Paradoja: Paradox of Women in Developing Countries

1982 Miss Universe contest in Perú as an exploration of Peruvian society, especially women's roles, the media, ethnicity and class relations. Paradoja is a CD-ROM that - using the particular case of a beauty contest set in Perú in the 1980s -- explores the problems and obstacles women face in Latin America.

It aims to show how the history and the culture of the region have influenced and shaped women's lives ands ocial roles by presenting the contradiction between an idealized image of women and the realities of their daily lives.

The materials include televised reports of the 1982 Miss Universe Contest in Perú and interviews with the organizers, contestants, journalists and representatives of women's groups.

This primary material has been adapted for student use with a full annotated transcript, a bilingual dictionary that allows students to search any word in the text, and an information menu from which students can access additional resources. These resources include historical, social and cultural information on Perú, maps and pictures that expand, clarify and illustrate specific aspects and provide students with the background necessary for comprehension and analysis.

The goals in using this software are to : (1) improve students' linguistic ability, particularly listening comprehension, by providing them with authentic materials and the means to help understand them. (2) increase students' awareness of some of the cultural and socio-economic realities shared by many countries in Latin America. (3) develop students' critical thinking and understanding of different social realities and viewpoints through discussion of the themes presented in this material. (4) encourage students' research into related or parallel themes in different countries of Latin America for oral presentations and group discussion in class.

This material addresses the problem teachers face at the intermediate level of language teaching when a greater integration of language and culture is sought. The advantages provided by the computer technology make accessible to intermediate and advanced students culturally-authentic material while developing greater language skills and furthering language acquisition. By incorporating glossed transcriptions, a dictionary, as well as relevant background information and resources, real and relevant social and cultural issues in Spanish-speaking countries become a powerful and effective way to enrich language teaching and learning.