Papers by Alessandro Ursic
University of Leicester, Master's in Applied Linguistics and TESOL, 2020
Advanced English Language Education, Zayed University, 2020
The passive voice is commonly used in textbooks, scientific articles and journalistic reports, of... more The passive voice is commonly used in textbooks, scientific articles and journalistic reports, often to convey an impersonal style (Eastwood, 1994; Quirk et al., 1985; Endley, 2010). Hence, it is frequently seen in academic writing. The passive voice is also a component of the English language syllabus of different levels of English language learners, and it is one of the recommended paraphrasing techniques. However, various types of errors can be observed in second language students' passive constructions. This chapter introduces a range of challenges that Thai learners encounter in the formation of passive constructions in English, focusing on three aspects: the use of passive voice with some intransitive verbs, lack of passivization, and missing auxiliary in adjectival passives. The chapter starts with illustrating the rules dictating the formation of the passive voice in English, followed by an analysis of Thai passive constructions. Then it proposes some teaching strategies to address these challenges. Although this chapter focuses on advancing the teaching of a grammar form to learners in a specific context (i.e., Thailand), the critical analysis of the challenges encountered by the learners and the implications in the Thai context can help educators in other contexts apply the same pattern in teaching learners from several first languages.
This paper introduces comprehensive and ready-to-use flashcard sets on the Academic Word List (AW... more This paper introduces comprehensive and ready-to-use flashcard sets on the Academic Word List (AWL) specifically designed for the Quizlet Live multi-player platform. The idea for this project, which includes over 1,100 flashcards requiring to fill blanks, was born after observing that, in vocabulary tests, the students’ scores in sections measuring the ability to choose the correct word form were significantly lower than their results in meaning-focused exercises. By repeatedly selecting the correct answer in a live competition, it is hoped that over the course of a term this discrepancy can be reduced. Quizlet Live allows teachers to set up a multi-team game with a flashcard set of their choice, presenting students with 12 options for 12 questions in a class race that requires quick yet accurate decisions in order to prevail. In these customized flashcard sets, students are immersed in challenging sentences which nonetheless provide ample context and encourage teamwork in order to find the only possible right answer. Benefits for the students include increased familiarity with academic vocabulary, improved knowledge of typical collocations, and quicker word form recognition. This paper presents further information on the game’s procedure, student feedback, and tips to reinforce vocabulary acquisition with post-game clarification based on data collected by the game’s platform. It will appeal not only to reading and vocabulary teachers, but to any educators interested in gamification and determined to maximize students’ learning in a collaborative and engaging class environment.
Thesis Chapters by Alessandro Ursic
University of Leicester, Final dissertation for the MA in Applied Linguistics in TESOL, 2021
The focus of this research is in the area of Critical Discourse Analysis applied to political dis... more The focus of this research is in the area of Critical Discourse Analysis applied to political discourse in the United States. The study analyses the language used by former president Donald Trump and current president Joe Biden in their respective inaugural addresses, four years apart. Such a study is important in order to uncover the two leaders’ discursive strategies in similar settings and identify how these reveal elements of their ideologies, providing insights into America’s growing polarisation in the last decade.
This dissertation applies Van Dijk’s (1998) Critical Discourse Analysis approach to Trump’s and Biden’s use of pronouns, transitivity, modality, presuppositions and implications, and metaphors. The findings from this study provide evidence that Trump portrays himself as a decisive leader mostly addressing his supporters, urging unquestioning patriotism to restore America’s glory after the “carnage” caused by two explicitly identified villains. The findings also demonstrate that Biden’s appeal to unity addresses all Americans while conveying empathy, yet presupposing that his opponents potentially represent a fatal threat for a country facing historic challenges.
The main conclusions drawn from this study are that, despite the intertextuality with past inaugural addresses, common ground between the two presidents is found only in religious references and the acknowledgement of the country’s predicament. Trump’s and Biden’s vastly different assessments of the precarious reality and their proposed solutions are not only emblematic of America’s polarisation, but they also potentially contribute to the growing ideological divide, with possible consequences for the political future of the United States.
Uploads
Papers by Alessandro Ursic
Thesis Chapters by Alessandro Ursic
This dissertation applies Van Dijk’s (1998) Critical Discourse Analysis approach to Trump’s and Biden’s use of pronouns, transitivity, modality, presuppositions and implications, and metaphors. The findings from this study provide evidence that Trump portrays himself as a decisive leader mostly addressing his supporters, urging unquestioning patriotism to restore America’s glory after the “carnage” caused by two explicitly identified villains. The findings also demonstrate that Biden’s appeal to unity addresses all Americans while conveying empathy, yet presupposing that his opponents potentially represent a fatal threat for a country facing historic challenges.
The main conclusions drawn from this study are that, despite the intertextuality with past inaugural addresses, common ground between the two presidents is found only in religious references and the acknowledgement of the country’s predicament. Trump’s and Biden’s vastly different assessments of the precarious reality and their proposed solutions are not only emblematic of America’s polarisation, but they also potentially contribute to the growing ideological divide, with possible consequences for the political future of the United States.
This dissertation applies Van Dijk’s (1998) Critical Discourse Analysis approach to Trump’s and Biden’s use of pronouns, transitivity, modality, presuppositions and implications, and metaphors. The findings from this study provide evidence that Trump portrays himself as a decisive leader mostly addressing his supporters, urging unquestioning patriotism to restore America’s glory after the “carnage” caused by two explicitly identified villains. The findings also demonstrate that Biden’s appeal to unity addresses all Americans while conveying empathy, yet presupposing that his opponents potentially represent a fatal threat for a country facing historic challenges.
The main conclusions drawn from this study are that, despite the intertextuality with past inaugural addresses, common ground between the two presidents is found only in religious references and the acknowledgement of the country’s predicament. Trump’s and Biden’s vastly different assessments of the precarious reality and their proposed solutions are not only emblematic of America’s polarisation, but they also potentially contribute to the growing ideological divide, with possible consequences for the political future of the United States.