DRE– Nabeul English Magazine
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Dar Chabaane Secondary School March, 2009 -- Issue 2
TEACHERS’ CORNER -Teaching Concerns - Opinion - Poetry - Webquest - Picture and Comment - The Lighter Side
PUPILS’ CORNER -Opinion -Poetry -Story Writing - Webquest
HORIZONS
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Mr Mahmoud Melki the ELT inspector who has insisted once and again on initiating a project that helps teachers in the area to share their experiences and write about their concerns. in so doing, he sowed the seeds of collaboration among us. The conjoint efforts of teachers and students in our school have finally come to fruition. Here is the first issue of the English magazine born. Let us all make it viable‌ We hope by this work to inaugurate a new period of cooperation and open more prospects of communication between teachers and students. ‌ Many thanks also to the students who willingly responded to our call and started a real mentoring process with their teachers in class as well as with the other teachers at school. May these good seeds grow and blossom to enlarge the horizons of HORIZONS.
The teachers involved in the project
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It is with great pleasure that I herald this first volume of “HORIZONS”. I have been particularly impressed by the quality of its content and presentation. I sincerely wish to thank the teachers as well as the students for their great efforts in writing the content, the CREFOC Director in our office for helping with its publishing and Mr. Melki, the regional ELT inspector for supervising this wonderful project. I also hope to see “HORIZONS” develop into a regular magazine where the teachers of English in our region can have the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences and by the same token broaden their horizons and give new dimensions to their career. As I look forward to reading the next volume, I wish to express my full support to everyone involved in this undertaking. With my sincere regards, The Regional Director For Education
Mohamed Habib Chabaane
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CONTENTS
Foreword
ELT Inspector’s Word
Teachers’ Corner Teaching Concerns Opinion Research Paper Poems Picture and Comment The lighter Side
Pupils’ Corner Story Writing Opinion Poems Research Paper
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This is the first candle we neer English magazine in
light for HORIZONS, the pioour region.
We meant to involve this project to write and expectations. We for communication dents.
both teachers and pupils in about their concerns, visions hoped also to create a space between teachers and stu-
The idea of pubstarted a real mendoors of communiteachers and pupils writing of the papers. To insure the longevity of the needs, we have kept ble. We have included and extra-curricular teachers and pupils to sues, controversial have done, muse over hearty poems.
lishing a magazine has toring process, kept the cation open between during and after the this magazine and cater for all its contents open and flexipedagogical, curricular topics to encourage both reflect on hot-button issubjects and, as some them and come up with
We intend to keep April. Teachers and pected to light the secmensions to
this first candle lit till next pupils together are exond one and give new diHORIZONS.
It is frustrating, that our pupils will read this first issue as refused to print it. We tented with the 6 copand Messaadi Secongrateful to them. We to put this first volume soon.
however, to announce not have the chance to the school administration will therefore be conies printed by CREFOC dary School. We are very also promise our readers on www.edunet.tn very
Abdelmalek Hadji
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That is what Abdelmalek Hadji and Abdessalem Majdoub have decided to announce to us as the school year is coming to an end. New horizons indeed are offered for all those who would care to read this magazine and even broader and more promising horizons for those who care to join this forum of professionals. This is exalting! The seed we sowed at the beginningof-year meeting has finally born fruit! Two people have joined efforts and produced, along with some of their students a magazine in English. Yet, they have not intended it to be a short-lived experience. They wish to see it blossom even further to embrace us all. Let’s join them and cultivate the spirit of sharing as we seek the glory of wisdom. We are waiting for you at the gate of the next HORIZONS. But will you be there? We are sure you will. Regards, ELT INSPECTOR
Mahmoud Melki
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OUR MOTTO
The children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way... Show them all the beauty they possess inside, give them a sense of pride. To make it easier, let the children’s laughter remind us of how we used to be…… George Benson “Greatest Love of them All”
Independent learning derives its force from a need to develop long-term learner strategies which will be of use in current or future learning situations where a teacher may not be available. (Macaro,1997:167)
"Believe in yourself, you'll do wonders"
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CONTENTS Teaching Concerns • • •
Class Mini-Project with 4th Sec Lesson Plan 2nd Sec Long-Term Project with 1st Sec
A. Hadji A. Majdoub A. Hadji
Opinion • • • •
Flimsy Network Sociological Approach Adapt or die... Pupils’ Tears
A. Hadji A. Majdoub A. Hadji A. Hadji
Research Paper • • • •
Internet Portals List of free e-books ICT and education (Quotes ) Writing Process
A. Hadji A. Hadji A. Hadji A. Hadji
Poetry • The Cradle of Civilisation Lost • The Earth Summit
A. Hadji A. Hadji
Lighter Side • Fun with English
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A. Majdoub
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Teachers’ Corner
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Teaching Concerns
Mini-Project with 4th Formers (1) By Abdelmalek Hadji Children’s Rights - 4th formers CALL serving group work activity Aids: Handouts (report sheets), at least 2 computers, a floppy disk for each group Objective: Negotiate important issues Work in tandem: - Prepare collectively a document about children’s rights -Suggest ways to implement them. -Show types of abuses -Suggest ways to eradicate them. • Prepare PowerPoint Slides ==> Talking from notes/ debating... Timing: 2 sessions • •
Procedure: Divide the class into groups of 4 with one leader for each Distribute the report sheets with the topics to analyze (see below) • The students respond to the suggested topics: discuss, jot down ideas... • Develop the ideas, make use of the suggested structures and expressions on the report sheet • Finalize the work, type it and save it in the folder prepared by the teacher beforehand • The group leaders take a copy of the folder on their floppy disks • Group leaders together edit all the document (check, correct, delete, refine) ==> the work to be finished at home • Prepare PowerPoint slides with the collected information and present it to the class (Group leaders are the speakers) • The other group members ask questions/ clarification… and comment on the content presented • Make copies of the presentation for everybody (disk copy / paper copy) • •
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Teachers’ Corner
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Teaching Concerns
Mini-Project with 4th Formers (2) By Abdelmalek Hadji Report Sheets Group 1
Participants: -Topic: Children’s basic rights. -
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Structures to use : …..should have …..is entitled to …..has the right to …..shouldn’t be denied the right to …..to uphold something …..to maintain …..to support …..to defend …..should enjoy
………………….………………………………………………………………. Group 2 Participants: -Topic: Parents responsibility towards children. Structures to use : …..should provide …..should insure …..shouldn’t deny …..should uphold …..are supposed to …..are expected to …..should +base form …..have to ……………………………………………..………………….……………..
Group 3
Participants: -Topic: Government responsibility towards children. Structures to use : …..should provide …..should insure …..shouldn’t deny …..should uphold …..is supposed to …..is expected to …..should +base form …..should prepare …...have to
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Teachers’ Corner
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Teaching Concerns
Mini-Project with 4th Formers (3) By Abdelmalek Hadji Group 4 Activity1 -
Participants: -Topic: World responsibility towards children. Structures to use : …..should provide …..should insure …..should set up …..should uphold …..interfere …..is expected to …..is supposed to …..should enforce/ implement …...observe …...supervise
……………………………………………………………………………………..
Group 5 Activity1
Participants: -Topic: Not everybody respects children’s rights. Give real examples of abuses
………………………………………………………………………………………. Group 6 Participants: -Topic: What can we do to change people’s minds and make them respect children’s rights? (Complete the list)
1-Information 2345-
678-Broadcast TV program 910-
Have Your Say...
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Teachers’ Corner
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Teaching Concerns
A lesson plan Job hunting (book 2, page 98) By Abdessalem Majdoub
1. Pre –Activity:
Reading : - Scanning for specific information (from different sources) - Responding to advertisements Writing : writing a letter of application Speaking : Group work/role play : A job interview This activity serves as a warning up to prepare the learners for the reading activity .Teachers may refer their students to page 99 and ask questions such as: -What do you see on page 99? -Where can you find them? -In which section? -Who is interested in reading them? Etc…. A title anticipation is also a possible alternative way. -Focus on the title: job hunting -Is it easy to hunt a bird? -Is it easy to hunt / look for a job? Why? -What should a job hunter do to get a job? The answer to this question should be written on the board and serves as a plan for teachers to be followed later on. To get a job, Job hunters should: 1/read job ads/go to job centers 2/write a letter of application 3/sit for a job interview 2. Reading 1/As a first activity, students are asked to go through the ads on p: 98 and find about the jobs advertised. 2/Through questions (yes, no/w/H) and True/False Statements (p 99) Teachers introduce /reinforce words like: Counsellor/ Installer/operator/ accountant/appointment/resumé…. Group Work: The writing exercise assigned in stage 3 (p 99) is invalid with the absence of an authentic C.V which serves as on outline for the writing task. As an alternative way, teachers had better divide their students into 4 groups, provide each group with a different C.V and ask them to find out which job the corresponding applicant has to apply for and to justify their choice. Natural logic reply to a job advertisement is, of course, an application for a job .
