Organization Evaluation

The organization that I will describe today is where I work, at Applause's. Here we have a vertical structure that consists of the owner, general manager, four managers, and all employees directly below them. The owner has complete control and say over everything that goes on in the restaurant. The general manager receives information on how to run and operate from the owner and relay that information down to the four members of management directly below him. Their Jobs are to collect information from the general manager and use that to complete their tasks and engage the employees under them.Each member of management has their own crew that they run, create schedules for, and help when problems arise. There is the kitchen manager who runs the kitchen crew and oversees the kitchen employees schedules, the food prep, and cleaning. There is also the bar manager who creates bartender schedules and training, as well as liquor costs and control. The staff manager creates schedules for the hosts and servers, controls the flow of the seating and dining experience, and ensures that the customers are happy.Finally the fourth anger is the assistant manager who can help out all managers with their duties and has basically the same responsibilities as the others but without a direct pool of employees. If business gets poor he will be able to assist every area of the restaurant. This form of organization varies from a horizontal structure because, although there are several managers on one level and all employees on one level, all employees report to a separate manager who resolves any issues, problems, or conflicts.There is no confusion as to who to report to and information is kept organized and accurate because there is only one person to report to. A horizontal structure in my company would have several managers for each section of the restaurant. There would be two or more kitchen managers, staff managers, bar managers and assistant managers. Although the assistant man ager helps out with everything in the restaurant, there is still only one manager for each area of the restaurant.Another form of organization would be a functional form of organization where the organizations â€Å"are specialized and grouped according to business unction's and the skills they require: production, marketing, human resources, research and development, finance, accounting, and so forth† (Bateman & Snell, 2011). The company I work for is similar to this form because all areas of the restaurant are separated into several areas where one person runs, maintains and regulates what goes on in that area.The only real downside of this type of organization is if it were in a very large company. Information and workloads may become too great for one person to handle. In this case, information can get lost and radioactivity can slow because of management becoming over worked. As the book states, â€Å"this type of structure may be most appropriate in smaller business se ttings and if the business becomes fragmented it may have difficulty bringing new products to customers and responding quickly to customer needs† (Bateman & Snell, 2011).I do not feel like the marketing department has anything to do with how the company's organizational structure because it is a chain restaurant. Therefore marketing is done at another location and does not interfere with how this branch is run. The name goes for the finance area, although they are pretty tight on the financial aspect so I feel like a vertical structure was chosen to save money. If they had a horizontal structure they would need to spend additional money on extra employees and or managers.Human resources' is also an area I feel is not affecting how the structure of our branch is run. However operations do affect how the structure is set up. Our shifts and workload is directly affected by the business that comes in. If there is a lot of business we will all have plenty of shifts and be able to w ork enough to make accessory money. If business gets poor enough all employees will be cut and management will take over and do our Jobs. I always hear the managers' talk about labor costs to sales and when sales are low people are asked to leave to save money.I think that by having a vertical structure the restaurant saves the most money because people and managers not only have one division of employees but are crossed trained in order to save money when needed. When looking at geographic, organizational, customer based, product, marketing channels, and personalization organizational design, these help determine which structure best suits the company I work for because we base the work we do (how much and for how long) entirely on sales and revenue that the company brings in.When you get into the human recourse and marketing area of the company the Jobs are stable and not reliant on sales. The organizational structure that we have is based off of customers. The larger part of the company would have maybe a horizontal structure when we get into marketing and there might be several managers controlling this rear because the demand for new food, advertisements, and ways to save money are a never-ending need which means that many brains are needed and that they will pay more people to work these Jobs which means the need creates the organizational structure of a horizontal structure.Because the actual restaurant is also customer based it means that based on sales, the structure is determined by the customer. If sales are high we can have more people on shift. If sales are low they have to ask people to leave and cut shifts so a vertical organization is ideal because each anger knows how to perform the employee tasks and can take over if necessary.Also by having a vertical organization the company is saving money on the restaurant level because they do not have to hire multiple people to do one Job. In the end the company I work for, on the restaurant level has a dopted a vertical form of organization which I feel is the best option because it saves money by adapting to a customer needs based environment. One manager monitors and controls many employees.

Audio Lingual Method

1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235. Audio Lingual Method The Audio lingual method or the Army Method is a style of teaching used in language Instruction. It is based on behaviorist ideology, which professes that certain trait of living things, and in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement and correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback. So in the Audio Lingual Method, the instructor would present the correct model of a sentence and the students would have to repeat it. The teacher would then continue by presenting new words for the students to sample in the same structure. In audio lingual’s there is no explicit grammar instruction so that everything is simply memorized in form. The idea is for the students to practice the particular construct until they can use it spontaneously. In this manner, the lessons are built on static drills in which the students have little or no control on their own output; the teacher is expecting a particular response and not providing that will result in a student receiving negative feedback. As mentioned, lessons in the classroom focus on the correct imitation of the teacher by the students. Not only are the students expected to produce the correct output, but attention is also paid to correct pronunciation. Although correct grammar is expected in usage, no explicit grammatical instruction is given. Furthermore, the target language is the only language to be used in the classroom. This method is one of the three main ways to teach a foreign language. Along with â€Å"the direct method,† the audio lingual approach keeps the majority of the language instruction in the target language. Audio lingual teaching concentrates on drills that teach grammar while the direct method concentrates more on vocabulary. When the grammar of the target language is explained in the native language, the method is called communicative language teaching. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The Audio-lingual Method is still in use today, though normally as a part of individual lessons rather than as the foundation of the course. These types of lessons can be popular as they are relatively simple, from the teacher's point of view, and the learner always knows what to expect. But it has been heavily criticized, especially by linguist Noam Chomsky. The rigidity of the method left little room for the spontaneity of free-flowing conversation, which made it difficult to use the language in the real world. Audio Lingual Method 1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235.

A View of the Mexican- American Battle and the Reasons behind the Involvement of the United States

