Exercise Addiction Essay Example for Free

Exercise Addiction Essay Exercise is important for the overall health and wellbeing of all people. People engage in physical activity for a variety of reasons. For some, being healthy is their only reason for exercising; for others, it may be to build more muscle, or gain endurance. â€Å"Exercise involves planned, structured, repetitive bodily movement done to improve or maintain physical fitness. † Exercise should always be beneficial; however excessive exercise can lead to harmful outcomes, and in come cases exercise can become an addiction. Exercise addiction has many of the same characteristics seen drug addiction such as: tolerance withdrawal, lack of control, intention effects, time, reduction in other activities, and continuance. Researchers have developed conceptually sound diagnostic criteria for exercise dependence, but have yet to determine a suitably convincing mechanism for its onset. In order to determine what type of interventions would be effective for treating or overcoming exercise addiction, researchers must first have an understanding of what causes the addiction. Understanding what psychological and physiological mechanisms are present in exercise addiction can help researchers to develop an intervention that will address all factors that nurture the addiction. The purpose of this study is to examine existing literature on the underlying mechanisms that could be responsible for the onset of exercise addiction in individuals in order to determine what types of intervention are needed to effectively treat exercise addiction. The study will include interviews to assess exercise addiction. Theoretical background In 1977, psychiatrist George L.  Engel released an article, The Need for a New Medical Model: A Challenge for Biomedicine, in which he proposed the Biopsychosocial Model, or BPSM. 1 â€Å"The Biopsychosocial Model is a method of understanding health and illness through biological, psychological, and social factors. † 2 Prior to Engel’s model, the Medical Model was the primary approach to medicine. The Medical Model focused on finding a single specific cause of illness to cure the disease, not the person as a whole. In The Need for a New Medical Model, Engel outlined weaknesses of the Medical Model. Engel addressed the Medical Model as a reductionist approach to medicine. 3 The Medical Model suggested that all diseases could be reduced to a single underlying â€Å"measurable biological variable† and treated without consideration of the other factors that may be related to the onset of the disease or illness. 1 (p 319) According to Engel: †¦a medical model must also take into account the patient, the social context in which he lives, and the complementary system devised by society to deal with the disruptive effects of illness, that is, the physician role and the health care system. This requires the Biopsychosocial model. (p324) According to the Medical Model, health can be equated to an absence of disease. Engel argued that the biological factors found in the medical model are not sufficient to provide a full understanding of disease. The Medical Model neglected to take into consideration individuals who feel well and are diagnosed with a disease, as well as individuals who are free of disease but feel sick. Engel proposed, â€Å"a biopsychosocial model which includes the patient as well as the illness would encompass both circumstances. † 1(p324) The BPSM explains disease through biological, psychological, and social factors. The BPSM can be understood by examining the components of the model. 4 The biological component â€Å"plays a key role is the BPSM. † 2 This component of the BPSM explains disease in relation to physiological causes such as pathogens or disorder in the functioning of the individual’s body. 5 A plausible biological mechanism of exercise addiction is the beta-endorphin hypothesis. â€Å"Aerobic exercise is known to stimulate the release of beta endorphin and other endogenous opioid peptides that appear to exert analgesic effects and may also produce addictive behaviors. Endorphins can block stress and create feeling of euphoria in an individual. Individuals who exercise excessively will be more receptive to endorphins and could potentially develop a tolerance for the hormone. Once the individual has developed a tolerance for the beta-endorphins, he or she will need to exercise longer and harder to achieve the same effects as before tolerance. This leads to the individual engaging in addictive behaviors that can also be explained as psychological process. 7 The psychological component of the BPSM explains disease as a manifestation of the individual’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. â€Å"Psychological dependence causes an individual to feel they need a substance to feel good. † 2 Negative thinking, low self-esteem, personality disorder such as perfectionism, etc. , could cause the addictive behavior. For example, an individual who does not cope well with stress may form a behavioral habit of exercise in order to feel good; they are addicted to exercise because of its mood-boosting biological effects. â€Å"In a philosophical sense, the biopsychosocial model states that the workings of the body can affect the mind, and the workings of the mind can affect the body.   However, biological and psychological factors alone are still not sufficient to completely explain exercise addiction in individuals. 2 The sociological component of the BPSM explains how social factors such as culture or socioeconomic status can be an underlying cause of illness. The behavior of an individual can be closely related to the culture and peer groups to which they belong. An individual may become addicted to exercise because of pressures of social norms. For example, an individual may have developed an addiction to exercise as a result of peer pressures to be thin. Significance of Proposed Research  The biopsychosocial model can be used to conceptualize exercise addiction. It is important to study the BPSM because further research is needed to determine the etiology and effective treatment for exercise addiction. To successfully treat or overcome an addiction, the individual must address each component that contributes to the overall behavior. The significance of this study will be to improve understanding of exercise addiction using the biopsychosocial model, determine the types of intervention needed to treat exercise addiction, and develop, as well as, test a multicomponent clinical strategy for treating the addiction. Proposed Methods The study will involve the evaluation of the biopsychosocial model in relation to exercise addiction. The targeted population for this study includes the following: individuals who are physically active and individuals who are classified as addicted to exercise. In order to ensure an efficient sample will be chosen, the target population will consist of 100 individuals. The sampling technique that will be used is a survey type of research, the Exercise Addiction Inventory. The EAI will include questions such as â€Å"When I exercise do I feel guilty† and â€Å"Is exercise the most important thing of my life? † (8) From this research, a sample from the target population will be selected. The sample will include 10 males and 10 females who are classified as addictive exercisers, as well as 10 males and 10 females who are non-addictive exercisers. Individuals who are classified as addicted to exercise will be submitted and additional questionnaire that will identify whether the individual has evidence of physiological dependence or no physiological dependence. Conclusion Exercise addiction is a disorder that has many underlying and contributing factors. Previous research did not provide sound information on the mechanisms of exercise dependence. The biopsychosocial model approach to addiction can be used to formulate an intervention for individuals who are diagnosed with exercise addiction. In order to treat an exercise addiction all components of the individual and the disease should be addressed.

