Issues in International Relations (1)
2021.06.03
We continued working in Unit 6 of our text today, reviewing last week’s material on pages 104 and 105, then moving right into a unit on the country of Bhutan on page 106.
You do not need to discuss the text in Canvas this week. Instead, spend your homework time over the next week refining, presenting, and uploading a video to YouTube of yourself giving your major assignment paper presentation. In the video, you should be standing as you speak. Please made sure we can see you from the waist up, not just your face, as you speak.
The paper, along with a link to your YouTube video, should be uploaded to the assignment folder by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 13th. For details of the assignment, please review the May 6th entry on this page below. In addition, please post your YouTube link to the Canvas discussion area for feedback by classmates. For a topic title, please use “Your Name/Paper Presentation.” Make sure the link is shareable, so we can watch it both for scoring and comments.
After submitting your paper presentation, please be sure to give helpful, thoughtful feedback to two classmates in Canvas with positive specific comments and suggestions about what they could improve on.
We will meet again at our regular class time Week 16 (June 17th) to watch and give live feedback on a few presentations.
Have fun!
JBH
2021.05.27
We started right in on a new unit today – Unit 6 -- after our daily Word, Quote, and Joke of the Day. This first part of the unit focuses on traditions, traditional cultures, and traditional lifestyles.
We discussed our own family and cultural traditions, such as for one student, eating breakfast with family every day, for another, Spring Festival in China, and a third mentioned traditional clothing, such as lederhosen in Germany. We worked in the text through page 105, wrapping up with a discussion of the reading in item C on page 105.
Please continue the discussion on one of these questions on page 105 in the Canvas discussion area this week, with a post of between 150-400 words before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 30th, and conversational replies (100-300 words) to two classmates before class time next week. For a topic title, please use “Your Name/Hadza Traditions”.
We will continue in Unit 6 next week, returning to pages 104 and 105 and looking more at traditions and endangered languages.
Please remember to also continue working on your final paper presentation project. Let me know if there are questions or problems.
Have fun!
JBH
2021.05.20
In class today, after our beginning routine (W-Q-J), we got moving more in Unit 5, talking about ancient human migration and describing differences in our human ancestors. We moved from pages 86 to 90 in the text, finishing with a discussion about animal migration on page 99 (Item E).
Please continue the discussion on this question in the Canvas discussion area this week, with a post of between 150-400 words before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 22nd, and conversational replies (at least 100 words) to two classmates before class time next week. For a topic title, please use (Your Name/Migration 2).
We will continue in Unit 5 next week, looking a little bit more at animal migration before moving on to Unit 6. You should also be continuing work on your final paper presentation project. Let me know if there are questions or problems.
See you in class,
JBH
2021.05.13
In today’s class, after our daily Word, Quote, and Joke of the Day, we got started on Unit 5, which focuses on migration. We began by looking at the introductory pages (81-83) in small groups for a few minutes before regathering together again to talk about the thinking/discussion questions together. After the break, we got together again to talk about vocabulary and discussion questions on pages 84 and 85.
For next week, please respond to one of the discussion questions in item C or E on page 85 in Canvas with a post between 150-400 words long. Your post should be titled “Your Name/Migration.” Make sure it is completed before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 16th. Then respond to two classmates with at least 100 words each before class time next week.
Next week, we will continue in Unit 5. If there are questions about the final major assignment, please let me know by email and we can talk about them in class.
Thanks!
JBH
2021.05.06
In class today, we wrapped up with a speaking exercise in Unit 4 and then spent some time talking about our next major project, which you should complete and present on video by the end of Week 15.
This assignment is a paper presentation. In this paper, you’ll be asked to express your opinion by taking a stand on one of the topics you find in my resources listed below. Write at least four or five pages or more. (Times New Roman 12 point font, double-spaced pages is approximately 250 words per page, so minimum 1,000-1,250 words.) Your presentation, either reading the paper aloud or better yet, talking more conversationally about the paper’s main points, should be at least five minutes long.
