Alexander M Baratta, PhD, Manchester
Lecturer - Language, Literacy and Communication Programme
- Ph.D. in English Language and Linguistics (Manchester)
- MA in English Composition and Rhetoric (California State University)
- BA in English Literature (California State University)
- TESOL Certificate (Canadian Global TESOL Training Centre)
- AA degree in Music (Los Angeles)
email: alex.baratta@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: 0161 275 5964
Location: Room A1.23, EllenWilkinson Building
Teaching
I have taught in South Korea, the USA and the UK and my pedagogic background includes academic composition, rhetoric, literature and EFL. I teach within the Language, Literacy and Communication programme at the University of Manchester, as well as teaching within the school's Linguistics and Literature departments. Within the LLC programme, I have also co-created a Mass Media class and a Film Studies class, as well as devising an academic writing class. The classes that I have taught, and currently teach, are as follows:
- Reading Literature
- Attitudes to Language
- Writing Processes
- Mass Media
- Aspects of Communication
- Reading Film: Language and Communication Perspectives
I am also responsible for the supervision of undergraduate dissertations, and I also teach linguistics, TEFL and EFL at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).
Conferences, Papers and Publications
Baratta, A. (2007) Academic Writing in the Language, Literacy and Communication (LLC) Programme. Handbook within use in the LLC Programme, School of Education, The University of Manchester.
Baratta, A. (2007) Good grammar, shame about the style! Article focusing on the implications of syntactically perfect sentences used within an inappropriate context. http://www.e-space.mmu.ac.uk/e-space/.
Baratta, A. (2007) The Context of Greetings. Article focusing on the syntactic and pragmatic implications of greetings.
Baratta, A. (2007) The Visual Classroom. Paper presented at the Developing the Independent Learner conference, Manchester Metropolitan University. http://www.e-space.mmu.ac.uk/e-space/.
Baratta, A. & Jones, S. (2007) The Visual Classroom: Using Film to Teach Academic Writing Skills. Article based on the visual literacy research project at The University of Manchester.
Baratta, A. (2007) Revealing Stance through Passive Voice. An article focusing on the ways in which the passive voice can be used to reveal the personal thoughts and feelings of the writer, despite its association with creating a more objective tone.
Baratta, A. (2005) The Five Pillars of Academic Writing. Collection of study materials in use within the ELSIS programme (English Language Support for Speakers of Other Languages), Manchester Metropolitan University.
Baratta, A. (2005) A Visual Approach in Writing Revision. Paper presented at the Foundation Year Symposium, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Baratta, A. (2004) Visual Writing. A book focusing on how the visual medium can be used to facilitate the teaching of academic writing.
Baratta, A. (2004) Black and White in the Cinema. Paper presented at the (Mis)Representation in Media conference, The University of Manchester. As well as presenting at this conference, I was also a member of the team who were responsible for its conception, design and running.
Baratta, A. (2004) Utilising Film Clips in Academic Writing Pedagogy. Paper presented at the Realms conference, The University of Manchester.
Baratta, A. (2004) Style in Academic Writing for EFL Students. Paper presented at Salford University.
Baratta, A. (2004) Investigating the dve construction. Paper presented at The University of Manchester.
Baratta, A. (2002) The Use of Visuals in Teaching EFL Academic Writing. Paper presented at Manchester City College.
Other Works
- My Boogeyman, Clockwork, The Last Days of Eden, The Baby, The Last Wish of Elliot Pomroy and The Cuckold, at www.fictionontheweb.co.uk and www.editred.com/alex
- My interview with the Peter Sellers Appreciation Society was published in the September 2002 issue of the magazine, at www.petersellersappreciationsociety.com
Musicals
Details at www.AmericanMusicals.com
- Love from Above - performed in 1991 and 1998 at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood, California
- Between Two Wars
- Only in LA
My interests also include movies and music, having written a 007 theme song entitled 'The Man Everybody Wants', which Desmond 'Q' Llewelyn said was 'very much in the Bond tradition'. The song's music video has been performed at several Bond conventions in the US and UK, to include locations such as New Orleans, London and Long Beach, California. In addition, my tribute song to Peter Sellers, 'Dear Mr. Sellers', was described by Sellers' biographer Ed Sikov as 'very accurate...touching and sweet-tempered' and by Burt 'Cato' Kwouk as 'very nice'. The song has also been adopted by the Peter Sellers Appreciation Society.
I am a member of BAAL (British Association for Applied Linguistics) and since 1998 I have also been a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society (www.goldenkey.org/GKWeb).
Funding
In 2006 I secured funding for £7,589 from the university's Humanities for a project focusing on use of the visual medium as a means to instruct students in academic writing. The title of the study is 'Improving Academic Writing: a pilot study into the usefulness of Visual Literacy to first year undergraduate students'.