The Importance of Outside Classroom Activities in Promoting Oral Essay

The Importance of Outside Classroom Activities in Promoting Oral Fluency in an EFL Context - Essay Example Consequently, creating opportunities outside the classroom for students to speak English is an effective strategy in compensating for students’ limited use of the L2. Research studies have shown that external classroom activities have equal significance in enabling students learn English as a second language. In addition, it has been asserted that such activities provide a non-educational environment from which a student may feel free and comfortable to acquire new language skills. This study investigates the significance of outside classroom activities in promoting students’ oral proficiency. In addition, it reports on students’ perceptions of such activities. Fifteen participants from the American University of Kuwait took part in this study. Open-ended interviews were done to find out what the participants thought of these activities, and what they gained from them. Interview results show that students found outside classroom activities very effective in improving not only their oral fluency skills, but their confidence and critical thinking skills as well. The implications of this research study are for language practitioners and language programs in the EFL context to be aware of the benefits of incorporating outside classroom activities in language teaching. Approximations indicate that in the beginning of the 21st century, around 400-500 million English speakers existed [1]. Obviously, by now the number has dramatically increased. The reason for that is many countries have picked up English as the primary foreign language as the world continues to connect more and more. In these countries, it is estimated that there is 20-30% of the population that speaks English. Thus, the author notes that around 1.5 to 2 billion English speakers exist worldwide. The numbers are inclusive of native language speakers who use English as their first language, and non-native English speakers who use English as their secondary language. While studying English in

Apple, Inc. Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple, Inc. Business Analysis - Essay Example Apple Incorporation was established in the year 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and has its head office in California. The company enjoys a well reputed history over quite an extended period in the field of manufacturing, designing as well as in marketing. These mentioned services were offered in relation to personal computers along with the associated services software, networking solutions and peripherals across the globe. Presently, the company has been observed to benefit from a market share of above 87.3 percent in the global automotive market with regard to its MP3 players and iPod along with its products related to personal computer. The mentioned products named Macintosh was found to command its share to around 2 percent in the global Personal Computer market. Apart from iPod, Apple also indulges in designing, marketing and developing the associated accomplices as well as services. The company even deals online in music stores along with making available its software rel ated to iTunes in Windows as well as Mac OS. The music store operated by the company online has a strong legal presence in the download market and dominated it by around 70 percent. The company even offers products as software for the reason of offering information to the students. In addition, the company offers other additional third-party computing products as well as supplies in a wide range (Lin, 2005). The financial position of the company Apple is compared with two other companies in this paper so as to ascertain its financial health based on the income statement, cash flow and balance sheet. The two companies with which Apple would be compared are Dell and IBM. With this concern, the balance sheet, income statement and the cash flow statements of Apple Inc. has been studied in order to ascertain the financial health of the company. Financial Comparison & Review In its current performance, Apple recorded a net income of $25,922 million and the cash generated from the operatin g activities amounted to $37,529 million which depicted a huge increase compared to its previous year, 2011. The net revenue of the company was also recorded to be $28,270 million, increasing by a huge margin from the previous year that is 2010. The total assets had also increased remarkably in contrast to the previous years. Furthermore, a huge increase in the goodwill of the company was also recorded which proved to be a favorable indication for the company. The total equity was observed to depict an increase compared to the previous year (Apple Inc, 2011). Therefore, it could be inferred that the company displays a strong financial position currently. It was observed after studying the financial statements of Dell that the revenue of the company increased by a significant 16 percent. The revenue amounted to $61.5 billion in the year 2011 which was recorded to be the highest increase in the history of the company. It was ascertained from the balance sheet and the cash flow stateme nt that the net cash derived from the various operating activities increased substantially. A rise was also recorded in the assets of the company along with a sharp increase in the overall stockholder’s equity. The operating profit or revenue of the company is considered to be the fundamental source of capital for supporting its regular business functions. Therefore, the increase in the net cash from the other operating activities would prove beneficial for the company. The cash flow from the operations was determined to be $4.0 billion which again depicted an increase from the previous year that is 2010. The increased returns from the cash flows played a vital role in helping the company to increase their competencies along with attaining fresh competitive advantages. The net income of the company was ascertained to be $2635 million which showed an increase from the previous years. Therefore, it can be stated that the financial health of the company is quite favorable for it s growth (Annual Reports, 2011). The financial

