  building the robot  was to use new technology to teach children about technology.
6. The robot may be able to help in schools where there is  an  abundance of teachers.
7. There are 2 more robots like this one.
8. Scientists want to develop the robot to be controlled remotely to teach these classes.
9. The children liked the robot.
10. The  professor didn’t think that the robot was ready to teach a class.

 Post Listening

Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.

1. Based on the article, your discusions, debate, and this video,  discuss the pros and cons of  providing robot teachers in classrooms.
2. Would you like to experience working with a robot teacher? Provide reasons why or why not.
3. With your group members, make up questions that you would like to ask the  professor (who created the robot),  the students, or the teacher.

ANSWER KEY: Computers Grading Essays

Related:
That Dastardly Computer Gave My Essay a D!  New York Times Opinion Page (4/11/13)

Tags: EdX Grading Robots, Harvard, MIT

Words and War: Toni Morrison at West Point, By Abigail Meisel The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

Visit previous Lesson Plans Business Writing, Reading,  Writing, Speaking, Listening, Vocabulary, Grammar, Charts & Organizers. Resources for Teachers-Site Map.

Recently the Nobel Prize recipient, author Toni Morrison accepted an invitation to speak at the prestigious West Point Military Academy. The topic of her talk was Ms. Morrison’s book “Home”  about a U.S. Korean War veteran.

Toni Morrison spoke to the Class of 2016 cadets in Robinson Auditorium. Photo-West Point.

Excerpt:

“As thousands of hungry West Point cadets streamed into the mess hall for their 20-minute lunch break here on Friday, they paused from the rush to the tables to give a rousing group cheer to a guest who has received hundreds of accolades, but perhaps none this thunderous…it’s like a movie,” said Toni Morrison, who sat at one of the 420 wooden tables in the flag-bedecked Washington Hall, a majestic Romanesque structure at the United States Military Academy. Seated with members of the African-American Arts Forum at West Point, Ms. Morrison ate her Army-issue ravioli and prepared to read from her most recent novel, “Home,” to the freshman cadets, who studied the book in English class this semester.

The novel Home By Toni Morrison. Photo- Morrison facebook.

The novel is the story of Frank Money, a black Georgia native and Korean War veteran struggling to reintegrate into civilian life in a segregated America, while struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. I read ‘Home’ last winter and immediately saw that the text touched on so many relevant topics, such as PTSD, as well as race, explained Lt. Col. Scott Chancellor, who directs West Point’s freshman English program and called Ms. Morrison, a Nobel Prize winner, “the greatest living American writer.” During the interview Ms. Morrison said she was concerned about the numberof suicides by veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

West Point has made accommodations to women over the years. Photo: Mike Groll, AP

“I dare you to tell me a sane reason we went to Iraq,” she said…At West Point we ensure that cadets are made to struggle with moral ambiguity, so that when they confront tangled scenarios, they will be able to do that well…Morrison gives us just enough psychological complication of Frank Money to open up an understanding of how desperately malignant the realm of war can be…

Cadet candidates fall in under the watchful eye of West Point Cadet Sgt. Reed Caradine. Photo Daniel P. Elkins. US Military.

After lunch Ms. Morrison moved post, suitably enough, to Robinson Auditorium, named for the Army’s first black four-star general, Roscoe Robinson Jr., who commanded troops in the Korean War. There she settled into a big leather chair placed for her on the stage and faced more than 1,600 cadets in their dress grays to read three passages from “Home.”

U.S. Military Academy First Captain Tyler Gordy leads the Brigade Staff during the Acceptance Day Parade, Aug. 15, at West Point, N.Y. Photo: John Pellino.

We related to the book, especially since we signed up for the academy during a time of war, said Abigail Graves, a freshman, whose father, an Army colonel, was stationed in Iraq for over a year. 

West Point -Graduating Class of 2012. Photo- By Mike Strasser, U.S. Military Academy.

“Many cadets who graduated last year have been serving, and it’s easy to imagine PTSD happening to someone not that much older than us.” Read more…

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on  practicing reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through discussions, and writing.