A View of the Mexican- American Battle and the Reasons behind the Involvement of the United States U.S. History Honors The Mexican-American War DBQ â€Å"Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico?† This is a trigger phrase similar to watching two siblings fighting over who gets to play the Xbox. â€Å"It’s MY Xbox.† â€Å"But you ruin the whole game.† In this case, Mexico owns the land of dispute and the US is eager to take it. In my opinion, the US should not have gone to war with Mexico for these reasons: the US provoked the war; gaining Texas was another way to spread slavery; and the annexation of Texas would make America a bigger threat, scaring Mexico along with other countries. The â€Å"US Invasion† was just part of the US’s plan to gain land in the early 1800s, once again because of the same excuse, Manifest Destiny. Mexico’s idea of convincing American settlers to move in to even out the contrasting social population of rich and poor backfired and right after winning their independence from Spain: a Mexican horror story! â€Å"[T]he troops commanded by General Zachary Taylor arrived at the Rio Grande†¦ (Doc. C)† From Mexican perspectives, the border between Mexico and the United States was the Nueces River. When the Americans crossed over to the Rio Grande, which was below the Nueces River, Mexico burst into flames. This means that the US initiated the war, forcing the Mexicans to the last straw until they had to finally start defending themselves. â€Å"Polk saw Mexico’s treatment of [the envoys] as an opportunity [to go to war]. He felt America’s honor had been challenged. When word arrived†¦ that Mexican soldiers had fired upon Americans on the ‘Texas side’ of the Rio Grande, President Polk had a reason for going to war (BE).† I think this is full of baloney because previously, the quote implies that the US had a reason for going to war, so why would Mexico attack first? This unlikely event intimates a few element changes of the history of the war . â€Å"A current of emigration soon followed from the United States. Slaveholders crossed the Sabine (river between Louisiana and Texas) with their slaves, in defiance of the Mexican ordinance of freedom. (Doc. D)† This quote makes the US seem very ironic since the US was â€Å"the land of opportunity and freedom† that many people of ethnic groups rushed to yet many slaves did not have opportunity nor freedom. In Mexico, slavery was illegal, so in a way, Mexico was even more free than the US. The Mexican-American War was just another product of Manifest Destiny, an excuse from â€Å"God† to gain land from the Atlantic to the Pacific to spread democracy which eventually turned into an excuse for spreading slavery. If the Americans took over Texas (which happened anyway), the territory would be back to square one: slavery. Considering the fact that Texas was still theirs, Mexico tried to prevent the slavery opposition from being obsolete. â€Å"The combination of American troops at the Rio Grande and the attempt to buy a large part of their country angered the Mexican government. [Polk’s envoys] were asked to leave Mexico City (BE).† How casually the author mentioned that the envoys were asked to leave may hint that the US doesn’t want to admit to looking like a bad guy. This also illustrates that Polk was ambitious to gain this land and maybe even pushy when the offer was bluntly rejected. The quote: â€Å"Imbecile and distracted, Mexico never can exert any real governmental authority over such a country†¦ (Doc. A)† shows how highly the US thought of itself. They shouldn’t be so quick to rise conflict, the US and Mexico being young countries alike. Having Texas secede wasnt so terrible in Mexican eyes, but having Texas secede to join the US was a major problem. Mexico was content if Texas was its own country since Texas alone wasn’t much of a threat; however, the annexa tion of Texas to the US would mean more land, meaning more power. Every other country would rather have the US care for itself and be uninvolved in matters outside of their business. This is the way people thought about England, which means the US eventually became what the Founding Fathers feared. Furthermore, â€Å"America’s wars have often been controversial [with small approval rates] (BE).† The idea I’m getting is that although in many wars citizens opposed going to war, the government doesn’t listen and goes to war anyway, which isn’t being very representative like the way it is defined. So who are the US to say that Mexico can’t govern themselves properly? All in all, I support the Mexicans’ viewpoint on the war. The US deliberately had shots fired at Mexico to own Texas and California. The United States clearly had no business in trying to take over land that originally belonged to the Mexicans. The USs pushiness, impatience, want for more slaves, and rising reign of terror connected to their were not valid reasons to go to war with Mexico. Even though I am American, I have to say that at the time, the US was being a bit snotty for wanting to take over as much as they possibly could. The war is shameful to our history, acknowledging the fact that the US always seemed so glorified and perfect when really, we have committed some of our own sins and went back on our words of equality and justice for everyone.

Compare the twomain characters (Norma Rae and Bread and Roses Essay

Compare the twomain characters (Norma Rae and Bread and Roses - Essay Example s’ exploration of how exploitation exists particularly in industries filled with poverty-stricken workers, one can further discover the connection between lack of work options and poverty, and workplace discrimination, which consequently aggravates the worker’s situation and reduces the possibility of developing a positive outlook and recognizing the higher purpose. Norma and Maya depict the roles of female workers trapped in a world of poverty, employer greed, and exploitation. However, just as there are several similarities in the story, there are also obvious differences. Norma and Maya’s plights in their works may be similar, but their approaches in reacting to these plights are different. Norma’s basis in deciding to lead a union organizer is well-developed in the film, while Maya’s basis in stepping up against her employers is either underdeveloped or truly albeit shallow. In â€Å"Bread and Roses,† the issue that incites the janitors’ protest is meager salary. This is a legitimate foundation; however, the larger political consequences and framework are not discussed at all. The films depicts how the workers’ are not given their rights, but it never tackled exactly what rights they were fighting for. Another consideration here is the fact that these workers are illegal immigrants in the country. T his fact creates a hostile reaction from the viewers to the supposed-to-be protagonist. In addition, regarding both protagonists’ relationships with their families, Norma again can gain any viewer’s empathy as she displays her selflessness. Her motivation in working is the higher purpose of supporting her parents through their illness. This supposedly kept her positive in her work despite the hardships. Also, one has to remember that her main reason for wanting to lead a union organizer is her parents’ health situation. On the other hand, Maya appears to be both selfish and ungrateful, as her reasons for supporting the union are purely personal.

See the attach file Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

See the attach file - Essay Example From this latter perspective, a woman with no children and based on her religious beliefs does not seek medical care for herself, her family, or friends is causing harm by not seeking medical advice, although her act of not having children should be allowed. Mill offers several reasons why experiments of living should be allowed. He offers the infallibility argument, in which he contends that society, as it is, is not perfect and the only manner in which society can move forward is by allowing for experiments of life (Gray 52). Natural selection and the forces that drive it need change to occur if they are to work. The selective process would only allow the production of happiness. Whereby, if there is a greater population of people living happily under a particular method, this method will spread to other areas. Since a specific way of life could be an improvement on the way people live; no way of life should be forbidden or suppressed (Gray 52). In the case of a woman with no child ren refusing medical help for anyone, her life cannot bring any happiness and, as such, cannot spread. This way of life will not improve anyone’s life, including hers. ... Ways of life that are flawed, rendering them undesirable as the common rule, rather than being the exception, do possess merits and valuable ideas. Ideas that can benefit society can only be achieved when society allows practical testing and trial of these ways of life (Gray 54). Therefore, even disagreeable living experiments like that of this woman should be allowed in the case of not bearing children. This partly true argument can be furthered through the contention that even a way of life that has no tangible benefits for anyone involved must be allowed. This is because it will act as a highlight to the benefits of other ways of life (Gray 55). Only when society tries out a way of life in reality that it can be judged to have no merit. Hence, it acts as evidence of the manner in which its guiding principles work practically. For example, the woman who refuses medical care for everyone may be suggestive of life that is permanently full of divine grace and hope, which is a perfect aim to work for. An experiment of living like this one offers vivid evidence that the goal it aims for is flawed. John Mill also argues that the fact that the human race is made of diverse groups and cultures, is proof that society should encourage diverse modes of living. All persons possess different characters and, therefore, all persons have diverse ways of life, which are best for them. In John Mill’s words, â€Å"The same mode of life is a healthy excitement to one, keeping all his faculties of action and enjoyment in their best order, while to another it is a distracting burden which suspends or crushes all internal life† (Mill 44). Where there is an attempt to

