Friday, September 6, 2019
Policy Suggestions for Reopening Dual Language Essay Example for Free
Policy Suggestions for Reopening Dual Language Essay This empirical research will be presented to the Ministry of Education in Taiwan for the purpose of studying the possibility of reopening Chinese and English dual language kindergarten schools. à à à à à à à à à à à In 2004, the Ministry of Education in Taiwan had forbidden the operation and establishment of bilingual and English kindergarten schools. English could only be integrated in songs, plays, and activities but it could not be taught in the Chinese and English bilingual format and use as a medium of instruction. Kindergarten schools are not also allowed to hire any foreign teachers. All kindergarten teachers must be a natural born Taiwanese citizen. à à à à à à à à à à à In the same year, the spokesman of the Ministry of Education cited three reasons for implementing this educational policy. First, they feel that at the preschool stage children should master their primary language. Second, they are so concern with the quality of teaching as they found out that most foreign teachers who worked as English teachers in kindergarten schools do not have sufficient knowledge on early childhood education. These teachers are only hired because they are native English speakers. Third, although Taiwanese students officially begin learning English on the third grade, they do not lag behind their counterpart in other Asian countries. However, there is not enough research to prove the positive effect of banning the dual language kindergarten. The research cited by the Ministry of Education to support their policy is discussed in the review of literature. Review of Related Literature Research Supporting the Policy à à à à à à à à à à à The research used by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan as a basis in supporting its policy was conducted in 2001 by Dr. Chuang Shiang Chuan andà à à à Dr. Chaing Jen Ru. These professionals were invited to conduct a study on the possibility of integrating English in the kindergarten curriculum and hiring foreign teachers to teach in the kindergarten level. In this research, Dr. Chuang Shiang Chuan pointed out that language learning for children requires the use of both the expressive and thinking abilities. If the medium of instruction is strictly in English alone, the content of communication between the teacher and the students would be very limited. She also indicated that preschool children fail to accurately pronounce and comprehend a foreign language in comparison to the adult learners. Furthermore, she also stated that learning a foreign language could interfere in the learning of the mother tongue. In terms of hiring foreign teachers, Cheung (2001) felt that foreigners who are working as kindergarten English teachers do not have the required skills and knowledge on early childhood education. Their knowledge is only limited to the teaching of the English language. In addition, hiring of foreign teachers would result in the decrease of job opportunities for students who have completed their education degrees from the teacher preparation institutions. However, the findings of à à à à à à Dr. Cheung may not be objective and conflict of interest is evident as a result of her employment in one of the early childhood teacher preparation institutions. Besides, in the policy statement published by the Ministry of Education to the public on October 10, 2004, it was stated that the research was based on the neuroscience, linguistics and English education findings which indicated that learning English at an early age does not guarantee that children will learn better. The Ministry of Education also argued that teenagers learn a foreign language more efficiently than preschool children due to their more mature cognitive development. It is also stated that imposing the ââ¬Å"No Chineseâ⬠kindergarten education would result in communication difficulty, emotional disturbance, conflict of values and problems in culture identity which could affect the development of Chinese language learning. Furthermore, the language barrier would limit the breath and dept of childrenââ¬â¢s learning. à à à à à à à à à à à Lu Chen (2003) who are researchers in Taiwan also supported the previous findings and argued that it is inappropriate for preschool children to learn a foreign language and culture at an early age. They believed that China would be the strongest country in terms of economic stability and the Chinese language would be the next universal language. Hence, parents should not be anxious to have their children learn English at a young age. They further stated that there is no critical period in learning a second language so it is not necessary to start learning at preschool age. The researchers also believed that having a good command of the native language is the foundation for learning a second language. The absence of an American or British accent is not an important matter to consider in learning the English language. Therefore, it is unnecessary to study English at an early age to avoid speaking with a foreign accent. à à à à à à à à à à à Besides the two researchers and one government statement above, the book ââ¬Å"My Child Canââ¬â¢t Speak Chineseâ⬠(Cheung, 2004) is also frequently cited by people who are against using English as the only medium of instruction in the kindergarten education. In this book, Cheung depicted her daughter who tends to combine the English and Chinese syntaxes when speaking Chinese after attending an English only kindergarten school. In the book, the arguments to ban the English only teaching in kindergarten school is understandable considering that children in Taiwan speak Chinese at home and kindergarten is the first education that they have experienced outside their homes. The use of English as the only medium of instruction in their first school may give the children the wrong impression that English is the formal school language. They may also think that their Chinese language is less important. These thoughts could possibly lead to the confusion of culture identity and negatively affect the learning of the Chinese language. à à à à à à à à à à à As an international student who had studied in various classes with native English instructors and have worked as the sole foreign teacher in an American school, I understand the anxiety that a child may feel in an English only environment based on my personal experience. à à à à à à à à à à à Armed with a first hand experience in obtaining an education in an English only school under instructors who are native speakers of the English language and with an experience of being a foreign teacher in an international school, I can strongly understand and clearly see the point in the policy made in not allowing the operation of the English only kindergarten schools. However, in as much as I could empathized with the policy makers, I also felt the inadequacy of the study that was conducted before arriving at a recommendation to close and prohibit the existence of dual language kindergarten schools. There are many dual language kindergartens in the United States and I have taught in an English-Chinese dual lingual public school in New York, P.S. 184M, Shuang Wen School. This is the first dual lingual and bicultural public elementary school in the east coast. Children at Shuang Wen have regular English classes as other public school students and start learning Chinese from the kindergarten level and continue studying until the sixth grade. à à à à à à à à à à à In the Shuang Wenââ¬â¢s website, there is a report cited that almost 100% of their students exceeded the required grade level standards of the New York State examination for Math and English. With Shuang Wenââ¬â¢s success, one could only ponder as to why American students are allowed to enroll in an English and Chinese bilingual program since kindergarten while the Taiwanese students in Taiwan have to be deprived of this opportunity. I went through literature reviews by searching and reviewing dual language related literatures on databases of ERIC, ProQuest, Education Full Text, Digital Dissertations taken from the Teachers College as well as the TC Catalog (EDUCAT). The summary of my findings are written below. Research on Dual Lingual Education à à à à à à à à à à à The dual lingual education literature reviewed is presented here in the following sections: bilingual education has no harm, the benefits of bilingual education, the best bilingual education-dual language program, and the current situation of dual language programs. Bilingual Education Has No Harm à à à à à à à à à à à Contrary to the findings of the researchers in Taiwan, Norbert (2005), Schambach (2006), Garcia (2006), and Pearson (2007) claimed that bilingual education has no harm to children at all. All the misconceptions were bias. For instance, Cheungââ¬â¢s (2003) worry concerning her daughterââ¬â¢s combined usage of English and Chinese is actually unnecessary. The combined usage of language was part of a learning process that children want to experiment in order to determine which of these two languages the listenerââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"strongest languageâ⬠is. This method would also enable the children to communicate effectively with their listener (Garcia, 2007). Moreover, the capability of switching between two languages could increase childrenââ¬â¢s cognitive flexibility (Steward, 2004). In terms of the concerns about the lost of identity and delay in the development of the childrenââ¬â¢s first language, it was discovered that bilingual children do not have any identity issues because in the bilingual education, childrenââ¬â¢s culture are respected and recognized (Farmer, 