Public Hangings :: essays research papers

Capital punishment seemed to have been regenerated from the beginning of mankind, where beheading was considered an honorable method of meeting death, whereas hanging carried with it a definite stigma. The era of public hanging was emotionally satisfying even though the surroundings was emotionally tense. In contrast to private hangings where they were fewer observers, less theatrical from the accuse and hanging was becoming more of an inhuman punishment to inflict on those found guilty of their crime. Both forms of hangings were though to be an effective way of preventing individuals from committing a crime. Capital punishment seemed morally acceptable, to the public and there were individuals who were willing to carry out the execution. From the books; "†¦Hang By the Neck†¦", Hanging in the Balance and The trail of the Dinosaur, gives descriptions of public and private hangings, the responsibilities of the hangman and the general reaction of the public, who were for and againts hangings. In the days of public hangings, gallows or scaffolds were rather crude contraptions. Early contraptions consisted of two post in the ground, with a cross-piece between them from which the victim swung. As the years passed by a second contraption was invented, a single stout post with a timber nailed at a right angle at the top, with supporting boards attached. A third contraption was made which was a platform erected nine or more feet from the ground, in the middle of which was a trap door which swung upon hinges. This latest invention was commonly used towards the end of public hangings. In private hangings the same contraption was used, but the individual were taken down a lot quicker, for their was no need to display the executed to curious observer. Public executions were grim and was a disgusting spectacle to the accuses’ family and close friends, but for most individuals it was a time to rejoice and to celebrate. When a crowd assembled to witn ess a public event, they were out in a holiday mood. Hundreds of people came from long distances to view a hanging, concessionaires had money invested in trinkets and food to be sold at what they called jamborees. Public hanging were often imitated in plays, which were seen as despicable form of entertainment towards the victim and the accuses family. The scenes attending the hangings were for large gatherings from far and near, mostly bent on idle curiosity or for a grand jollification.

Milk Analysis

Milk The movie â€Å"Milk† was based on a true story of a gay activist in San Francisco, Harvey Milk. Milk shows his story through his statements through a recording made before he was assassinated. He narrated what happened to him during the last eight years of his life (40-48). It showed how confidently Milk went out of the closet and fight for the rights of gays. Milk became the representative of the growing population of gays in San Francisco. Milk eventually ran for the office because being in the office will be the best way to easily fight for gay rights.Milk won and at the same time, another politician who was against the ideologies of Milk won also, Dan White. This marks the growing conflicts between the two. White regards gay as social deviants. Not only did he consider gays as social deviants but also Asians especially the Chinese people but Milk showed no hostility towards White in fact he tried to work professionally as co-politicians with White but in the end of t he movie, Milk was killed by White.Relating to the course, homosexuals can be considered as deviants because they violate the gender norms which includes only male and female but for me, homosexuals nowadays should not be cons idered deviants at all because a large percentage of the world’s population includes homosexuals already and as I can remember through our discussions in class, in order to be considered deviant, these people should represent only a small number of people but relating to the movie, what Milk has done can be considered as tertiary deviance. Tertiary deviance is a deviant act when an individual tries to label a deviant act as non -deviant.As portrayed in the movie, Milk fought for gay rights. He wanted people to regard gays as equal with the heterosexuals and normal people. In the movie, Milk managed his being homosexual through his charismatic characteristics as a gay activist he believed that he can be an effective re presentative of the gay community b ecause a lot of people liked him whether gay or straight. A lot of people supported his ideas since he was the first ever gay who had been elected for a position in the government. The society had different reaction to Milk’s actions.There are people who like him and supported him and there are also people who stayed as homophobic and believed that gay people should not be given jobs as teachers because they believe that these gays will just teach their children to also be gays. Reactions of people were different from one another depending on the perspective of the people and the belief that they hold onto. If these people are openminded, they would react to the gay activism as a normal behavior b ut in the movie it seemed that there are people who cannot take the fact that there are other people in the society who hold different beliefs.A lot of factors can be considered why these people stay close-minded to the social realities. This is may be because of how they were broug ht up. Family, especially parents has great impact on your beliefs while you grow up. Another factor is religion. Religion has the power to make people follow its beliefs and hold onto it as much as possible. I also consider Dan White as deviant because he committed murder against a co-politician who is against his ideologies.