Teaching English As A Foreign Language

Teaching English As A Foreign Language The aim of this study is to assess the performance of the teachers of English for the first year of the secondary schools in Missalata in: the new textbook. It also investigates other factors that influence teachers presentation, such as: the time allocated to the teaching of English and the lack of important materials such as tape recorders, dictionaries and other teaching aids. The main tool through which the researcher collected data is checklists adopted from a well known figure in teaching English as a foreign language named Jack Richards. The study consists of five chapters. Chapter one looks at defining some of the concepts involved in the TEFL teaching process as well as emphasizing the role of the teacher. Chapter two examines the background to TEFL teaching in Libya. It also includes a literature review. Chapter three outlines the background to the study and introduces the learning environment of it. It also discusses the methodology of the study and looks at the applied checklist as well as the parameters used as part of the research. Chapter four analyses the collected data. The last chapter comprises the conclusion and recommendations which are thought to be helpful to improve the English language teaching in Libyan schools. Chapter one 1.1- Introduction Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is a complicated process because it comprises a number of elements where the absence or the weakness of any one would affect the whole process. Al-Akhdar (2001: 1) says in this context The success of a course of English as a FL depends on several factors He discusses the issue of methodology in detail as one of the factors influencing the successful outcomes of the teaching operation. Another factor is to be discussed here: it is the teacher. This study examines the important role of the teacher in relation to the methodology employed. The reasons behind the important role played by the teacher in the teaching process is illustrated by the following points: 1. The teacher can compensate for any shortage of material or poor material, either by using other sources, or by tailoring the material to suit his particular class. 2. The teacher can balance the variations of the students levels. It is natural for the teacher to notice this heterogeneity in any class. It is the teacher who knows how to deal with such a situation. 3. He is also the one who deals with oversize classes (i.e. classes with more than 16 students) when it is quite difficult to carry out certain tasks and activities. Harmer (2002: 128) maintains that: In big classes, it is difficult for the teacher to make contact with the students at the back and it is difficult for the students to ask for and receive individual attention. He goes on to give reasons for the difficulty in teaching big classes by saying: big classes mean that it is not easy to have students walking around and changing pairs etc. Most importantly, big classes can be quite intimidating for inexperienced teachers. Ur (1997: 303) also lists some problems in teaching large classes such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Discipline à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Correcting written assignments. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Effective learning for all. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Materials. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual awareness. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Participation. 4. It is the teachers responsibility as well to overcome the problem of the shortage of classroom timetabling. Some syllabus timing is longer than that allocated by the Education Authority. All of the above points encompass the teachers responsibilities and distinguish him as a crucial factor in the educational process. Dubin and Olshtain (1986:31) however, put it well when they said: The teacher population is the most significant factor determining success of a new thinking and what it involves in practical terms are crucial. Alien and Valette (1977: 3) also stress the important role of the teacher. They say that: The teacher is the key figure in the language course. It is the teacher who sets the tone for the learning activities. They add that: The teacher plays a prime role in effecting student progress or lack thereof. The teachers role, therefore, in creating a successful learning environment for EFL secondary school students studying in Libya is of paramount importance to the successful completion of their course. This dissertation examines the teachers role and undertakes an analysis of the complications involved and the possible solutions to these difficulties. This analysis takes the form of an evaluation of teachers lessons at secondary schools in Missalata, Libya. 1.2-Elements Involved in English Language Teaching: Before this analysis is undertaken, however, the process behind EFL teaching in general needs to be examined in some detail. This will place the teachers role in context and illustrate the overall complexity inherent In the EFL process This process according to Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1998: 6) consists of central determinants which include the pupil, the EFL teacher, the method of teaching, the teaching materials and the classroom environment. These EFL learning and teaching elements are briefly discussed from a Libyan perspective in the following section: 1. 2.1-The Pupil: There are two types of English language learners in the Libyan environment; a full time student in an academic institution (school, college or university) and those who are enrolled on private courses which are run by private language centres. The objective behind learning English at these types of language centres is either to fulfil the need of the learner himself or that of his employer for work requirements, or to develop further the learners capability in a specific field such as, English for medicine, English for engineering, etc. The difference between the two can be summarised as follows: A. The syllabus for the learner at the academic institutions is a standard one which is taught all over the country, while the syllabus for the private institutions varies from one organisation to another. B. The learners age at the academic institutions are fairly similar Whereas it can vary at the private centres. C. Private language centres care a lot about the number of learners in one class, but public classes are always oversized which in turn can affect their learning process. 