1998 Schambach, 2006). Some children may develop two identities since they are educated in using two languages and two cultures but this helps children to be more adaptable to the global world and prepare them better to be global citizens. Moreover, Schambach pointed out an example of an identity issue whereby an immigrant child, who emigrated from one country to another, felt totally lost when not being accepted in the new country and treated as a foreigner upon return to the country of origin for a short visit. This situation can happen to Taiwanese children if the government is not open to the education that the parents expect for their children in Taiwan. About 77% of parents in Taiwan hope that the government would allow the integration of English in the kindergarten curriculum (Wu Cheng, 2002). The main reason for the immigration to the United States of Taiwanese families is to provide better education for their children. If Taiwanese government fails to meet parentsââ¬â¢ expectations, there is a strong possibility that Taiwanese family immigration would lead to a problem on the identity issue for the next generation. The Benefits of Bilingual Education à à à à After clarifying that bilingual education creates no harm to children, many researchers pointed out that bilingual education can enhance the development of childrenââ¬â¢s cognitive and social skills (Chan, 2003; Garcia, 2007; Norbert, 2005; Steward, 2004; Thomas, 2003). Chan (2003) compared 31 bilingual preschoolers and 29 monolingual preschoolersââ¬â¢ performance on 3 cognitive tasks and 4 theory-of-mind tasks. The results showed that the advantage of the bilingual learners in the theory-of-mind development hinges mostly in their cognitive development e.g., inhibitory control, reasoning and metalinguistic awareness. Garcia (2007) quoted the research of Peal and Lambertââ¬â¢s work with French and English bilinguals and English monolinguals and suggested that the intellectual experience of acquiring two languages contributed advantageously to mental flexibility, superior concept formation and a generally diversified set of mental abilities. She also cited Padillaââ¬â¢s reasoning that bilinguals are cognitively advanced because they are able to process information provided in one language and produce allied information in another language. Padilla used Keats and Keatsââ¬â¢ report of a study as an example which German-English bilinguals, who did not demonstrate the ability to conserve weight in a Piagetian task, were trained to conserve in one of the two languages. Results from English and German post tests indicated that the concept was acquired in both languages. This suggests the possible increased in the flexibility of bilinguals during conceptual acquisition. Steward (2004) cited the finding of Willig who pointed out that students in the bilingual programs scored either the same or higher on the achievement tests in both languages in comparison with children in monolingual education. Steward also agreed with Cummings, Hakuta and Goldââ¬â¢s opinion that the bilingual program has increased childrenââ¬â¢s cognitive flexibility. Thomas (2003) further stated that the cognitive stimulus from the bilingual program led to enhanced creativity and analytical thinking. He also presented the result taken from Houston in 2002 that native English speakers, who had been in the two way dual-language programs for four years, scored between 63rd and 70th percentiles in total reading scores in the Stanford 9 whereas the scores of students in the monolingual English program hovered around the 50th percentile. This is a remarkable finding that could be used to infer that if Taiwanese children, who are native Chinese speakers, are educated in a bilingual program since preschool their intellectual capability might surpass students in a Chinese only program after four years. After reading all the benefits that bilingual education can bring to students, I continued to research for the definition of bilingual education and its best practice. The Best Bilingual Education Dual Language Education à à à à à à à à à à à Barrera (2004) defines bilingual education as using two languages to learn. Schambach (2006) said a bilingual person means he can use two languages freely in any given situation. In terms of the best practice for bilingual education, Garcia (2007) pointed out that in teaching two languages, it would be best to separate them instead of combining them together. For example, at home each parent should speak a different language to the child and at school, different teachers should speak different languages. Children tend to learn the language in order to communicate. Norbert (2005) further strengthened the importance of separating two languages when teaching. Scofield (2007) specifically talked about the importance of a relaxed environment that is enriched with comprehensible language as well as the usage of gestures, mime, and real objects to illustrate speech and to provide input. He also suggested singing songs and rhymes and having group activities to create a conducive environment for the learners. In terms of time allocation for teaching each language, Steward (2004) cited Willigââ¬â¢s research result which showed that students in the alternate immersion program, wherein the day is divided into two halves each entirely in one language, have the best performance in the tests of both languages. This kind of program is also called dual language program. Current Situation of Dual Language Education à à à à à à à à à à à According to Barrera (2004), there are more than 270 dual language programs in the U.S. and the interest in these programs keeps growing as fast as the waiting lists. In Barreraââ¬â¢s research, she concluded that the most successful dual language program resulted when students learn one language in the morning and another one in the afternoon. There must also be a continuing non-repetitive lesson in the morning. In the succeeding morning, students must proceed to the next lesson in the other language. The important characteristics of a good dual language program as suggested by Barrera includes: a minimum of six years instruction; a focus on the core academic curriculum; high quality language arts instruction in both languages; integration of the languages into the instructional thematic units; separations of the two languages for instruction with no translation and no repeated lessons in the other language; use of each language in 50 percent of the instructional time; an addictive e.g. adding a new language at no cost to studentsââ¬â¢ first language; bilingual environment that has the full support of school administrators, teachers and parents; and an active parent-school partnerships. à à à à à à à à à à à However, regardless of all the benefits of dual lingual education as shown in the research, some politicians in California still think that English should be the one and only dominated language in United States. Hence, they brought up Proposition 227 to replace the bilingual and dual lingual education to total immersion method to help immigrant children learn English as fast as possible. Nevertheless, many researchers discovered that bilingual education has helped children learn English faster than the total immersion method (Krashen, 2005; Manyak, 2006; Monzo, 2005; Olson, 2007). Bilingual education has likewise helped students build more positive self identity by providing a sheltered learning environment (Monzo). Recommendation à à à à à à à à à à à After learning from the studies conducted by some researchers, the Taiwanese government must reexamine their educational policy that resulted in the total ban of bilingual kindergarten education in Taiwan. I recommend that the Taiwanese government conduct an empirical study on the possible effects of dual language kindergarten education in Taiwan and recruit volunteer participants to determine if the Chinese and English bilingual kindergarten education should be reopened as an educational option for Taiwanese children. à à à à à à à à à à à I would also like to suggest a research design which includes the preparation of the curriculum, teachersââ¬â¢ preparation, studentsââ¬â¢ selections and studentsââ¬â¢ evaluation. Curriculum à à à à à à à à à à à Prior to conducting a research, the Education Ministry of Taiwan must initially design a Chinese and English dual lingual curriculum for kindergarten pupils. The easiest and most efficient way is to translate the current kindergarten curriculum into English. In this method, the traditional Taiwanese values are neither changed nor altered and the English language was only used as a medium of instruction. This consistent and continuing curriculum, which is part of the current dual language program, has been proven to be the most beneficial way for studentsââ¬â¢ learning. Teacher Preparation à à à à à à à à à à à Secondly, the government must prepare all the teachers who will be involved in teaching the dual language program. The selection of teachers who would teach the Chinese curriculum is not as difficult as selecting teachers who could teach the English curriculum. For the Chinese curriculum, experienced teachers can be selected among a roster of kindergarten teachers. Since the current law forbids the hiring of non-Taiwanese citizens, it would not be easy to immediately hire English instructors. There may be few Taiwanese people who could teach using the English fluently, have a solid background in early childhood education and fully understand the Taiwanese culture. Since learning the language while keeping the Taiwanese cultural background are two major purposes of the dual language program, I would suggest to the Ministry of Education in Taiwan to hire Taiwanese Americans or Taiwanese people who have studied abroad