This paper presentation should express your opinion about one of the topics addressed in the resource list below, but you also need to include more than simply your opinion – provide evidence to back up your points.
In addition to the main source where you find the topic, also be sure to include at least two other reference sources to support what you write.
You can argue a point in any direction you like, disagree with the points the speakers or writers in the resource list make. That’s fine. But don’t simply present your opinion – pro or con –without evidence.
List of possible source ideas: Marian Tupy's Human Progress website, Matt Ridley’s blog, Steven Pinker on the continuous decline of violence worldwide, Johan Norberg on optimism about the future, Bjorn Lomborg on climate change alarmism, and Hans Rosling’s Gapminder.
Here is some help on writing an opinion essay.
See you in class!
JBH
2021.04.29
After our daily W-Q-J, we split up into small groups to decide whose presentation videos we would watch as a class.
We then got back together in one group and watched and provided feedback to three lucky presenters. We gave comments using the sandwich method:
1. Positive specific comment(s) about the presentation;
2. One or two suggestions for improving in future presentations;
3. Positive general comment about the presentation overall.
We continued from last time starting on page 70 in Unit 4, where we talked about some grammar questions along with some material about Sherpas in the Himalayas. We finished with a discussion on page 73 (Item E) in small group breakout rooms.
Please continue the discussion in Canvas with a post between 150-400 words long. Your post should be titled “Your Name/Sherpa Life,” and make sure it is completed before 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Then respond to two classmates with at least 100 words each before class time next week.
In class next week, we will continue in Unit 4 and move on to Unit 5.
Thanks!
JBH
2021.04.15
In class today:
W-Q-J
We continued in Unit 4, dealing with business and employment in the future around the globe. Working in small groups and together as a class, we covered pages 64-69.These pages dealt with world employment trends, different types of competence needed for business success, and globalization.
Remember, during week 8, I’ll want you to prepare and present a five- to seven-minute presentation on a controversial topic that interests you and is related to our text topics. Go through the units and think about the topics presented in each of them, then prepare a persuasive presentation to share with us on one of the issues mentioned in the text or another topic that relates to one of the unit themes.
The presentation should be recorded on video, uploaded to YouTube, and the YouTube link posted in the class Canvas discussion area. In the video, you should be standing as you present, and viewers should be able to see you from the waist up. You do not need to present to a live audience, but please do not give your presentation to a webcam sitting in front of your computer.
Your topic can come from the text or be your own idea, but it should be something that fits under the themes of chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the text: “Urban Challenges,” “Protecting the Wild,” or “Going Global. More tips on how to structure your persuasive presentation can be found here and here.
Your persuasive presentation should be uploaded to YouTube and the link posted in the class Canvas discussion area anytime during Mid-terms week, before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 25th. Please use "Your Name/Mid-Term" for the subject/topic title of the post.
Then, make helpful, thoughtful comments on at least two classmates’ posts in Canvas. Each of these replies should be between 100 and 300 words long. Your replies to classmates should be submitted before class time week 9 (April 29th).
We may view some student presentations together and we will continue in Unit 4 next time we meet (April 29th).
See you then,
JBH
2021.04.08
In class today:
W-Q-J
We wrapped up Unit 2 by talking a little bit about our thoughts and experiences with hunting for a few minutes during the first part of the session. We then moved on to Unit 4, discussing global technology. We covered pages 61-63 in class.
The session concluded with the instructor sharing some tips for building our persuasive presentation on a controversial international issue during exam week.
The material we talked about, which may help as you plan your presentation, is from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Minnesota.
Remember, during week 8, I’ll want you to prepare and present a five- to seven-minute presentation on a controversial topic that interests you and is also related to our text topics. Go through the units and think about the topics presented in each of them, then prepare a persuasive presentation to share with us on one of the issues mentioned in the text or another topic that relates to one of the unit themes.