Briefing note on crime prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Briefing note on crime prevention - Essay Example The treatment for prisoners used to be inhuman, severe and even merciless, and they languished in solitude till the completion of their prison terms. The mode of correction and retributive actions varied from disciplinary confinements and exile to painful lashes or even death. (Prisoners' Rights) [1] Every right thinking citizen in society hopes for the day when the surface of the earth will be crimeless and whatever is left of crime get nipped in the bud. But as of now, everyone is aware this is, at best, a distant dream. The Geneva Convention of 27 July 1929 comprising 97 articles, laid down general principles for humane treatment of prisoners at all times. It was a historical landmark which recognized the basic rights of the prisoners such as food and clothing, hygiene, mental and physical recreation, contact by mail with the near and dear ones, and their religious practices. It particularly emphasized on protection of the inmates from acts of violence, insults and public curiosity. (Geneva Convention) [2] The silver lining of the present time is that there is a growing school of professionals and social activists who are firm in the belief that it is possible to prevent crime to a large extent, and in many cases where it has taken place, it is possible to apply corrective measures without resorting to custodial confinement within the four walls of a prison. (Rehabilitation of Offenders) [3] Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974 In England, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, is the landmark legislation towards this effort. It seeks to provide the offender, particularly the youth a second chance to get back on track and join the mainstream with a sense of responsibility and purpose. This act provides opportunity, under some conditions, to the ex-offender to 'wipe the slate clean' and begin all over as if he had not committed any criminal act at any point in his lifetime. Nonetheless, this happens after a period of rehabilitation depending on the gravity of the offence and the custodial sentence awarded as consequence. A rehabilitation period is the length of time set from the date of conviction. Once this period is over, subject to certain conditions and exceptions, an ex-offender does not have to mention his conviction when applying for a job. The Act is likely to help people facing minor convictions. People with many convictions, especially serious convictions, may not find the Act beneficial unless the last convictions are very old. For someone with a criminal record and on the lookout for work, it is necessary to know about the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, which explains the legal requirements for both employers and employees, and the rules associated with the rehabilitation period. It is quite a complicated Act and as such, it is advisable to go through it with someone who is familiar with the act. Under this legislation, the conviction is said to be "spent" after the period of rehabil

Businesses have no responsibility whatever to protect and conserve the Assignment

Businesses have no responsibility whatever to protect and conserve the natural environment - Assignment Example 281). The participation in the environmental conservation and protection requires the use of business funds to pursue a corporate social responsibility agenda. It is not in the power of business management to invest funds in environmental protection. Business leaders use the logic of delivering profits to business owners (Jackson 1996, p. 159). The owners can choose to use the profits in environmental conservation ventures. In any case, the participation in environmental protection and conservation can serve to reduce economic efficiency and profit margins of the business. In addition, if businesses are to participate in the conservation and protection of the environment, they are likely to pass on the costs to the customers. Therefore, the customers are more likely to pay more for goods and services. Participation in environmental conservation is one of the corporate social responsibility sectors that may serve to impose unequal costs among competitors (Blowfield & Murray 2008, p. 240). Evidently, the modern business front is highly competitive. Therefore, when businesses face the compulsion of investing in environmental conservation, they register higher costs than competitors placing them at a disadvantage (Henderson 2009, p. 13). The role of environmental conservation and protection should be taken up by every individual in the society, and not imposed on businesses alone. Therefore, businesses should not feel compelled to participate in environmental conservation. Worth noting is the fact that businesses should only do what is required by the law , and what is dictated by the commercial priorities while maximizing profits (Sinha 2012, p. 704). Sinha, GA 2012, Corporate Social Responsibility in the 21st Cent, New York University Journal Of International Law & Politics, 44, 2, pp. 702-706, International Security & Counter

Guns,germs and steel by justin diamond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Guns,germs and steel by justin diamond - Essay Example The above inquiry is referred to as the Yali’s question (13). Yali seems so energetic and charismatic to get the answers on why New Guinea at that time was still governed by Australia and were still living in the Stone Age yet independence was in the air, the last passage (13).In the second paragraph (14), Diamond explains to Yali about the colonization of New Guinea over the course of a million years. The white man had arrived and imposed central government on the people and bought all their valuable material goods â€Å"cargo†, second passage (14).This made them look â€Å"primitive† as the Whites enjoyed a higher standard of living yet they worked so hard but achieved nothing in return. The last paragraph argues that some societies will still remain poor as evidenced by the huge disparities in the separate lifestyle of the two groups of people where one acquires wealth while the other struggles to provide to the already wealthy (14, 15).In the third paragraph, Diamond also adds that Yali’s question is not only concerned with the New Guineans but it extends and relates to the modern world (15). Secondly, technological and political differences as of A.D 1500 were the paramount cause of modern world inequalities. Empires with modern weapons were able to conquer or exterminate societies with weapons of stone and wood, passage two (16).Different levels of development in different continents from 11,000 B.C to A.D 1500 were what led to technological and political inequalities. While many Native Americans remained hunters and gatherers, most of Eurasia, America and Sub-Saharan Africa progressively developed agriculture, metallurgy and complex political systems. (16).In support to this argument, the day to day communication between overwhelmed people is what established the contemporary continents through invasions, scourges and mass killings .For instance case studying Africa and their history toward independence clearly