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Lesson Plan (2)
3. Writing As a preliminary stage and with the help of their teachers; Students know about the lay out of a formal letter of application and the parts it includes. The 4 groups, then, start writing the 4 letters of application with the supervision of their teacher. Groups, then, exchange their CV’s and letters as a preliminary stage of a proof reading activity. Teachers may choose a letter and correct it with the contribution of the whole class. 4. Speaking As a final stage ,we move to the last step of the job hunting procedure (mentioned in the pre-activity):sitting for an interview .Students in group 2 ,for instance , who, in a previous stage received the letter , may play the role of the job interview committee and prepare questions for group 1 about the applicant’s personal life ,qualifications, training and job experience .
Homework: Students are required to write the whole letter of application .A sample may be written, the next session, on the board.
HAVE YOUR SAY….
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Teachers’ Corner
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Teaching Concerns
Long-term Project Work with 1st Formers By Abdelmalek Hadji WRITING A STORY STEPS 1- Think of the setting of your story (time +place) 2- Create your characters ( males /females/ old/young/…… 3-Use the list of adjectives to describe them well. 4-Create events that involve all your characters and make them interact 5-Create real relationships between them with emotions, kinship. 6-Use Paint/ Paintshop/ Photoshop/Movie Maker or Animator to create a picture story or animated story with text and graphics. 7– PPt Presentation/ telling the story using the Video projector
PROCEDURE Right from the second lesson, we give students this handout and ask them to complete it with adjectives collected from texts
HAIR: straight/ curly ; wavy ; frizzy ; long / short ; thick / thinning ; shiny / dull ; blond; grey ; black ; brown ; white ; red ; bald NOSE: straight ; hooked ; flat ; big / small EYES: big / small ; watery ; narrow ; sad ; green / blue / brown / black FACE : long ; chubby ; round ; wrinkled BUILD: fat / thin ; overweight / slim ; tall / short ; muscular ; plump. AGE: young ; a teenager ; in his / her early twenties ; in/ his /late thirties ; middleaged ; elderly; old COMPLEXION: fair / dark ; healthy / unhealthy- looking APPEARANCE: good- looking ; plain ; beautiful ; well – dressed ; ugly… CLOTHES : neat /scruffy ; old / new ; cheap /expensive ; traditional ; casual; patterned ; striped ; flowered OTHER FEATURES : has a scar ; wears glasses ; has a beard ; has a moustache USEFUL WORDS AND STRUCTURES FOR DESCRIBING PEOPLE He’s/ She’s quite/very/rather ….sensible- crazy-friendly-cold -funny-serious-polite-rude -pitiless- considerate- generous - cheerful - nervous - mean- thoughtless etc.
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Teachers’ Corner
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Teaching Concerns
Long-term Project Work with 1st Sec By Abdelmalek Hadji -The list is not exhaustive. It is the students’ responsibility to complete it. This task gives the project its long-term tinge. -By setting the profile of characters we come across in the textbook, we prepare for the phase of character-building. -When checking the feedback, we come across nice coincidences that allow us to mix two or three different stories written by different students . We obtain a panoply of characters and events sometimes contradictory. -In this stage, we ask students to think of events to create a logical sequencing that sets the story in motion . -With the variety of characters at hand, we create friends, spouses, lovers, rivals… and make them interact by putting them in real social contexts. -This step is very motivating, the students, as writers of different stories, want their characters to be the best, the winners, the most beautiful, the heroes... -It is surprising in this stage to see how students insist on making immediate changes on the characters’ profiles (from vicious to virtuous or virtuous to vicious; from beautiful to ugly; from harsh to kind...) to make them fit in the context. The students are living the situation themselves and playing the role of the characters they themselves created at random in the beginning. -As in real life, this procedure will create secondary or unimportant characters; something the students should be aware of. -The next step will focus on using students’ talents both in drawing and computer skills at using photo editors to create picture books. These can be animated. -The final step is a computer presentation of the stories or a computer-assisted story-telling session. -This activity is a gratification for the story-writers and a motivation for the shy ones. As for poor students, there are one-page story templates on the net that can help them create short stories just by completing the text zone.
HAVE YOUR SAY….
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
Is our network flimsy? By Abdelmalek Hadji
Fast technological progress and globalization have made one thing perfectly clear: Advanced training is a requirement for professional success. Nowadays, there are institutions for advanced training that promote programs to enable continual learning. Internet plays an important role in their endeavor. People can participate in advanced training courses worldwide even from their homes.
Almost all universities in the world have websites and maintain their database updated. As an aspect of modern education, those universities build up their reputation by granting scholarships and by keeping their doors open for foreign students. They also insure a reliable 24-hour-connection for distance learning.
University portals carry information and give courses on daily, weekly or monthly basis. Apart from the on-the-spot courses, the web-based seminars and video-conferencing are in the center of attention. It is an easy-going e-learning in a virtual environment, at the fingerprints of learners. Age is never a handicap for learners. Neither are time or space.
The know-how cal few years ago is obKeeping up with the ments in one's field of quires continuing the application of This guarantees expertise and the theoretical and lenges.
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which was topisolete today. latest developexpertise reeducation and acquired skills. state-of-the-art ability to master practical job chal-
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
Is our network flimsy? (2) By Abdelmalek Hadji
However, some of our universities seem to be lagging behind time and knowledge age. Pop round their sites, make your query‌ Surprise! All the absurd defects that make netters edgy are there. The pages are slow, the links are broken, the database is obsolete, and the supposed-to-be dynamic forums are not functional‌Your query is therefore fruitless and your nerves uptight. Even the institutions dispensing distance-learning courses are still using snail-mail, and charge the learners high mail service. You don't need to be expert in accountancy to spot the difference if the documents are sent by e-mail. Let alone the waste of time. Time is money, and money is wealth. Is this equation a misconception for us? What others think -and reiterate- about us is that we are not time-conscious. Isn't this evidence that corroborates their belief?
During the two or three days- to be optimistic- the documents take to reach you, you can do quite a lot of things. By sending documents by e-mail, they could have saved our time and money.
The snag is not with e-mail connection. The e-mail is hale and hearty but the network is flimsy, the human network I mean. We feel there are still many people who bask in an ocean of misconceptions and don't want to reap the benefits of knowledge age, an opportunity that will not last forever.
It is high time we embarked on a revitalizing program for every body, came up with a plan of action for tangible progress. There are many people who command a wealth of experience waiting for a chance to excel. Let them have it
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
The Sociological approach By Abdessalem Majdoub
The Sociological approach is one of the interpretative methods mentioned recently in the history of criticism. During the 1930’s, when a number of writers were interested in social reform, there was considerable stress on the uses of literature in the proletarian revolt and on seeing literature as the projection of the movement of social history. Although the effects of war and the awakening to the crises of democracy have eroded the sociological approach to literature, it has remained, with the psychological approach, a primordial and a valid means to interpret the themes and techniques of much valuable literature as Wilfred.L.Guerin mentioned in his book a handbook of critical approaches. In fact, the investigation in a writer’s social origin and the effects of social factors on his work, are intertwined with his state of mind. It’s obvious, then, that the problems attendant upon any discussion of the relation between sociology and criticism are similar to , and even identical with, those caused by the relation between psychology and criticism .In each case, a consideration of the work in terms of its origins whether individual or both is involved. The sociological approach takes society as a basic fact about human life. The 18th and 19th centuries novel is a particularly hunting ground for the sociological critic in the novels of Jane Austin, Charles Dickens and George Eliot.D.H Lawrence’s social origins, for instance, can be better investigated by, those interested in his psychology. The Hungarian Marxist George Lucas refers to Balzac, who understood the conditions governing the development of French capitalism, and considers him as the greater writer because he saw the significant truth about what was happening in society. In his book Studies in European Realism, he added that Balzac: Understood the peculiarities in the development of all classes of society in France since the revolution of 1789.