The presentation should be recorded on video, uploaded to YouTube, and the YouTube link posted in the class Canvas discussion area. In the video, you should be standing as you present, and viewers should be able to see you from the waist up. You do not need to present to a live audience, but please do not give your presentation to a webcam sitting in front of your computer.
Your topic can come from the text or be your own idea, but it should be something that fits under the themes of chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the text: “Urban Challenges,” “Protecting the Wild,” or “Going Global.
Your persuasive presentation should be uploaded to YouTube and the link posted in the class Canvas discussion area anytime during Mid-terms week, before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 25th. Then, make helpful, thoughtful comments on at least two classmates’ posts in Canvas. Each of these replies should be between 100 and 300 words long. Your replies to classmates should be submitted before class time week 9 (April 29th).
We will continue in Unit 4 next time we meet. Please make sure you have read, viewed the videos, listened to the audios, and answered all individual questions before class time next week (April 15th).
See you in class!
JBH
2021.04.01
In class today, we started off as usual with our W-Q-J of the Day.
From there, we moved on to talk about extinction briefly, following up on last week’s discussion topic on Canvas. We then shifted into small groups and talked about language topics on pages 28-30.
We bypassed page 31 for now, and the whole class moved on to pages 32-33 & 34-35 for answers to the viewing and listening sections. After discussing the answers to questions on pages 32-35, students again went into small groups to discuss the questions on mugger crocodiles and Yellowstone wolves (Item G on page 33 and item D on page 35), as well as the final topics of the unit, the pros and cons of hunting and zoos.
Next week, we will wrap up Unit 3 and may talk more about hunting and zoos before moving into Unit 4. For homework, please choose only one topic from Unit 3 and post your opinion on it in the Canvas discussion area. Your opinion post should be between 150 and 400 words long. Your discussion post title or subject should be “Your Name/Unit 2B Discussion.”
Please get your Unit 2B discussion post completed before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 4th. Then, reply to at least two classmates’ posts. Each of these replies should be between 100 and 300 words long. Your replies to classmates should be submitted before class time next week (April 8th).
In addition to posting this week’s discussion on Canvas, be thinking about the mid-term presentation assignment outlined below:
Mid-term Presentation
During week 8, I’ll want you to prepare and present a five- to seven-minute presentation on a controversial topic that interests you related to our text topics. Go through the units and think about the topics presented in each of them, then prepare a persuasive presentation to share with us on one of the issues mentioned in the text or another topic that relates to one of the unit themes.
The presentation should be recorded on video, uploaded to YouTube, and the YouTube link posted in the class Canvas discussion area. In the video, you should be standing as you present, and viewers should be able to see you from the waist up. You do not need to present to a live audience, but please do not give your presentation to a webcam sitting in front of your computer.
Your topic can come from the text or be your own idea, but it should be something that fits under the themes of chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the text: “Urban Challenges,” “Protecting the Wild,” or “Going Global.”
Have fun and see you next week!
JBH
2021.03.25
What we did in class today:
W-Q-J
Attendance
We quickly moved through some vocabulary basics on pages 14 and 15, then shifted to small group discussions about values and traditions.
Next, we zipped through some listening answers on page 17, before moving on to the next unit, since we had already put our video discussions from page 20 in the Canvas discussion area during Week 3.
Moving on to Unit 2, we discussed some introductory ideas in the chapter on pages 21-23 in small groups and then moved on to look at the discussion questions on pages 25 (item D) and page 27 (item F).
Please respond in writing to only one of these questions in the Canvas discussion area. Your response to one of these questions should be between 150 and 400 words long. Your discussion post title or subject should be “Your Name/Unit 2 Discussion.”
Please get your Unit 2 discussion post completed before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 28th. Then, reply to at least two classmates’ posts. Each of these replies should be between 100 and 300 words long. Your replies to classmates should be submitted before class time next week (April 1st). This is NOT an April Fool's joke.