for a long enough period of time and have attained a good level of English fluency. The qualification to become a kindergarten teacher in Taiwan should not be based on the nationality but on the teacherââ¬â¢s English capability and understanding of Taiwanese culture. With regards to having a solid knowledge on the background of kindergarten education, I believe that teachers can be prepared within few months of extensive workshops as I became a primary teacher at an award winning independent primary school in Connecticut after a week of intensive training and continuing professional development throughout the school year. In my job, I performed well as a foreign teacher. Through experience, I personally felt that it is possible to prepare any teacher for the background knowledge. Further research on this issue could be conducted to be assured that only the most qualified teachers are selected for the program. Studentsââ¬â¢ Selection and Follow-Up Plan à à à à à à à à à à à Participating pupils should be voluntary and the opportunity to be a participant should be well broadcasted to all the parents who have children who are about to be enrolled in kindergarten schools. Students should be chosen from families of a mixed social economic status to represent the common student population in public kindergarten schools. Plans must be undertaken for students who are currently attending kindergarten so a continuing dual lingual elementary education can be achieved until the fifth grade as suggested by Garcia. Garcia discovered that the positive effects of dual language education will be manifested after 6 years of continuous education. The greatest challenge here is that all dual lingual elementary schools in Taiwan are private schools and therefore the tuition fees are not affordable by every family. For this problem, the government could either give vouchers or subsidize the tuition fees of the children who have attended the dual lingual kindergarten so they could study in private dual lingual elementary schools. In addition, the government can also put an effort to open a public dual language elementary school in each grade level to accommodate the education needs of these students. Data Analysis à à à à à à à à à à à Studentsââ¬â¢ cognitive development and academic performance will be assessed through standardized testing and observation from teachers and parents. Data analysis will focus on the findings to determine if advance cognitive development and better academic performance were achieved by students who were given the dual language program in comparison with the dual language studentsââ¬â¢ performance in the United States and Canada as studied by Barrera (2004) and Chan (2004). To avoid overstressing students, the test will be carefully designed and will be taken semi-annually. Likewise, studentsââ¬â¢ progress will be recorded for six years. Conclusions à à à à à à à à à à à Education is the best investment for the future of a country. With the influx of globalization and stiff economic and business competition, it is time for people of Taiwan to be armed with an education that could be comparable not only to their neighboring Asian countries but also to the western countries as well. à à à à à à à à à à à The progress of the country highly depends on its young citizens and the best way for the young citizens to be competitive is by providing them with an educational tool that will enable them to communicate with other people across the globe. English has been considered as the universal language in many parts of the world. There are no negative effects in learning a foreign language as shown in many research studies. Hence, it is time for the government of Taiwan, specifically the Ministry of Education, to study their policies and reconsider the option of reopening bilingual kindergarten schools in Taiwan. If the government intends to be the educational leader in Asia, it is time to open their doors to accept the teaching of English in preschool level. References Barrera, R., et. al. (2004). Profiles in culture. Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 19(3), 46-48. Chan, K. T. (2004). Chinese English bilingualââ¬â¢s theory-of-mind development. University of Toronto, Toronto. Cheung, S. C. C., Jen Ru (2002). The possibility of having english education and hiring foreign teachers in kindergartens in Taiwan. Ministry of Education, Taiwan. (T. Ministry of Education o. Document Number) Chuan, C. S. (2003). My child canââ¬â¢t speak Chinese. Taipei: New Parents. Farmer, M. (1998). Creating Montessori bilingual programs. Montessori Life, 10(2), 22-25. Garcia, E. E. (2007). Bilingual development and the education of bilingual children during early childhood. American Journal of Education, 95(1), 96-121. Krashen, S. (2005). Skyrocketing scores: An urban legend. Educational Leadership, 62(4), 37-39. Lu, H.-J. C., Tai-an. (2003). An evaluation on early childhood english education in taiwan-from the perspective of language policy. Transworld Institute of Technology, Taiwan. Manyak, P. C. (2006). Fostering biliteracy in a monolingual milieu: Reflections on two counter-hegemonic English immersion classes. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 6(3), 241-266. Ministry of Education, Taiwan (2004). Educational policy of preschool English education. Monzo, L. D. (2005). Latino parents `choice` for bilingual education in an urban California school: language politics in the aftermath of proposition 227. Bilingual Research Journal, 29(2), 365-386. Norbert, F. (2005). Research findings on early first language attrition: implication for the discussion on critical periods in language acquisition. Language Learning, 55(3), 491-531. Pajares, F. (2007). Elements of a proposal. Available from the author. Pearson, B. Z. (2007). Social factors in childhood bilingualism in the United States. Applied Psycholinguistics, 28(3). Schambach, J. (2006). Childhood bilingualism: problems and possibilities. Kansas. Schofield, A. (2007). An investigation into the practices of a class of field-based student educators working in linguistically diverse early childhood centres. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 32(2), 23-27. Stewart, M. R. (2004). Phonological awareness and bilingual preschoolers: should we teach it and, if so, how? Early Childhood Education Journal 32(1), 31-37. Thomas, W. P. C., V. P. (2003). The multiple benefits of dual language: dual-language programs educate both English learners and native English speakers without incurring extra costs. Educational Leadership, 61(2), 61-64. Torrez, N. M. (2001). Incoherent English immersion and California proposition 227. The Urban Review, 33(3), 207-20. Wu, S. F. C., Jen Ru. (2002). Examine preschool English education from the perspective of critical study period. Human Education Journal, 158.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
The Civil Rights Movement Of 1960s History Essay
The Civil Rights Movement Of 1960s History Essay The United States Supreme Court commands no armies, create no laws, and, generally, has no affiliations with the politics. However, its written opinions often change the course of American History. On May 17th, 1954 , the United States Supreme Court made the unanimous decision on the case Brown v. Board of Education Topeka, Kansas, 347 U.S. 483à [1]à , that declared segregation of white and Negro children in public schools denies Negro children the equal protection guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution even though physical facilities and other tangible factors of white and Negro schools may be equal.à [2]à One widely accepted claim is that the ruling of Brown played an important role in deeply influencing the civil rights movement. For blacks, the ruling of Brown had an ensuring effect that the federal government is on our side.à [3]à Julius Chamberss teenage memories of Brown is a reflection of this; we assumed that Brown was self-executing. The law had been announced, and people would have to obey it. Wasnt that how things worked in America, even in white America?.à [4]à A federal judge and a leading legal scholar, J. Harvie Wilkinson III, declared that Very little could have been accomplished in mid-century America without the Supreme CourtBrown maybe the most important political, social and legal event in Americas twentieth century history.à [5]à Many scholars, like Wilkinson, agree that the decision made by the Supreme Court and other court cases such as Brown II, Sarah Key v. Carolina Coach Company, and Browder v. Gayle that followed Brown dramatically improved the legal status of Americans by deeply influencing the civil rights movement.à [6]à It is evident that the Supreme Court decision on Brown had a deep symbolic impact on people. However, many other forces perhaps much more powerful than Brown also contributed to the paving of civil rights movement. The United States having helped in the defeat of Adolf Hitler a European leader who had practiced antisemitism, and persecuted many people who he believed were inferior to his German master race left many Americans repulsed by his racial policiesà [7]à . This was a major cause for Americans to look at their own society with a critical lens. Shortly after the ruling of Brown, the civil rights movement gained considerable momentum.à [8]à Demonstrations such as the sit-ins of Greensboro, North Carolina and the bus boycott of Montgomery, Alabama are a reflection of the quickened civil rights movement. Michael Klarman, a constitutional law scholar, argued that political, economic, social, demographic, and intellectual forces in the 1940s and 1950s were already liberalizing race relations in the United States, even in the South. These changes would have undermined Jim Crow perhaps with less white bitterness regardless of Supreme Court intervention.