The study of the influence of the author’s background on his work is of great importance for it involves first the description of that background and then the investigation of individual works with that description in mind.
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
The Sociological approach (2) By Abdessalem Majdoub
The Dickens world, for instance, by Humphry house is a good illustration of sociological criticism for it amalgamates the changing historical scene in Dickens’s days and its reflection in his novels. The author’s statement of his purpose shows elaborately what kind of study he hopes to achieve:
This book will attempt to show in a broad and simple way the connexion between what Dickens wrote and the times in which he wrote it, between his reformism and some of he things he wanted reformed, between the attitude to life shown in this books and the society in which he lived.
House’s book is a good reference which stated Dickens’s social background and pays a great heed to the way in which social factors are mirrored in his writings.
The achievements of the sociological approach are of great importance. They can help us to see why a certain writer wrote as he did, and why this particular motif is recurrent in that writer’s work .Social criticism is a productive approach as it traces the characters back to their social origins and makes them act in the direction outlined by their backgrounds.
Excerpt from “A Socio-psychological Reading” Research Paper by A. Majdoub –1990
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
Adapt or die! (1) By Abdelmalek Hadji
The obsessive leitmotiv of today's culture is change, flexibility, updating but also obsolescence…Our ears are bombarded daily with this lexis. ‘Time to change’ is the credo today. Change is shown as the only prospect of life and the sign of viability. However, the change we witness today appears as a waste of time and energy, a derailment from the natural process. Every now and then, some influential people are coaxed with an idea and surreptitiously make out of it their raison-d'être and defend it vehemently as an absolute truth. No sooner had they started talking about it that it became a trend, an option, a necessary change…with an army of advocators and fervent adepts. Even in the field of education, shifting from an approach to another is like changing jackets. It is undemanding! Just tailor-make it so that it suits the body, with some quick brush strokes for the make up…it is done. It looks beautiful, it is fascinating…It is a TREND. Too much ink about it makes it sound and unequivocal. What was a truth yesterday becomes a fallacy today. The same lips that muttered the hundreds of arguments to defend yesterday's approach falsify it today and torment those who do not abide by the new trend. "The truth has to be defended"; they say. But we know that great talkers are never great doers. Self-righteous as usual, they require teachers to behave differently with their students. Students are now seen as "full" human beings able to decide, to comprehend, to analyze…Nice words, unquestionable facts, an undeniable truth. Weren't they so before? Were we teaching brutes, zombies or extraterrestrials? The magician waves his wand, cries abracadabra, and zombies turn into humans. How easy! How great! The magician is talented but what about the humanzombies?! It is not thanks trite heart, that yestertrained, refined, and culthe conjuncture of sweet reality, the winds sweeping clean all the
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to the magician's conday's zombies will be tured into humans. It is events. It is the bitterof change that are fortified bastions.
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
Adapt or die! (2) By Abdelmalek Hadji
To survive, the bastion dwellers --the magician's endeared adepts--have to initiate an adjustment in their thinking, in their behaviour…to convince themselves, and give the illusion to outsiders, that they are viable in this wobbly world. Those who recall their past are seen as antiquated. But man has the peculiar faculty of calling up again, at least in his mind, the echo of past experiences, of going over them again. -Isn't it a blessing? -No, No, No, mind your words! On the contrary, it is a cuuuurse! We tend to persuade ourselves that life indeed would be dull if there were no difficulties. But deep down we feel that these difficulties are not genuine. They are far-fetched, and sometimes prefabricated. It is a part of the makebelieve, to give the impression that there is no gain without pain. The watchword is: quired’, ‘Keep them panttime to think’... It’s a good their own business. waste their time and Not them anyway.
‘more efforts are reing’, ‘don’t give them way to make them mind Why should they energy thinking?
Each man's belief is when that belief concerns the discussed publicly and meticu-
right in his own eyes, but fate of a nation, it has to be lously.
The wand of the magirighteous. People who find trace the waving of the maturn to gullibility. They take everyGreat! The objective is reached…
cian cannot always be themselves unable to gician's hand ultimately thing for granted.
A society like this produces spoof scholars and pseudothinkers. How true! Those fake figures willingly become the mouthpiece of the magician and propagate his art. As for the rest of people, it seems they are following many hares at the same time. We know for sure they will catch none.
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Teachers’ Corner
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Opinion
I enjoyed my pupils’ tears… By Abdelmalek Hadji
Which of these do we see more often, smiles or tears? Is it a matter of culture or an idiosyncrasy among people to show more smiles than tears? Whatever the rationale governing people’s behaviour, it will not spoil the pleasure I’ve had after seeing my pupils’ tears in class. This sounds sadistic and unbecoming of a teacher, but that was the case. After 22 years of work, I have finally been gratified with tears. They are not grief tears; they are not farewell tears, either. In any assignment, I always sneak-peek into my pupils’ faces and examine their looks for the deep down impression they have about the test. This time, I saw tears, real tears falling. “What’s the matter?” I inquired. “It’s the boy”, said the girl. “The boy in the text, the story…” The same answer came from another girl in another row. The text was about a little boy who learnt to play music to communicate with his deaf mother. She died that morning, and with his excellent performance he wanted to have a communion with her soul. The empathy the pupils felt with the boy in this story was the best I could expect. It was a genuine feedback, a reaction coming from really living emotionally the situation in the text. It was a delightful moment. How can’t teachers ponder over it? Reading can be therapeutic when we engage fully our brains in it. Wasn’t theatre used to help exit people’s bottled-up feelings? Catharsis… that was it. Why don’t we make use of it for pedagogical purposes? Make pupils inventive while helping them pour out their innermost vibes. An inside-out communication, that would be!!! The process will require related to the authenticity of ond should be about the appeal to pupils’ emoopinions and standrespond whether conit.
two things; the first is certainly the materials to use. The sectopic itself. The topic should tions, challenge their points, push them to sciously or unconsciously to
For teachers as well as for book designers, selecting the materials-text, picture, listening script... is the crux of the matter. It is the very factor that will increase or reduce the readers’ interest. After that rare moment of exaltation I’ve had, credit should be given to those who supply the inexhaustible and ever-renewed resources of the web with genuine stories and case studies. Those resources are appropriate to our class needs as they relate real English and American circumstances. Gone is the time when we used to glean information from moth-eaten books and magazines.