The Cold War was inevitable Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Cold War was inevitable - Research Paper Example The reason behind these contending forms of history is that one or other political pioneer was answerable for the incredible ideological crash that overwhelmed the second portion of the 20th c. I oppose this idea. I accept that the Cold War was the practically inexorable spin-off of World War II2. As long as they were both battling Nazi Germany, the U.SA and the U.S.S.R had motivation to save their organization together and paper over any differences. When their regular foe was vanquished, and Americans and Russians met one another in the heart of Europe, their political and financial investment wandered pointedly. Fellowship turned to contention in barely a second3. With his curved, however, infrequently splendid handle of authentic strengths, Adolf Hitler took care of business when he finished up in April 1945 that the annihilation of the Third Reich might leave "just two extraordinary Forces fit for facing one another - the United States and Soviet Russia." He happened to anticipate "the laws of both history and topography will constrain these two Forces to a trial of quality, either military or in the fields of money making concerns and philosophy."4 Basically, all the watershed occasions of the early Cold War could be followed once again to the 6th period that spread over the Yalta meeting, the demise of Franklin Roosevelt, World War II end , the crumbling of the opposition to Hitler cooperation, and the dawning of the nuclear age. The Czechoslovak overthrow emulated an example secured an example built in Romania in the weeks promptly taking after Yalta, with the Moscow-sponsored Communists utilizing their control over the security strengths to seize complete force. Trumans backing for professional Western governments in Greece and Turkey in 1947 took after coherently from his prior imperviousness to Soviet arrangements to obtain army installations along the Dardanelles and in the Mediterranean. The 1948-1949 Berlin bar had its

The success of the Singapore Education System Research Paper

The success of the Singapore Education System - Research Paper Example The lack of other natural resources left human resource as the only asset available for Singapore to achieve modern economy ambitions. These, therefore, left education as the only option for building both the economy and the nation through the delivery of human capital engine and in the creation of a sense of Singaporean identity. Nation building and the exploitation of the human resource was faced with a challenge of racial integration that sprouted as a result of the British colonial policies on education, language, and citizenship. In order to meet the needs, Singapore put a lot of focus in the education sector. According to the prime minister, the purpose of education at early days was to â€Å"provide a good man and a useful citizen†.This made the first phase of education which was dubbed â€Å"survival-driven† created in an attempt to expand the primary education and support the development of a literate and technically trained workforce. Schools that existed were merged into a single Singaporean education system, and a bilingual policy introduced so that children could learn their language as well as English. The expansion became so rampant that by early 1970, ’s universal primary and secondary education was attained, and a national system of public education established although the quality was not high. After the success of the first phase, the second phase of education based on shifting from the labor-intensive economy to capital and the skill-intensive economic country was formed.

Electronic Health Record Functionality Standards Essay

Electronic Health Record Functionality Standards - Essay Example nt time and other resources in the evaluation and examination of the findings in relation to the required data for the EHR selection and decision making process, regulatory measures as well as the need for the EHR equipment (Carol 2007). This is the first step in incorporating findings into the EHR selection and decision making process; this committee should comprise all the stakeholders such as health practitioners, IT experts and other persons who may be affected by the EHR equipment. The formulation of a list of the functional models of the Electronic Health Record may be a complex process to most health practitioners; however, this process has been made easier by the use of the HL7 Functional Model which specifies various imperative aspects of the Electronic Health Records that apply to most health institutions (Carol 2007). This is the next crucial step in the incorporation of findings and results in EHR selection and decision making process. It ensures that persons purchasing the EHR equipment are in a position to access pertinent information that provides assurance in regard to the proper functionality of the products. Various acts have been implemented to certify EHR vendors who meet the needs and specification of the EHR equipment. These acts include; the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH). This act stipulates effective testing methodologies of the Electronic Health Equipment which checks compliance in relation to the section 320 (b). Other regulatory measures have been implemented by a non-profit organization known as the (CCHIT), Certification Commission for Health Information Technology. This commission authorizes the use of Electronic Health Records in the United States of America through certification (Kasprak 2008). In this aspect, the EHR committee may apply this knowledge in selecting the proper EHR equipment as well as their suppliers. The current rising number of EHR vendors may pose a challenge to the

Classs Design-Project Presentations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Classs Design-Project Presentations - Essay Example I personally had to conduct deep research pertaining to my model before I could decide which particular areas I would focus on my presentation. The assignment took much longer to study and develop the concepts than recapitulate them in the final presentation, Such extensive research sufficiently educated the students in their respective subjects. Having gone through all of the presentations, I have reached the conclusion that the nature of modern designs emphasizes upon usability without having to compromise upon style. Be it a washing machine, hanger, or a vending machine, one thing that is common in all of them is style and user-friendliness. It is good to find out that we are going to have some extremely stylish and user-friendly furniture in near future. I particularly liked the concept because the subject of the assignment was quite off the track on which conventional assignments are made. Even the making of the presentation was no less interesting. This was one assignment that I enjoyed making because 75 percent of the work was done in powerpoint and only 25 percent was done in MS word. I enjoyed developing pictures and explaining the concepts with respect to them. As they say that one picture is worth one thousand words. I found the concept of teaching the subject through powerpoint slides extremely useful as powerpoint allows the lecturer to make frequent use of pictures to elaborate complex concepts. More often than not, I found a momentary look at the pictures sufficient to convey to me the whole idea that the words would deliver.

Qatar Petroleum Essay Example for Free

Qatar Petroleum Essay Qatar Petroleum aims at maintaining high level of safety by trying to reach a zero level of people and environmental harm. The company uses Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) to maintain its daily operations. The methods helps them to save their documents in an organized format, retrieve them for future use share and use them. They also have a team which holds regular surveys of the whole petroleum plant especially of the pipelines. A record of all their daily activities is kept using the EDMS system as mentioned above. A report on the organizations activities can be obtained from their website as well as a book written by P. Tuson Records of Qatar: primary documents, 1820-1960; ed. P. Tuson. Archive edns, 1991. (8v) . Since any oil company poses numerous threats , benchmarks have been set to avoid them or reduce their occurance. Limitations have been set on their expansion, to share mproved ideas and information , maintain an unbreachable security checks and register them regularly. Workers undergo regular physical check-ups and their protective suits are also regularly scrutinized for emission penetration. There are also regular checks held by the government to ensure all the safety activities are being followed regularly. Qatar Petroleum is however not free from threats. Any oil company , Qatar being the biggest is susceptible to terrorist attack as the destruction caused will be massive , eading to a high death rate and heavy financial losses. Avoiding intrusion will be difficult as these companies are located by the sea and remote areas. The attack can be on refineries, distribution system, maritime transport , developmental and exploration sites. Oil companies pose their own threat too as any fault in the whole plant, being of the minutest nature, can lead to the same type of damage as would be caused by any terrorist attack.