1.2.2- The EFL Teacher: Each job has its own specification or what is called a job description. Accordingly it is necessary, when recruiting a teacher to fill a position in any school to match him against the requirements for the job. But what are the criteria that we can apply in this process? It is quite difficult to base the answer on a checklist of a number of criteria such as a university degree. However, Richards (2001: 209-210) points out that two main factors should be considered carefully in employing EFL teachers: 1.2.2.1- The Teachers Knowledge. In this respect he outlines the following: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ practical knowledge: the teachers repertoire of classroom techniques and strategies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ content of language knowledge: the teachers understanding of the subject of TESOL, e.g., pedagogical grammar, pronunciation, teaching theories, second language acquisition, as well as the specialized discourse and terminology of language teaching contextual knowledge: familiarity with the school or institutional context, school norms, and knowledge of the learners, including cultural and other relevant information à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ pedagogical knowledge: ability to restructure content knowledge for leaching purposes, and to plan, adapt and improvise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ personal knowledge: the teachers personal beliefs and principles and his or her individual approach to teaching à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ reflective knowledge: the teachers capacity to reflect on and assess his or her own practice. 1.2.2.2- Teaching Skills: Teaching skills refer to knowledge or the ability to perform certain skills. A similar taxonomy is provided by McDonough and Shaw ( 1993: 297) who lists the following: Knowledge of the language system Good pronunciation Experience of living in an English-speaking country Qualifications (perhaps further training taken, or in-service development) Classroom performance Evidence of being a good colleague Length of time as a teacher Ability to write teaching materials Careful planning of lesson Same LI as students, or a sound knowledge of it Experience of a variety of teaching situations Personal qualities (outgoing, interested in learners and so on) Publications Knowledge of learning theories Wide vocabulary Ability to manage a team of teachers. In addition to the above points education authorities at all levels (planners, inspectors and headmasters) are asked to follow up and assist English language teachers in order to improve further their ability and make cope with any development that might arise. Richards (2001: 218). Lists a number of conditions to achieve and maintain good teaching standards: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monitoring: in this respect he states that to upgrade the level of teaching, monitoring can play a major role through: group meetings, written reports, classroom visits, and student evaluations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Observation: This can also play a part in upgrading teaching and he proposed different ways to implement this task. He suggests: self-observation, peer observation or supervisor observation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identification and Resolution of Problems: problems that may face the teacher should be identified well in advance and should be tackled immediately in order to be avoided in future. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Shared Planning: This task can be done through the collective work among teachers on planning a course of study. EFL teachers in Libyan secondary schools are prepared to teach a certain syllabus not teaching English. Moreover, they are not taught how to teach the new textbooks. 1.2.3-The Method of Teaching: Before discussing the different methods it is worth distinguishing between the two terms method and approach. Richards et. Al. (1985: 228) give very simple definition. They say method is: (in language teaching) a way of teaching a language which is based on systematic principles and procedures, i.e., which is an application of views on how a language is best taught and learned. They go on to say that these views include: a. The nature of language b. The nature of language learning c. goals and objectives in teaching d. the of syllabus to use e. the role of teachers f. the techniques and procedures to use As with regard to the definition of approach, Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1988: 12) say in this respect: The term approach refers to principles or assumptions underlying the process of language teaching and learning. They give the following clear example to illustrate their definition: one of the assumptions underlying descriptive linguistics is that language is a set of habits, i.e. habit formation which is acquired by the process of stimulus, response and reinforcement. Below is a discussion of the major teaching methods. 1.2.3.1- Grammar Translation Method: The history of Grammar Translation method dates back to the decades of teaching Latin in the nineteenth century. The objective behind The application of this method includes as Rivers says ( 1983: 29) an understanding of the grammar of the language and training the student to write the new language accurately by regular practice in translating from the native language. It aims at providing the student with a wide literary vocabulary It aims training the student to extract the meaning from texts in the new language by into the native language. Students are taught, according to this method, deductively by having sufficient explanations of the rules as well as long lists of vocabulary and asked to memorise them by heart in order to translate texts. The teachers role however, is exemplified in the use of the learners first language to explain the rules and the vocabulary of the targeted text and then assists the learner to translate it. (Baker and Westrup: 2000). Less emphases is made on accurate pronunciation thus listening and speaking are ignored in this method. The Grammar Translation method is known to be very useful as Baker and Westrup( 2000: 4)) point out: in teaching academic work and for passing written exams . 1.2.3.2- The Direct Method: The Direct Method was brought to existence by the end of the nineteenth centaury in rejection for the ignorance made by the Grammar Translation method to listening and speaking skills. Voices started to be heard at that time for reform and that is why the direct method was known as the Reform method. The method is also known as the Natural or the Psychological Method for the fact that it makes an analogy between the child who learns his mother tongue and the way the learner learns L2. In contrary to the Grammar Translation Method, the Direct Method stresses the need to use the target language right from the regaining and to avoid the use of the mother tongue. In this respect Rivers (1983: 32) says: This renewed emphasis on the target language as the medium of instruction in the classroom meant that correct pronunciation became an important consideration. The classroom teaching concentrates on practising the target language through the use of listening and speaking while reading and writing are considered less important. Students are encouraged to memorise phrases and dialogues. Baker and Westrup( 2000: 4) list the following limitation in learning L2 through the use of the Direct Method: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students may not always understand what they are repeating; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students cannot make their own responses in new and different situations; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Teachers may not be confident enough to use English throughout the lesson; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They are not so useful for advanced learners. 