I. Pre-Reading

 Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Ask students to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to create a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.

Stimulating Background Knowledge

K-W-L Chart

The K-W-L chart is used to activate students’ background knowledge of a topic in order to enhance their comprehension skills. The K-W-L stands for: what I Know, what I Want to learn, and what I did Learn.

Directions: Have students use the KWL chart from MSU to list the information they already know about  author Toni Morrison, and West Point Academy. Later in the Post- Reading segment of the lesson, students can fill in what they’ve learned about the topic.

II. While Reading

Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have the students write sentences using each word. They will find this neat Vocabulary Cluster By Learnnc.org  useful.

Tags: Toni Morrison, West Point Academy

Rape on the Reservation By Louise Erdrich, The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

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Louise Erdrich’s book The Round House is a novel about a teenage boy who elicits  the help of his friends to investigate an attack on his mother on a North Dakota reservation. The book also explores themes such as the daily challenges of alcoholism, religion, violence, and the unjust laws made by the United States government concerning American Indians.  The following is an excerpt from the author concerning her views about the The Violence Against Women Act and the injustices in American Indian communities today .

Drawing By Pia Bramley-New York Times

Excerpt:

“Two Republicans running for Congressional seats last year offered opinions on “legitimate rape” or God-approved conceptions during rape, tainting their party with misogyny. Their candidacies tanked. Words matter.

Having lost the votes of many women, Republicans now have the chance to recover some trust. The Senate last week voted resoundingly to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, the 1994 law that recognized crimes like rape, domestic abuse and stalking as matters of human rights.

But House Republicans, who are scheduled to take up the bill today and vote on it Thursday, have objected to provisions that would enhance protections for American Indians, undocumented immigrants and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, among other vulnerable populations. Here in Minneapolis, a growing number of Native American women wear red shawls to powwows to honor survivors of sexual violence… The Justice Department reports that one in three Native women is raped over her lifetime, while other sources report that many Native women are too demoralized to report rape…Further tearing at the social fabric of communities, a Native woman battered by her non-Native husband has no recourse for justice in tribal courts, even if both live on reservation ground. More than 80 percent of sex crimes on reservations are committed by non-Indian men, who are immune from prosecution by tribal courts…To protect Native women, tribal authorities must be able to apprehend, charge and try rapists — regardless of race. Tribal courts had such jurisdiction until 1978, when the Supreme Court ruled that they did not have inherent jurisdiction to try non-Indians without specific authorization from Congress.  The Senate bill would restore limited jurisdiction over non-Indians suspected of perpetrating sex crimes, but even this unnerves some officials. You’ve got to have a jury that is a reflection of society as a whole, and on an Indian reservation, it’s going to be made up of Indians, right?” said Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. So the non-Indian doesn’t get a fair trial. 

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Leaving aside the fact that most Native defendants tried in the United States face Indian-free juries, and disregarding the fulsome notion that Native people can’t be impartial jurists, Mr. Grassley got his facts wrong. Most reservations have substantial non-Indian populations, and Native families are often mixed. The Senate version guarantees non-Indians the right to effective counsel and trial by an impartial jury…Since 1990, when Joseph R. Biden Jr., then a senator from Delaware, drafted the original legislation, the Violence Against Women Act has been parsed and pored over. During reauthorizations in 2000 and 2005, language on date rape and orders of protection was added. With each iteration, the act has become more effective, inclusive and powerful. Without it, the idea that some rape is “legitimate” could easily have been shrugged off by the electorate. Some House Republicans maintain that Congress lacks the authority to subject non-Indians to criminal trials in tribal court, even though a Supreme Court opinion from 2004 suggests otherwise…What seems like dry legislation can leave Native women at the mercy of their predators or provide a slim margin of hope for justice. As a Cheyenne proverb goes, a nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground.”  more…

Learn more about TRANSGENDER CHILDREN  from ESL Voices Lesson Plan.

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article to  improve  reading comprehension and learn new vocabulary. The will also practice listening and speaking  skills.At the end of the lesson students will express their views on the topic of violence against American Indian women in the US.  through discussions  and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

•  Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Ask students to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students tocreate a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.  Have students use this great pre-reading organizer by McGraw-Hill to assist them in finding the main ideas from the reading.

KWL CHART

Directions: Have students use the KWL chart from MSU to list the information they already know about American Indians living in the US., and the problem of rape on the reservations. Next, have students list information they would like to learn about this topic. Later in the Post- Reading segment of the lesson, students can fill in what they’ve learned about the topic.

II. While Reading Tasks

• Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have the students write sentences using each word.

Note: A Round House was a structure  used for Tribal Ceremonies, and important meetings. In the story the attack occurs near the Round House.

1. Two Republicans..offered opinions on “legitimate rape”…
2. …the Violence Against Women Act, the 1994 law that recognized crimes like rape, domestic abuse, as matters of human rights.
3. But House Republicans…have objected to provisions that would enhance protections for American Indians…
4. …undocumented immigrants and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, among other vulnerable populations.
5. More than 80 percent of sex crimes on reservations are committed by non-Indian men.
6. …other sources report that many Native women are too demoralized to report rape.
7. …a Native woman battered by her non-Native husband has no recourse for justice in tribal courts…
8. More than 80 percent of sex crimes on reservations are committed by non-Indian men, who are immune from prosecution by tribal courts.
9. To protect Native women, tribal authorities must be able to apprehend, charge and try rapists.

KWL Chart
Directions:  Have students  fill in the last column of the KWL chart they used in the pre-reading segment of this lesson. What new information have they learned so far?

Discussion/Writing Tasks

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics.

1. In the article Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa made the following statement, “You’ve got to have a jury that is a reflection of society as a whole, and on an Indian reservation, it’s going to be made up of Indians, right?”. How would you rephrase this statement into your own words?
2. How do you think people from different ethnic or racial groups would view the rape of indigenous women in the US? What would the people (especially the women) in your country think about this?
3. Doe this type of problem exist in your country? Describe in what way. What are people doing about it?
4. Many American Indians are poor. Do you think that poverty plays a role in these attacks against Native women?
5. Why do think Native women are afraid to speak up and accuse their attacker publicly?
6. The article quotes a Cheyenne proverb, “a nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground.” What does this mean to you?

IV. Listening Activity   

Video: What Affects One Woman Affects All Women- The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video. As students listen to the video if a statement is true they mark it T if the statement is  false they mark it F and provide the correct answer.

“The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) is a United States federal law (Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, H.R. 3355) signed as Pub.L. 103–322 by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994. The Act provides $1.6 billion toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, imposes automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allows civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted. The Act also establishes the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice. Male victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking may also be covered.

VAWA was drafted by the office of Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), with support from a broad coalition of advocacy groups….On January 2, 2013, the Senate’s 2012 reauthorization of VAWA was not brought up for a vote in the House. While the bill was not reauthorized, its provisions (as enacted in the 2005 reauthorization) remain in effect.–

On February 12, 2013, the Senate passed an extension of the Violence Against Women Act by a vote of 78-22. 

On February 28, 2013, the House of Representatives passed the extension by a vote of 286-138, with unanimous Democratic support and 87 Republicans voting in the affirmative.” -Wikipedia-Learn more…

True /false

1. The Republicans within the house of representatives gambled that other women of cultural backgrounds would not stand with their Native and Immigrant sisters.
2. Different republicans bet that American women would be willing to throw Native American women under the bus.
3. Women felt that the Violence Against Women Act is good as it is.
4.  Women said Native women should be protected against sexual violence  and stalking just like all of us.
5. The women further said we will not leave our Native American  sisters behind.
6.   They also stated that if you want to declare war on Native American and Immigrant women you can, but not on all of us.
7. A few Republican representatives also believed that non-Native American men should not be able to rape beat or stalk  Native American women.
8. Women around the United States said that repeated sex offenders should have stricter federal penalties.
9. Rape victims of every single single color and background should not be put on trial instead of the perpetrator of  the rape.
10. Native women should be protected the same way that all other American women are protected from rape.
11.   What affects one woman affects all women.

