ASSIGNMENT MADAM JAMILAH

FINAL REFLECTION

2008-04-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

Finally, this would be the very last blog that I have to write about. Initially, thank you very much to Madam Jamilah for teaching me with full of dedication and commitment. Besides, thank you also to my classmates for all the funny things that we laugh and shared together. Love you all! Lastly, kudos to me for study hard! I hope so much that I will get an A for this subject.

In my point of view, critical literacy is one of the simple and easy courses. As I study through this subject I recognize that we are doing the same and similar tasks which are all about portfolio. It is because everything must be including ten key areas which are from ‘Topic’ until ‘Visual literacy’. Besides, this subject is one of my favourites subject for this semester. It is true because honestly I have no difficulties and problems in completing and finishing all the assignment.

Furthermore, it improve my skills and ability in speak and write in English. Therefore, my English become fluent whether in communicates with others or writing on papers. Besides, my self confident is higher than before. It is clear that this subject is a very good subject. Thus, it helps me lots!

Essentially, everything that I have learned in critical literacy is new and fresh. It is true that I have learned a lot of new things including to be very critical and significant with every texts and articles that I have read. Besides, I have learned to try to be on the writer or author shoes in order to understand and beware of his or her view point, perspective as well as ideology. Moreover, I also learned about perspective which is how to understand the writer’s stance by words that he or she emphasize and stress, giving my point of view and recognize the hidden agenda. Additionally, I have learned about positioning where the writer gives roles to the participants in the text. Lastly, I also study about argument and evidence that we should discover and find out before believe and accept everything as true in the text then come out with any conclusion.

I think this subject is good enough to be improved and enhanced. It is for the reason that everything is complete, excellent, interesting and remarkable. However, if I have to consider anything that should be improved is maybe you can change and alter the cover book of our critical literacy study guide as well as reading. It would be very good for students as well as lecturer. It is because the cover page for critical literacy is quite uninteresting and dull. As we all know, the content is interesting and remarkable enough. Hence, the cover book itself should be much better rather than now to show the quality as well as the eminence.

UNIT 10 (ASSIGNMENT 3)

2008-04-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

I am on my way finishing my third assignment. Basically, I have chosen my article entitled ‘Special Care’. It is focuses on special care that should be treated towards the disabled and elderly on polling day. The article comes from a daily newspaper, The Star in Lifestyle section on Thursday, 6th March 2008 on page 7. It has been written by Anthony Thanasayan. It is one of interesting and attractive articles after the most exciting general elections in recent years. Lastly, I have to submit this assignment on Monday, 21st April 2008.

UNIT 9 (APPLYING SKILLS IN CRITICAL LITERACY: DRAFTING ASSIGNMENT 3)

2008-04-19T23:38:00.000-07:00

In this unit, we have discussed how to plan and write the first draft of our assignment 3. It is clear that this unit really help me in completing my third assignment where it supports me applying my skills in critical literacy. We discussed this unit in a very easy and straight forward way with madam. It is because basically we already know how to do it where it is just the same like the previous assignment except we should omit and eliminate the sub heading. Thus, it would be a complete critical review essay.

There are two tasks which we have discussed in class. First task is we are asked to select a text or an article to a review for our final assignment which is critical review. There are several guidelines that we should follow before choose any texts or articles. First, the source of text should be a newspaper, magazine, journal or other publication. Second, the author of the text should be named. Then, the text should be around 500 words in length. Lastly, we must include a copy of the text with our assignment. Moreover, the second task is asked us to write our first draft of the assignment which is including the ten key areas from topic until visual literacy. I am very pleased and happy doing it. It is because it would be my very last assignment for this subject.