Home Homeless Housing

Home Homeless Housing This essay will begin by defining homelessness and who it affects. Following this will look at the National Assistance Act 1948 followed by The Housing (Homeless Persons Act) 1977 which imposed a duty on authorities to tackle the problem of homelessness. The Housing Act 1996 will be discussed and also various statistics given. The Homelessness Act 2002 will also be discussed and finally how the prevention of homelessness is seen as a priority for the government and the strategies which they have implemented to house the homeless. Most poor people live in some sort of home or permanent shelter. However, those who do not, the homeless, have become very visible in the streets of cities over the past twenty years (Giddens, 1997). According, to Giddens (1997), â€Å"Like poverty, homelessness isnt as easy to define as we might imagine. Two generations ago, most people still thought of ‘home as the family home. Homeless people were seen as individuals who lived in hostels on skid row. They were called homeless because they lived alone and rarely saw their families or kin†. Over the past 30 years, much more people have come to live alone by choice and therefore the homeless have become defined as people who have nowhere to sleep, and who either stay in free street shelters on a temporary basis or sleep in places not meant for habitation, such as doorways, on park benches, in railway stations or in derelict buildings (Giddens, 1997). Most of the homeless according to Giddens, (1997) â€Å"are people who find themselves on the streets because they have experienced personal disasters, such as parents or relatives and friends no longer able or willing to accommodate, breakdown of relationship with partner, mortgage default or rent arrears and loss of private rental dwellings and loss of service tenancy or other reasons†. Meanwhile, according to the housing action group Shelter, homelessness had grown by 300 per cent between 1978 and 1992 (Giddens, 1997). Local authorities in England and Wales registered 450,000 people as living without a semi-permanent residence during 1995 (Haralambos et al; 1995). Furthermore, according to Haralambos et al; (1995), â€Å"Shelter estimated there were a further 1.7 million unofficial homeless. These consisted of about 8,000 people sleeping rough, approximately 50,000 unauthorised tenants and squatters, 137,000 single people in hostels or lodgings, 77,000 insecure private tenants and about 1,200,000 people living with friends or relatives who needed a home of their own†. Although, not all of these groups would be left out from statistics on Low Income Families, but nevertheless, the rise in all types of homelessness would make a huge difference to the figures if the homeless were included. By this, it can be argued that some of the homeless are suffering from absolute poverty since they do not even have adequate shelter (Haralambos et al; 1995). The provision of more adequate forms of housing is of key importance in tackling homelessness, whether the housing is directly sponsored by the government or not (Giddens, 1997). According to Giddens, (1997) â€Å"regardless of why people are on the streets, giving them a place to live that offers a modicum of privacy and stability is usually the most important thing we can do to improve their lives. Without stable housing, nothing else is likely to work†. The National Assistance Act 1948 ended the Poor Law structure which supported the poor. However, it did not clearly deal with the homeless. For those who were without roofs over their heads they were dealt with by the social services departments (Walsh et al; 2000). As the housing departments felt they had no obligations to house homeless people, and with approximately 2 million people with inadequate or no housing at all after the Second World War (Walsh et al; 2000). By the late 1940s Britain witnessed some of the most serious civil disobedience towards the government, when thousands of people decided to squat on disused military bases and in empty properties (Walsh et al; 2000). Furthermore, the government ignored the problem of homelessness right through the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s (Walsh et al; 2000). Successive governments either denied there was an issue with homelessness, or they saw the homeless, as people who had brought this condition upon themselves (Walsh et al; 2000). Meanwhile, families who were taken as being homeless by the local authority social services department were housed in temporary or emergency accommodation until they could solve their own housing situations. Furthermore, after a period of time, if their situation had not improved and suitable accommodation found, children were at risk of being taken into care (Walsh et al; 2000). However, in 1977 a private members bill was passed by parliament which recognised homelessness, and set up a supporting structure for dealing with the problem. The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 was an important way forward to accepting the problems which poor people faced in obtaining housing (Walsh et al; 2000). According, to Carnwath, (1978), â€Å"The words ‘homeless and ‘homelessness, have been used in widely different contexts. They are sometimes used to include all those living in unsatisfactory conditions. Too wide a definition of homeless could tend to obscure the pressing needs of those who are literally without shelter, or are likely to lose in the immediate future what shelter they have†. Furthermore, Carnwath, (1978), The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 â€Å"transfers statutory responsibility for the homeless from social services authorities to housing authorities. It has become widely accepted over recent years that homelessness is primarily a housing problem, and the primary responsibility for dealing with it should therefore lie with housing authorities, who are naturally better equipped than social services authorities to provide a permanent solution. The effect of the Act will be to ensure that dealing with the problems of homeless will rightly become a normal part of day-to-day housing activities of every housing authority in the country†. The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 according to Walsh et al; (2000) â€Å"imposed a duty on local authorities to provide permanent accommodation for homeless families who were defined as belonging to ‘priority groups and to give ‘advice and assistance to other homeless people. A person or family was defined as homeless if they had no legal right to housing or if threats of violence prevented them from exercising that right†. Furthermore, Walsh et al; (2000) â€Å"In defining homelessness, the quality of housing was not taken into account, so people living in overcrowded housing, or even accommodation that was injurious to health, were not counted as homeless. The priority groups that had to be provided with permanent housing were, families with children, pregnant women and people sharing their households which could include a male partner, disabled people and elderly people†. In order to obtain housing, the priority groups had to prove to the authorities that they were not deliberately homeless. There was also concern that the Act was being manipulated by people in order to be placed on the ‘priority list (Walsh et al; 2000). This affected the chances of people on the ‘ordinary waiting list and who were living in poor conditions from being considered for housing as their conditions were not grounds for obtaining housing (Walsh et al; 2000). As a consequence of this a tightening-up of the provision of housing for the homeless was introduced (Walsh et al; 2000). Although more attention was being directed towards the young, single mothers who were jumping the housing lists and given priority, less notice was given to the volume of council houses being purchased by existing tenants in the 1980s and the fall in local-authority house-building, resulting in less properties available for rent (Walsh et al; 2000). The properties which had not been purchased and available for rent were on less desirable estates, and often the homeless were placed there (Walsh et al; 2000). By 1996, over 42% of all new local authority tenants were being attracted from the priority homeless groups (Walsh et al; 2000). By the mid-1990s there was strong disagreements to the 1977 and 1985 Acts and the Conservative government introduced the Housing Act 1996 (Walsh et al; 2000). The new Act according to Walsh et al; (2000) â€Å"introduced some very significant changes which made it more difficult for the homeless to be housed permanently. The definitions of homelessness and priority groups were largely retained, but instead of permanent accommodation, local authorities were only obliged to provide temporary accommodation for two years†. During that period, the persons or families in question had to make satisfactory attempts to re-house themselves, as the local authority were not required to provide continuing accommodation (Walsh et al; 2000). Furthermore, according to Walsh et al; (2000), â€Å"the accommodation that the local authorities would provide on a temporary basis was largely to be outside the local authority housing stock. The homeless were therefore to be housed in the private for-rent market, if that was possible, or in hostels, or in housing association properties†. With the decrease in size of the local authority housing stock and the governments Homeless Initiative of 1989 which allocated an extra  £250 million to reduce homelessness in England over a two year period, was directed at London and the South East, which were the main problem area (Balchin, 1995). Of this sum  £177 million went to local authorities to repair their empty properties and lease houses in the private sector for short term housing, and  £73 million to the housing associations for the same purpose (Balchin, 1995). Furthermore, voluntary groups were given grants to help the homeless, which totalled  £2 million in 1990-91 and  £6.1 million in 1992-93 (Balchin, 1995). A rough Sleepers initiative was started in June 1990 with an allocation of  £96 million over a period of three years, with a further  £86 million in 1992 to further the initiative until 1996 (Balchin, 1995). The funds provided hostel spaces and created more permanent move-on accommodation for peop le leaving hostel accommodation. More money was given to local authorities to increase the total number of places for former rough-sleepers in housing leased from private owners (Balchin, 1995). According to Balchin, (1995) â€Å"By mid-1992, the Rough Sleepers Initiative had provided about 850 places in hostels and over 1,200 in move-on accommodation, and a further 1,300 permanent places by December 1993. It is probable that the initiative was largely responsible for reducing the number of people sleeping rough in Central London from 1,046 in January 1991 to 440 in March 1992†. However, with the improvements success, the initiative had only a slight effect on the total problem of homelessness. At the time of its launch, Shelter, according to Balchin, (1995) dubbed it a â€Å"sticking plaster over the wound of Britains growing housing shortage, while the Institute of Housing said that the initiative was ‘calamine lotion to cover the spots†. In December 1989 extra measures to tackle homelessness was announced in Wales. To use the Homelessness Reserve of over  £4 million in an effective way, local authorities were encouraged to submit offers involving partnership schemes with housing associations, and support for voluntary organisations was increased to  £580,000 in 1992-93 (Balchin, 1995). A three year programme to help young single homeless people in Cardiff to find and retain permanent accommodation was started worth  £800, 000 (Balchin, 1995). Meanwhile, in Scotland  £15 million was allocated in the early 1990s to fund projects to tackle homelessness (Balchin, 1995). In 1992-93,  £7.5 billion was spent funding 44 projects which included the supply of emergency hostels, follow-on accommodation, and furnished tenancies in Edinburgh and other places, which provided accommodation for 700 homeless people. Other measures to deal with homelessness included the Flats over Shops Initiative and a system to use homes repossessed by mortgage lenders for accommodating homeless families (Balchin, 1995). However, according to Balchin, (1995), â€Å"The policy measures involved comparatively little public expenditure. The largest of these, the Homeless Initiative, involved expenditure of only  £250 million ‘a paltry sum when measured against the scale of the problem, it was clear that the government was ‘skimming the surface of the problem, instead of tackling the root cause by investing more money in housing†. The Homelessness Act, (2002) which forms the main part of the governments plan for dealing with homelessness in England and Wales, gives more protection to those who are in priority need for housing, such as families, and gives people more choice in the housing they are allocated. The Act furthers the list to include 16 and 17 year olds and 18 to 21 years old who are care-leavers, as well as people who are vulnerable as a result of fleeing violence. Local authorities have a duty to carry out a homeless review, and develop a homeless strategy for the area to prevent homelessness, and provide accommodation and support to people who are or may find themselves homeless. Furthermore, the Homelessness Act, (2002) is considered to be the most important piece of government legislation introduced on housing and homelessness since the Housing Act 1996. Under the Housing Act 1996 (Part VII) and the Homelessness Act 2002 councils must make enquiries to decide what legal housing obligations they have towards a person, and what other help they are entitled to receive as a result of their homelessness application. According, to Communities and Local Government, (2008) â€Å"An extra  £9.6 million to help rough sleepers make a permanent move away from the street was announced by Housing Minister Caroline Flint. The funding will support an additional 11 projects and 2 existing ones to improve and build new hostels and homelessness services across the country, helping homeless people back into independent living by giving them new skills and training†. Furthermore, according to Communities and Local Government, (2008), â€Å"It brings the total investment under the Governments Places of Change Programme to  £80 million over the next three years which will deliver 80 schemes, transforming hostels and homelessness services†. The Housing Minister visited the newly refurbished St. Mungos Endell Street Homeless hostel, which was given  £3.24 million under the previous round of programme, to find out from the residents how the centre had made a difference to their lives (Communities and Local Government, 2008). According to Balchin, (1995) â€Å"It is therefore important to increase the supply of low-cost housing by putting empty houses back into use and to embark upon new house building programmes. Outside of central government, there have been several initiatives taken to reduce the number of empty dwellings. Funded by voluntary organisations, the Empty Homes Agency was set up in 1991 in an attempt to accommodate homeless families in some of the countrys then, 760,000empty houses and flats. The agency aimed to put the owners of empty houses in touch with housing associations subsequently letting them to homeless people nominated by local authorities†. Homelessness acceptance figures show that they have gone down gradually from 35,770 in the third quarter of 2003 to 15,240 during October and December 2007. This is due to effective homelessness strategies and prevention methods implemented by Local Authorities in England (Communities and Local Government, 2008). Statutory Homeless Statistics for 0ctober to December 2007 were down 12 per cent in acceptances compared with the same period the previous year (Communities and Local Government, 2008) Furthermore, the number of people living in temporary accommodation has gone down since the end of 2005, after a time when the figure had stayed the same at around 101,000 and was below 80,000 at the end of December 2007 (Communities and Local Government, 2008). Other statistics show that 87 per cent of households were in self-contained accommodation, 66 per cent in private sector accommodation, 20 per cent in accommodation by social landlords and 9 per cent were in hostel accommodation and womens refuges. Just 5 per cent of households in temporary accommodation were in bed and breakfast accommodation (Communities and Local Government, 2008). And also, 76 per cent of households in temporary accommodation included dependent children and 92 per cent of these were in self-contained accommodation. (Communities and Local Government, 2008) As the prevention of homelessness is a priority for the government they aim to reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation to 50,500 by 2010 (Communities and Local Government, 2008). Since July to September 2003 the figure of households accepted as homeless under the homelessness legislation has gone down by 54 per cent and the number of households in temporary accommodation has fallen below 83,000, the lowest level since July 2002 (Communities and Local Government, 2008). These achievements are due to huge Government investment in services to prevent homelessness and also by continually supporting local authorities and voluntary sector agencies (Communities and Local Government, 2008). The Governments funding for local authority homelessness grants has increased by 23 per cent from  £60 million in 2005-06 to  £74 million in 2007-08, thus bringing the total investment in prevention to  £200 million over three years (Communities and Local Government, 2008). In conclusion, there have been significant policies implemented across the UK to deal with homelessness in recent years, and with legislations from the government and strategies from authorities to tackle homelessness the governments target of reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation will be achieved by the date set. References Balchin, P. (1995). Housing Policy an introduction, Routledge, London Carnwath, R. (1978). A Guide to the HOUSING (Homeless Persons) ACT 1977. Charles Knight @ Company Ltd. London Communities and Local Government, (2008), Housing. ‘Tackling and Preventing Homelessness. Available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/homelessness/tacklingpreventing/ Communities and Local Government, (2008), Housing. Homelessness trends, Homelessness ‘Acceptances. Available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/homelessness/homelessnesstrends/ Giddens, A. (1997). Sociology. Polity Press: Cambridge Haralambos, M; Holborn, M. and Heald, R. (1995). Sociology Themes and Perspectives, Collins Educational, London Homelessness Act, (2002). Available at: http://homelesspages.org.uk/kwds/keywords.asp?kwid=291 Walsh, M; Stephens, P. and Moore, S. (2000), Social Policy and Welfare. Stanley Thornes (Publishers) Ltd. Cheltenham