à [9]à Forces mentioned ab ove had already increased optimism in the society, prior to the decision of Brown, causing racial beliefs to slowly decline. It is acceptable to claim that Brown played a role in paving the way for the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The decision of Brown brought attention to civil rights causes, caused guilt to Northern whites, and inspired many grassroots activists. However many other powerful social and economical forces outweighed the small role Brown played in paving the path for the civil rights movement. 1. What was the role Brown played in the civil rights movement of 1960s? Direct and indirect influences of Brown The influences Brown had on the civil rights movement can be distinguished into two categories; direct influences and indirect influences. Its direct impact on the civil rights movement was school desegregation. Indirect influences, as claimed by many scholars, were varied. These included, giving civil rights issues national attention to Northern whites feeling guilt and to inspiring many grassroots and other activists by legitimizing civil rights causes. When one looks at the influences of Brown to the civil rights movement, the claim seems invalid. The influences, both direct and indirect, were over shadowed by other forces. The decision of Brown had a fairly immediate effect on segregation in the border states and isolated portions of the peripheral South.à [10]à In Kentucky the percentage of black children attending the same school as white children increased from zero (at the time of the first Brown decision in 1954) to 28 percent in 1957-1958 and jumped to 54 percent in 1963-1964.à [11]à In Oklahoma, the figures were zero percent in 1954, 18 percent in 1957-1958, and 28 percent in 1963-1964.à [12]à In 1957-1958 0.09 percent of black children attending school with white children in Arkansas and 1.4 percent in Texas (the small net yield was due to small black populations).à [13]à However, statistics from the rest of the South indicates that Brown had very little immediate effect on school desegregation. For example, in Southern states such as Tennessee and North Carolina, blacks school children attending desegregated schools were 0.12 percent and 0.01 percent in 1959-1960, and 2.7 perce nt 0.54 percent in 1963-1964.à [14]à In the deeper Southern states such as South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi, black students did not attend an integrated public grade school in 1962-1963.à [15]à In the South as a whole, only 0.16 percent of black children were attending school with white children in 1959-1960 and this increased only slightly to 1.2 percent in 1963-1964.à [16]à Only in the later parts of 1960s, after the civil rights act of 1964, did desegregation in the south began to increase.à [17]à From these statistics it is apparent that there was little impact from Brown on school desegregation. Only a 1.04 percent increase in blacks and whites attending the same school was seen in four years. Considering that direct influences of Brown being very limited, it is difficult for one to accept that indirect influences of Brown played a significant role. Claimed by many scholars, Brown had brought issues of civil rights to a national audience. However, this was only true to a certain extent. Although Brown had increased attention to civil rights causes in the South, it gained less attention in the North. An opinion poll conducted in the summer of 1955 noted that 60 percent of Southern whites, as opposed to 17 percent of northern whites, had discussed the Supreme Court decision during the week before the decision was made.à [18]à 33 percent of Southern whites, compared to six percent of Northern whites, in the same poll considered segregation a more important issue than crime, atomic bombs, and high taxes.à [19]à Media coverage of civil rights events suggests that very little attention was paid to court cases such as Brown. Other civil rights event that produced confrontation and violence were the highlight of civil rights media coverage.à [20]à Examples include the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-1956, which had little con nection with Browns decision and sit-ins of Greensboro, Alabama.à [21]à In 1952 the New York Times gave relatively more coverage to civil rights issues than in 1954 or 1955 (the years of the first and second Brown decisions).à [22]à Respondents identifying civil rights issues as the nations ultimate problem increased after the bus boycott of Montgomery, Alabama, not by Brown. This increase was insignificant compared to the outburst of public attention to civil rights causes after the demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama during the spring of 1963.à [23]à It is evident that Brown did not gain considerable attention from both Northern and Southern states. It seems that significant attention to civil rights causes were brought by demonstrations such as sit-ins of Greensboro and Montgomery bus boycotts, not by Brown. At the time television sets were first appearing in households. Violent images such as protesters being hit by high-pressure water jets from fire-hoses were bro ad casted over the air.à [24]à This would have likely gained more international support than court cases such as Brown published in newspapers. Another widely accepted claim is that Brown aroused sympathy of Northern whites regarding the cause of civil rights. However, there is little evidence suggesting that Brown was a causation for Northern whites to feel sympathetic to the civil rights causes.à [25]à An opinion poll conducted in July of 1959 reported that only a five percent increase in public support for school desegregation, that Brown promoted, over the preceding five years was seen.à [26]à Congresses willingness to sponsor legislation can be seen as Northern whites feeling sympathetic to civil rights causes. Amount of congressional sponsors for civil rights causes steadily increased through the late 1940s and peaked in 1951-1952. Then it declined through the remainder of the 1950s and reached an all time low in 1959-1960.à [27]à Another indication that there was no significant increase of civil rights consciousness among Northern whites was the willingness of the President and the Senate to see the Eisenh ower administrations 1956-1957 civil rights bill deprive of strength in the upper house.à [28]à Similarly, a study by Ema Lou Thornbroughs Indiana state Legislature proceedings revealed that the legislature discussed more civil rights issues during the 1950s than in the 1940s. But it did not enact meaningful legislation until after the civil rights revolution of the early 1960s.à [29]à One of the most popular and widely accepted assumptions regarding Browns decision was that it legitimized the civil rights causes, increased the hope of its success, and was a catalyst for new activism within the black community.à [30]à Activists in the civil rights movement has given many accounts of Browns significance. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr., declared in 1958 that Brown had brought hope to millions of disinherited Negroes who had formerly dared only dream of freedom..à [31]à Fred Shuttlesworth, leader of the indigenous civil rights movement in Birmingham, notes his role in the movement to Brown. Browns decision, as he remembered, stirred up in me what I knew all the time.à [32]à As Thurgoood Marshall found more people in the South willing to stand up as plaintiffs, they said The federal government is on our side.à [33]à Around sixty desegregation petitions filed by local branches of The National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to school boards in the deep South in July of 1955.à [34]à This suggest that Brown inspired litigation that challenged state sponsored segregation. Shortly after Brown, in Greensboro, North Carolina, blacks began to desegregate the city golf courses. Also, blacks in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, began to challenge segregation in city parks and public transportation by bringing court suits.à [35]à Not only did Brown assure people the legitimization of civil rights causes, it also stimulated black hope.à [36]à As Robert Jackson, a black history professor at Virginia Union University, notes This is a most exciting moment. I havent seen collective emotion since the day Roosevelt died. A lot of us havent been breathing for the last nine months. But today the students reacted as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders. They see a new world opening for them and those that follow them.à [37]à One staff member of the NAACP branch in New York recalled that t hey sat there looking at one another. The only emotion that we felt at that moment was awe-every one of us felt it.à [38]à Black leaders were hopeful that Brown would affect race relation in all dimensions of American life.à [39]à Charles Johnson, the President of Fisk University, explained in the summer of 1954, the principal enumeration was not merely that of constitutionality of racial segregationif segregation is unconstitutional in educational institutions, it is no less unconstitutional in other aspects of our national lives..à [40]à Martin Luther King, Jr., and A. Philip Randolph led prayer pilgrimage to Washington D.C., on the anniversary of Brown in the late 1950s, thus proving that blacks regarded Brown as an important symbol.