Salem Witch Trials Essays - Salem Witch Trials, Witchcraft, Tituba

Salem Witch Trials Essays - Salem Witch Trials, Witchcraft, Tituba Salem Witch Trials Chadwick Hansen. Witchcraft at Salem. New York: George Braziller, INC., 1969. 252pp. Many people believe that the witch-hunt of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, was based upon mere delusions of a few frightened teenage girls. Despite the popular viewpoint of many other historians, Chadwick Hansen's book, Witchcraft at Salem, offers a generally discarded point of view. He uses exhausted research and well-written material to argue that the events of 1692 were true signs of witchcraft. Hansen proves this thesis by elaborate descriptions of the girls who were afflicted and by extensive trial evidence. In many historical writings the girls that were afflicted by the witches were usually branded as liars, who were afraid of the repercussion of taking part in the craft. Hansen, however, takes the stand that the girls were, for the most part, believable. The convulsive fits were so grotesque that eyewitnesses agreed that it was impossible for the girls to be acting (1). The girls were believed above all others because the courts could not bear the thought that the fits and loss of memory, appetite, hearing, sight, and speech were false. Hansen goes on to describe the torment that the girls faced. They felt themselves pinched and bitten, and often there were actual marks upon the skin (1). Hansen's ability to describe to the girl's afflictions in such detail lends the reader to believe that actual witches caused the torture of the girls. For markings to appear upon the skin of the girls, where nothing physically had touched their skin, Hansen concludes that it could only be a result of supernatural beings. Hansen's well-researched trial evidence is a very convincing argument. He presents the reader with numerous cases and the process each went through. There were two cases unparticular as to which Hansen writes about explicitly. He writes of a maidservant, Tituba, and of a woman of the community, Dorcas Good. Both Tituba and Dorcas Good admitted to being involved in the art of witchcraft. Hansen uses these confessions and other numerous convictions for his basis that there was witchcraft in Salem. Fifty-two people were indicted for witchcraft, for which many of them were accused due to spectral evidence (205). Hansen relies greatly on spectral evidence as a basis for conviction, because for the majority of the time that was generally (if not only) all the evidence the court had to decide upon. The extensive sources Hansen cited for the foundation of his theory are historical writings. Many of the works he cited dated back to the late 1600's and early 1700's; however there are some that were as recent as the 1960's. There is a wide variety of material, with over 175 sources cited. Hansen went to great lengths to ensure that the material was accurate. He took a year off from teaching at Pennsylvania State University, and traveled to the Massachusetts area to work with more desirable information. His sources were well documented and extensively researched. There were witches in Salem, however there were not a significant number. Some of the girls were acting out of fear of the consequence of their actions in the craft. He has provided much evidence on many different trials but failed to point out a significant number of confessed witches. His weighty reliance on spectral evidence, as support to the convictions of the accused women, is a serious misjudgment. Furthermore spectral evidence was later viewed as an unreliable source due to the Devil's ability to impersonate anyone. The witch trials were an important event in Puritan society; however, it is hard to believe that among such a small number of people, there were a significant number who practiced witchcraft. Furthermore, medical knowledge of seizures and their cause was little known at this time. This avenue of thought would have enlightened known physical actions of the women. Lastly the Puritan religion was a strict religion with some fanatic beliefs which can cause people to m anifest ideas in their thinking. Hansen's work on the trials proves that a few people practiced witchcraft, however, that could not have true of fifty-two people