The History of Palestine :: essays research papers

The History of Palestine Introduction Since the second Abbasid period, which commenced after the mid of the third Hijri century, the Islamic Caliphate State was progressively in weakening till it was broken down into three Caliphates instead of one. The Abbasid Caliphate was established in the East; the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt, parts of North Africa and Syria, and the Umayyad Caliphate in Andalus. The Crusades took place under these circumstances. Top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The political map of the region before the Crusades Forty years before the Crusades, the Turkish Saljuks had succeeded in dominating Baghdad and took over the rule under the nominal Abbasid Caliphate. The Saljuks had managed to dominate over larger parts of Persia, northern Iraq, Armenia and Asia Minor around 1040 CE. The Saljuk ruler, Toghrol Bic, dominated over Bain 1055 CE. The Saljuks spread their rule over the Byzantines in Asia Minor. On 19 August 1071 CE, the Malathkard battle, under the command of the Saljuk ruler Alb Arsalan, took place, and a catastrophe befell the Byzantines till the end of the eleventh century CE. In 1071 CE, the Saljuks seized most of Palestine except for Arsout, and dismissed the Fatimid dominion from it. The Saljuks expanded their dominion to include most of Syria. In 1092 CE (485 H [Hijra]), the Saljuk Sultan Malikshah passed away, thereby breaking down the Saljuks' dominion and launching many long and severe battles among them over the dominion and power. In 1096 CE, their rule was divided into five kingdoms: Sultanate of Persia (under the ruler Birkiyarouq), Kingdom of Khurasan and beyond the River (under the ruler Singer), Kingdom of Aleppo (under the ruler Radwan), Kingdom of Damascus (under the ruler Daqaq) and the Roman Saljuks Sultanate (under the ruler Qalj Arsalan). Most of the regions in Palestine were subjected to the Damascus regime, and during the weakness of the two rulers of Syria (Radwan and Daqaq), a lot of private rulers emerged, none of which dominated more than one city. The Crusaders commenced their military campaign of 1098 CE (491 H) while Muslim regions in Syria, Iraq and others were torn apart because of their differences and bloody conflicts. The two brothers, Radwan and Daqaq, sons of Titish, launched a war against each other in 490 H. Many battles broke out between Mohammed Ibn Malikshah Birkiyarouq because of their conflict over the power in which they exchanged victories and sermons in the Caliphate court during the period 492-497 H.

A Comparison of the Heat and Cold Imagery Used in Woman at Point Zero a

A Comparison of the Heat and Cold Imagery Used in Woman at Point Zero and Thousand Cranes In the books Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi, and Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata, both authors use various forms of imagery that reoccur throughout the works. These images are used not to be taken for their literal meanings, but instead to portray a deeper sense or feeling that may occur several times in the book. One type of imagery that both Saadawi and Kawabata use in their works is heat and cold imagery. In the works, Woman at Point Zero and Thousand Cranes, Nawal El Saadawi and Yasunari Kawabata each use heat and cold imagery to portray the same feelings of love and fear and /or the lack thereof. In both works, the authors use heat and cold imagery in order to portray the presence and/or lack of love in three different forms. These three forms of love that are illustrated through the use of heat and cold imagery are protection, comfort, and intimacy. Heat and cold imagery is used repeatedly in both works to provide a feeling of love in the form of protection and security, usually having the presence of heat or warmth representing a feeling of protection and security, and the absence of heat representing a lack of security or protection. In the following lines from Kawabata’s Thousand Cranes, it is a memory of Mrs. Ota that provides Kikuji a sense of security during a conversation with Fumiko: â€Å"Mrs. Ota’s warmth came over him like warm water. She had gently surrendered everything he remembered, and he had felt secure† (Kawabata 36). In Woman at Point Zero, Saadawi uses the warmth of Firdaus’ uncle’s arms as an image for love in the form of protection in the following lines: â€Å"During the cold winter night, I curled up in my uncle’s arms like a baby in its womb. We drew warmth from our closeness† (Saadawi 21). This passage provides an even greater sense of protection through Saadawi’s use of the simile, â€Å"like a baby in its womb† (21). The second form of love expressed through the use of heat and cold imagery in both works is comfort. In Woman at Point Zero, heat is used in order to provide comfort to Firdaus who is â€Å"shivering with cold† and â€Å"soaked in rain† (63). The third and final form of love expressed through the use of heat and cold imagery in Thousand Cranes and Woman at Point Zero is that of intimate relations. It is f... ...ng used simultaneously with the cold imagery. Both in the beginning of the book when she first sits down to speak with Firdaus and when she is about to get up, Saadawi refers to there being a â€Å"coldness which did not reach my body†, and says, â€Å"It was the cold of the sea in a dream. I swam through its waters. I was naked and knew not how to swim. But I neither felt its cold, nor drowned in its waters† (107). Perhaps after analyzing these two matching passages, one could make a claim that we must first humble ourselves in order to become insensitive to the coldness of this world. In the end, whether it is protection, comfort, intimacy, uneasiness, or death that Nawal El Saadawi and Yasunari Kawabata are portraying through their usage of heat and cold imagery in Woman at Point Zero and Thousand Cranes, we can easily see that both authors use heat and cold imagery as the dominant reoccurring literary device to portray feelings of love and fear and/or the lack thereof. Bibliography Kawabata, Yasunari. Thousand Cranes. Trans. Edward G. Seidensticker. Vintage Books: New York, 1996. Saadawi, Nawal El. Woman at Point Zero. Trans. Sherif Hetata. Zed Books: London, 1983.