à [41]à It is impossible to measure the legitimizing effect Brown had on the society. Because of this it is difficult for one to either accept or reject the interpretation. However it is not clear that Browns decision was needed for th e legitimization effect on the society. Other forces seem much more likely to have caused this legitimizing effect in the society. When assessing the impact of Brown, both direct and indirect, on the civil rights movement, one can conclude the little significance of Brown. Browns limited impact on school desegregation is widely accepted. However, its indirect contributions such as bringing civil rights issues national attention, causing guilt to Northern whites, and legalizing civil rights causes in the eyes of blacks seems exaggerated. As evidence shows, Brown only brought significant attention to civil rights causes in the South. National attention brought by other civil rights demonstrations such as the famous Montgomery bus boycott and electrifying sit-ins of Greensboro dwarfed that of Brown. The decision of Brown did not arouse significant guilt from the northern whites. As mentioned earlier, only a five percentage increase in public support for civil rights causes were seen after the decision of Brown. It is difficult to either accept or reject the claim of Brown legitimizing civil rights causes in the eye s of blacks. However more plausible factors such as political, economical, and social, that were in effect even before Brown, are much more likely to have effected the view of legitimized civil rights causes and essentially paving the way for the civil rights movement. 2. Postwar forces had relatively large effect on the civil rights movement Shortly after the decision made by the United States Supreme Court, the civil rights movement gained considerable momentum. Key to the quickened civil rights movement was ongoing postwar forces such as rising prosperity, high levels of education, and demographic movements.à [42]à These forces combined promoted expectations from both blacks and whites concerning ways of life including race relations.à [43]à When the effect of these forces are compared with Browns influence on the civil rights movement, it is evident that influence of Brown is exaggerated. Michael Klarman claim that the democratic ideology of World War II and the greater opportunities for political and economical advance that the war afforded had already fostered a civil rights consciousness in most American blacks.à [44]à This is reflected by the comment of a black veteran returning home from the war as he registered to vote:After having been overseas fighting for democracy, I thought that when we got back here we should enjoy a little of it.à [45]à It is evident that there were many effective challenges to civil rights before and during the war. In 1942 blacks in North Carolina issued the Southern Black Declaration of Independence.à [46]à This supported the Fair Employment Practice Committee and initiated actions to put an end to segregation, and inequalities in housing, medicine, and education.à [47]à Also during the war blacks, in Norfolk, Virginia, began to protest segregation in public transportation. They began to join voter leagues, started to p ay taxes in record numbers, and served on war-related boards and councils. Thus increasing black presence in the community they were able to successfully support the appointment of two black police officers into the city police force.à [48]à In the 1940s number of black voters increased from 151,000 to 9000,000.à [49]à By the late 1940s, black candidates were running for public office and occasional winning. In Northern sates, ideology of the war combined with increasing political power of urban blacks, led to the implementation of civil rights laws in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Most of these laws promoted fail employment practices and open public accommodations, and some went far as forbidding segregation in public schools.à [50]à The challenges to Jim Crow that existed prior to war and during was beginning to bear results. There were desegregation of the Montgomery police force, elevators of buildings in Birmingham, juries in Little Rock, department stores and pub lic facilities in Greensboro, public libraries, parks, and swimming pools in Louisville. All in the early 1950s before Brown. Rapidly increasing challenges to Jim Crow such as these during and after the war suggests that Brown was not the first to challenge racial beliefs in the society. Much of the legitimization of civil rights causes, that was perceived as an indirect action of Brown, can be explained through these things mentioned above. Political, economic, and social factors that caused these overall laid much of the groundworks for the civil rights movement. Conclusion After more than five decades it is still difficult to determine the exact role Brown played in paving the way for the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Many scholars claim that indirect influences of Brown played a major role in laying groundworks for the civil rights movement. Other scholars claim that Brown itself was caused by many powerful postwar forces. Most scholars agree that there were three main indirect influences: Brown increased civil rights issues in a national context, caused the Northern whites to feel guilt, and legitimized civil rights issues in the eyes of grassroots activists. After examining the evidence surrounding these indirect influences it seems that they did not contribute much to laying groundworks for the civil rights movement. Evidence suggesting post war forces contributed to the civil rights movement is most plausible. As to question of Browns role in paving the way for the civil rights movement, it is evident that Brown played a relatively small role compared to that of post war forces. Brown itself can be seen as a reflection of swelling postwar forces. These forces since the 1940s have increased optimism in the society and weakened racist beliefs. It is acceptable to claim that Brown did contribute to the civil rights movement. However Browns contributions were dwarfed by those of postwar forces.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Buying Behavior In The Mauritian Supermarkets Marketing Essay
Buying Behavior In The Mauritian Supermarkets Marketing Essay To identify the different types of sales promotion used on the Mauritian supermarkets/hypermarkets. To analyze the awareness of sales promotion among the Mauritian consumers. To evaluate the different types of buying behavior that arises due to sales promotion. To examine the impact of different types of sales promotion such as coupon, free sample, buy-one-get-one-free, bonus pack, price discount on the buying behavior of consumers in the Mauritian supermarkets. 2.0 Introduction This chapter provides a review of past literatures on sales promotion and the different types of sales promotion, such as coupons, free sample, buy-one-get-one-free, bonus pack and price discount. It also relates consumer response towards sales promotional tools in the Mauritian supermarkets. 2.1 Sales promotion defined Sales promotion is a direct inducement or incentive to the sales force, the distributor or the consumer with the primary objective of creating an immediate sale. (Schultz and Robinson, 1882). Quelch (1989) defines sales promotion as temporary incentives targeted at the trade (trade promotions), or at end consumers (consumers promotions). Sales promotion is one of the four ingredients of the promotion mix. The other three are personal selling, publicity and advertising. According to Quelch, sales promotions differ both in role and nature from advertising. Sales promotions are typically viewed as an easily executed means of boosting short-term sales whereas advertising is seen as building brand image. Shimp (2003) stated that sales promotion refers to any incentive used by a manufacturer to induce the trade (wholesalers, retailers, or other channel members) and consumers to buy a brand and to encourage the sales force to aggressively sell it. Retailers also use promotional incentives to encourage desired behaviors from consumers. Sales promotion is more short-term oriented and capable of influencing behavior. The objectives of any promotional strategy are to increase sales; maintain or improve market share; create or improve brand recognition; create a favorable climate for future sales; inform and educate the market; create a competitive advantage, relative to competitors products or market position; improve promotional efficiency. (Rowley, 1998). 2.2 Types of sales promotion According to Smith (1998), there are three main categories of sales promotion: Customer promotions (Premiums, gifts and prizes) Trade promotions (Special terms, point-of-sale materials and free pens, diaries, and competitive prizes among others) Sales force promotions (Incentive and motivation schemes) Tellis (1998) brings further that, in practice, there two types of sales promotion: Monetary and Non-monetary sales promotions. Monetary promotions are for example, shelf-price discounts, coupons and sampling. They tend to provide fairly immediate rewards to the consumer and they are transactional in character. On the other hand, non-monetary sales promotions include free gifts, contests and sweepstakes for instance. It tends to involve delayed rewards and are more relationship-based. 2.3 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets defined A supermarket is relatively large, low cost, low margin, high-volume self service operation design to serve the consumers general needs for food, laundry and household maintenance products (Kotler and Armstrong, 2001). The area covered by a supermarket can be about 400 2500 square meters. Examples of supermarkets in Mauritius are Winners, Spar, Way and Dream Price, Value Max and Lolo supermarket among others. Hypermarkets are larger than supermarkets and offer a large assortment of routinely purchased food products, non-food items and services which meet the consumers total need. Hypermarkets can have at least 50,000 square feet of selling and can handle more than 40,000 products. These outlets are usually located on the outskirt of towns or cities and are complemented with 30 to 50 shops, specialized in various product lines. The hypermarkets and combination of shops thus offer customers a one-stop shopping. For instance in Mauritius, Shoprite, Jumbo, Super U and Intermart are categorized as hypermarkets. 