The Good Doctor

The Good Doctor The Good Doctor is a full-length play that exposes the ridiculous, tender, outlandish, ludicrous, innocent, and weird frailties of human beings. Each scene tells its own story, but the behavior of the characters and the resolutions of their stories are not typical or predictable. In this play, Neil Simon dramatizes short stories written by Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov. Simon even gives Chekhov a role without specifically naming him; it is commonly accepted that the character of The Writer in the play is a quirky version of Chekov himself. Format The Good Doctor is not a play with a unified plot and sub-plot. Instead, it is a series of scenes that, when experienced one after another, give you a strong sense of Chekhov’s take on the human condition embellished by Simon’s wit and pithy dialogue. The Writer is the one unifying element in the scenes, introducing them, commenting on them, and occasionally playing a role in them. Other than that, each scene can (and often does) stand alone as its own story with its own characters. Cast Size When this play done in its entirety- 11  scenes- appeared on Broadway, five actors played all 28 roles. Nine roles are female and 19 are male roles, but in a few scenes, a female could play a character designated in the script as male. The scene breakdown below will give you a sense of all the roles in all the scenes. Many productions eliminate a scene or two because the action in one scene is unrelated to the action in another. Ensemble There are no ensemble moments in this play- no â€Å"crowd† scenes. Each scene is character-driven by the small number of characters (2 – 5) in each. Set The set needs for this play are simple, even though the action occurs in a variety of locales: seats in a theatre, a bedroom, a hearing room, a study, a dentist’s office, a park bench, a public garden, a pier, an audition space, and a bank office. Furniture can easily be added, struck, or rearranged; some big pieces- like a desk- can be used in several different scenes. Costumes While the character names and some of the language seem to insist that the action occurs in 19the century Russia, the themes and conflicts in these scenes are timeless and could work in a variety of locales and eras. Music This play is billed as â€Å"A Comedy with Music,† but except for the scene called â€Å"Too Late for Happiness† in which lyrics that the characters sing are printed in the text of the script, music is not imperative to the performance. In the script that I have- copyright 1974- the publishers offer a â€Å"tape recording of the special music for this play.† Directors can check to see whether such a tape or CD or electronic file of music is still offered, but the scenes can stand on their own without the specific music, in my opinion. Content Issues? The scene called â€Å"The Seduction† scenes deal with the possibility of infidelity in marriage, although the infidelity is unrealized. In â€Å"The Arrangement,† a father purchases the services of a woman for his son’s first sexual experience, but that too goes unrealized. There is no profanity in this script. The Scenes and Roles Act I â€Å"The Writer† The play’s narrator, the Chekhov character, welcomes the interruption of an audience for his stories in a two-page monologue. 1 male â€Å"The Sneeze† A man in a theatre audience lets loose a monstrous sneeze that sprays the neck and head of the man seated in front of him- a man who just happens to be his superior at work. It’s not the sneeze, but the man’s reparations that cause his eventual demise. 3 males,  2 females â€Å"The Governess† An officious employer unfairly subtracts and subtracts money from her meek governess’s wages. (To view a video of this scene, click here.) 2 females â€Å"Surgery† An eager inexperienced medical student wrestles with a man to yank his painful tooth out. 2 males â€Å"Too Late for Happiness† An older man and woman engage in small talk on a park bench, but their song reveals their inner thoughts and wishes. 1 male,  1 female â€Å"The Seduction† A bachelor shares his foolproof method of seducing other men’s wives with no direct contact until she is on her way into his arms. 2 males,  1 female Act II â€Å"The Drowned Man† A man finds himself agreeing to pay a sailor for the entertainment of watching the sailor jump in the water to drown himself. 3 males â€Å"The Audition† A young inexperienced actress annoys and then enchants the Voice in the darkness of the theatre when she auditions. 1 male,  1 female â€Å"A Defenseless Creature† A woman dumps her considerable woes on a bank manager with such vehemence and histrionics that he gives her money just to get rid of her. (To view a video of this scene, click here.) 2 males,  1 female â€Å"The Arrangement† A father negotiates a price with a woman to give his son his first sexual experience as a 19th birthday gift. Then he has second thoughts. 2 males,  1 female â€Å"The Writer† The play’s narrator thanks the audience for visiting and listening to his stories. 1 male â€Å"A Quiet War† (This scene was added following the first printing and production of the play.) Two retired military officers hold their weekly park bench meeting to continue discussing their disagreements. This week’s topic of conflict is the perfect lunch. 2 males YouTube offers  videos of a stage production of scenes from the play.

ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Assignment Example Political risk is the effect of change in political policies on investment. It is upon the government how much they want to return to the investor, they may even stop him from withdrawing his capital. Iquisha further commented below as to how helpful Susan’s post was as she thought the answer would be none of the above and the investors received the correct amount of return due to exchange rate. Iquisha’s comment is welcomed and we hope all her ambiguity is cleared through the answer. Another student Marquisha also commented to Susan’s answer in a positive manner and also stated about political risk from her book. Marquisha’s effort is highly appreciated. If US dollar depreciates, it implies that more dollars are required to purchase foreign goods, which in turn means that foreign goods become expensive for Americans. However, for foreigners, the implication of a depreciation in the US dollar is favorable. Due to decline in US dollar’s value against foreign currencies, the holders of the respective foreign currencies will find US goods cheaper, as they have to spend less dollars (Byrd, Hickman and