Business Entrepreneurs :: Business Development

The entrepreneur is the pioneer, the managers the applier of existing best practices. The entrepreneur engages in strategic activity, the managers need to focus on tactical or operational activity. The entrepreneur formulates a strategy, the manager implements that strategy. Business success will depend on the continuing renewal and application of the entrepreneurial spirits. Business success depends on the application and an efficient management team. The attrition rate of any new business is extremely high. In the US, the supporter of the entrepreneurial spirit, numerous new enterprises will fail each year. However in a long-term historical perspective, business success is short-lived. Only a handful of the largest companies with break even status existing in any country at the beginning of the twentieth century will exist today. Even those enterprises that is likely to be unrecognizable as the original creations. The causes of small-business failure depending on the study cited ra nge from inadequate accounting systems to inability to cope. Finally Growth of underlying problem appears to be an overall lack of strategic management beginning with an inability to plan at strategy to reach the customer and ending with a failure to develop a system of controls to keep track performance.' What considerations should small business entrepreneurs keep in mind when they are deciding whether a company should follow a growth or a stability strategy? The launch of any new ventures, which is best undertaken with a detailed understanding of the resources available and the strategic actions needed to achieve project objectives. There should be an indication of what should be done in various contingencies. In other words, a new venture needs to be planned in a detailed manner. This is situation an above. Frequent lack of any such planning, even significant strategic management, will help to explain the extremely high attrition rate for small businesses in all types of economy. Companies may however, choose a stability strategy because the entrepreneur is mostly generating employment for family members. Providing the family a "decent living†, and being the "boss" of a firm small enough that he or she can manage it comfortably. Finally some business owners don't pursue a growth strategy because they do not want the loss of control that results from bank debt or the sale of stock to outsiders. Question 12 What are advantages and disadvantages of privatization of state- owned business? The privatization of state-owned business enterprises is likely to continue globally for most of these enterprises must expand internationally in order to survive in the increasingly global environment.

Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration

In the practice of Health Care Administration, there is an organizational hierarchy that is followed. This organizational hierarchy dictates the way duties and responsibilities are spread out over the vast number of job descriptions available at the healthcare center.Since these duties and responsibilities are given to specific healthcare providers and professionals, it is important that they all understand what the scope of their practice covers. Scope of practice, as defined by Joyce Mitchell and Lee Haroun in their textbook Introduction to Healthcare refers to a healthcare professional â€Å"understanding exactly what one is legally allowed to do in one's profession.† Scope of practice defines the parameters by which a healthcare professional can perform certain procedures, actions, and details. Such duties are usually limited by the medical education and training that one receives both in the classroom and clinical experience. As such, the medical professional is expected to display a certain amount of competency as certified by the local state regulation exams and certifications.The Healthcare Professions Council also defines scope of practice in terms of a statement of tasks.   â€Å"Scope of practice statements describe in general terms what a profession does and how it does it. On the other hand, reserved acts, defined as those â€Å"tasks and services involving a significant risk of harm,† need to be restricted, and may only be performed by professions to whom they are, on a non-exclusive basis, assigned, and so long as those performing them are acting within the scope of practice of their profession.† As such, the scope of practice can vary from state to state although the general essence of the law remains constant in order for the public to understand the governing regulations pertaining to scope of practice.Due to the gravity of the responsibility attached to each medical practitioner's position in the organization, it is ver y important for organizations and healthcare managers to specifically define and develop the responsibilities of each person who is a member of the medical staff. Each member must know exactly what duties, responsibilities, and functions are expected of him and one must never over step those boundaries.It is highly important for each medical professional's role to be defined and delegated to the right medical professional because of each function spells the difference between life and death for the client. Therefore, the healthcare administrator or Nurse Manager must, according to Helen A. Schaag, MSN, MA, RN, author of the paper on The Role of the Nurse Manager in Maintaining Quality and Managing Risk: (1) hold other RN team members accountable for appropriate delegation, and (2) hold team members accountable for the implementation of their delegated actions, provide the appropriate feedback to team members. The healthcare administrators assume all responsibility for tasks delegate d to team members. Each team member must be allowed to perform his or her outlined task at any given opportunity, but within supervision of the healthcare administrator.Once the scope of a medical practitioner's practice is violated in any way, the said healthcare professional is liable for his actions. Let us not forget that the main responsibility of a healthcare professional is to â€Å"Do no harm†. This is why a healthcare professional must only function within the boundaries set by his scope of practice. The ultimate result of the act of overstepping the boundaries of one's scope of responsibilities becomes legal in some instances.Negligence is a case that stems from an incorrectly executed action, even if under supervision, by a person who is not legally allowed to perform such methods. Healthcare professionals train for years before being given a license to perform any procedures. Therefore, they are held in higher regard than someone who has not completed the same lev el of training is.This act of negligence is commonly termed within the medical field as Malpractice. This implies a failure on the part of the medical professional to perform his duties within a certain mandated skill as displayed by persons of his training status. This usually results in injury, loss, or damage to the patient and his relatives.In any organization, the employers carry command responsibility for the actions of their employees. In the medical field, this is termed as Respondent Superior. What this means according to Mitchell and Haroun, as excerpted from the book, Introduction to Healthcare is that, † (1) A physician could be held liable for the consequences of a medical assistant administering the wrong medication, and (2) A patient suffering injuries from a fall caused by incompetence of a physical therapist assistant could be awarded damages (money to compensate for injury or loss). The supervising therapist could be financially responsible. â€Å"Therefore, the scope of practice of a healthcare professional is non-transferable due to the various life threatening and legal implications that may arise from such actions.Work CitedMitchell, Joyce and Haroun, Lee. 2005. Introduction to Healthcare. Singapore. Thomson-DelmarSchaag, Helen A. 2001. The Role of the Nurse Manager in Maintaining Quality and Managing Risk. ANA Nurse Risking Management Services. Retrieved March 17, 2007 from http://nursingworld.org/mods/archive/mod311/cerm204.htmScope of Practice Review. Part I – Volume 1. July 21, 2005. Health Professions Council. Retrieved March 18, 2007 from http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/leg/hpc/review/part-i/scope-review.html

Effect of Unethical Behavior Article Analysis

The unethical practices & behavior in today’s business accounting often goes unchecked, because the actions directly affect management or executives, since they usually control this accounting hence the results. If someone thinks their job might be in jeopardy they may falsify thinks for these members of management. As it seems obvious, falsifying or altering business documents such as sales receipts, or tampering with reports would be considered unethical practices. According to Anonymous Employee (n. d. , â€Å"Among the most common unethical business behaviors of employees are making long-distance calls on business lines, duplicating software for use at home, falsifying the number of hours worked, or much more serious and illegal practices, such as embezzling money from the business, or falsifying business records. † (para. 1). Among those situational exampleswhich include embezzlement of funds by an accountant from their employers for financial gain also include accountants receiving corporate pressure from their client to report false information and having unrealistic objectives and deadlines. An accountant may decide to work for a company even though a conflict of interest may exist. If the accountant is owed money or has a significant stake in a firm, he or she may not be the ideal individual to prepare certain companies' financial statements. † (Jacobsen, 2008, para. 10). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is legislation enacted for the protection from the unethical behaviors. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act puts rules in place to hold executives accountable for the accuracy of their organization’s financial statements. The rules that are put in place achieve harsher punishments and criminal penalties for non-compliance. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act does its best to ensure financial statements be true and correct. â€Å"Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that publicly traded companies disclose their code of ethics for senior financial officers. The Act was designed to promote honest and ethical conduct; full and accurate disclosure in periodic reports; and compliance with applicable government rules and regulations. † (Jacobsen, 2008, para. 10). Does the Sarbanes-Oxley Act completely guarantee ethically correct financial statements each and every time? References Jacobsen, R. (2008, January). Unethical Behavior In The Workplace. EzineArticles, (), . Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Unethical-Behavior-In-The-Workplace;id=954264 Anonymous Employee.(n.d.).Unethical behavior in the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.anonymousemployee.com/csssite/sidelinks/unethical_behavior.php