Comparing Health Care Systems: The United States and Cuba Essay

For many years, the health care in the United constituted the best that any country had to offer (University of Maine, 2001). But as the facts would tend to display, it is slowly becoming one of the most inefficient in the world (Maine, 2001). The United States health care system may tout itself of being in the category of being the most expensive in the world, meaning a dearth of resources for the care it delivers (Reed Abelson, 2008). But the disparity in the amount that the people spend and the quality of the service attached to that cost is seemingly not parallel to each other (Abelson, 2008). A report released on the United States health care system shows that the country is spending about twice the amount on the health care needs of its citizens is compared to that of the expenditures of other developed nations (Abelson, 2008). But if the prices of health care in the United States, the country is listed at the bottom of countries that in the mortality of people if treated with efficient medical care (Abelson, 2008). This is a growing concern across the social spectrum of the United States (Meena Seshamani, Jeanne Ambrew & Joseph Antos, 2008). The amount that the United States spends annually on health care is truly staggering. In 2006, the United States spent $2. 1 trillion on health care services alone, double what the country allotted a decade back and about half of that is targeted in nine years time (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). The United States currently ranks as the third largest nation in the world, with a population of around 294 million (Samuel Uretsky, 2008). Of this number, it is believed that approximately 75 million Americans have inadequate medical insurance or do not have insurance altogether (Abelson, 2008). It was also found that the quality and the attendants cost of health care greatly varies across the societal spectrum (Abelson, 2008). These costs drain the finances of American businesses, which in turn contribute a quarter of the capital for health care needs (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). The costs to employers in terms of contribution to the health care fund increased by a staggering 98 percent in the span of seven years- from 2000 to last year, which outstripped the increases in wages by four to one (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). In 2007, the cost of employee-based insurance cost about $12,000, nearly matching the wages for minimum wage employment (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). Adding to the burden of high insurance payments is the fact that these have to be paid with higher service and deductions (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). This issue also has an impact on the senior citizens of the United States (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). Elderly Americans, in the current scenario, have to accumulate about $300,000 dollars in non-Medicare covered health costs (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). These costs have contributed to the access of health care by many Americans (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). Citizens who are covered by employer-based health insurance in 2006 fell five percent, from 66 percent to about 61 percent in the six-year period preceding 2006 (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). But how is health insurance in the United States given? The United States offers a variety of avenues of health insurance coverage both from public funds and from the private sector (Uretsky, 2008). In a report released by the United States Census Bureau in 2003, it found that about 6 out of every 10 Americans were covered by employer-based health insurance, about 3 of the 10 from the government, and the remainder with no insurance (Uretsky, 2008). In 2001, it was found that the United States spent more of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than any other developed nation in the world (Uretsky, 2008). For that period, America spent more than 13. 9 percent of its GDP, compared to Japan, which spent about 7. 8 percent; Canada, 9. 4 percent and the United Kingdom, 7. 6 percent (Uretsky, 2008). It should be interesting to note that even if the United States outpaced Japan in terms of health care spending, the United States ranks just 24th in the world for life expectancy (Uretsky, 2008). Life expectancy in the United States is about 70 years old, while the valedictorian on the list, Japan, comes in at about 74. 5 years for its citizens (Uretsky, 2008). Memberships in life insurance and access to adequate health care have been shown to work together (Devi Sridhar, 2005). The availability of health insurance is essential to instances and times that people would be able to rely on medical care in relation to the overall health of the person (Sridhar, 2005). Lack of available health insurance will take a toll on a person’s physical well-being (Sridhar, 2005). The individual will not be able to go to medical facilities for preventive medical treatment, fill out prescriptions, and will likely be receiving that medical treatment in the latter stages of a disease (Sridhar, 2005). Unlike the United States, Cuba, on the other hand, is not prone to the failures of the private and public fund problems found in the United States (Harvard Public Health Review, 2002). Cuban authorities exercise complete administrative, budgetary, and operational responsibility for the delivery of health care services for all its citizens (Harvard, 2002). The Cuban health care model is purely derived from the government, defining it as a public health care system seeking to provide universal health care coverage for all Cubans (Oxford Journals, 2008). It has been seen as a model of matching few available resources with the needs of the people in getting adequate medical care, often getting extremely high marks (Oxford, 2008). Compared to other developed nations, the United States has the distinction of being the only one that does not provide the availability of universal health care to its citizens (John Battista and Justine McCabe, 1999). In the developed world, it is found that 28 of the industrialized nations practice a â€Å"single- payer system, while Germany practices a multi-payer system akin to the proposed system of the President Clinton (Battista, McCabe, 1999). This would lead most observers to take a second look at the health care system of the United States (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In the analysis of the American health system, it is good to debunk some of the fallacies and errors that have been around the effective and quality of the United States system of health (Battista, McCabe, 1999). The United States, though having one of the best health professionals and an exceptional system of delivery and technology, still lags behind some of the industrial world’s health system (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In fact, if several factors in health care statistics are considered, the report card for the United States is a dismal failure (Battista, McCabe, 1999). Several of these factors would evidence how the system of health care in the United States has failed to give an improving system to its citizens. In 1960, America ranked 12th in terms of infant mortality (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In 1990, the United States ranked 21st in the world, settling at 23rd in recent times (Battista, McCabe, 1999). A central issue in the United States health system is the issue of universal health care. A current misconception of arguing against the consideration of universal health care is the prohibitive costs associated with it (Battista, McCabe, 1999). The opponents for the policy of a single payer system are of the belief that institutionalizing the policy avers that the country might end up paying too much (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In fact, the United States is already paying about 40 percent more than any other country in health care spending per capita (Battista, McCabe, 1999). Two of the top priorities currently in the area of health care are the ever increasing costs in the provision of health and the decreasing levels of access to health care (Sridhar, 2005). This fact is continuing to drive a wedge between those that can afford to provide for their health care needs and those that can ill-afford to purchase or do not have the means and the opportunity to be covered by insurance (Sridhar, 2005). This problem of individuals not covered by the health care system in the United States is expected to expand also to affect the insured patients (Sridhar, 2005). The issue seems to be in how the universal system of health care would operate (Sridhar, 2005). Many opponents of the policy are criticizing the system as an added layer of the bureaucracy and might result in the centralization of the health care system (Sridhar, 2005). But the current practice of Americans in purchasing their health-care needs might be more expensive than the provision for universal health care (Sridhar, 2005). At present, and as mentioned earlier, Americans are covered by health insurance in three ways: it is a benefit to workers and retirees, through government programs and the purchase of non-government insurance (Uretsky, 2008). But is the opposition to the universal, or single-payer, heath insurance system justified? The main opposition as again mentioned is the cost of the system (Battista, McCabe, 1999). In addition to the seeming â€Å"overspending† of Americans on health care, the institutionalization of the single payer system could means savings (Battista, McCabe, 1999). According to studies done by the Congressional Budget Office and the General Accounting office, it shows that with the practice of the single-payer system, the United States can accumulate $100 to $200 billion a year in health care savings, with the coverage expanding to cover uninsured individuals and improving the quality of services offered (Battista, McCabe, 1999). The Cuban Health System: Making do with less, and then some As mentioned earlier, the health care system of Cuba is completely run and operated by the government (Seshamani, Ambrew & Antos, 2008). This health care system provides not only diagnostic procedures, but also preventive, therapeutic and ameliorative treatments for the people of Cuba (Harvard, 2002). The Cuban health system is also distinguished as the one possessing the highest ratio in terms of people to doctors (The London School of Economics and Political Science, 2003). These health practitioners are trained in the country’s 21 medical educational facilities (London, 2003). In turn, the family physicians, as they are called, 20,000 of them, are tasked to administer the health care system of the Cuban government, one family physician to about 600 people (London, 2003). It should also be noted that these achievements in the field of health acre by the government in Havana have been done in the presence of an economic embargo imposed by the United States since 1961 (Harvard, 2002). The embargo put severe restrictions on the ability of Cuba to source out funding for its health car initiatives (Harvard, 2002). Since these sanctions covered even the importation and food items and medical supplies, the Cuban government practiced a system of preventive cure as a means to cushion the impact of the embargo (Harvard, 2002). In essence, the family physicians, at least in epidemiological terms, serve their fellow Cubans in the best way that they know how (London, 2003). Not only do the family physicians provide excellent preventive care, they also make it a point to provide treatment and diagnostics to prevent the onset of diseases upon the people (London, 2003). These family physicians are usually stationed in the nation’s consultorios, or small clinics situated in small neighbourhoods that they are assigned to. These doctors usually reside in the space above the clinic or just nearby (The Social Medicine Portal, 2006). These physicians attend to the patients who come in the morning to the clinic, then set out in the afternoon for home visitation for patients who are unable to come to the clinic (Social Medicine, 2006). For complicated and more delicate cases, the people can go a facility called a â€Å"polyclinic† (Social Medicine, 2006). These polyclinics, numbering about 400 scattered throughout the nation, function similar to a hospital’s outpatient department (Social Medicine, 2006). Some outpatient procedures are administered here in the polyclinic, but the facility is mainly geared for consultation sessions with specialists (Social Medicine, 2006). Also, acupuncture, physical therapy sessions and ultrasound procedures are conducted in the facility (Social Medicine, 2006). This is the first level of health care in the island nation; the second tier of care being administered by local and regional health care facilities (Social Medicine, 2006). The Cuban health system is one that can be characterized as an undivided, cohesive and devolved system that caters to the health and well-being of the people (Francisco Rojas Ochoa & Leticia Artiles Visbal, 2007). Also, the right to universal health care is guaranteed as a responsibility of the government under existing Cuban jurisprudence (London, 2003). In stark contrast to the Cuban guarantee of the right to free and adequate health care for its citizens, the United States does not obligate the government to deliver universal health care to is people as one of their rights as citizens of the United States (Battista, McCabe, 1999). This resiliency and dedication of Cuba to provide for its citizens was also seen as one of the reasons that health care delivery was not too affected by the economic crisis in the 1990’s (Oxford, 2008).

An Ironic Editorial Cartoon Essay

â€Å"Let’s hope the asteroid’s impact is confined to the subprime mortgage area. † These are the words spoken among several dinosaurs as a large asteroid is headed towards earth. Or, more accurately, they are the words of the dinosaurs within the frame of Tim Toles’ biting editorial cartoon. Upon first viewing, the cartoon does provoke immediate laughter. Then, when you stop to let the themes of the cartoon sink in you realize that the humor is quite dark and ominous and, more importantly, it is quite accurate. For those not familiar with the symbolism, there is an unproven theory that asserts dinosaurs may have been rendered extinct due to an asteroid hitting the earth. The reason all dinosaurs were rendered extinct was due to the asteroid having a significant change on the earth’s climate and environment. That is, the asteroid possessed a ripple effect that went far beyond the exact area where the asteroid landed. The symbolism presented here ties in with the subprime mortgage crisis in a manner that is both obvious and outright chilling. The weight of the claims presented in the argument makes logical sense. It simply infers that economic problems will have a major ripple effect. That is, the economic woes of those affected by the subprime crisis will carry over into other aspects of the economy. As a result, even those who may previously have had nothing to do with the subprime crisis will be negatively impacted. (In essence, the intended audience is the entire population of the nation) After all, we are all plugged into the same economy. If one area is hurting, it will invariably drag down others. This is clearly an interpretation based on implication and the claim is obviously apparent in the words used. And, yes, such assumptions are warranted as by the time the cartoon appeared the ripple effect of the crisis has lead to a huge federal bailout This is not a notion that is arrived at on the basis of speculation and alarmism. It is based on simple math and the law of cause and effect. If someone’s home suffers from a foreclosure then the individual will find himself in an extremely disadvantageous financial position. Clearly, such an individual would have to make numerous â€Å"cut backs† on purchasing decisions and this means less money will flow into the economy. Such actions have negative effects on profits in various companies and hurt stock values. If stock values are reduced then the net worth of investors (many of which rely on their investment during their retirement years) will reduce. Then, there is also the huge problem of massive foreclosures over-saturating the real estate market. This has the negative effect of ruining equity on real estate throughout the nation. Further problems arise as the economy declines and credit dries up. This can lead to â€Å"bank runs† where customers opt to pull money out of their banks for fear they may lose their savings if the bank goes under. So, yes, just like the horrible ripple effect the asteroid had on the dinosaurs, the subprime crisis is one that affects the whole world as opposed to any one, single contained area. Of course, prior to the asteroid landing, the dinosaurs had no idea how serious the problem would be. They saw it coming but did not expect it to possess such a ripple effect. The dinosaur’s predicament is woefully similar to the predicament facing the economic landscape now that the subprime crisis has reeled out of control. As such, this cartoon is serious call to action and it is made with the intended goal of motivating the public to be ready for the serious ramifications of the subprime crisis. Now, when it comes to the