Newsletter for English Teachers

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XX Social Networking & Web 2.0 Tools Socia l Media and Web 2.0 are umbrella terms that define the range of activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and content creation. Social media are primarily Internet - and mobile - based tools that allow people to easily share and discuss inform ation. The term is often used interchangeably with "Web 2.0" to indicate that the role and use of the World Wide Web is changing: moving from traditional websites to a network of social interaction in which users, not only webmasters, create and organize content.

Through social media, individuals or collaborations of individuals create web content - by organizing, editing, and combining, sharing and commenting on content. In doing so, social media use the "wisdom of crowds" to connect information online. Social media use many technologies and forms, including RSS and other syndicated web feeds, blogs, wikis, photo 3 and video 3 sharing, podcasts, social networking, social bookmarking, widgets, virtual worlds, and more.

Lesson Plan: To Share or Not to Share? Creating Guidelines for Social Networking: Students evaluate the pros and cons of sharing private information on social networking sites, and create guidelines for beh aving prudently and protecting privacy online. (NYT Learning ... more. less.

Network, Feb. 4, 2009) Some Forms of Social Media RSS Feeds: RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. These news feeds enable users to avoid the conventional methods of browsing or searching f or information on websites. Now the content they want is delivered directly to them. Podcasting: A way of publishing MP3 audio files on the web so they can be downloaded onto computers or portable devices, such as MP3 players. Podcasting allows users to su bscribe to a feed of new audio files using "podcatching" software, which periodically checks for and downloads new audio files automatically. Wiki: A collaborative work space. A wiki is a collection of web pages that encourages users to contribute or modi fy the content. 5How stuff works 6 How do blogs, podcasts, wikis and companies like Digg and MySpace work? * How Photo Sharing Works * How Blogs work Government - Wide 2.0 Tools Visit USA.gov's newest page -- Government 2.0 -- where you can find blogs, RSS feeds, videos, gadgets, and more ! These tools will improve access to U.S. government information and resources. Blogs from the U.S. Government : Read blogs from various U.S. government sources G overnment RSS Library : Library of RSS feeds from across government Podcasts from the U.S. Government : Listen to podcasts Videos from the U.S. Government : Links to public domain videos that may be used and reproduced without permission or fee Virtual Tours from the U.S. Government : View virtual tours created by federal government agencies. March 2009 Newsletter for English Teachers About the USA 3 Virtual Classroom In this issue: Social Networking & Web 2.0 Tools | International Women 8s Day & National Wom en 8s History Month | Literature: Junot Diaz at the Leipzig Book Fair | In Focus: St. Patrick 8s Day & Irish - American History Month | Webcast @ America.gov | America.gov: Policy News Tools used by the U.S. Department of State U.S. Department of State Youth Website Facebook: U.S. State Department Twitter: U.S. Dep. of State 8s Official Blog Blogs at America.gov & Dipnote Youtube: Statevideo (featuring official video produced by the U.S. Department of State) Flickr: U.S. Department of State's Photostream (online photo management/sharing application) Democracy video challenge on America.gov Articles People Use Social Networking to Fight Violence, Extremism . America.gov, Dec. 2, 2008: In an innovative approach to countering violence, Oscar Morales used the social networking tool Faceb ook.com to mobilize 12 million people worldwide against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Why I Blog . By Andrew Sullivan, Atlantic, Nov. 2008: Sullivan describe s the evolution of his blogging, which he began in 2000. (©America.gov) America.gov: New Media - Government 2.0 . New media has changed the way politicians campaign. Now the world is looking to the Obama administration to see how new media will change the way politicians govern. (Video) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to the Middle East and Europe March 1 to 7. Trip updates are also available at Facebook , DipNote , Twitter , YouTube , and Flickr . 