UNIT 8 (PRODUCING AND EVALUATING CRITICAL WRITING: PART 2)

2008-04-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

This unit focuses on the article entitled ‘Drugs or guns’ which has been written by Peter Hawthorne on page 54-55. Apparently, the article is quite long where it covers about two legal cases which are drugs and guns that The South African government faces and challenges its priorities. Essentially, there is an argument regarding to spend and expend money on drugs or guns. Obviously, there is no good reason in spending billions on weapons for a state which is doubtful ever to face up to a foreign military threat. On the other hand, it is reasonable and sensible to spend on the antiretroviral drug nevirapine to all HIV-positive expectant mothers in order to avoid the transmission of HIV from mother to child.

Fundamentally, the meaning of drug according to Oxford dictionary is an illegal substance that some people smoke or inject for the physical and mental effects it has. A drug, broadly speaking, is any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. Additionally, there is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in medicine, government regulations, and colloquial usage. Besides, the meaning of gun according to Oxford dictionary is a weapon that I used for firing bullets or shells. The word "gun" is also applied to some more or less vaguely gun-like or gun-shaped tools such as staple guns, nail guns, and glue guns.

Moreover, Madam Jamilah and we had discussed this unit in class in order to develop our skills in produce and evaluate critical writing. Hence, in this unit, I have learned the further techniques and skills on how to produce and evaluate critical writing. Besides, to further prepare for my third assignment, I have to write a critical review regarding this article. Additionally, I have the opportunity to critique a fellow student’s writing and as have my own writing critiqued. The rationale of doing this is for me to take time to reflect on what I have learned and to evaluate the progress that I have made. It seems that, this unit will help me in doing my third assignment which is critical review.

UNIT 7 (PRODUCING AND EVALUATING CRITICAL WRITING: PART 1)

2008-04-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

This unit focuses on the article entitled ‘Dieting: A Waist Is a Terrible Thing to Mind’ which has been written by Martin Seligman on page 174-197. Obviously, the article is pretty lengthy where it covers about a wide range of recent topics relating to the phenomenon of weight control. Honestly, it is one of uninterested articles which I have read before. Therefore, I easily got bored, tedious and dull while reading it.

According to Oxford dictionary, diet is a limited variety or amount of food that you eat for medical reasons or because you want to lose weight. Besides, according to Wikipedia, dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In many cases the goal is weight loss, but some athletes aspire to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle) and diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight. Actually, I have my own experience in dieting when in my early nineteen. I just want to be very skinny and thin. I really hate my body that I think is fat and ugly even my friends say I already thin. Hence, my friends start to talk about me who looks like a walking skeleton. I really do not know what had happened to my brain on that time. I just think that if I am getting skinnier, I will feel greater with myself. Now I can think rationally and sensibly about my body as well as weight.

Moreover, Madam Jamilah and we had discussed this unit in class including a practice text reading, a sample of a critical review and a commentary explaining the features of this review. Besides, in this unit, I have learned the skills on how to produce and evaluate critical writing. At the beginning, it is significant to me to realize and understand that this review models the format and style of a critical review. Furthermore, the aim of this review is not to give me the ‘right’ or ‘exact’ answer. However, it is to provide me with a model of the genre of the critical review. To sum up, the vital thing is this unit will help me in doing my third assignment which is critical review.

UNIT 6 (ASSIGNMENT 2)

2008-04-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

This unit focuses on the article which is taken from TIME magazine in the viewpoint section entitled ‘Invasion of the Baby Snatchers’. It has been written by Walter Kirn. The article is essentially covers about the cases of child abductions which have seemed rampant and out of control nowadays. Besides, it is also have a discussion on the cases of “lost” children which have been abandoned and discarded by irresponsible and negligent adult. Sincerely, this article is pretty interesting and attractive to read which is probably because of the short length. Hence, I got excited and eager to go through the reading.

Regarding Wikipedia, child abduction is the abduction or kidnapping of a child (or baby) by an older person. While cases have been reported from antiquity, this phenomenon has recently taken on greater awareness as a result of movies and television series (example: Without a Trace) depictions of the premise of people who remove children from strangers to bring up as their own often after the death of their own child. Therefore, there are a lot of things that everyone should do especially parents, community as well as government. Parents should take a good care and give lots of attention to their children. Besides, community should be alert and aware with any missing children cases. Then, the government should tighten the law and give horrific and terrible punishment to the criminal in order to warn others to not do the same thing.