The Need for Master's Prepared Nurses in Pediatrics Essay

The Need for Master's Prepared Nurses in Pediatrics - Essay Example Similarly, pediatrics, a nursing field, requires developments in its personnel in order to ensure better services and management of the profession. This paper seeks to discuss the need for Master’s prepared nurses in pediatrics. The paper will explore some of the associated benefits that a nurse is likely to derive from attaining a Master’s program. The need for Master’s prepared nurses in pediatrics Developments in the nursing profession’s environment that has witnessed stringent regulations in monitoring the scope of nursing represent one of the factors that call for the need for Master’s prepared nurses. While nurses were previously certified to practice with basic qualifications such as that of a ‘post registered nurse’, regulating bodies have raised standards and only a nurse with a Master’s degree meets a basic requirement for an â€Å"advanced nursing practice† (Schober and Affara, 2006, p. 114). At the same time, t here has been increasing debate for raising minimum requirements for nurses that want to remain in advanced practice. This has led to plans for formulating doctorate programs in the profession. This trend, therefore, means that the nursing profession in general and pediatrics as a branch of nursing needs higher qualifications. A pediatric nurse with a basic qualification, such as post registered nurses and those with bachelor’s qualifications, may be rendered redundant. An ambitious pediatric nurse with a vision and objective to remain active in the scope of practice to the benefit of the society will, therefore, seek at least a Master’s program before considering further advancements (Schober and Affara, 2006). A Master’s prepared nurse is also necessary for the pediatric field because of the higher potential of influence that a Master’s program has on graduates. One of the benefits of Master’s programs in nursing is the leadership skills that att endants acquire. This means that with Master’s prepared nurses in pediatrics, the field will be managed by insiders who are more informed of the operations and the needs in the scope of pediatrics. A better management will, therefore, be achieved as compared to those by people with qualifications in business or other fields. Similarly, a Master’s program equips graduates with research skills, a scope that has develop to be critical in evidence based practice. With basic nursing qualifications that lack research skills, evidence based practice would require outsourced skills from other professions such as statistics. This implies extra operational cost that would be minimized if pediatrics were Master’s trained to have research skills. Similarly, a Master’s trained nurse in pediatrics will be able to operate with varying political and social climates either as an individual or as a leader because the Master’s programs equip nurses with knowledge and skills to manage influences and pressure from such sources (Nursing, 2007). The Marquette University, through the scope of its nursing program, also supports the need for Master’s trained nurses in pediatrics. In addition to the capacity to carry out research, a Master’s trained pediatric nurse is able to â€Å"apply pertinent theories and evidence from research† to improve the quality of services offered to patients. Similarly, the trained pediatric nurse is equipped with high level of ethical and communication skill that are important in

Compare Modern Martial Art Magazines with 1970s Editions Essay

Compare Modern Martial Art Magazines with 1970s Editions - Essay Example Either they have set up schools of varying origins and oriental teachers, or produced videos and books, as well as other commercial items such as garments, belts, certificates, among other paraphernalia associated with martial arts. Nevertheless, in this age of free market economy, everybody may claim to be what they want and claim to be, and as long as somebody is buying, then, they sell. This study, however, shall focus on martial arts magazines language use between the present and the 1970s with substantial inclusion regarding Bruce Lee and the pop culture. 2. Modern martial arts magazines have evolved in word usage as martial arts forms also evolved. Nevertheless, commonalities may include oriental terms of martial arts name of discipline or related school such as Bruce Lee's early Wing Chun, Jeet Kune Do and Jun Fan Gung Fu, karate, jui jitsu, among others. This study will try to present evolving terms and usage of martial arts words with regards to publications of modern martial arts magazines as compared to 1970s martial arts magazines, with particular focus on the following: This study is important to establish or present the changes or similarities between 1970s and modern martial arts magazines. ... Changes are necessary and unavoidable. Aim of the Study This study will try to present evolving terms and usage of martial arts words with regards to publications of modern martial arts magazines as compared to 1970s martial arts magazines, with particular focus on the following: Oriental and western terminologies that are in use in modern and 1970s martial arts magazines The meaning and use of each martial arts terminologies The changes, contrast or comparison of martial arts magazines seen through 1970s edition and modern martial arts magazine issues The influences or factors behind the popularity of martial arts as a form of discipline and as a popular media or magazine subject. The study or research will try to answer the following questions: 1. What are the constant oriental and western terminologies used in martial arts magazines present in 1970s edition as well as in modern martial arts magazines 2. What are the meanings of these martial arts oriental and western terminologies 3. What are the prevalent changes or contrasts that can be seen between 1970s and modern martial arts magazines 4. What are the factors or influences that affect popularity as well as wide acceptance of martial arts as a discipline and (media) magazine interest Relevance of the Study This study is important to establish or present the changes or similarities between 1970s and modern martial arts magazines. In establishing the changes, factors, influences, as well as other related matters, such as Bruce Lee's popularity shall also be presented and viewed to make martial arts understandable among those who practice or abhor, or perplexed by it. Methodology Secondary analysis shall be applied in this study since there already exist two points or