2 © National Women 9s History Project Each March, National Women 8s History Month celebrates the contributions of women to the history and culture of the United States. The 2009 theme is Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet, recognizing the role of women in the 5green movement," according to the National Women 8s History Project. Did you know? The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn of the 20 th century. In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day was observed across the United States on February 28, 1909. (Source: UN ) Article Idea of Afghan Women 9s Rights Starts Taking Hold . New York Times, March 3, 2009 : Since the overthrow o f the Taliban in 2001, a more egalitarian notion of women 8s rights has begun to take hold, founded in the country 8s new Constitution and promoted by the newly created Ministry of Women 8s Affairs and a small community of women 8s advocates. The problems they are confronting are deeply ingrained in a culture that has been mainly governed by tribal law. But they are changing the lives of young women like Mariam [&]. America.gov: Women of Influe nce (PDF, 36 pp) This collection chronicles how 21 notable American women broke new ground, some by championing equal rights for all and others by their accomplish - ments in fields such as government, literature, and even in war. International Women 9s Day & Women 9s History Month During this year 8s Women 8s History Month in March, the United States is celebrating the pioneering and creative ways in which women are working both locally and internationally to help save the planet. Links America.gov: U.S. Celebrates Women 8s Contributions * Milestones in U.S. Women 8s History * Women's History Month * Photo Gallery Presidential Proclamation on Wo men's History Month USA.gov: Women 8s History Month honors the achievements and contributions of American women from all walks of life. USA.gov: WomensHistoryMonth.gov and learn about this year 8s theme, 5Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet. 6 About the USA: Socie ty - Women Lesson Plans Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wall - paper 4 The 5New Woman 6 : This lesson plan helps to set the historical, social, cultural, and economic context of Gilman's story. Who Were the Foremothers of Women 8s Equality? This lesson introduces students to the achievements of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, "foremothers" of women's equality, and the lesser - known activists. Women 8s Equality: Changing Attitudes and Beliefs Students analyze archival cartoons, posters, magazine humor, newspaper articles and poems that reflect the deeply entrenched attitudes and beliefs the early crusaders for women 8s rights had to overcome. Teaching Resources TeacherVision: Women's History: Teacher Resources . Recognize Women's History Month, by exploring the many important contributions of women, with printables, lesson plans, biographies and worksheets about accomplished women in American history. International Women's Day is an occasio n marked around the world on March 8. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When we celebrate International Women 8s Day, we look back to a tradition that represents decades of strugg le for equality, justice, peace and development. The theme of this year 8s International Women 8s Day UN events is Women and Men United to End Violence against Women and Girls . Few causes promoted by the Un ited Nations have generated more intense and widespread support than the campaign to promote and protect the equal rights of women. The Charter of the United Nations, signed in San Francisco in 1945, was the first international agreement to proclaim gender equality as a fundamental human right. Since then, the Organization has helped create a historic legacy of internationally agreed strategies, standards, programs and goals to advance the status of women worldwide. International Women 8s Day 2009 UN Fact Sheets How widespread is Violence against Women? Forms, consequences and costs of violence against women Fighting violence against women: What works Executive summary of the Secretary - General's in - depth study on violence against women The struggle for equal rights often focuses on developing countries, where many women still lack some of the most basic of rights. However, in many prosperous countries gender bias endures. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act On January 29, 2009, President Obama signed his first piece of legislation, the Lilly Ledbe tter Fair Pay Act of 2009 , which will make it easier for people to get the pay they deserve - regardless of their gender, race, or age. "Ultimately, equal pay isn't just an economic issue for millions of Americans and their families, it's a question of wh o we are -- and whether we're truly living up to our fundamental ideals," President Obama said. "Whether we'll do our part, as generations before us, to ensure those words put on paper some 200 years ago really mean something -- to breathe new life into th em with a more enlightened understanding that is appropriate for our time. 3 Literature: Junot Diaz Junot Díaz was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. His family moved to the U.S. when he was six years old. His Pulitzer Prize - winning novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao , centers on an outcast, science fiction - obsessed kid who comes from a family of Dominican immigrants. Homepage: Bio The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Teaching Mat erial: eNotes : A complete study guide, featuring The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao summary, Junot Diaz biography, analysis of the work, plot summary, character analysis, themes a nd style discussion, published criticism and essays, and much more. 5Junot Díaz tells a brutal, but irresistible, story in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao . Through the eyes of various narrators, readers enter the frightening world of a Dominican Repu blic family living in New Jersey. The characters 8 lives are overflowing with injustices, unrequited love, lost opportunities, physical cruelties, and as one narrator points out, an ancient Dominican curse called Fukú. The background of the story takes plac e in the Dominican Republic under the fearsome dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, a man who, according to one narrator, imprisoned, tortured, and murdered thousands for merely looking at him in the wrong way. Oscar, the character around whom this novel revol ves, had a grandfather who was imprisoned for almost two decades because he refused to bring his oldest daughter to meet Trujillo. A few years after the doctor was sentenced, only one of his daughters remained alive. The rest of the family had been victims of the Fukú, a curse of doom that would continue to track down the doctor 8s descendants. 6 (Source: eNotes ) Links - Articles Junot Díaz wins Pulitzer for 'Oscar Wao' . Sarah Wright, MIT, Apr. 7, 2008 An Interview with Junot Diaz . John Zuarino, Bookslut, Sep. 2007 Junot Diaz on YouTube , Authors@Google, Sep. 26, 2007 Junot Diaz Karate - Chops His Writer's Block . Boris Kachka. New York, Aug. 24, 2007 Interview: Junot Diaz, Author and Pulitzer Prize Winner . Carrie Meathrell and Osmany Rodriguez, LAist, April 10, 2008 Mil Máscaras: An Interview with Pulitzer - Winner Junot Díaz . Matt Okie, identitytheory, Sep. 2, 2008 7I 8m Nobody or I 8m a Nation 8 . Interview, J. Ellison, Newsweek, Apr. 3, 2008 Links - Audio NPR: Junot Diaz On 'Becoming American' . Nov. 24, 2008 NPR: Junot Diaz Reflects On 'This American Moment' . Sep. 10, 2008 NPR: Junot Diaz Discusses His 'Wondrous' Debut Novel . May 2, 2008 Leipzig Book Fair 2009 4 A Reader 9s Delight March 12 - 15 at the Leipzig Neue Messe, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily Visit the Mission Germany booth i n Halle 4 D301 , and take a look at the latest American books, many of which were generously donated by U.S. publishers. The literary festival -- 5Leipzig liest 6 or 5Leipzig reads 6 3 was established as a complement to the Leipzig Book Fair in 1991. Since t hen, the fair has doubled in size and popularity, attracting book lovers of all ages. The fair features a number of special programs for young readers, featuring new books, comics, and games. Leipzig.Liest.Amerika * www.leipzig - liest.de/ * www.krautgarden.com Wednesday, March 11, 20:00 -- krautgarden: leipzig.liest.amerika Junot Diaz: 5The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao 6, bilingual reading with actress Jasmin Tabatabei. Moritzbastei Leipzig, Veranstaltungstonne Friday, March 13 & Sat., March 14, 18:00 3 23:00 -- 5Krautgarden 6 American authors T.C. Boyle, Steven Bloom, Ralph Martin, Tao Lin, Anya Ulinich, Tod Wodicka, Anna Winger, Ron Winkler, Aleksandar Hemon und Willy Vl autin. Alte Baumwollspinnerei, Spinnereistr. 7, 04179 Leipzig © AP Image Junot Diaz' Homepage cIt's never the changes we want that change everything. This is how it all starts: with your mother cal ling you into the bathroom. You will remember what you were doing at that precise moment for the rest of your life: You were reading Watership Down and the rabbits and their does were making their dash for the boat and you didn't want to stop reading, the book has to go back to your brother tomorrow, but then she called you again, louder, her I'm - not - fucking - around voice, and you mumbled irritably, Sí, señora. d excerpt Discussion Q uestions The book centers on the story of Oscar and his family 4 and yet the majority of the book is narrated by Yunior, who is not part of the family, and only plays a relatively minor role in the events of the story. Yunior even calls himself 5The Watcher, 6 underscoring his outsider status in the story. What is the effect of having a relative outsider tell the story, rather than having someone in the family tell it? And why do you