New research on understanding metaphors | ScienceBlog.com

New research on understanding metaphors | ScienceBlog.com

Dyslexia varies across language barriers | ScienceBlog.com

Dyslexia varies across language barriers | ScienceBlog.com

Different cultures and language speakers 'read' faces differently

 Link and excerpt below:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Japaneses-Read-Your-Feeling-by-Your-Eyes-the-Americans-by-Your-Mouth-54495.shtml

The Japanese Read Your Feelings in Your Eyes, the Americans by Your Mouth
Huge cultural differences
  
By Stefan Anitei, Science Editor

11th of May 2007, 10:39 GMT
excerpt--

The culture we belong to dictates each and every of our gestures. Also, a real cultural abyss has been revealed in the way we appreciate facial expressions amongst cultures. "For instance, in Japan, people tend to look to the eyes for emotional cues, whereas Americans tend to look to the mouth," said researcher Masaki Yuki, a behavioral scientist at Hokkaido University in Japan.

"This could be because the Japanese, when in the presence of others, try to suppress their emotions more than Americans do. In any case, the eyes are more difficult to control than the mouth, so they probably provide better clues about a person's emotional state even if he or she is trying to hide it", explained Yuki.
end of excerpt

Brain treats language and gesture the same

Some theories on the development of language include the idea that spoken language has its origins in gestural routines. Gestural language combined with phonetic ability to move language to speech. See this recent article for evidence that supports such theories. Link and excerpt below.


http://health.yahoo.com/news/healthday/gesturesorwordstothebrainitsthesame.html

Gestures or Words? To the Brain, It's the Same
HealthDay
By Jamie Talan, HealthDay Reporter - Tue Feb 23, 8:50 PM PST

excerpt--
At least that's what evolutionary language theorists would have people believe. Spoken language, they contend, is unique to the human brain, and that sets people apart from other primates.

But new research, co-authored by Patrick J. Gannon, a physical anthropologist and chairman of basic science education at Hofstra University School of Medicine, suggests that the brain doesn't really care how it receives information. A waving hand up in the air to summon a waiter for "check please" works just fine. The language areas of the brain -- the highly evolved frontal and temporal lobes -- process simple gestures with the same snippet of tissue that's used to hear the prose of Shakespeare, according to Gannon's study.
end of excerpt--

ELT - J Issue #2 Preview Articles: (1) Multiple Choice Questions and (2) Semantic Mapping for English Conversation Class

ELT - J Issue #2 Preview Articles: (1) Multiple Choice Questions and (2) Semantic Mapping for English Conversation Class

ELT - J Issue #2 Preview Article: Devising Multiple-choice Questions, Quizzes and Tests
Issue 2 of ELT in Japan will consist of four articles: (1)  "Teaching English [l] sounds vs. [r] sounds: Integrating applied phonology into the EFL classroom"; (2) "Devising multiple-choice questions, quizzes and tests"; (3) "Semantic mapping activities for the speaking class"; and (4)"Semantic mapping activities for the writing class".

Here is a preview of Issue #2 .

1. Devising multiple-choice questions, quizzes and tests

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2010/02/elt-j-issue-2-preview-article-devising.html

2. Semantic mapping activities for the speaking class

http://eltinjapan.blogspot.com/2010/02/elt-j-issue-2-preview-article-semantic.html


Note: All content is copyright (c) 2010 of Charles Jannuzi  and ELT in Japan, but is available for re-use, re-distribution and dissemination under the Creative Common license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ ).