British Economy from November 2008 to november 2010 Coursework

British Economy from November 2008 to november 2010 - Coursework Example These measures were taken as a part of government’s austerity measures in the wake of rising government debt and the widening budget deficit. Some of the measures taken by the government included increase in Value Added Tax, systematic reduction in the general benefits provided to the people as well as reduction in the government expenditure besides taking other measures to ensure that the different macroeconomic objectives are fulfilled. George Osborne, man behind the recent measures taken by the UK government basically attempted to provide a radical program which can ensure that UK’s overall credit rating is improved amid the talks of country’s bankruptcy owing to mountains of debts which country accumulated over the period of time. In this part of the question, a discussion will be provided regarding the overall success of the measures taken by Bank of England and British Government since 2008 till date. Special emphasis will be on measuring and discussing the impact on growth, price stability, unemployment as well as the balance of payments. At the start of the financial crisis in later part of 2007, British Government, attempted to inject money into the system in order to ensure that the institutions do not fail and that the economy remains on the path of recovery after the decline. Bank of England (BoE) drastically reduced the base interest rate in order to stimulate the consumer spending and generate the required level of demand in the economy. During November 2008, Alistair Darling took radical measures to reduce the VAT however; the overall borrowing by the government was increased. Reduction in VAT was aimed at reducing the general price level and ensuring that the people spend so that employment can be generated and aggregate demand can be increased. However, the steps taken by Labor Government, from November 2008, also involved increasing the national insurance contribution as well as the increase in taxes for higher earning individuals.