Furthermore, Madam Jamilah and we had discussed the article in class regarding ten keys area which we have learned before (from Topic until Visual Literacy). After that, she asked us to do our own critical literacy regarding the article. The goal of doing this is to apply the techniques and skills which we have learned in the previous class. Besides, it is as an exercise to complete and carry out the second assignment. To come to the point, the fundamental thing is this unit will help me in doing my second assignment which is critical response.

UNIT 5 (AUDIENCE AND IMPACT)

2008-04-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

In reading 5.1, we have been discussed the article entitled ‘Australia’s methadone madness’ which has been written by Siobhan McMahon on page 19-25. Obviously, the article is pretty lengthy where it covers about methadone, a drug that one has to swallow once a day to stave off heroin’s withdrawal symptoms. However, methadone can be fatal and deadly when one takes overdose same goes like heroin. Consequently, there is another irony that methadone does not stop or end addicts using other drugs. Therefore, the only best and superlative choice that gives addicts hope for a normal life is quitting.

In reading 5.3, Farhana and Azziela were presented topic entitled ‘Types of exposition: “persuading that” and “persuading to”’. In this topic, I have learned that there are two types of exposition which are ‘analytical’ and ‘hortatory’. Analytical expositions are to persuade the recipient that something is true. Besides, it is frequently linked with academic speaking as well as writing. On the other hand, hortatory expositions are to persuade the recipient to do something. Besides, it is include texts such as political speeches, letters to the editor and office memos designed to change employee behaviour. Moreover, I have to recognize both the nature of the writer’s argument as well as its strength and validity when developing a critical analysis of any texts. Therefore, it will allow me to find out a writer’s viewpoint, ideology and purpose as well as to evaluate the argument presented.

In reading 5.4, Hartini and Ili were presented the topic entitled ‘Metaphor’. In this topic, I have learned that there is a relationship between the writer’s options of metaphor and how these options may influence and manipulate the reader. It is because metaphor plays a key role in allowing us to talk about and create the world. Besides, it allows language users the flexibility to manage with quickly changing situations. To put it more simply, it is not simply a tool rarely employed by poets. However, it is facilities communication all the way through the language. Furthermore, as I go through the reading, the types of metaphor are probably effects on listeners or readers. In addition, I am able to make sense of our world as well as communicate that sense to others by using metaphor. Moreover, I also can use what I already know as metaphor to explain and portray things which are new to me. Hence, the option of metaphorical language in a text can help me understand and recognize the writer’s perspective and ideology.

UNIT 4 (ARGUMENT AND EVIDENCE)

2008-03-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

In reading 4.1, the article entitled ‘Body language that speaks to muggers’ covers about unpublished study by two New York psychologists named Betty Grayson and Morris Stein. The study is about who got ‘muggability’ ratings of 60 New York City pedestrians from the people who may be most qualified to judge prison inmates who had been convicted of physical attack. Fundamentally, pedestrians may signal criminals that they are easy target for mugging by the way they walk. It is proven that generally the people rated most muggable walked as if they were in conflict with themselves where they seemed to make each move in the hardest way possible. Besides, according to the reasonable point of view offered by the Crime Prevention Section of the New York City Police Department, crime victim characteristically walk around and unaware to what goes on around them.

In reading 4.3, Shuhaili and Elly were presented topic entitled ‘What is the evidence?’ In this topic, it is concerned with the matter of evidence. Essentially, there are two types of evidences which are circumstantial and testimonial. As I know, circumstantial evidence is where not overall trustworthy as a basis for determining guilt. On the other hand, testimonial evidence is like eyewitnesses who give evidence that they themselves have seen the accused commit the crime. Then, the writer clarifies about the quality of evidence in historical treatment of past event. Additionally, he argues that a reader should uphold a critical stance towards everything that is read as well as always asking the evidence before drawing a conclusion. So now I am tried to be very careful and vigilant before trust and believe anything that I read by knowing the evidence and conformation.

