Racial Profiling

This is an IB English Language & Literature written task 1 (which is a creative writing assignment in which you initiate a certain form of writing-Letter of complaint in this case, and demonstrate your understanding of the topics covered in class-”Language and Power-Racial Profiling.)”

In class, we talked a lot about “language and power” and what it means for racial profiling. READ this website to help you get an understanding of language and power-racial profiling.

http://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/10542/racial-profiling

After you have read this page, read this primary text that I would like to use to write a letter of complaint to the United States Department of Justice.

^USE this primary text above to help you write the letter of complaint to the United States Department of Justice.

*ALSO include these key terms (ALL 4) in the essay!

*Cultural Relativism: Cultural relativism is the principle of regarding the beliefs, values, and practices of a culture from the viewpoint of that culture itself.

*Ethnocentrism: is the belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group

*Cultural Bias: is not being objective, but judging something from another culture with reference to what is usual in your own culture

*Dialect: is a variety of language that is unique in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.

Please do not make the letter of complaint more than 1,000 words as that as the limit! Also, please write a rationale of 200-300 words explaining what this Written task is going to be about. Please use this layout to help you write the rationale.

In the rationale you must explain:

• how the content of the task is linked to Language and Power

• how the task is intended to explore particular aspects of the topic

• the nature of the task chosen (content and medium as well as style and register) •

• information about audience, purpose and the context in which the task is set

• The rationale should not only include knowledge about Language and Power but also about the formal conventions of the text type produced and how they relate to the aims of the task.

THIS is the main learning outcome for this written task: (The bold text is the aim for my written task!!)

• Demonstrate an awareness of how language and meaning are shaped by culture and context. Points to be considered could include:

– the ways in which jargon and professional language are used

– the ways in which language affirms identity

– the status given to standard and non-standard forms of the language

– the status of minority languages in multilingual societies.

Look at this link for tips before writing the written task 1, part 1.

http://www.englishalanglit-inthinking.co.uk/written-tasks/wt1-tips.htm