Segmentation and Target Market Essay Example for Free

Segmentation and Target Market Essay The point of being in business is to provide a service or product to a particular consumer base and to produce a profit of the service or product given. In order to accomplish this, companies must be able provides its products and services to a particular type or group of consumer that calls for a the need of it. It takes care planning and research in order to produce something that your customer based will embrace and continue to come back for more. It takes, further, skill and effort to advertize your product and service to the right groups of consumers. Apple, Inc. is a prime company to take a look at in terms of the services and products that it provides to its customer base. Apple, Inc. can address the needs and wants of its entire customer base within a particular market segment. In todays business world, there may not be another company out there that is quite like Apple. Over the last two decades, Apple, Inc. has emerged as the premier, go-to, technology retailer for your all your tech needs. Apple offers a comprehensive portfolio to meets all of your entertainment and productivity needs. From the introduction of the Mac desktop computers to the creation of their I product line, which includes the iPod, iPad, iPhone and the new iWatch. Apple provides laptops, music streaming and cloud services along with audio equipment and printers. The company operates in a space where they can reach most individuals and their needs. Understanding market segmentation is what has along Apple to accomplish all it has. Market segmentation divides a market into well-defined slices. A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants (Kotler Keller, 2011, p. 214). They have created easy to use products to help even the busiest student or business person throughout their work day. They have provided a means for the mom to keep her children entertained while out running errands. Apple has made family time better within home  video streaming options as well. Even big and small business have the ability to increase productivity and streamline their workflow with the software and products that are offered by the company. Apple has invested plenty of time and energy in understanding what the wants and needs are of its customer base. Based on the segmentation, there are other variables that a company, like Apple, must acknowledge and address. Demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral segmentation are vital parts to a marketing program. In terms of demographics, it seems that product saturation is not an issue for Apple. According to an article posted on USA Todays website, entitled Half of U.S. homes own Apple products (2012), explains Apples reach across the United States in the title. To put that into perspective thats more than 55 million homes with at least one iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac computer. And one-in-10 homes that arent currently in that group plan to join it in the next year (para. 1). The breakdown goes further stating that consumers tend to be male, college-educated, and younger (Half Of U.s. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). It does not appear that money is an issue when it comes to those who own Apple products. Those on the higher end of the income scale own an average of about three Apple devices, compared with 0.6 for lower-income homes (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Outside of income, age does not appear to be a factor in those who own Apple products. Another statistic from the article shows that just as many Americans between ages 18 and 34 count themselves among Apple users, as those ages 35-to-49 (63 percent). The number drops to 50 percent when you get into the 50-to-64 age group, and down to just 26 percent among those 65 and older (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Parents are more likely to own Apple products than those without children. Sixty-one percent of households with children own Apple devices, compared with 48 percent of homes without kids (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Based off the numbers that were produced in 2012, it seems that Apple has everything working for them. With that many people invested in Apple products, their doors will continue to stay open. Apple has put an emphasis on the quality of their products to make them as easy to use as possible while helping to increase productivity and staying economically friendly.  Placing an emphasis on quality design and adapting to todays culture is another reason Apple, Inc. has been very successful. In todays society, the population has become more concerned about the environment than ever before. Issues of global warming, pollution reduction, and the polar ice cap melting are what drive the eco-conscientious consumer. Apple has a adopted an environmental responsibility for all of their products. As a global company that makes some of the most popular products in the world, we know we use a lot of energy and material, which in turn generates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Thats the part of the problem we can help solve (Environmental Responsibility, 2015). Being able to appeal to a growing, societal concerns makes a play on the human psyche. Apple showing concern for their impact on the environment allows them to reach that environmentally friendly consumer and bring them to their doors. That is one example of how playing to a particular thought process can be in your favor. Apple has, also, answered the growing demand for sleek looking products that can be easing carried around and still provide access to certain daily pleasantries. With todays on-the-go society, being able to access information, view videos, email, listen to music and otherwise stay connected is another way Apple has attacked the psychographic nature of product marketing. The company understands what is essential to its consumer base and will do what it needs to do to appeal to them. Another aspect that needs to be considered is a marketing program is behavioral characteristics. Apple deals with this on several fronts. The first way Apple deals with this is in the quality of its products. With an excellent product comes customers and revenue. A great product is not the only thing that is taken into consideration the marketing plan. A company must take into account what the consumer expects to receive from the company and in exchange for those expectations being met, consumers reward the company with their loyalty. Outside of product quality and appropriately addressing the needs of all its consumer based. Apple has adopted a quality approach in how its retail employees treat those customers in their store locations. They have created an a 5-step process for the customer experience. (A)pproach, (P)robe, (P)resent, (L)isten, (E)nd. Approach customers with a personalized, warm welcome. Probe politely to understand  the customers needs (ask closed and open-ended questions). Present a solution for the customer to take home today. Listen for and resolve any issues or concerns. End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return (Apples Secret Employee Training Manual Reinvents Customer Service In Seven Ways, n.d.). According to By The Numbers: Iphone Vs. Andriod (n.d.), in an infographic provided, it showed device upgrade trends reveal that 76% of Apple customers upgrade for one iPhone to the next (Brand Retention). Creating an excellent environment for the customer is one way to meet expectations and build brand loyalty. The reason we. see customers flock to stores every fall in bigger and bigger crowds for the latest iPhone model is due to the loyalty that Apples consumer base has for their products. What company in the world can create a mass movement that way Apple does across national retailers and those that shop there? There is none. One last factor that goes into a marketing plan is the ability to reach your intended target regardless of their location in the world. Apple, Inc. is not just a United States company. The company has grown into a global presence. An organization or company must be able to meet the demand for its consumer base where their customers are located to achieve the best results possible. Apple as a presence in 16 major countries around the world including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, China, France, Italy, and Japan to name a few. In a press release drafted by the company, it stated that by the end of 2014, the new iPhone 6 and 6+ would be available for sale in 115 countries worldwide. The Statistic Portal created a graph showing the growth and expansion of Apple and their retail store locations. According to The Statistic Portal, Apple increased its retail store locations from 116 in 2005 to 437 in 2014. This shows the growth and willingness to reach as many customers as possible who can all benefit from the use of Apple products or to have place to go to continue to purchase Apple products. This year Apple became the first U.S. company in history to be worth $700 billion. Understanding the market that you are in and how to best service your consumer base is a surefire way to ensure success in marketing your products. This is what Apple as vowed to do and continues to demonstrate that with the incredible productivity level that they are producing with the help of their strong consumer base. There does not look to be an end in sight for the mega company. Marketing is a fundamental  element to their success, but it is not limited to the marketing of their products in terms of getting the word out to the population. It is an essential element when it comes to understanding the marketplace, its consumers, and their wants and needs. With that under control, everything else becomes simple and sweet. Like an apple. References Apple, Inc.. (n.d.). First Weekend iPhone Sales Top 10 Million, Set New Record. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/22First-Weekend-iPhone-Sales-Top-10-Million-Set-New-Record.html Apples Secret Employee Training Manual Reinvents Customer Service in Seven Ways. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/08/30/apples-secret-employee-training-manual-reinvents-customer-service-in-seven-ways/ By the Numbers: iPhone vs. Andriod. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/tech/by-the-numbers-iphone-vs-android-97842025474.html Environmental Responsibility. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/environment/ Half of U.S. homes own Apple Products. (2012). Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-03-28/cnbc-survey-apple-products-us-homes/53827254/1 Kotler, P., Keller, K. L. (2011). Marketing Management (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. The Statistics Portal. (n.). Number of Apple Stores World wide from 2005-2014. Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/273480/number-of-apple-stores-worldwide-since-2005/