2.4 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets of Mauritius It is no doubt that during the past decades considerable changes have been occurring in the Mauritian retail market. Unprecedented growth in new retail formats, changes in competition, consumers, technology and takeovers are occurring throughout virtually every corner of the Mauritian retail industry and many types of retail institutions have been appearing from corner shops to hypermarkets. There have been major developments in the retail sector of Mauritius. For instance, the arrival of Dream Price, Value Max and Lolo supermarket in different location of Mauritius have intensify the level of competition. 2.5 Consumer response towards sales promotions Promotions arouse two reactions in people. Firstly, it is an increase in consumption, that is, more quantity of a product is acquired. Secondly, it is the storage of the product for the future, that is, the consumer acts in anticipating his purchases. Promotions have been shown to affect consumers directly in a variety of ways, leading to: Brand switching Brand loyalty Purchase acceleration Stockpiling Product trial 2.5.1 Brand switching According to Gupta (1993), it is possible that consumers who do not buy a brand will want to acquire it because they are attracted by the sales promotion. But, Brandweek (1994) found that some people who change brand due to a promotion, change back to their favourite brand due to a promotion change back to their favourite brand when buying that category of product later. 2.5.2 Brand loyalty Brand loyalty is an important concept in understanding consumer buying behavior. It is a deeply held commitment to re-buy or re-patronise a preferred product/service consistently in the future, thereby causing repetitive same brand purchasing, despite situational influences and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behavior (Oliver, 1999) 2.5.3 Purchase acceleration Two aspects of purchase acceleration should be considered: Increased quantity and Decreased interpurchase time (Neslin, Quelich, Henderson 1982). However, there is a very important question on how these two aspects will influence each other due to the stockpiling effect. Purchase acceleration is predominantly exhibited in increased purchase quantities rather than shortened interpurchase time (Gupta, 1988) 2.5.4 Stockpiling Research has found that promotions have a negative effect on brand equity (Jedidi et al., 1999), increase variability and volatility in sales and thus increase inventory management problems, increase consumer price sensitivity which leads to increased purchases made on deals, and produce stockpiling behavior (buying in all volumes that decreases long-term sales volume). 2.5.5 Product trial Peter and Olson (1996) put forward that trial ability refers to the degree to which a product can be tried on a limited basis or divided into small quantities for an inexpensive trial. Banks (2003) wrote that with sales promotion, brands have a chance to quickly affect consumer choice and behavior by adding value through an on-pack offer, by achieving incremental display or by encouraging trial via sampling and/or coupons. According to the trial and repeat model mentioned by Thomas (1993), it is generally assumed that of all potential buyers in a given time period, only those who are aware of the new product could potentially try it (trial), and only those who try it could potentially buy it again (repeat). 2.6 Sales promotional tools 2.6.1 Coupons Coupons are easily understood by the consumer and highly useful for trial purchase (Cook, 2003). According to Blackwell et al. (2001), a manufacturer might utilize coupon incentives to encourage consumers to try a new flavored product at a discounted price, instead of buying the same flavor they normally do at full price. Cheong (1993) found that supermarket coupons increase the number of items bought without increasing the total amount spent. 2.6.2 Price reduction It is well-known that price reduction produces a short-term volume gain for the brand being promoted. After studying the effects of price reduction on the sales of 25 products in four countries, Ehrenberg et al. (1994) determined that short-term peaks in sales were due primarily t purchases made by occasional users of a brand rather than by new customers. Also, after taking advantage of the price reduction, consumers mostly return to their favorite brands in their portfolio rather than buy the promoted brand at full price. 2.6.3 Free sample Free sample is another important promotional tool often used by marketers. Marketers often mail free samples of products to consumers so that they can try the products for themselves, rather than just hear about the products (Kardes, 1999). But, Gilbert and Jackaria (2002) found that a free sample as a promotional tool often had no significance on consumers reported buying behavior. 2.6.4Bonus pack and Buy-one-get-one-free Lee (1963) mentioned that factory bonus pack is used to increase consumer trial of the brand. Since more of the product is included at no extra cost, consumers can be persuaded to buy the product if they feel it represents a deal that produces the greatest value for their money. According to Gilbert and Jackaria (2002), packs with Buy-one-get-one-free may not increase brand awareness before trial purchase because the customer will only come across the product once in the store (unlike samples or coupons), however, it the promotion is noticeable, it will facilitate brand recognition and brand recall for future purchases. Since an additional amount is given for free, consumers may be persuaded to buy the product if they feel it represents a fair deal that provides value for money. 2.6.5 In-store display In-store display is the product featuring and display in-store (Pramataris, 2001). Display promotions could be an important part of an integrated marketing communication programme. Good display material leads to better attention, especially for brands driven by recognition awareness. Percy et al. (2001) advised that display must be consistent with consumer promotion and advertising, eith the same look and feel, in order to increase recognition at the point of purchase. 2.7 Summary Due to high profitability, many retail outlets have entered the retail industry in Mauritius. The arrival of supermarkets and hypermarkets seems to continue to emerge and exist, but they are however facing greater competition. Distance is no more a problem in Mauritius since many people have their own transport facility and the local transport service is as well more efficient as compared to long ago. One main analysis in the literature is that little research has been carried out on the marketing tools in Mauritius. As such, this provides room for a thorough research to be carried out on several types of sales promotional tools adopted in our supermarkets/hypermarkets; and the responded behavior of the consumers towards the tools utilized.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
The Media: Does It Shape Societies View on Femininity? :: essays research papers
The Media: Does It Shape Society's View of Femininity? The question answers itself. Yes, the media definitely influences today's society via messages through the television, radio, magazines, and billboards. It seems that in today's day and age to even be ââ¬Å"noticedâ⬠as a woman one must be tall, skinny, blonde, and countless other things that the ââ¬Å"average womanâ⬠could only hope for. Today, if one is not comfortable with who or what they are, they may encounter many dilemmas. I found three convincing reasons to support my claim: the rise of eating disorders throughout history, percentages and statistics, and my own personal experience. The Rise of Eating Disorders Throughout History As far back as the 18th century, women began dieting. They submitted themselves to food deprivation, enemas, and purging. In order to achieve that ââ¬Å"hourglassâ⬠figure, some women went as far as having their lower ribs surgically removed.(Collins 199) In the 1940s and '50s, full figure females were popularized by movie stars like Ava Gardner, Jane Russell, and Marlyn Monroe, but they were, however, short lived. With the introduction of Playboyà ®, Vogueà ®, and Cosmopolitanà ®, eating disorders have quickly taken over our society. The great majority of American women are culturally conditioned to strive for a slender figure. Advertising, television, films, and the fashion industry relentlessly drive home the message, and women who don't ââ¬Å" naturallyâ⬠fit the mold often respond by dieting or even surgery. Percentages and Statistics According to the National Eating Disorders Association, ââ¬Å" Media images that help to create a cultural definition of beauty and attractiveness are often acknowledged as being among those factors contributing to the rise of eating disordersâ⬠(165). Media messages screaming ââ¬Å"thin is inâ⬠may not cause eating disorders but help to create a context in which people learn to put a value on their body. The media's power over our development of self-esteem and body image can be incredibly strong. According to a recent survey of adolescent girls, the media is their main source on women's health issues ( Common Wealth Fund 348) , and researchers estimate that 60% of middle school girls read at least one fashion magazine regularly (Levine 1997). Another study of mass media magazines discovered that Women's magazines had 10.5 times more advertisements and articles promoting weight loss than men's magazines did (ctd. in Guillen & Barr 465). There was a study of 4,294 network television commercials which revealed that one out of every 3.8 commercials send some sort of ââ¬Å"attractivenessâ⬠message, telling