1.2.3.3- The Audio-lingual Method: One of the main reasons for the emergence of The Audio-lingual Method came as a result of the need of the American forces to use and understand the language of the invaded countries in the 40s and 50s. Kara (1992: 82) says in respect of the application of the Audio-lingual the Following: then being used by the American Army to train their men to understand a native speaker and speak a Language with a near-native accent. She goes on to describe the mechanical application of the method by saying: Classes were small and staffed by linguistic by linguistic experts who taught using graded materials based on structural analysis and demanded long hours of drill and active practice with native speakers as models for imitation. This method has based its grounds on the Behaviourist Psychology where the following assumptions are embedded: a) Language learning is primarily mechanical habit formation. b) Language is a form of verbal behaviour. c) Priority goes for mastering spoken first in order for the other skills to be effectively gained. d) Analogy is a better foundation for language learning than analysis, therefore pattern practice in context precedes the presentation of rules. e) Teaching language involves teaching the cultural norms of native speakers of the target language. The major criticism addressed to the Audio-lingual method is represented in Rivers (1981: 47) words as follows: If Audio-lingual training is given in a mechanical way, students may progess like well trained parrots-able to repeat whole perfectly when given a certain stimulus, but uncertain ,;t meaning of what they are saying and unable to use ::^.zed materials in contexts other than those in which they earned them. Student must be trained from the first lesson to apply what they have memorized or practiced in drills in communication situations contrived within classroom group. 1.2.3.4-The Communicative Approach: The Communicative approach first emerged in the UK in the mid to .ate 1970s. It was brought up as a result of the dissatisfaction with the structural and behaviourist methods of language teaching. This is the methodology which is currently widely used in text books not only in the West but even in our schools and training centres in Libya. Besides the preparatory and secondary schools text books, most of the oil sector and banks training centres are applying this approach in their teaching of English. The focus, in this approach, is on using language for communication while accuracy is seen as secondary. The function of language, or the way it is used, is considered more important than the form. As with regard to classroom teaching, the communicative approach gives a large proportion of class time to student-centred activities. Students are given the chance to use the language in realistic situations where they must use the language for real communication. The use of authentic materials and realia is encouraged wherever possible. The role of the teacher however, is seen as a group manager and activity leader or facilitator. In this case, he is advised to allow considerable time for the learners to work at their pace and ensures that the learners should proceed from guided to freer practice of language items. The teacher has also to encourage group and pair work. 1.2.3.5- The Eclectic Approach: Some teachers however, prefer to adopt an eclectic approach. The teacher in this case adopts some of the above mentioned methods during one single lesson. The teacher in this situation carries out a certain task in the class using grammar translation methodology and the other task performed through the audio-lingual method. In this regard Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1988: 27) say: Teachers often incorporate features of different approaches in their particular methodology. Most of the English language teachers nowadays think that teaching grammar is the objective of teaching the language. Functions and notions for them are considered as secondary targets or they are used mainly to illustrate or highlight grammar rules. 1.2.4- The Teaching Materials: Teaching materials include; textbooks, workbooks, newspapers and magazines, posters, blackboards, whiteboards, language laboratories, overhead projectors, tape recorders, videos and realia (such as real fruits, Vegetable, Kitchen objects) etc . Teachers can always try to create in the use of these materials. Some schools may lack some of above if not most. The teachers, therefore, can manage this shortage of materials. They can for example use his personal items from home or bf can seek the help of his students. 1.2.5- The Classroom Environment: Most of the classrooms in Libya are built compatible with educational specifications. That is all of the classrooms are large enough to accommodate (between 25 to 30) students in each class. They have enough windows to provide light and fresh air. The physical building itself is not enough, however. There are of course, other things complementing the physical structure such as ventilation, particularly in winter when these classes need to be warm enough, and electricity supply that is just as important. Students and teachers desks as well should be convenient. All of these compose an environment that might help create an appropriate educational atmosphere. Further to the above discussion, it is necessary for purposes of clarification to discuss other terminology that can appear confusing. Terms such as curriculum, syllabus, methodology and teaching materials are interrelated and are sometimes mistaken for one another. Since this study uses these terms very frequently, it becomes essential to define what each one of them means. 