WHERE GRAMMAR MEETS CONTEXT: TEACHING PRAGMATICS IN L2 FRENCH

Language teaching traditionally focuses on grammar, often ignoring the effects of the context within which it is used. A recent study (Work, 2010) of the interaction of discourse context (pragmatics) with the selection of appropriate grammatical structures (syntax) shows this to be a source of problems for learners. This paper presents cross-sectional and cross-linguistic classroom data from 143 instructed English-speaking second language (L2) learners of Spanish and French of different proficiency levels as well as from 13 native speakers (NS) examining null and postverbal subjects in Spanish, subject dislocation and c’est clefts in French and object clitic left dislocation (CLLD) in both languages. The results indicate that the interface structures investigated were vulnerable, that is, particularly subject to learner error. Overall, learners showed significant differences from NS in the production and perception of these structures. Even advanced learners demonstrated a wide range of discourse-pragmatic proficiency. Contact with the target language alone has not been found to be sufficient to acquire accurate language use in context and instruction in pragmatics has been found to be successful (Bouton, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994; Bardovi-Harlig, 2001; Kasper, 1997, 2001). Based on this research and current theories of L2 acquisition, and in an effort to connect theory with practice, instructional units of integrated and sequenced classroom activities for improving pragmatic competence were developed. These units are composed of awareness activities, plentiful authentic language input, interpretation and analysis, and finally production activities

Secondary education reform in Lesotho and Zimbabwe and the needs of rural girls: Pronouncements, policy and practice

Analysis of the educational needs of rural girls in Lesotho and Zimbabwe suggests a number of shortcomings in the current form of secondary education, and ways in which it might be modified so as to serve this sizeable group of students better. Several of the shortcomings, notably in relation to curricular irrelevance and excessive focus on examinations, have long been recognised, including by politicians. Yet political pronouncements are seldom translated into policy, and even where policy is formulated, reforms are seldom implemented in schools. This paper makes use of interviews with educational decision-makers in the two southern African countries and a range of documentary sources to explore why, despite the considerable differences between the two contexts, much needed educational reforms have been implemented in neither

Cardiovascular Effects of Unilateral Nephrectomy in Living Kidney Donors

ABSTRACT—: There is a robust inverse graded association between glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and cardiovascular risk, but proof of causality is lacking. Emerging data suggest living kidney donation may be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality although the mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that the reduction in GFR in living kidney donors is associated with increased left ventricular mass, impaired left ventricular function, and increased aortic stiffness. This was a multicenter, parallel group, blinded end point study of living kidney donors and healthy controls (n=124), conducted from March 2011 to August 2014. The primary outcome was a change in left ventricular mass assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (baseline to 12 months). At 12 months, the decrease in isotopic GFR in donors was −30±12 mL/min/1.73m(2). In donors compared with controls, there were significant increases in left ventricular mass (+7±10 versus −3±8 g; P<0.001) and mass:volume ratio (+0.06±0.12 versus −0.01±0.09 g/mL; P<0.01), whereas aortic distensibility (−0.29±1.38 versus +0.28±0.79×10(−3) mm Hg(−1); P=0.03) and global circumferential strain decreased (−1.1±3.8 versus +0.4±2.4%; P=0.04). Donors had greater risks of developing detectable highly sensitive troponin T (odds ratio, 16.2 [95% confidence interval, 2.6–100.1]; P<0.01) and microalbuminuria (odds ratio, 3.8 [95% confidence interval, 1.1–12.8]; P=0.04). Serum uric acid, parathyroid hormone, fibroblast growth factor-23, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein all increased significantly. There were no changes in ambulatory blood pressure. Change in GFR was independently associated with change in left ventricular mass (R(2)=0.28; P=0.01). These findings suggest that reduced GFR should be regarded as an independent causative cardiovascular risk factor. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION—: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01028703

Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion