English Language Lesson

Introductory Motivation and Focus:

The “Doi Moi” Generation

How has “Doi Moi” created dreams and aspirations in the youth of Vietnam? How are these dreams and aspirations different than those of their parents? their grandparents?

In an article by the New York Times that claims that a new kind of worldview is emerging among the youth of Vietnam, an ACNielsen Company* executive—Gordon Milne—is quoted as saying: ''This is the first generation in Vietnam to experience a true youth culture, with shared values, identity, symbols and language. In the past you as a teenager were basically a young old person--same beliefs, same values. Now we are seeing a set of young people whose expectations, lifestyle and behavior are more and more different from their parents.'' At one time, it was enough to buy a product simply because it was foreign. But today, the youth are savvy consumers. They want quality, brand names and whatever it is that young people want in other countries.

*ACNielsen Company is a market research firm that has offices in Hanoi and has conducted interviews with young people

You see that the essay below has space on the right side to write and brainstorm thoughts and ideas that come to you as you read the ideas of this fictional youth from Vietnam.** If you are a university student and a peer of the writer, do you think he/she expresses accurately the feelings of people like yourself? If you are older, how do you feel about these aspirations of the “Doi Moi” generation? If you have children, what are your hopes and dreams for them and how are they the same or different than the ideas expressed here?

The Vision, the Hopes, and the Dreams of Youth My country, Vietnam, has been transforming. This transformation is seen in the ways that we live, in our relations with one another, in our education and the opportunities that are open to us. This transformation has been driven by the economic process that has been put into place by our government in 1986. I see this economic development process as having gone through three periods: from 1986-1989, the economic situation was centrally planned, highly efficient and relied on assistance coming in from outside the country (external investment); from 1990-1995, the “Doi Moi” program (Renovation) was put into place and we were experiencing an open market-oriented economy; from 1996 to the present in the post-“Doi Moi” period, we have been reaping the benefits of our hard work and I see myself as part of what can be called the “Doi Moi” generation. This generation emerges as a distinct consumer group that has its own tastes and values and we are able to shape our dreams and hopes—our vision of what our life can be—in a way that has not been realized in Vietnam before. We, the young of Vietnam today, strive to improve our chances for financial success and development. There’s a sense of urgency to get on with our lives. “Doi Moi” has had a dramatic impact on our lifestyles, our hopes and our aspirations. We are finding role models inside our country, but we can also find our vision by looking at our contemporaries in a global arena. We see the possibilities for achievement, and as a result, we make our own decision for the lives we want to live. As in other youth cultures, we have Internet access, satellite TV, fashion shows. We can try anything. To be myself and be accepted as such is important and testing the boundaries of what is acceptable becomes part of who I am. Calvin Klein, Levi's, Nike, D&G, Versace and Gucci are all considered signifiers of “cool,” as are Viva and Honda Dream motorcycles. I attempt to balance the freedom I feel from global connections and opportunities that are the result of “doi moi” with well-defined cultural norms. To what extent do we conform? Although youngsters stress the need for "individualism", acceptance within the group remains a powerful drive. The influence of the group, family and state all serve as powerful checks on the direction of emerging youth culture. . . Generally, there is an awareness of the social evils (drugs, casual sex, prostitution, corruption, unemployment and hedonism) that accompany economic liberalization. Hong Kong and Korean films are also in. This youth culture now emerges as a distinct consumer segment with aspirations that previous generations of young people would not have been able to desire nor conceive. In the past they thought independence was the most important thing to focus on. Now people in my generation don't care so much about it. We focus on music, fashion, making friends and going on picnics. My parents and their friends grew up in war, so they couldn't pay more attention to music or other habits, although they liked them. Now we're at peace, and if we want to we can learn about all fields in life. We are hard-working. We want to improve our own lives first before asking others to do that for us.

Brainstorm & write your ideas here:

(**These paragraphs are a compilation of Vietnamese youths’ comments found at: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E6DE1238F931A25752C1A9669C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/C/Clinton,%20Bill The words in the last paragraph are a direct quote from: the New York Times) and http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/55990.html)

Freewriting Exercise

Write quickly, without worrying about grammar, spelling, or punctuation, anything that came into your mind as you read the essay above. Don’t think about the quality or try to edit as you write; just write down as many thoughts as you can for several minutes. Feel free to look back at the brainstorming and ideas that you wrote as you first read the essay. Here again, are the questions raised in the introduction:

• How has “Doi Moi” created dreams and aspirations in the youth of Vietnam?
• How are these dreams and aspirations different than those of their parents? their grandparents?
• If you are a university student and a peer of the writer, do you think he/she expresses accurately the feelings of people like yourself?
• If you are older and no longer considered youth, how do you feel about these aspirations of the “Doi Moi” generation?
• How is it different than your generation?
• If you have children, what are your hopes and dreams for them and how is it the same or different than the ideas expressed here?

If ideas for writing are not coming easily to you, force yourself to sit and write without stopping for 20 minutes. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind. Do this in English if you can. If not, write first in your native language, then select the ideas you like best and translate them into English.

If your ideas are coming to you easily, write and write until you get them all written down.

After you are finished, look over what you have written and pick out the best thoughts or ideas. You will use them to express thoughts in the assignment for this chapter.

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Introduction to Skill: Finding Yourself in Your Writing

Throughout the Writing chapters in the IC3 Learning Platform, you have been learning about how to write well-structured compositions, especially in academic settings. In more recent chapters you have been introduced to QTCCFASRQ and it is encouraged that you practice this method of writing and thinking. As you become more fluent in English and as writing in English becomes more comfortable for you, you will find that much that is taught in IC3 becomes a natural part of the way that you organize your thoughts and ideas. Writing is part of the learning process.

Writing is not “grammar.” Writing is content. And the more you write, the more you will write from your own personal voice. But you do not find this voice by writing an essay now and then. The writing becomes part of the process of learning.

Understanding Writing: The Rhetorical Situation

Factors that contribute to strong, well-organized writing:

1. You, the Writer. Your personal characteristics and interests affect what you write about and how you write about it. Factors which can affect your writing include:
	Your age Your experiences Your gender Your location Your beliefs Your education Your parents and peers
2. Purpose: Your reason for writing
	To inform To persuade To educate To call to action To entertain To shock
3. Genre: Category of writing
	Examples: fiction, autobiographical story, news article, review, editorial, analysis Genres hinge upon purpose and the needs of the projected audience
4. Audience: To whom are writing?
	Many of the same factors which affect the writer also affect the audience Age Social class Education
5. Topic:
	Whatever it is you selected to write about May be broadened or narrowed, depending on the length of the article and your level of interest
6. Context: the situation which generates the need for writing
	Affected by the time period Location Current events Cultural significance

Finding Your Focus: The Writing Process

Everyone has a writing process, what is yours?

I need to have silence to write     Music puts me in the mood to write     I use a pencil   My computer helps me to think   When I start to write, I have no idea where it will take me   I outline what I will write     I write on a large piece of paper to brainstorm     I need a cup of tea   I think and think and think and then I write—and then I edit what I write   I can write anywhere at any time and noise doesn’t bother me   After I’ve written down my ideas, I revise and change and edit until the moment that I turn in my paper     I write and draw first to get out all of my emotion   I need a pen to write     I visualize my paper before I write it   I take a lot of notes and then the ideas flow from my pen

Why do you need a writing process?
	It can help writers to organize their thoughts It can help writers to avoid frustration It can help writers to use their time productively and efficiently
Writing Process
	Invention Collection
1. 2. 3.		Gathering ideas Locating and evaluating research Conducting interviews
	Organization Drafting
1. 2. 3. 4.		Give yourself ample time to work on your project Find a comfortable place to do your writing Avoid distractions Take breaks
	Revising Proofreading

11 Useful Things to Do When Writing A Paper

1. Try "talking" your paper ideas into a tape recorder, then go back and type in what you've said. This works well at both the early stages (when you're trying to figure out what to write) and at later stages (when you might be stuck with no ideas or too many ideas to sort through).

2. Read something from your favorite writer. You'll be inspired to write and you'll learn something about their style, form of argumentation, and organization of ideas.

3. Set a timer when you write and don't stop writing until it rings. If you're having trouble getting started, set the timer for just 15 minutes (you'll probably end up writing for longer once you get started, but if not, you will have at least accomplished a bit of work).

4. Write at the same time every day. You'll write better if you get into a writing groove, and you're also less likely to procrastinate if you make it a habit (like taking a shower and brushing your teeth).

5. If you find yourself with too many ideas and/or you don't know how to put your ideas in order

• make a list (or chart, or graph) of all your arguments or observations you have made thus far. Seeing them all in front of you will help you figure out which ones are related; it will also help you realize that maybe you only have one or two main points that you're saying ten different ways.
• go back and move things around to where they seem to go (use different-colored markers for each point).
• Another useful strategy: cut your paper into sections (or even paragraphs or sentences) with a pair of scissors and reassemble it.

6. Have a friend read over your paper. Every paper needs a fresh pair of eyes to help you see where it works and where it needs help.

7. Even though your professor or teacher will grade your work, don't envision them as the only audience. Rather, imagine a peer--a roommate, your friend back home—as the audience for your paper.

8. Read your paper out loud. You'll catch awkward wording and murky ideas.

9. Circle every occurrence of the verb "be" and replace most of them with active verbs. This will help eliminate passive voice and wordiness.

10. Write your introduction last. If you have a clear sense of what you want to prove before you write the paper, by all means write that down. But don't waste time making it perfect, for you won't know your exact argument until you finish the paper.

11. Proofread your paper before you hand it in. While word processors do a handy job of spell-checking, they sometimes miss words, so it's a good idea to give it one last reading yourself.

(from: http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Writing_Center/resources/articles/

castellanos.html#11_useful_things_to_do_when_writing_a_paper)

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Writing Assignment:

Generation *? How would you describe the characteristics of the generation that you belong to? In an essay you are to write about three things.

1. First, describe the characteristics of your generation and why your generation has these characteristics. For example, the American GI Generation (described in the Vocabulary section below) wanted to stay put, avoided debt and saved money because they struggled through the Great Depression and fought in World War II.

2. Second, name your dreams, but there is one fundamental rule: The dream must be attainable through specific actions over which the dreamer has control. Therefore, "winning the lottery” is not allowed. Choose a dream that you hope will come true. Describe it in detail—what is it? Why does it matter? How will this dream affect you and others?

3. And third, describe how this dream is or is not the dream of your generation.

Essentially, you will be writing 3 short essays. You may even give your essay subtitles. Some examples of subtitles could be:

• My Generation, My Dream, My Generation’s Dream
• The Doi Moi Generation, My Goals and Aspirations, I Never Knew War
• Baby Boomers, A Lively Retirement, In Response to My Parents’ Generation
• igeneration, My Aspirations, Because We Have Technology Like Never Before

Hopefully, this essay will inspire you to write to find meaning. Therefore, it is suggested that you write the introductory paragraph and conclusion last as you discover what it is that you have to write. Utilize some of the 11 Useful Things to Do When Writing A Paper andbefore you write, go through the exercises below. The exercises are designed to help you to organize your thoughts and give you a context in which to write.

(Part of the idea for this assignment came from: http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/teachers/youthlessons.html#connect)

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Vocabulary:

Generation Lifestyle Terms

generation gap n. A difference in values and attitudes between one generation and another, especially between young people and their parents.

In the United States, advertisers and sociologists have given a whole range of meaningful terms or acronyms to groups of consumers according to their age group, their personality and often their sex or location.  Looking at these generation terms does help to identify recognizable groups in society in the consumer driven world of marketing and demographic opinion.  Trends that these groups follow often help us to distinguish differences between groupings.

William Strauss and Neil Howe, wrote the book Generations (ISBN 0-688-11912-3, 1992). In this book they divide seasonal cycles of history into generations by birth year and are classified as one of four types of generations or historical periods. As history molds generations, so do generations mold history.

Consider these terms as historical groups or groups of consumers:

Cyber Generation	Born 2002 -2025
Generation Y also known asthe Millennial Generation, i.generation and the MySpace Generation	Born 1982-2001— The Internet generation is one of a variety of terms used to represent the generation of people who have grown up with computer technology as a commonplace. The distinguishing mark of this cohort is that its members spent their formative years during the rise of the World Wide Web. Thus, they usually have no memory of (or nostalgia for) a pre-Internet history. Today’s Generation Me has access to ubiquitous technology, and can always be in touch with peers even though they are isolated in their own technology bubble. Think of students who maintain contact with friends primarily through IM or social networks while alone in their room.
Generation X also known as the 13th Generation	Born 1960-1981—A reactive generation, street wise.  Generation Xers were brought up on television, Atari 2600s and personal computers. They are the generation that was raised in the 1970s and 1980s, and saw this country undergo a selfish phase that they do not want to repeat. Examples - Madonna, Tom Cruise.
Baby Boomers	Born 1943-1960—An idealist generation. This group experienced the pop media revolution and the ideal of peace in our times. A baby boomer is a person born in Australia, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Following World War II, these countries experienced an unusual spike in birth rates, a phenomenon commonly known as the baby boom. The term is iconic and more properly capitalized as Baby Boomers. The terms "baby boomer" and "baby boom" along with others like. "boomies" or "boomers" are also used. Sometimes called the “Me Generation,” this late seventies - early eighties phenomenon spawned a generation with an egocentric life perspective characterized by a materialistic lifestyle. This was the generation that was drafted in the War in Vietnam which divided the country Typical boomers include Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Cher.
Silent Generation	Born 1925-1942, 95% of this generation is retired. They are an adaptive generation because they have had to be. This generation includes beats and beatniks. This generation was technically born too late to be war heroes. These industrious people brought civil rights, an unparalleled national wealth in the arts and commerce, and unimaginable advances in science and technology. Members of the Silent Generation are considered cautious, unadventurous, unimaginative, withdrawn, and silent. The Silents felt they were a generation without a cause. Remembering World War II from their childhood, many Silents were looking for a cause. Some found the Peace Corps, founded by John Kennedy, as a way of achieving a generation bond. The vast majority of this generation wanted job security offered by big corporations. Only two percent took the risk to be self-employed. Born mostly during an era of depression and war the Silent generation knew hardship and knew how to struggle through tough times.
G.I.  Generation	Born 1901-1924—This group is also called the “The Greatest Generation.” This generation knew many struggles and sacrifices. They grew up and were shaped by the Great Depression. G.I. refers to people who served in the US military and this is the generation that fought in World War II. Because of the struggles and conflict throughout their lives, the G.I. generation wanted to stay put and avoided debt and saved money. These were the parents of the Baby Boomers.
Lost Generation	Born 1883-1900—Many fought and died in World War 1. The "Lost Generation" was said to be disillusioned by the large number of casualties of the First World War, cynical, disdainful of the notions of morality and propriety of their elders and ambivalent about 19th-century gender ideals. Like most attempts to stereotype entire generations, this over-generalization is true for some individuals of the generation and not true of others. It was somewhat common among people of this group to complain that American artistic culture lacked the sophistication of European work—leading many members to spend large amounts of time in Europe—and/or that all topics worth treating in a literary work had already been covered. Nevertheless, this selfsame period saw a great increase of American literature and in art, which is now often considered to include some of the greatest literary classics produced by American writers. This "generation" was also involved with the beginning of jazz music.

Sources for definitions:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_generation
• http://www.fashion-era.com/Trends/generation_terms_x_y_boomers_g.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Boomer
• http://acrlblog.org/2006/06/22/rude-students-may-belong-to-generation-me/
• http://www.univcon.com/SGen/index.htm
• http://library.thinkquest.org/23440/silent.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Generation
• http://www.answers.com/topic/generation-gap?cat=technology

A Vietnamese generation term is the “Doi Moi Generation.” This is a term familiar to people around the world who are engaged with Vietnam or are observing Vietnam. Consider this definition:

The Doi Moi Generation

The youth of Vietnam have no memories of the traumatic American war. Although they are brought up in a Socialist regime, their ideology may be more geared to economic realities after the introduction of Doi Moi. The Doi Moi generation is adapting to the dramatic changes that confront the country.

Exercise 1—Answer these questions. You may want to discuss the questions in a group or write the answers in order to discover what you think about the question. The answers from these questions may help with the writing of your essay later.

1.Do you think that there is a “Doi Moi Generation,” and how would you define it?

2. What are other distinct generations in Vietnamese society, and how would you define them? (You may want to discuss this with classmates)

3. Many of the generations listed above are “distinct consumer groups,” that is, these “generations” are a targeted market to advertise to because this group will most likely buy certain products. For example, advertising for an ipod would not be developed to appeal to the GI Generation. Rather, advertising would be aimed for the igeneration or the myspace generation. Of the generations that you have described in question2,how would you describe them as distinct consumer groups? For example, what products would a person from the Doi Moi Generation buy that someone from a war-era generation would not?

4. A “dramatic impact” is an event or condition that has influenced something. The dramatic impact on the Baby Boomers, for example was the war in Vietnam which divided the country because of the military draft and the numbers of people opposed to the war. What events or conditions had a dramatic impact on your generation?

5. A “Hero” is a person admired for his/her achievements and noble qualities. Sometimes a hero is bigger than life and an ordinary person would have difficulty being like such a person. However, a “role model” is a person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others. Who are the heroes and role models of your generation?

6. Tastes, Values, Dreams and Aspirations. “Taste” refers to an individual preference or inclination; critical judgment, discernment, or appreciation. Taste may dictate what “look” one has with fashion, trends, mannerisms, etc. For example, one generation’s expression of good taste is to be dressed in a certain way—maybe being casual and wearing blue jeans is tasteful for one generation whereas being formal and formally dressed with a tie or suit is the taste for another generation. A “Value” is something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable. For example, the igeneration may value immediate or instant response and not value patience. “Dreams and Aspirations” are defined as a strong desire to achieve something high or great. What are the tastes, values, dreams and aspirations for your generation? What is “cool” (meaning very good, fashionable, or excellent) for your generation?

7. Passed from one generation to the next, “cultural norms” are the shared, sanctioned, and integrated systems of beliefs and practices that characterize a cultural group. These norms foster reliable guides for daily living and contribute to the health and well-being of the group. As prescriptions for correct and moral behavior, cultural norms lend meaning and coherence to life, as well as the means to achieve a sense of integrity, safety and belonging. Thus, normative beliefs, together with related values and rituals, confer a sense of order and control upon aspects of life that might otherwise appear chaotic or unpredictable. (from: http://www.enotes.com/public-health-encyclopedia/cultural-norms) What are the cultural norms of your generation/culture? Does your generation value the traditional and cultural norms of your culture?

Exercises and Activities for Developing Content of Student Writing:

Exercise 2— Before you write, think about the following:

1. You, the Writer. Your personal characteristics and interests affect what you write about and how you write about it. Factors which can affect your writing include: Your age, experiences, gender, location, beliefs, education, parents and peers

2. Purpose: Your reason for writing is to inform and to educate. Additionally, your purpose is to learn and discover from what you are writing.

3. Genre: You are writing something that may be autobiographical and it is analytical.

4. Audience: To whom are writing? Do not think that you are writing only for your teacher. This is a cross-cultural learning platform in which you have the opportunity to explain who you are to a global audience. You can be writing to your global peers or colleagues. You can be the voice of Vietnamese youth or the Middle Class or . . . ?

5. Topic: You are writing about your generation, your dreams and aspirations, and why these dreams are a product of your generation. Do you want to be more specific? Write your ideas for your topic here: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

6. Context: your context is first your classroom; your country or culture; and your peers in the cross-cultural learning platform from around the world. This means that there are many things that you cannot take for granted. It requires that you explain your ideas more clearly than if you write for your teacher or your classmates.

Exercises and Activities for Developing Your Essay: Gathering Your Ideas

Exercise 3— What is your writing process? Describe it.

Exercise 4— Thus far, you have responded with notes to an article, taken time to freewrite, and responded to questions. Sort through your writings and put them in the categories below that correlate to the three sections of your essay.

My Generation _________________________________________________

 

 

My Dream _____________________________________________________

 

 

Why this Dream is or is not of My Generation _________________________

 

 

Add other ideas that come to you in these categories. What subtitles come to mind?

 

 

IT Exercises and Activities for Developing Ideas:

Are there statistics or examples that you can find that would support your essay? Use a search engine to help you find support for your essay.

Exercises and Activities for Developing Your Essay:

Exercise 5— Which of the 11 Useful Things to Do When Writing A Paper appeal to you? Use one or some of them for getting started on your paper. When you feel that you have gathered enough ideas for your essay, organize the paper according to the process that you use to write.

Writing First Draft: It may be helpful to write the body of your essay first. Then write the introduction and concluding paragraph.

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Editing Process and Exercises:

In an essay where you write about yourself and what you believe to be true, you can become very attached to your writing. This makes the editing process difficult. When you edit this essay, do these things:

1. Do not try to edit the essay right away. Give yourself some time between the writing and the proof-reading. If you can write one day and proof it a day or two later, this is good.

2. To edit your own work, you must think like another person. Proofread with great care for correct grammar, punctuation, spelling and documentation. Also, double-check the words, sentences, and paragraphs for voice and logic. Does this communicate your ideas to another person? What do you assume your audience knows? What might you need to elaborate on? Remember, you may be writing for an audience from other cultures so you cannot assume too much. Cultural contexts are different.

3. Have someone else read your essay. When that person gives you feedback, separate yourself from your work so that you can “hear” and understand what they are saying.

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Writing Second/Final Draft:

Write the second draft and hand it in to your teacher. Depending on circumstances, you may have to prepare your essay to share online.

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Vietnamese Language Lesson

Given the situation of Vietnamese economy prior to Doi Moi, how do you think the lives of people as well as economic sectors? Do you think it is the very crisis causing long-term poverty to Vietnam? Why or why not?

Do you think the production means before Doi Moi can be now applicable in the era of globalization? What are the notable defects of this economic policy?

Write: Use your knowledge or experience in the pre-reform Vietnamese economy and write down short essays exploring how it affects rural and urban areas.

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Persian Language Lesson

Persian Section

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Spanish Language Lesson

Spanish Section

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