So my EAP/CBI classes are writing essays for their final assessment. What do you think of these prompts for argumentative essays?
American History essay questions. Some from http://www2.arts.gla.ac.uk/CAS/US_History/question.html
Early American colonists came to America seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. How did their treatment of Native Americans fail to reflect these values?
The Declaration of Independence proclaimed "All men are created equal." Did this include Native Americans?
The Declaration of Independence proclaimed "All men are created equal." Did this include black men?
The Declaration of Independence proclaimed "All men are created equal." Did this include women?
In 1776 Britain's American colonists enjoyed a profitable trading relationship, the protection of the Royal Navy, a higher standard of living, lower taxes and greater religious liberty than the people of Britain. Why, then, did the colonists declare independence?
Was reconstruction a success or a failure?
Choose any historical event discussed during the course. How does this event reflect or fail to reflect two or three of the following values: freedom, human rights, democracy, opportunity, initiative, entrepreneurship, inventiveness.
Posted by James Trotta at May 23, 2004 11:56 AMQ: Why did the Puritans go to America?
A: So they could worship in their own way, and force everyone else to do it their way, too.
That's a joke.
I think your topics/prompts are hefty, and that a lot could be said about them, which makes them appropriate. Are there any limitations in time and length of content? You're targetting advanced trainees, right. It seems to me that vocabulary would be a difficult issue for any other learner group than advanced. Interesting idea.
Posted by: Rethabile Masilo at May 23, 2004 9:48 PMDo you mean vocabulary needed to answer the questions or vocabulary in the questions.
Actually these are intermediate learners (some low intermediate, some upper intermediate) and the course is very demanding, but thats what the university wants and the students are warned that it won't be easy. It's supposed to give them a taste and equip them to handle a college course in America.
Posted by: James Trotta at May 25, 2004 6:34 AMVocabulary needed to maintain and keep alive the essays, not the vocabulary in the prompts. The learners could, of course, be asked to go to a library and read up on [ insert topics here ], which would also give them reading practice, apart from giving them the necessary ammo (words, expressions, tone) for the essays. The scope of the topics they are asked to read up on, however, would need to be wider than the one targetted for the essays.
Would that surmount the "problem" I bring up, if it is indeed a "problem"?
Posted by: Rethabile Masilo at May 26, 2004 12:59 AMVocabulary may be a problem, but one I'm happy to help learners with as they write. They should be familiar with these events as they have read about them, been lectured to about them, and discussed them as part of the American History course. As long as these prompts cans timulate argumentative essays, I'll be happy.
Posted by: James Trotta at May 28, 2004 3:29 AMESL blog is one of many Blogs for learning English & teaching English. Translation services information.