• Post-Listening Tasks

Questions for Discussion

Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.

1.  Did  you agree with everything the speaker said?  Discuss which comments  you agreed with and which ones you tended not to agree with.  Explain why.

2.  With your group members  make up a list of items you would like to see added to The Violence Against Women Act Law.

Tags: The Round House By Louise Erdrich, The Violence Against Women Act

Lessons We Learned From ‘Life Is But A Dream’  Huffington Post

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

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Beyonce currently holds the position as the top recording artist of Pop  in the United States. She’s acted in movies,  popular commercials, and her photos have  graced the covers of  countless fashion magazines. In addition, she wrote, produced and starred in a film about her life (the abbreviated version).  Last week HBO  aired the autobiographical film starring Beyonce entitled “Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream”  the title of which came from Beyonce’s  baby daughter’s  favorite  song  Row, Row, Row your Boat.  Here are 8 lessons the Huffington Post received from the film.

Beyonce- Dangerously in Love Album.Photo- musicstack

Excerpt:

“Just when we thought Beyonce couldn’t do anything more to secure her title as the reigning Queen of Pop and all things excellent, she went ahead and made a documentary.
“Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream,” an autobiographical, self-produced film starring, you guessed it, Beyonce, premiered on February 16th on HBO.

Beyonce with Destiny's Child at 2013 Superbowl. International Business Times.

Of course there were elements of the ridiculous: Bey pensively holding a hairdryer on a Paris balcony, random prolonged shots of trees, pretty much no one speaking but Beyonce and the revelation that the singer has had a videographer filming her 24/7 for years. Still, we couldn’t help but enjoy the glimpse into the pop star’s — and her 1-year-old daughter Blue Ivy’s — life.
Here are eight lessons we took away from Queen Bey’s documentary:

First Lady Michelle Obama (R) and her daughters Malia (C) and Sasha cheer as Beyonce returns to her seat after singing the Star Spangled Banner after the swearing-in of U.S. President Barack 2013. Reuters.

1. Know when it’s time to set boundaries.
At the beginning of the film, Beyonce opens up about making the tough decision to break professional ties with her father, Matthew Knowles in 2011…

Beyonce receives welcome from Lady “O”. Getty Images.

2. Let other people see your vulnerabilities sometimes.
You might think, watching footage of then-pregnant Beyonce singing and dancing on stage in heels and sparkly, revealing leotard, that this woman has never had an insecure moment in her life. Not true, says Beyonce. At one point in the film, she reflects on coming to the realization that she needed to “stop pretending that I have it all together and if I’m scared, be scared…

3. There’s no therapy like being heard and understood by another woman.
The woman who thinks girls run the world also sees the value in close female friendship…

Beyonce's alter ego: - Sasha Fierce album. Weebly.com.

4. Women have a responsibility to look out for other women.
Because if we don’t, who will? “It’s difficult being a woman. It’s so much pressure, and we need that support sometimes,” Beyonce says. “We’re all going through our problems, but we all have the same insecurities and we all have the same abilities and we all need each other.” Somehow we doubt that we have the same abilities as Bey — for example, we probably would not pull off a fringe crop top as well as she does — but the sentiment remains true.

Beyonce at the “Cadillac Records” press conference in an elegant business suit.Photo Bossip.com

5. Women need to play an equal role in shaping our culture.
There’s a reason that Beyonce sings about “Single Ladies” and being “Independent Women.” It’s a message she believes women need to hear. In the documentary, Bey delivers a pretty awesome pro-lady monologue…

Beyonce and her mom. Photo- Ahlan.

6. You really can learn a lot from your parents.
Beyonce says she’s learned to appreciate the business chops she picked up from her father — including the lesson that “business and being polite doesn’t mesh.”

Beyonce with husband JZ. Photo- JustJared.com

7. Pick a life partner you can be goofy around.
One of the sweetest moments of “Life Is But A Dream” is old footage of Beyonce and Jay-Z singing Coldplay’s Yellow. It’s candid and adorable, and their love for each other is clear… A cheesy collective “awwwww” was really the only possible response here.