Cyber Bullying and Racial Discrimination

Cyber Bullying and Racial Discrimination Melissa Hui Xin Yue Q3: In the recent times, cyber bullying and hate mongering towards people groups have increased, especially in social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism and other forms of similar negative impressions have dominated cyber space. Analytically discuss ways and means to combat the above mentioned phenomena in an amicable and workable manner. According to Bill Belsey (2000), cyberbullying is defined as activity that involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated and hostile behaviour by an individual or group that is intended to harm others. In this digital era, it is without a doubt that most children have their own cell phones, and with the fast Internet connectivity, it is safe to assume that most of the children has at least one social media account. This increase the chance of them being a cyberbully or being cyberbullied. Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism is generally associated with bullying. In a 1991 Runnymede Trust Report, Islamophobia was defined as hostility towards Muslims, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims. Whereas Anti-Semitism is the prejudice, discrimination and hatred of Jews as a national, ethnic, religious or a racial group (Lipset, 1969). These cyberbullying activities can be stopped and prevented by raising awareness for Islamic practice s and Judaism, have counselling for students who are being cyberbullied and government’s efforts in stopping cyberbully. Cyberbullying activities towards Jews and Muslims is a problem that can be stopped by raising awareness about Islamic practices and Judaism. Awareness can be raised by operating campaigns about Islamic belief and Judaism. These campaigns should run throughout the whole year in schools and also in public areas. Governments and schools should see the brighter side of these two religions instead of stereotyping them as terrorist in accordance to what have happened in the events of 9/11 Attacks in New York (2001) and Charlie Hebdo killings (2014). According to Martin et al. (2011), stereotyping is categorizing information about others in daily life. Campaigns should have activities like cultural talks about what Islamic beliefs and Judaism are about. What could be better than a little bit of eye candy to catch your attention? Clothing and accessories can be used as a media to spread awareness. Example, you can wear a blue t-shirt in support of Islamic beliefs and Judaism. Games and activ ities with the Muslims and Jews will show how friendly and fun they are in contrast of the stereotypes that people have about them. Student exchange programmes are a good way to raise awareness on Muslim students or Jewish students. These students can show their host families about their religion and culture, prompting their host families to stop having stereotypes towards the students’ religion. In response to the event September 11, 2001, Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program is one of the programme that provides scholarship for students from Islamic countries to learn about American society and values (YESprograms, 2002). With raising awareness, this will help the students and society to not be afraid of Muslims and Jews. Thus, discrimination and cyberbullying towards Muslims and Jews will decrease because they understand and empathize that everyone in the world has feelings. Counselling is a great way to stop cyberbullying. Although you might think that counselling will not do much change, but in fact, according to Bower and Rowland (2006), counselling is more effective than usual care, people receiving counselling is likely to be satisfied after treatment. Muslims and Jews who are being cyberbullied can go to see a counsellor whether at school or outside of school. Victims can choose to join either one-on-one sessions if they are too shy or they can join group sessions where they get to listen to other victims’ experiences. Listening to other victims can help them because they empathize with the victims. Based on Dr Brenà © Brown’s research (2010), she defines shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging. When a victim decides to share his or her experience, the victim is being courageous to face his or her problem. Counsellors should always encourage the victims to talk about their feelings and relieve their stress about being in their own religion. Group sessions not only have experience sharing, but also should have games and activities to bring the victims together and show them that they are not alone. Dr Brenà © Brown once said, â€Å"To practice courage and compassion is to look at life and people around us†. Counsellors should teach the victims the ways to protect themselves when they are being cyberbullied, like reporting to the police or blocking the cyberbully on internet. No doubt that counselling is able to make an impact in the lives of victims of cyberbully. The Government should do their parts in stopping cyberbullying toward Muslims and Jews. Whenever victims report about cyberbullying, the police should not turn a blind eye over them just because the police is Islamophobia or Anti-Semitism. Police should be fair and just when it comes to criminal and law-breaking citizens. B.F. Skinner (1938) coined the term operant conditioning; it means roughly changing of behaviour by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response. If the cyberbully is a student, the school should give warning to the cyberbully. The cyberbully must undergo charity hours if caught cyberbullying anyone if caught by the school. These charity hours help them to reflect on themselves for what they have done so that they will not repeat it again. Governments should take away the cyberbullies’ electronic devices and internet when they are caught cyberbullying. Government should impose and reinforce the laws on cyberbullying. Hiring more cyber po lices will help to decrease the cyberbullying rate. Actions will be taken if the cyber police accepts bribery from the cyberbully. Incentives can be given by the government for the non-profit counselling groups that help the victims of cyberbullying. The government should provide a building for the non-profit counselling groups to do their activities in. By doing this, the government is helping the victims indirectly because the government provided facilities for the counselling groups. Thus, Muslims and Jews can share their emotions and relieve their stress caused by cyberbullying. Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism should not be the topic for cyberbullying nor should any characteristics be used as a topic for cyberbullying. You may not be the ones being cyberbullied, maybe one day your child might be cyberbullied. Being born into your own race is not your fault or your choice, we cannot change our race and should not discriminate other race as well. So, let us make an effort to stop cyberbully towards Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism by raising awareness, counselling sessions and also government’s efforts in stopping cyberbullying. References: Belsey, B. (2000). Cyberbullying. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.cyberbullying.org/ Defining Islamophobia (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://crg.berkeley.edu/content/islamophobia/defining-islamophobia 9/11 Attacks. (2010). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks# Charlie Hebdo and its satirical role. (2015, January 8). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-15551998 About YES Program. (2001, January 1). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from http://yesprograms.org/about Lipset, S. M., â€Å"The Socialism of Fools- The Left, the Jews and Israel,† Encounter, (December 1969), p.24 Retrieved March 11, 2015 Martin, J.N. , Nakayama, T.K. (2011), Experiencing Intercultural Communication, McGraw-Hill International Edition Bower Peter, J. and N. Rowland (2006) Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of counselling in primary care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Retrieved March 12, 2015 Brown, B. (2010, September 1). The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think Youre Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Retrieved March 12, 2015 Skinner, B. F. (1938).The Behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. New York: Appleton-Century.

