Neighborhood Press and Immigration

This research studied the way immigration is depicted by the neighborhood press of Barcelona. Mainstream media tend to give visibility to immigrants when problems arise. Through this visibility based on problems, and the processes of framing, a virtual social identity is constructed and given to the immigration population. However, the neighborhood press of Barcelona, inscribed within the Catalan regional press’ own idea of journalism, offers a different approach to this issue due to its history, neighborhood and commitment to the region. Through a frame analysis, three main frames gave a depiction of the immigrants different from the one the mainstream media use. The results show that this differentiated depiction still stereotypes immigrants while not granting them enough visibility even when there is no blaming or attack. In this sense, while accounting for the differences, the neighborhood press of Barcelona misses a chance of depicting immigration in a more accurate way.     

African American women and violence: gender,race, and class in the news

This study uses discourse analysis to examine the representation of violence against African American women in local TV news coverage of Freaknik, an annual “spring break” ritual that drew African American college students from throughout the country to Atlanta, Georgia in the 1990s. It draws on Black feminist theory in its examination of the ways that gender, race, and class intersected to shape the representation of the victims, the perpetrators, and the violence. The results indicate that the convergence of gender, race, and class oppressions minimized the seriousness of the violence, portrayed most of its victims as stereotypic Jezebels whose lewd behavior provoked assault, and absolved the perpetrators of responsibility. Coverage also reinforced race and class stereotypes by representing locals as underclass troublemakers prone to crime while students were linked to law‐abiding, middle class values and norms. In demonstrating the utility of addressing the intersectionality of gender, race, and class, this study argues that such an approach is necessary to the study of representation.     

How to respond to the demands set by the communicative approach? New challenges second‐language (L2) teachers face in the classroom

This study investigates prospective teachers' language needs in L2 teacher training programmes. A questionnaire was constructed and administered to a total of 79 first, second and third year students in the teaching training school at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). The questionnaire attempted to elicit student teachers' views on the following aspects: a) L2 teachers' qualities; b) Relevance of a Methodology, a Theory and a Language Improvement component in training courses; c) Perceived command of the English language and d) Potential use of English in future classes. The results confirm the value of including a Language Improvement component in teacher training courses to better meet the needs of future teachers and help them respond to the new demands set by the communicative approach. Results also suggest that a more balanced approach between both a Language Improvement and a Methodology component can play a crucial role in the successful implementation of the communicative approach in L2 contexts.

Ce travail étudie les besoins linguistiques des futurs professeurs de seconde langue dans les programmes des professeurs des écoles. Pour ce faire, un questionnaire a été élaboré et administré à un total de70 élèves de première, seconde et troisième année de formation des professeurs à l'Université des Îles Baléares.

Le questionaire aspirait à obtenir l'opinion des étudiants au sujet de: a) Qualités des professeurs de L2; b) Pertinence de la composante méthodologique, théorique, et de Formation Linguistique dans les curricula (programmes) de ces études; c) Perception de l'autorité de la langue anglaise et d) Utilisaton potentielle de la langue anglaise en classe dans le futur.

Les résultats confirment l'importance de l'inclusion d'une composante de Formation Linguistique dans le curricula des études de professeurs pour mieux répondre aux besoins des futurs professeurs et, en conséquence, les aider à s'adapter aux nouvelles exigences mises en place par l'approche communicative.

Les résultats suggèrent aussi qu'une approche plus équilibrée entre les composantes méthodologique et de Formation Linguistique peut jouer un rôle capital dans la mise en oeuvre de l'approche communicative dans le contexte de L2

Este estudio investiga las necesidades lingüísticas de los futuros profesores de segundas lenguas en los programas de formación del profesorado de primaria. Para ello se elaboró un cuestionario y se administró a un total de 70 alumnos de primer, segundo y tercer curso de magisterio en la Universitat de les Illes Balears. El cuestionario pretendía recoger la opinión de los estudiantes sobre los siguientes aspectos: a) cualidades del profesorado de segundas lenguas; b) relevancia del componente Metodológico, Teórico y de Formación Lingüística en los programas de formación del profesorado; c) presunto dominio de la lengua inglesa y d) uso potencial del inglés en clases futuras. Los resultados del estudio demuestran la importancia de incluir un componente de Formación Lingüística en los cursos de formación del profesorado de magisterio para poder responder mejor a las necesidades del futuro profesorado de primaria de modo que puedan enfrentarse a las nuevas exigencias planteadas por el enfoque comunicativo. Los resultados del estudio también sugieren que un balance equilibrado entre los componentes Metodológicos y de Formación Lingüística puede desempeñar un papel primordial en la implementación efectiva del enfoque comunicativo en el contexto de segundas lenguas.

In der folgenden Untersuchung werden die Sprachbedürfnisse der auszubildenden Fremdsprachenlehrer der Primarstufe ermittelt. Dafür wurde einen Fragekatalog entwickelt, der von 70 Studenten im ersten, zweiten und dritten Jahr des Lehrerstudiums an der Universität der Balearen ausgefüllt wurde. Das Ziel der Befragung war, die Meinung der Studenten über folgende Aspekte ihrer Ausbildung zu erfahren: a) Fähigkeiten der Fremdsprachenlehre; b) Bewertung der methodologischen, theoretischen und sprachlichen Inhalte in der Lehrerausbildung; c) Einschätzung über die Beherrschung des Englischen und d) Möglichkeiten über den Gebrauch des Englischen im zukünftigen Unterricht.

Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen die Notwendigkeit einer sprachlichen Weiterbildung der Lehrer während des Studiums, damit sie auf die zukünftigen Anforderungen der kommunikativen Methode in ihrer Lehrertätigkeit besser reagieren können.

Die Ergebnisse deuten auch darauf, dass das Gleichgewicht zwischen methodologischen Inhalten und sprachlicher Fortbildung eine zentralle Rolle in der effektiven Umsetzung der kommunikativen Methode im Fremdsprachenunterricht spielen kann.     

How Heritable are Parental Sensitivity and Limit-Setting? A Longitudinal Child-Based Twin Study on Observed Parenting

We examined the relative contribution of genetic, shared environmental and non-shared environmental factors to the covariance between parental sensitivity and limit-setting observed twice in a longitudinal study using a child-based twin design. Parental sensitivity and parental limit-setting were observed in 236 parents with each of their same-sex toddler twin children (M_age = 3.8 years; 58% monozygotic). Bivariate behavioral genetic models indicated substantial effects of similar shared environmental factors on parental sensitivity and limit-setting and on the overlap within sensitivity and limit-setting across 1 year. Moderate child-driven genetic effects were found for parental limit-setting in year 1 and across 1 year. Genetic child factors contributing to explaining the variance in limit-setting over time were the same, whereas shared environmental factors showed some overlap.     

Schedule-induced behavior in rats: Pellets versus powder

Food-deprived rats develop polydipsia on an intermittent schedule (fixed time 60 sec) of food pellet delivery, but not on an identical schedule of food powder delivery. This result was demonstrated with separate groups receiving each type of food and was replicated using rats as their own controls. Powdered food not only prevented the development of polydipsia, but it abruptly terminated ongoing polydipsia in rats that were switched from the scheduled delivery of pellets to powder. Ethological analysis of the behavior showed that the rats receiving powder were not engaging excessively in some behavior other than drinking. After discounting several factors, we concluded that the amount of oral activity associated with feeding, which occurred immediately after food delivery, was reciprocally related to the level of drinking.