1.2.6.Curriculum: Nunan(1988:6) defines curriculum as follows: curriculum is a very general concept, which involves consideration of the whole complex of philosophical, social and administrative factors, which contribute to the planning of an educational programme. On the same line, Lim (cited in Richards 2001: 41) also includes the following parameters as part of the curriculum process: needs analysis, goal setting, syllabus design, material design, language programme design, teacher preparation, implementation of programmes in schools, monitoring, feedback and evaluation. Curriculum can be divided into three different groups: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Planned Curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Implemented Curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Realized Curriculum Nunan (2000) describes these stages as follows: I like to draw a distinction between the planned curriculum, the implemented curriculum, and the realized curriculum. The planned curriculum includes everything that is done prior to the delivery of instruction. The implemented curriculum refers to what happens in the moment-by-moment realities of the classroom. The realized curriculum refers to the skills and knowledge that learners actually acquire as a result of instruction. This study will be mainly dealing with the implemented curriculum. Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1.- Secondary School Syllabus (Past and Present): 2.1.1- Introduction. The teaching of English as a foreign Language has attracted great interest in Libya since the mid 40s. Imssalem( 2001: 8) said in this context: Since the start of British administration in 1943, English was introduced into the school system and has become the first foreign language. English is also currently a core subject from the first year of preparatory school to the university stage. It is also a core subject in all university colleges. The preparatory and secondary school English textbooks in Libya, however, have seen remarkable developments. These developments fall into two main stages: 2.1.2-Secondary School Syllabus Before 1996. Libya was one of the Italian colonies and it was very much affected by the Italian imperialistic policy, particularly in the field of education. In this regard, Mahaishi (1999: 9) maintained that: education was affected by the policies made by the colonisers, where they had abolished the schooling system created by the Ottoman rule during the last years of their empire. Consequently the colonisers imposed an Italian curriculum from the early education stages in order to Italianise the life of the Libyan Arab citizen through imposing the Italian language. This stage lasted nearly half a century. Afterwards, and by the start of the British administration in Libya in 1943, English language started to take its place in the Libyan school curriculum in a different way to that employed by the Italian invaders. Whereas the Italian curriculum aimed at Italianising the Libyan education system, English language during the British administration was introduced as a school subject. Other subjects such Maths, Chemistry etc, were introduced in Arabic. Moreover, education in Libya, generally, was very limited for many reasons, for example, poverty and the fact that the country was the scene of ferocious imperialistic wars between foreign forces, to the extent that John Wright (1972: 206 ) in his book The History of Libya put the rate of illiteracy at 90%. until 1964 the English Language syllabus was exemplified in English textbooks imported from Egypt. Imssalem (2001: 8) says that: The curriculum for English language teaching in Egypt was introduced into Libya by British-trained Egyptian teachers. In the late 60s, M. Gusbi in collaboration with R John produced a new syllabus, which lasted around three decades as reliable, local Material used in Libyan secondary schools. Mr. Gusbis material (Further English for Libya, Revised edition 1974) was based on the audio-lingual method, which was characterised by concentration on structure and form rather than on meaning as an objective of teaching. This approach has relied on introducing a topic, familiar to the learners culture, followed by some drills and exercises. The lessons were gradually graded in linguistic complexity, aimed at consolidating the rules in order to develop the learners linguistic competence. For instance, if you look at the exercises used in Lesson One (Gusbi and John, Seventh Impression, 1983: 4-5) only section C is different with the introduction of some comprehension questions. One finds them concentrating on grammar, for example, Section D (Make sentences from this table), Section E (Put these sentences into negative etc. With regard to the skills, the focus was only on listening and speaking in the first stages. Reading and writing, however, were postponed to the advanced stages until the first two skills were mastered. This method implies a teacher centred approach, where he/she finds himself/herself taking the big share of talking and directing as well as correcting any type of error that might arise to ensure the development of the learners accuracy. The case of the Libyan English textbook, (Further English for Libya) which was built on structural bases, was almost the same as that in some other Arab countries. Kharma and Hajjaj, (1986 : 60) describe the syllabus in the Arab Gulf States before the mid 70s by saying: With the introduction of the structural approach the syllabus continued to be thought of as materials content in terms of lexical and grammatical items, and particularly sentence patterns. At that time the Communicative approach was introduced into the curriculum in Europe and the USA. 2.1.3-Secondary School Syllabus After 1996: In order to discuss the secondary school syllabus in Libya after 1996 this section highlights the development of the communicative approach since the Libyan secondary school textbooks are now based on a communicative approach of teaching. The communicative approach came into existence by the end of 1960s and early 70s as a result of the dissatisfaction with the then current approaches and methods, such as the Grammar-Translation method, Direct method, Audio lingual method etc, that concentrated on language structure instead of the real use of the language itself as means of communication. Richards (1995: 66) in this context quoted Littlewood when he describes the communicative language teaching by saying: One of the most characteristic features of communicative language teaching is that it pays systematic attention to functional as well as structural aspects of language. This approach has incorporated the teaching of the four language skills besides grammar and vocabulary which according acknowledges the interdependence of language and communication. Thus it supersedes the previous methods in unifying these two concepts i.e. language and communication. This shift however, from merely teaching language structurally to teaching it communicatively met with different views, some in favour and others against. In China for instance, Xiao Qing Liao (10/10/2001) says: In spite of the resistance [to the introduction of the communicative approach in China], there were still many teachers in favor of CLT. Although communicative language teaching was introduced to the Libyan secondary school textbooks in 1997, which is considered relatively late, it can be said that these textbooks are improved for the following reasons: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They can be described as comprehensive multi-strand textbooks i.e. they introduce in each unit of the books; vocabulary, grammar and the four language skills listening, speaking, reading and writing. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The textbooks content of vocabulary, grammar and the four language skills serve the theme of each unit in a communicative way. The authors (Tankard and Tankard 2001:1) give an example of this point in their introduction to the First year Secondary School Textbook by saying: Unit 5 has the theme Countries and Regions. In this unit the vocabulary relates directly to the theme: the students learn new words and expressions to describe geographical regions. The grammar point covered is comparative adjectives, and the communicative functions are comparing people and things and talking about countries and regions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The variation in the topics included in the course book supports the learners command of the language and can help him to use English in real life situations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Contrary to the previous textbook (Further English for Libya by Gusbi and John 1970 Longman publications), which dominated the process of teaching English as a foreign language in Libyan schools for nearly three decades, the new textbook can also be considered as a dynamic one and not static. For instance, in terms of student participation, most of the tasks were set in order for the students to interact among themselves, to play certain roles or to solve a problem, whereas the old textbook concentrates mainly on grammar issues where there is no chance for group work. The possibility of performing the exercises in the old text book can only be done between the teacher and a student or one student and another. Accordingly, the chance for involving the whole class group work or pair work is not available. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The other advantage of the new textbook is represented in the use of Visual aids. The pictures are very helpful and very motivating for the learner to learn, to understand the task and accordingly participate actively in the class. For instance, in Unit Two (p. 6,7and 8) the topic is about Towns and cities in which the authors introduced the city of Bath in England as an example. At first they present an introduction about the city on page 7, supported by a map of the city using colours (red, blue and green) to show the most famous places like the museum, Post office, car park and recreational park. The objective behind the passage, in page 7, is to provide the learner with necessary vocabulary. In page 8, the picture is used for further drills of the vocabulary in listening and speaking e.g. giving and following directions. These drills are of course, supported by drawings. Besides dealing with vocabulary, listening speaking and reading, it also deals with grammar in clusively (using WH questions and demonstrative pronoun there). Pictures in the old syllabus, however, were very limited and did not serve the theme or any learning activity. In spite of this improvement of the new English Language textbook in Libya, it did not take into account the other elements of the learning and teaching process i.e. the pupil, the EFL teacher, the method of teaching applied in the Libyan schools, teaching material, and the classroom environment. So the questions that should have been posed by the authors of English for Libya (Alan and Fiona Tankard) and the Libyan educational authorities before writing the textbook could have been: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Is the teach

Copyright infringement Essay -- Plaigarism Technology Papers

Copyright infringement In general terms, copyright provides an author with a tool to protect a work from being taken, used, and exploited by others without permission (Roseoner 1). This is further defined in federal statute 17 U.S.C. Section 106. The owner of the copyrighted work has the exclusive right to authorize any of the following: - to reproduce the copyrighted work in copies - to prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work - to distribute copies of the copyrighted work to the public - to display the copyrighted work in a public setting There have been many underlying forces that have shaped the copyright law in our legal system today. Tensions have always existed between the rights of the public versus the rights of the artist. The term of copyright imposes limitations on the public and weighs in favor of the artist. Of course, the irony of this, is the fact that the public’s appreciation of a particular work of art extends well beyond the life of the original artist. The system of copyright law have, and will, continue to change. New means to create, store, and deliver art, place access to and use of all imagery, perhaps on the model of a compulsory license which means that the copyright owner has no right to prevent the use of copyrighted work. Copyright owners may not have the right to control usage, but they do receive a fee fixed either by voluntary arrangements or government assistance. We know that the history of copyright began with, and manifested by, the printed word. But, images are just as susceptible to plagiaristic acts. In the early 1700’s, artist, William Hogarth and others, petitioned the English parliament to extend copyright protection to pictures and prints. Hogarth was ... ...ng at any image that is truly ‘original’. Ultimately, those viewing the image only on-screen will be missing a presence that cannot be reproduced or adequately expressed in words. It is the same kind of unquantifiable experience that is rapidly disappearing from so many facets of modern life. Works Cited Crawford, Tad. Legal Guide for the Visual Artist. New York: Allworth Press, 1999. Garmil-Jones, Katherine. The Wired Museum. Washington DC: American Association of Museums, 1997. Hind, Arthur M., A History of engraving and etching from the 15th Century to the year 1914. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1963. Rosenoer, Jonathan. Cyberlaw: The Law of the Internet. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1997. http:\www.computerworld.com/home/news.nsf/CWFlash/9810143copy http:\www.nolo.com/ChunkPCT/PCT23.HTML http://mail.bris.ac.uk/~lijeh/ftcopy.htm

On the Entrapment and Incarceration of the Victorian Woman Essay