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Teachers’ Corner
Research Paper Internet Portals Collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
World Yahoo!s Web Address Argentina ar.yahoo.com Asia asia.yahoo.com Australia and New au.yahoo.com Brazil br.yahoo.com Canada ca.yahoo.com Catalan ct.yahoo.com China cn.yahoo.com Chinese (U.S. site in Chinese) chiDenmark dk.yahoo.com France fr.yahoo.com Germany de.yahoo.com
Zealand
nese.yahoo.com
Hong Kong hk.yahoo.com India in.yahoo.com Italy it.yahoo.com Japan www.yahoo.co.jp Korea kr.yahoo.com Mexico mx.yahoo.com Norway no.yahoo.com Singapore sg.yahoo.com Spain es.yahoo.com Spanish (U.S. site in Spanish) espanol.yahoo.com Sweden se.yahoo.com Taiwan tw.yahoo.com U.K. and Ireland uk.yahoo.com
Source: Websites Secrets by Michael Miller
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Teachers’ Corner
Research Paper List of free E-books Collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
O'Reilly online http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/ http://sysadmin.oreilly.com/ Computer books and manuals http:// www.hoganbooks.com/ freebook/ webbooks.html http:// www.informit.com/itlibrary/ http:// www.fore.com/support/ manuals/home/ home.htm http://www.adobe.com/ products/acrobat/webbuy/ freebooks.html The Network Book http://www.cs.columbia.edu/netbook/ Some #bookwarez.efnet.irc links http://www.extrema.net/books/links.shtml Some #bookwarez.efnet.irc fiction http://194.58.154.90:4431/enscifi/ Pimpas online books (Indonesia) http://202.159.16.55/~pimpa2000 http://202.159.15.46/~om-pimpa/buku Security, privacy and cryptography http://theory.lcs.mit.edu/~rivest/crypto-security.html http://www.oberlin.edu/~brchkind/cyphernomicon/ My own misc online reading material http://www.eastcoastfx.com/docs/admin-guides/ http://www.eastcoastfx.com/~jorn/reading/ Computer books http://solaris.inorg.chem.msu.ru/cs-books/ http://sweetrude.net/~cab/books/ http://alaska.mine.nu/books/ http://poprocks.dyn.ns.ca/dave/books/ http://58-160.skarland.uaf.edu/books/ Star Trek eBooks http://www.iinet.net.au/~shanev/strekbk.html Linux documentation http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html FreeBSD documentation http://www.freebsd.org/tutorials/ Sun documentation http://osiris.imw.tu-clausthal.de:8888/ http://uran.vvsu.ru:8888/
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Teachers’ Corner
Research Paper List of free E-books (2) Collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
SGI documentation http://newton.unicc.chalmers.se/ebt-bin/nph-dweb/dynaweb;td=2 http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/tpl/cgi-bin/init.cgi IBM Online Redbooks http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/ Digital Unix documentation http://www.unix.digital.com/faqs/publications/base_doc/ File system Hierarchy Standard http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.0/fhs-toc.html http://www.linuxbase.com/ UNIX stuff http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/~unixhelp/index.html http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/usail/ http://www.isu.edu/departments/comcom/unix/workshop/unixindex.html | http://www.franken.de/users/lorien/unix.html http://www.cs.buffalo.edu/~milun/unix.programming.html Programmer’s Reading http://www.programmersheaven.com/ http://www.cs.monash.edu.au/~alanf/se_proj97/ Programming Pearls 2nd edition http://www.cs.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/pearls/ C stuff http://www.strath.ac.uk/CC/Courses/NewCcourse/ ccourse.html http://www.cm.cf.ac.uk/Dave/C/CE.html http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial.html http://www.cs.virginia.edu/c++programdesign/ slides/ http://www.icce.rug.nl/docs/cplusplus/ cplusplus.html Perl stuff http://www.webdesigns1.com/perl/ir.html http://www.ictp.trieste.it/texi/perl/perl_toc.html http://www.itknowledge.com/tpj/ http://www.plover.com/~mjd/perl/
Source: Websites Secrets by Michael Miller
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Research Paper
From The Horse’s Mouth 1 Quotes collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
Modern Technology and Education
-“Technology does not necessarily improve education. The best television has educated thousands, while the daily network offerings dull the sensibilities of millions. The same is true of interactive technology, which is getting so much ink these days: It could become a valuable education tool, but only if we use it to capitalize on our new understanding of how the human mind works”
Shirley Veenema and Howard Gardner “Multimedia and Multiple Intelligences”
-Technology in itself revolution in approaches or Technology c a n n o t but using meshes with and learning far more success students
cannot spawn a e duc a ti o na l results. in itself alter education, technology that new learning styles strategies will achieve with a larger number of
Shirley Veenema and Howard Gardner “ Multimedia and Multiple Intelligences”
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Teachers’Corner
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Research Paper
From The Horse’s Mouth 2 Quotes collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
Modern Technology and Education -I believe that every teacher is a change agent who can help students change for the better. Change is too important to leave to the experts. In the flood of rapid changes brought about by new technologies, the ultimate protection for teachers and students is their positive mindset and passion for lifelong learning.
- Technology can be a friend or a foe. - It makes teachers’ life easier, cleaner, and more efficient. Can we ask more of a friend? - But there is a darker side. Its gifts are not without a heavy cost. Taken for granted and unexamined, it can be a dangerous enemy. -Technology is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. People easily become tools of their tools. It makes good sense to ask WHY before we ask what and how. (Postman, N. Technopoly, 1992)
“Technology is either a good servant or a bad master. Don’t let it be your master or be your toy. ” Tony Chan.
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Research Paper
The Writing Process (1) Collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
Study Guide and Editing
Before Your Pen Touches The Paper
Steps to Planning Your Writing Brainstorm- This activity is what writers spend the most time doing before they write. Before your pen touches the paper, learn all that you can about your topic. • Discuss the topic with others to learn other points of view. • Read all that you can about the topic to learn the facts. Use your text books, magazines, newspapers and encyclopaedias. • Research the topic on the internet to find out if there is anything new that you should know. • Draw, take or gather pictures about your topic. Use your creativity and imagination.
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Research Paper
The Writing Process (2) Collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
The more time you spend thinking and brainstorming, at the beginning of an assignment, the less time you will waste while you are writing. Organize • Focus your topic so that you can effectively cover it. Ask yourself "Is this a good topic for an essay, or would I need to write a book to cover this topic?" • Plan how you will order your support. Will you use 'time' or 'sequence', will you use 'order of importance', will you use 'spatial order'? Outline your ideas on paper. (Cooperate with another classmate: exchange outlines and offer each other suggestions to improve order or clarity. It is easier to make changes on your outline, than on a completed writing. ) Rough Draft • Get your ideas on paper. • Use clear simple sentences at this stage. (You can add complex clause work later.) Also, don't worry too much about the grammar yet. Just get your supporting points on paper. Follow your outline. Going 'off subject' often happens because the writer is following a 'stream of conciousness' instead of an organized plan. (Use your text book for ideas and suggestions for phrasing what you want to say.) Edit • Check for general errors first:, verb tense use, subject verb agreement. (Use the editing check list below) See Edit Symbols Check for your personal area of difficulty such as articles or subject verb agreement. Redraft Often when you look at a piece of writing the next day, you can find a lot of things that you missed in the first draft. • Add descriptive words such as adjective and adverb modifiers, to your basic sentences to improve your writing. • Get rid of wordiness by using connectors and clauses. • Add transition words to make your writing flow better. Transition words (Then, Next, In addition, Finally,) help guide your reader through your writing by signaling the beginning of each new idea. Ask for a second opinion -- email a friend to read through your essay.
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Research Paper
The Writing Process (3) Collected by Abdelmalek Hadji
Edit - Yes Again • Check for general errors. • Check article use, preposition use and punctuation. • Use a dictionary to check the precise meaning and spelling of words if you are unsure about them. • Ask a friend to read, check, and find 'logic gaps' in your writing. Ask if any part of the writing is unclear or hard to follow. Final • Write or type your final draft . Be sure not to copy any errors that you have already identified.
Source: www.smccd.net
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Teachers’ Corner
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Poems
Cradle of Civilisation Lost If we abandon ourselves to the torment of infamy, Depredation, vandalism and perjury, Emblems of death with relics of mortality Will flirt every home…what a hapless tragedy!
If no one resists the torrent and adds a dash of humanity, Never will mother land be a haven of safety. A nest it will be for those begotten in cruelty, Conceived in shame and atrocity. ……………………………………………………………………… By Abdelmalek Hadji Written the day Baghdad was besieged
( Read the full poem on englishpoetry.com) The Earth Summit Our revered mother land is disrobed relentlessly By malevolent fanfares of civility, Either we have to debunk such absurdity Or give up for ever our fecundity Or again, for a clean puff of air, pester continuously.
If we are fated to live in this degeneracy And accept this pinnacle of human adversity Where vice is adorned with laurels and felicity And virtue tortured and reduced to mendacity, Our life is but a lingering torment and lost complacency. …………………………………………………………………………………..
By Abdelmalek Hadji Written after the Last Shameful Earth Summit
(Read the full poem on englishpoetry.com)
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Teachers’ Corner
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Picture & Comment
Picture and Comment…(1) By Abdelmalek Hadji
Modern technology is also changing Instincts!!!!
.
What is happening to people’s heads?!
Except for raising kids and doing housework, darling...
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Picture & Comment
Picture and Comment…(2) By Abdelmalek Hadji
Don’t overuse me, I am not renewable.
MODERN TIMES
Everyone is in a hurry, but where’s the meeting place?
- Hey! Is that your pacifier? - This is what mum gave me when I was a fœtus!
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Teachers’ Corner
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The Lighter Side
FUN WITH ENGLISH By Abdessalem Majdoub
Figures of speech We say ...as pretty as a picture ...as ugly as sin ...as brave as a lion ...as light as a feather
Riddles A/ I have cities but no houses, and forests but no trees. I have rivers without water, and no ships but many seas.what am I? B/ I have fingers and a thumb, but I’m neither flesh nor bone. I may be small or large, and I’m seldom seen alone. What am I?
Simple Logic C/ I’m full of holes, but I can hold water. What amI? D/ what belongs only to you, but is used most often by others?
Silly logic E/ what kind of fish can’t swim? F/ what walks around all day and lies under the bed at night with its tongue hanging out?
Special brain teasers G/ a doctor, a lawyer and a psychiatrist were walking down the street together. Which man was wearing the largest hat?
Special Idioms H/ What has arms and les but can’t move? I/ What has got teeth but can’t bite?
Spelling J/ what is at the end of everything? K/ what is the longest word in the dictionary?
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The Lighter Side
FUN WITH ENGLISH (2) By Abdesssalem Majdoub
Word Plays and double meaning L/ what has to be taken before you can receive it? M/ where can happiness always be found?
A Strange Tongue BEARD is not the same as HEARD And CORD is different from word cow is COW but low is low SHOES is never rhymed with foe
Puzzling Pronunciation Now hear their and they’re and there Not that ear is not like ere Query does not rhyme with very Nor does fury sound like bury
Tongue Twisters Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear Fuzzy wuzzy had no hair Fuzzy wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy was he? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood?
Source: Fun With English By Anna Maria Malkoc –1999
Answers
A / A map B/ A glove C/ A sponge D/ Your name E/ A Fried fish F/ A man’s show G/ The man with the largest head H/ A chair I/ A comb J/ The letter “g” K/ smiles :there’s a mile between the first and the last letters L / A photograph M/ in a dictionary HORIZONS
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CONTENTS Story Writing • Sorry Mother • Fred has made it to the top • Janet and the Orphan
Imen Ben Ida Ferdous Ouinti Amira Doggaz
Opinion • • • • • • • • • •
Tenagers and Modern Tech Energy Resources My Weekend Angry Pupil Life and Studies Globalisation The true Friend Racism Enslaved Children Meaningless World
Samy El Abed Hussem Bellalah Mouna Daoued Khouloud Attig Yosra Selmi Hanane Mehrez Nawal Daoued Khouloud Attig Yesmine Belkhir Hanane Mehrez
Poetry • • • • • •
Ode to the lost one Acknowledgements to Parents Parentless Unique Love Kiss To Mama Everlasting Love
Marwa Talmoudi Mouna Daoued Mohamed Mehrez Hussem Bellaleh Sheima Zafouri Chiraz Abdellaif
Research Paper • Proverbs about Friendship
Zeineb Doggaz &
Yesmine Chabbouh • Spelling problem solved
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Mouna Daoued
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Story Writing
Sorry Mother (1) Once upon a time, in a far away country, a family of farmers lived in a small cottage by the edge of a forest. The family was very poor. The father was sick; he grew weaker and weaker. They did not have money to buy him medicine. He stayed in the bed for many weeks, then died . To feed her son Ali, the mother Sara started working as house cleaner. Ali's friend Samy, was rich. He had a mobile , a computer and many things that Ali dreamt to possess. Samy was round-faced with brown eyes. He was not modest or friendly with Ali. He was all the me talking about money and his comfortable life. This made Ali sad. Every time he came back from school he told his mother : " If I become rich, I will buy many things". As a sensible mother, Sara encouraged him to work hard and improve his results to get a good job and fulfill all his dreams . But the teenager was selfish, he didn’t think about the efforts that his mother was making to earn money, he shouted at her. That caused her grief. She was sad all the time. she tried to give him what he wanted; but it was hard to satisfy him. One day, Ali took a decision. It was a shock for his mother; "Look Mum, I'm going away to see the world. I can't live in this poverty any more. Good bye. You will see me later when I come back driving a new car"
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Story Writing
Sorry Mother (2)
Ali prepared his bag and left. Sara followed him and asked him to stay -" I’ m your mother, please don't let my alone, I can't live without you, please Ali…" Unfortunately, Ali went away and left his mother crying. What a pity! All her efforts were lost. She was also losing her unique son. The impatient teenager was rough with his mother, he was not aware of his mother’s suffering. Ali went to his friend's house. Samy told him before to come and live with him because he felt lonely. When Samy heard his story he refused to accept him. " Oh, I m sorry Ali, we have no place for you here ", Samy declared. As he closed the door, Ali felt a great pain. After that, Ali went to the nearest town to look for a job. He asked the carpenter, the mechanic and the shopkeeper for a job but no one accepted him. Finally, he found a job in a restaurant. He had to wash the dishes ad clean the floor. While working, Ali remembered his mother. He felt how his mother was sacrificing her life for him.
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Pupils’ Corner
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Story Writing
Sorry Mother (3) _ How can you do all the housework and always smile. I can't go back to poverty. I will be rich. After sun set Ali finished work. He slept in the same place this was the first night that Ali spent out of the house. Sara could not close her eyes all night. She was crying and praying God to see Ali again The first night, Ali felt lost, lonely and very sad , he was homesick . The next day, Ali was not concentrated. He broke some dishes. The boss was very angry and fired him. Desperate, Ali went away. He was helpless. As he was walking, a poor man asked him for food. The unhealthy-looking person, wearing dirty old clothes, asked Ali to help him. Ali answered; " Sorry, I’m hungry myself” " The poor man was surprised and asked him why. Ali started crying and told him his story. The old men smiled and told him : “ wealth never makes happiness, if you want to be happy, you must be satisfied with what you have . You should come back to your mother. Don't ask too much of her, don't be selfish”.
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Pupils’ Corner
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Story Writing
Sorry Mother ( 4) Life has many ups sand downs. You can realize your dreams one day if you are persevering. Just remember that nobody is sure of the future. I was very rich but lost all my fortune. I was very wasteful, too. I lost all my fortune on silly things. I was gambling all the time. I had many friends, now I ‘m alone. Friends leave you when your pocket is empty”. Ali smiled, thanked the poor man and ran back home. When Sara opened the door and saw her son, she cried and hugged him. Ali cried, too. He admitted he was wrong. He told his mum she was in his mind all the time. _ SORRY MOTHER, I apologize for my misbehaviour, I feel lost without you. Sara replied “it’s ok baby. Promise me to behave well and be more responsible.” “I promise, replied Ali”. Many years passed, Ali became a famous doctor. He bought a large house, a car and opened his own surgery. As for the poor man, he didn’t survive. He was found dead one cold night. Samy, the spoilt child, has never finished his studies. He is living on his parents’ money. Ali sees him from time to time, when he goes to check Samy’s parents health. The end Text and Graphics by Imen Ben Ida—1st Sec Assigned and checked by Mr. Hadji
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Pupils’ Corner
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Story Writing
Fred has made it to the top (1)
In a small village called Blue Moon, lives a small family made of three members. Fred, the unique child, is a 16-yearold school boy. He is of medium height and very handsome. He has short black shiny hair and big blue eyes. Fred attends a co-educational state secondary school. He studies all subjects but they aren’t all compulsory. He is particularly interested in sports, English and art but he hates maths and physics.
He prefers to study arts, and all his classmates love him because he is hard working and well-behaved. His mother Sara is a housewife and his father David Harrison is a doctor. Fred has always wanted to be a surfer and make it to the top. But his parents don’t agree with him and refuse the idea totally. They want him to be a biologist.
In summer, Fred worked in a shop selling surfing articles and earned eight hundred pounds. At the end of the season, he wants to participate in a surfing competition in Australia. His father refuses because he will have to live there for three months and he miss school lessons “you’re only sixteen, school is the most important thing for you. You can go after school if you like.” By a sunny August day, the sea water was blue and some surfers were practising. Fred was there, too. He sat on his surfboard waiting for a surf challenge... it began and Fred started moving quickly. He was excellent!
His girlfriend Jenny watched him and was impressed. Another jealous surfer called Mike challenged him but again Fred was the winner.
