Promoting Learning through Interaction: Examples from the English Language Classroom

Classroom interaction is helpful for language learning. Every learner is expected to develop competence in English language learning, in order to function effectively in the multilingual Nigerian setting. English as the official language in Nigeria occupies an important position. Considering the importance, role and functions of English in Nigeria the primary goal of the English language curriculum is that learners should acquire communicative competence in English. From our observation we found that learners learn more comprehensively through classroom interaction. This research also discovered that applying the basic principles of interactive language teaching can promote learners initiative and autonomy, which in turn begets linguistic and communicative competence. To achieve this goal, the curriculum recommends the communicative language teaching approach for teachers of English; to enable learners achieve communicative competence in the use of the English language. Teaching through interaction enhances observation, using apt methods, strategies and resources which in turn promote learners autonomy and initiative. This study thus, emphasizes the need to use interactive strategies in order to enable students to use, practice and achieve fluency in the language. This paper therefore, explores some interactive strategies applied in the classroom with a focus on re-tooling English language teachers for more productive teaching and learning. Keywords: Learning, Interaction, English Language and Classroo

REALISM AND ILLUSION: AN ANALYSIS OF SANUSI’S SPEECHONGOVERNANCE AND VIEWPOINT OF ANIGERIANPOLITICIAN

Present-day leaders and/or politicians are experts at using language to manipulate the electorate and the people they lead. This statement infers that leadership and political discourse operate indexically, in other words, every single word being used either implicitly or explicitly, expresses some political viewpoint. This could be illusionary or realistic based on how subtle people are addressed, the information provided, and the impression the speech carries based on the words used to convey the impressions. In this study, the researchers considered the different political comments inherent in the speech of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano (henceforthreferred to as SLS), particularly at the birthday celebration of Nasir-EL-Rufai, former governor of a Northern State in Nigeria. The aim of the researcher is to find out how these utterances he made at the birthday party of his friend were able to betray and bring out to the fore, the inner struggles of his mind concerning the socio-political and economic situations in the North of Nigeria. The theory that underpins this study is the speech act theory; This theory is concerned with specific social acts performed in making utterances. This theory can be traced originally to the view expounded inAustin‘s seminal publication, ‗How to Do Things with Words‘ The analysis will be done according to Searle‘s five taxonomies of speech acts:assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative.This study significantly addressed the problems of the North from the viewpoint of the language of SLS‘s mind, and expressions, embedded in realism and illusion, and concluded by expressing the thoughts of the disgust, and visible frustrations of the situation in Northern Nigeria that have been going on over time

Palynological Study of Vida-1 Well, Central Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria

Palynological examination of forty (40) microscopic slides prepared from direct specimen of Agbada Formation core samples between (6,963ft – 9,866 ft), were carried out with a view to determining the age and paleoenviroment of deposition. Standard palynological procedure was followed and the slides yielded excellent to well preserved distribution of miospore assemblages. Diagnosis uncovered one hundred and twenty-three (123) miospores.  Delineation of the well section produced four palynological zones based on stratigraphic distribution. Crassoretitriletes vanraadshooveni/P700 Zone characterized by the quantitative base occurrence of Crassoretitriletes vanraadshooveni and co-occurrence of Belskipollis elegans, Crassoretitriletes vanraadshooveni, Pachydermites diederix, Gemmastephanocolporites sp., Echiperiporites estalae, Verrutricolporites rotundiporus and Stephanoporites echinatus. Magnastriatites howardii/P600 Zone characterized by quantitative base occurrence of Praedapollis flexibilis and co-occurrence of Magnastriatites howardii, Peregrinipollis nigericus, Praedapollis flexibilis Spirosyncolpites brunni, Verrucatosporites usmensis, Retitricolporites irregularis. Verrucatosporites usmensis /P500 Zone characterized by the co-occurrence of Arecipites exilimuratus, Verrucatosporites usmensis and Gemmamonoporites sp. Verrucatosporites usmensis /P400 Zone characterized by the quantitative base occurrence of Verrucatosporites usmensis and co-occurrences of Psilatricolporites crassus, Pachydermites diederix and Monoporites annulatus. Paleoecological grouping of the recovered palynomorphs assemblages revealed the presence of mangrove, freshwater swamp, coastal. riverine and savana vegetation types. However, the assemblages retrieved are dominated by terrestrially derived palynomorphs, such as spores (ferns and fungi) and pollens alongside depicting the brackish to freshwater colonial algae, marine indicator palynomorphs, including dinoflagellate cysts and foraminiferal linings, which were relatively low, indicating paralic environment with the shaly sediments being deposited in a marginally marine environment under a terrestrial influence. The palynofloral assemblage within this interval suggests deposition in environments fluctuating between marine and nearshore. The interval in the well section is dated Late Eocene - Middle Miocene

Tectono-Stratigraphy of Benin Basin, West Africa

This study presents the tectono-stratigraphic analysis of part of the rift-Benin basin. Datasets from both seismic and biostratigraphy were integrated to identify sequences and structural elements present in the field. Key objectives of the study include: reconstruction of the depositional history of the area using seismic-stratigraphic principles, to identify sequences and structural elements that possess potentials for hydrocarbon entrapment.  The seismic-stratigraphic method was adopted to delineate key chronostratigraphic surfaces in the study area which are relevant to hydrocarbon accumulation. Four mega-sequences identified in the study area include: Albian sequence, the Cenomanian-Coniancian, the Campanian – Maastrichtian and Paleocene-Neogene sequences. The Cretaceous sequences are grouped into two depositional sequences designated as 1 and 2. The study has shown that the basin is aligned generally East-West with boundaries delimited by an East-West transform fault system and North-South structural arches. The interplay of these stratigraphic features has revealed three unconformity- bound surfaces. Two sequences of Cretaceous age have been delineated, which include sediments deposited between Albian and Maastrichtian (Abeokuta Formation)

Dental Disorders Among Residents Of Ugbo-Odogwu Escarpment, Udi Hills, Eastern Nigeria

Oral epdemiological assessment of dental dsorders was carried out between Apri and July 2006 among the residents of Ugbo-Odogwu escarpment on Udi Hill near Enugu, Eastern Nigeria. Dental abrasions with prevalence rate o 373 %, attriton (31.3 %), calculus (87.5 %), caries (78.8 %), gngivits (62.6 %), gum recession (53.8 %), halitosis (82.7 %), periodontts (52.6 %), stains (78.6 %) and teeth erosions (24.8 %) were the specific dental disorders observed in the area. Every subject had one form or the other of these oral conditions occurring concomitantly. Gender and age specific prevalence of dental disorders as well as nutritional habits, suspected to play major roles in the initiaton and development of dental disorders in the study populaton were discussed. The result of this study could be used to develop a Management Information System (MIS) for Dental Health Care in Nigeria. It may aso stimulate further research interests in the relationships between dental disorders and the nutritional habits of other communities in the developing world. Keywords: Oral Epidemiology, Dental caries, Oral disorders, Eastern NigeriaAnimal Research International Vol. 3 (3) 2006 pp. 534-53

MODELS FOR DSP APPLICATIONS ON TILED MANY-CORE ARCHITECTURES

ABSTRAC

Early-life gut dysbiosis linked to juvenile mortality in ostriches

Imbalances in the gut microbial community (dysbiosis) of vertebrates have been associated with several gastrointestinal and autoimmune diseases. However, it is unclear which taxa are associated with gut dysbiosis, and if particular gut regions or specific time periods during ontogeny are more susceptible. We also know very little of this process in non-model organisms, despite an increasing realization of the general importance of gut microbiota for health