Thomas Blackburn describes the two Victorian poets, Robert Browning and Alfred, Lord Tennyson as being great contemporaries (47). As such it is apt that their works should muse upon and explore similar topics and themes. Their connection is especially evident in Browning’s â€Å"My Last Duchess† and Tennyson’s â€Å"The Lady of Shalott†. The themes of entrapment and incarceration feature heavily in both of these works. Specifically, it is the entrapment and incarceration of women which pervade their respective compositions. When taking into consideration the way in which women were viewed at this juncture in history- being nothing more than â€Å"beautiful objects† (Gilbert and Gubar 54), it is quite easy to see how the literary representations of the nineteenth century woman would be responses to such confines. While â€Å"My Last Duchess† can be looked upon as an investigation of the captor, represented by the Duke; â€Å"The Lady of Shalo tt† can be considered an exploration into the captive, represented by the Lady that gives the poem its title. Both poems are an analysis into the Victorian woman as an incarcerated and entrapped sub-culture of a predominately patriarchal society. It is no surprise then that the methods of which these fictional women take to escape comes at the cost of their lives. The doomed Duchess of Robert Browning’s dramatic monologue, â€Å"My Last Duchess† is the embodiment of the incarcerated woman taken to the eternal extreme. The setting for this poem is the Italy of the Middle Ages, a time when women had still less freedom than in the Victorian era. Women were regarded as possessions, a form of imprisonment within itself. As Johnson states the theme of â€Å"marriage as bondage† is consistently explored throughout Browning’s early wor... ...y 16.1 (1978): 70-87. Jospeh, Gerhard. "Tennyson's Optics: The Eagle's Gaze." PMLA 92.3 (1977): 420-428. Langbaum, Robert. The Poetry of Experience: The Dramatic Monologue in Modern Literary Tradition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1957. McGhee, Richard. Marriage, Duty, & Desire in Victorian Poetry and Drama. Lawrence: The Regents Press of Kansas, 1980. Orr, Mrs. Sutherland. Handbook to Robert Browning's Works. 6th Edition. London: George Bell and Sons, 1899. Plasa, Carl. ""Cracked from Side to Side": Sexual Politics in "The Lady of Shalott"." Victorian Poetry 30.3 (1992): 247-263. Ricks, Christopher. Tennyson. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1972. Showalter, Elaine and English Showalter. "Victorian Women and Menstruation." Victorian Studies 14.1 (1970): 83-89. Showalter, Elaine. "Victorian Women and Insanity." Victorian Studies 23.2 (1980): 157-181.

The Cultural Invasion of Kenya Essay -- American Culture Traditions Es

The Cultural Invasion of Kenya A screeching yell ripped through the house that Wednesday evening, "Ahhhhh, we're being invaded!". My mother rushed into the living room. I pointed to the flickering television screen. "Look," I whispered in disbelief. A few seconds of silence followed. There they were, the words I never thought would appear on our 29 inch Sony screen: "Sizzlin' Hot Country". The appearance of American country music on the Kenyan airwaves was the latest sign that American culture had penetrated the borders of my country. The airing of Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton on the local television station is not the only evidence of the rapid spread of American culture in Kenya. One look at a large portion of its youth and this cultural invasion will become apparent. Baggy pants, Nike, pop music and malls, symbols of American youth culture can now be associated with the Kenyan teenagers. The Nike phenomenon hit Kenya several years ago. My classmates in primary school were obsessed with the American brand name that had rocked the global shoe industry. Their school desks had the Nike name and logo painted on in every color imaginable. Not being able to afford some of the merchandise, many resorted to drawing the logo on bags, clothes, shoes and other visible possessions. Turning up to a class party with the trademark tick appearing on one's footwear simply made one the center of attention. My favorite pair of shoes, I have to admit, were a pair of black Nikes which raised many brows and turned just as many heads. Secondary school had its fair share of examples of the cultural invasion. In most schools in Kenya, students dress in uniforms. For example, in my school it was compulsory to wear a white shirt, gra... ...ols of success. While hip hop and baggy pants may not epitomize American success, Kenyan youth adopt this aspect of American culture perhaps because of the common roots and racial background the majority share with African Americans. Wearing Nike shoes or sagging one's pants may seem to be meaningless gestures. However, wearing shoes that many popular, rich American sporting icons don or sagging pants like the famous hip hop artists makes one different from the rest. It allows one to adopt an American identity, one defined by success and importance. While some would argue that such a spread of American culture would be beneficial because it would, in a sense, create a global village, I think this cultural invasion creates more harm than good. It would result in the demise of local cultures and languages. And this is certainly not a good thing.

Kant & ontological proof

The basic principles of ontology are argument for existence of God as a predicate and argument for God’s existence as a necessary existence. The first leg of the argument states: God is the greatest and most perfect being that can be conceived. Existence in imagination and reality is greater than existence in imagination only. Therefore, God really exists. The second leg of the argument is that: God is the entity than which nothing greater can be conceived. It is greater to be necessary than not. God must be necessary. God necessarily exists.Kant’s objection to conceived God as proof of his actual existence is premised on the ability of everything that is said to exist to have some features or characteristics attributable to them. He argued that existence is not a property or the constituent of a thing. Anything that has the property of being non-existent cannot possibly have any other property.  David Hume’s objection is that nothing can be proved a priori. Pr oving a priori is through an opposite contradiction. The resultant contradiction makes something inconceivable. Nothing can be proven a priori, since it is impossible to comprehend anything not existing.Norman Malcolm, in defending the idea of God, maintains that while it may be true that existence of God as a predicate for his reality may be unsustainable, he calls attention to another twist of the argument, which is necessary existence. He argues that where the idea of God, greater than which nothing can be conceived, is possible, it is therefore logically consistent that He necessarily exists. I agree with Malcolm. God must necessarily exist so that the existence of other beings can be traced to Him, who in himself is self existent.REFERENCE.1. Malcolm Norman (Prentice Hall, 1963), Knowledge and Certainty: Essays and Lectures (Englewood Cliffs, N.).

