Environmental Scanning of Hong Kong hospitality industry Essay Example

Environmental Scanning of Hong Kong hospitality industry Paper Therefore, there are more mainland cuisines traveler came to Hong Kong for business. It benefits to our company as the market are growing to a larger scale. We can gain revenue in accommodating the development of market. However, these issues also attract a lot of foreigner and mainland investors enter to the Hong Kong hospitality market. There are some potential competitors growing up that may be a threat of our company. Consequently, we need to analyze the market more frequently and be aware of new competitors. Otherwise, it may have a negative effect to our business. Economic Regarding the economic environment, we are most concerning the exchange ate of currency and inflation rate of Hong Kong. These factors have the vast impact to our business operation and decision making. First, the exchange rate between Hong Kong dollars and ARM is increasing. With the development of China business, we had more opportunity to earn ARM in hotel. For the recent years, the hospitality industry accommodating the mainland market, so that a large amount of ARM inflow to Hong Kong. According to the exchange rate from Hong Kong dollar to ARM, 1 ARM equal to 1 . 723 Hong Kong Dollars. The exchange rate is still increasing as the result f the development of China market. We can gain more revenue by the difference of exchange rate. Nevertheless, under the linked exchange rate system, the exchange rate between HOOK and USED is stabilizing at a fixed rate of 1 USED equal to 7. 8 Hong Kong Dollars. As the result of U. S. A economy depression, it affects the value of Hong K ong Dollars. Second, the changing of inflation rate influences the cost of goods. According to the data of Trading- Economy, the inflation rate increase quickly from 2010 to 2013. We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Scanning of Hong Kong hospitality industry specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Scanning of Hong Kong hospitality industry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Scanning of Hong Kong hospitality industry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The value of money decreases with the inflation rate which related to our business operation. Moreover, the financial planning and strategy need to change to fit the market. The customers tend to save money or reduce the cost as the price of goods and services will also increase. They will be not willing to spend in our hotel. Consequently, it may directly affect the revenue. Coloratura In this factor, it includes the culture aspect, the demographical factors and lifestyle, etc. The trend of the market is also being concern. For the trend of buying access, the customers are being more carefully when they making decision in purchase. As there are lots of competitors in hospitality industry, everyone provide high standard or more individual service which not only meet but exceed the customers expectation. The needs and wants of market overcome the basic level such as accommodation and safety. Moreover, their perception of SE;CE increases from time to time. They would do information search and review the others guests comment before purchasing the service. On the other hand, the brand and company image in the hotel is necessary for attracting new customers and keeping loyalty customers. In customer point of view, the brand image represents the service quality of the hotel. For Sheraton Hotel, it has an international brand that representing luxury service. It will be a benefit to attract new customers. However, even the guests do not experience the service provided by Our hotel, they will have a higher expectation than the other hotels. From the consumer attitudes and opinions, it is important to check the guest opinions for further improvement. There is a part of guests review on the Sheraton official website. The guests could leave the comment after experienced the service. According to the guests rating, there are five criteria to measure the hotel service quality which are Room Comfort, Staff, Room Cleanliness, Facilities and SSP Recognition. The ratings are around 3. 8 to 4. 3 out of 5. It reflects that the guests satisfied with the current product and service provided by Sheraton hotel. Technological To analyze the technological factors, it includes the technological changes and development. After that, it may affect the cost, quality of our hotel and lead to innovation of service by technology. Development of WI-IF hot spot, it is becoming a new way to access the internet by wireless equipment. Most of the people trend to use smart phones or devices. They can enter the network everywhere. As a business traveler, they can connect with the others on the internet and exchange information. They can also do business on it. Therefore, most of the hotels in Hong Kong develop the technology of WI-IF spot, so that it can be convenient to the guests in our hotel. In the past, it is an Innovative technology for business use. Nowadays, it becomes a basic need for everyone. About technology access, check-in and check-out are the time consuming process of the hotel. If the E-channel applies into hotel to create a self-check-in system, it may reduce the time of check-in and check- out. The Hong Kong citizen can check-in without the complicated procedure. It would be a innovative potential technology which deeply affect the hospitality industry. Moreover, technology also is the bridge of global communications. As for the Stardom hotel group, the base of customers would be very large that cannot be record in black and white, especially for loyal customer. If the hotel can share the information by the internet, the guests would be more oriented to our hotel services. Natural The natural environment of Hong Kong, it is an over-developed city that the natural resources are used for the city planning. As a result, the pollution of Hong Kong is much more serious than the foreign country. Moreover, diseases would be also a critical factor which affecting the hospitality industry. Regarding the pollution of Hong Kong, According to the Air Pollution Index (API), it is a calculation method of air pollution by measuring the scale of pollutant in the air. The result reflected that the pollution become more serious. It may affect the traveler Visiting Hong Kong, either business or leisure traveler. The Sheraton is located in Attitudes where the highest air pollution district in Hong Kong.

The Origin of Wildfires and How They Are Caused

The Origin of Wildfires and How They Are Caused It is interesting to note that, of the four billion years of earths existence, conditions were not conducive for spontaneous wildfire until the last 400 million years. A naturally-occurring atmospheric fire did not have the chemical elements available until major several earth changes occurred. The earliest life forms emerged without needing oxygen (anaerobic organisms) to live about 3.5 billion years ago and lived in a carbon dioxide based atmosphere. Life forms that needed oxygen in small amounts (aerobic) came much later in the form of photosynthesizing blue-green algae and ultimately changed the earths atmospheric balance toward oxygen and away from carbon dioxide (co2). Photosynthesis increasingly dominated earths biology by initially creating and continuously increasing the earths percentage of oxygen in the air. Green plant growth then exploded and aerobic respiration became the biologic catalyst for terrestrial life. Around 600 million years ago and during the Paleozoic, conditions for natural combustion started developing with increasing speed. Wildfire Chemistry Fire needs fuel, oxygen, and heat to ignite and spread. Wherever forests grow, the fuel for forest fires is provided mainly by continued biomass production along with the resulting fuel load  of that vegetative growth. Oxygen is created in abundance by the photosynthesizing process of living green organisms so it is all around us in the air. All that is needed then is a source of heat to provide the exact chemistry combinations for a flame. When these natural combustibles (in the form of wood, leaves, brush) reach 572 º, gas in the steam given off reacts with oxygen to reach its flash point with a burst of flame. This flame then preheats surrounding fuels. In turn, other fuels heat up and the fire grows and spreads. If this spreading process is not controlled, you have a wildfire or uncontrolled forest fire. Depending on the geographic condition of the site and the vegetative fuels present, you might call these brush fires, forest fires, sage field fires, grass fires, woods fires, peat fires, bush fires, wildland fires, or veld fires. How Do Forest Fires Start? Naturally caused forest fires are usually started by dry lightning where little to no rain accompanies a stormy weather disturbance. Lightning randomly strikes the earth an average of 100 times each second or 3 billion times every year and has caused some of the most notable wildland fire disasters  in the western United States. Most lightning strikes occur in the North American southeast and southwest. Because they often occur in isolated locations with limited access, lightning fires burn more acres than human-caused starts. The average 10-year total of U.S. wildfire acres burned and caused by humans is 1.9 million acres where  2.1 million acres burned are lightning-caused. Still, human fire activity is the primary cause of wildfires, with nearly ten times the start rate of natural starts. Most of these human-caused fires are accidental, usually caused by carelessness or inattention by campers, hikers, or others traveling through wildland or by debris and garbage burners. Some are intentionally set by arsonists. Some human-caused fires are started to reduce heavy fuel buildup and used as a forest management tool. This is called a controlled or prescribed burn and used for wildfire fire fuel reduction, wildlife habitat enhancement, and debris clearing. They are not included in the above statistics and ultimately reduce wildfire numbers by reducing conditions that contribute to wildfire and forest fires. How Does Wildland Fire Spread? The three primary classes of wildland fires are surface, crown, and ground fires. Each classification  intensity depends on the quantity and types of fuels involved and their moisture content. These conditions have an effect on fire intensity and will determine how fast the fire will spread. Surface fires typically burn readily but at a low intensity and partially consume the entire fuel layer while presenting little danger to mature trees and root systems. Fuel buildup over many years will increase intensity and especially when associated with drought, can become a rapidly spreading ground fire. Regular controlled fire or prescribed burning effectively reduces the fuel buildup leading to a damaging ground fire.Crown fires generally result from intense rising ground fire heat and occur in the higher sections of draping trees. The resulting ladder effect causes hot surface or ground fires to climb the fuels into the canopy. This can increase the chance for embers to blow and branches to fall into unburned areas and increase the spread the fire.Ground fires are the most infrequent type of fire but make for very intense blazes that can potentially destroy all vegetation and organic manner, leaving only bare earth. These largest fires actually create their own winds and weat her, increasing the flow of oxygen and feeding the fire.

Legal Environment of Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Legal Environment of Business - Essay Example The court was of the opinion that the equal protection clause does not prohibit use of race in admission decisions to obtain education benefits from diversity. Barbara Grutter, a white Michigan resident, applied to the Law School in 1996 but was denied admission despite having the requisite scores, 3.8 GPA and 161 LSAT score. She filed suit against the Law School, which respondents racially discriminated against her in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. The district court held that the Law Schools racial considerations were unlawful because the interest in diversity was not compelling and, even if it were, the policy "had not narrowly tailored its use of race to further that interest." Also, the district court granted Grutters requests for relief. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated the injunction and reversed. The appellate court held that the "use of race was narrowly tailored because race was merely a potential plus factor" and the policy was consistent with Justice Powells opinion in Regents of University of California v. Bakke. The Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari and affirmed the appellate decision. Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Kennedy, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas, all dissented with the argument that system at the university was unconstitutional, thinly veiled and against the fourth amendment act. As stated by Chief Justice Rehnquist the percentage of African American applicants closely mirrored the percentage of African American applicants that were accepted. The concern of Powell for individual consideration, which the Court adopted in Grutter’s case, is ironically with an argument against minority preference. Those opposed to minority preference maintain that American society has traditionally been extremely meritocratic, focusing on individual merit and true potential of applicants. Also, since all races must be

According to Airbus the merger between BAE Systems and EADS was the Essay

According to Airbus the merger between BAE Systems and EADS was the last chance of creating a European aerospace and defence giant - Essay Example Production can be organized in three different ways (Craig and Campbell 114). Firms diversify in various means. They integrate vertically, horizontally or agglomerate. Vertical integration involves mergers of firms in the vertical; line of production. A firm can merge with other firms up or down the line of production. Mergers up the line of production are called forward vertical integration while mergers down the line of production, the backward vertical integration. Horizontal integration involves mergers between firms at the same level of production. Conglomerate integration involves the merging of companies in different line of production. The benefits of the above diversification methods are that firms are able to improve their performance hence growth and increase in capacity. They increase their market shares, synergies, and due to large-scale production, they realize economies of scope and economies of scope. Low production costs lead to maximized profits. This study examines the impact of mergers and acquisition on the performance of BAE systems. Diversification is the process through which an organization enters new processes of business in the market with the possibility of manufacturing new products. Mergers and acquisitions are a form of entry that a firm may use to enter a market. Many firms in the financial industry have utilized this means to enter new markets. Mergers and acquisitions can take the form of vertical integration, horizontal integration or conglomerates. Horizontal integration is a form of integration in which firms combine at the same stage of production. Ison and Griffiths (75) note that horizontal integration may help a certain company to increase their share value. Firms that undertake horizontal integration do benefit from economies of scale that result from capacity expansion, technical economies of scale,

Chador on Muslim Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chador on Muslim Women - Essay Example A chador is a loose robe that is worn like an open cloak by Muslim women, as stated in the Definition of Chador. Although most people associate the wearing of chador with Iranian women, it is deemed that chador is also worn by Muslim women in other parts of the Middle East like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Typically, a chador is worn with hijab, a headscarf which is intended to cover the wearer’s hair, throat, and neck, as claimed in an online article entitled Chador. However, a chador does not necessarily have to include a facial veil. In terms of wearing the chador, women pull it over their heads, clasping it shut in front and swathing their bodies in the fabric, as discussed in an online article called What is a Chador?. This is made possible because the chador is cut in the shape of an open half-circle. A well-worn chador is able to cover everything but the hands, feet, and face of the woman, with hijab giving extra support by covering the face—all of these to ensure t hat nothing indiscreet will be revealed. It is interesting to point out that some highly traditional women wear chador with a riband.The underneath clothing depends upon the taste of the wearer. Although there were certain points in Muslim history in which Iranian women wore daring outfits as an expression of their outrage against the manipulative government, the majority of the Muslim women like wearing the chador with a modest clothing underneath in order to highlight their expression of piety, their matter of taste, or just plain personal comfort.

English Language Teaching Methods

English Language Teaching Methods BACKGROUND: The Grammar Translation Method is the oldest method of teaching. The grammar translation method is a foreign language teaching method derived from the classical (sometimes called traditional) method of teaching Greek and Latin. This method has been used from the classical times to translate classical languages, Latin and Greek, it has been called Classical method. ADVANTAGES: The phraseology of the target language is quickly explained. Translation is the easiest way of explaining meanings or words and phrases from one language into another. Communication between the teacher and the learner does not cause linguistic problems. Even teachers who are not fluent in English can teach English through this method. DISADVANTAGES: It is an unnatural method. The natural order of learning a language is listening, speaking, reading and writing. Speech is neglected. The Grammar Translation Method lays emphasis on reading and writing. Exact translation is not possible. Translation is, indeed, a difficult task and exact translation from one language to another is not always possible. It rather attempts to teach language through rules and not by use. The persons who have learned a foreign or second language through this method find it difficult to give up the habit of first thinking in their mother tongue and then translating their ideas into the second language. The ability to communicate in the target language is not a goal of foreign language instruction. The primary skills to be developed are reading and writing. Little attention is given to speaking and listening, and almost none to pronunciation. TEACHER ROLE: The teacher is the authority in the classroom. There is no interaction from teacher to the students (except in questions). STUDENT ROLE: Students are the passive receivers of the new information. Students are supposed to memorize the rules and the new vocabulary with their meanings in their native language. If students can translate from one language to another, they are considered successful language learners. It is very important that students get the correct answer. METHODOLOGY: Teaching and learning process is based on translation, the study of grammar rules through examples (deductive approach) and memorization of vocabulary. Texts from the target language literature are used. The techniques used are: Translation, Reading comprehension questions, antonyms/synonyms, cognates, deductive application of rule, fill in the blanks, memorization, use of new words in sentences, composition, and so on. L1 USAGE: Classes are conducted in the native language. Students use their native language to translate. Since oral communication in the target language is not important, classroom instructions are given in L1. L2 USAGE: The use of the foreign language is limited; teacher and students use it only to translate words or sentences to their mother tongue to the foreign language. LISTENING: little attention is given to speaking and listening. There is no listening training. Students only listen the foreign language when translate. No listening exercises. SPEAKING: Also this is not an important aspect of the method, teacher doesnt work on speaking. No speaking (but the translation, because it may be spoken) the ability to communicate in the target language is not a goal of foreign language instruction. No pronunciation exercises. READING: read literature in the target language is the aim of this method. Grammar rules and vocabulary are stressed. A fundamental purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read literature written in it. WRITING: reading and writing are studied at the same time. The importance in this method is to read and write the foreign language translating from their mother tongue. EVALUATION: Translation is an important technique to test students progress in the target language. In addition, fill-in-the-blank type test items are also used. Synonyms, antonyms, and cognates can be asked to test vocabulary in formal tests. Reading passages and comprehension questions about the passages can also take place in tests as the reading section. PERSONAL OPINION: Nowadays teachers shouldnt base their teaching practice only on this method. Students probably find it boring and discouraging, besides the most important goal when we are learning a foreign language is to be able to communicate in this language, and this method doesnt put any attention to this aspect. But rather than reject totally this method, teachers can use it sometimes when they need, for example, to convey the meaning of a difficult word when other visual aids cant help students. DIRECT METHOD BACKGROUND: This method was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-translation method in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction. It was develop by Maximilian Berlitz. He started to use it in the schools that bear his name in 1878. It was successful in the beginning but its popularity started to decay in the 1920s when schools start to complement the method with more controlled grammar based activity. The direct method of teaching foreign languages, sometimes called the natural method, refrains from using the learners native language and uses only the target language. The direct method was an answer to the dissatisfaction with the older grammar translation method, which teaches students grammar and vocabulary through direct translations and thus focuses on the written language. ADVANTAGES: Students can learn the target language directly and systematically. Students can pronounce correctly. DISADVANTAGES: It overemphasizes and distorts the similarities between naturalistic first language learning and classroom foreign language learning and it fails to consider the practical realities of the classroom. It requires teachers who are native speakers or who are fluency in the foreign language. It is largely dependent on the teachers skill, rather than on a textbook and not all teachers are proficient enough in the foreign language to adhere to the principles of the method. Sometimes a simple brief explanation in the students native tongue would have been a more efficient route to comprehension. TEACHER ´S ROLE: The teacher usually directs the interactions but he/she is not as dominant as in Grammar Translation Method. Sometimes acts like a partner of the students. The teacher asks questions, correct mistakes, lets students speak more than him/her. Use lesson plan instead of a book, speak naturally, etc. STUDENT ´S ROLE: Students are active participants. Sometimes pair of works take place. Even the teacher takes roles in activities. Students imitate the correct pronunciation. They try to express in the foreign language and interact with the teacher and classmates in the foreign language. Therefore students learn to think and speak in their target language. The Direct method is highly motivating to students. METHODOLOGY: Pictures, realia, examples, sample sentences are used to teach vocabulary. Use of L1 is not allowed. There is a direct relation between form and meaning. Grammar is taught inductively. Examples and drills are given and students are expected to discover and acquire the rules. Introduction of new word, sentence or concept: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ SHOWVisual aid or gestures, to ensure student understands new word. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ SAYTeacher verbally introduces element. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ TRYStudent makes various attempts to pronounce new element. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ MOLDTeacher corrects student if necessary, pointing to mouth to show proper shaping of lips, tongue and relationship to teeth. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ REPEATStudent repeats element 5-20 times. Progress, from new word to new word (within same lesson) and progress, from lesson to lesson (LESSON REVIEWfirst few minutes of each lesson are to review lesson immediately completed and GLOBAL REVIEWtransition from lesson review to a comprehensive review. Here some examples of activities: Reading Aloud, Question and Answer Exercise, Getting Students to Self-Correct, Map Drawing, L1 USAGE: The use of the mother tongue is not permitted. L2 USAGE: Teacher and students only use the foreign language in class. LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING, and WRITING: oral communication is seen as basic. Speaking, listening, reading and writing are important skills. Especially speaking and listening are emphasized. Vocabulary is over grammar. Speaking is the most important skill. Reading and writing are not introduced until listening and speaking are fluent skills. EVALUATION: The ability to use the language is tested. Not about language, the language itself. In the Direct Method, students are asked to use the language, not to demonstrate their knowledge about the language. They are asked to do so using both oral and written skills. For example, the students might be interviewed orally by the teacher or might be asked to write a paragraph about something they have studied. PERSONAL OPINION: Even though the Direct Method is not a functional or notional way of teaching it is quite a good method to teach general English. But if the teacher is not native or proficiency in the foreign language he should certainly go to the class with a lesson plan to carry out the activities and to be successful with the Direct Method. AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD BACKGROUND: The Audio-lingual method was widely used in the United States and other countries in the 1950s and 1960s. The Audio-lingual Method was developed in the U.S.A. during the Second World War. At that time, the U.S. government found a great necessity to set up a special language-training program to supply the war with language personnel. The audio-lingual method, Army Method, or New Key is a style of teaching used in teaching foreign languages. It is based on behaviorist theory, which professes that certain traits of living things, and in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement-correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback. This approach to language learning was similar to another, earlier method called the direct method. Like the direct method, the audio-lingual method advised that students be taught a language directly, without using the students native language to explain new words or grammar in the target language. However, unlike the direct method, the audio-lingual method didnt focus on teaching vocabulary. Rather, the teacher drilled students in the use of grammar. ADVANTAGES: The audio-lingual theory is probably the first language teaching theory that openly claims to be derived from linguistics and psychology. Making language teaching possible to large groups of learners. It aims at developing listening and speaking skills which is a step away from the Grammar translation method. The use of visual aids has proven its effectiveness in vocabulary teaching. DISADVANTAGES: The method is based on false assumptions about language. The study of language doesnt amount to studying the parole, the observable data. Mastering a language relies on acquiring the rules underlying language performance. That is, the linguistic, sociolinguistic, and discourse competences. The behaviorist approach to learning is now discredited. Many scholars have proven its weakness. Noam Chomsky (1959) A Review of B. F. Skinners Verbal Behaviorhas written a strong criticism of the principles of the theory. Not developing language competence, lack of effectiveness, and boredom caused by endless pattern drills are great disadvantages too. Learners have little control over their learning. Teacher has the domination of the class. TEACHER ROLE: Teacher is like an orchestra leader. She/he directs and controls the language behavior of the students. Teacher is a good model of the target language, especially for pronunciation and other oral skills. The teacher models the target language, controls the direction and pace of learning, and monitors and corrects the learners ´ performance. The teacher controls the learners and prevents them from doing anything that conflict with the theory. The teacher is expected to specify the language that learners are going to use. STUDENT ROLE: Students are imitators of the teacher as perfect model of the target language or the native speakers in the audio recordings. Learners are expected to interact with the language system, embodied in machines or controlled materials. METHODOLOGY: Explicit rules are not provided. Students induce the rules through examples and drills. Students acquire grammar by being exposed to patterns through mechanical drills. Drills and pattern practice are typical of the Audio-lingual method. These include: -Repetition: where the student repeats an utterance as soon as he hears it. -Inflection: Where one word in a sentence appears in another form when repeated. -Replacement: Where one word is replaced by another. -Restatement: The student re-phrases an utterance. Meaning is taught directly. L1 is prohibited because it may cause bad habit formations. Vocabulary is introduced through dialogues. The techniques used are: dialogue memorization, minimal pairs: (for teaching pronunciation), complete the dialogue, grammar games, and mechanical drills. L1 USAGE: L1 is not allowed in the classroom. It may cause interference and bad habit formation in L2. L2 USAGE: The teacher and the students only use the foreign language. LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING AND WRITING: Students can learn target language in natural order: listening-speaking-reading-writing. It lays emphasis on listening and speaking. The teacher is a model of L2 and students mimic him/her, so the listening skill is very important for this method. L2 is learned through repetition. EVALUATION: Students are evaluated at different stages and on different points of the language. Each question is supposed to focus on only one point on the language at time. Discrete-point tests are used. PERSONAL OPINION: there are many useful things we can learn from the Audio-lingual Method. If language learning were organized according to its structure, language learning would be easier, especially to adult learners. The Audio-lingual Method considers language ability made up of four skills and these skills can be taught separately. Since the natural order of skill acquisition is listening, speaking, reading, and writing, the Method gives the primary stress to the first two of the four skills. Speech is more basic to language than the written form, and listening and speaking are the basic form of verbal communication. In the classroom, the language skills are taught in the order of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Using pattern drills is the center of practice in Audiolingual Method. It can help students not only gain control over grammatical structures, but also develop their oral ability. The Audio-lingual method also provides language teachers with many useful techniqu es. The simple drilling techniques provide varied, graded and intensive practice of specific features of the language. The simple and direct approach is especially appropriate for young students and less gifted ones. Moreover, teaching technique with tape recordings and language lab drills offer practice in speaking and listening, which are considered of primary importance in language learning. In sum, we could adapt some kinds of techniques used by the Audio-lingual Method, such as dialogues and pattern drills to our students and their needs, and taking into account important factors such as sociolinguistic and discourse competences, the context of the students dialogue, and other communicative facts which are essentials when learners are studying a foreign language. SILENT WAY BACKGROUND: Cognitive Psychology is the basis. The Silent Way is the name of a method of language teaching devised by Caleb Gattegno in the early 1970,s. Not only in the past but also today, people have learned languages by means of habit formation, memorization and translation. However, cognitive psychologists and transformational generative linguists claimed that languages cannot be learned through mimicry since people can create utterances they have never heard before. Therefore people can learn languages by using their own thinking processes to discover the rules of the language they are learning. Gattegno stated his reasons for the emergence of his method as follows: As I developed my techniques while subordinating my teaching to the learning, I found that I could very early transfer the responsibility for the use of the language to my students, so that I become able to teach using fewer and fewer words. It is this aspect of my techniques of teaching that prompted me to call the approach The Silent Way of Teaching Foreign Languages (Oller and Amato 1983:73). He gives too much value to the word silent since he thinks that there are means of letting the learners learn while the teacher stops interfering. ADVANTAGES: This method fosters cooperative learning between individuals. It embodies a new approach to education in general, a respect for the individual and an awareness of the individuals extraordinary cognitive powers. If it is succeeded to teach the language the by using the rods without repeating too much, it will really save time and energy for both teachers students. The self-esteem of the students will be increased and this will enhance learning. By this way students will say I learned instead of I was taught well. (Demircan1990). DISADVANTAGES: It would seem necessary for a teacher to gain a good deal of training and skill in order to apply the Silent Way to the teaching of a total grammar in all its complexity. This method can be benefited by the teacher only in small groups of students. The teacher can gain ability in this method by trying. The teacher is expected to enrich the materials on his/her own. For some teachers the rigidity of the system (no repetitions by the teacher, no answers by the teacher etc.) may be meaningless. For some learners, one limitation is the approach to language basics which begins with seemingly irrelevant discussions about rods and which involves silence and concentration and games with the teacher about meaning. Students expectations and need for immediately relevant language learning may force teachers to abandon the approach (Celce-Murcia 1979). How such a method would in the average classroom situation or how successfully it might be used at more advanced levels is a question mark left in our minds. Language is separated from its social context and taught through artificial situations usually by rods. TEACHER ROLE: The teacher should be silent as much as possible in the classroom to encourage the learner to produce as much language as possible. The teacher is expected to create an environment that encourages students risk taking that facilitates learning. The teacher should give only what help is necessary. In other words, the teacher makes use of what students already know. The more the teacher does for the students what they can do for themselves, the less they will do for themselves (Larsen-Freeman 1986). STUDENT ROLE: The learner is expected to become independent, autonomous, and responsible in language. Learners are expected to interact with each other and suggest alternatives to each other. They must learn to work cooperatively rather than competitively. The teachers silence encourages group cooperation. In order not to miss what the teacher says, learners must give the teacher their attention. Learner-attention is a key to learning. Learners will provide each other with correct models and encourage each others initiative. Thus, this method fosters interdependence and cooperation among learners at the same time it promotes independence from the teacher. METHODOLOGY: A cardinal principle of the Silent Way is respect for the students capacity to work out language problems and recall information on their own with no verbalization and minimal help from the teacher. Vocabulary is taught by means of visual aids and word-charts. Vocabulary is always recycled by means of word-charts. There is a focus on the structures of the language although explicit grammar rules are never given. Some techniques used are: Teaching pronunciation with sound colour charts Cognitive coding with colour rods. Peer correction to improve co-operative manner. Self correction gestures Teachers Silence Structured feedback: students are invited to talk about the days instruction (what they have learnt that day during classes). Students learn to take responsibility for their own learning by becoming aware of themselves, and by controlling and applying their own learning strategies. Fidel Charts: Used to teach sound spelling association. Word Charts: Used to teach and recycle vocabulary. The words are written in different colours so that students can learn basic pronunciation patterns. L1 USAGE: native language can be used to give instructions when necessary. Also native language can be used during the feedback sessions (at least for beginner levels). If the native language is not very essential then it is avoided. During feedback sessions L1 be used at beginning levels. L1 can be exploited. For example, similar sounds in L1 and L2 can be used to make students aware of phonological similarities. L2 USAGE: The use of the target language is essential for this method. L1 can be used to give instructions when necessary. Meaning is made clear by focusing the students perceptions, not by translation. LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING AND WRITING: Pronunciation is emphasized at the very beginning. It is important that students acquire the melody of the language. All four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) are worked on from the beginning. EVALUATION: although the teacher does not have to give a formal test, she/he assesses student learning all the time. One criterion of whether or not students have learned is their ability to transfer what they have been studying to new contexts. The teacher may never give a formal test. He/she assesses students learning all the time. Continuous monitoring by the teacher is essential. PERSONAL OPINION: Depending on my own teaching and learning experience, too much repetition does not help students. If the students are familiar with their teachers technique, they know that the teacher will repeat the subject-matter once again. Thus, they do not pay enough attention to their teachers talk. On the other hand, if the students know that their teacher will not repeat anymore, they will listen to him/her carefully. Another principle that I agree with is less teacher interference. If the teacher helps only when it is asked, then, that help will be more valuable. Sometimes teachers like me tend to give extra information when students ask something and of course this tires us too much. Therefore students do not make any effort to take the responsibility of their learning. Advocates of the Silent Way feel that more important than the techniques and more important even than the language learning results, is the process, the change that occurs in individuals. This includes understanding and tolerance of another and acceptance of others as contributors to ones own life. TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE: BACKGROUND: Total Physical Response (TPR) is a method developed by Dr. James J. Asher, a professor emeritus of psychology at San Josà © State University, to aid learning second languages. The method became popular in the 1970s and attracted the attention or allegiance of some teachers, but it has not received generalized support from mainstream educators. Language is primarily oral. It is just like the acquisition of native language. Learners first listen (silent period), then oral production starts. Oral communication is crucial. Skillful use of imperatives by the instructor can be helpful for the acquisition of many vocabulary items and grammatical structures. Asher views the verb and particularly the verb in the imperative as the central linguistic motif around which language use and learning are organized. ADVANTAGES: It is fun and easy so students will enjoy the lessons. It does not require a great deal of preparation on the part of the teacher. It is a good tool for learning vocabulary. Class size does not need to be a problem. There is no age barrier. DISADVANTAGES: TPR is reduced to the imperative form. TPR is more useful at beginners. It is not a very creative method. Students are not given the opportunity to express their own views and thoughts in a creative way. It is limited, since everything cannot be explained with this method. It must be combined with other approaches. TEACHER ROLE: the teacher has an active role in this method. He decides what to teach, which materials to use and how they are to be presented. It is important to underline that the teacher ´s role is not simply to teach. His task is offering opportunities for learning. The cognitive map of the target language that each student creates in their mind is going to depend on the way the teacher presents the materials. Teachers should take parents as their model. At the beginning, there will be wide tolerance towards the mistakes students make. If the teacher is constantly interrupting and correcting, students will not be encouraged to talk. They will be inhibited. At first, teachers do not correct children when they begin to speak. STUDENT ROLE: learners have the roles of listeners and performers. First, they must listen to what the teacher says. Then, they are expected to respond physically to those commands given by the teacher. METHODOLOGY: The key for successful language learning is the reduction of stress, such as the first language acquisition (stress-free environment). Listen attentively and respond physically to commands given by the teacher. They are encouraged to speak when they feel ready to speak. Performing physical actions in the target language as a mean of making input comprehensive and minimizing stress grammar is studied in an inductive way. Vocabulary and grammar are introduced through imperatives. Some of the techniques used are: Commands ( sit down, skip, close your eyesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦), Role reversal: Students command their teacher and classmates to perform actions, Action sequence: The teacher may give three connected commands (e.g. Point to the door, walk to the door, and touch the door). L1 USAGE: The method is introduced in the students L1. After the introduction, rarely would the mother tongue be used. Meaning is made through body movements. L2 USAGE: Teacher speaks only in the foreign language, while the students use it only when they are ready. LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING AND WRITING: Natural order of skills: 1. Listening (Very important during the silent period). 2. Speaking (teacher should not force students to produce the language especially during the silent period they are expected to produce the target language voluntarily) 3. Reading 4. Writing EVALUATION: Teachers will know immediately whether or not students understand by observing heir students actions. Formal evaluations can be conducted simply by commanding individual students to perform a series of actions. As students become more advanced, their performance can become the basis for evaluation. PERSONAL OPINION: This is a very useful method to use with all students (children, young and adult students), but only in the first stages of the foreign language learning. I completely agree with learn the foreign language in a non- stress environment, because this is a key factor of the learning. Students learn better in a relaxing atmosphere, like children learn their mother tongue. The kind of activities that the teacher can use is wide and dont require any language answer of the students until they are ready to do that. But teacher has to bear in mind that this method is not enough when students are in a higher level. In that case, students need more communicative activities. SUGGESTOPEDIA BACKGROUND: Suggestopedia is a teaching method developed by the Bulgarian psychotherapist Georgi Lozanov. It is used in different fields, but mostly in the field of foreign language learning. Lozanov has claimed that by using this method a teachers students can learn a language approximately three to five times as quickly as through conventional teaching methods. The theory applied positive suggestion in teaching when it was developed in the 1970s. However, as the method improved, it has focused more on desuggestive learning and now is often called desuggestopedia. Suggestopedia is a mixing of the words suggestion and pedagogy. ADVANTAGES: Increase oral proficiency and lower classroom anxiety. The use of music, relaxing, pleasing and stimulating environmental set-up, motivated and powerful service people (teachers) giving positive messages with their attractive appearance and never-ending energy so it has the potential to increase motivation, among the learners, to try and use the product, which is English here DISADVANTAGES: The first weakness of this method is that the techniques may not work well in all the learners and cultures. It is not a practical method as teachers face the problem of the availability of music and comfortable chairs Lozanov refers in a number of occasions to the importance of memorization, excluding any reference to comprehension and creative problem solving. In fact language is not only about the power of the mind to memorize. Its about understanding, interacting and producing novel utterances in different unpredictable situations. TEACHER ROLE: Teacher is the authority. Learners learn better if they get the information from a reliable authority. Students must trust and respect that authority. STUDENT ROLE: Students play a childs role (infantilization). They adopt a new identity (new name, job, family, etc.). As they feel more secure, they can be less inhibited. METHODOLOGY: Vocabulary is emphasised. Claims about the success of the method often focus on the large number of words that can be acquired. Grammar is taught explicitly but minimally. Explicit grammar rules are provided in L1. Dialogues are used with their translations in L1 on the opposite side. Texts with literary value are used. The textbook posters are used for peripheral learning. Some of the techniques used are: Classroom set up: dim lights, soft music, cushioned armchairs, and posters on the walls. Positive Suggestion: Direct Suggestion: The teacher tells students they are going to be successful to create self-confidence. Indirect Suggestion: This is provided by music and comfortable physical conditions of the classroom. Peripheral Learning: Posters, lists, charts, texts, paintings, and graphs are hung on the walls of the classroom. Students learn from these although their attentions are not directly on these materials. Visualization: Students are asked to close their eyes and concentrate on their breathing. Then the tea

George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 :: essays research papers

1984 Essay After reading Orwell’s 1984 and examining Stalin’s rule over Soviet Russia it is safe to say that the two are very similar. Many features of Big Brother and Oceania mimic those of Stalin and the USSR. As well, the ability to change the truth and rewrite the past was abused for both regimes. Also, the Party and it’s enemies are actual representations of real people who were against Stalin and the USSR. Finally, Big Brother and Stalin did have some differences though very few. By discussing these points, a comparison of the totalitarian leaders Big Brother and Stalin can be made. Many features of Orwell's imaginary superstate Oceania are from Soviet reality: the Komsomol (Young Communists) appear as the â€Å"Anti-Sex League†, the young informers of the Pioneers turn up as the â€Å"Spies†, Soviet Five-Year Plans shrink into Oceania Three-Year Plans, and easily available vodka into Victory Gin. Like Stalin's USSR, Oceania has its renegades and backsliders who are arrested at night, questioned by interrogators for counterrevolutionary activities and then either sent to the "saltmines" or "vaporised". As in Russia, the "comrades" of Oceania are given news bulletins consisting almost entirely of lists of industrial production figures, most of which are announced as "overfulfilled" and none of which are really true. As well, there are constant powercuts and shortages, all essentials being obtained through the underground "free market". Winston's job of alteration in the Ministry of Truth consists of books and periodicals that are rewritten and photographs changed to reflect the "correct" or the latest view of past events was similar to events that happened in the USSR. One of Stalin's corrections of the past was the Soviet-Nazi pact of 1939, this is very similar to the alliance of Oceania with its arch-enemy Eurasia against its former ally Eastasia. "Oceania was at war with Eastasia: Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia." Big Brother, the all-seeing leader who murders his rivals, declares "a new, happy life" and, from posters and telescreens, rules over people conditioned by terror to love him, is of course Stalin himself. As well, Oceania's evil figure Emmanuel Goldstein, the counter-revolutionary author of "the book", and who the Party wages an endless struggle with was much like how Trotsky was portrayed to the Soviet people. Stalin's NKVD jailed millions for the imaginary crime of "Trotskyism" just as Big Brother's Thought Police repressed the followers of Goldstein.

Martin Gansberg Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder and Didn’t Call the Police Essay

The article by Martin Gansberg, Thirty-eight who saw murder and didn’t call the police, is about an isolated event. I don’t think something like this happens a lot. Normally people would call the police or do something to help the victim. But unfortunately sometimes people can be very cold or even cruel, like in this case. Some people just don’t care about what is going on around them, if someone is in need of help or some cooperation. It’s more typical for those who live in big cities because in a busy urban life, in the crowd current they don’t have a time to stop and analyze what would be the right thing to do and they just don’t want to get involved and put themselves in troubles. In small towns people are more responsive, and the situation like this would less likely to happen. Another thing that is influent is crime and violence scenes that people constantly see on television, internet, movies. People getting used to seeing that on tv all the time in real life perceive it like another show and just watch without any action and some of them even get excited about how it’s all going to end. Luckily I have never been in situation when I had to report a crime in progress, but I know if something happens I am not going to stand there and watch. And hopefully I will never get in situation when I’m the one who needs help and no one helps. The opening line of the Martin Gansberg’s article â€Å"Thirty-eight who saw murder and didn’t call the police† states: â€Å" For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law-abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens. † But it doesn’t mean that they were staying around like in arena watching the killer slaughtering a victim from the very beginning to the end. The author uses little exaggeration to dramatize what happened. It may not be the fact but it expresses author’s position. It shows how angry and disappointed he is, it shows his condemnation. Although writers, especially reporters, have an ethical responsibility to be accurate, little exaggeration and distortion can take a place, what can help author to express their position and their point of view. What matters is what exactly and how much has been distorted. For example, article says that the killer made three attempts to kill the woman. If indeed the victim died from the first attempt and the killer run away after that, but author changed the story to make it more dramatic, that would be very serious distortion of the story.

The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)

The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It) The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It) Even the phrase â€Å"word limit† can cause panic among students. For some it’s the challenge of writing enough, while others find it hard to stick within the limit given. In either case, it can lead to spending more time worrying about the length of your paper than the content! And length isnt everything, right? Ahem. But why do college papers come with set word limits? And what should you do to ensure you dont write too much or too little? Why Have a Word Limit? There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit: Fairness It’s impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them. Communication Skills As well as testing your knowledge, college papers are about communicating clearly and concisely. Setting a word limit forces you to consider what you’re saying more carefully, helping you to develop your writing skills. Sticking to the word limit is, therefore, part of being a good academic, since being a long way over or under could suggest youve misjudged the scope of the essay topic or that you’re having trouble communicating your ideas. How to Stick to the Word Limit Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible. If you find yourself writing too much, you can reduce the word count by: Editing out repetition, redundant words and padding phrases Cutting down long or unnecessary quotations Reducing the number of examples or case studies used (if you’ve included several) Using the active voice instead of the passive voice More generally, you should re-read your work and eliminate anything that isn’t directly related to the question you’re answering. As well as helping you stick to the word limit, this will make your work more focused, which could boost your grades. How to Increase Your Word Count If you’re struggling to write enough, the temptation might be to add padding phrases like â€Å"in my opinion† or long block quotations until you hit the minimum word count. But this will simply detract from the clarity of your writing. Instead, the answer is usually to go back over your work and look for things that could be improved with a little additional attention. This might involve: Addressing anything from your essay question that you’ve overlooked Adding illustrative examples to support a point Considering different sources and views on the same issue Using short quotations as evidence for your arguments Moreover, whether you’ve written too much or too little, getting someone else to read your work and offer feedback is a fantastic idea (especially if you ask a professional for help). This will help you to identify areas that could be expanded or cut in the next draft, so eventually you should be able to get your essay to the required length.

Branched Chain Alkane Definition

Branched Chain Alkane Definition An alkane is a saturated hydrocarbon. Alkanes may be linear, branched, or cyclic. Heres what you need to know about the branched alkanes. Branched Alkane Definition A branched chain alkane or branched alkane is an alkane which has alkyl groups bonded to its central carbon chain. Branched alkanes contain only carbon and hydrogen (C and H) atoms, with carbons connected to other carbons by single bonds only, but the molecules contain branches (methyl, ethyl, etc.) so they are not linear.   How to Name Simple Branched Chain Alkanes There are two parts to each name of a branched alkane. You may consider these parts as prefix and suffix, branch name and stem name, or alkyl and alkane. The alkyl groups or substituents are named in the same way as the parent alkanes, except each contains the suffix -yl. When not named, alkyl groups are represented as R-. Here is a table of common substituents: Substituent Name CH3- methyl CH3CH2- ethyl CH3CH2CH2- propyl CH3CH2CH2CH2- butyl CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2- pentyl Names are constructed in the form  locant  Ã‚  substituent prefix  Ã‚  root name according to these rules: Name the longest alkane chain. This is the longest string of carbons.Identify the side chains or branches.Name each side chain.Number the stem carbons such that the side chains will have the lowest numbers.Use a hyphen (-) to separate the number of the stem carbon from the name of the side chain.The prefixes di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, etc. are used when there is more than one alkyl group attached to the main carbon chain, indicating how many times the specific alkyl group occurs.Write the names of different types of alkyl groups in alphabetical order.Branched alkanes may have the prefix iso. Examples of Branched Chain Alkane Names 2-methylpropane (This is the smallest branched chain alkane.)2-methylheptane2,3-dimethylhexane2,3,4-trimethylpentane Different Methods of Representing Branched Alkanes Linear and branched alkanes may be represented using a: skeletal formula, showing only bonds between carbon atomsshortened structural formula, showing atoms, but no bondsfull structural formula, with all atoms and bonds depicted3-D model, showing atoms and bonds in three dimensions Importance and Uses of Branched Alkanes Alkanes do not readily react because they are saturated hydrocarbons. However, they can be made to react to yield energy or to make useful products. Branched alkanes are of particular importance in the petroleum industry. When provided sufficient activation energy, alkanes react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy, thus alkanes are valuable fuels.The process of cracking breaks longer chains alkanes into smaller alkanes and alkenes to increase octane number and to make polymers.C4-C6 alkanes may be heated with platinum or aluminum oxide catalysts to cause isomerism to produce branched chain alkanes. This is used to improve octane number.Reforming increases the number of cycloalkanes and benzene ring-containing hydrocarbons to improve octane number.

SWOT analysis of HP Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SWOT analysis of HP Inc - Essay Example , the company is able to easily enter into a business partnership with multi-national companies such as in the case of Starbucks in terms of using HP’s Wireless Connection Manager software for the Wi-Fi access of Starbucks’ clients. (Weinschenck, 2002) Aside from having good and loyal customer reputation in terms of patronizing HP’s PC-related products, the company continuously improves its global distribution network over the years. (BNET, 1998) By enhancing its global distribution network, the company is able to easily distribute its product and services across the world. Thus, strengthening the company’s ability to increase its annual sales and profitability. Since 1999, HP continuously exerted extra effort in protecting its product and services through the U.S. intellectual property law. (HP, 2008a) By actively registering its newly innovated products and brand name under patent and trademark, the company is highly HP’s Storage Division falls short of its client’s expectations. (Maitland, 2004; Vance, 2004) For this reason, the company has experienced a 5% decline in revenue because of HP’s server and storage division. Likewise, this causes the company’s share to fall down from $19.10 to $16.28 back in 2004. (Vance, 2004) HP continuously innovate new product and technology to satisfy the needs and wants of its target consumers. (Hoffman, 2007) Aiming to increase the business opportunity of HP, the company has recently designed and marketed a universal printer driver in order to increase its competitive advantages over other brands. In order to overcome the company’s weaknesses, HP entered into merger with Compaq in order to improve its storage division. (Stammers, 2004) In the process, HP should take it as a challenge to improve its Server and Storage Division by changing its existing storage landscape. (Maitland, 2004) Failure of HP to immediately act upon its weaknesses imposes a significant threat over its annual revenue and

The Impact of the Euro Since Its Launch Dissertation

The Impact of the Euro Since Its Launch - Dissertation Example The Euro is one of the stable currencies in the world. It is the official currency of the eurozone which consists of 17 member states of the European Union. The euro was introduced as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999. The notes and coins for the euro were brought into circulation on 1 January 2002. In the period between the introduction of the currency and the advent of its notes and coins, the preceding currencies’ notes and coins were accepted, however such currencies were fixed against the euro. The significance of the currency on a global scale can be determined by the fact that it has become second largest reserve currency in the world. Apart from that, it has also become second most traded currency all over the world after the US $. According to the statistics released by European Union, more than â‚ ¬800 billion were in circulation as at June 2010. The euro has surpassed US$ in the combined value of notes and coins in circulation all over the world. According to the estimates released by IMF, eurozone is the second largest economy in the world. Many US economists had criticized the idea of a currency such as euro. According to such economists, euro was bound to be a failure and it would not last for so long. However, euro surpassed everyone’s expectations and in a very short period of time, it evolved to be one of the most powerful currencies in the world. Most economists were against the idea of monetary unification however the success of euro proves that mone tary unification is an evolutionary process. ... However, euro surpassed everyone’s expectations and in a very short period of time, it evolved to be one of the most powerful currencies in the world. Most economists were against the idea of monetary unification however the success of euro proves that monetary unification is an evolutionary process. From these facts and figures, it can be inferred that euro has become one of the most powerful currencies in the world and it has significant impact on the global economy. 2. Euro as Reserve Currency In order for a currency to be a favoured reserve currency, it must have well developed financial markets. The euro was formed after the unification of 17 currencies of the member states of the European Union. The unification strengthened the euro financial markets and it lowered the macro-economic risks of the countries in eurozone. This was one of the reasons why euro became one of the biggest reserve currencies all around the world. It inherited its reserve status from the currencie s that dissolved into euro. Before the introduction of euro the overall share of US$ as reserve currency was 70.9% which dropped to 64% in the year 2008. On the other hand, the inherited proportion of the euro as reserve currency was 17.9% in the year in which it was introduced, i.e., 1998. One of the reasons behind the euro’s status of one of the most reserve currencies is due to German Mark. The proportion of euro as reserve currency increased to 26.5% in the year 2008. The euro has significantly affected the status of US$ as a reserve currency. Most economists are also debating the possibility of the euro replacing the US$ as the most held reserve currency. According to David