think Díaz waits for so long at the beginning of the book to reveal who the n arrator is? ( Penguin.com: Reading Guide ) eJournal USA: Multicultural Literature in the United States Today : The United States is enriched culturally by immigrants from many nations. This edition of eJournal USA focuses on distinguished American writers from various ethnic backgrounds who add immeasurably to mutual understanding and appreciation through tales of their native lands and their experiences as Americans. (Feb. 2009, View PDF , 1.14 MB) 4 Dancers from Woods School of Irish Dance in Boston (© AP Images) Did you know? 36.5 million: Number of U.S. residents who clai med Irish ancestry in 2007. This number was more than eight times the population of Ireland itself (more than 4 million). Irish was the nation 8s second most frequently reported ancestry, trailing only German. Source: Census Bureau Among the lectures available are: The American Novel Since 1945 The World is Flat 3.0 In Focus St. Patrick 9s Day & Irish - American Heritage Month 5St. Patrick's Day might be one of the world 8s most celebrated holidays, with city - sponsored festivities held in Japan, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Great Britain and the U.S. as well as Ireland. That geography reflects the broad dispersion of Irish, through choice or necessity, in a 300 - year, globe - spanning migration. But perhaps in no other adopted nation is the Irish presence felt as keenly as in the Uni ted States, where an ethnic holiday has expanded to embrace all Americans. 6 (America.gov Article ) Proclamation by the President - Irish - American Heritage Month 2009 U.S. relations with Ireland have long been based on common ancestral ties a nd shared values. These relations have broadened and matured, given the cooperation on global challenges. Besides regular dialogue on political and economic issues, the U.S. and Irish Governments have official exchanges in areas such as medical research an d education. (Source: U.S. Department of State: Profile 3 Ireland ) Announcement by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs: 5President Obama will welcome Taoiseach Brian Cowen of Ireland to the Whit e House on Tuesday, March 17th. The United States and Ireland have strong bilateral relations, deep cultural ties, and a commitment for positive change in the world. [&] The President also looks forward to commemorating with the Taoiseach his first St. Pat rick's Day in the White House, a celebration which serves as a reminder of the rich history of friendship that our two countries share. 6 Introducing Academic Earth is an organization founded with the goal of gi ving everyone on earth access to a world - class education. Find thousands of video lectures from the world's top scholars. 5We are building a user - friendly educational ecosystem that will give internet users around the world the ability to easily find, inte ract with, and learn from full video courses and lectures from the world 8s leading scholars. Our goal is to bring the best content together in one place [&]. We invite those who share our passion to explore our website, participate in our online community , and help us continue to find new ways to make learning easier for everyone. 6 Webcasts @ America.gov The "First 100 Days" and the New Administration March 11, 2009 - 16:30 The inauguration of America's first African - American president has generated excitement around the world and interest in learning more about democratic systems. Join us for the webcast of a discussion on the first days of the new administration with well - known political analyst Charlie Cook. Enter the Event usa.usembassy.de Ab out the USA is a digital collection of background resources on American society, culture, and political processes. In a ddition to featuring selected websites, it provides access to documents in full text format (E - Texts) on topics ranging from the history of German - American relations, government and politics to travel, holidays and sports. This newsletter is produced by t he Information Resource Centers/U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Germany. *Request password to download articles: usa.usembassy.de/classroom/newsletter_reg.htm **Order articles via the IRC i n your consular district. See: usa.usembassy.de/classroom/ Questions? Contact: classroom@usembassy.de America.gov: Policy News NATO Agrees to Resume Dialogue with Russia March 5 - Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton (center front), flanked by foreign ministers attending a NATO meeting in Brussels, counseled members to revive the NATO - Russia Council. 5It's time to explore a fresh start. We can and must find ways to work constructively with Russia. 6 Article ( © AP Image/ America.gov)

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