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Story Writing
Fred has made it to the top (2)
It was eight o’clock that evening only three or four surfers were in the water, it was time to go home and Fred put his things in the bag. -“You haven’t left yet! said Jenny, will you be in the competition on Sunday? “ -“I’m not sure, my board is old and the other surfers are good” -Jenny smiled and said:” but you are good too, you know.” They walked, and Fred talked about his go to Australia and about his parents attitude. listened quietly. The next morning, Fred told his mother his plan. -“There’s a competition here on Sunday I would like to win it, I am sure I can..” -“Surfing is dangerous, your father and I don’t like it...
plan to Jenny
about
In town Fred met his girlfriend and knew that the first prize in the competition was a thousand pounds. Jenny encouraged him to go and talk to the man in the surf shop, ask him to enter the competition with the shop’s name on the board. That’s good for him and for you. The discussion with the shop owner was good. The next day when Jenny arrived to the beach, she saw Fred using a new material. Fred swam to her and thanked her for her brilliant idea. “ You have to win the prize, that will help you to go to the big competition in Australia”, Jenny told him. “I’ll have to convince to Dad and Mum first”
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Story Writing
Fred has made it to the top (3)
Sunday was hot and sunny, Fred met Jenny before going on water. She wished him good luck. When the big wave arrived, Fred swam strongly. It was exciting to see. The judges announced “Winner… Fred Harrison. CONGRATULATIONS! After Fred received the first prize, Jenny and the shop keeper went to Dr. Harrison to convince him to allow Fred to go to Australia. Dr. Harrison accepted finally to him go. That was a good beginning. Fred became famous. The local newspapers wrote about him. He came a national hero when he won second prize in Australia.
let
bethe
Fred and Jenny have never separated. They are planning everything together. With the nice ideas of Jenny, they have opened a surfing institute to train young people.
By Ferdous Ouinti 1st Sec Assigned and checked by Mr. Hadji
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Janet The Orphan
Story Writing (1)
Once upon a time, in a remote place lived a poor family made of a father, a mother and their daughter Janet. The father was a fisherman and the mother a housewife. Janet was very pretty. She was tall and slim with straight blond hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. They were very poor but lived happily. One day, the mother had a stroke and died suddenly. The father had no money to take her to the doctor in the nearest town. The father and his daughter were sad. They remembered her every time they sat together. The situation became worse, the father was unable to fish as before They had less money. The father was worrying for his daughter. Who is going to take care of her? She was only 16. Janet took a decision. She had to help her father. She started sewing clothes at home, and sold them in the market every Saturday. The father was very sad to see his little girl working to feed him. He didn't survive for a long time. Janet was alone, no father, no mother‌They were all dead. Before he died, her father talked to his neighbour Bernard to look after his daughter. His neighbour was good and took her to live with them in the same house. Janet was lonely. She lost everything, and she had to live in another house. Bernard's wife was pitiless. She told Janet to wake up at 6 in the morning, take the cows out to the forest, get water from the river and come back to do the housework. Everyday, Janet was doing the same thing. She couldn't have rest before 8 o'clock in the afternoon. Lisa, the neighbour's daughter did nothing. She was all the time with her friends. She went to school but was a bad pupil. She was a spoiled child. She was also naughty with Janet. When Janet finished cleaning, Lisa messed up everything. Janet was punished for that. One morning, Janet took the buckets and went to the river to get water. When she saw the fish, she remembered her father. She also remembered the days she went with him fishing, the places she visited. She started crying.
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Pupils’ Corner
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Story Writing
Janet The Orphan(2)
A man and his guards were passing. They stopped to give horses water. One of them went near Janet. She didn't hear him when he talked to her. When he touched her on the shoulder, she thought he was her father. "Dad, dad‌"He was doing that all the time. He was a loving father. But when she looked up, she was disappointed. She saw a strange face. The man was good-looking, young and very polite with her. "I am sorry to disappoint you, Madam" Janet couldn't control her tears. The man started talking to her nicely. Janet told him her story with all the details. The man put Janet on the horse back and ordered his guards to take the buckets of water. He went with her to Bernard's house and ordered Bernard's wife to treat her well. He was the new judge in the town. The following week Mr. Mathew, the judge, came and asked Janet's hand from Bernard. Bernard said "if Janet is happy, I will be happy, too" Janet remembered her father's words "God is good". Her tragedy was over. She lived happily with her husband. The nice clothes he offered her made her look like a princess. Lisa was mad with anger. "Why didn't he marry me?" she said. People in town and villages went out to see the beautiful princess when her husband, the judge, went on a tour. Janet had many people to help her at home. She had two servants and a man to take care of the horses and the garden. She didn't forget her loving parents. Every Sunday, she put roses on their tombs. Text and Graphics by Amira Doggaz- 1st Sec Assigned and checked by Mr. Hadji
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Opinion
Teenagers and Technology
The relationship between teenagers and technology has become stronger and stronger in the last ten years. Nowadays almost every teenager has a mobile, a T.V in his room and his own computer. And all of that makes us wonder whether it is a good or a bad thing? And whether it is necessary to have all of that for a teenager. Some people say that technology is made for the new generation, to make their life much easier, and give them a better future. For example, many channels have been created to help teenagers with their studies while they are sitting at home. In addition to that, kids can get whatever they need whenever they want just using a computer connected to the internet. T.V provides many ideas about the real life outside for our boys and girls by producing reality shows, that’s why many teenagers are able to advise grown-ups. Moreover, mobiles made the parents more connected to their children because they don’t have to worry about them anymore since they can call them at anytime to make sure that they are all right. All these benefits of technology for teenagers don’t mean that it is necessary for a kid to have all of these devices, because they could be harmful for both their bodies and minds; For this reason, other people say that technology is the devil’s friend. I recall one of our teachers saying once that mobiles are the curse of this century which is true, because teenagers are using these phones just for fun, calling their friends and spending money on chatting while the real goal of using mobiles has been neglected. The internet is a big world for a teenager; he shouldn’t surf on the net without supervision, because there are a lot of kids who are watching sexual films on the net and even on T.V, and that’s too dangerous; it damages the teenager’s behaviour and morals. Let’s talk a bit about computers, which are supposed to help the new generation. Indeed the young people are using them for inappropriate purposes. Instead of studying with it, they are using it all the time to play videogames, listen to music and watch films. In conclusion, personally I think that technology can have a huge effect on teenagers, which can be positive or negative. And here comes the role of grow-ups and parents; they have to look after their children and raise them well enough until they become productive men and women in our society. El Abed Samy 3rd Sec Checked by Mrs. Laribi
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Opinion
Energy Resources
There are so many people all over the world as well as many production companies wondering about the future of energy resources, and mainly about Petrol.” Will energy be able to compensate Petrol in the near future ? “ The enormous importance of such an energy resource , shown clearly in the continual increase of its consumption as well as in the wide variety of the fields of its exploitation , pushed societies , companies , scientists to set up meetings and international workshops aimed at finding an alternative to Petrol. This matter concerns in the first place the sector of cars industry on global scale since petrol represents the fuel for cars. The fact is that the solution was found in England , and thanks to cows , there’s no fear of energy deficiency in the future. Cows are amazing creatures ; not only do they give us milk and meat , but everyday , a single cow produces 50 Kgs of its waste which gives us methane : cheap endless supply of energy and a basic fuel which can be used to run a car. This is how the process works : Once the cow makes its waste , it is skewed up and put into a special tank called “ a digestor”.
The latter turns it into methane gas , and by putting this gas in a compressor , it becomes more dense. The first cow waste – powered car is Rover 214. But researchers are doing their best by trying to extract methane from human waste. Yet , it is unjust to say that cows waste is the only alternative of Petrol as companies such as TOYOTA , BMW and MERCEDES – BENZ have proved that Hydrogen can also be a fuel for cars. TOYOTA has made some modifications on this gas and it has become the essential for many of its models like the AVENSIS and URGE and X3 for BMW. Ultimately , there’s no doubt that science has no limits at all. Therefore , we can expect more inventions concerning this matter, and perhaps , we will be able to see flying cars in 2020. BELLALAH HOUSSEM EDDINE 4L2 Checked by Mr Majdoub
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Opinion
Give my weekend back!!!
This is a wake up call for everyone who goes to school. We are being robbed of our weekends. It frightens me to see people carrying backpacks running around the sleepy town on a Sunday morning, afraid of being late for mathematics or physics lessons at a teacher's home or- as weird as it may seem- at school. Well it doesn’t matter whether it’s at a teachers home or at school, people shouldn’t be studying on Sunday. Maybe I should remind you of what the idea of a weekend is all about. A weekend is for getting some rest. You shouldn’t feel guilty about staying up watching TV on Saturday night and then sleeping until lunchtime the next day. A weekend is also for doing the things that you don’t find time for during weekdays (and those things are already too many for one day), like helping with the housework, especially when you have a working mother who does need some help from her children with all the cleaning left to the weekend. Another thing that every teenager should do is practicing a hobby whether it’s a sport or an artistic activity, but then, how could we indulge in such a luxury when we have no time. Weekends are for studymean doing some homework research or reading a novel. time about the fact that nowell somebody should let agers with the schedule of a prising that we spend most of need for sleep. Besides, if I would be very happy about
ing too, but by studying, I on our own, doing a science Teachers complain all the body does anything at home; them know that we are teenbusinessman, so it’s not surour class-hours fighting our were a teacher, I don’t think I working on weekends.
I guess the problem is that we concentrate too much on the number of hours spent on studying but neglect both quality and the fact that we and our families have the right to enjoy some free time together. So please, listen to my cry for help and give my weekend and my life back. Mona Daoud 3rd Sec
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Opinion
An Angry Pupil
I want to write about something new and different, give you my opinion about the school. I won’t say it’s perfect with friendly teachers and nice administration. I’ll just write about what I ,and most of the pupils, think. To start with, I don’t like our school at all, everything is bad in it: the building, teachers, the administration and most of all the pupils. The school looks like a prison, painted in blue and white with its high windows which do not prevent the rain from getting into the classrooms in winter and don’t help to make classes cooler in hot season. Our school lacks a gymnasium or at least a big equipped room. We practise sports in the open wearing tight clothes in which we don’t feel comfortable. As for teachers , honestly speaking , there are some good ones but most of them are really severe. So strict that they think they can do what they want with us just because we are the pupils. We expect them to be friendly and try to gain the love and respect of their pupils. I know there are some pupils who are lazy and rude. Nothing can make them work hard and behave well. But this doesn’t explain why we should pay for their misbehaviour. The administration is the worst of all! The staff never tries to understand us. To get permission and be admitted in class, you become petrified. Everyone is screaming at you, criticizing the way you dress and walk. There are bad pupils but they pass unnoticed. It is unfair! They never understand us as though they had never been pupils themselves before. Finally, the pupils: Only a few are friendly, smiling and helpful. The rest, especially girls- are really bad; I find them strange. When you wear something new, they envy you; and wherever you go, their eyes are always on you. I don’t feel at ease. Sometimes, people you don’t know hurt your feeling just because you look different or behave differently. I wonder when this is going to change. I’m sorry Mr. Headmaster. But it’s what I think and feel and you can’t blame me for it. Are you going to punish me like you used to do? Kholoud Attig 2nd Sec Checked by Mrs. Fatma Benhmida
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Opinion
Life and Studies Not to die before your time, learn how to enjoy studies!! «I hate studying, I hate going to school ," I would like to see the school closed! " These are the opinions of the great majority of students' for multiple reasons such as "studies restrict my liberty; I can't practise my hobbies while I am at school,I miss my favourite T.V programs ..." or "I hate the routine : I hate having to wake up every morning, to go to the same school, to meet the same faces , to listen to the same teachers and to do a secretarial job !! I can't live my life the way I want! I'm becoming a machine!! " In spite of their difference, these reasons are in fact alike in one point: studies are considered as a waste of a long period of life, in other words: life begins when studies are over! And so we, students, are the victims of a long time spent needlessly at school! Later, comes a day when you would feel a complete emptiness ...there will be no future, only memories to hold on. You would look back to those years left behind, find out their value and regret them because you would feel like you did not live them fully, as a part of life. You would realize that you lost them and that you were unfair to yourself! And you would wish: "If I could go back, I would enjoy every single minute lived at school! »But unfortunately, this wish would be absurd. So, since it constitutes a part of life that can neither be skipped nor overlooked then live it not as if it were a heavy load to carry or an unbearable boring duty to accomplish ...but as a beautiful juvenile period that will vanish soon and become a memory ...Just enjoy school dear friends ! YOSRA SELMI 4L2 Checked by Mr. Majdoub
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Opinion
GLOBALIZATION
The world has become a small village where people of many different nationalities share the same life-style “thanks to “the phenomenon of globalization which has acquired considerable emotive and controversial issues. Globalization is viewed by some people as a beneficial process and a key to a future world economic development. It is taken also as inevitable and irreversible view of the technological revolutionary progress the world is going through and the outstanding development of means of communication such as the Internet which connects the farthest parts of the world to each other and represents a tool to transmit one way of life among diverse people. Consequently, milpeople can eat tomaries and all sorts of throughout the year, where they live and son is. They can also cars, wear the same the same values and
lions of different toes, strawberexotic fruits no matter what the seadrive the same clothes and adopt tastes.
That’s why, others regard globalisation with hostility and even fear, they consider it as the plague of our modern world. On the one hand, they believe that it threatens the originality and the peculiarities of people by making them similar all over the world. On the other hand, they think that it increases inequality between nations and may have a destructive impact on local traditions and cultural heritage. Although Globalization has made people closer to each other, we can’t deny the fact that it has also enforced inferiority among nations, threatened cultural heritage and become a modern way of colonization. Mehrez Hanene 4L2 Checked by Mr. Majdoub
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Opinion
How to know your true friend
No one can live alone. We all need someone to trust, someone to be close to us, to support us and to keep our deepest secrets. But it is sometimes hard to find the perfect person with whom you build a real, strong and successful friendship. That person must be friendly, caring and most of all honest. He must care about you, respect you in every way and love you for who you are not for your money or for your high position in society. He must share everything with you including the intimate feelings and thoughts. He must be someone special who deserves your friendship. It is said that friendship is as important to people as sunshine is to flowers. It is a gift of joy treasured beyond words. A friend is someone who is concerned with everything you do or think, someone who knows the song in your heart and sings it back to you when you have forgotten the words. It is that person who makes a difference, who understands the unspoken words in your heart. Therefore, we must choose our friends because people don’t seem to understand quite well the true meaning of friendship. They might start several relationships with strangers that they know nothing about and might even make big mistakes like letting out secrets and personal stuff without being aware of the consequences of that because a true friend is that person to whom you tell your secrets without being afraid of them being exposed. A friend is supposed to support you in every way and provide you the best. However, friends seem to be very selfish and self-centred: they care only about themselves. Instead, they can be jealous of you and manage to lower your self-esteem and destroy your image. So, we must choose our friends carefully and test them many times through the endless life experience. Nawal Daoud 2nd form Checked by Mouna El Meddeb
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Opinion
Racism
Racism is a worldwide issue. It is linked to social injustice. It started centuries ago but it is changing shape. It has a bad effect on those who are prejudiced against. We notice that racist people do not take others as equal to them. They defend their ideas and see those with different skin colour, culture or religion as inferior. They also think that they should not be treated equally. If these racists are given the power, they will kill any one different from them.
I think it is ridiculous not to accept others simply because they are different. People are free to believe in what they like because it is not necessary to have the entire world believe in the same thing in the same way. We must respect the difference, that’s what makes life nice. Can people choose the colour of their skin? Are they supposed to paint themselves every time they meet someone from a different race? To think about it is already insulting.
