Summary on Kes

This is the story about a fifteen year old boy, named Billy, who, after being perseverant and patient enough, trains a hawk which is nameD "Kes" by the boy. His life is very taugh in terms of relationships and sucess. He had to struggle against his disfunctional family(composed by his mother, and Jud, his elder brother only because the father has left long ago), verbal violence and abuse, and poverty.
Billy worked as a newspaper boy and attended school, however, there's no one who supports him. One day, he walked across a yard, and found a hawk nest up on a tree, and keeps the little hawk with him, as long as he has it, he becomes even more interested in the animal and the relationship between them, as he started training him, which becomes the aim in his life that satifies him the most.

Rodrigo's last post correction and feedback

TUESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2008
Learning english (c.) With my t-shirt
Learning English

My experience learning English begins when I was eleven years old, I bought a game of Nintendo (wo.) Entertainment System (NES) called dragon warrior (c.), a game that was the first famous role playing game. The game was awful but I’m very obsessive, I fished (sp.) this game, but the game (nn.) was full of English dialogs, I translate (wvt.) all the game with help from (with the help of )a dictionary and my brother.
In (wprep.) the school I never learn (wvt.) English, in my awful college (ww.) only teach (wvt.) me to ask about the time and the classic “this is the window, this is the door” by three years. By (wprep.) the other hand I translate (wvt.) song and games.
Really (ww.), in the university I learn (wvt.) so much (ww.) than in my school, because the class is better than the school. The “T- Shirts” (it’s a joke) teachers Simon and Carroza, are good teachers, and in the class program teach (who?) things very useful (wo.). Also I talk in English with my classmates about daily thing (sm.), means (sm.) transport, films, music, books, etc. I like very much the English class.
That’s all folks, and study English (sm.) is very useful, to work, study, reed (sp.) more things, to meet people etc, etc.
Have fun, folks
POSTED BY RMONTES AT 16:37

The main mistake that Rodrigo has made this time is that he has switched verbal tenses. As you can see in the post, he starts telling in past, and then switches to present.
The other mistakes, such as word order, spelling, and accuracy in prepositions, are little things (for the moment), that he’ll improve as long as he keeps writing.
So far, he has done a great job!...keep improving your writing!

Valeria's record feedback

Viva Chile!!!

For me the (nn.) Fiestas Patrias more that to have a meaning patriotism and "chilenidad", since this must be for many persons (w. sentence o.), it is rather a moment to share with the family and the (nn.) friends,(p.)
beside (s. c.) being a moment to eat delicious things (try to put a more accurate word) and much, really very much (w. sentence. o.) and if it is possible to go out to some place whit (sp.) the family to eat or simply to enjoy the landscape, the beach, the mountains or simply the O'higgins park, any place is good to pass (ww.) a good moment and to share.
The more important things (wf.)that I make in the Fiestas Patrias is (sm.) prepare traditional Chilean food like Empanadas, Pastel de choclo, Choripanes, Pajaritos and the better Pebre y Chancho en piedra for accompany (ww. (very translated)) and also to listen and to sing Chilean music ... and if someone encourages also to dance a good “Pie of Cueca”.
Between what I was doing before for 18 (sm. “the 18th”) and what I do now there is no great difference because as already I (wo.) said generally I pass (ww.) it with my family, but that (nn.) yes (if) (sm.) has changed is that now some (nn.) I am going to see to (nn.) my boyfriend and his family (sm.) Concepción, since I will do it this year.
I cannot remember (sm.) 18 that (nn.) I like more (ww.) because of (nn.) all I have (wvt.) (sm.) pretty recollections…
Publicado por Vale en 17:57

What I've seen so far from Valeria’s posts, is that since what she mainly does when writing is translating, she just writes her ideas as it first springs to mind, that’s why her writing is most of the time so wordy. Although her points are easy to get, she needs to care more about the verb tenses and some forms.
Since writing is a process, I’m sure that if she keeps trying, but being aware of her mistakes and reflecting on what needs to be done, she’ll really improve this language skill.

You'll love having done it

Just like in the previous blog checking, she keeps making the same mistakes; wrong words, word order, wrong forms, etc. I think that she needs to focus on how careful she is at the moment of writing; be aware of the verbal tenses, and the creation of precise sentences with the words in their right form.

About Rodrigo, I have to say that I’m really impressed. From his previous post so far, I’ve seen a remarkable improvement...good for him! There are a few grammar mistakes and something that seems very much translated for me. But it’s been a really good piece of writing. Despite the entire checking thing, it was really funny to read his post, I imagined a totally relaxed and easy going person...

Isn’t it good to have fun through a learning tool? I have to admit that I really enjoy doing this, and there is no doubt for me that both students as and me as well, are going to improve our writing.

First Checking

After reading both Rodrigo’s and Valeria’s post, I’ve realized that both of them make different kinds of mistakes.
On one hand, Rodrigo knows what he wants to write, and just write it. This is why he doesn’t care much about items such as: capitalization and the forms of some nouns and verbs as well. But despite all this, it is easy to follows his ideas, and get what he means. It seemed to me that whenever he goes abroad (to an English speaking country, of course) he won’t have that fear to dare to speak English, and by the way he expresses himself, he will be understood.
On the other hand, Valeria’s piece of writing was a bit more complicated to check because her ideas or sentences were quite longer, and sometimes her ideas were difficult to follow. As Rodrigo, she also knows what she wants to say, but she adds many elements; the good thing is that she is very willing to use the language. Most of the mistakes I found were mainly wrong forms in adjectives, nouns, and verbs.
Even though in both cases, students happen to know how structures are, they tend to translate their ideas a lot. However, if they keep working, they can keep going on the right track.

Here we go again...

We all know that one of the taks that we'll have as future teachers, is checking and therefore, grading. Unfortunatelly, that is how the "measuring systems" works in our Education field. Numbers say everything, how good or bad a student is, for most of them, important issues in their lives depend on their marks and their progress.
If I could make a change, I'd assess students rather than grading them. I mean, What are numbers for?...I'd give more comments and inputs instead of figures. In order to be aware of how a student is making progress, we have to know that assessing is a process, a way that needs assistance as well as feedback and motivation. It is about making people know and feel that they can improve on their work.
I'm totally thinking beyond what this task means, but this is what it has invited me for, to keep knowing how others learn, work and become everytime better at what they are doing, at writing in this case...with my help of course, as my teachers have done with me.