In reading 4.4, Shamsinar and Atiqah were presented the topic entitled ‘Statistic’. I have learned and concerned with the use and misuse of statistics and is intended to concern readers into a more informed response to texts that link facts and figures. Essentially, statistics has two meaning which is refers to information about any phenomenon or activity expressed in numerical form and denotes the art and science of collecting, presenting, analyzing and interpreting numerical data. Besides, there are four commons ‘statistical slips’ that can be made which are unqualified averages, fallacious sampling, percentages unaccompanied by actual numbers and misleading presentation.

In reading 4.5, Nasrul and Firdaus were presented two topics entitled ‘Crooked and fallacious thinking’ and ‘more of crooked and fallacious thinking’. Basically, I have learned that crooked and fallacious thinking is not only evidence of illogical mental processes and poor communication skills. It is for the reason that it is also a manipulative tool in the hands of writers/speakers wishing to influence and affect the judgment of their readers/listeners. To put it more simply, there is goal to influence someone towards a particular belief or course of action which are likely to encounter examples of crooked and fallacious thinking. Moreover, there are eleven ‘devices’ which has been examined in the two topics. Hence, now I know why I am very attract and like ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’. Yes, it is crooked and fallacious thinking where the picture of delicious and yummy chicken has manipulated my mind as well as my stomach.

UNIT 3 (POSITIONING)

2008-03-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

In reading 3.1, the article entitled ‘Please, let me go to your school’ is basically about a girl named Scarlett Finney, six years old. She has been unjustly treated and discriminates by the Baulkham Hills private school which refuses to enroll her because of her spina bifida. Scarlett was born with a lesion in her spine that has caused paralysis of the feet and incontinence. However, she is an intelligent girl and also has other abilities. Yet the school refutes the bias charge and state that they will face an “unjustifiable hardship” in providing Scarlett special services and facilities. It is true that the school is supported students with disabilities. But, the school is attended by a blind student and one with an artificial leg. Consequently, the school will call several witnesses as well as a medical specialist in order to support its case.

We have been discussed this article in class and focused on the positioning which appears in the article. We also learn how the writer describes, explain as well as give roles to the participant in the article.

In reading 3.3, Faridah and Safarina were presented the topic entitled ‘A linguistic perspective’. Fundamentally, the writer’s goal is to find out elements of language as well as to ‘dig out’ the ideology which exists behind the text. These elements have scientific names for instance ‘genre’, ‘field’, ‘tenor’, ‘mode’ and ‘ideology’. Additionally, I have noticed that the writer is also argues that even a text which seems innocently devoid of ideology may in fact be shown to be highly ideological. It is because basically there are differences between ordinary readings compare with awareness reading which focus is their ideological position. It is obviously true because by reading carefully, the readers will recognize the writer’s ideology as well as his perspective.

In reading 3.4, Aishah and Asyikin were presented the topic entitled ‘Speech and speakers’. The writer quotes that “Our experience of language is the experience of texts”. Thus, I realized that our skill to use and comprehend language reflects how texts have shaped us as people. According to the writer, positioning is a process of how texts construct particular characteristics for their readers. Then, he exemplifies how texts introduce readers into particular value systems as well as certain norms and modes of manners. Afterward, he brings in and explains a number of significant terms including ‘ideal reader’, ‘subject position’, ‘reading position’ and ‘construction’.

UNIT 2 (PERSPECTIVE)

2008-02-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

In reading 2.1, we have been discussed the article entitled “Battling the bullies”. It is about a common but serious problem which is bully in school. The article is designed to advise and urge the readers (parents, school authority, bully and educational department) in order to solve the problem. The definition of bullying is an act of repeated aggressive behavior in order to intentionally hurt another person through verbal harassment and physical assault. It can occur in any place where human beings interact with each other including school, religious community, the workplace, home and even neighborhoods.