Monday, September 2, 2019
Gullivers Travels :: essays research papers
Heââ¬â¢s not Making Funnies is He? à à à à à Gulliverââ¬â¢s Travels is swarmed with many different satires. In the movie Gulliverââ¬â¢s Travels, Jonathan Swift throws out a number of ideas and statements concerning his views of hatred for cruelty, injustice, pettiness, and also stupidity that he saw through his everyday life. I like the way that he conveys his satires among the audience. à à à à à In the first part of the video, a lot of his criticisms were going towards the higher people of the ladder. For example, the King of the ship and then all of the other rulers of the world were the main people that he put down. When the ship was going to crash due to the imbalance of the flight magnet, the King simply sat on his throne and told the men in the room that everything was going to be fine. While the many men on board were running around frantically, the King did not give any aid to the problem. The point here was that Kings of the time, were not fulfilling their roles, instead, they were laying back and letting problems settle for themselves. à à à à à Also, in the first section of the video, professors got the bashing of satire. While Lemuel was walking around the island, he was stopping randomly and asking for directions to the place. Almost all of the rooms he entered, there was a professor working on an experiment. After he asked the intelligent men for the path to his destiny, they would simply describe their project to him or respond with not knowing what he was talking about. With the actions of the man, I thought that the satire on the professors was superior. The professors were not worrying about anything else that went on around them, due to the fact that they were too into their projects. Lemuel describes them to be experiments with no end. The thought of how professors work so hard on making something that will come to be nothing was explained with great and detailed satire in the afterward part of the video clip. à à à à à In the second part of the movie, Lemuel Gulliver was on an island with some different kid of ââ¬Å"creaturesâ⬠. One of the animals was a horse, and they obtained the name of houyhnhnms. These were symbolizing the natives from another planet, country, land, or island. The horses were talking to Lemuel and he discussed his culture and in exchange, the houyhnhnmââ¬â¢s shared their thoughts and beliefs with Lemuel.
Mormon Sub-Culture
The Mormon can be understood by taking a critical review on their values institution norms and artic-facts [1].à According to the Mormon their value the importance of a family, the reverence of God as well as the appearance of the teaching as taught in the book of Mormons. To the Mormons all that seems important to them is their interconnectedness to God. The Mormons value the relationships they maintain with the outside world.à According to them, it is how well they relate with the outside world that will attract more converts to their belief. The norms of the Mormons are very different from that of the mainstream churches.à The Mormons dress and carry themselves around differently.à They have very high expectations of how the society should carry out their affairs. For instance the Mormons would not attend any other religious celebration apart from those strictly recommended for in their religion. According to the Mormons they have laws, which regulate their conduct and determine what is wrong and what is right.à In other words the culture of the Mormons significantly varies from that of other cultures.à According to the Mormons, material possessions and wealth is not very important but what matters is the relationship one has with God. The Mormons have some ideological settings as well as sociological settings that are different from those other cultures.à While the Mormons do not have strong attachment to material things, they have a single way of looking at things, which is different from other cultures.à They have some symbols, which they adore and hold dear to them. for instance, they have the symbol of the cross which they value for they see it as their link to their faith. The Mormons have their kind of music, which defines their belief in worship.à For instance, they do not advocate for the use of musical instruments for they hold that as a way of distracting the attention from worship.à They have their own legacy of commitment, which leads them to view service to God as very crucial. For instance, the Mormon culture calls for a special code of dress for the men, which is aimed at separating them from common cultures.à Their distinct behaviour and belief in the Book of Mormons is a clear attribution of their special sub-culture.à The Mormons do not ascribe to nationalism and they distance themselves from political affairs. According to Mormons the way one interacts with the surrounding world goes a long way in determining the kind and quality of life one is likely to lead. Mormons have a special way of treating members of other religious beliefs.à According to them, anyone can convert to Mormon despite their colour, sex or socio-economic status.à à Mormon culture is therefore defined by their commitment to the religion, the distinct code of dressing, the distinct way of talking as well as the distinct manner of reaching out to others. Spirituality is given prominence in Mormonism while Mysticism is less emphasized[2].à Unlike other cultures, the Mormon culture is more spiritual oriented and this makes the life of a Mormon worshipper revolve around the temple, the home and the Mormon community[3].à According to the Mormons, there is nothing wrong with the way other people carry themselves differently but the question is, whether that conduct is in line with the preaching of the Book of Mormons. The Mormons hold the view that paganism is evil and there is no room for it.à Another interesting characteristic of the Mormon sub-culture is the place women are given in the religion. According to the Mormons, women should play a less important role in the running of the church.à Mormons is largely a male-dominated religion, which holds that man is superior to the woman. To the Mormons the womanââ¬â¢s place in the church is considered as that of offering support to enable the spread of their faith.à It therefore emerges that Mormons differ significantly from other mainstream churches in that they have not welcomed the emancipation of the woman.à The Mormons have succeeded in advancing their way of thinking and for centuries have stood up against pressure of influence and calls for the sub-culture to conform to conventional wisdom[4].à It therefore appears that the Mormons have been marginalized as a result of their commitment to adhere to their strict culture although this marginalization has taken the perspective of religious dimension. The Mormons have also been marginalized in terms of political representation as well as in the war against gender discrimination, partly because of their high advocacy for privacy and secrecy.à However, the Mormon sub-culture has some form of freedom of its own especially considering the fact that in the previous centuries it tended to advocate for polygamy, a kind of freedom unheard of in other mainstream religious cultures.à Their efforts to lead a distinct kind of life has earned them respect in some quarters although some critics view that as suppression of fundamental human rights. Therefore Mormon sub-culture is characterized by myth, values such as commitment to the faith of Mormon, ritualism especially in terms of the dressing code, emphasis on secrecy and privacy as well as strict call for every faithful to remain true to the faith upon conversion. Work Cited A. L à Mauss, 1984.à Sociological Perspectives on the Mormon Subculture.à Annual Review of Sociology 10.à pp 436-459 Brook, John. L. 1996. The Refinerââ¬â¢s Fire: The Making of Mormon Osmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge University Press. Pp 78-107 Daugherty, Doe & Margaret, Toscono. 2002.à Body, Hearts and Passions: Representing the Divine Feminine in the Mormon Church. Sunstone Symposium Presentation Session, SLO2254. pp. 27 [1]Brook, John. L. 1996. The Refinerââ¬â¢s Fire: The Making of Mormon Osmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge University Press. Pp 78-107 [2] Daugherty, Doe & Margaret, Toscono. 2002.à Body, Hearts and Passions: Representing the Divine Feminine in the Mormon Church. Sunstone Symposium Presentation Session,à SLO2254. pp. 27 [3] Brook, John. L. 1996. The Refinerââ¬â¢s Fire: The Making of Mormon Osmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge University Press. Pp 89 [4] A. Là Mauss, 1984.à Sociological Perspectives on the Mormon Subculture.à Annual Review of Sociology 10.à pp 436-459
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Creative Writing Workshop for Public High Schools