Beyonce with daughter Blue Ivy. Daily News.

8. Don’t be afraid to express your wants and needs.
One thing that came across strongly in the film was that Beyonce does not compromise when it comes to her career. If she has an opinion on how a show should be lit or staged, she won’t hesitate to speak up…I used to be afraid of people thinking I was difficult or too critical, and you know, I don’t really care about that anymore. Be your own advocate, no matter who thinks you’re difficult.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic of Pop diva Beyonce  through discussions, and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

•  Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Ask students to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to create a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.  Students can use the UIE brainstorming chart (sample) for brainstorming the meanings.

II. While Reading Tasks

• Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have students use the Word organizer from Enchanted Learning to assist them with new vocabulary. After, Have the students write sentences using each word.

Sentences

1. Just when we thought Beyonce couldn’t…secure her title as the reigning Queen of Pop..
2. “Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream,” an autobiographical, self-produced film.
3. Bey pensively holding a hairdryer on a Paris balcony…
4. Let other people see your vulnerabilities sometimes.
5. … this woman has never had an insecure moment in her life.
6. At one point in the film, she reflects on coming to the realization that she needed to stop pretending…
7. Letting those around you see your flaws and your doubts doesn’t make you weak…
8. There’s no therapy like being heard and understood by another woman.
9. It’s so much pressure, and we need that support sometimes.
10. It really pisses me off that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do.

True / False

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if  a statement is false they  write (F)  and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. Beyonce: Row Your Boat, is the title of her autobiography.
2. According to the article there were elements of the ridiculous.
3. Pretty much everyone had an opportunity to speak during the film.
4. According to the article Beyonce stated that she’s scared sometimes.
5. Beyonce feels that  women have a responsibility to look out for their men.
6. Beyonce gets angry that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do.
7. One point Beyonce makes is that you really can learn a lot from your parents.
8. Her father taught her the lesson that “business and pleasure mix well.
9. The article states that one of the best moments in the film is old footage of Beyonce and Jay-Z singing.
10. One thing that came across strongly in the film was that Beyonce does not compromise when it comes to her career.

•   Grammar Focus

Using Adjectives  to describe pictures    

Directions: Place students in groups, and have them choose a picture from this lesson. Each group will  write a descriptive paragraph using adjectives. As a class review the adjectives from each group, then share the paragraphs with the class.

III. Post Reading Tasks

•  Reading Comprehension Check

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion/Writing Tasks 

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics.

1. Beyonce is considered a “diva” in this country. Describe the characteristics of a diva (in your opinion). Are there any divas in your country?  Describe them.
2. Beyonce states, “I used to be afraid of people thinking I was difficult or too critical, and you know, I don’t really care about that anymore. Be your own advocate, no matter who thinks you’re “difficult.” How would you translate this idea into your own words?  Do you agree or disagree with her statement? Explain why or why not.
3. Beyonce also states you really can learn a lot from your parents. Give some examples of things you’ve learned from your parents.
4. If you could, would you like to live Beyonce’s life?  Explain why or why not.

IV. Listening Activity   

Video Clip:  Oprah Winfrey sits down and talks with Beyoncé.

 While Listening Tasks

True  /False statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer.

1. Beyonce grew up in Houston Texas.
2. In the beginning of the Oprah show  a clip of Beyonce singing her hit single.
3. 89 thousand  people watched Beyonce at the Superbowl in 2012.
4. Singing the National  Anthem was always a dream for Beyonce.
5. Beyonce felt  frightened by the experience.
6. Everyone was holding up photos of Beyonce.
7. Oprah joked  with Beyonce about hitting the high note in the song.
8. The controversy Oprah mentioned  was about Jesse Jackson.
9. Beyonce thought  that Jackson did a great job.
10. Beyonce performed for Nelson Mandela in  South Africa.
11. Beyonce said meeting Mandela was like meeting a king.

ANSWER KEY: Beyonce’s film.

Tags: Beyonce, HBO

The Most Outlandish Resume Mistakes of 2012 By Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes Magazine.