We will continue in Unit 2 next time.
See you in class!
JBH
2021.03.18
We started class today with out weekly Word, Quote and Joke of the Day.
Then, after taking roll, we helped a few students who were having problems accessing audio and video resources in the student texts. If you are not clear about accessing any of the textbook resources, please contact a classmate or the instructor. You should go through the Unit we are working on before class meets, accessing all audio and video files, reading ahead, and answering all individual questions in your text and online.
We then worked in pairs on pages 6 and 7 , both in small group and class conversations. We also reviewed vocabulary on pages 8 and 9, before again breaking up in small groups for pages 10 and 11, wrapping up with a look at answers on pages 12 and 13.
As we were going over the text, the instructor reminded students that we will not be talking about everything in the text during class sessions, but they are responsible for all audio, video, and individual answers in the book. Be sure to pay attention to sections of the text that lend themselves to presentation topics, such as item B on page 11. You will be giving at least two presentations in this class for quality points.
Next week, we will wrap up Unit 1. Please read, watch, and listen ahead so you are ready if/when we move into Unit 2. You should have all individual questions answered in Unit 2 before we meet next time. As always, expect a quiz.
See you in class!
JBH
2021.03.11
In class today, we really got rolling, making progress on the course content. We started out with our regular Word, Quote, and Joke of the day.
After that, we moved on to a brief quiz to make sure we were keeping up with the text video, audio, and reading selections before coming to class. We then spent some time discussing urban challenges and solutions in Unit 1.
During the last part of class, students met in pairs or small groups, exchanged contact info, and got started on the Unit 1 Final task (A-D on pages 19 and 20). Please complete this task in a Zoom conversation, upload a recording to YouTube and post a link to the video in the class Canvas discussion area before next class. Make sure the video is shareable so your classmates and I can view it. You should have received an invitation to our class Canvas discussion page.
Please make sure to get the book if you don’t already have it, and complete all the Unit 1 material before our next class session. We will continue in Unit 1 next time and talk more about the text, as well as student presentations on urban problems and solutions.
See you in class,
JBH
2021.03.04
Greetings students,
I am an English language teacher. I’ve been helping second-language learners improve their writing, speaking, and presenting skills for going on three decades. And I know for more than a few students from almost every continent, and many from Korea, it’s been very helpful.
I am not an International Relations theoretician. I am not going to try to teach international relations theory through a lens of realism, liberalism, constructivism, Marxism, neo-Gramscianism, and other ambiguous “ism” labels. If that is what you need and expect, you will be disappointed. I am familiar with some of the basics of these metatheoretical positions from my doctoral studies, but will focus on improving language skills. The best communicators in all fields use terms that can be understood by most people without specialized expertise.
With that being said, I’m very interested in what’s going on around the world -- international affairs – and for years I have taught an English communication class in the Graduate School of International and Area Studies, but a better label for this class might be International Issues, with the “Relations” dropped.
We are going to explore issues such as the challenges facing urban centers around the world, the globalization of technology, migration around the world, and others, with a final presentation required from each of you on an international issue that you choose.
For next week (2021.03.11), please get the text--->
Then pre-read, preview the assigned video clips, listen to the audio, write the answers to all individual questions, read all the practice items aloud to yourself, and do everything you can on your own in Unit 1. You should have everything pre-answered except for discussions you need to do with a partner or group. Hold off on the Final Task and reflection at the end of the chapter for now (page 19 and 20). We will complete those after we meet next week.
For access to audio and video files and all activities in the text, register at myelt.heinle.com using the access code in your text. Open an account as a student. Please check “self-study,” not “instructor led,” for independent access to resources. It is part of a class, but you are previewing the material on your own first. This will give you access to all vocabulary, audio, video, and other resources.
Don't forget -- we will start with the Word, Quote, and Joke of the Day Thursday.
See you next week!
JBH