Journal Keeping in an ESL Classroom: an Innovative Approach in Language Learning

The teacher is saddled with enormous responsibilities in the ESL classroom. These responsibilities go beyond the teaching of prescribed texts and grammar of English but also in creating a robust and enabling environment to promote writing fluency and instilling confidence in the students. The innovative teacher does these by assisting students to acquire communicative, analytical, logical skills through the medium of journaling in the classroom. Journals enable students focus on the expression of their thoughts and ideas (Isaacs and Brodine, 1994: ix). Journal keeping is a pedagogical process of establishing a routine writing workout, and connecting reading with writing on the one hand, and enabling the English teacher to deal with the growing demands on the English teacher on the other hand. Research has shown that methodology, training and concept alone will not make a teacher competent enough to train students at college level to meet their requirements but a reflective practice could serve the ever growing needs of the English language learner and teacher by integrating both theory and practice (Lakshimi 2009:). This paper is designed as an investigative study on the potential of journal keeping development tool for equipping students with the necessary skills for their day-to-day expedition in the classroom. Keywords: Journal Keeping, ESL Classroom, Reading and writing Connectio

African political speeches and pragmatic meanings: a study of president Goodluck Jonathan’s 50th independence speech

This study investigates the semantic and pragmatic meanings of modals in President Good-luck Jonathan’s speech during Nigeria’s 50th independence jubilee. It involves analyses of the sociolinguistic, semantic and pragmatic implications of the independence speech. We examine the social characteristics of bureaucratic and political communication in order to bring to fore a coherent and well-defined approach in analyzing political speeches. This paper studies President Jonathan’s speech during Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary using speech acts to identify the impact of the speech on the Nigerian populace, also to identify the meanings of the pragmatic clue(of modal auxiliaries) as used in the speech. We conclude that this is not an ordinary congratulatory speech to invite the Nigerian to vote for the ruling party as identified in the 46th anniversary independence speech of former Nigerian president, Obasanjo, but a tailored speech intended to remind Nigerians that our future and development as a nation depends on our unity and urge them to forget tribal and religious differences and foster unity among its diverse tribes. The President extolled the virtues and sacrifices of the founding fathers that made compromises in the midst of ethnic and religious differences in order to build a unified nation. He regretted the actions of certain individuals whose intensions have been geared towards destabilizing the foundation of our unity. The president used the modal auxiliaries: will (intention), must (obligation), can (ability) more in his speech to prove his good intentions for the wellbeing of Nigeria, the obligations before him and Nigerians to build a virile nation, and the ability of Nigerians to do things right. We therefore conclude that the President’s speech is not just a congratulatory message common during independence anniversaries, but one intended to encourage and stir up Nigerians to work together towards building a nation where future generations would live in peace and unityEste estudo investiga os significados semântico-pragmáticos do modal – intenção (quero), obrigação (devo), capacidade (posso) – no discurso do presidente Goodluck Jonathan durante o jubileu de 50 anos de independência da Nigéria, e faz uma análise das implicações sociolinguísticas. Levando em conta as características sociais da comunicação burocrático-política, traz à tona uma abordagem coerente e bem definida na análise de discursos políticos. Tendo em foco o discurso do presidente Jonathan durante o 50º aniversário da independência da Nigéria para identificar o impacto do discurso sobre a população nigeriana, também para identificar os significados da ideia pragmática. Conclui que este não é apenas um discurso de congratulações apenas, mas um discurso destinado a lembrar-nos (nigerianos) que o futuro e o desenvolvimento como nação depende da vontade e da união de todos e exorta-nos a esquecer as diferenças tribais e religiosas e promover a unidade entre as diversas tribos. Lamentou as ações dos que intencionam desestabilizar a unidade nigeriana. Concluímos, portanto, que o discurso do presidente é, antes de tudo, uma mensagem destinada a incentivar e despertar os nigerianos para o trabalho conjunto da construção de uma nação onde as futuras gerações viveriam em paz e unidad

Users’ Perception of Suitability of Landscape Features of the Lagos Lagoon for Tourism

The Lagos lagoon is a major geographical feature in Lagos Metropolis and is the largest of the network of lagoons that stretch from the Republic of Benin through to the Nigerian Niger Delta. Some parts of the Lagos lagoon waterfront has degenerated into a slum with non-distinctive housing, mainly shanties at various points, wood processing, sand dredging, markets and commercial fishing activities. Water-based tourism is a proven revenue earner globally, usually providing revenue for the government and a source of enjoyment, employment and recreation to the residents and visitors alike. The tourism potentials of the lagoon remain largely untapped. To determine the place of landscape features of the Lagos Lagoon in its suitability for tourism, the paper evaluates its landscape characteristics and compares the perception of users of water-based recreation destinations along the waterfront with those of users of similar tourist attractions along the Lagos coast. The aim of the study is to answer questions of landscape perception and assessment of the area and to identify other factors which may be of relevance to its tourism development. Using structured questionnaires with pictures of the landscape features of the lagoon, field survey and interviews, the study identified the communities, problems, and factors influencing tourism at three venues on the lagoon waterfront and three water tourism venues along the Lagos coast. Results show that the landscape characteristics of the lagoon have a very significant effect on tourism in the area. It also identified the major factors influencing the tourism development of the Lagos Lagoon. The outcome of the research will be of benefit to property owners, industry practitioners and policy makers in determining appropriate facilities and land-use planning options in developing the natural resource.Key words: Landscape assessment; Perception; Water tourism; Water-based recreation; Coastal tourism; Lagos Lagoo

How Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election outcome was forecasted with geodemographics and public sentiment analytics

In 2015, Nigeria held one of the most fiercely contested presidential elections in the nation’s recent democratic history. The outcome of the election was expected to exert significant influence on democratic practices on the African continent. The stiffness of the contest also meant that it was difficult to predict the likely winner of the election. This paper summarizes how an empirical approach was used to forecast the outcome of the election by modeling public sentiment data-set using a geodemographic framework. Results indicate that the main electorates that determined the outcome of the election were situated in thirteen battleground states. Additionally, results showed that two years before the presidential election, Goodluck Jonathan’s public approval ratings on corruption, insecurity, and the economy (the main drivers of the 2015 election) had nose-dived across many of the battleground states. This eventually contributed toward his loss

PERCEPTION OF SUITABILITY OF LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF THE LAGOS LAGOON FOR TOURISM BY ITS USERS AND USERS OF LAGOS COASTAL TOURISM VENUES

Abstract: The Lagos lagoon is a major geographical feature in Lagos Metropolis and is the largest of the network of lagoons that stretch from the Republic of Benin through to the Nigerian Niger Delta. Some parts of the Lagos lagoon waterfront has degenerated into a slum with non-distinctive housing, mainly shanties at various points, wood processing, sand dredging, markets and commercial fishing activities. Water-based tourism is a proven revenue earner globally, usually providing revenue for the government and a source of enjoyment, employment and recreation to the residents and visitors alike. The tourism potentials of the lagoon remain largely untapped. To determine the place of landscape features of the Lagos Lagoon in its suitability for tourism, the paper evaluates its landscape characteristics and compares the perception of users of water-based recreation destinations along the its waterfront with those of users of similar tourist attractions along the Lagos coast. The aim of the study is to answer questions of landscape perception and assessment of the area and to identify other factors which may be of relevance to its tourism development. Using structured questionnaires with pictures of the landscape features of the lagoon, field survey and interviews, the study identified the communities, problems, and factors influencing tourism at three venues on the lagoon waterfront and three water tourism venues along the Lagos coast. Results show that the landscape characteristics of the lagoon have a very significant effect on tourism in the area. It also identified the major factors influencing the tourism development of the Lagos Lagoon. The outcome of the research will be of benefit to property owners in the area, architects, landscape architects, tourists, visitors, industry practitioners and policy makers in determining appropriate facilities and land-use planning options in developing the natural resource

Enhancement of antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride by complexation with sodium cholate

Ciprofloxacin is a broad spectrum bactericidal anti-infective agent of the fluoroquinolones class used in treatment of many bacterial infections. In recent times, there has been increasing resistance to the antibiotic. In this work, we investigated the effect of making an ion- pair complex of Ciprofloxacin â hydrochloride with Sodium cholate on bacterial activity. The optimal ratio of the reactants and pH were determined using UV spectrometry. The complex was characterized by octanol-water partitioning, melting point, and IR spectrometry. The antibacterial activity of the complex was determined against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae by the agar-well diffusion method. The complex was whitish to off-white in color and crystalline, with a melting point of 238â¯Â°C. The stoichiometry of the complex shows a molar ratio of 1:1 of sodium cholate to ciprofloxacin. The best pH for complexation was pH 9. The complex partitioned 3.38 times into octanol than in water. The FTIR revealed interaction between the 4-nitrogen atom in the 7-piperazinyl group of ciprofloxacin and the carbonyl of the cholate. The drug in complex form gave double the antibacterial activity of the uncomplexed drug. This study showed that development of hydrophobic ion pair complex enhances antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. Keywords: Ciprofloxacin, Sodium cholate, Ion-pair complex, Antibacterial activity, Enhanced activit

Enhancing research capacity in Africa: a SWOT analysis of the International Doctorate in Global Health

The purpose of this research as a mid-term review to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the Indigo programme from the perspectives of the partners, students, supervisors and the project management team. This article draws upon the research findings and suggests that the reflections and experiences of a broad range of stakeholders will not only facilitate direct programmatic learning, but also inform models of partnership in health research capacity building more generally.