3.1 reading report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

3.1 reading report - Essay Example Direct sales continue to be a growing phenomenon in all parts of the world. This is partly because of the intensity of competition between various manufacturing companies. It would be noted that marketing is the middle entity that comes between manufacturing and consumption (Krause, 2009). This means that if good and products that are produced are not marketed, they remain liabilities for their producers. But it has never been easy for producers to get their produces marketed because of competition. It is against this background that several companies have devised what may be described as non-orthodox means of marketing. This non-orthodox means is to get people who sell products on a face-to-face basis to consumers (Fox, 2008). As direct selling gained prominence, another component of it, which has to do with multi-level direct marketing, emerged. It is for the sake of the difference in approaches namely single-level and multi-level that researchers have often tried to investigate th e impact that these difference create. The study was conducted through a survey research design whereby the researcher formed a sample size from 22 different companies. The researcher proceeded to design a data collection instrument in the form of a questionnaire, with which data were collected from respondents by the use of mailed questionnaire. With the fact that the research design was influenced by survey, it means that the researcher was to generalize all data collected from respondents with the larger direct sales population within the setting of the research. The major managerial implications deducted from the study have to do with the trend of recruitment of marketers. This is because the study showed that the best group of population to take up single-level direct selling is people who would want to hook unto those jobs as permanent workers. For this reason, it is best to recruit young people who

Favorite Holidays Essay Example for Free

Favorite Holidays Essay 1. One of my favorite Holidays is 4th of July. A few years ago my dad and I went to Washington to pick out some illegal fireworks. So we went to the Black Cat firework store . I got some mortars and roman candles and all the fun fireworks you could think of. So the day before 4th of July we were lighting off a few roman candles and all of a sudden a under cover police car pulled into our driveway and the police officer inside the car said â€Å"are you lighting off illegal fireworks?† because he saw me with the roman candles, and my dad said â€Å"yes† so the police officer confiscated all the fireworks we had bought and were fined a thousand dollars. We did get our ticket reduced down to $250 because we attended a fire works class. This definitely opened my eyes to the danger of fire works. From that day forward, I’ve learned not to do anything your not supposed to do, like buy illegal fireworks. 2. My sister graduated last year and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her passion. She grew up training in dance and singing. We have a close family and we support her all the way. My family and I traveled to see her this summer. She sang originals song and danced with her back up dancers for the music label industry. Very important people were their to see her. She did fantastic and is signing with a major record label. She will be releasing her single by the end of this year and her album in Januarary of 2014. This was a big eye opener to me to know that working hard and pursuing your dreams can really come true. 3. A couple years ago my grandmother passed away. She was very sick the last few days she was alive and my family and I knew she only had a few more days before she was to pass away. I helped her all that I could and so did my parents. She was a great grandmother and nobody could replace her, she was my dads mother, she was the best grandmother anybody could ask for. I remember the game we use to play when she would babysit me, it was called hide the thimble. She had a thumb thimble for sewing, and we use to hide it all over her house kind of like hide and seek, she also used to make the best brownies I have ever eaten. But from that day on I have always learned one thing, you never know how much you miss someone until there gone.

Expression of Self-worth in Homer’s Iliad Essay -- Iliad essays

Expression of Self-worth in Homer’s Iliad The story of the Trojan War as played out in the Iliad is perhaps most gripping for the focus on the role of the individual; the soul is struck by the very concept of a decade-long war and a city-state razed to the ground for one man’s crime and one woman’s beauty. As such, the dynamic between Helen, Paris, and the Trojan people they have doomed is a fascinating one. For while Prince Paris is hated by all of Troy, his right to keep Helen is challenged by none. This is seen mostly clearly in Book III, after Paris has been spirited away to safety by the goddess Aphrodite; the book ends with Trojans and Greeks alike united in scorn for Paris and his consort. In Book VII, however, at the war council of the Trojans, when a defiant Paris refuses to yield his prize, no man questions his right to do so. This puzzling contrast, between the anger of the many against the crimes of the one and the rights of the one against the will of the many, presents insight into key themes of Homer’s epic. The passages in Books III and VII highlight the unique way in which the Iliad focuses on property rights as perhaps the highest expression of individual self-worth, the violation of which demands complete redress. Book III paints Paris at his lowest: a posturing coward contemptible in his weakness. When he seems in danger of losing a duel against his rival Meneleus—a duel that promises to end the war without further bloodshed—Paris is snatched up by his protector Aphrodite and promptly forgets all about the two armies camped at the walls. The reader is thus united with both armies in scorn for the prince when Homer describes Paris and Helen losing themselves in lust while the fragile treaty strai... ... domain of his property that they are willing to die to uphold it, even for a prince they despise. In the relationship between Paris and the Trojan people with respect to his ownership of Helen, Homer demonstrates the subtleties of a culture that celebrated the heroism of the individual while simultaneously acknowledging the power of the fates in human affairs. To strenuously fight for one’s rights in the face of opposition is to court disaster, as Agamemnon, Achilles, and Paris all discover, and yet in doing so, one is able to rise above the herd of lesser men and become a truly heroic individual. It is a remarkable irony of Homeric Greece that the path to immortality often began with an obsession over the seemingly petty matters of material ownership and property. Works Cited 1. Homer, Iliad, trans. Robert Fagles (New York: Penguin Books, 1990).

Social control, discipline and regulation

Many more serious crimes such as large scale tax evasion which costs the government a lot of money, are often overlooked and are seldom prosecuted. Over time some laws which are no longer relevant are disseminated and other acts become criminals. These change with new governments and societal and culture changes. In 1967 the Sexual Offences Act was introduced which made it illegal in Britain for men of any age to have consensual sex together. Over time society has come to accept gay relationships and so in turn the law surrounding gay couples has also relaxed.In 2005 civil partnerships were introduced to give gay couples similar rights to married couples and the current government Is looking at making gay marriages legal. If deviant behavior seems to becoming more common, such as people carrying weapons then new legislations are put in place or existing legislations are updated and more harsh penalties are put in place to deter criminals and reduce crimes and visitation. Travis Hirsh (1969) through his social bond theory tries to explain why some people don't commit crime. He argues the question Why do they do it? Is not a question the control theory is signed to answer.The important question he says is Why don't we do it? [1]. Hirsh identified four main characteristics or social bonds which explain conformity. The more a person features these characteristics the less likely they are to become deviant or criminal. Attachment to family and friends he seen as the most Important factor In his social bond theory, this influence supports our norms, values and conscience. If we did not care about how we were perceived by our family and friends then we would be free to act deviant. Commitment to achievement Is another actor, this refers to how much effort, time and money a person puts into a particular activity.A person such as a doctor who has spent a lot of time, effort and money on educating themselves is less likely to become deviant because a criminal record coul d result in them losing their job. Involvement in conventional activities leaves a person with less time to think about or get involved in deviant activities. Belief refers to the strength of our commitment to a particular belief. There are variations in our beliefs; the less a person believes he should follow the rules the more likely he is to elate them. A criticism of Hirer's work would be to ask why people commit crime.This assumes that law abiding behavior is normal and that the majority of people do not commit crimes. In some sub cultures deviant behavior is the norm, children born Into this kind of culture and grow up breaking the law because It Is normal to them. Walsh does not explain this kind of behavior. When crimes are committed the judicial system uses different forms of punishment or social control. This is used to law. Harsh forms of social control are imprisonment or even death in some countries. A softer form of social control is things like fines and community ser vice.In Michel Faculty's book, Discipline and Punishment, he looks at the birth of the prison and how the penal system has changed from. In the 17th century the forms of punishment were brutal public tortures, humiliations, hangings and executions which focused on hurting the physical body. This triggered many riots in sympathy and support for the convict; the public were against these cruel methods of punishment which were also inconsistent. Faculty's believes this form of punishment was to show the power of the state rather than to act as deterrence.Prisons were first introduced in the 18th century as a result of the public protests for punishment without torture. Prisons focused punishment on the souls and minds of prisoners as the mind was now seen as more valuable and the body was seen as Just a machine controlled by the mind. This new form of discipline and punishment was able to control and manage the prisoner at all times rather than short bursts of bodily torture which was previously used. The prison became more than a place where offenders were deprived and became a place where discipline could be instilled.Faculty saw this as abuse of power, its main purpose would have been, an attempt to reform the criminal in the hope that upon his release he would be less likely to refined and become a contributing member of society. Faculty believes that detention causes recidivism; and states, â€Å"those leaving prison have more chance of going back to it; a very high proportion, up to 38 per cent of inmates were convicted again† [2]. If prisons worked then they would be empty. Jeremy Beneath a utilitarian philosopher was interested in the design of prisons. He designed a circular prison which he called the Pontific.It had a central tower so prison officers had a 360 view and could see into all of the cells at all times. The inmates could not see into the central tower and so never knew if they were being watched. The exact blueprint was never built but it did have some impact on how future prisons were designed. Faculty said that constant supervision and forced discipline broke the will of the criminal and made him into a ‘docile body which is easily controlled by people in authority. This was then ideal for the new economics, politics and warfare of modern industrial society.It enslaves us to a life of government controlled discipline. Critiques of Faculty have focused mainly on his ideas of struggle for self-freedom from the disciplines of society, believing that people should be unique individuals and be their true self. He does not explain this in depth nor does he explain how it fits in with society. Edward W Said states: other critics of Faculty argue he did not go in depth when explaining the struggle between individuality and society. Faculty did not give a purpose for the struggle or a goal to be obtained. Why should complete individuality be the ultimate purpose in life? For Faculty there seems to be no focal mint , but rather an endless network of relations† (Ho, 1986: 55). If a person were to believe Faculty's idea then following any rule of society would be submitting to the discipline of society. The anti-institutional consensus of the sass's refers to a cultural movement that developed in the United States and England. The baby boom children from the sass's were growing up in the sass's. The growing consciousness of a younger generation may have led to a shift in perspectives on societal wrongdoings. Race relations, women's rights and differing interpretations of the American Dream.People questioned the legitimacy of the state and started to challenge authority, this resulted in boycotts, marches, protests, sit-ins and riots. Along with drug use and sexual liberation, criminality rocketed. The role of women as full time homemakers in industrial society was challenged in 1963, giving way to the women's movement and influencing a second wave in feminism. The availability of birth con trol was the foundation of the sexual liberation. The idea of ‘recreational sex' without the threat of unwanted pregnancies changed society as it allowed men a women greater freedom outside traditional marriage.With this change in attitude, the amount of children born outside wedlock in the I-J rose from 8% in 1971 to nearly 45 % in 2007 [3]. This counterculture of the sass's influenced Governments to rethink criminal acts. There were changes in human rights and laws were put in place to tackle discrimination between men and women. From 1967 abortion became legal, and women became able to divorce their husbands when the Divorce Reform Act came into force in 1969. John Breathiest, an Australian criminologist recognizes that the current criminal justice system labels and astigmatisms offenders, making crime problems worse.He looks at the relationship between crime and social reactions in his book Crime, Shame and Reintegration. He believes a restorative Justice system to be more effective than a punitive Justice system which enables offenders and victims to come together. He suggests the key to crime control is cultural shaming and making the offender feel remorse for what he has done. Breathiest identifies two types of shaming. Disintegrative shaming is where the offender is stigmatize and excluded from society, becoming labeled along with his behavior.Reintegrating shaming is where criminal behavior is condemned rather than the offender. He is kept within society and is shown forgiveness through words or gestures. Breathiest argues that crime rates are higher in places where disintegrative shaming is used. His hypothesis is that in societies where there is a strong commitment to place collective interests over individual interest there are stronger incentives for people to conform and lower crime rates. He uses the example of Japan which is highly urbanites and densely populated; we would assume that crime rates would be high.Arrest rates are high UT pro secution rates are low. Cultural factors play an important role, honor and pride within Japanese families is very important so bringing shame upon the family is a deterrent to committing crimes. These traditions date back to the Samurai Warriors who would fall upon their own swords (Hair Kari) to prevent bringing shame upon their families. Japanese parents often commit suicide when their children commit serious crimes as they cannot cope with the shame and feel partly responsible. It is hard to compare the I-J with societies such as Japan which is a more equal society and less diverse.In the I-J the Home Office gave legislative endorsement to these ideas in 1998 Crime and Disorder Act and the 1999 Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act reflecting the definition of restorative Justice as restoration, reintegration and responsibility [4]. All kinds of initiatives that attempt to bring the victim and the offender together now carries the label ‘restorative'. Rock (1990) describe d the restorative system as a ‘dead duck so it is interesting to reflect upon the process whereby it gained its current status. Daly (2002) discusses in detail the that the current punitive Justice system to be ineffective.Prisons in England are currently close to full capacity, if they were effective they would be empty. Inmates are reportedly more likely to become recidivists and commit new crimes that they have learnt from other inmates. This causes greater problems for the Government when it comes to tackling crime. I believe that Michel Faculty is right in the sense that imprisonment, along with constant supervision and discipline is an abuse of power. John Barbiturate's work on a restorative Justice system could be beneficial to some offenders, victims and more importantly society as a whole.

Women in Korean Society: A Past and Present Perspective

â€Å"The Music from Gwangsang Mountian where I played in my dream† is one of the most famous poems, which was written by a woman who lived in 1500s. The poem basically means that the writer of this poem eager to escape from the patriarchal society. The poem was written by a Korean women poet â€Å"Heo Hanselheon† who lived in 1500s wrote this poem before she died. This poem is describing when she had a dream that she was in the place called â€Å"Gwangsang Mountain†. Gwangsang Mountain is actually represents the paradise that she always dreamed of which is being free from the paternalism. In the poem, the first line, â€Å"Blue sea- water permeate into beaded sea,† show the paradise she had been dreaming, also means the scene that she saw in her dream. The second line, â€Å"Blue bird line on colored bird,† means that she is tired of all her life and she need some â€Å"rest†. The third line, â€Å"Twenty- seven lotus flower fall in red† tell us that the â€Å"rest† is death when she become a twenty-seven years old, which is predicting her death. Of coarse, red would be color of blood, which also represents her death. The last line, â€Å"It is cold on the moon light frost†, is telling that the moon light frost which represents the cruel society towards her is leading her to death or doesn’t feel any guilty and sympathy to her. In the poem, most of words are represent death of her and the dream that she had. The reason why this is important because we understand and assume how harsh her life was how much she wanted leave this horrible place. Since her poem tells us that she wants to escape from patriarchal society, so which relates to our unit 2, Hidden Voice, that there were many Korean women who had same wish like writer of this poem. On the other side, the K-pop music has totally different meanings and story than the old Korean poem. The music â€Å"I Will Show You† by Ailee is one of the music that women power gets stronger and overcome the paternalism. The story of this music is very simple; there are one man and one woman who were couple but a woman was a â€Å"nerd†. As a result, a man dumped her and gets another girlfriend. However, a woman changed into a very fashionable and confident, a man changes the attitude toward her and starts to follow her. On the other hand, a woman tired to revenge to men who made her angry and sorrow. It shows that women can control over men. In the lyric, the chorus part, â€Å"I will show you totally different myself/ I will show you more beautiful myself/ I will not cry because of you who was eager love/ I will show I am happier than you when I meet a more cool man/ I don’t feel any sadness even though you are not here, I don’t collapse, boy you gatta be aware† show how much she become confident about her appearance and herself. The starting part of the second verse, â€Å"Change my hair style more fresh and do makeup better/ everyone looking at me who wear high heels and short skirt† directly shows that how she revenge to her ex- boyfriend and it represents the higher states of women. The song is showing why this states changed in the story in the song. This song is important because in the song the states of men and women changed, how men treat women towards their appearance and why women had higher states at the middle of the song. The women and the men had different choices but ended up that she wins in this â€Å"competition† of the states. Since the poem and the song were written in different people in different time, there are many similarities and differences between two. Both poem and song is telling the story in the same point of view. These are all written in women’s perspective and it tells us the story that they have. However, there are more differences between these two. In the song, the woman tired to change her and the attitude that men had towards her. On the other hand, in the poem, the writer wanted to escape from her situation not trying to change her situation.

Non-Native English Speakers Teaching English

Non-Native English Speakers Teaching English An extremely active discussion on a LinkedIn professional group called English Language Services Professionals has caught my interest. This group is one of the most active English teaching groups on the Internet, with almost 13,000 members. Heres the question that begins the discussion: Ive been looking for a teaching opportunity for two years and Im sick of the typical Native speakers only phrase. Why do they allow TEFL certificates for non-natives then? This is a discussion that needs to be had in the world of English teaching. I have my own opinion on the matter, but lets first start off with a quick overview of the current situation in the English teaching world. To be very general, as well as to oversimplify the discussion, lets admit that there is a perception by some that native speakers of English are better English teachers. Arguments Against Non-Native Speakers as English Teachers This idea that only non-native speakers of English need not apply for English teaching jobs comes from a number of arguments: Native speakers provide accurate pronunciation models for learners.Native speakers innately understand the intricacies of idiomatic English usage.Native speakers can provide conversational opportunities in English that more closely mirror conversations that learners can expect to have with other English speakers.Native speakers understand native English speaking cultures and can provide insight that non-native speakers can not.Native speakers speak English as it is actually spoken in English speaking countries.Students and students parents prefer native speakers. Arguments for Non-Native Speakers as English Teachers Here are some counterarguments to the points above: Pronunciation models: Non-native English speakers can provide a model of English as the lingua franca, and will have studied correct pronunciation models.Idiomatic English: While many learners would like to speak idiomatic English, the fact is that most of the English conversation they will have and should have will be in non-idiomatic standard English.Typical native speaker conversations: Most English learners will be using their English to discuss business, holidays, etc. with OTHER non-native English speakers for the majority of the time. Only true English as a second language students (i.e. those living or wanting to live in English speaking countries) might reasonably expect to spend most of their time speaking English with native English speakers.English speaking cultures: Once again, most English learners will be communicating with people from a wide variety of cultures in English, that doesnt mean that UK, Australian, Canadian, or US culture will be the main topic of conversa tion. Native speakers use real-world English: This is perhaps of importance only to English as a Second Language learners, rather than English as a foreign  language learners.Students and students parents prefer native English speakers: This is more difficult to debate. This is purely a marketing decision made by the schools. The only way to change this fact would be to market English classes differently. The Reality Of Non-Native English Speakers Teaching English I can imagine that a number of readers might also realize one important fact: State school teachers are overwhelmingly non-native English speakers in non-native English speaking countries. In other words, for many this is a non-issue: Non-native English speakers already teach English in state schools, so there are plenty of teaching opportunities. However, the perception remains that, in the private sector, native English speakers are preferred in most cases. My Opinion This is a complex issue, and having benefited from the fact that I am a native speaker I admit to having had an advantage for certain teaching jobs throughout my life. On the other hand, I have never had access to some of the cushier state teaching jobs available. To be blunt, state teaching jobs offer much more security, generally better pay and infinitely better benefits. However, I can also understand the frustration of non-native English speakers who have gained mastery of English, and who can help students in their own native language. I think there are a few criteria for making a hiring decision, and I offer these for your consideration. The native / non-native teacher decision should be based on students needs analysis. Are the learners going to need to speak English in native English speaking countries?Qualifications must be considered: Just Speaking English doesnt make a teacher qualified. Teachers need to be judged on their qualifications and experience.Non-native speakers have a distinct edge for teaching lower level students as they can explain difficult grammar points in learners native tongue with great accuracy.The perception of native speakers is best seems antiquated in the global English speaking environment. Perhaps it is time for private schools to revisit their marketing strategies.Native speakers do have the edge when it comes to idiomatic language skills. Imagine an English learner is going to move to the US to work in a company, a native English speaker with a bit of knowledge about that industry will be able to quickly latch on to idiomatic language, as well as jargon that the student will need. Please take advantage of the opportunity to express your own opinion. This is an important discussion, that everyone can learn from: teachers, both native and non-native speakers, private institutes that feel the have to hire native speakers, and, perhaps most importantly, students.

Participating in NaNoWriMo 2018 Caution! - Jerry Jenkins

Participating in NaNoWriMo 2018 Caution! - Jerry Jenkins Participating in NaNoWriMo 2019? Caution! This wildly popular phenomenon,National Novel Writing Month, starts November 1, and you’re urged to write an entire novel by the end of the month. Wouldn’t it be great to actually finish a 50,000-word novel in 30 days? Since 1999, that very idea has inspired millions of writers from all over the world to embark on this journey. In 2015alone, more than 430,000 finished their manuscripts, and NaNoWriMo refers to them as novelists. Sounds fabulous, right? Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. NaNoWriMo Benefits Well, I can’t argue with the upsides: The NaNoWriMo folks â€Å"believe stories matter.† So do I. And in the last 18 years since this effort began, countless writers have raved to me that NaNoWriMo was the vehicle that finally motivated them to actually finish. That’s no small thing. Over my four decades teaching writing, I’ve learned that the single most debilitating barrier to writers finishing writing their novels has been fear- fear that kills impetus. I can’t count the number who have told me they can’t get started, let alone finish. And as my film director son says about movies, simply producing one is a major accomplishment, let alone a good one. He compliments novice filmmakers for merely finishing. The same is true about writing a novel. So, yes, I’m all for anything that motivates a would-be novelist to start and (more importantly) to finish. NaNoWriMo Downsides However, I also have reservations. Now, hear me, I’m not trying to talk you out of trying this. If it’s the trigger that results in your first finished novel, bravo! But let’s take a closer look: NaNoWriMo reports that over the years, 250 of its participants have seen their manuscripts sell to traditional publishing houses. That means the authors were paid to be published rather than paying to be printed. Nothing to sneeze at. Until you do the math. A rule of thumb in book publishing is that an unsolicited manuscript has about a 1 in 1,000 chance of landing a traditional book deal. While the figure may be unscientific, it’s not hyperbole. That’s why I teach writing and publishing- so you can improve your odds. What are the odds your NaNoWriMo 2019 manuscript will be traditionally published? Without knowing the total number of novels written since the effort began (this is its 17th year), it’s impossible to say. But one thing I can say for certain: The odds are way worse than 1 in 1,000. In fact, if every success story had happened last year alone- in other words, had all 250 published novels come from only the 431,626 NaNoWriMo manuscripts completed last year- your chances of ultimate success would be 1 in more than 1,725. But those 250 traditionally published novels have come from all the NaNoWriMo manuscripts written since 1999. While not every year would have represented more than 400,000 writers, surely the total is in the millions. My NaNoWriMo 2019 Caution? Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. As a writing coach, my goal is to help get your work to where it’s marketable to traditional publishers. That’s the sole purpose of this blog and The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild. So, far be it from me to criticize a well-intentioned program like NaNoWriMo. It appears to me their goal is not to see you finish a pristine manuscript ready for the marketplace. Their aim, and it’s a worthy one, is to encourage. NaNoWriMo serves to prove to you that you can both start and finish a novel of at least 50,000 words. And that’s just what many writers need. If you believe it would work for you, motivate you, get you to finally get going on your novel, I say go for it. My caution is to not make more of the result than it deserves. The benefit: You knock out a first draft. The danger: You assume your work is done. Bottom line: I applaud NaNoWriMo for what it’s meant to so many writers who need a deadline to finally finish novel manuscripts. I urge you to see the result as only that for now. Finishing your novel doesn’t make you a novelist. You’re still an aspiring novelist, and I’d LOVE to see you fulfill your dream. I’ve harped on this before: If getting traditionally published were easy, anyone could do it. The last part of the process that can be done quickly is getting your first draft down. Just realize that if you were building a house, what you would have after a month of frenzied work is the foundation and shell. Your novel’s foundation has been laid, and its studded shell is standing. Now how long will it take to wire it, plumb it, drywall it, trim it, paint it, and furnish it? A lot longer than a month, I can tell you that. And I’ve averaged an output of four books a year since 1974. Some things can’t- and simply shouldn’t- be rushed. If you’re gearing up for next month’s NaNoWriMo 2019 challenge, I wish you the best. Check back here the first week of December for what to do next. My hope is that your foundation and frame are ready for a lot of finish work. Will you participate in NaNoWriMo 2019? What will your writing schedule look like? Let me know in the comments below.

Digital Divide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Digital Divide - Essay Example It also highlights the major issues confronting these underdeveloped nations and the current developments thereof in the pursuit of creating an information society. The rapid dispersion of information and communication technologies is gradually transforming the world into an information society that is unbounded in terms of access to knowledge and communication facilities. In this regard, it is very crucial for any country to provide its people with the required knowledge and make possible an equal access to information and communication technologies so as to take an active part in the information revolution. The most significant concern within this perspective is the prevailing discrepancy as to the availability, access and usage of technology around the world, which deprives human being of their ultimate right to knowledge. Cullen (2001, p311) illuminates that, "the 'digital divide' has become a convenient metaphor to describe the perceived disadvantage of those who either are unable or do not choose to make use of these technologies in their daily life". This information poverty existing among and even within countries tends to be the most serious concern for today's information society. The world is diverse with regard to geographical, cultural, economic and social patterns. Selwyn (2004, p355) elaborates that, "many of the differences that the digital divide pertains towards can be traced back to clear differentiation in the technological capital i.e. fundamental differences in the cultural, economic and social resources that individuals and communities can command when engaging with technology". Hence, all these aspects happen to play a distinct role in the dispersion and availability of knowledge and technology in different parts of the world. The most eminent of the 'digital divide' remains to be the one that exists between the developed and underdeveloped countries characterised by a wide gap in all these 'socio-economic' aspects. Selwyn (2004, p345) connote that, "the digital divide is a marked feature of any information society". The digital divide across the globe occurs due to the "socio-economic, technological and linguistic" discrepancies prevailing among nations and societies. Also, the differences vis--vis the education and skills required to avail the information technology mark a wide range of global inequality. The knowledge of English language in several parts of the world is also considered crucial for being able to use the Internet. In this context, there happen to be significant variation concerning Internet usage and information access between developed and underdeveloped countries of the world. For instance, the rate of Internet access in Italy is the lowermost as compared to any other country in the developed world; however, it is still much higher than that of some developing countries such as China (Chen and Wellman, 2004). The Information Society And Third World Countries Third world countries, especially the least developed ones, have highly restrained access to the information technology. Ogunsola and Okusaga (2006, p349) says that, "in many parts of the developing countries ICT is available only on a very limited scale, and this raises doubts about developing countries' ability to participate in the current ICT-induced global knowledge economy". These countries mostly falling under the domains of Africa, South

Applied Ethics in Criminal Justice Management Essay

Applied Ethics in Criminal Justice Management - Essay Example I tend to think that the witness is being bribed in order to offer information regarding other criminals. The bribery here is, however, done for a good cause. The information provided by this witness will help get justice for other affected individuals. An example of this is the rampart scandal that saw a cop named Rafael Perez cut a deal with the prosecutor so as to expose the masquerading police officer or rather bad cops. A series of crimes was observed before the cop was arrested. The road rage shootout that saw an undercover agent shot to death while off duty, by a white cop. This developed tension among the force, but was later settled when investigations confirmed that the black cop was involved in many other street crimes.Another incident was the bank robbery that took place in Los Angeles. The suspected bank manager implicated her boyfriend, who was a cop to the organizing of the crime. Investigations revealed that the cop together with other partners in the force were gambl ing and spending a lot of money. One of the partners was known as Rafael Perez. Investigations on the police officer were launched when 6 pounds of cocaine, stored as evidence went missing. Part of the investigation involved the formation of a team named Rampart Corruption Task Force. The force was primarily focused on prosecuting Rafael Perez. When an audit of the property room was done, it was discovered that some more pounds of cocaine was missing. The speculation made pointed Perez as the culprit.