Individual in Society

Comparative essay The elective ‘the individual in society’ explores the conflict between autonomy and the social conventions that inscribe human behaviour. All societies require conformity, and fear of rejection can allow an individual to compromise their values in order to be accepted. The social constraints of any society can only be understood within their context and both Persuasion and Muriel’s wedding explore the superficial paradigms of marriage, friendship and social class.The restrictive Georgian society in Persuasion where patriarchal institutions position women as objects of economic exchange serves to limit their individuality, whilst Muriel’s wedding offers insight into the social codes that confine the individual both emotionally and physically. When comparing both texts, the fickle nature of romance is incoherent outside of its contextual parameters. This essay also highlights the distinctive difference between the individual’s attribu tes compared to other characters. In Persuasion by Jane Austen emotional and physical boundaries are placed by society restricting individuals such as Anne.Superficial values including class, status, marriage and appearance are held with high importance for many characters such as for Sir Walter Elliot. This is shown through ‘vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot’s character. Vanity of person and of situation’. The repetition ‘Vanity’ is used to exemplify Sir Walter’s pride and stupidity of ‘person’ meaning appearance and beauty and ‘situation’ meaning status. By her use of irony in his comment Anne gives a subtle moral judgement on Sir Walter, and all who possess his qualities of vanity and stupidity.In Muriel’s Wedding by PJ Hogans also depicts the importance of superficial values such as reputation among the characters. This is shown when Muriel’s friend Nicole uses satire â€Å"W e don't want you hanging around us anymore†. The use of satire adds humour to criticize Muriel’s friend exaggerated stupidity. Muriel’s friends continuously worry about the physical appearance as shown in: â€Å"We've told you a thousand times how to do your hair but you never listen. You never wear the right clothes. † Cheryl uses 1st person and 2nd person to signify the difference between them and Muriel, highlighting her isolation from the rest of the group.This adds peer pressure for Muriel to conform to be accepted by the popular group. In Muriel’s wedding the characters only find pleasure through false appearances of marriage they believe it symbolise to them that they are successful because they found someone with high status and appearance. Irony and satire is used to ridicule Sophie Lee’s foolishness that even though her husband cheated on her she continues to appreciate him because of his appearance and status as shown in â€Å"You 'v got to find people in your own level. Like i found chook.He's on my level. Marrying him was the happiest day of my life. I love him so much. That bastard! I'll show him. I'll go on this holiday and sleep with a thousand men. † Muriel is influenced by her and societies expectations of marriage. This is shown when David asks â€Å"what kind of person marries someone they don’t love? † The use of rhetorical question makes the audience consider that Muriel only married because she is obsessed with the appearance of marriage. Marriage in this film equates to acceptance from society because it reflects success.This limits her individuality until the final scenes her true sense of worth comes back after her mother dies that she finally realises that she has not been truthful she repeats the use of first person â€Å"i† to signify the continues lies she has told â€Å"i can’t marry to you, David. I have to stop lying now. I’ve told so many lies. I don’t love you†. In the end she accepts her individuality and is confident within herself and says â€Å"goodbye† to different locations of Porpoise Spit to symbolise that she is free from all the emotional restrictions that Porpoise Spit had placed on her.Unlike Muriel, Rhonda is confident with herself and does not attempt to fit in. She is different from the girls physically and emotionally. The Sophie Lee characters wear similar bright coloured clothes the flamboyant colours of their costume may reflect that they are seeking attention and the similarity in design and colours between the girls’ dresses, hair styles, personality show they are attempting to belong in a group and shows no individuality. Whereas in contrasts to Rhonda’s dark black cropped hair is in difference to Sophie lee, her friends and Muriel.Her character also depicts that she is an individual as she is outspoken and honest. This is shown when she says â€Å"Nicole’s h aving an affair with Chook. Muriel saw them fucking in the laundry room on your wedding day. Stick your drink up your ass, Tania! I'd rather swallow razor blades than have a drink with you. Oh, by the way†¦ I'm not alone. I'm with Muriel. † Her confidence is portrayed through the use of coarse, upfront language and that she tells the truth.The symbol â€Å"razor blades† also portrays this confidence that she is so self-assured that she looks at them as beneath her she exaggerates her opinion of them through this symbol. In conclusion there are many pressures within each society in Muriel’s wedding and Persuasion which confine the individuals Anne and Muriel. There are many factors considered that show Muriel and Anne as individual. Anne does not derive the same pleasure as others in her Georgian society from superficial values such as status, wealth and appearance.In an often satirical portrait of the men and, women Austen subtly and ironically points out fa ults in the system, raising questions about the values of English society and the power structure of the country. Similarly Muriel is also an individual as she does not belong but attempts to conform within the late 20th century suburbia social codes. At the final scenes of the movie she realises that she has told many lies and accepts her individuality. Muriel is an outcast and an individual in the initial scenes of the film. She attempts to conform within the group.This is portrayed when the group rejects her because she is so different from them but Muriel says â€Å"Listen, i know I’m not normal, but i’m tryin to change. † This depicts her desperation to be in the group and low self-esteem, as she even considers herself as worthless using the description â€Å"not normal†. Patriarchal society in which men held the economic and social power. In restrictive Georgian society women attempt to gain a livelihood through a successful marriage which constrain ts Anne to marry her true love Wentworth as he does not have status nor wealth.