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middleastman
Joined: 19 Feb 2006
Posts: 73
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 Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:29 am Post subject: Riyadh/ Bell and King Saud Uni |
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So Ive signed a contract with Bell to teach at King Saud uni. Ive got some questions which they havent answered yet. Probably better for me to list them:
- which materials do they use?
- quality of initial "hotel accommodation"
- Can i bring a laptop into saudi with no problems?
- How much / easy would it be to get single furnished accommodation and how long would it take?
Any other info would be most useful to me. Many thanks in advance. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Do a search and you will find many posts about laptops and bringing them into KSA. The search facility really does work |
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hashim99uk
Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: Riyadh/ Bell and King Saud Uni |
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| middleastman wrote: |
So Ive signed a contract with Bell to teach at King Saud uni. Ive got some questions which they havent answered yet. Probably better for me to list them:
- which materials do they use?
- quality of initial "hotel accommodation"
- Can i bring a laptop into saudi with no problems?
- How much / easy would it be to get single furnished accommodation and how long would it take?
Any other info would be most useful to me. Many thanks in advance. |
They are using ( Touchstone ) of Cambridge university with new technology of the smart board.
the hotel is good but expensive, you donot have to pay antything for the first month, but if you would like to stay longer it will be deducted from your salary.
Regading the single furnished accommodation it is easy to find, I found it in 2 days and there are many teachers here will help you in finding it.
I encourage you to come as long as you signed the contract. teaching is easy and students are respectful. most of colleagues are helpful and friendly. donot listen to the negative people on the website, you will find many positive things here. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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Another institution falling for the "technological fix" ? Looks glitzy but do the students learn ?
The Language Lab was going to work wonders 40 years ago. Now it is the Smartboard ? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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Dear scot47,
"Looks glitzy but do the students learn ?"
Why, of course they do - but neither any more or any less than when "Dumb Boards" are used.
A quick look at any Net message board will confirm that technology does nothing at all to make people any smarter.
Regards,
John |
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Linguist
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| A quick look at any Net message board will confirm that technology does nothing at all to make people any smarter. |
What about this : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7910075.stm  |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Linguist,
"The study found no evidence of a detrimental effect of text speak on conventional spelling.
"What we think of as misspellings, don't really break the rules of language and children have a sophisticated understanding of the appropriate use of words," she said."
1st paragraph: Yup, because the people who use "text speak" have lousy conventional spelling anyway. Ergo, no effect.
2nd paragraph: 1st part of the compound sentence: Yes, they do; 2nd part: Not any of the children I know.
And, on a related issue, I haven't found that "Smart Phones" have made conversations with their owners any more profound, either.
Regards,
John |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 4:41 am Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear Linguist,
"The study found no evidence of a detrimental effect of text speak on conventional spelling.
"What we think of as misspellings, don't really break the rules of language and children have a sophisticated understanding of the appropriate use of words," she said."
1st paragraph: Yup, because the people who use "text speak" have lousy conventional spelling anyway. Ergo, no effect.
2nd paragraph: 1st part of the compound sentence: Yes, they do; 2nd part: Not any of the children I know.
And, on a related issue, I haven't found that "Smart Phones" have made conversations with their owners any more profound, either.
Regards,
John |
The technology in the phones are smart. It's the people that use them, that are 'dumb'! It's the same for smart boards. |
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Linguist
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:09 am Post subject: |
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| John and Scot, don't get me wrong. I agree with you that the technological fix is not helping students learn better. However, in terms of writing, there is some ground that technology has helped students become better writers. This said, it's the type of chit-chatty writing that is improved, not professional/academic writing. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Oh goodie... advanced textspeak... 
Just shoot me now...
VS |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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Dear cmp45,
Umm, yup - that was my point. Guess I should've added some smileys, huh?
Regards,
John |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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Huh?   No problem...  Send me an sms and then we can tweet it and later reconnect on facebook...and see if were any smarter. |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Linguist wrote: |
| John and Scot, don't get me wrong. I agree with you that the technological fix is not helping students learn better. However, in terms of writing, there is some ground that technology has helped students become better writers. This said, it's the type of chit-chatty writing that is improved, not professional/academic writing. |
How does one improve chit-chatty writing? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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Dear cmp45,
"How does one improve chit-chatty writing?"
By using more smileys, of course    
Regards
John |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:49 am Post subject: |
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I have noticed the majority of the Saudi students that are on the low end of the learning scale are the same students that carry around a minimum of two to three mobile phones. I knew one student that had five! Therefore, it is my belief that the more phones the student has and uses, the less smarter he/she is/ becomes. Maybe a proper study is in order here.  |
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