East Asia History

Family Is One Of The Most Important Values - 1236 Words

I believe family is one of the most important values, especially for a person that comes from a shattered family like mine. From the first minutes of life, a child depends on their parents and family members for protection, love, and support. Parents and siblings are a child s first relationships, which normally creates an important foundation for a framework of values. Siblings frequently teach each other, help one another, and share life lessons; therefore family provides a background for individual growth. Parents are usually a child’s first educators, and regularly act as example in how to act and how to perceive the world. Although I grew up in a problematic environment, I did have a strong relationship with my parents. I remember my father caring for me; I have memories of us preparing lunch in the kitchen together. My father not only dedicated me quality time, but also made me feel safe and loved. The world is a scary place, and children are the most vulnerable to terr ible situations, that’s why parents have the responsibility to protect their children. Anywhere we went, I always felt like nothing could happen to me because I had my dad. The feeling of belongingness, love and support also plays an important role in the development of a child. After my parent’s separation, my mother was my support system. She took the role of a mother, father and best friend. When we moved to America, She worked hard to make sure I had clean clothes, and food on the table. SheShow MoreRelatedMexican Culture929 Words   |  4 Pagescharacteristics between the two cultures are values, beliefs, and important objects. I was born and spent 24 years living in Mexico so I can say that Mexico has many traditions and ideals in its culture and the three are consider very significant in this culture like values, beliefs, and important objects. One of the most important values in the Mexican culture is the family. Family values play an important role in the Mexican culture that allow members of every family live close and take care of eachRead MoreWhat Values I Learned From My Family853 Words   |  4 PagesGrowing up with my cultural views gave me access to several important values I learned from my family. These values are very important to me, as they have shaped who I am today. The three most important values for me would be: to be honest, to be myself, and to be respectful. Each value has taught me different perspectives, abilities and given me different qualities. All three values are very important to me, however the most important one would have to be, being honest not just with others but beingRead MoreEssay on Family Values: Importance585 Words   |  3 Pages Family Values: Importance nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Americas family values are very important to our citizens. For many years the American family and its values have been one of the top priorities of our nation. The family is even an essential part of the â€Å"American Dream† that we Americans are so fond of. The basic idea of success in America is measured by how well one can provide for their family. But what does citezenship have to do with family values? It determines these values and setRead MoreThree Interviews Essay698 Words   |  3 PagesFamily values â€Å"can be described as a set of beliefs or morals that help provide for family unity and social interaction as well as providing for a societal view for childhood development† (Dictionary.com). Over the weekend, I interviewed a gang of three great generations while discovering what family values mean to each of them. From these interviews, I was able to distinguish each of their own perspectives. Each interview was like a puzzle. I put each of their answers to together and found whatRead MoreThe Importance Of Family Values703 Words   |  3 PagesThe most important thing to do as a parent is create family values. One way to establish family values is to spend time together as a family. Another way to create family values is to talk to your children on a regular basis so they are able to express themselves. While reading the article â€Å"Defining Your Family Values†, it gave suggestions such as meeting up with your family at least once a week to express your feelings and hardships in your life. This article went into detail about how we have 3Read Moreâ€Å"What Are the Most Important Agents of Socialization and How Are They Being Accounted for in Children Lives1423 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION AND HOW ARE THEY BEING ACCOUNTED FOR IN CHILDREN LIVES† Parents are important agents of socialization but they are not the only source of socialization when it comes to kids. In my paper I will be discussing the important factors of socialization and what we perceive to be a turning point in our children lives. Believe it or not but parents, family, educational institutions, and media are socializing agents who carry out the process of socializationRead MoreWhat I Had The Privilege Of Doing By Interviewing My Grandma And My Spanish Teacher846 Words   |  4 PagesCulture is an important aspect of everyone’s lives whether they believe so or not. It is important to think about culture through different ways and that is what I had the privilege of doing by interviewing my grandma and my Spanish teacher. Comparing and contrasting was the most important concept when it came to deciphering what the importance is when it comes to culture. The most important aspect that both interviewees discussed was the importance of education and fam ily, their values. Process MyRead MoreThe Married Life1132 Words   |  5 Pagesneed to value their marriage so that they can remain happy and enjoy life while they are married. For a family to be well established, the couples need to place more value in their marriages. The reason why most families break up is that most of the couples do not value or prioritize their family issues. Most of the couples take their personal interests as their first priority, which make them to neglect their families and this becomes the source of conflict. A good example is seen in families whereRead MoreUkrainian Society Values1491 Words   |  6 PagesSociety Values in Ukraine The notion of society values includes the attitude of society towards such important issues as family, state and its politics, religion, law, education, different social classes and here we also speak about self-image of the nation and its image abroad. In general, the majority of Ukrainians inclines toward conservatism when talking about tradition, morality or world-view. Among life values the respondents named health (75%) and material well-being (86%) to be the most importantRead MoreCulture Is The Values, Beliefs, Behaviors, And Customs Of A Group Of People1505 Words   |  7 Pagesthe values, beliefs, behaviors and customs of a group of people. Although cultures are all different in their own ways, family is one of the most important aspects of any culture. Families are people that give a person support and help them find their identities. Families are also people that give unconditional love to you. Family is so important in cultures because without family people can lose part of whom they are. People can also lose cultural traditions and values when they lose family, or

Report on the Capacity Management Strategy

Question: Describe about the Report on the Capacity Management Strategy of a Manufacturing Operation? Answer: Capacity Strategy Employed Manufacturing operation has been adopted for analysing the capacity strategy. The lead strategy has been followed as capacity strategy in the operation. The particular strategy has been applied in order to lure the consumers away from the competitors of the firm. The lead strategy helps the operation and business in decreasing lead time and enhancing service level (Slack, 2015). On the other hand, it is useful in planning cycle so that maximum value can be generated. Trading Hours The employment of lead strategy in the operation is effective in deciding trading hours for the business and employees. Moreover, period of time can be decided in order to open the business each day and during seasonal season. Normal Business Trading Hours Days Opening Time Closing Time Monday 9:30AM 6:30 PM Tuesday 9:30AM 6:30 PM Wednesday 9:30AM 6:30 PM Thursday 9:30AM 6:30 PM Friday 9:30AM 6:30 PM Saturday 9:30 AM 5:30 PM Sunday 9:30 AM 4:30 PM Seasonal Peak Time Trading Hours for Business Days Opening Time Closing Time Monday 9:30 AM 7:30 PM Tuesday 9:30 AM 7:30 PM Wednesday 9:30 AM 7:30 PM Thursday 9:30 AM 7:30 PM Friday 9:30 AM 7:30 PM Saturday 9:30 AM 8:30 PM Sunday 9:30 AM 8:30 PM Labour Deployment ACTIVITY SCHEDULE MONTHS LABOUR COST LABOUR HOURS MATERIAL COST TOTAL COST Analysis 0.46 3962 36 0 3962 Designing 0.25 3009 21 0 3009 Procurement 5.3 0 0 29500 29500 Construction 0.9 7969 79 0 7969 Testing 1.2 22898 223 0 22898 Training and Development 1.5 5600 24 0 5600 Distribution 0.7 11263 112 0 11263 Other 0 0 0 0 0 Total 10.31 54701 495 29500 84201 Ongoing Support 120.98 250497 2572 0 250497 Total Value 131.29 305198 3067 29500 334698 It can be observed that labours are deployed in different activities such as analysing, designing, procuring, constructing, testing, training, distribution and others. As a result, it helps the organisation in ensuring better production and manufacture of the product (Turner, 2014). However, the business has to bear costs too in order to engage labour at different positions. Indulging cost on labours help in generating better productivity from them and improving the operational process to add value to the business. Apart from that, different employment relations are also considered in their capacity strategy in order to enhance the operation of the business and gain valuable support from them. The different employment relations that are maintained by the operation are permanent employment, fixed term contracts, temporary employment contracts and internships (Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman, 2015). These employment relations are maintained in order to use their experience and skills for better capacity planning and improving the operation and business process. By doing so, it would help the business in meeting the demand of the customers and decreasing the impact of competitors. On the other hand, the employment relations would be effective in improving service level and products can be quickly delivered to the customers (Bozarth, and Handfield, 2015). Apart from that, the employment relation changes with the change in season. During low seasonal period, the business works mostly with the permanent employees as income of the business is low during such period (Hill, Jones and Schilling, 2014). Therefore, engaging other employees would increase the costs. However, the interns are considered so that their skills can be developed and known which would help the business in gaining experienced and productive employees later (Stadtler, 2015). On the contrary, the business operation considers engaging temporary employees on contract during high peak season as during peak season there is high demand for the product (Anderson et al. 2015). Therefore, it helps to ease the operation of the business in dealing with the customers and producing required level of output. Stock replenishment Cycle According to Peng, Peng and Chen (2014), replenishment relates to the movement of stock or inventory from product storage locations or upstream to shipment locations or storage from where the products are delivered to the customers. Therefore, in order to ensure a better stock replenishment, the business needs to engage key suppliers that can supply product in quick time without making huge gap between procurement and delivery. Moreover, it would be useful in retaining the customers and their demand will be effectively fulfilled (Fleischmann, Meyr and Wagner, 2015). The operation of the business will also improve and operation capacity will be no short of stock. Apart from that, in order to prepare stock replenishment cycle, following steps have to be followed; Up-to-date Inventory Data: The operational manager of the firm is engaged to maintain inventory data in the inventory management system or in computer system. It assists them to know the shortage in inventory level in the store or warehouse. Moreover, stock on hand is also known (Coombs, 2014). When it is known that there is requirement of stocks or replenish of stock products, then the suppliers of the firm are contacted. However, in order to reorder stock, lead time for the raw material or products have to be clearly understood beforehand otherwise it can lead to stock outs and customers may be disappointed as business would not be able to arrange product at right time (Dobrzykowski et al. 2014). Inventory Classification: Further, the inventory has to be classified in order to make pre-arrangement of list of the products that are to be reordered or replenished. The items that are obsolete are no further re-ordered and the products that are very much in demand are preferred (Fehske et al. 2014). Therefore, whole inventory is classified so that lead time can be managed in receiving the stock and unpacking it for sale purpose. Engage Suppliers: The suppliers to which the business is associated are distributors and wholesalers. They are taken in account as they provide required resources such as raw materials, other products and also help in distribution of products to the retailers (Esmaeilikia et al. 2014). By engaging suppliers in right time the business able to acquire required materials in right time before they fall short. This helps in meeting the demand of the customers. Apart from that, in order to understand the frequency of ordering, the business has to know the total orders that have been made over the period and their unique customers over the period (Mafakheri, and Nasiri, 2014). For instance, if total orders are 5000 and unique customers are 2000, then frequency of ordering will be 2.5 times. Therefore, the customers of the business order products 2.5 times in a given time frame. Further, for knowing the time in order to reorder, the business understands the time between the purchases. Therefore, 365 days is divided by frequency of ordering. For instance, if frequency of ordering is 2.5, then 365 will be divided by 2.5 which will provide 146 days. Therefore, the business needs to reorder the product every after 146 days. On the other hand, the lead times can be also managed from order to delivery. For instance, if the business assumes that the demand will be 20 units each day and business lead time is 40 days, then the lead time between order and delivery will be 800 units (Rushton, Croucher and Baker, 2014). Appropriateness of the capacity strategy The lead strategy used by the manufacturing operation is appropriate in figuring out their capacity in order to fill the shifting demands for their products. As a result, it is useful in not letting to face inefficiency in their operation and capacity. Apart from that, it can also be mentioned that resources are efficiently utilized after adopting lead strategy into their operation (Cigolini et al. 2014). The business is able to know the lower down the time between acquiring unfinished products and delivery of finished products to the consumers or retailers or wholesalers. However, the existing or earlier operational system was not that appropriate as manufacturing operation was not able to correctly forecast the requirements of raw materials or products requirement in right time. Due to that, the manufacturing operation was not able to open long for the customers. Moreover, the demands of the consumers were not able to fulfil on the right time. It likely increases the chance of shif ting of customers to other available alternatives. Therefore, it hit the manufacturing operation which impacts on the earnings and image of the company. It has been seen that due to problem in the operation and capacity strategy, an Alice boot manufacture firm in UK suffered decline in customers to approx 14% in a particular period (Slack, 2015). As a result, of that the firm has to make necessary adjustments to their trading hours and improving capacity zone. Chart 1: Change in Customer demand due to ineffective operational system Further, it can be mentioned that the situation that aroused in the form of opening business for short hours, over staffs and under stock can be remedied. In order to resolve the trading hour issue, the business needs to decrease lead time by forecasting the required product requirements before the sale out of last item from the store shelf. It will help in arranging the product all the time which will make customers to buy the products from the stores and moreover, the business can be able to fulfil the demand of the consumers. On the other hand, in case of over staff, the manufacturing operation has to incur staff on temporary or contract basis so that they can be called during the peak season or hours where the demand is high. As a result, the operation can assign significant roles to staffs such as dealing with procuring materials and products from suppliers, monitoring available of products or items in the business for sale, time for re-ordering, etc. Therefore, it will help the business in effectively managing the lead time and ensuring better operation internally (Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman, 2015). Moreover, the business would be successful in meeting the demand of customers on regular intervals without falling short of stocks. Furthermore, the issue of under stock can also be sorted out by keeping record of stocks in inventory management system. It is effective in tracking the level of stocks available in the business. As a result of that, the manufacturing operation would know beforehand the requirements of stocks for the purpose of production and distribution of product and services to the customers. Moreover, the risk of loss can also be minimised due to effect of under stock. Apart from that, due to under position of resources such as set up times or machine clean time, the manufacturing operation can face several consequences. Due to such issue, the business would find problem in production of product in due time. On the other hand, the cost of operation would increase as the business would have to incur more time in cleaning machine which will further increase the lead time between production and delivery of products to the final users or distributors of products (Hill, Jones and Schilling, 2014). Furthermore, due to shortage of resources, the manufacturing operation would result to wastage in order to produce goods for meeting the increasing demands which will too add the costs on the business. However, it can be mentioned that employment types that has been engaged by the manufacturing operation is appropriately placed. The operation would be able to enhance their operation and the issues and problem in lead time can be solved. On the other hand, the manufacturing operation should not indulge more contract employees as it will increase the costs which can impact on the earning of the business (Anderson et al. 2015). Apart from that, it can be discussed that employing lead capacity strategy is effective and efficient along with economical. It will help the manufacturing operation in lowering down the stock-out costs be decreasing lead time. Therefore, the manufacturing operation would be able to arrange the required materials in right time and thus fulfilling the demand of the consumers. Moreover, the increasing demand of the buyers can be effectively managed and waste in production can be efficiently managed. Thus, the manufacturing would be able to generate high value wit h least cost. References Anderson, D., Sweeney, D., Williams, T., Camm, J., and Cochran, J. (2015).An introduction to management science: quantitative approaches to decision making. Cengage Learning. Bozarth, C. C., and Handfield, R. B. (2015).Introduction to operations and supply chain management. Prentice Hall. Cigolini, R., Pero, M., Rossi, T., and Sianesi, A. (2014). Linking supply chain configuration to supply chain perfrmance: A discrete event simulation model.Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory,40, 1-11. Coombs, W. T. (2014).Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications. Dobrzykowski, D., Deilami, V. S., Hong, P., and Kim, S. C. (2014). A structured analysis of operations and supply chain management research in healthcare (19822011).International Journal of Production Economics,147, 514-530. Esmaeilikia, M., Fahimnia, B., Sarkis, J., Govindan, K., Kumar, A., and Mo, J. (2014). Tactical supply chain planning models with inherent flexibility: definition and review.Annals of Operations Research, 1-21. Fehske, A., Klessig, H., Voigt, J., and Fettweis, G. (2014). Flow-level models for capacity planning and management in interference-coupled wireless data networks.Communications Magazine, IEEE,52(2), 164-171. Fleischmann, B., Meyr, H., and Wagner, M. (2015). Advanced planning. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 71-95). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Hill, C., Jones, G., and Schilling, M. (2014).Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Krajewski, L. J., Malhotra, M. K., and Ritzman, L. P. (2015).Operations management: processes and supply chains. Prentice Hall. Mafakheri, F., and Nasiri, F. (2014). Modeling of biomass-to-energy supply chain operations: Applications, challenges and research directions.Energy Policy,67, 116-126. Peng, M., Peng, Y., and Chen, H. (2014). Post-seismic supply chain risk management: A system dynamics disruption analysis approach for inventory and logistics planning.Computers and Operations Research,42, 14-24. Rushton, A., Croucher, P., and Baker, P. (2014).The handbook of logistics and distribution management: Understanding the supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Slack, N. (2015).Operations strategy. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. Slack, N. (2015).Operations strategy. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. Stadtler, H. (2015). Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Turner, J. R. (2014).The handbook of project-based management(Vol. 92). McGraw-hill.

Taj Mahal an Example by

Taj Mahal by Expert Lilliana | 26 Dec 2016 The Taj Mahal was built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The structure was designed by Ustad Ahmad Lahuari and completed in 1648. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Angra, India. This structure is widely regarded as the finest example of Mughal architecture, and combines elements from Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. The Taj Mahal became a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1983. UNESCO stated that the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the worlds heritage (UNESCO, 2008). The white domed marble and tile mausoleum is the most recognizable structure in the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal consists of an integrated symmetric of complex structures. Need essay sample on "Taj Mahal" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Our Customers Frequently Tell EssayLab professionals:I'm don't want to write my essay. Because I don't have the timeProfessional writers propose: Professionals Are Creating Successful College Custom Essays!Buy College Essays Online Get Paid To Write Papers For Students How to Write Good Assignments Cheap Custom Essays Although Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is highly regarded as the main designer for the Taj Mahal, many other designers contributed to this complex architectural structure. The main dome designer was Ismail Afandi, who was considered a premier dome and hemisphere designer during the Ottoman Empire. Puru from Benarus has been cited as one of the supervising architects. The gold finial was cast by Qazim Khan, who was a native of Lahore. The chief sculptor and mosaicist was Chiranjilal, who was a lapidary from Delhi. The chief calligrapher was Amanat Khan from Shiraz, Iran. Khans name is inscribed at the end of the inscription on the Taj Mahal gateway. The supervisor for the masons was Muhammad Hanif. Mir Abdul and Mukkarimat Khan, both from Shiraz, Iran, supervised the finances and the management of daily production (PBS, 2008). Due to the limited technology of the time, the Taj Mahal took over twenty years to complete. The plinth and tomb took over twelve years to complete, and the remaining structures took an additional ten years to complete. Even though the mausoleum was completed by 1643, work continued on the remaining structures of the Taj Mahal. The estimated total cost of creating this structure is 32 million rupees which converts to trillions of dollars in modern times (Zahor & Haq, 1997). Materials and workers from all over Asia were used in the construction of the Taj Mahal. Over twenty thousand workers were recruited from across Northern India to assist in the construction of this incredible structure. Over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The materials used in construction of the Taj Mahal were translucent white marble from Rajasthan, jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka, and carnelian from Arabia. There were twenty eight precious stones inlaid into the white marble (Chaghtai, 1938). The main structure of the Taj Mahal is the large, white marble Tomb. The tomb is of Persian origin, and is a symmetrical building consisting of an iwan, or an arch-shaped doorway, topped with a large white dome. The base of the tomb is a cube with chamfered edges and is 55 meters on each side. A massive vaulted archway frames the iwan. Additional archways are stacked above and below on either side of the main archway. The design of the tomb is completely symmetrical on all sides. The marble dome is the most spectacular architectural element of the tomb. The dome is decorated with a lotus design in order to accentuate its height. There are four smaller domes called chattris on all sides of the main dome. Tall decorative spires extend from the base walls to accentuate the height of each chattri. The lotus design is repeated on the spires and the chattris. The main dome is topped with a gilded spire and the chattris are topped with a gilded finial, which during the 1600s was made out of gold (Koch, 2006). The exterior of the Taj Mahal consists of decorative elements. These decorative elements were created by the use of stucco, stone inlays, and carvings. The calligraphy on the exterior of the Taj Mahal was created by Amanat Khan, who also signed several of the panels. The calligraphy was crated by using jasper inlaid into white marble panels. Abstract art forms grace the exterior walls of the Taj Mahal, and were created by tracery and incised painting in order to create geometric forms. Vegetative motifs can be found on the lower walls of the tomb. The white marble dados were sculpted to portray realistic flowers and vines (Koch, 2006). The Taj Mahal is surrounded by 300 meters of a Mughal Garden. The garden has raised pathways piding each of the four quarters of the garden. Each quarter consists of 16 sunken flowerbeds. There is a raised marble water fountain at the center of the garden, which sits halfway between the gateway and the tomb. On the North-South axis there is also a reflecting pool which reflects the image of the Taj Mahal (Begley, 1979). The interior of the Taj Mahal consists of inlays of precious and semiprecious gemstones, which goes beyond the traditional decorative elements of the time. The interior of the inner chamber is shaped like an octagon with walls that are 5 meters high and topped by a false dome that is decorated with a sun motif. There are eight phistaq arches each topped with and second phistaq midway up the wall, mirroring the architectural design of the exterior walls. Balconies or viewing areas are created by the four central phistaqs and each balcony consists of a window that has been cut into the marble. The majority of the surfaces in the interior of the Taj Mahal have been inlaid with precious or semiprecious stones in extremely intricate detail and replicate flowers and vines (Koch, 2006). By the late 19th century the Taj Mahal had fallen into disrepair. In 1857, the British troops defaced the Taj Mahal by chiseling out the some of its precious stones. Lord Cruzon, a British viceroy, ordered a massive restoration project on the structure which was completed in 1908. The Taj Mahal came under threat of defacement again in 1942, 1965, and 1971, but scaffoldings were erected in order to mislead bomber pilots (Allan, 1958). Today the Taj Mahal receives 2 to 4 million visitors every year and is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (Koch, 2006). Works Cited Allan, John. The Cambridge Shorter History of India. (1958). Cambridge. S. Chand Begley, Wayne E. The Myth of the Taj Mahal and a New Theory of Its Symbolic Meaning. The Art Bulletin Volume 61 (2007). Chaghtai, Muhammad Abdullah. Le Tadj Mahal d Agra (Inde). Histore et description. (1938). Brussels Editions de la Connaissance Koch, Ebba. The Complete Taj Mahal: And the Riverfront Gardens of Agra. (2006). Thames & Hudson Ltd. Treasures of the World. Taj Mahal. (2008). Retrieved on March 27, 2008 from: http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/taj_mahal/tlevel_2/t3build_design.html United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Le Taj Mahal. (2008). Retrieved on March 27, 2008 from: http://whc.unesco.org/fr/list/252 Zahoor, Dr. A., & Haq, Dr. Z. Taj Mahal, Mausoleum of Mumtaz MahalI. (1997). Retrieved on March 27, 2008 from: http://www.islamicity.com/Culture/Taj/default.htm

Internet Security1 essays

Internet Security1 essays The Internet has become a greater medium of communication, data exchange, and entertainment over the past 5 years. With this widespread growth of Internet access, there come growing pains. These growing pains come in the form of people who are up to no good and want to ruin everybody elses experience on the net. High-speed connections also make it a very easy way for hackers to attack your pc in your daily life. In this report, I will discuss the types of Internet connections that are commonly used by consumers. I will also talk about the kinds of hackers that are out there. Each hacker has his or her own reason for doing it and by knowing that, prevention can be made simpler. I will discuss the types of Internet security programs that are available to everyday users. There are also hardware devices that arent as common in the home, but I will discuss their importance also. Finally, I will tell you how easily these programs can be implemented. I. Types of internet connections b. Permanent "all-the-time" connections c. Out-for-fun, harmless hackers b. Turning off PCs when not in use The Internet was a very unknown term to people ten years ago. This new information superhighway was reserved only to those who had the income or the need for data exchange between corporate locations. In the mid 1990s, companies like America Online and Prodigy created a easy connection to the Internet. These connections were called dial-up connection. They made use of a modem connected to your pc and by using your phone line, connected you to their services. In this early age of dial-up connections, the availability and ease for people to obtain access to your information was enormous. Bank records, shopping habits, and credit card information became common ground for people who hacked into personal computers. As the Internet spread to locally owned ISPs, or Interne...

Work! Study! Party!

Work! Study! Party! This article is all about opening up your mind to the possibility that you can work, study and party all on your own from the comfort of your home, frat house or dilapidated dorm room. In fact, all you really need to take care of the working part is a PC and an internet connection! Just imagine it. You make the money you need for partying and taking care of yourself while building your professional resume all on your own independently! No working in the cafeteria or slaving away as a teacher’s aide so all you can afford is the cheapest beer known to humankind! Welcome to the Future of Work In early August of 2013 oDesk announced that their online workplace reached the 1 billion dollar landmark. Yep, millions of people (not much unlike yourself) working from their own lives and at the speed of their own lifestyles from around the world helped oDesk earn 1 billion smackaroos! That’s nothing. Right now as you read this the estimated online workforce is worth 1 TRILLION. It’s so big and the marketplace has grown so fast it’s hard to really get any concrete numbers on just yet†¦ Here’s a pretty serious nugget though: â€Å"By 2018 online work is projected to be a $5B market.† Think about it. If you owned a big or small corporation right now and saw workforces on the local level shrinking and reeling under the rise of 21st century technology, wouldn’t you turn to hiring people online? 1. Global access to skilled workers 2. 24 hour productivity 3. Super-fast and efficient hiring process Need we go on? Within the year prior to releasing this information 2,389 different marketable skills were added to oDesk workplace. That’s just oDesk. Then there’s Elance and many other startups catering to YOU! Giving you a way to work with a PC from anywhere, at any time, and at any price. Here’s the three steps to getting started. Set up Your Website! Yes, you need a website. It’s no different than needing a toothbrush, smartphone or a car or any other modern technology. A website has become part and parcel to affluent life. Even if you don’t own (host) your own right now, you already probably have websites set up in your name on social media profiles: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Don’t take it too seriously, like what to name it. The point is to just get it started and think professionally. Your website will evolve as you do though. Just because you can post links on your Twitter profile doesn’t mean you’re tech-savvy. Once you set up your own web platform and begin growing it you learn a master’s worth of web-skills inside the first year or two even when you only use it passively. Establish a Service Provider Profile Optimize It What service can you provide via your computer? Name it. Create something new. There are thousands of current skill sets to choose from. There are hundreds upon hundreds of ways to make active and passive income online today. Many more will be created in the next few months from now as you read this. Here’s the trick though: you need to pick just one to three things and focus on them. Don’t try to make money 10 different ways while also chasing down a degree and a social life. It won’t work. It might work for a little while but eventually you’ll crash and burn. Try to pick one skill, for example if you’re an English Major you could write or edit things. If you study math you could offer to balance people’s books for them. Whatever. So, you’ve got your website on the side building and then you set up a service provider profile on oDesk-eLance or any other online work platform where people can hire you directly and you can begin collecting stats: jobs completed, logged hours (virtually), reviews, feedback and testimonials, a portfolio, etc. Optimize around your skills so that the people looking to hire you can find you and do so. Start Building Your Digital Name Right now, everything you do in life is building your name in both the real and virtual worlds. Simply Google your name to see what kind of presence you currently command. After you realize how powerful your online behavior is, you can steer it like a ship and create any virtual persona around your name that you like. It’s going to happen either way, so why not control it? You can begin making money within a few days to a few weeks. That’s the reality. It’s being done on by students on campuses all over the world right now. In fact, there are probably some students around you who are already doing it. They set their own rates, work for who they want, do what they want and work when they want. Get started. Begin actively building your brand, choose a small set of skills or ideally just one to focus on and begin growing in digital value. And, always keep your eye on the future!

Arts of China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arts of China - Essay Example The advent of the computing technology saw the introduction of new platforms to aid artists in their work.The following discourse specifically focuses on how arts has been influenced through technology. In specific, it gives inferences to china as the focus of the topic. Computers introduced desktop publishing as well as computer aided designs, examples of the influence they have on arts. There are various software in the market that are used for producing artistic images and creations. It has influenced virtually every aspect of arts including music, paintings, as well as in designing. The use of computers in arts has its drawbacks and benefits. One of the arguments fronted by those who are against technology is that it suppresses the very artistic talents that it is supposed to promote. The platforms provide easier ways of producing the various forms of ort that the innate creativity in a person is not nurtured at all. However, this argument is not admissible since technology only makes work easier for mankind. Consequently, the use of computing in arts is to aid and develop the art in ways in which it can be embraced by all. Computers use software and applications make drawing and creation of arts easier. Besides, the applications have tutorials that guide users on how to come up with high quality pieces of art. However, despite all these, it is also still evident that there are other aspects that the artists must have; computers may help with drawings but will not communicate the intended idea unless the artist employs creativity. The artist must thus have a sense of color balance and know the effective use of colors to communicate. Colors have their meanings and using one instead of the other can take the whole picture out of context (Sullivan 87). Just as stated, art is a channel of communication. Paintings and drawings have been used in the past to overcome cultural or even language barriers. One aspect communicated through arts is identity. This determi nes one’s likes and preferences. These are easily manifest in arts and come out flawlessly through creative expression. For instance, an artist would easily employ a favorite color, which is the most common manner of expressing identity. Additionally, identity exposes the cultural practices of a community within which one lives. The images an artist chooses to draw and the manner in which tit is done portray the cultural practices alluded in a an artist’s imaginations. Daoism and Confucianism Daoism and Confucianism are two philosophical provisions largely manifest in Chinese arts. Confucianism rejects unwarranted emotions and beliefs in superstitions. It espouses that logic and reason can solve most, if not all, human problems. Daoism, on the other hand, provides for a natural life; this is a life lived in ascribing to the provisions of nature. The two may appear conflicting but strike a common ground in the need for people to live on the naturally occurring and visib le aspects of life. Trying to explain the unknown by use of myths and spirits begets delusion. This dictate is manifest in the Chinese arts through creation of artifacts that give more credence to nature and ignoring the beliefs in illogical superstitions and beliefs in spirits (Sullivan 132). Foreign invasion is a feature that affects the entire culture and organization of the society. In arts and craft, artists begin developing interest in the

Statistical Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Statistical Analysis - Research Paper Example i.e. EF = RxC / ss Non B.A/Eng Eng. B.A Total Europeans 14.4 10.8 19.8 Asians 11.2 8.4 15.4 African 6.4 4.8 8.8 Total The above table contains the expected frequency of each cell Step3: test the two assumptions. All the frequencies are greater than 1 and none of them is less than 5. Step4: select the significance level a. we usually take a at 5% Step5: calculate the critical value 2a with df. Critical value is the area of right skewed curve that is to be rejected. df=(R-1) x (C-1). Here df =(3-1) x (3-1)= 4. As a is 0.05 and df =4, we calculated the critical value from the right skewed table. The value from the table is 14.86 Step6: calculate the value of the test statistic i.e. 2 = (OF-EF) 2 / EF In this case 2 turns out be 1.07 Step 7: compare the value of 2 that of 2a. Since 2 does falls in the critical value (rejected area), will not reject null hypothesis. Step 8: write the conclusion At the significance level of 5%, it is proved from the data given the table that there is no association between Non-American students and the disciplines. B. Define "causation" in statistical analysis. Describe at least two factors that influence relationships between two variables and can lead to misinterpretation of data analysis. Causation tells the relationship between two variables. The occurrence of one variable (event) results the occurrence of the other variable (event), this phenomena is causation. This means that the second variable is dependent on first variable. This means that if second event has occurred, then the first event would have already occurred. But it is not necessary that occurrence of first event must always leads to the occurrence of second event. For example, to...For example, the number of people having hot coffee and the number of people taking sauna bath in gym may not be caused by each other. However, coldness may be reasons for both events. However, it is not necessary that one or the other may cause two variables, which are changing simultaneously, can be cause of any one. For example, the speed of wind and the number of cars on the road are not associated to each other. It is important to note that the symptoms must not be considered as cause. For example, B is caused by A and C is caused by B. Actually that not the case. C is also caused by A. B is just the symptom of A, which cannot be considered as cause. The statistician should be aware of averages when computing for extreme values i.e. have outliers. Averages cannot be applied in this case, however if you remove the extreme values, which are in outliers, only then you can you averages.

Teaching Reflection Paper Essay Example for Free

Teaching Reflection Paper Essay Teaching is a unique profession in today’s workplace. It is an occupation that will not give you a promotion very easily based on performance. It is also an occupation that can be seen as something that is not highly enough reimbursed for the impact it has on the lives of young people. A teacher needs an incredible passion for children/adolescents in order to be an effective educator. The way a teacher runs their classroom has the potential to be a huge part of a student’s life and an even greater part in the effect the student has on the kids. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to the teaching profession. Advantages include working with the children that educators are so passionate about every day and having the chance to meet an incredible amount of new people year after year. Some of the disadvantages are, most obviously to the public eye, salary as well as certain students who are apathetic toward learning or participating. These pros and cons are similar to those that go along with every profession in this country and they require you to strive for the good times and work through the bad ones. Working with children every day can be an incredible experience. Most evidently in elementary schools, kids have such a passion for learning. They love their teacher, they love school, and they love learning new things so they can go home and tell their parents they learned to multiply today. As the students get older, although it is harder to recognize the passion for learning, the ‘aha’ moments are that much more rewarding. There must be no feeling like working through a rough time with a student while they try and try to work through the conflict and seeing it through until the end. The reward a teacher gets from that moment when you see them completely through the problem they were having is unlike anything most people ever experience in their lives. Most people see it in their children but only teachers have the ability to have that same effect on hundreds or thousands of kids over their careers. Salary is certainly an issue in the education profession. It is not fair that people who spend their time shaping students in to the human being they will grow up to be get paid lower than almost all other positions in the country. Outside of people directly affected by these educators, nobody can understand what importance they actually have on the student’s futures. They can make or break their morals, understanding of respect, and even their future grasp on knowledge in general. Without teachers our society would be in an incredible amount of turmoil and it would be in a hole so big it may be irreversible. Working with so many different students can be a life changing experience for not only the students who receive the blessings from the teacher but for the teachers who get so many of their own blessings from their students who unknowingly give and give and give. Meeting new people every year is a great experience. A teacher has the opportunity to meet over one-hundred new people each year. That is not to mention all the kids parents at conferences or any new faces they see in the workplace. Meeting so many people and having an opportunity to impact that many lives is an impossibly awesome situation for educators. Teachers are in a position to drastically improve society of the future and the teachers who actually are extremely passionate toward the kids will certainly be taking steps in the right direction. Student apathy has been an issue for as long as there have been people trying to teach other people. It goes with the job and it is something every educator needs to figure out how to work with and get past. It is an unfortunate part of the profession, but can be seen as an opportunity to work through conflicts and give the students the same respect they need throughout the process. Working through the students who do not want to learn, participate, or even be in the classroom, is a challenge and a blessing. It makes teachers realize how lucky they have been that not every student is like that, or that they still get to have those students who are as passionate about learning as the teacher is about teaching. Although a disadvantage of teaching, student apathy can also put things into perspective in a good way for educators. As teaching becomes a more recognized profession, maybe it will also become more glorious. Even with all the positives to the profession there are certainly enough disadvantages that need to be worked on. The bottom line is it is not a job that someone should just get into because he or she needs a job. It is an occupation that requires patience, understanding, and most importantly passion. It is not a job for everybody but for those who do enjoy the impact they have on the lives of these students it can be the most rewarding experience on the planet.

Old Man And The Sea :: essays research papers

In the book, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway tells a story of an old fisherman. The old man, named Santiago, had gone for eighty-four days without catching a fish. Santiago feels that the following day would be a good day because eighty-five is his lucky number. The following day he gets up before dawn and sets out for a day of fishing. He had set one bait at forty fathoms, the second at seventy-five fathoms, and the third and forth were at one hundred and one hundred and twenty-five fathoms. While Santiago is fishing he sees a bird trying to get a flying fish that was being chased by tuna. The old man tries to put his boat over the school of tuna in hope of getting a catch. Suddenly something hooked itself on the bait that was set at one hundred and twenty-five fathoms. The old man had caught a huge marlin that was now pulling him out to sea. The fish continued to pull the old man out to sea for about 3 days. The old man survived by putting one of his other lines out so th at he could catch fish and eat them in order to keep his strength. On the third day he finally caught the fish. He had pulled the fish in slowly and then threw his harpoon at the fish's heart killing it instantly. The old man tied the fish to the side of his skiff and began to sail home. As he was sailing a shark took a large bite out of the fish he had caught. The old man harpooned the shark in his brain, and as the shark rolled off of the fish it took the old man's harpoon with it. The old man knew that there would be other sharks that would follow the scent of the fish's blood. He tied his knife to the butt of one of his oars. Two more sharks came and the old man killed them both. The second shark broke the blade as it rolled off the fish. Desperate, the old man waited for the other sharks. All he had left was a club, and he was going to use it. More sharks came, but this time in a pack. The old man desperately fought off the shark with his club, but the club was grabbed from his hands.

Love as Joyous Essay

Both Plath and the Metaphysical Poets show love as joyous by suggesting a strong physical intimacy between themselves and their lovers. Donne, known for his hedonistic ways tried to seduce his lady in the poem ‘To his mistress going to bed† by relating her undressing to a holy analogy. â€Å"Hallowed temple†¦ heaven†¦ paradise†¦ Angels† gives a sense of purity about the relationship and emphasises the innocence in that the love they are about to share is purely between them. Along with this, in order to fortify the intimacy felt during love making Donne uses polysemic terms such as â€Å"My mine of precious stones† which not only displays mine as a first person possessive pronoun- perhaps showing pride in the possession he has over his mistress- but also the mine that is her genitals- the new land he is yet to discover. Similarly Plath uses polysemantic terms as a way of showing the exclusivity in her relationships in the poem ‘Ariel , specifically referring to the apparent lesbian affair she had soon after her and Ted Hughes split ‘ – † The child’s cry melts in the wall† not only suggests that when with her alleged lesbian partner she’s free for the burden of motherhood and can just focus on their passion but also that when being in a homosexual relationship the possibilities of conceiving a child are none an therefore there is no-one else to detract from the bond and overwhelming desire that the 2 have for each other. Plath also represents this intimacy by using metaphorical imagery such as â€Å"White Godiva† which indicates the female naked freedom while also subtly protesting against her husband by portraying this great female symbol. Plath also uses imagery to intensify the passion she feels in love making with another woman – † The brown arc of the neck† and † into the red eye† suggest the vagina and feminists would argue that Plath portrays the orgasm as † Foam to the wheat glitter of seas† which exaggerates the intimacy experienced when the 2 are at their most vulnerable naked states. Along with this both Plath and the Metaphysicals display the joyous love by the overwhelming of emotions that it creates. In Donne’s poem † To his Mistress Going To Bed† the whole poem is written in one stanza with its contents being ridden with enjambment â€Å"we easily know By this these Angels from an evil sprite:†. This shows the feelings Donne has as not being able to express them fast enough as, as he’s seducing her, so many emotions are being created – at the foremost frustration and lust. At the time, Donne was known for being debauched and this excitement and unable to contain his feeling emphasises how much he risked in order to sleep with the woman. The use of plosives such as â€Å"Behind before, above, between, below† represent the transactional and heightening strength of the emotion whilst the caesura in the line suggests Donne needs to pause after the words to try and calm himself down from all the overwhelming urges and desires he has for his mistress. As Donne was a child genius and was working in law by the time he was 17 he was popular with the ladies, and so when a woman such as the one he’s addressing in the poem doesn’t succumb to his epicurean ways so easily, his emotions flair and overwhelm him into an almost plea for her to make love with him. Plath also uses linguistic features in portraying the overbearing love and excitement she has for her first child to be born. â€Å"You’re† is a poem written during her pregnancy of her first child Frieda. She uses the phrase â€Å"Vague as fog and looked for like mail† to represent the anticipation and urgency she has to meet her new child. However, this is a homophone and mail could also mean â€Å"male† as in the absence of her husband Ted Hughes who was rarely around. At the time she was having relationship issues with Ted and building a new everlasting love bond with her new child and so the conflict in positive and negative emotions at the time would have certainly been overwhelming. The fog in this phrase represents the uncertainty and space between the mother and the gestating baby which may also be ironic of the disbelief she has that she can love a person so much without having met them yet. Finally both the metaphysical poets and Plath display love as joyous by seeing it as an opportunity for a new start. Donne sees this new start being one as starting from the pure naked state in the relationship – † to enter in these bonds is to be free† is an oxymoron as the bond of marriage incarcerates two people in a relationship eternally. However Donne is expressing that by having this new start of marriage they will have a sense of freedom and self completion making love even more joyous. Whether Donne actually meant to marry the woman is questionable, after his strong womanising reputation however if he is then the new start he would have in actually committing himself in a marriage shows the strength of the love he feels. Plath, in â€Å"Ariel† sees the birth of her first child as a new start for herself. The metaphor of the last 2 lines â€Å"Right, like a well-done sum. A clean slate, with your own face on† shows the positivity she already sees in this new being â€Å"well-done sum† and â€Å"clean slate†. At the time she was going through hardships in her marriage with Ted Hughes and so the new child could be a source for a new start of optimistic love and a positive source to project happiness onto. The compound words in â€Å"Thumbs-down on the dodo’s mode. † Represents the new life and thus new beginning Plath will receive from the new baby whilst the assonance of the ‘o’ sound fortifies this by showing certainty and stability she sees in that this undoubtedly will give her the release and new start that she’s needed for so long

Audio Lingual Method

1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235. Audio Lingual Method The Audio lingual method or the Army Method is a style of teaching used in language Instruction. It is based on behaviorist ideology, which professes that certain trait of living things, and in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement and correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback. So in the Audio Lingual Method, the instructor would present the correct model of a sentence and the students would have to repeat it. The teacher would then continue by presenting new words for the students to sample in the same structure. In audio lingual’s there is no explicit grammar instruction so that everything is simply memorized in form. The idea is for the students to practice the particular construct until they can use it spontaneously. In this manner, the lessons are built on static drills in which the students have little or no control on their own output; the teacher is expecting a particular response and not providing that will result in a student receiving negative feedback. As mentioned, lessons in the classroom focus on the correct imitation of the teacher by the students. Not only are the students expected to produce the correct output, but attention is also paid to correct pronunciation. Although correct grammar is expected in usage, no explicit grammatical instruction is given. Furthermore, the target language is the only language to be used in the classroom. This method is one of the three main ways to teach a foreign language. Along with â€Å"the direct method,† the audio lingual approach keeps the majority of the language instruction in the target language. Audio lingual teaching concentrates on drills that teach grammar while the direct method concentrates more on vocabulary. When the grammar of the target language is explained in the native language, the method is called communicative language teaching. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The Audio-lingual Method is still in use today, though normally as a part of individual lessons rather than as the foundation of the course. These types of lessons can be popular as they are relatively simple, from the teacher's point of view, and the learner always knows what to expect. But it has been heavily criticized, especially by linguist Noam Chomsky. The rigidity of the method left little room for the spontaneity of free-flowing conversation, which made it difficult to use the language in the real world. Audio Lingual Method 1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235.

Free Essays on The Butterfly

Everyone has something that they value let it be achievement, beauty, justice, or wealth. The late Manly Hall once said that "a man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world" because without standing for anything or having any values a man is lost within himself, so how can he function properly in the world. In " The Butterfly" by James Hanley, value plays a key role in the backdrop of the plot. The two main characters in this short story have different values which is why a conflict arises between them. In the world today, many people have differences and society as a whole needs to start accepting the differences in people and learn from them. The main characters have no similarities in what they value while Brother Timothy values the religious faith, Cassidy values aesthetics. The way Brother Timothy puts his religious faith on such a high pedestal gives the reader the idea that he believes that "religion is the sole technique for the validating of values". Allen Tate, the author of this quotation, describes how strongly Brother Timothy feels about religion. In the very beginning of the story, the reader finds out that Brother Timothy obviously is a priest because as he " strode up and down the passage" his " cassock made a peculiar swishing noise" ( 1,1,1). Since this is so, the reader can infer that Brother Timothy dedicates his life to the Catholic church, and to do that it must be of great value to him. Beyond that, Brother Timothy also displays his value of religion when he tells Cassidy that because he misses mass that he has " no right to be happy or anything else" ( 2,13,1). The reader can infer from this quote that Brother Timothy believes so strongly about religion that he doesn’t even want Cassidy to be happy just because he m isses one day of mass. Finally, the reader can conclude that Brother Timothy values the religious faith because of the way he punishes Cassidy at the end of the story. S... Free Essays on The Butterfly Free Essays on The Butterfly Everyone has something that they value let it be achievement, beauty, justice, or wealth. The late Manly Hall once said that "a man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world" because without standing for anything or having any values a man is lost within himself, so how can he function properly in the world. In " The Butterfly" by James Hanley, value plays a key role in the backdrop of the plot. The two main characters in this short story have different values which is why a conflict arises between them. In the world today, many people have differences and society as a whole needs to start accepting the differences in people and learn from them. The main characters have no similarities in what they value while Brother Timothy values the religious faith, Cassidy values aesthetics. The way Brother Timothy puts his religious faith on such a high pedestal gives the reader the idea that he believes that "religion is the sole technique for the validating of values". Allen Tate, the author of this quotation, describes how strongly Brother Timothy feels about religion. In the very beginning of the story, the reader finds out that Brother Timothy obviously is a priest because as he " strode up and down the passage" his " cassock made a peculiar swishing noise" ( 1,1,1). Since this is so, the reader can infer that Brother Timothy dedicates his life to the Catholic church, and to do that it must be of great value to him. Beyond that, Brother Timothy also displays his value of religion when he tells Cassidy that because he misses mass that he has " no right to be happy or anything else" ( 2,13,1). The reader can infer from this quote that Brother Timothy believes so strongly about religion that he doesn’t even want Cassidy to be happy just because he m isses one day of mass. Finally, the reader can conclude that Brother Timothy values the religious faith because of the way he punishes Cassidy at the end of the story. S...

Understanding Islams Stance on Alcohol

Understanding Islams Stance on Alcohol Alcohol and other intoxicants are forbidden in the Quran, as they are a bad habit that drives people away from the remembrance of God. Several different verses address the issue, revealed at different  times over a period of years. A complete ban on alcohol is widely accepted among Muslims as part of wider Islamic dietary law. Gradual Approach The Quran did not ban alcohol from the beginning. This is considered to be a wise approach by Muslims, who believe that Allah did so in His wisdom and knowledge of human nature- quitting cold turkey would be difficult as it was so ingrained in society at the time. The first verse of the Quran  on the topic forbade Muslims from attending prayers while intoxicated (4:43). Interestingly, a verse revealed thereafter acknowledged that alcohol contains some good and some evil, but the evil is greater than the good (2:219). Thus, the Quran took several initial steps toward steering people away from the consumption of alcohol. The final verse took an unequivocal tone, forbidding it outright. Intoxicants and games of chance were called abominations of Satans handiwork, intended to turn people away from God and forget about prayer. Muslims were ordered to abstain (5:90–91) (Note: The Quran is not arranged chronologically, so the verse numbers are not in order of revelation. Later verses were not necessarily revealed after earlier verses). Intoxicants In the first verse cited above, the word for intoxicated is sukara which is derived from the word sugar and means drunk or intoxicated. That verse doesnt mention the drink which makes one so. In the next verses cited, the word which is often translated as wine or intoxicants is al-khamr, which is related to the verb to ferment. This word could be used to describe other intoxicants such as beer, although wine is the most common understanding of the word. Muslims interpret these verses together to forbid any intoxicating substance- whether it be wine, beer, gin, whiskey, etc. The result is the same, and the Quran outlines that it is the intoxication, which makes one forgetful of God and prayer, that is harmful. Over the years, the understanding of intoxicating substances has come to include more modern street drugs and the like. The Prophet Muhammad also instructed his followers at the time to avoid any intoxicating substances- (paraphrased) if it intoxicates in a large amount, it is forbidden even in a small amount. For this reason, most observant Muslims avoid alcohol in any form, even small amounts that are sometimes used in cooking. Buying, Serving, Selling, and More The Prophet Muhammad also warned his followers that participating in the alcohol trade is  forbidden, cursing 10 people: ...the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought. For this reason, many Muslims will decline to work in positions where they must serve or sell alcohol. Sources and Further Reading Kamarulzaman, A., and S. M. Saifuddeen. Islam and Harm Reduction. International Journal of Drug Policy 21.2 (2010): 115–18.Lambert, Nathaniel M. et al. Invocations and intoxication: Does prayer decrease alcohol consumption? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 24.2 (2010): 209–19.Michalak, Laurence, and Karen Trocki. Alcohol and Islam: An Overview. Contemporary Drug Problems 33.4 (2006): 523–62.Why is it forbidden to drink alcohol? Islam Question Answer, October 21, 2010.