Creativeness is a natural gift that one possesses even from his or her birth and which requires constant use or exercise and continued development for it to remain spirited and change for the better. Organizing and implementing an effective workshop on creative writing will be beneficial to a particular group of people targeted to be well-informed on how to write short and long stories as well as narratives. This Creative Writing Workshop was specifically designed and programmed for public high school students across the country because of the small involvement and appreciation of creative writing. This activity also aims to make writing and reading a beneficial act, if not a force habit, for the said students and eventually make creating writing and reading a requirement in public high schools' curriculum. This Creative Writing Workshop and Activities in United Kingdom is for public high school students with various interests such as intellectual institutions, commercial enterprise, the arts, natural and social sciences and other services which will suit one's preference. Whether the high school student is just beginning or already a seasoned writer and just like to extend his or her creative writing in new perspective, this practical workshop is programmed to offer a sense and appreciation of different genres. We are in charge of a broad scope of creative writing and literature. Our yearly programme and production of publications that includes a website, a range of modern creative writing references, and internet sites showcase creative writing versions, details on modern creative writers and an online reading associations. Our latest preference and the focus of areas of activities are the promotion and development of creative writing for young people such as high school students in public high schools. This is because these soon-to-be creative writing students, when properly groomed and guided, will definitely represent an advance level in the evolution of their group. This new breed of creative writers may replace coffee and computer houses with conference venues and will expect regular and above average paychecks in the future. Furthermore, this workshop intends that participants from public secondary institutions will eventually turn to be more advantageous in their writing development compared with their counterparts in the private high schools. Patterned from the Brighton, England's THE SOUTH, a writer's network and literary arts agency whose service includes creative writing, this Creative Writing Workshop was proposed for the use of public high school students. This particular program will be spearheaded by professional creative and literary writer who are seasoned in dealing with young people. Types of Workshop The literary genre of Poetry, creative writing and reading or skill workshops and activities that will help a public high school student is the composition of this type of workshop. The workshop will concentrate on particular writers, or specific literary genres, or about genres, or on various topics or demands which include the natural science, the aspect of safe reproduction practice, family aspect, teachers (or the manner of teaching), substance abuse, neighborhood crime and racialism. In particular, the workshop will deal with specific or single workshops or a scope of actions as part of the Creative Writing Week as well as a combination of a media and transverse art form workshops to arouse one's creativeness utilizing one's literary or expressed statements celebration. One's writing techniques and skill will be developed and improved by employing a curriculum which will focus on creative reading and writing workshops and where every public high school studentââ¬â¢s needs can be addressed. Additionally, the workshop will touch on creative writing classes for faculty members, study-support personnel and specific public school rooms associates. Meanwhile, the plan study includes the Writers-in-Residence Project which will give the participants effective creative writing skills and techniques, the pleasure of discovering oneself, and a memorable and fruitful experience with the writing procedures. The said project is a five-month program immersing public high school students in the reasoning, imagining, and creation of thoughts that composes a powerful creative writing work. The project is open to concerned and interested secondary students who have presented a unique ability and skill and interested in advancing them to create a full-length and published works. This Writer-in-Residence programme eases the work of a creative writer both in practical and financial aspects. The position can be practiced from 6 months up to a year. During this time the writer is inspired to create another creative writing that may be presented when the residency ends. The residency in a way helps or returns something to the society where he or she stayed such as workshop activities, writers associations, and conception of creative work invigorated by the community. The residency invites all creative writers, published or not, regardless of race, religion, nationality, age, professional experience, sexual preference, are of residence, or economic status. All residents are chosen primarily on the aspect of the anonymous details and writing samples provided in their applications. For more information on the selection process, please see ____. Workshop schedule (day and venue) The group is glad to work in a manner that best fits one's preference and according to the day, time, and venue that work for the high school participant. The various activities within the workshop can be done in one's school venue, secondary institution or centre. It can also be conducted at a different place such as a depository area, art gallery, historic dwelling, or place for travelers. The workshop's theme can be developed according to the preference of the venue. This can be scheduled during the period when high school students are on their term paper or project processing, during holidays, and in time of normal or off school and office hours. The workshop can also gather functions for little group (maximum of 10 high school students) in a designated Workshop Room at any public high school. Participants including the faculty members can engage in our regular programme of open workshops and may join our socialization plan. Rationale of the workshop Generally, people are conscious of the fact that communication, particularly that is intended for print, is personally owned by a specific person. However, others regard books and print materials as unrealistic to ignite one's creativity or they fail to capture one's vision. This is because they find that they do not have the time to attest to their own precept of creative writing. Purpose of the workshop Through this workshop, we aim that any public high school student, regardless of his or her age and heritage, could have the opportunity to be endowed and enriched by creative writing. For them to be able to show their real personalities, either verbally or in print, and deal with their ideas and emotion. We intend that the participants will have the expertise to claim language and own their own works and to build and search their respective attributes. We make a harmless area where high school students' expressions get a boost for them to enjoy the written and verbal creative writings and for the said participants to get out of their comfort zones and emerge as expert creative writers. Effect of the workshop Dealing and being into a work place with professional and seasoned creative writers will definitely have a compelling effect on the participants, both the high school students and their teachers. Getting away from the traditional method of learning, the participants will have the chance to experience and search for examples of good and effective creative writing. The workshop will open an opportunity and lead the participants to the force of creative writing as well as reading and make himself or herself as someone with authority who can excite others about the beauty of creative writing without antagonizing the audience. Aside from the high school students, their teachers can also benefit as they will emerge renewed with fresh thoughts on the process of creative writing. Procedure For this workshop, we propose a procedure that will assure that students will get maximum benefits from the activities in terms of creative arousal, self-manifestation, mentoring, learning details, self-esteem and publication productions. We will invite practitioners in the field of creative writing as the resource speakers or facilitators of the workshop. The speakers will conduct theoretical discussions to be followed by open forum where the participants and the speakers can discuss the merits of the activities. The participants will also be given time to apply the workshop's principles and theories. Requirement and result The workshop will necessitate careful study of particular requirement and result and will request participants to accomplish a survey/report paper. Then, we will eventually give an acceptable and flexible workshop proposal with appropriate recommendations. Since seeing a creative work put into print means accomplishment and boost to one's ability, the workshop proposes the provision of all required assistance for actual performance in the activities and eventual publication of the works. These may include the plan and publication of participantsââ¬â¢ collection of creative writing papers and their video presentation. Similar successful workshops Successful workshops with similar programs involving creative writing, literary/poetry recital, video productions of dance and street arts workshops as well as in museums and galleries at different public high schools and communities are found in Hove, Sussex and the south of England and those creative writing and drawing workshops at Brighton. Price of the workshop The workshop charges a minimum of ?500. However, for the specific requirement of a particular group of high school students, we will request them to contact us for a detailed costing so that the financial proposal will fit into your project. For inquiries, you can reach us at (proposed name, contact numbers and online information about the organization facilitating the creative writing workshop).
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