The problem is that the deep and serious. They lead to ders and ethnic cleansing;.
effects of racism are violence, fights, mur-
It’s high time we put an end to this folly. There is no room anymore for such mentalities. Atig Kouloud 2nd Sec Checked by Mouna El Meddeb
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Opinion
Enslaved Children
Although, the convention on the rights of the child is very clear regarding the child’s basic rights of education, health care, social security... and very strict against any form of abuse such as exploitation, we still find children in some countries deprived of their rights and exploited by their masters. The situation of the children is rather difficult if not alarming in many countries. To begin with, many young children work in hazardous conditions and run the risk of getting injured while manipulating dangerous machines . According to the international labour organisation ; it is estimated that 250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in developing countries at least 120 millions on a fullbasis time. In addition to that, those children are not supposed to take up any job because it hampers the child’s physical and mental development. Unfortunately, the percentage of children working is increasing in many African countries. That’s why, we must give a helping hand and save the lives of our innocent kids. We should find a solution immediately to save those hopeless children from big dangers because “ The child of today , the promise of tomorrow ” . We should provide them with affection ,love and money to put an end to this cycle of despair. Yesmine Belkhir 2nd Sec Checked by Mr Doggaz
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Opinion
Meaningless World
Whenever I watch the world news or read the newspaper, lots of confusing questions cross my mind and even drive me mad! I feel a deep scream tearing my chest: In fact, it seems that mankind has turned to a vampire kind, our life has become a thrill movie! War is striking the world, thousands of innocent people are being killed everyday just because of the human greed and grudge, and nothing is ever good enough for us: We always want more and more by any way by hook or by crook! Others’ lives don’t matter anymore! What does this selfish Probably to hell state, to tion! Love should really deep comatose state, tear There is too much indifferthat we are getting more and blind or maybe to be so. We can’t over the dead find the lost and ing illusion: it true that our pends on the Can’t we colooks that the confirmed “The other
attitude lead to? humanity exterminawake up from this the blind silence. ence in the world and more deaf we’re pretending just live like that, bodies trying to the most deceivHappiness! But is happiness deother’s misery?! exist anymore? It theory of “Sartre” is is hell”.
Within this complicated human situation, how should I react? Should I rage against the dying light or just keep silent and move on? Indifference and selfishess are prevalent features nowadays we have to resist. But how can I avoid this bitter feeling, of guilt, am I suffering in vain? Maybe blindness and deafness have become a blessing these days, haven’t they? Mehrez Hanene 4L2 Checked by Mr. Majdoub
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Poetry
Ode To The Lost One
It’s the end oh his life and the beginning of my sorrow The doors of suffering are open for today and tomorrowo A kind of pain without refrain. Since you left this world, things are so absurd I was the one who wanted to choose, Who wanted to play but never lose. I miss you now! You wanted to play You went away, you refused to stay. Why didn’t you stay with me? Did you want to leave me alone? With you everything is gone. Nobody believes that I can carry on
Minute after minute, hour after hour, Your memory has an everlasting power. The four years of separation didn’t make me forget, Your smile, your words even after you left, To a better world while I stayed in the dust. No one but you can reply my quest. Don’t tell me that our souls are separated by death, In my mind, the image of a body without breath, Your dead body lying without a sound, A voice shouting that soon you’ll be in a peaceful ground In the hands of God, a world entirely divine. Smiling at us, you say that you are really fine. You were a cousin and more that for me, A brother, a friend and all the humanity. No words can describe what I bear No tears can show what I fear. May God help me out of this madness, With your love, I shall survive despite my sadness. Marwa Talmoudi 3rd Sec (Slightly edited by Mr. Hadji)
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Poetry
Acknowledgements to my parents
To my parents for bringing me into the world, For loving and nourishing me when I was young, For holding me tight when I cried, For reading me bedtime stories when I was afraid of the ghost under my bed, For taking me to school on rainy days, For standing up for me when someone hurt me, For always forgiving me whenever I did something wrong, For disciplining me when I was getting too spoiled, For buying me lollypops and Barbie-dolls, For making me feel special when everybody else rejected me, For being my safety net, my eternal true friends, And mostly for turning a helpless baby into a young lady.
MOUNA DAOUD 3rd Sc
Checked by: Ms Souad Mlaieh
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Poetry
Parentless The heart full of loneliness and agony The child fights against his destiny No home, no mother, no father He lives without friends or brother Witnesses a world where reigns silence With pain, he will lose his innocence Poor orphan! You need patience Slave of a world without love and affection The child is living in misery and dissatisfaction He sleeps in the open and asks for help For anything to chew and finally gulp His life is but a series of bitterness misery, wretchedness and sadness As big walls are made of grains of sand Therefore everybody should give a hand
Donations, food, shelter and a good say will help this poor boy find his way. Mohamed Mehrez - 4th Sec (this poem first appeared on “Young Poets’ Corner”; a site prepared by Abdelmalek Hadji Published on www.edunet.tn)
Assigned and checked by Mr: Hadji
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Poetry
Unique Love You said you cared about me And I know it is true Because when I look into your eyes A strong love shines through You said you adored my personality And the letters I am writing If only you could realize How much love my heart is hiding You said you wanted to get in my soul And discover the depth of my emotion And I can only hope that What I say and do will prove my devotion You said you yearn to my heart And to my extreme tenderness And I am sure we’ll never be apart If our mutual love is endless It is time for me to say That your love is unique And what you feel towards me Is what I always seek Bellalah Houssem Eddine 4th Sec (this poem first appeared on “Young Poets’ Corner”; a site prepared by Abdelmalek Hadji Published on www.edunet.tn) Assigned and checked by Abdelmalek Hadji
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Poetry
A Kiss To Mama
Mama you gave me life from a baby into a lady Mama you are the one who hoped, The one who always coped When no body was there Mama you are a warm cocoon where I never have fear, And of course no tear. When you come, it’s the calm When you talk, it’s a fantastic realm When you smile, please God stop time You turn darkness into daylight And pain into delight In time of weakness, I derive my strength from your eyes And I know there is no other love like that of mother’s If something terrible happens And you come to say goodbye Then I know a precious part of me will die Nothing is left after losing you, Oh Lord! Goodbye the greatest words I’ve ever heard Goodbye every single minute I felt safe Goodbye smiling face in any case Goodbye reassuring phrase And now who has to bear the blame Now, alone I feel so much shame For all the years I caused you pain, If only I could stay in your arms again And beg your pardon for all the trouble Mother, I’m nothing without you, I am unable Now all I can do is just pray, And wait for my dying day, Because we can meet only when I pass away But the only thing that keeps me alive here Is a constant whispering in my ear Reminding me that you are so near And telling me that I am always dear Chaima Zafouri 3rd Sec Checked by Mrs. Laribi
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Poetry
Everlasting Love
If I can be in your dreams, I may Love you more in my own way. My white angels want to fly away, Quickly crossing the evening sky. A strange sound came to my ear, told me something I did not hear, How can I have wings and how can I fly ? Loneliness is hard and makes me cry.
Nice roses, can you feel it ? You know this gets me out of my wit You are great, for me you are a symbol With you I always feel humble My plants have grown since they saw you, My birds sang, nestled and flew, Kindness lives deep in your soul, You are my love, without you I am a fool.
Chiraz Abdellatif 4 L2 Edited by Mr. Hadji
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Research Paper
Friendship
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A friend's frown is better than a fool's smile. A friend in need is a friend indeed. A friend is easier lost than found. A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody. A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart. False friends are worse than open enemies. There is no better looking-glass than an old friend. He who forms a low friendship will light a fire on his own forehead. Give good words to others, but good food to your friend. Be civil to all, but keep your substance for friends and relations He who speaks of his friend, speaks of himself. If you would keep friendship for your friend, don't regard his faults. The friend appears in hard times, not at big dinners. It is well to have your ass tethered, if you have a thief for a friend. A friend will cause you to weep, an enemy to laugh. The brother is not of use to the brother, but the friend is to the friend. Friendship is good with the noble, not with the base. A clever enemy is better than a stupid friend. Books and friends should be few but good. A hedge between keeps friendship green. The best of friends must part. It is better to be in chains with friends, than to garden with strangers. The only unsinkable ship is FRIENDSHIP. Life without a friend is like death without a wife. Collected from Internet by: Zeineb Doggaz and Yesmine Chabbouh 2nd Sec Assigned by: Mr. Hadji
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Research Paper
Spelling Comment & picture by Mr. Hadji
A Challenge to your reading ... BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOUR SPELLING…
Cna you raed tihs? Can you raed tihs? Olny srmat poelpe can. I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.Teh phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on !!....... Enjoy! Collected by Mouna Daoud 3rd Sec
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