Additionally, there are two types of bullying which are direct bullying (shoving and poking, throwing things, slapping, choking, punching and kicking, beating, stabbing, pulling hair, scratching, biting and scraping) and indirect bullying (spreading gossip, refusing to socialize with the victim, bullying other people who wish to socialize with the victim, and criticizing the victim's manner of dress skills).

The effects of bullying can be serious and even fatal. Victims of bullying can suffer from long term emotional and behavioral problems. It also can cause lonelines, depression, anxiety, lead to low self-esteem and increased defenselessness to illness. These are truly what had happened to Mary Watson’s son.

In reading 2.2, Suzieka and I (Nurul Hazimah) were presented topic entitled “Language, perspective and ideology”. In this topic, I have learned that the careful reading of texts can reveal the ideological assumptions. There are elegant examples by a range of newspaper articles written events in South Africa which are The Guardian and The Times. As I read both newspaper articles, I realize that there has dissimilarity of the ways in which language and a word used to create a text. It is depends on the writer or author itself on how to deliver the message to the readers. Therefore, as comparing these two articles, I recognize that there are different perspectives as well as ideologies between both writers.

In reading 2.3, Farah and Aliaa were presented topic entitled “Texts and textualities”. In this topic, I have learned that texts are always created to have certain meaning depends on the writer. In other words, the way of language which writer present their ideas, feelings and thoughts is just as the way of a person is choose his or her fashion style. On the other hand, the writer cannot wholly manage and control a reader’s response regarding the texts. It is because some readers will easily influence by the text that they read. While some readers are very critical in thinking and not simply manipulate by the text. Moreover, as I go through the reading, I also can learn a great deal about a society by looking at its customs, verbal and visual texts. To put it more simply, every society has culture as well as tradition which are different with each other society. Consequently, it makes the world diversity and beautiful.

UNIT 1 (INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL LITERACY)

2008-02-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

In reading 1.1, we have been discussed the article entitled “Convicted killer back at work”. It is about a nurse named Deborah Parry who is convicted of murdering her colleague Australian named Yvonne Gilford in Dhahran hospital in Saudi Arabia in December 1996. The article aims to inform and warn the reader about her reinstatement as a nurse in England. As a reader, I found the article is very attractive and eye-catching. It is because the visual aspects of the text are significant where there is a big headline and picture of convicted killer.

There are several lessons that we should take seriously particularly to avoid and stop crime and murder. It is because they do not do any good to anybody. For examples, the victims are desolated, destroyed or dead whereas the criminals and murderess usually end up in jail, often for life or they get a death sentence. Consequently, stop and do not even think in crime and murder because it is the worst business on earth.

In reading 1.2, Suffian, Hami and Shara were presented topic entitled “Stories and facts”. In this topic, I have learned that there are several forms of factual writing including description (what some particular thing is like), recount (what had happened), procedure (how something is done), report writing (what an entire class of things is like), explanation (a reason why a judgment has been made), and exposition (arguments why a thesis has been proposed). Besides, I also learned that the gender of young writers will influence the way they approach factual writing (boys are interested in nature whereas girls in the nurture of things). Additionally, that is why boys are completely different from girls in almost aspects. For instance, they are totally different in the way they think, do, imagine and feel about something.

In reading 1.3, Suraya and Zuhaili were presented topic entitled “Rules and regulations”. In this topic, I have learned that benign and simple texts can control and manipulate readers in their belief and actions. However, the readers itself are not aware that they are being forced in this way and if they were aware, they would oppose the controlling influences. Obviously, I agree with the statement above. It is because I admit that I, as a reader rarely aware with that kind of circumstances. As I go through the whole topic, I realized that if a writer understands how people in a particular social group use language, then the writer would be able to use the language in order to manipulate and control them. As we know, language is the system of communication in speech and writing that is used by people of a particular country or area. Essentially, language itself represents the symbols through which people communicate and interact, and form relationships with others. Therefore, that is why it can be one of the aspects in manipulate and control the readers mind.