Monday, December 23, 2019

The Rise of Consumer Culture Essay - 1687 Words

Consumer culture has developed over the years for many different reasons such as the demise of the social class and embourgeoisement which are both key factors in capitalism and has therefore led to the argument that consumer society merely reflects the rise of capitalism which I plan to discuss within this assignment. The origins of consumer culture have been discussed by Grant McCracken (1998) who argues that there is minimal agreement in regards to the origins of consumer society. McCracken took on the viewpoint that it would not be beneficial to look at a specific point in time in which consumer culture arose but to primarily focus on patterns of changes within culture and how these pattern of changes led to the reformation of society.†¦show more content†¦However the works of Neil Mckendrick (1982) led him to the viewpoint that consumer culture began in eighteenth century England with the commercialization of fashion which led to a mass change in people’s taste. So according to McKendrick the sudden change in people’s taste in relation to fashion during the eighteenth century meant that terminology such as ‘style’ developed and represented the shift in demand for items of clothing that was produced on a larger scale by new technology within the textile industry and marketing to a mass audience through improvements in printing technology which allowed and supported mass advertising to all members in society. The third was the development of the department store. According to McCracken the Department store changed the nature of purchasing activity because department stores essentially institutionalized consumption and changed the way in how consumers were influenced and to how much influence they were subjected to in relation to purchasing goods and services. From looking at the work of McCracken and McKendrick it is clear that the development of the consumer society came from an increase in the supply and demand mindset which is a key factor or element within a consumer society. Also the change in meaning in relation to consumption is another example of the development of the consumer culture because the term consumption was ignited through a new sense ofShow MoreRelated Consumer Culture Essay830 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"What is consumer culture?† In the late 19th, early 20th century a new phenomenon arose. Along with the development of industrial advances and urbanization of the emerging American culture was the growth and subsequent domination of the â€Å"consumer culture†. Consumer culture is a term that goes hand and hand with the American way of life today, but in those days it was a new and unique experience. Along with the development of the mail order catalog, advertising became a focal point of AmericanRead MoreConsumer Culture Film Analysis - Wall E Essay1131 Words   |  5 PagesMarina Souza ICS 392: Consumer Culture - Hildebrand 10/29/2016 Assignment #2: Consumer Culture Film Analysis – Wall-E In short words, Wall-E is the story of a robot who was designed to clean up an extremely polluted Planet Earth. This animated movie has a much larger meaning than expected – it explains what can happen to our planet if we keep consuming the way we do. As indicated by the movie, big corporations and greedy consumers destroyed our ecosystem. A planet that was full of nature, waterRead MoreThe Rise Of Social Media1248 Words   |  5 Pagesthey didn’t always put the customer first. But the technological revolution has changed the way businesses need to look at customer service. The above benefits have become even more relevant and getting the customer service culture right can make or break a business. The rise of social media There are around 7.2 billion people on the planet and nearly 3 billion are active on the Internet. From this vast audience, around 2.1 billion users are on social media and nearly 1.7 billion of them are activeRead MoreThe Modern Era Of American History1555 Words   |  7 Pagesreligion of Americans who sought to modernize culture and education and the old religion of Americans who advocated for a return to the archaic forms of living. With an end to the First World War, Americans at long last were able to concern themselves with personal matters, needs, and desires, as opposed to those of the country’s in wartime t. This development of a high value placed on self-treatment resulted in the rise of a consumer culture that entailed the rise of industry and the manufacture of goodsRead MoreStrengths And Weaknesses Of The New Zealand Owned And Operated Essay1298 Words   |  6 Pagesdue to the fact that do not have the manufacturing, marketing or financing capabilities, but consumers who chose to find a ‘better’ alternative to Mountain Dew are less likely to switch back to the brand to fulfil wants and needs, as Six-Barrel products make a satisfactory substitute for traditional carbonated drinks. See the summarised strengths and weaknesses of this minor competitor below. Strengths and weaknesses: Six-Barrel Soda Strengths †¢ Niche market positioning †¢ New Zealand Owned and operatedRead MoreAmerican Apparel Swot Analysis : American Clothing1281 Words   |  6 Pagesconscious individuals between the ages of 16-24. Taking a look at the company’s marketing and advertising it is clear that it’s linked to young consumers, using text on their ads to get across the values and messages of the company. Young consumers in Thailand make for good business opportunities making up a third of the population. This group of consumers also has disposable income that they are willing to spend on leisure, such as shopping. American Apparel is passionate about the ethical treatmentRead MoreThe Impact Of Long Term Trends On A Company s Core Focus On Coffee888 Words   |  4 Pagesslightly causing consumers to cut back on spending, Starbucks services might be one of the first things cut out of a budget. For example, when the financial crisis hit in 2007 Starbucks shares dropped eighty percent over a two year span (Perera et al., 2012, para. 1). Our daily behavior can also have an impact on Starbucks long-term trends. The cultural and social environment refers to â€Å"how and why people live and behave as they do† (Cannon et al., 2015, p.69). This affects consumer spending andRead MoreHannah Hoch and James Rosenquist --Insiders and Outsiders of Consumerism and Gender 1551 Words   |  7 PagesWith the rise of industrialization, globalization, and mass production, the manufacturing productivity has been dramatically increased and accordingly the availability of consumer goods. And with the rise of the mass media, various products have been targeted on broad groups of consumers. Consumerism, which is propelled by a system of mass production and high levels of consumption, has been one of the themes in art works from twentieth century till now. In regard to consumerism and genderRead MoreThe Portrayal Of Heterosexual Love1669 Words   |  7 Pagesexploring the power that romantic fiction in pop culture has on society and it role it plays in sex. Next, the phenomenon that is known as, love at first sight will be dissected looking at why this type of storyline is so popular. Following, submission in relationships as portrayed in film will Leading into the cycle of repression based on Sedgwick’s model of repression. Research Questions: Why is romantic fiction so popular among women? How is pop culture so influential on society? RepresentationRead MoreThe And Dissemination Of Cultural Values, Ideologies, And Hierarchies832 Words   |  4 Pagescultural values, ideologies, and hierarchies is as varied as the historian. Again semantics and semiotics, important issues to understand the full web of the â€Å"word-concept† culture, dominate much of the theory and practice. The most common debates are over naming eras and redefining terms like popular, culture, popular culture, etc. Despite the debate, the historiography maintains four important foci for the construction of cultural values: industrialization and the Progressive Era, the influence

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Peer Gynt Free Essays

Peer Gynt Response Paper The story of â€Å"Peer Gynt† helps explore the state of mind of the self throughout the adventures of Peer Gynt, it also projects the human soul beyond the limits of time. In Peer’s words â€Å"I don’t know what I’m looking for† (Ibsen ) show that he is a young man experimenting with life by taking on various roles and disguises. In this respect, the story of Peer Gynt can be read as a psychological drama. We will write a custom essay sample on Peer Gynt or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, the presence of figures such as the trolls, the Boyg and sphinx illustrates that the play is also mythological. â€Å"Peer Gynt† is as well characterized by religious concerns and it is also metaphysical to some extent. This is pointed out through the way Peer lives through his dreams and attains salvation through Solveig. The first part of the play is Peer in his own society, an outcast, who needs to escape from a society that is restricting him. Weaving of tales is very important in this play since it is through his dreams that Peer will become emperor of the world. Only Peer knows how to create an imaginative world. To get out of his present state of poverty, Peer Gynt resorts to tale-telling to uplift himself and his mother from the cruelty of society. People become what they are because of society and the way it functions. The international travels of Peer shows a man who yearns for freedom from home, and pursues his dreams of power, sexual fulfilment, never growing old. These are the dreams of most people. Peer Gynt’s physical journey is also his mental journey through which he enters a process of discovering the human self. Peer’s quest is not so specific and in his pursuit he ultimately comes face-to-face with the search for identity. Peer steals away Ingrid during her wedding ceremony, only to abuse her and discard her. After this pitiful act he is forced to flee the village. This leads Peer to descend into the world of the trolls, where he finds the Green Woman, the Troll King’s Daughter. Descent in the world of the trolls, for Peer Gynt is the descent into an irrational world where only desires matter. The fact that Peer Gynt tries to to love the troll maidens so as to enter the troll kingdom shows that he is losing his bearings. There is a kind of beast or not civilized feeling which is represented through the trolls. Their world is the exact opposite of the world of morality. In act 2, we find Peer is simultaneously in the human world and the supernatural world (Solveig and the trolls). Ibsen’s dramatic psychology also centers upon the figure of the troll who are extremely self-centred. In most humans there is a troll, and that Ibsen’s play masterly shows this. This quote from the Boyg ,† He was too strong; women have saved him! † (Ibsen ) represents the better part of Peer’s nature takes up to him when Solveig comes to him. Peer Gynt as a self can only trust his own goodness when that goodness is reflected in someone else. The fact that he goes to help his mom through death shows the positive aspect of his nature. As his mother dies, Peer, across language, takes her through an imaginative world by weaving a tale of beauty. The complex bond between mother and son is there through imagination. The bonds with his past are severed with the death of his mother. Solveig and Ase are symbolical of human ties which make Peer Gynt and they save his soul many a time. However, Peer enters the lowest pits of mental, physical and spiritual degeneration when he takes up the sea journey. Peer fills the air with exaggerated stories and complete untruths. The fourth act which opens in Morocco is dramatically highly entertaining and it introduces themes which have to do with international problems. It makes visible the gradual want of Peer Gynt to become the emperor of the world. He comes out as a cynical businessman. From the peak of success, he encounters opposition, greed and treachery. He falls to the depth of the materialistic business man (slave trade) which makes him lose his soul. Peer Gynt simultaneously enters the world of pyramids and the netherworld he has created by entering the asylum. It represents the irrational uniqueness he wanted to attain. The beauty and sanity of the world he left behind now become more apparent. As Peer journeys through a landscape of his own disordered and crazy imagination. Peer’s, progress through the world becomes a spiritual regression. Spiritual exhaustion becomes a manifest as paralyzed moral will, non-commitment to a set of values, as self-alienation, depersonalization. Duplication and regression are the conditions the spirit is doomed to if it accepts the troll condition of â€Å"to thyself be enough† instead of the human â€Å"to thyself be true. † (Ibsen ) The shock to see mental isolation of individuals, of death propels Peer Gynt to move upwards. They put him back on the route to return. Being true to yourself is to seek for autonomy. We must note the fact that when he is robbed of all his property, Peer prays to God for help and his yacht mysteriously blows up with all on board. This evokes a feeling of mysticism. Through the quote â€Å"My world is ugly and happiness over,† (Ibsen ) Peer looks back upon his wasted life and peels an onion, he lets each layer represent a different role he has played but finds no core. Peer finally discovers that his ‘true self’ dissolved due to his self-seeking and ruinous lifestyle. By deserting family ties, Peer Gynt entered the worst stages of moral and physical decline. It is well known that it is relationships which make the identity, the self. Peer Gynt existed more genuinely in Solveig’s imagination and it is because of her faith, hope and love that he does not go to hell. Redemption comes through the love of Solveig which has endured and remained pure and untainted. Around Peer Gynt, who is a mythical figure in Norway, is a world and its people and also native myths, politics and religion. The play is a huge journey which has psychology but it also explores other edges of life. Bibliography Ibsen , Henrik. Peer Gynt. Mineola : Dover publications, 2003. eBook. How to cite Peer Gynt, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Giraldi Cinthios Essay Example For Students

Giraldi Cinthios Essay The play, Othello was written by William Shakespeare in the later years of his career. Giraldi Cinthios, Tale of a Moor, based Othello on a story that was a mellow Drama, about a moor and his doubts about his wifes fidelity. In Shakespeares play the Moor (Othello) convinced by his jealous aid (Iago) that his wife (Desdemona) is not Being faithful. Iagos jealousy is motivated by his anger when he learns that Cassio of Florentine has been appointed Governor of Cyprus. He felt that he deserved this promotion and vowed to seek revenge against Othello. Othello being a Moor commanding the armies of Venice is a celebrated general and heroic figure whose free and open nature will enable Iago to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona into a powerful jealousy. Iago is Othellos ensign, and Shakespeares greatest villain. His public face of honesty and bravery conceals a satanic delight in manipulation and destruction. . The crucial moment in the play is the scene where Iago deceives Othello and induces him to fall. He does this by expanding the tactics used in prior scenes. Iago plants the seed of doubt in the Moors mind when he says, Ha! I like that not (III, iii) as they came upon Cassio and Desdemona talking. He then retreats into a guise as honest Iago as he did in the brawl (II, ii). When he was the reluctant truth teller who must have unpleasant news dragged from him by a determined Othello. The honesty by him being reluctant to speak is reinforced by the moralizing tone he takes with his commander. Iago actually lectures Othello about his jealousy the green-eyed monster and insisting that hell not speak slander he that filches from me my good name / Robs of that which not enriched him / And makes me poor indeed (III, iii). At the same time he is playing upon Othellos insecurities by lecturing him on how Venetian women are deceitful and treacherous by nature. The seizure of the handkerchief is a great achievement for Iago in his quest to destroy Othello and was aided by his wife, who apparently has no scruples about betraying her mistress in small matters. Shakespeare will eventually transform Emilia into a voice of moral outrage, and by the final scene the audience will applaud her role in Iagos destruction, but for now she is Iagos accomplice. It will take a great shock to inspire outrage against him-a shock that comes to late. Othellos accusations and refusal to accept Desdemonas denials are brutal and unfair, but his language recovers some of the nobility that it had lost in previous scenes. Iagos like sorrowful laments for what has been lost replace curses, and the audience is reminded of the heroism and dignity that Othello possessed at the beginning of the play. His cry o, thou weed, / Who art so lovely fair, and smellst so sweet, / That the scene aches at thee-would thou hadst neer / been born! (IV, ii) is a powerful expression of the love that he still holds for his wife, which has been ruined for ever by Iagos poisons. Othello is terr ibly wrong, but what Shakespeare demands that we sympathize with his error. Othellos words as he prepares to murder Desdemona reveal the extent to which he has allowed Iagos logic to dominate his own thinking. His fury has abated, but he is left with a sense of being an instrument of divine justice. Desdemona must die, because she has betrayed him. Othellos self-delusion is so strong that he believes himself to be merciful. He will not scar her body and he will allow her to pray because he says, I would not kill thy soul (V, ii). The actual murder is one of the most painful scenes in all of Shakespeares plays, because of Desdemonas manifest innocence, beauty, and purity. She proclaims to continue are love for Othello to the grave and beyond, returning to life only to gasp out exoneration for her husband. He rejects are last gift, but his illumination arrives quickly thereafter, and the audiences anger at the Moor dissipates as he is completely undone by the realization of his .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 , .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .postImageUrl , .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 , .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:hover , .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:visited , .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:active { border:0!important; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:active , .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256 .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u68d5494a722a9f59c42ad3058ba7a256:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Antigone as Tragic Hero in Sophocles' Antigone Ant Essay

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Wolfgang Mozart an Example by

Wolfgang Mozart I. Introduction Need essay sample on "Wolfgang Mozart" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer. One of the outstanding masters of the Classical period, he composed works in almost every form. His masterpieces for the piano, symphony orchestra, and operatic stage are favorites in the standard repertoire People Very Often Tell EssayLab writers: I'm not making my way to delivering a topics essay before the deadline. Someone keep me from losing control! Click On Order Button And Get Set To Be Impressed University Essay Writing Service Write My Essay Online Reviews Writes Paper For You Is It Illegal To Write Papers For Money II. Background A. His Life Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, where his father, Leopold Mozart (1719-1787), was a composer and violinist serving the archbishop. Young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began his musical studies with his father when four years old. He played the clavichord and harpsichord, and composed minuets and other pieces. At the age of six the boy, with his sister Marianne, gave concerts in Munich and Vienna. In the next three years Mozart visited London, Paris, and other cities, delighting the courts with his technical skill and amazing powers of improvisation. In Vienna in 1768, Mozart wrote his first opera, la finta semplice, at the request of the emperor. Court intrigues, however, prevented its production until the following year in Salzburg. At 13, Mozart became director of concerts for the archbishop of Salzburg. During the next decade Mozart composed numerous works and visited Milan, Rome, and other Italian cities. In 1772, the archbishop died. His successor cared little for music or for Mozart. After many disagreements, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart left Salzburg in 1781 and settled in Vienna. The following year he married Constanze Weber. Although many commissions came his way, Mozart was unable to secure a good court position. He struggled to earn a living by teaching, giving concerts, and composing light dance music. The Marriage of Figaro, produced in 1786, was followed the next year by another operatic masterpiece, Don Giovanni. In 1788 the emperor gave him a minor court appointment. During six weeks that same year, Mozart composed his last three symphonies---those in C (the Jupiter), E Flat, and G minor. He wrote the opera Costi Fan Tutte in 1790. In the last year of his life Mozart composed The Magic Flute, an opera, and Requiem Mass, a choral work written almost as if in anticipation of his own death. it was unfinished at the time of his death and was completed by his pupil Sussmayr. Suffering from illness and overwork, Mozart died in Vienna at the age of 35. He was buried in an unmarked paupers grave. The Marriage of Figaro is a comic opera in four acts by Mozart. The Libretto, written by Lorenzo de Ponte, is based on a comedy by De Beaumarchais. The opera was first performed, in Vienna, in 1786. The overture and the aria Deh vieni non tardar are popular selections. The Marriage of Figaro continues the story told in Beaumarchais The Barber of Seville. It takes at the palace of Count Almaviva near Seville in the 17th century. Figaro, the popular barber, is now the counts valet. A complicated plot of love affairs develops before Figaro can marry Susanna, the maid. The Magic Flute, an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Mozart. Emmanuel Schikaneder wrote the libretto, which is in German. The Magic Flute is a singspiel, an opera that has spoken dialogue, instead of recitatives, connecting the arias. An allegory and political satire, The Magic Flute symbolizes the ideals of Freemasonry. The story takes place in ancient Egypt. With the help of a magic flute, the love of Prince Tamino and Pamina, daughter of the evil Queen of the Night, triumphs after Tamino has passed a series of tests. The opera was first performed in Vienna, in 1791. Don Giovanni, a comic opera in two acts also written by Mozart. The Libretto in Italian, based on the story of the legendary lover Don Juan, was written by Lorenzo da Ponte. Don Giovanni was first performed in Prague in 1787, where it was an immediate success. Popular selections from the opera are the overture, the minuet, the arias Il mio tesoro and Deh, Vieni alla finestra, and the duet La ci darem la mano. B. His Music Mozart was not an innovator or reformer. The many tours he made as a child prodigy taught him a variety of musical styles. Absorbing these styles, he created one of his own. His music, marked by melodic richness, reflects a variety of emotions. He often expressed deep and passionate feeling. Mozart composed more than 600 works but did not use opus numbers. In the 19th century his works were arranged chronologically by Ludwig von Kochel, an Austrian nobleman. They are usually identified by K, or Kochel, numbers. In his instrumental works Mozart brought Classical form to perfection. A piano virtuoso, he composed many works for his own performance. He was the first great master of the concerto, composing more than 25 piano concertos including those in D minor and A major. He also wrote many string quartets and piano sonatas. Of Mozarts more than 40 symphonies, the six written in his last 10 years are the most popular. They are the Haffner in D, Linz in C, Prague in D, and three composed in the summer of 1788. Other instrumental works include divertimenti, serenades including Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and dance music. His chamber music includes the so-called Haydn and Prussian string quartets. Mozart was the foremost opera composer of his days. His comic and grand operas both are marked by sharp musical characterization and dramatic intensity. References: Einstein, Alfred. Mozart: His Character, His Work. Oxford University, 1945. Sadie, Stanley, editor. The New Grove Mozart. Norton, 1983. Mozart. New Standard Encyclopedia. Page 593-594. Volume 11.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Animal Cells, Tissues, Organs and Organ Systems

Animal Cells, Tissues, Organs and Organ Systems The building blocks of all matter, atoms and molecules, form the substrate for the increasingly complex chemicals and structures that make up living organisms. For example, simple molecules like sugars and acids combine to form more complex macromolecules, such as lipids and proteins, which in turn are the building blocks for the membranes and organelles that make up living cells. In order of increasing complexity, here are the basic structural elements that, taken together, make up any given animal: Basic Structural Elements atomssimple moleculesmacromoleculesmembranesorganellescellstissuesorgansorgan systemsanimal The cell, toward the middle of this list, is the basic unit of life. It is within the cell that the chemical reactions necessary for metabolism and reproduction take  place. There are two basic kinds of cells, prokaryotic cells (single-celled structures that do not contain a nucleus) and eukaryotic cells (cells that contain a membranous nucleus and organelles that perform specialized functions). Animals are composed exclusively of eukaryotic cells, though the bacteria that populate their intestinal tracts (and other parts of their bodies) are prokaryotic. Eukaryotic cells have the following basic components: A plasma membrane that forms the outermost boundary layer of the cell, separating the cells internal processes from the external environment.Cytoplasm, which consists of the semifluid substance called cytosol as well as various organelles.A well-demarcated nucleus, which contains the animals chromosomes inside a nuclear membrane. Organ Systems During the development of an animal, eukaryotic cells differentiate so they can perform specific functions. Groups of cells with similar specializations, and which perform a common function, are referred to as tissues. Organs (examples of which include lungs, kidneys, hearts, and spleens) are groups of several tissues that function together.  Organ systems are groups of organs that work together to perform a specific function; examples include skeletal, muscular, nervous, digestive, respiratory, reproductive, endocrine, circulatory, and urinary systems.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Attitudes Against Homosexual Women in Rural Areas

Attitudes Against Homosexual Women in Rural Areas Issues in Sexuality Coming out and living as lesbians and gay men in regional and rural areas (Peer-Reviewed) Hypothesis The attitudes and perspectives about homosexuality in Western society have undergone through periods of both tolerance/acceptance as well as periods in which gay men and lesbians were looked down upon or even prosecuted. This paper tests the hypothesis that the negative attitudes against women are exacerbated in rural areas (Gottschalk., 2008). Data collection The study was mainly conducted through questionnaires and interviews. Profile of Group Researched The respondents in the study were recruited at random from lesbian and gay social groups. However, since a concise demographic profile of the gay men and lesbian population did not exist in some regions in Victoria, this research cannot claim to be representative to all homosexual persons in this region (Gottschalk., 2008). Table 1 Age of Respondents at time of study Women Men Age n = 55 % n = 40 % Less than 20 2 3.6 5 12.9 20 to 24 7 12.6 7 17.9 25 to 34 14 25.4 9 23.1 35 to 44 22 40.2 16 41.0 45 to 54 8 14.6 0 0 55 or older 2 3.6 2 5.1 Missing value 1 Results Table 2 The age of first realization of same-sex attraction Age Women % Men % Less than 10 16.4 23.1 10 to 14 29.1 35.9 15 to 19 29.1 33.3 20 to 24 3.6 0 25 to 34 12.7 5.1 35 to 44 5.5 2.6 45 to 54 3.6 0 55 or older 0 0 According to the table 2 above, it was found that while more women than men formed their sexual identity during the adult stages, more men than women identified themselves as homosexuals at a younger age. Table 3 Marital Status Women Men Marital status n = 55 % n = 40 % Never married 28 50.9 32 82.1 Currently married 4 7.3 4 10.2 previously married 23 41.8 3 7.7 Missing value 1 It was found that 41.8% of lesbians had been married previously compared to 7.7% of men. Table 4: Current Relationship status Women Men    n % N=39 % Not in a relationship at present 20 36.4 23 59.0 In a relationship with a woman 34 61.8 0 0 In a relationship with a man 1 1.8 16 41.0 The study found that 61.8% of women were currently in a relationship as compared to only 41% of men. It was also found that findi ng partners in rural areas was more difficult compared to urban areas (Gottschalk., 2008). Interpretation and conclusion The study shows that both young people as well as those who form their homosexual identities during adulthood do so in a stigmatized social environment. It confirms that gay men and lesbians in rural regions face more challenges as compared to those living in urban areas. The respondents in the study agree that what is deemed as absence of services and support in rural areas has made embracing a gay or lesbian lifestyle more difficult. This is due to the higher rate of hostility, discrimination, and social stigma combined with negative stereotypes (Gottschalk., 2008). Homophobic? Maybe You are Gay (Popular Media) Hypothesis In an article published by the New York Times in April 2012, the question is raised as to why public figures so often in the frontline of anti-gay rights campaigns are found in same-sex partner scandals. The article generally proposes that when homosexual urges are repressed due to fear or shame, these urges can manifest themselves as homophobia. This process is known as ‘reaction formation.’ This refers to the fight with one’s external environment against feelings that have been inwardly repressed. The articles hypothesis is quite compelling, even offering an example Ted Haggard, a well-known evangelist who advocated against homosexuality and termed it a sin. During his apology speech for his involvement in homosexuality he admitted that he advocated so strongly against homosexuality so fiercely partially due to his struggle with it (Ryan & Ryan, 2012).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Write a 5-10 page paper that addresses the assignment questions

Write a 5-10 page paper that addresses the questions - Assignment Example Extraversion refers to arrange of activities, the urgency of activities falling outside the team context as well as using external approaches to energy creation. Conscientiousness is the habit of depicting self-discipline, acting in a responsible manner and aiming at extraordinary achievements. Openness to experience is the appreciation of emotions, adventures, new ideas and diversity in experience. Finally, neuroticism refers to the habit of experiencing negative emotions like anxiety, anger, as well as depression (Lussier & Achua, 2010). In the marketing game, I saw participants who lost control of their emotions due to the attempt of the other team members to intimidate them thus leading to declining in the overall productivity of these participants. Interestingly, other team members were able to keep up with self-control even in the face of situations that a typical employee would use to act in a different manner. Also, there were team members who could not just cope with the diversities within the team. Many were the instances whereby a team member would propose a new idea only for other people to ridicule the idea. The same team had members who depicted the belief that connecting with other people in a work context brings about heightened productivity alongside a respect-filled work environment. Further, there were members who were free to communicate new ideas thus conveying an ever-learning attitude, and ready to share the new discoveries with team members. Overall, the aforementioned behaviors were to a great extent influenced by variables like emotional stability, personality, readiness to learn new skills and diversity in conjunction with enterprise-based variables like job structure and design, resources and leadership. In a typical work context, the group that was able to keep calm even during potentially intimidating moments would hint managers of working with a lot that is adaptable to pressure,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Talktime Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Talktime Inc - Essay Example This depicts formal authority and establishes how critical decisions are to be made. As the company has grown over the years, it has added a lot of staff to its teams and majority of them are hired on a permanent basis. This has added to the cost for the organization because of the additional training cost and remuneration of the new employees. Besides that, the permanent employees that have been with the company for many years do not like changes and are extremely resistant if any new change is brought about. This has become extremely detrimental for the company. Talktime also has rigid rules and procedures that have to be followed under all circumstances and deviations from the usual is not encouraged. There is no delegation whatsoever and every action has to be taken with the permission of the boss and the employees are not given the authority to do any thing at their own discretion. The tall structure of the organization also fosters a great degree of centralization where all the power and authority lies with the top management; this has brought about inefficiency and slow decision making. As Talktime is a telecom company, it has to keep abreast with the latest technological advances to be innovative and provide the best to its customers. However in recent years, it has been lagging behind in this department because the top management has huge job responsibilities and it is difficult for them to keep up technologically and make timely decisions. Talktime's organizational structure has brought about an individualistic culture where employees are only concerned with themselves and lack of communication causes a lot of friction and conflict in groups and teams. Employees are usually required to do mundane routine tasks and not empowered to initiate something on their own. There's also workforce diversity that causes jealousy and conflict among them. The reward system is also very rigid; very rarely is an employee rewarded in the form of a bonus or the like for a job well done; they are just paid their monthly salaries. This has made employees extremely de-motivated and frustrated and they feel threatened by any co-worker performing better than them and getting positive feedback from the manager. Conflict often arises when teamwork is essential and difference of opinion surface. This conflict results in poor performance and hampers the growth of the organization as a whole. The departments are inter-related and often two departments are working simultaneously or one department is dependant on the other, to begin work. The goals of each department are different and conflict occurs when the best solution for one department is harming the other department. Other than that, the resources of the organization are also limited and when two departments require the same resources, conflict occurs when one department feels that its needs are more important than the other. All this leads to constant quarreling, anger and bad performance overall. This is the reason why Talktime's performance has been suffering over the recent years and negative word has spread about it in the industry. As a human resource manager, the first thing that needs to done is to restructure the organization. The tall structure has been pre-dominant for many years and it is time now to bring about a change. It will be replaced by a flat structure where there are fewer

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Reaction to Transcendentalism Essay Example for Free

Reaction to Transcendentalism Essay After reading the Transcendentalist works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, I was surprised at my reaction to them. From what I had originally heard, the Transcendentalist works were boring essays. However, after reading them, I discovered that I can relate to many things that Emerson and Thoreau discuss in their papers. Though I liked Emerson more than I liked Thoreau, both of them impressed me with their ability to take such a strong stand on issues that most people can identify with. One Transcendentalist piece that we read was Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson. This excerpt describes Emersons views on nature and how it affects man. He says that in nature, man becomes like a child and is able to enjoy a perfect exhilaration. When he experiences the calm and peacefulness of nature, Emerson feels as though he has returned to reason and faith and has found his true self. He then goes on to describe how he becomes a transparent eyeball, seeing all but not being seen himself; it is as if he is invisible. After reading this, I was a little confused by his language and strange metaphors. But then I realized that Emerson is right. When we take a hike, or go for a walk, we are experiencing nature the way are meant to experience it. We can go back to our roots and find the perfect way to fit in with our surroundings, to harmonize with the world around us. This excerpt made me think of the peace and calm of a perfectly harmonized world. Another piece we read was Self-Reliance, also by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I also enjoyed reading this piece because it discusses a humans urge to be himself, even when society and civilization try to stop us. He says that without trying no one ever knows what he is truly capable of. If we let the influence of others affect us, we can never really experience our lives the way we were created to. We are also sometimes afraid to express our whole selves, and we are ashamed of that divine idea with each of us represents. I can relate to this quote directly, because I am sometimes ashamed of things in my life that I should be proud of. Emerson brings up conformity and societys constant pressure to fit the mold, but then he says that if we want to be true men (or women), we must be nonconformists. We cannot allow someone to tell us how to act, and we cannot be afraid to be misunderstood, for many people who are famous today were misunderstood during their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this excerpt, because it touched on topics that I seem to experience in my own life and let me know that others have the same problems finding strength in themselves as I do. The next piece to discuss is Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. In this essay, Thoreau lashes out against the American government in response to the Mexican War, which is being fought at that time. He discusses the corruption that the government can undergo, and how it is in fact hindering the people instead of helping them achieve their goals. He asks for a better government which will work for the benefit of the people rather than its own benefit. Thoreau also claims that, in the future, a government may not even be necessary at all, for the people are strong enough to run themselves. I agree with certain parts of Thoreaus ideas, but not all of them. My initial reaction to Civil Disobedience was one of anger for Thoreaus traitorous remarks. However, I have to admit that governments are at many times corrupt and work for themselves rather than for the people. The Transcendentalist authors wrote about their views on life, government, and human nature. After reading some of their work, I am amazed that I could actually relate to some of the ideas they discussed, especially Ralph Waldo Emersons. Although some of the language is hard to understand and the descriptions take some time to comprehend, the essays opened me up to a world where people wrote down exactly how they felt and wanted to use those feelings to make a difference. The Transcendentalists impressed me, which is something I never would have expected.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Comparing William Faulkners Short Stories, A Rose for Emily and Dry Se

Comparing William Faulkner's Short Stories, A Rose for Emily and Dry September Three key elements link William Faulkner's two short stories "A Rose for Emily" and "Dry September": sex, death, and women (King 203). Staging his two stories against a backdrop of stereotypical characters and a southern code of honor, Faulkner deliberately withholds important details, fragments chronological times, and fuses the past with the present to imply the character's act and motivation. The characters in Faulkner's southern society are drawn from three social levels: the aristocrats, the townspeople, and the Negroes (Volpe 15). In "A Rose for Emily," Faulkner describes Miss Emily Grierson in flowing, descriptive sentences. Once a "slender figure in white," the last descendent of a formerly affluent aristocratic family matures into a "small, fat woman in black, with a thin gold chain descending to her waist and vanishing into her belt, leaning on an ebony cane with a tarnished gold head" (Faulkner, Literature 25-27). Despite her diminished financial status, Miss Emily exhibits her aristocratic demeanor by carrying her head high "as if she demanded more than ever the recognition of her dignity as the last Grierson" (28). In an equally descriptive manner, Faulkner paints a written portrait of Miss Minnie Cooper in "Dry September." He portrays her as a spinster "of comfortable people - not the best in Jefferson, but good enough people" and "still on the slender side of ordinary looking, with a bright faintly haggard manner and dress (Faulkner, Reader 520). Cleanth Brooks sheds considerable insight on Faulkner's view of women. He notes that Faulkner's women are "the source and sustainer of virtue and also a prime source of evil. She can be ... ...uth. Works Cited Brooks, Cleanth. "William Faulkner: Visions of Good and Evil." Faulkner, New Perspectives. Ed. Richard H. Brodhead. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey : Prentice-Hall, 1983. ---. Modern Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House,1986. Faulkner, William. "Dry September." The Faulkner Reader. New York; Random House, 1954. ---. "A Rose for Emily." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 5th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1991. ---. Selected Letters of William Faulkner. Ed. Joseph Blotner. New York: Random House, 1977. Kazin, Alfred. Bright Book of Life. Boston: Little Brown Company, 1973. King, Richard H. Modern Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Reed, Joseph. Modern Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Volpe, Edmond. A Reader's Guide to William Faulkner. New York: Octagon, 1974.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Native North Americans: Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group

One often wonders where the Native North Americans originated from. Some theories have been discussed about the peopling of the Americas. Early theories involving lost tribes and continents were based purely on speculation instead of actual scientific facts. Discoveries made during many archeological expeditions have helped shape the always changing interpretations by adding more questions and more theories. There have been genetic and linguistic studies which raised more understanding and brought new questions. It is theorized that during the latter part of the Cenozoic era, also known as the age of mammals that the Wisconsin glaciation caused enough of the planet’s water supply to turn into ice. This lowered the oceans and exposed now submerged land. This event created a stretch of land that the large mammals of the Ice Age era, along with the natives of that era, could very well have migrated across the newly formed land bridge, which now connected two continents. This land bridge is known as the Bering Strait, or Beringia. During the time that Beringia existed, the Wisconsin glaciers most likely prohibited migration to any southern or eastern regions. Another theory suggests that the early natives may have inhabited the now Alaskan region because it was ice-free due to low precipitation. Several melts over a period of time created passageways, and evidence from archeological site implies that there was an ice-free corridor for thousands of years. It was during another melt approximately ten thousand years ago, that a second corridor was most likely formed farther east along the borders of Saskatchewan and Canada plains. This points to the possibility that the ancient people could have traveled eastward along the rivers in the Great Plains, and down further south. The Indians known to history as the Sioux are also known as Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota, meaning allies. This is my heritage. I am a member of the largest division of Siouan family, otherwise known as Sioux. The name is from a term given to the largest and well- known of the tribal groups. At one time, my people stretched from the west banks of the Mississippi northward from Arkansas and the Rocky Mountains. The Dakotas also inhabited territory east of the river up to Wisconsin and Missouri. They were here to encounter DeSoto on his journey in 1541, when he reached the Indian villages in what is now eastern Arkansas. Another hundred years passed before any mention of Sioux existing, when in 1658 some Jesuit missionaries heard of the existence of about thirty Dakota villages just north of a Potawatomi mission. This was located at about the head of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in St. Michael. It was during the middle 1600’s when the Sioux, along with the Arapaho and Cheyenne had to migrate further westward towards the Great Plains to what is known as North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. This migration was mainly due to the O jibwa and Chippewa tribes pushing them out of the Great Lakes region. The Ojibwa and Chippewa had been pushed out of their own land that had been further east, by the European settlers of that time. In 1805 Lewis and Clark passed through the center of this region and made contact with the Sioux tribes. After this took place, several more expeditions brought traders that settled among the tribes, and in the course of some time, permanent settlers arrived. This made the area so small that eventually the people of my tribe were forced to live in Indian Territories or confined to Nebraska, the Dakotas, or Montana. This brought on a series of raids and counter raids that lasted from roughly 1850 through 1890 and were known as the Sioux Wars. In the first years of the twentieth century, the Dakotas also known as Tetons began the process of adapting to their new way of life. They still had strong faith in their own traditions, but realized that the old way was gone forever. Numerous changes with the economy and politics were forced on my people by the government. The people strived to establish a life for themselves that used both new changes, but still remained true to their values and beliefs. During the rest of the twentieth century, all of the reservations for the Dakotas, Lakotas, and Tetons lost more land due to ownership passes and inheritances. Division between rural dwellers and people who live in town have grown bigger. Rural residents tend to retain their use of native language, and be involved in cultural events, when townspeople adapt other aspects of the American culture. Most of the Sioux nation and other groups of American Indians live in South Dakota, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and North Dakota at present time on privatized land created by the government many years ago. Wendy Coghill

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Jesus Camp

â€Å"Jesus Camp† A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement. â€Å"Jesus Camp† follows three home-schooled Missouri kids—12-year-old mullet-haired Levi, who was saved at 5; 10-year-old soldier's daughter Tory, who loves dancing to Christian heavy metal; and 9-year-old Rachael, who breathlessly approaches strangers to talk about Christ—to Pastor Becky Fischer’s â€Å"Kids on Fire† summer camp in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. At this camp, kids as young as six years old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in â€Å"God’s army. † The film follows these children at camp as they hone their â€Å"prophetic gifts† and are taught how to â€Å"take back America for Christ. † Wielding everything from PowerPoint to plush toys to illustrate the wages of sin, the impassioned Fischer has a clear-eyed view of children as malleable material, ripe for the inculcating. When they are not speaking in tongues, pledging allegiance to the Christian flag, or blessing a cardboard cutout of George W. Bush, the kids rally round to hear Fischer and others entreat them to â€Å"join the war,† â€Å"fix the sick world,† and fight abortion. The film looks into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America’s political future. The fundamentalist revival is a concept that can be associated with â€Å"Jesus Camp. † While many of the large, mainline churches have lost members, other churches (such as the Evangelical Christian churches) have gained members. Contrary to mainline Protestants, Evangelical Christians emphasize a literal interpretation of the Bible. They also stress emotional demonstrativeness rather than quiet, inward devotion at church services (Thio, 2007, pp. 354). For instance, the kids who attended â€Å"Kids on Fire† summer camp spoke in tongues, pledged allegiance to the Christian flag, and blessed a cardboard cutout of George W. Bush instead of quietly praying during church services. Bibliography Thio, Alex. 2007. Society Myths and Realities; An Introduction to Sociology. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on The Shawl

Rosa: The Portrait of a Jew in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl† Countless stories have been written on the trials and tribulations of what the Jewish people went through while being forced into the concentration camps. The pictures brought to mind are nearly starved and hopeless people lined up for roll call, beaten or even killed on any guard’s slightest whim. Ozick certainly brings to life the hardships and heartbreak that one family faces while walking to and living in the Nazi concentration camp. Rosa, the desperate mother of two in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl,† is a classic example of a person who has realized that all hope is lost. Rosa is walking to the concentration camp with Stella and has the infant Magda hidden away â€Å"[...]between sore breasts† (Ozick 675). She is aware of what the guards would do to the child if they ever find out that Rosa has her. Rosa with her â€Å"[...]bleak complexion, dark like cholera[...]† sneaks glances at baby Magda, who has â€Å"[...]eyes blue as air, smooth feathers of hair nearly as yellow as the Star sewn into Rosa’s coat† (676). She dreams of giving Magda away, but she knows that if she left the line long enough to push Magda into a spectator’s arms, the guards will shoot her. Also, she worries that perhaps the person will not accept Magda. â€Å"She might be surprised or afraid; she might drop the shawl, and Magda would fall out and strike her head and die† (676). With these two thoughts holding her back, Rosa walks on hiding baby Magda from the world, knowing that she will be hiding the child for the rest of her lif e. By the time that Magda turns fifteen months old, she has learned to walk, just not very well. Her belly â€Å"[...]was fat with air, full and round† (677). Rosa looks at Stella and realizes exactly how unfeeling and bitter she has become. They were in a place without pity, all pity was annihilated in Rosa, she looked at Stella’s bones without pity. Sh... Free Essays on The Shawl Free Essays on The Shawl Rosa: The Portrait of a Jew in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl† Countless stories have been written on the trials and tribulations of what the Jewish people went through while being forced into the concentration camps. The pictures brought to mind are nearly starved and hopeless people lined up for roll call, beaten or even killed on any guard’s slightest whim. Ozick certainly brings to life the hardships and heartbreak that one family faces while walking to and living in the Nazi concentration camp. Rosa, the desperate mother of two in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl,† is a classic example of a person who has realized that all hope is lost. Rosa is walking to the concentration camp with Stella and has the infant Magda hidden away â€Å"[...]between sore breasts† (Ozick 675). She is aware of what the guards would do to the child if they ever find out that Rosa has her. Rosa with her â€Å"[...]bleak complexion, dark like cholera[...]† sneaks glances at baby Magda, who has â€Å"[...]eyes blue as air, smooth feathers of hair nearly as yellow as the Star sewn into Rosa’s coat† (676). She dreams of giving Magda away, but she knows that if she left the line long enough to push Magda into a spectator’s arms, the guards will shoot her. Also, she worries that perhaps the person will not accept Magda. â€Å"She might be surprised or afraid; she might drop the shawl, and Magda would fall out and strike her head and die† (676). With these two thoughts holding her back, Rosa walks on hiding baby Magda from the world, knowing that she will be hiding the child for the rest of her lif e. By the time that Magda turns fifteen months old, she has learned to walk, just not very well. Her belly â€Å"[...]was fat with air, full and round† (677). Rosa looks at Stella and realizes exactly how unfeeling and bitter she has become. They were in a place without pity, all pity was annihilated in Rosa, she looked at Stella’s bones without pity. Sh...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Census And Dating Prospects In California Assignment

Census And Dating Prospects In California - Assignment Example Women interested in identifying dating opportunities need not worry because there are men out there who are more fertile and readily available. Another important aspect in determining dating prospect from the findings of United States’ Census Bureau was the type of households in California. Families with fathers as the only parent are fewer than those that are headed by single mothers. Female-headed households accounted for 25% while families with males as the single parent in the household recorded 9%. It is advisable for men to stop worrying about women to date because the older population consists of an increased number of women who have opted out of relationships. Jerry McCain thought about moving to a college in the neighboring state, Arizona, to try his luck in finding a lady to settle down with on January 28, 2014. He will settle with his cousin Martin before finding a part-time job to sustain his marital needs and fund his wedding plans. Typically, this is not bad for a high school graduate. Compared with the reports from the estimates of American Community Survey, Arizona, with a favorable male to female ratio of 2:1, is a better hunting ground for female partners. Figures for the current year (2014) have not been released to determine the changes in proportions between the male and female populations. On a different perspective, dating prospects in California can be determined by the variations in the male and female populations in different ethnic groups. It is easy to date African American and Latino or Hispanic ladies and men between 15 and 19 years as compared to white alone, not Latino or Hispanic. For example, data recorder indicated that there are many Latino or Hispanic males and females in learning institutions for the active dating age group of 15 to 19 years. They account for 40% of the total number of school enrollments.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Anna in the tropics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Anna in the tropics - Essay Example This production response focuses of analyzing the themes, characters, subject evaluation, plot of the play, and recommendation. Story (plot description) Santiago’s cigar factory is among the famous Ybor city factories of the year 1929 and the factory is experiencing modernization with new technology posing an effect of replacing the current Cuban workers (Cruz 2010, p.5). At the beginning of the play, Santiago involves himself in a bet and finally loses his money, while his daughters and wife wait for Juan Julian arrival to read aloud to the employees. He chooses â€Å"Anna Karenina†, Tolstoy’s novel as his first choice for the workers. The women seem to be interested with the novel but Cheche and Santiago’s stepbrother seem less enthused. As the lector reads the novel deeper, those who are listening to the story also remain attentive (Cruz 2010, p.10). However, Cheche is not at all concentrating with the lector’s story, and strives to transform the entire factory. During the new cigar brand inauguration, all workers throw a party to celebrate the implementation of the new cigar that will improve their success although Cheche is highly frustrated (Cruz 2010, p.12). Character Santiago- Santiago is the cigar factory owner. Being overwhelmed with gambling troubles, he struggles a lot to ensure that his wife and two daughters receive maximum protection and provision. He also defends the nature of Cuban worker’s tradition in his cigar factory. His character trait depicts that one should be active enough to ensure good care of his family and defend his or her idea (Bryer & Hartig 2010, p.32). Anna’s husband- Anna’s husband, Karenin is a man of influence, riches, and has a good social character that at first seems to be naive about his wife’s friendship with Vronsky. After realizing the affair between his wife and Vronsky, he finds ways on how to comport himself for he tries as much to avoid scandals at an y cost. The character aspect with Karenin is that it is good to avoid scandals since they can be costly to one’s life (Maufort 2010, P. 134). Cheche- Cheche is the Santiago’s stepbrother who claims for partial ownership of the factory because of his wager winning. Ever since his wife left him for the lector’s, he remains to be dangerous to the rest of workers due to the bitterness. Cheche is highly interested in modernizing the factory operations and shows no interest with the new lector’s stories (Maufort 2010, P. 134). Ideas (the major themes of the play) One of the main themes portrayed in the play is that of violence versus reason. The first scene of the play shows a contrast of two life approaches, one reasoned and the other violent (Maufort 2010, P. 133). The play portrays violent by the cockfighting savage game, which suggests that cunning, skill, and might, will constantly win. Although Cheche depicts to be a cautious person, when it is time for g ambling, he insists the notion that physical control will triumph following reason’s failure to persuade (Maufort 2010, P. 133). For instance, Cheche takes Marela forcibly when she decides to pay no attention to his innuendo and lurid glances. On the other hand, Ofelia and Santiago do not support the idea of automating the factory because this will displace workers (Maufort 2010, P. 136). The two employ sounds reasons to support their decisions although they are

Thursday, October 31, 2019

The MacLeod Report (2009) claims that engagement strategies are Essay - 1

The MacLeod Report (2009) claims that engagement strategies are desirable for organisations and employees. With reference to aca - Essay Example 5). Engagement strategies aim at the establishment of mutual respect for what employees can be and what they can do in the organization given the right context that is beneficial for all stakeholders including the organizations, the consumers of services, and the employees themselves. Although engagement strategies are desirable for all organizations, yet they are not desirable for all employees, though for a considerable population of employees, engagement strategies are desirable. Although engagement strategies are generally desirable for the organizations, yet the same cannot be generalized for all employees. These days, many employees keep looking for employment opportunities elsewhere that would offer them better salary and job privileges rather than wanting to stay in the same organization for a very long time particularly when they are not content with their salary and/or job benefits. In the present age, there is scarcity of jobs in many industries in a vast majority of count ries around the world. In such circumstances, employees tend to avail any opportunity that they get irrespective of whether or not they are being offered sufficient salary and meanwhile, keep looking for better employment opportunities. Hence, to say that engagement strategies are desirable for all employees is not logical. According to mspb.gov (2012, p. 2), there are three components of employee engagement for the federal government, namely employees’ discretionary effort to give goal-directed performance, commitment to the organization, and employees’ satisfaction with the organization. The Corporate Leadership Council (2004) defines emotional engagement as â€Å"the extent to which employees derive pride, enjoyment, inspiration, or meaning from something or someone in the organisation. While rational commitment is defined as the extent to which employees feel that someone or something within their organizations provides financial, developmental, or professional re wards that are in their best interests† (Corporate Leadership Council, 2004). This can be stated without doubt that employees’ satisfaction has been and continues to be one of the biggest challenges in front of the management in any organization. Accordingly, the desirability of engagement strategies for the employees is limited. According to Macleod and Clarke (2009, p. 66), there are four main factors that serve as barriers to effective engagement in an organizational context; firstly, leaders either do not know what employee engagement is, what its usefulness for the organization is or they are not aware of its importance. Secondly, leaders may be interested in engagement strategies but may lack the knowledge required to address the issue. Thirdly, leaders and managers may not consent upon the idea of employee engagement. While the leaders might emphasize upon engagement strategies, managers might be ill-equipped to implement them. Consequently, the organizational cu lture cannot deliver effective engagement. Finally, leaders that do emphasize upon engagement strategies vary in their perception of and commitment to it. Many leaders tend to underestimate the potential of employee engag

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Is the U.S. Seeking to Contain Russia Research Paper - 2

Is the U.S. Seeking to Contain Russia - Research Paper Example Main Russian authorities gave a joint statement and said that both the countries are now looking to start a collaborative venture against the terrorist nuclear states in order to ensure the safety of their nations. President Obama also showed commitment to work for the U.S. Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Both countries are also working for usage of nuclear energy in the positive ways and prolific nuclear usage treaty has been signed and there are many other projects which have been started which were ceased by the former presence of America due to the August 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict (Nuclear Energy Today, 82). Many Defense analysts are of the view that US is seeking to contain Russia and the ballistic missiles in South Korea which are covering the whole DPRK and can hit up to 800 kilometers is a clear sign for that. There has been no use of these missiles in that region other than targeting Russia and China and the long-term communist avenge is taking new turns (Globalresearch, 2013). Military experts are also getting hints from the pro-NATO policies of Russia that the US has ceased the policy to contain Russia because it is no more the war of systems now as the liberal democracy has made its impact and Russians seem to accept this point and are looking forward to the peaceful coexistence. The new threat which is said as political Islam has been regarded by them as the main threat to both US and Russia. (English Pravda, 2013) In a combined meeting and conference with Afghan President in August 2008, Russian President Medvedev said that Russia is looking to start new terms and relationships with Afghanistan because both the countries have been a victim of terrorism in the past and now is the time for the peaceful way ahead.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Native Language in Foreign Language Learning

Native Language in Foreign Language Learning 1.1 Introduction The debate over whether English language classrooms should include or exclude students native language has been a controversial issue for a long time (Brown, 2000). Although the use of mother tongue was banned by the supporters of the Direct Method at the end of the nineteenth century, the positive role of the mother tongue has recurrently been acknowledged as a rich resource which, if used judiciously, can assist second language learning and teaching (Cook, 2001). Therefore, this research study tries to open up a new horizon for English instructors to find a thoughtful way to use learners mother tongue in second language teaching. The technique in which L1 was used in this study was translation from L1 to L2, a technique which was rarely used by EFL teachers. Atkinson (1987) was one of the first and chief advocates of mother tongue use in the communicative classroom. He points out the methodological gap in the literature concerning the use of the mother tongue and argues a case in favour of its restricted and principled use, mainly in accuracy-oriented tasks. In his article, Atkinson (1987) clearly stated that translation to the target language which emphasizes a recently taught language item is a means to reinforce structural, conceptual and sociolinguistic differences between the native and target languages. In his view, even though this activity is not communicative, it aims at improving accuracy of the newly learned structures. Similarly, this research aimed at investigating the effect of translation from L1 to L2 on the accurate use of the structures. The arguments in supports of using the learners mother tongue in L2 instruction clearly reveal that not only doesnt the use of first language have a negative impact on L2 learning, but it can be factor to help students improve the way they learn a second language. Although the English Only paradigm continues to be dominant in communicative language teaching , research into teacher practice reveals that the L1 is used as a learning resource in many ESL classes (Auerbach, 1993). Auerbach added that when the native language was used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Furthermore, he identifies the following uses of mother tongue in the classroom: classroom management, language analysis and presenting rules that govern grammar, discussing cross-cultural issues, giving instructions or prompts, explaining errors, and checking comprehension. Although the provision of maximum L2 exposure to the learners seems essential, L1 can be used alongside L2 as a complement. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) stated that maximizing the target language use does not and should not mean that it is harmful for the teacher to use the L1. â€Å"a principle that promotes maximal teacher use of the target language acknowledges that the L1 and target language can exist simultaneously (p. 153). Similarly, Stern (1992) stated that the use of L1 and target language should be seen as complementary, depending on the characteristics and stages of the language learning process (p. 285). On the other hand, overuse of L1 will naturally reduce the amount of exposure to L2. Therefore, attempt should be made to keep a balance between L1 and L2 use. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) acknowledges that although it is efficient to make a quick switch to the L1 to ensure, for instance, whether students understand a difficult grammar concept or an unknown word, it is crucial for teachers to use the target language as much as possible in contexts in which students spend only short periods of time in class, and when they have little contact with the target language outside the classroom. 1.2 Background to the problem The Integrated Secondary School Curriculum or Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) was planned in accordance with the National Education Philosophy. The main goal of KBSM was based on the integrated self-development with orientation towards society or nation (Mak Soon Sang, 2003). Four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing are incorporated in the English syllabus proficiency in order to meet their needs to use English in everyday life, for knowledge acquisition, and for future workplace needs (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2000). My personal experience as a learner has shown me that moderate and judicious use of the mother tongue can aid and facilitate the learning and teaching of the target language, a view shared by many colleagues of mine. However the value of using the mother tongue is a neglected topic in the TESL methodology literature. This omission, together with the widely advocated principle that the native language should not be used in the second language classroom, makes most teachers, experienced or not, feels uneasy about using L1 or permitting its use in the classroom, even when there is a need to do so. How do students and teachers look at this issue? Schweers (1999) conducted a study with EFL students and their teachers in a Spanish context to investigate their attitudes toward using L1 and in the L2 classroom. His result indicates that the majority of students and teachers agreed that Spanish should be used in the EFL classroom (Schweers 1999). Inspired by his research and driven by my own interest, the researcher decided to carry out a similar study on the use of the native language (Malay) in the Malaysian context. However, differences exist between Schweers study and mine. 1.3. Statement of the problem Many rural school students have difficulty in understanding English, and they have often found it difficult to read English books on their own (Ratnawati and Ismail, 2003). Students lack of proficiency in English deprives them of the opportunities open to those who are able to use the language well. Recently, the teaching and learning of English has been discussed widely in Malaysia. This is because the low level of English proficiency among students hinders them from acquiring knowledge globally. Students L1 are being use in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area to help them understand English better and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. Because of the students difficulty in understanding the language, teachers need to assist them thoroughly in the learning process. With the using of the L1, this will gain their interest to stay focus in the class and not being de-motivated in learning the target language. The prohibition of the native language would maximize the effectiveness of learning the target language will be a question that we need to find out. 1.4. Purposes of the study The purpose of the study is to determine whether the L1 (Malay language) are use frequently in the rural ESL classroom. The important of this study is to find out whether L1 works as an effective teaching and learning instrument. 1.5. Research questions Research questions for this study are; How frequent the Malay language was used in the Malaysian English classroom and for what purposes? Can prohibition of L1 (Malay language) maximize the interest of using English in the classroom? What are the perception of the students and the teachers towards using Malay in the English classroom? 1.6. Theoretical For this study, the researcher referred to the theory of SLA that interrelated set of hypothesis or claims about how people become proficient in a second language. In a summary of research findings on SLA, Lightbown (1985: 176-180) made the following claims: Adults and adolescents can â€Å"acquire† a second language. The learner creates a systematic inter-language that is often characterized by the same language as the first language, as well as others that appear to be based on the learners own native language. There are predictable sequences in acquisition so that certain structures have to be acquired before others can be integrated. Practice does not make perfect. Knowing language rule does not mean one will be able to use it in communicative interaction. Isolated explicit error correction is usually effective in changing language behavior. For most adult learners, acquisition stop-â€Å"fossilizes†-before the learner has achieved native-like mastery of the target language. One cannot achieve native-like or non native-like command of a second language in one hour a day. The learners task is enormous because language is enormously complex. A learners ability to understand language in a meaningful context exceeds his or her ability to comprehend de-contextualized language and to produce language of comparable complexity and accuracy. The hypothesis will be the first tool for the measurement of how the students in the rural ESL classroom comprehend with target language. Learning is a long life process so the students need a proper guide to lead them in gaining the language proficiency. There are some modifications that need to be made in using these hypotheses so it will be suit to the learners need in the rural area. There are some mistakes that made by the learners that due to interference from their first language and the learners errors should be corrected as soon as they are made in order to prevent the formation of bad habits. The acquisition-learning hypothesis Stephen Krashen (1977) claimed that adult second language learners have two means for internalizing the target language. The first is â€Å"acquisition†, a subconscious and intuitive process of constructing the system of a language. The second means is a conscious â€Å"learning† process in which learners attend to form, figure out rules, and are generally aware of their own process. According to Krashen, â€Å"fluency in second language performance is due to what we have acquired, not what we have learned† (1981a:99). Adults should, therefore, do as much acquiring as possible in order to achieve communicative fluency; otherwise, they will get bogged of language and to watching their own progress. For Krashen (1982), our conscious learning processes and our subconscious process mutually exclusive: learning cannot become acquisition. This claim of no interface between acquisition and learning is used to strengthen the argument for recommending large doses of acqui sition activity in the classroom, with only a very minor role assigned to learning. The input hypothesis Krashens claims that an important â€Å"condition for language acquisition to occur is that the acquirer understand (via hearing or reading input language that contains structure a bit beyond his or her current level of competence†¦..if an acquirer is at stage or level i , the input he or she understands should contain i +1† (Krashen1981:100). In other words, the language that learners are exposed to should be just far enough beyond their current competence that they can understand most of it but still challenged to make progress. The corollary to this is that input should neither be so far beyond their reach that they are overwhelmed (this might be, say, i + 2) nor so close to their current stage that they are not challenged at all (i + 0). Important parts of the Input Hypothesis are recommendation that speaking not be though directly or very early in the language classroom. Speech will be emerging once the acquirer has built up enough comprehensible input ( i + 1). Success in a foreign language can be attributed to input alone. Such a theory ascribes little credit to learners and their own active engagement in the process. Moreover, it is important to distinguish between input and intake. Intake is what you take with you over a period of time and can later remember. Krashen (1983) did suggest that input gets converted to knowledge through a learners current internalized rule system and the new input. The application of these theories will help the study in measuring how effective the use of L1 in the ESL classroom based on the prior knowledge of the participants and in what way the theories will help the researches defines the result of the studies. Motivation Theory Various definitions of motivation have been proposed over decades of research and three different perspectives emerge: From a behaviourist perspective, motivation was seen in matter of fact terms. It is quite simply the anticipation or reward. Driven to acquire positive reinforcement, and driven by previous reinforcement, and driven by previous experiences of reward for behaviour, we act accordingly to achieve further reinforcement. In this view, our acts are likely to be at the mercy of external forces. In cognitive terms, motivation places much more emphasis on the individuals decisions. Ausubel (1968:368-379), for example, identified six needs undergirding the construct of motivation: a. The need for exploration, for seeing the other side of the mountain, for probing the unknown; b. The need for manipulation, for operating- to use Skinners term- on the environment and causing change; c. The need for activity, for movement and exercise, both physical and mental; d. The need for stimulation, the need to be stimulated by the environment, by the other people, or by ideas, thoughts, and feelings; e. The need for knowledge, the need to process and internalize the result of exploration, manipulation, activity, and stimulation, to resolve contradictions, to quest for solutions to problems and for self consistent systems of knowledge; f. Finally, the need for ego enhancement, for the self to be known and to be accepted and approved by others. 3) A constructivist view of motivation places even further emphasis on social context as well as individual person choices (Williams Burden 1997:120). Each person is motivated differently, and will therefore act on his or her environment in ways that are unique. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Edward Deci (1975:23) defined intrinsic motivation: â€Å"Intrinsically motivated activities are ones for which there is no apparent reward except the activity itself. People seem to engage in the activities for their own sake and not because they lead to an extrinsic reward†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.intrinsically motivated behaviours are aimed at bringing about certain internally rewarding consequences, namely, feelings of competence and self determination†. Extrinsically motivated behaviours, on the other hand, are carried out in anticipation of a reward from outside and beyond the self. Behaviours initiated solely to avoid punishment are also extrinsically motivated, even though numerous intrinsic benefits can ultimately accrue to those who instead, view punishment avoidance as a challenge that can build their sense of competence and self determination. The intrinsic and extrinsic continuum in motivation is applicable to foreign language classrooms and around the world. Regardless of the cultural beliefs and attitudes of learners and teachers, intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be easily identified (Dornyei and Csizer 1998). During the classroom observations, the researcher will identify whether the teacher use this kind of method. If the students communicate with their L1, should the teacher give a punishment or give them the motivation to communicate with L1 as long it will help the students to understand the whole lesson. 1.7. Significance of the study It is hope that the study will: Help all the teachers in selecting the best method in teaching the ESL classroom especially in the rural area. Determine the appropriateness of using the Malay in the ESL classroom. Enable the teacher to realize the important of using the L1 in the ESL classroom at the rural area. Help the students to gain their interest in learning the target language by giving them the opportunity to use their L1 while learning ESL. 1.8. Limitation of the study This study was undertaken with the following limitations; The small sample clearly does not represent the whole population of students in SMK in Felda Gedangsa. The sample taken is 40 students from one class in Felda Gedangsa. The reliability and validity of the survey instruments may be questioned. The questionnaire is not based on any existing survey instrument, which had been tested and/ or certified in terms of reliability and validity. The questionnaire is developed specifically for this study. The time constrain will limit the quality of the study. SMK Felda Gedangsa is situated in Ulu Selangor district and about 30KM from UPSI. It will take a long time in doing this study. The students level of proficiency is at the lower level and they will need help in understanding the questionnaires. 1.9. Summary Understanding of English is crucial for every student in the ESL classroom. Without a proper guide from the teacher, they will lose their motivation in learning. Teacher need to be ready with a proper methods and teaching skills and should not ignore the use of L1 in the classroom. With the lacking of vocabulary and understanding towards certain aspects in the learning process, surely the use of L1 in the classroom should be considered to guide the students. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1. Introduction This paper provides a review of the literature on students L1 are being used in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. There are several studies which are significance to the focus of this study. The summaries of previous work related to the hypothesis of the study are listed below. Long (1985, 1996), adapted the input Hypothesis to include interaction. His modified Input Hypothesis (1996) focuses on negotiation of meaning that occurs when communication breaks down. It proposes that oral input that is simplified through interactional modification is more successful than non-interactionally modified input in promoting learner comprehension, which in turn facilitates language acquisition. This hypothesis claims that the modified output produced by learners who are interacting in order to negotiate meaning can also aid acquisition. In this view, which gives importance to input that has been simplified through interaction, there is a possible role for the use of the learners L1 in the interactive input. Modified must give the learner information related to the linguistic form that were problematic and the use of the L1 is a potential source of this critical information (Gillis, 2007). 2.2. Close studies on the Using of L1 in the ESL Classroom Research on the usage of the L1 in the ESL classroom is a vital has demonstrated that L1 are not only effective but necessary for adult ESL students with limited L1 literacy or schooling and that use of students linguistic resources can be beneficial at all levels of ESL (Auerbach 1993). Auerbach (1993), performed a research on the topic of â€Å"Do you believe that ESL students should be allowed to use their L1 in the ESL classroom†? Only 20% of the respondents gave an unqualified yes to the question; 30% gave an unqualified no, (with comments such as, Its a school policy and No but its hard); the remaining 50% said sometimes (with comments such as Usually not, but if I have tried several times to explain something in English and a student still doesnt understand, then I allow another student who speaks the same language to explain in that language; Theyre going to do it anyway; As a last resort). The essence of these comments is captured by the following response In general ESL students should be encouraged to use English as much as possible, but in reality this doesnt always work. Thus, despite the fact that 80% of the teachers allowed the use of the L1 at times, the English only axiom is so strong that they didnt trust their own practice. On the flip side, when the native language is used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Rivera (1990) outlines various models for incorporating the L1 into instruction, including initial literacy in the L1 (with or without simultaneous but separate ESL classes) and bilingual instruction (where both languages are utilized within one class). The first benefit of such programs at the beginning levels is that they attract previously un-served studentsstudents who had been unable to participate in ESL classes because of limited L1 literacy and schooling. Further, contrary to the claim that use of the L1 will slow the transition to and impede the development of thinking in English, numerous accounts suggest that it may actually facilitate this process. Shamash (1990), for example, describes an approach to teaching ESL used at the Invergarry Learning Center near Vancouver which might be considered heretical by some: Students start by writing about their lives in their L1 or a mixture of their L1 and English; this text is then translated into English with the help of bilingual tutors or learners and, as such, provides a natural bridge for overcoming problems of vocabulary, sentence structure and language confidence. At a certain point in the learning process, according to Shamash, the learner is willing to experiment and take risks with English. Thus, starting with the L1 provides a sense of security and validates the learners lived experiences, allowing them to express themselves while at the same time providing meaningful written material to work with. This research had shows us that the usage of L1 in the ESL classroom is sometimes considered as vital because of the students level of proficiency. Tang (2002), based on her studies, â€Å"Using the mother tongue in the Chinese EFL classroom† bear many similarities to Schweers (1999) study in a Spanish context. Both studies indicate that the mother tongue was used by the majority of teachers investigated, and both students and teachers responded positively toward its use. Minor discrepancies exist concerning the occasions when the L1 should be used. Some of these differences can be accounted for by the participants different levels of L2 language proficiency. The teachers participating in this study indicated that the translation of some words, complex ideas, or even whole passages is a good way to learn a foreign language. Her observation of the three classes suggests that without translation, learners would be likely to make unguided and often incorrect translations. This study also reveals that in the EFL classes observed Chinese plays only a supportive and facilitating role. The chief medium of communication in the class is still English. As with any other classroom technique, the use of the mother tongue is only a means to the end of improving foreign language proficiency. She agreed with the majority of student participants (about 63 percent combined) that no more than 10 percent of class time should be spent using Chinese. In her experience, this percentage decreases as the students English proficiency increases. Of course, a translation course would be an exception. Unlike Schweers student participants, the students in the present study are highly motivated to learn English. As English majors in the university, their English language proficiency is regarded as a symbol of their identity and a route to future academic and employment opportunities. Few of them feel that English is imposed on them or regard the use of English as a threat to their identity. Instead, they generally prefer greater or exclusive use of English in the classroom. In their view, Chinese should be used only when necessary to help them learn English better. The research seems to show that limited and judicious use of the mother tongue in the English classroom does not reduce students exposure to English, but rather can assist in the teaching and learning processes (Tang, 2002). Strohmeyer and McGrail (1988) found that allowing for the exploration of ideas in the L1 served to enhance students ESL writing. When students were given the choice of writing first in Spanish, they went on to write pieces in English that were considerably more developed than their usual ESL writing. These findings from practice are supported by Garcias (1991) more formal research on effective instructional practices which found that (a) academically successful students made the transition from Spanish to English without any pressure from teachers; and (b) they were able to progress systematically from writing in the native language in initial literacy to writing in English later. A recent study by Osburne and Harss-Covaleski (1991) suggested that the widely frowned upon practice of writing first in the L1 and then translating into the L2 is not harmful to the quality of the written product. They cite the conventional wisdom that students should be discouraged from translating as this will cause them to make more errors, result in rhetorically inappropriate texts, and distract them from thinking in Englishand that all these factors would negatively affect the quality of their writing. To investigate the validity of this claim, they compared ESL compositions written directly in English with others written first in the L1 and then translated into English; their results indicated no significant difference in the quality or quantity of the written products. They conclude, It seems then that there is no need for teachers to become overly anxious if students choose to employ translation as a composing strategy at times. Friedlander (1990) cited numerous other studie s reporting the beneficial effects of using the L1 for L2 composing; his own study provides further support for L1 use in planning ESL writing when knowledge of the topic has been acquired in the L1. Mirzaei Vaezi (2007), had been conducted the study of the effect of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique on the improvement of EFL Learners Linguistic Accuracy- Focus on form. Based on the results obtained from the statistical analyses in the study, it was discovered that the idea of the effectiveness of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique to improve a group of Iranian EFL learners linguistic accuracy was supported. Therefore, it can be concluded that translating form L1 to L2, using specific structures, can enhance learners linguistic accuracy within the scope of those structures. It also manifests that learners mother tongue is not a useless element in second or foreign language learning. In other words, mother tongue, if used purposefully and systematically, can have a constructive role in teaching other languages. In effect, the purpose of the present study was to join the three vertices of the triangle i.e., first language, translation, an d focus on form. Moreover, it can be claimed that translating sentences form L1 to L2, if selected purposefully, can push learners to use specific structures accurately when producing utterances in the second language. This mental practice in transforming an idea from mother language to the second language helps the learner tackle the psycho-linguistic challenge they have to face in producing second language in real life situations. Nevertheless, when utilizing this teaching technique, the learners should be bewared about the structural differences existing between languages which may cause negative interference from their L1. In other words, learners should be warned that there is not always a structural correspondence between their first language and the language they are learning. To make it short, translation from L1 to L2 is a kind of practice which makes the learners use specific L2 structures accurately in order to express L1 ideas. This transformation—mental translation from L1 to L2â €”is a natural and sometimes inevitable process which is mostly experienced by the learners of lower levels. Consequently, as discussed above, the technique used in this study is a means through which learners can practice producing L2 grammatically correct sentences which enables them to perform accurately in communicative situations (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Translation from L1 to L2 was not a strange process; nonetheless, it might not have been dealt with through systematic and research-based studies yet. Although the word translation and even mother tongue has been abominated by many so-called innovatory-oriented teachers, this study demonstrated that there are judicious ways in which language teachers can use mother tongue, in general, and translation from L1 to L2, in particular, in their instruction with the purpose of improving learners proficiency. In addition, mother tongue is truly a very rich source of linguistic knowledge with which any L2 learner is already equipped, and it does not seem reasonable to deprive our learners from using this recourse at the expense of exercising an English-only atmosphere in our classrooms. Therefore, it can be suggested that teachers be familiarized with advantages of using learners mother tongue in EFL/ESL classrooms and they should be reasonably given enough leeway to use this resource constructively. In particular, language teachers can use the technique presented in this study, i.e. using translation from L1 to L2, as a communicative task to promote their learners linguistic accuracy. Therefore, it seems reasonable to allocate some time to the training of teachers in this regard (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Schweers (1999) had done a research on the attitudes toward the use of Spanish in the English classroom among the students and the teachers in Puerto Rican. A high percentage (88.7%) of the student participants in this study felt that Spanish should be used in their English classes. All of the teachers reported using Spanish to some degree. Approximately 99 percent of the students responded that they like their teachers to use only English in the classroom. Very noticeable is the 86 percent of students who would like Spanish used to explain difficult concepts. Only 22 percent of teachers saw this as an appropriate use. Students also responded notably higher than teachers on the following uses for Spanish: to help students feel more comfortable and confident, to check comprehension, and to define new vocabulary items. Neither students nor teachers saw a use for the L1 in testing. A notable percentage of students would like Spanish to be used in English class either between 10 and 39 p ercent of the time. A sizeable number of students like the use of Spanish because it helps them when they feel lost. About 87 percent of students feel Spanish facilitates their learning of English between â€Å"a little† and â€Å"a lot,† and about 57 percent think it helps from â€Å"fairly much† to â€Å"a lot.† These results showed that in English classes in a Puerto Rican university, Spanish should be used to some degree. Students feel there are clear cases where Spanish will facilitate their comprehension of what is happening in class. A majority also agree that the use of Spanish helps them to learn English. Studying students reactions to the use of the L1 in English classes, Terence Doyle (1997), in his presentation at TESOL 97, reported that students in a study he conducted claimed that the L1 was used approximately 90 percent of the time in their classes. Some 65 percent of these students preferred the use of the L1 in their classes sometimes or often. While the first figure is comparable to the one he found in his study, the second is higher than the percentage in his study. Romstedt (2000) had conducted a research of the effects of L1 Pre-writing discussion on ESL writing. The subjects of the study were thirty five graduate and undergraduate students, both male and female representing six native languages at two different levels of intensive English instruction. The general conclusi Native Language in Foreign Language Learning Native Language in Foreign Language Learning 1.1 Introduction The debate over whether English language classrooms should include or exclude students native language has been a controversial issue for a long time (Brown, 2000). Although the use of mother tongue was banned by the supporters of the Direct Method at the end of the nineteenth century, the positive role of the mother tongue has recurrently been acknowledged as a rich resource which, if used judiciously, can assist second language learning and teaching (Cook, 2001). Therefore, this research study tries to open up a new horizon for English instructors to find a thoughtful way to use learners mother tongue in second language teaching. The technique in which L1 was used in this study was translation from L1 to L2, a technique which was rarely used by EFL teachers. Atkinson (1987) was one of the first and chief advocates of mother tongue use in the communicative classroom. He points out the methodological gap in the literature concerning the use of the mother tongue and argues a case in favour of its restricted and principled use, mainly in accuracy-oriented tasks. In his article, Atkinson (1987) clearly stated that translation to the target language which emphasizes a recently taught language item is a means to reinforce structural, conceptual and sociolinguistic differences between the native and target languages. In his view, even though this activity is not communicative, it aims at improving accuracy of the newly learned structures. Similarly, this research aimed at investigating the effect of translation from L1 to L2 on the accurate use of the structures. The arguments in supports of using the learners mother tongue in L2 instruction clearly reveal that not only doesnt the use of first language have a negative impact on L2 learning, but it can be factor to help students improve the way they learn a second language. Although the English Only paradigm continues to be dominant in communicative language teaching , research into teacher practice reveals that the L1 is used as a learning resource in many ESL classes (Auerbach, 1993). Auerbach added that when the native language was used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Furthermore, he identifies the following uses of mother tongue in the classroom: classroom management, language analysis and presenting rules that govern grammar, discussing cross-cultural issues, giving instructions or prompts, explaining errors, and checking comprehension. Although the provision of maximum L2 exposure to the learners seems essential, L1 can be used alongside L2 as a complement. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) stated that maximizing the target language use does not and should not mean that it is harmful for the teacher to use the L1. â€Å"a principle that promotes maximal teacher use of the target language acknowledges that the L1 and target language can exist simultaneously (p. 153). Similarly, Stern (1992) stated that the use of L1 and target language should be seen as complementary, depending on the characteristics and stages of the language learning process (p. 285). On the other hand, overuse of L1 will naturally reduce the amount of exposure to L2. Therefore, attempt should be made to keep a balance between L1 and L2 use. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) acknowledges that although it is efficient to make a quick switch to the L1 to ensure, for instance, whether students understand a difficult grammar concept or an unknown word, it is crucial for teachers to use the target language as much as possible in contexts in which students spend only short periods of time in class, and when they have little contact with the target language outside the classroom. 1.2 Background to the problem The Integrated Secondary School Curriculum or Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) was planned in accordance with the National Education Philosophy. The main goal of KBSM was based on the integrated self-development with orientation towards society or nation (Mak Soon Sang, 2003). Four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing are incorporated in the English syllabus proficiency in order to meet their needs to use English in everyday life, for knowledge acquisition, and for future workplace needs (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2000). My personal experience as a learner has shown me that moderate and judicious use of the mother tongue can aid and facilitate the learning and teaching of the target language, a view shared by many colleagues of mine. However the value of using the mother tongue is a neglected topic in the TESL methodology literature. This omission, together with the widely advocated principle that the native language should not be used in the second language classroom, makes most teachers, experienced or not, feels uneasy about using L1 or permitting its use in the classroom, even when there is a need to do so. How do students and teachers look at this issue? Schweers (1999) conducted a study with EFL students and their teachers in a Spanish context to investigate their attitudes toward using L1 and in the L2 classroom. His result indicates that the majority of students and teachers agreed that Spanish should be used in the EFL classroom (Schweers 1999). Inspired by his research and driven by my own interest, the researcher decided to carry out a similar study on the use of the native language (Malay) in the Malaysian context. However, differences exist between Schweers study and mine. 1.3. Statement of the problem Many rural school students have difficulty in understanding English, and they have often found it difficult to read English books on their own (Ratnawati and Ismail, 2003). Students lack of proficiency in English deprives them of the opportunities open to those who are able to use the language well. Recently, the teaching and learning of English has been discussed widely in Malaysia. This is because the low level of English proficiency among students hinders them from acquiring knowledge globally. Students L1 are being use in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area to help them understand English better and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. Because of the students difficulty in understanding the language, teachers need to assist them thoroughly in the learning process. With the using of the L1, this will gain their interest to stay focus in the class and not being de-motivated in learning the target language. The prohibition of the native language would maximize the effectiveness of learning the target language will be a question that we need to find out. 1.4. Purposes of the study The purpose of the study is to determine whether the L1 (Malay language) are use frequently in the rural ESL classroom. The important of this study is to find out whether L1 works as an effective teaching and learning instrument. 1.5. Research questions Research questions for this study are; How frequent the Malay language was used in the Malaysian English classroom and for what purposes? Can prohibition of L1 (Malay language) maximize the interest of using English in the classroom? What are the perception of the students and the teachers towards using Malay in the English classroom? 1.6. Theoretical For this study, the researcher referred to the theory of SLA that interrelated set of hypothesis or claims about how people become proficient in a second language. In a summary of research findings on SLA, Lightbown (1985: 176-180) made the following claims: Adults and adolescents can â€Å"acquire† a second language. The learner creates a systematic inter-language that is often characterized by the same language as the first language, as well as others that appear to be based on the learners own native language. There are predictable sequences in acquisition so that certain structures have to be acquired before others can be integrated. Practice does not make perfect. Knowing language rule does not mean one will be able to use it in communicative interaction. Isolated explicit error correction is usually effective in changing language behavior. For most adult learners, acquisition stop-â€Å"fossilizes†-before the learner has achieved native-like mastery of the target language. One cannot achieve native-like or non native-like command of a second language in one hour a day. The learners task is enormous because language is enormously complex. A learners ability to understand language in a meaningful context exceeds his or her ability to comprehend de-contextualized language and to produce language of comparable complexity and accuracy. The hypothesis will be the first tool for the measurement of how the students in the rural ESL classroom comprehend with target language. Learning is a long life process so the students need a proper guide to lead them in gaining the language proficiency. There are some modifications that need to be made in using these hypotheses so it will be suit to the learners need in the rural area. There are some mistakes that made by the learners that due to interference from their first language and the learners errors should be corrected as soon as they are made in order to prevent the formation of bad habits. The acquisition-learning hypothesis Stephen Krashen (1977) claimed that adult second language learners have two means for internalizing the target language. The first is â€Å"acquisition†, a subconscious and intuitive process of constructing the system of a language. The second means is a conscious â€Å"learning† process in which learners attend to form, figure out rules, and are generally aware of their own process. According to Krashen, â€Å"fluency in second language performance is due to what we have acquired, not what we have learned† (1981a:99). Adults should, therefore, do as much acquiring as possible in order to achieve communicative fluency; otherwise, they will get bogged of language and to watching their own progress. For Krashen (1982), our conscious learning processes and our subconscious process mutually exclusive: learning cannot become acquisition. This claim of no interface between acquisition and learning is used to strengthen the argument for recommending large doses of acqui sition activity in the classroom, with only a very minor role assigned to learning. The input hypothesis Krashens claims that an important â€Å"condition for language acquisition to occur is that the acquirer understand (via hearing or reading input language that contains structure a bit beyond his or her current level of competence†¦..if an acquirer is at stage or level i , the input he or she understands should contain i +1† (Krashen1981:100). In other words, the language that learners are exposed to should be just far enough beyond their current competence that they can understand most of it but still challenged to make progress. The corollary to this is that input should neither be so far beyond their reach that they are overwhelmed (this might be, say, i + 2) nor so close to their current stage that they are not challenged at all (i + 0). Important parts of the Input Hypothesis are recommendation that speaking not be though directly or very early in the language classroom. Speech will be emerging once the acquirer has built up enough comprehensible input ( i + 1). Success in a foreign language can be attributed to input alone. Such a theory ascribes little credit to learners and their own active engagement in the process. Moreover, it is important to distinguish between input and intake. Intake is what you take with you over a period of time and can later remember. Krashen (1983) did suggest that input gets converted to knowledge through a learners current internalized rule system and the new input. The application of these theories will help the study in measuring how effective the use of L1 in the ESL classroom based on the prior knowledge of the participants and in what way the theories will help the researches defines the result of the studies. Motivation Theory Various definitions of motivation have been proposed over decades of research and three different perspectives emerge: From a behaviourist perspective, motivation was seen in matter of fact terms. It is quite simply the anticipation or reward. Driven to acquire positive reinforcement, and driven by previous reinforcement, and driven by previous experiences of reward for behaviour, we act accordingly to achieve further reinforcement. In this view, our acts are likely to be at the mercy of external forces. In cognitive terms, motivation places much more emphasis on the individuals decisions. Ausubel (1968:368-379), for example, identified six needs undergirding the construct of motivation: a. The need for exploration, for seeing the other side of the mountain, for probing the unknown; b. The need for manipulation, for operating- to use Skinners term- on the environment and causing change; c. The need for activity, for movement and exercise, both physical and mental; d. The need for stimulation, the need to be stimulated by the environment, by the other people, or by ideas, thoughts, and feelings; e. The need for knowledge, the need to process and internalize the result of exploration, manipulation, activity, and stimulation, to resolve contradictions, to quest for solutions to problems and for self consistent systems of knowledge; f. Finally, the need for ego enhancement, for the self to be known and to be accepted and approved by others. 3) A constructivist view of motivation places even further emphasis on social context as well as individual person choices (Williams Burden 1997:120). Each person is motivated differently, and will therefore act on his or her environment in ways that are unique. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Edward Deci (1975:23) defined intrinsic motivation: â€Å"Intrinsically motivated activities are ones for which there is no apparent reward except the activity itself. People seem to engage in the activities for their own sake and not because they lead to an extrinsic reward†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.intrinsically motivated behaviours are aimed at bringing about certain internally rewarding consequences, namely, feelings of competence and self determination†. Extrinsically motivated behaviours, on the other hand, are carried out in anticipation of a reward from outside and beyond the self. Behaviours initiated solely to avoid punishment are also extrinsically motivated, even though numerous intrinsic benefits can ultimately accrue to those who instead, view punishment avoidance as a challenge that can build their sense of competence and self determination. The intrinsic and extrinsic continuum in motivation is applicable to foreign language classrooms and around the world. Regardless of the cultural beliefs and attitudes of learners and teachers, intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be easily identified (Dornyei and Csizer 1998). During the classroom observations, the researcher will identify whether the teacher use this kind of method. If the students communicate with their L1, should the teacher give a punishment or give them the motivation to communicate with L1 as long it will help the students to understand the whole lesson. 1.7. Significance of the study It is hope that the study will: Help all the teachers in selecting the best method in teaching the ESL classroom especially in the rural area. Determine the appropriateness of using the Malay in the ESL classroom. Enable the teacher to realize the important of using the L1 in the ESL classroom at the rural area. Help the students to gain their interest in learning the target language by giving them the opportunity to use their L1 while learning ESL. 1.8. Limitation of the study This study was undertaken with the following limitations; The small sample clearly does not represent the whole population of students in SMK in Felda Gedangsa. The sample taken is 40 students from one class in Felda Gedangsa. The reliability and validity of the survey instruments may be questioned. The questionnaire is not based on any existing survey instrument, which had been tested and/ or certified in terms of reliability and validity. The questionnaire is developed specifically for this study. The time constrain will limit the quality of the study. SMK Felda Gedangsa is situated in Ulu Selangor district and about 30KM from UPSI. It will take a long time in doing this study. The students level of proficiency is at the lower level and they will need help in understanding the questionnaires. 1.9. Summary Understanding of English is crucial for every student in the ESL classroom. Without a proper guide from the teacher, they will lose their motivation in learning. Teacher need to be ready with a proper methods and teaching skills and should not ignore the use of L1 in the classroom. With the lacking of vocabulary and understanding towards certain aspects in the learning process, surely the use of L1 in the classroom should be considered to guide the students. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1. Introduction This paper provides a review of the literature on students L1 are being used in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. There are several studies which are significance to the focus of this study. The summaries of previous work related to the hypothesis of the study are listed below. Long (1985, 1996), adapted the input Hypothesis to include interaction. His modified Input Hypothesis (1996) focuses on negotiation of meaning that occurs when communication breaks down. It proposes that oral input that is simplified through interactional modification is more successful than non-interactionally modified input in promoting learner comprehension, which in turn facilitates language acquisition. This hypothesis claims that the modified output produced by learners who are interacting in order to negotiate meaning can also aid acquisition. In this view, which gives importance to input that has been simplified through interaction, there is a possible role for the use of the learners L1 in the interactive input. Modified must give the learner information related to the linguistic form that were problematic and the use of the L1 is a potential source of this critical information (Gillis, 2007). 2.2. Close studies on the Using of L1 in the ESL Classroom Research on the usage of the L1 in the ESL classroom is a vital has demonstrated that L1 are not only effective but necessary for adult ESL students with limited L1 literacy or schooling and that use of students linguistic resources can be beneficial at all levels of ESL (Auerbach 1993). Auerbach (1993), performed a research on the topic of â€Å"Do you believe that ESL students should be allowed to use their L1 in the ESL classroom†? Only 20% of the respondents gave an unqualified yes to the question; 30% gave an unqualified no, (with comments such as, Its a school policy and No but its hard); the remaining 50% said sometimes (with comments such as Usually not, but if I have tried several times to explain something in English and a student still doesnt understand, then I allow another student who speaks the same language to explain in that language; Theyre going to do it anyway; As a last resort). The essence of these comments is captured by the following response In general ESL students should be encouraged to use English as much as possible, but in reality this doesnt always work. Thus, despite the fact that 80% of the teachers allowed the use of the L1 at times, the English only axiom is so strong that they didnt trust their own practice. On the flip side, when the native language is used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Rivera (1990) outlines various models for incorporating the L1 into instruction, including initial literacy in the L1 (with or without simultaneous but separate ESL classes) and bilingual instruction (where both languages are utilized within one class). The first benefit of such programs at the beginning levels is that they attract previously un-served studentsstudents who had been unable to participate in ESL classes because of limited L1 literacy and schooling. Further, contrary to the claim that use of the L1 will slow the transition to and impede the development of thinking in English, numerous accounts suggest that it may actually facilitate this process. Shamash (1990), for example, describes an approach to teaching ESL used at the Invergarry Learning Center near Vancouver which might be considered heretical by some: Students start by writing about their lives in their L1 or a mixture of their L1 and English; this text is then translated into English with the help of bilingual tutors or learners and, as such, provides a natural bridge for overcoming problems of vocabulary, sentence structure and language confidence. At a certain point in the learning process, according to Shamash, the learner is willing to experiment and take risks with English. Thus, starting with the L1 provides a sense of security and validates the learners lived experiences, allowing them to express themselves while at the same time providing meaningful written material to work with. This research had shows us that the usage of L1 in the ESL classroom is sometimes considered as vital because of the students level of proficiency. Tang (2002), based on her studies, â€Å"Using the mother tongue in the Chinese EFL classroom† bear many similarities to Schweers (1999) study in a Spanish context. Both studies indicate that the mother tongue was used by the majority of teachers investigated, and both students and teachers responded positively toward its use. Minor discrepancies exist concerning the occasions when the L1 should be used. Some of these differences can be accounted for by the participants different levels of L2 language proficiency. The teachers participating in this study indicated that the translation of some words, complex ideas, or even whole passages is a good way to learn a foreign language. Her observation of the three classes suggests that without translation, learners would be likely to make unguided and often incorrect translations. This study also reveals that in the EFL classes observed Chinese plays only a supportive and facilitating role. The chief medium of communication in the class is still English. As with any other classroom technique, the use of the mother tongue is only a means to the end of improving foreign language proficiency. She agreed with the majority of student participants (about 63 percent combined) that no more than 10 percent of class time should be spent using Chinese. In her experience, this percentage decreases as the students English proficiency increases. Of course, a translation course would be an exception. Unlike Schweers student participants, the students in the present study are highly motivated to learn English. As English majors in the university, their English language proficiency is regarded as a symbol of their identity and a route to future academic and employment opportunities. Few of them feel that English is imposed on them or regard the use of English as a threat to their identity. Instead, they generally prefer greater or exclusive use of English in the classroom. In their view, Chinese should be used only when necessary to help them learn English better. The research seems to show that limited and judicious use of the mother tongue in the English classroom does not reduce students exposure to English, but rather can assist in the teaching and learning processes (Tang, 2002). Strohmeyer and McGrail (1988) found that allowing for the exploration of ideas in the L1 served to enhance students ESL writing. When students were given the choice of writing first in Spanish, they went on to write pieces in English that were considerably more developed than their usual ESL writing. These findings from practice are supported by Garcias (1991) more formal research on effective instructional practices which found that (a) academically successful students made the transition from Spanish to English without any pressure from teachers; and (b) they were able to progress systematically from writing in the native language in initial literacy to writing in English later. A recent study by Osburne and Harss-Covaleski (1991) suggested that the widely frowned upon practice of writing first in the L1 and then translating into the L2 is not harmful to the quality of the written product. They cite the conventional wisdom that students should be discouraged from translating as this will cause them to make more errors, result in rhetorically inappropriate texts, and distract them from thinking in Englishand that all these factors would negatively affect the quality of their writing. To investigate the validity of this claim, they compared ESL compositions written directly in English with others written first in the L1 and then translated into English; their results indicated no significant difference in the quality or quantity of the written products. They conclude, It seems then that there is no need for teachers to become overly anxious if students choose to employ translation as a composing strategy at times. Friedlander (1990) cited numerous other studie s reporting the beneficial effects of using the L1 for L2 composing; his own study provides further support for L1 use in planning ESL writing when knowledge of the topic has been acquired in the L1. Mirzaei Vaezi (2007), had been conducted the study of the effect of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique on the improvement of EFL Learners Linguistic Accuracy- Focus on form. Based on the results obtained from the statistical analyses in the study, it was discovered that the idea of the effectiveness of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique to improve a group of Iranian EFL learners linguistic accuracy was supported. Therefore, it can be concluded that translating form L1 to L2, using specific structures, can enhance learners linguistic accuracy within the scope of those structures. It also manifests that learners mother tongue is not a useless element in second or foreign language learning. In other words, mother tongue, if used purposefully and systematically, can have a constructive role in teaching other languages. In effect, the purpose of the present study was to join the three vertices of the triangle i.e., first language, translation, an d focus on form. Moreover, it can be claimed that translating sentences form L1 to L2, if selected purposefully, can push learners to use specific structures accurately when producing utterances in the second language. This mental practice in transforming an idea from mother language to the second language helps the learner tackle the psycho-linguistic challenge they have to face in producing second language in real life situations. Nevertheless, when utilizing this teaching technique, the learners should be bewared about the structural differences existing between languages which may cause negative interference from their L1. In other words, learners should be warned that there is not always a structural correspondence between their first language and the language they are learning. To make it short, translation from L1 to L2 is a kind of practice which makes the learners use specific L2 structures accurately in order to express L1 ideas. This transformation—mental translation from L1 to L2â €”is a natural and sometimes inevitable process which is mostly experienced by the learners of lower levels. Consequently, as discussed above, the technique used in this study is a means through which learners can practice producing L2 grammatically correct sentences which enables them to perform accurately in communicative situations (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Translation from L1 to L2 was not a strange process; nonetheless, it might not have been dealt with through systematic and research-based studies yet. Although the word translation and even mother tongue has been abominated by many so-called innovatory-oriented teachers, this study demonstrated that there are judicious ways in which language teachers can use mother tongue, in general, and translation from L1 to L2, in particular, in their instruction with the purpose of improving learners proficiency. In addition, mother tongue is truly a very rich source of linguistic knowledge with which any L2 learner is already equipped, and it does not seem reasonable to deprive our learners from using this recourse at the expense of exercising an English-only atmosphere in our classrooms. Therefore, it can be suggested that teachers be familiarized with advantages of using learners mother tongue in EFL/ESL classrooms and they should be reasonably given enough leeway to use this resource constructively. In particular, language teachers can use the technique presented in this study, i.e. using translation from L1 to L2, as a communicative task to promote their learners linguistic accuracy. Therefore, it seems reasonable to allocate some time to the training of teachers in this regard (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Schweers (1999) had done a research on the attitudes toward the use of Spanish in the English classroom among the students and the teachers in Puerto Rican. A high percentage (88.7%) of the student participants in this study felt that Spanish should be used in their English classes. All of the teachers reported using Spanish to some degree. Approximately 99 percent of the students responded that they like their teachers to use only English in the classroom. Very noticeable is the 86 percent of students who would like Spanish used to explain difficult concepts. Only 22 percent of teachers saw this as an appropriate use. Students also responded notably higher than teachers on the following uses for Spanish: to help students feel more comfortable and confident, to check comprehension, and to define new vocabulary items. Neither students nor teachers saw a use for the L1 in testing. A notable percentage of students would like Spanish to be used in English class either between 10 and 39 p ercent of the time. A sizeable number of students like the use of Spanish because it helps them when they feel lost. About 87 percent of students feel Spanish facilitates their learning of English between â€Å"a little† and â€Å"a lot,† and about 57 percent think it helps from â€Å"fairly much† to â€Å"a lot.† These results showed that in English classes in a Puerto Rican university, Spanish should be used to some degree. Students feel there are clear cases where Spanish will facilitate their comprehension of what is happening in class. A majority also agree that the use of Spanish helps them to learn English. Studying students reactions to the use of the L1 in English classes, Terence Doyle (1997), in his presentation at TESOL 97, reported that students in a study he conducted claimed that the L1 was used approximately 90 percent of the time in their classes. Some 65 percent of these students preferred the use of the L1 in their classes sometimes or often. While the first figure is comparable to the one he found in his study, the second is higher than the percentage in his study. Romstedt (2000) had conducted a research of the effects of L1 Pre-writing discussion on ESL writing. The subjects of the study were thirty five graduate and undergraduate students, both male and female representing six native languages at two different levels of intensive English instruction. The general conclusi