ability to critique the effectiveness of the cartoon we must look at the sum of its parts. Particularly, is imagery also needed to effectively convey the information presented in the cartoon? Of course, it is possible to convey the same information and sentiment. Granted, the words in the cartoon would obviously have to be expanded upon in order to provide the proper context to make sense. However, the biting humor of the cartoon would needlessly be eliminated and replaced by exposition and explanation.. Such an approach would work quite effectively but it would not possess the same power of the cartoon. That is, the cartoon works on a number of levels because it combines visual imagery with ironic wording. In terms of the specific words within the cartoon, however, the presence of the words without the imagery would make little sense since they would be out of context without the presence of the dinosaurs. Now, if one were to keep the image and remove the wording the end result would be disastrous. A visual image of dinosaurs looking up at the sky and seeing an asteroid would convey the concept that an asteroid may have killed them, but it does nothing to promote the ironic notion that the subprime mortgage crisis can cause a similar ripple effect. In short, the value of the cartoon is basically worthless without the presence of the ironic wording. After all, if you were to remove the words from the cartoon would you be able to guess that its subject matter involves the subprime crisis? In all likelihood, making any connection between the dinosaurs and the subprime crisis would be impossible without the appropriate wording. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It is simply an honest assessment of the limitations of the cartoon’s visual imagery. But does it work? It depends. It is odd however, that irony is used as a means of promoting the argument style of persuasion. In a way, the cartoon heralds more than it seeks to persuade. So, really, its goal is not so much to be persuasive since it does not seek to promote a point to the doubting as much as it is a statement of fact. While a statement of fact can persuade some, such a statement is not automatically persuasive. For those who are logic and rational, however, it will have a stronger resonance that mixes pathos with logos. That is, it mixes humorous irony with obviously true facts. In the final analysis, it is safe to say that this particular editorial cartoon is brilliant. It mixes words and images together in an ironic and informative matter that stresses the gravity of the subprime crisis. Of course, the words and images do this well in combination. Separately, they would lack the effectiveness they possess as a tandem. Bibliography Toles, Tom. (2008) â€Å"Unnamed Cartoon†. THE WASHINGTON POST. Retrieved October 5, 2008 from http://www. washingtonpost. com/ wp-dyn/content/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/

Child Labour in Pakistan

Internet Internet has been perhaps the most outstanding innovation in the field of communication in the history of mankind. Ten years ago, the term internet was practically anonymous to most of people. Today internet has become the most ever powerful tool for man throughout the world. The internet is a collection of various services and resources. Internet has its advantages and disadvantages. But usually, the advantages of internet outweigh its disadvantages. Communication is one of the greatest services of the internet.By using MSN, FACEBOOK or something else, we can communicate in second with a person who is sitting in the other part of the world. Today for better communication, we can chat for hours with our loved ones. With the help of such services, the internet has become very easy to establish a kind of global friendship and share our thoughts. Also we can explore other cultures of different ethnicity on the internet. Information also is a big advantage that internet is offer ing. The internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the internet.The search engines like Google, Yahoo is at your service on the internet. You can almost find any type of data on almost any kind of subject that you are looking for. Students and teens are among the top users who surf the internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students should use the internet for research for the purpose of gathering resources. Teachers have given assignments, which require research on the internet, to students. Entertainment is another reason why many people prefer to surf the internet. Downloading games, visiting chat rooms or watching online movies are some of the uses people have discovered.There are numerous of games that may be downloaded from the internet for free. Chat rooms are popular because users can meet new and interesting people. When people surf the Web, there are numerous things that can be found such as music, hobbies, news, sports. Theft of personal information is one of the biggest disadvantages of the internet. When you are using the internet, you may be facing grave danger as your personal information such as name, address, credit card number etc. Spamming Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails in bulk, which provide no purpose and needlessly obstruct the entire system.Such illegal activities can be very frustrating for you. Virus threat Virus is nothing but a program which disrupts the normal functioning of your computer systems. Computers attached to internet are more prone to virus attacks and they can end up into crashing your whole hard disk, causing you considerable headache. Pornography This is perhaps the biggest threat related to your children’s healthy mental life. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the internet that can be easily found and can be a detrimental factor to let children use the internet.

A Study Of How TPRS Can Be Used To Learn Another Language

A Study Of How TPRS Can Be Used To Learn Another Language Using TPRS in Acquisition of Foreign Language TPR Storytelling (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) is a method of teaching foreign languages through reading and telling of stories in a classroom setting. The method was invented by a Spanish teacher by the name Blaine Ray, in Bakersfield, California, in 1990. The method of teaching foreign languages is for students who show disinterest in the exciting process of learning a language from a textbook. TPRS is a method that is more or less the same as the procedure involved when learning the first language. Students learn their second language the in the same manner babies learn their first language. By listening to the second language from a story teller, students acquire vocabularies that are helpful in leaning the second language. (Mason, 2005) TPRS is the most effective way of acquiring a second language since its invention in the 1960s. According to the method, changing from commands to the third person singular allows teachers to tell stories and that makes the procedure a long-term memory technique. One of the effective physical elements that have been so powerful in the classical TPRS is asking students to participate in acting out the parts of the characters in the stories. TPRS combines several physical response methods and language acquisition strategies, thus allowing effective teaching of grammar, reading and writing along with vocabulary. (Enciso, 2011) TPR storytelling is not complete without emphasis on reading. The whole procedure begins with an introduction of vocabulary and the complex structures that is then followed by reading. The acquisition method of foreign languages heavily relies on some hypotheses that are recommended in the reading program. The input hypothesis, acquisition hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis and the monitor hypothesis form the basis of TPR storytelling. In the method, a free voluntary reading program is recommended. Learners are encouraged not to entirely depend on the storytellers. Students ought to access books and a quiet, comfortable place to read. Additionally, the second language acquisition method involves reading to students, just as small children are read to while learning their first language for the first time. The most significant element of the TPRS program is the awareness that the focus is on students and not on books or even the story. Maintaining a good relationship with students is regarded as the foundation of a TPRS program. The pace of giving instructions to students should be entirely based upon the assessment by the teacher of how strongly students have internalized the foreign language. Other important elements in the TPRS program are the quality and quantity of the unconditional love, positive feedback, and the appreciation provided by students to their teacher. (Mhathà ºn 2008) Abstract This literature review evaluates the effectiveness of Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) compared to other approaches for acquiring and retaining new vocabulary in a foreign language. The subjects in the review are adult learners with limited literacy and the teachers who use storytelling in teaching foreign languages in the classroom setting. Different scholarly articles are evaluated and reviewed to show the effect of TPRS and grammar translation approaches on the student vocabulary. The articles in this literature review are also a research on the assessment of students’ ability to acquire and retain foreign languages as compare to small children learning their first language. In the review, additional research is needed on how to work effectively with adult students who need to learn foreign languages under challenging circumstances. The students have complicated lives and are struggling to survive in addition to studying on how to improve their language ability. Background information In applying the powerful concept of TPRS in classroom, here is what we know: Studies with Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Russian demonstrate that TPR is brain compatible. It means that the method may imply short and long-term retention that is striking and statistically significant across studies. Retention with TPR is comparable to riding a bicycle. Upon elapsing of years since the years have elapsed, proficiency returns after a few warm up trials. There is no age barrier in using the TPRS method of acquiring and retaining a foreign language. The method seems to work effectively for both children and adults. The only issue is that when the language training starts after puberty, the probability is almost certain that one will have at least some accent in speaking the second language, no matter how long one lives in a foreign country. It is factual that TPR works for most languages including the sign language of the deaf and the language of mathematics. In the U.S.A math education is even more challenging than foreign languages. It is evident that math education is challenging since more time is spent on remedial mathematics than all other forms of math education combined. Traditional programs and foreign languages both share a common flaw; they play to half the brain and usually, it is the wrong half. Studies show that even the adults play the game of learning another language on a level playing field. There is a widely-held belief that children have a linguistic advantage over the adults but studies contradict the opinion. Studies with the Spanish, Russian, and Japanese have it that adults consistently outperform children in acquiring skills of speaking and writing a new language. The only exception is noted when it comes to pronunciation. In a TPR class, it is the students who do the performance while the teacher is the director of the play. It is the same way that children acquire another language so quickly while living in a foreign nation. They are silent but respond to the directions from caretakers and other children hence they learn quickly. Studies at the University of Texas and other institutions indicate that the dropout rate of second language students in a traditional program can be as high as 95 percent. The studies also have it that the stunning attrition can be reversed when TPRS is a central feature of the language program. TPRS builds confidence in students hence enabling the students to experience quick understanding of a foreign language. Most importantly, TPRS is aptitude free. When TPR is applied by a skilled and talented teacher, academic aptitude becomes a negligible factor. Most people get surprised when disadvantaged children who experience difficulty in class at the traditional school enjoy success in a TPR class. The students can then feel the exhilaration of being competitive with the all â€Å"A† students. TPRS is therefore an important method of helping students acquire a foreign language since it facilitates instant understanding of the target language, regardless of the academic aptitude. It also enhances stress-free, high speed long-term retention amongst the students. Thesis Many students experience difficulty in remembering vocabulary and grammatical rules well for future retrieval. Despite teachers’ efforts to make the students remember the vocabulary and grammar, the students have not often been very successful at that. Due to the challenge of students failing to remember vocabulary and grammar, some strategies have been used over time to help solve the problem. For instance, in English classes, teachers sometimes used world maps to increase the students’ vocabulary. These efforts have not been successful in working towards better understanding of vocabulary amongst the students. Over time, learning institutions have gravitated towards the role of stories in teaching and learning foreign languages. There are many benefits that stories come with when imparting instruction and learning. For example, stories facilitate the acquisition and retention of vocabulary. (Mason, 2005) The use of stories is important in enabling teachers to explain relevant vocabulary over a short period of time. This essay reviews the importance of communication skills among immigrants who are normally employed in low-skilled jobs that do not require high levels of communication. The most effective method of acquiring a foreign language is also discussed. The use of TPRS as a method of gaining and retaining vocabulary and grammar of a foreign language is elaborated in this paper. It is very crucial to teach a foreign language to adults who entirely depend on the language for their economic gains. Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) works well with students who apparently do not have a strong academic background. This paper shows how possible it is for students who lack good academic background to compete competently in a TPR class with students who have experienced a proper academic background. (Enciso, 2011) The study in this paper shows the effectiveness of TPRS in acquiring and retaining new vocabulary. Annotated Bibliography Using TPRS in Acquisition of Foreign Language Mason, B. (2005). Vocabulary acquisition through storytelling. TexTESOL III Newsletter, 3-5. In this article, Mason states that vocabulary acquisition is possible from listening to stories but at the same time, listening to stories in an insufficient and an inefficient source of vocabulary. Mason informs us further that listening to stories require direct instruction as well. In the article, a study carried out by Beniko Mason attempts to confirm that listening to stories leads to the acquisition of vocabulary and also determines the efficiency of the vocabulary acquisition. In the study, two experiments are carried out; the first experiment being story-telling versus list-learning. In the first experiment that had sixty participants, all the students took part in both treatments. The storytelling treatment involved a pretest on thirty words. The participant then listened to a story of thirty words. While the teacher told the story, the students pointed at the word they thought were used in the story. In the first treatment the participants retook the vocabulary test but presented in a different order. The second treatment involved the students being urged to work together Experiment two was storytelling plus skill-building versus story-telling alone. In the experiment, the subjects were first year female Japanese female students at a junior college in Osaka. The students were not much exposed aural input in English. For the first group, the 20 target words were written on the board, the participants took a translation test, and the students listened to the story and then took a post-test on the same list of words. The other group involved the use of oral questions that used the target words. The participants also took a translation test and read the written version of the story. The story only group took the translation test twice, but the story-plus group did the whole procedure three times. Weeks later, the groups were given an unexpected follow-up test. Mason notes down his results for the study and presents the mean scores for the two groups as similar. He uses a descriptive statistics on vocabulary test where the final gain for the two groups as a result of the vocabulary test is noted. Another table showing the efficiency of both the two groups is also drawn by Mason. There was no difference in the story method and the list-learning method used in the first study. In the second story, there was also no difference in the in the efficiency in vocabulary learning between the two activities carried out. Mason indicates that the findings are consistent with the results of previous studies, an indication that listening to stories results in vocabulary development. Mason also compares the results with the comprehension hypothesis which states that language development is the result of the comprehension of messages. The goal of the study was on vocabulary development. Mason notes that the whole idea of storytelling as an effective way acquiring a foreign language is encouragement. The author of this article thus proves that stories are far more pleasant and effective than the traditional instruction. He further explains that students can gain other aspects of language from stories, as well as knowledge. In addition, Mason argues that storytelling and list ening to foreign language results leads to the acquisition of vocabularies, and endeavors to demonstrate to determine the importance of the acquisition to the learners. Almost the same research has been done before and Mason’s work is just a confirmation of the previous findings. In a nutshell there is consistency in his research. In particular the finding look to be consistent with Comprehension Hypothesis that argues that of student learning a new language comes from comprehension messages. The article is a good reader for beginners in learning second language. Mà ¡ire Mhic Mhathà ºn.(2008). Supporting Childrens Participation in Second-Language Stories in an Irish-Language Preschool. Early Years: An International Research Journal, 28(3), 299-309 This paper is a consideration of how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during the storytelling sessions in an Irish-language immersion preschool in Dublin. Mhathà ºn note that early educators view children as active participants in their own learning. The author of this article also considers how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during storytelling sessions in Dublin. We are informed that stories were chosen as the focus of enquiry since they are regarded as productive language enriching activities. In the article, a case study method of enquiry was adopted for the research project, focusing on three and four year old children in Dublin. This paper therefore proves that active participation enhances the learning of a second language among the children. The writer of the article kept the detailed observation notes of the story sessions and that allowed recording of a further thirty minutes time of interaction between the practitioners and children. In the study, there were also incidental talk and less formal interaction during the lunch-break. The cognitive and the social aspects of the language learning process are recognized in the paper since the resulting transcripts were analyzed from an interaction perspective. The analyses of such aspects of learning a foreign language are of use when determining the significance of input, the language addressed to the learner, and the modifications made by competent speakers. In the article, the practitioners provided support for the children who were learning the second language through the method of storytelling, development of language, development of a narrative and the method of organization of storytelling sessions. The methods used to support children learning their second language provide opportunities for children’s second language learning as well as facilitating children’s participation and initiatives. The methods of collecting data and their significance are outlined in the article as the views of the staff and the parents regarding the various support methods were required. The writer of the article has shown his statistical knowledge by outlining the methods which includes; use of interviews and administering of questionnaires. The formal staff interviews were significant in obtaining first hand information regarding the performance of children at the learning places. Parents too were advantaged to speak out their ideas on the performance of their children. Direct formal interviews used by the writer also provided the parents with the opportunity to give out their views on how the acquisition of the second language could be enhanced for better results. The parent questionnaire administered to parents was a way of making sure that they monitor the progress of their children when they are at home. The writer has utilized this method of obtaining data to have an idea on the level of ownership of Irish books by parents at home. Research in the study shows that the number of information books was not pleasing implying how books are not effective in acquiring a foreign language. The two methods of collecting data are utilized by the writer of the article to prove how acquiring a foreign language through storytelling is effective. The two methods of collecting data represented the efficiency of the learning methods used in the study. The information in the study illustrates the dilemmas that the immersion practitioners face in the early childhood settings. We get informed of how the children’s interests and initiatives can be facilitated when they are at the beginning stages of second language acquisition, and when an adult is the main source of input. The study carried out also enables us to get deeper understanding of the process of second language acquisition as well as the early childhood pedagogy. This article also shows how the learning of a second language by the children was appreciated. There were observations and Audio†recordings made during the story sessions for a period of six months. The staffs were also questioned and parents filled the questionnaires. The study conducted indicated that the practitioners gave the children support. Difficult decisions had to be made concerning the breadth and type of learning experiences offered when concentrating on the primarily second†language learning.

Validity of qualitative research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Validity of qualitative research - Essay Example ent to which results, as the researcher presents them, are consistent with the offered perceptions by the research participants in a study (Lodico, Spailding and Voegtle, 2010). Many strategies exist for improving validity or credibility in a qualitative research. Extending a study to cover a long period is one of the strategies to improving validity. This offers sufficient time for interaction between a researcher and research participants and reduces chances of misconceptions towards data that do not represent perception of research participants or reality on observed phenomenon. An ethnographic study is an example and longer period allows the researcher to understand cultural values of participants into observed behavior. Triangulation is another strategy for improving validity of a qualitative study. This involves application of more than one strategy in the research process. An example is the use of observation together with interviews in data collection to ensure consistency in collected data. Obtaining validation from research participants is another approach to improving validity or credibility in a qualitative research and may involve secondary con tacts with participants for confirmation of collected data (Yin, 2011). My experience with qualitative research at academic and professional levels justifies this. Studies on perception towards arts for marketing purposes are