Alice Walker Outling

Alex Teague Language Arts outline 5-2-07 3rd period Alice Walker Outline I. Alice Walker was not only one of the most superior African American writers over the century, but also an activist in the civil rights movement, growing up in the time period where African Americans were just beginning to experience equality. In addition to her work about race, she wrote about the poor treatment that black women faced, and was often criticized for her portrayal of the black man being the bad guy. The color purple is one of her most profound books, involving racial discrimination and same-sex relationships.A lot of her novels and stories are based on her childhood experiences. II. Difficulties growing up A. She was the youngest of eight kids to parents that were sharecroppers. (source # 2) B. At the age of eight, he brother scarred and blinded her right eye with a bb gun, in a game of cowboys and Indians. C. She was constantly teased by classmates and no one in her family understood her, so sh e became shy and reclusive. (source #2) D. She was a southern black girl, growing up in a rural community, during a time when blacks had no rights. source # 3) E. Walker’s state of mind identified in the following quote, shows her perspective on her life thus far; â€Å"Black women are called, in the folklore that so aptly identifies one’s status in society, the ‘mule of the world,’ because we have been handed the burdens that everyone else –everyone else- refused to carry. † (source # 1) F. In the winter of 1965 she wrestled with suicide after deciding to have an abortion, and some of her poems recount the despair and isolation she felt at the time. (source # 1) III. Educational background A. he attended a segregated high school in Eatonton, Georgia, and she had inspiring teachers. ( source # 3) B. She first attended Spelman on a state scholarship. – During these two years she became active in the civil rights movements. (source # 2) C. After Spelman, she transferred to Sarah Lawrence College in New York. – spent her junior year in Africa as an exchange student. (source # 3) D. She has taught African American women studies to college students at Wellesley, the university of Massachusetts at Boston, Yale, Brandeis, and the university of California at Berkeley. source # 2) E. She served as a writer-in-residence for Jackson State College, now called Jackson State University, and Tougaloo College. (source #2) Civil Rights involvement A. She was invited to Martin Luther King’s home in recognition of her attendance at the youth world peace festival in Finland. (source # 2) B. She also registered black voters in Liberty County, Georgia. (source # 2) C. She worked for the New York City department of welfare. (source # 2) D. She married a white civil rights attorney. (source # 2) E.In Jackson, Mississippi she was a black history consultant for a Head Start Program. (source # 4) F. She is also an advocate fo r women’s rights. – she performed protest against the oppressive rituals of female circumcision in Africa and the Middle East. (source # 2) G. she participated in various demonstrations started but other civil rights activist. (source # 3) IV. Greatest Accomplishments A. ‘The Color Purple’ was published in 1982, and made into a motion picture in 1994. B. ‘You Can’t keep A Good Woman Down’ was published in march 1981. C. The Temple Of My Familiar’ was published in 1989. D. ‘ We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For’ in 2006. E. ‘Possessing the Secret of Joy’ was published in 1992. F. ‘Now Is The Time to Open Your Hearts’ was published in 2004. G. ‘Meridian’ was published in 1976. ^ fiction novels/books (source # 3) H. ‘The Same River Twice: Honoring The Difficult’ was published in 1996. I. ‘The Way Forward Is With a Broken Heart’ was published in 2000. J . ‘In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose’ was published in 1983. ^ nonfiction (source # 3) K. ‘Once: Poems’ was published in 1968. L. Revolutionary Petunias and Other Poems’ was published in 1973. M. ‘Goodnight, Willie Lee, I'll See You in the Morning’ was published in 1979. N. ‘Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful’ was published in 1984. O. ‘Her Blue Body Everything We Know: Earthling Poems’ was published in 1991. P. ‘Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth: New Poems’ was published in 2003. ^ poetry (source # 3) V. The Male Character A. She is often criticized for her portrayal of the black man being a violent and abusive figure, because this appearance was how black men were viewed by society, coming from a black women was critical. source # 1) B. After writing the color purple she was considered a black feminist because of how she showed the black male character of society . Some say that when she received the Pulitzer prize and the American Book award for â€Å"the color purple†, ‘that the award only proved that black women writers were being awarded for bashing black men. ’ (source # 4) C. She often demonstrates the struggle and constant down fall of Black women in society during the 1950-1990’s , through her novels and poems.And she makes a spiritual connection with God and her characters in almost all the books. (source # 3) D. Some of her stories such as, The Third Life of Grange Copeland, create controversy because of her recurring theme of the suffering of black women at the hands of men. (source # 3) E. Walker explains that the depiction of these stories is not to bash black males, its to show the strength of black females and how much expected failure they have overcome. (source # 5) VI. Influences and inspirations A.In her poem, Once (1968), she writes about her experiences in the civil rights movement and her visi t to Africa, including love and suicide. – after visiting Africa in 1964 , she struggled with an unwanted pregnancy. Upon deciding to have an abortion she battled with the thought of suicide, but she soon reclaimed her life. (source # 2) B. After the accident at age eight, Alice’s eyes were opened up to the true meaning of life and she noticed relationships and how to be patient, she expresses her learning about life through these stories. source # 1) C. Walker mentions that growing up a southern black girl, in a poor rural community, she possessed the benefit of double vision; her quote†¦. – â€Å"Not only is the [black southern writer] in a position to see his own world, and its close community†¦but he is capable of knowing, with remarkably silent accuracy, the people who make up the larger world that surrounds and suppresses his own. † (source # 3) D.A major theme of Alice Walker is the preservation of black culture, and her woman characters are important aspects in demonstrating hard-earned success. (source # 3) E. Alice recounted in, Our Mothers' Gardens, that she was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s message that being a southern black meant â€Å"I †¦ had claim to the land of my birth. † (source # 3) F. She was also influenced by black writer Zora Neale Hurston, who'd wrote lively folk accounts of the thriving small, southern black community she grew up in. source # 3) VII. Alice Walker continues to write today and her legacy will live on for generations to come, as possibly the most inspirational black writer of our time. Alice’s books have two effects on people, either inspiring or a waste of time. But despite their opinion, her novels provide insight that most people would never learn in a lifetime. She even appreciates the constructive criticism from her readers, because it makes her a better writer.