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

For anyone searching for a job here are some wise (and timeless) tips for information that should “never” be placed on your resume.

Never use text slang such as "LOL" on your resume. Photo: Forbes.

Excerpt:

“Unless you’re applying for a job at a pizzeria, your résumé objective shouldn’t say, “to make dough.” Nor should it be decorated with pink rabbits or include texting slang like  LOL.” Candidates have actually made all of these mistakes, among many others—

Candidate highlighted he was 'Homecoming Prom Prince'. Photo Forbes.

and while they probably caught the attention of their potential employer, chances are they didn’t land the job. These blunders did, however, earn them a spot on a new compilation of hiring managers’ most memorable résumé missteps…These job seekers are probably trying to be clever and stand out, but it often backfires and that résumé usually goes straight to the ‘no’ pile.”…

Never talk about your family’s connections to “the Mob” Photo- Forbes.

For instance, one applicant wrote about her family being in the mob, while another candidate applying for an accounting job said he was “deetail-oriented” and spelled the company’s name incorrectly…The study also reveals one-in-five HR managers reported that they spend less than 30 seconds reviewing applications and around 40% spend less than one minute–so it’s possible that some applicants include outlandish or inappropriate content to stand out from the crowd of candidates…It’s not always bad to be creative… But you want to be creative in a smart way. The best way to do that is by tailoring your résumé to show who you are and what you can bring to the table. Since creativity isn’t completely out of the question,

Never list “gator hunting” as a “skill” (unless applying for a job as a "gater-catcher"). Photo- Forbes.

CareerBuilder asked hiring managers for real examples of creative approaches that made positive impressions. Here’s what they reported:

• A candidate listed accomplishments and lessons learned from each position. He gave examples of good customer service he provided as well as situations he wished he would have handled differently. He was hired.

• A job seeker applying for a food and beverage management position sent a résumé in the form of a fine-dining menu and was hired.

• A candidate listed accomplishments and lessons learned from each position. He gave examples of good customer service he provided as well as situations he wished he would have handled differently. He was hired…Whether you decide to be creative with your job application or take a more traditional route, your résumé must be flawless.

Candidate’s objective-: “To make dough”. Photo- Forbes.

When asked what would make them automatically dismiss a candidate from consideration, employers pointed to résumés with typos, résumés that copied large amounts of wording from the job posting, résumés with an inappropriate email address, résumés that don’t include a list of skills, résumés that are more than two pages long, and résumés that are printed on decorative paper, among other things.

The bottom line is that your résumé is often where you make your first impression on a hiring manager. To avoid having it also be the last, carefully consider what you want the employer to see at a glance, and strive to stand out for having a professional, tailored document.

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their knowledge on  what is inappropriate information  for a resume. They will do this through through discussions, writing, and simulations.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

•  Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Ask students to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to create a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.  Then have them use the words in sentences to be shared with the class.

KWL Chart

The K-W-L chart is used to activate students’ background knowledge of a topic in order to enhance their comprehension skills. The K-W-L stands for: what I Know, what I Want to learn, and what I did Learn.  Find out if students know what is inappropriate  material for a resume. What things would they like to find out about in this area? Have students use this Advanced Organizer from MSU for assistance.

II. While Reading Tasks

Word Inference 

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have the students write sentences using each word.

1.  …your résumé objective shouldn’t say, “to make dough.”
2. …while they probably caught the attention of their potential employer, chances are they didn’t land the job.
3. …and while they probably caught the attention of their potential employer…
4. These blunders did, however, earn them a spot on…managers’ most memorable résumé missteps.
5. These job seekers are probably trying to be clever and stand out, but it often backfires…
6. For instance, one applicant wrote about her family being in the mob…
7. …some applicants include outlandish or inappropriate content to stand out from the crowd of candidates.
8. With technology, it is so easy to just click and send a résumé out, but if you take the time to tailor it, it will get more time for review…
9. …you should only include relevant and appropriate information.
10. When asked what would make them automatically dismiss a candidate from consideration…

Tags: common errors on resumes, Forbes