CONSCIOUS USE OF CODE-SWITCHING TO IMPROVE FLUENCY IN SPOKEN ENGLISH OF BANGLADESHI STUDENTS

Purpose: Present-day English language teaching in Bangladesh, despite adopting Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), focuses more on accuracy (i.e. grammar) than fluency which is proved as a weak strategy. Fluency acquisition in speaking includes pronunciation, but focusing on pronunciation first, slows down the process of becoming a fluent speaker. Methodology: As code-switching exists at the tertiary level in Bangladesh and because of the tremendous fascination of Bangladeshi students towards Bengali, code-switching can be utilized as a tool to improve fluency in spoken English. Thus, this research proposes an alternative to existing approaches. Result: Once desired fluency is achieved; grammar and pronunciation will be emphasized respectively to attain proper speaking skills. The success of this process can be studied in three phases. In the first phase, it examines whether allowing code-switching while speaking English helps Bengali students achieve fluency or not. Applications: This research can be used for universities, teachers, and students. Novelty/Originality: In this research, the model of the Conscious Use of Code-Switching to Improve Fluency in Spoken English of Bangladeshi Students is presented in a comprehensive and complete manner

El mito de pristinidad y los usos efectivos del territorio de la región de Magallanes, Patagonia Chilena: Forestal, minería y acuicultura

The current classification methods of land use in remote regions have two serious limitations. The first is the conceptual mixture between land uses and covers, which does not reflect the actual direct use of land. A second limitation is the absence of important uses such as tourism, aquaculture and mining, which impose significant pressures on fragile territories. This paper presents a land use classification method developed specifically for the region of Magellan in the extreme south of Chile. It is a land use classification wide and conceptually clear, which allows an effective determination of the range of land exploitations in Patagonia, determining which areas are used and which remain unused. The method is based entirely on a GIS and is a key input for improving land management. The analysis shows a high percentage of direct use, contrary to the existing pristine perception, which imposes significant challenges for current land management strategies.<br><br>Los métodos de clasificación de usos del suelo en regiones remotas presentan dos serias limitaciones. La primera es la mixtura conceptual de usos con coberturas que no refleja el uso efectivo del territorio. Una segunda limitación es la ausencia de usos importantes como turismo, acuicultura y minería, que imponen importantes presiones sobre territorios frágiles. Este trabajo presenta un método para determinar los usos territoriales en la región de Magallanes en el extremo austral de Chile. Se trata de una clasificación de usos del suelo elaborada específicamente para este territorio, conceptualmente clara y amplia, que permite establecer el alcance efectivo de las explotaciones territoriales, determinando qué territorios son utilizados y cuales permanecen sin uso. El método está basado íntegramente en un SIG y constituye un insumo clave para mejorar la gestión territorial. El análisis refleja un alto porcentaje de uso directo, contrario a la percepción de pristinidad existente, lo que genera importantes desafíos para las actuales estrategias de gestión territorial. [fr] Les méthodes de classification de l’utilisation du sol dans les régions reculées présentent deux limitations graves. La première est le mélange conceptuel d’utilisations avec une couverture qui ne reflète pas l’utilisation réelle de la terre. Une seconde limite est l’absence d’usages importants tels que le tourisme, l’aquaculture et l’exploitation minière, qui imposent de fortes pressions sur les terres fragiles. Cet article présente une méthode pour déterminer l’utilisation des terres dans la région de Magallanes à l’extrême sud du Chili. Il s’agit d’une classification de l’utilisation des sols développée spécifiquement pour ce territoire, conceptuellement claire et large, qui permet de déterminer la portée effective des exploitations territoriales, identifier les zones utilisées et celles qui restent inutilisées. La méthode est basée entièrement sur un SIG et est un élément clé pour améliorer la gestion des terres. L’analyse montre un pourcentage élevé d’utilisation directe, contrairement à la perception de nature intacte existante, créant des défis importants pour les stratégies actuelles de gestion des terres

Are ant assemblages of Brazilian veredas characterised by location or habitat type?

Wetland areas in the Brazilian Cerrado, known as “veredas”, represent ecosystems formed on sandy soils with high concentrations of peat, and are responsible for the recharge of aquiferous reservoirs. They are currently under threat by various human activities, most notably the clearing of vegetation for Eucalyptus plantations. Despite their ecological importance and high conservation value, little is known about the actual effects of human disturbance on the animal community. To assess how habitat within different veredas, and plantations surrounding them affect ant assemblages, we selected four independent vereda locations, two being impacted by Eucalyptus monoculture (one younger and one mature plantation) and two controls, where the wetland was surrounded by cerrado vegetation. Ant sampling was conducted in May 2010 (dry season) using three complementary methods, namely baits, pitfall traps, and hand collection, in the wetland and in the surrounding habitats. A total of 7,575 ants were sampled, belonging to seven subfamilies, 32 genera and 124 species.Ant species richness and abundance did not differ between vereda locations, but did between the habitats. When impacted by the monoculture, ant species richness and abundance decreased in wetlands, but were less affected in the cerrado habitat. Ant species composition differed between the three habitats and between vereda locations. Eucalyptus plantations had an ant species composition defined by high dominance of Pheidole sp. and Solenopsis invicta, while natural habitats were defined by Camponotus and Crematogaster species. Atta sexdens was strictly confined to native habitats of non-impacted “veredas”. Eucalyptus monocultures require high quantities of water in the early stages, which may have caused a decrease in groundwater level in the wetland, allowing hypogeic ants such as Labidus praedator to colonise this habitat