Indian trade liberation :: essays research papers fc

The International Trade Liberalization of India According to many global economic studies the key to peace is through the promotion of free trade and the institution of democratic principles, this theory also known as liberal international relations theory. In late 1991, with the transfer of the Indian Parliament into the hands of political and economic reformers, despite much opposition, India began its quest towards liberalization. The reform implemented freer trade in the largest democracy in the world. Facets of the Reformed Policy since India's independence from British control in 1947 until India’s Prime Minister Narasimha Rao took office, have characterized Indian’s foreign policy as fairly isolationist. During the Cold War period India retained a policy of nonalignment. It was uncommitted to either the West or the East and stuck to an "Swadeshi" ideology. This Swadeshi ideology simply meaning "India first," and was an extremely nationalistic ideology that advocates self-sufficiency. Just under a decade ago, Indian foreign policy has taken significant strides towards liberalization. Since Prime Minister Narasimha Rao assumed his position as the head of this state in economic shambles, India has undergone significant reform in its domestic and foreign economic policy. Rao's administration implemented major changes in international banking, interest rates, and the ability to fully convert rupees (India's currency) into international tradable transactions. But most importantly, towards the end of 1991, Prime Minister Narasimha Rao opened India's doors to international foreign investment. Many global economic studies stated the reforms in 1991 were simply necessary. As Clive Crook reported in The Economist at the time, the new government attempted to restructure the "ever-proliferating bureaucracy" and the "license raj". This reshaping dismantled the barriers for international foreigners to enter into the Indian markets. Such barriers included ser ies of permits and licenses granted only by members of the Indian Parliament or high-ranking bureaucrats. These complicated and inefficient policies turned away potential foreign investors and, therefore, hurt the Indian economy. As part of the reform plan, Prime Minister Narasimha Rao implemented revolutionary changes. According to the Asian Survey by Nalini Kant Jha, Prime Minister Narasimha Rao limited the equity participation to 40% and removed the provision for the necessity of local control of industry. India also turned into favoring export-led growth; therefore, it removed restrictions on foreign trade and significantly reduced customs duties and tariffs on imports. Since the advancement towards liberalism and the legitimacy of its government, India has strongly remained the largest democracy in the international environment.

Article Rebuttal: Surveillance Essay

Since the 9/11 attack on America, surveillance has increased significantly. Surveillance has expanded to telephone calls, e-mails, internet browsing records, financial history, credit history, library records, and even political and religious activities. Government says these surveillance activities are to protect citizens. The author of the article I found states otherwise believing these activities are not solely intended for harmful criminals and suspected terrorists. â€Å"It is directed at all of us†, says the author. This writer feels the government and state surveillance efforts are warrantless and invade the privacy of innocent people. â€Å"Surveillance undermines the right to privacy and the freedoms of speech, association, and religion†, the writer proclaims. The government is accused of spying in the article with no real advantage to anyone. There is excessive exaggeration in this article as the writer references the negative use of surveillance efforts. Statistics have shown proven facts that crime and accident rates have decreased in areas that have adapted such spying techniques. This article also made mention that government is increasing technology uses to observe people’s actions and movements without obtaining a warrant and without valid reasons to do so. The author failed to provide any real evidence that society is not benefiting from surveillance efforts – only opinions, reducing the sources’ credibility. The writer failed to reason about the positive effects of modern technology and surveillance. â€Å"Overall, the cameras—when actively monitored—were effective at cutting down crime. And the savings and benefits of fewer crimes outweighed the cost of the surveillance system†, reports a Chicago city worker. Based on analysis, reports found surveillance cameras can deter crime and are effective in cost when monitored and installed properly. Surveillance cameras are useful law enforcement tools that can assist in preventing or reducing crime. For example, Chicago reported surveillance cameras proved to be highly effective in reducing crime in certain areas. Computerized cameras are modernized, new law enforcement tools. Cities use them to catch red light runners and speeders – I’ve been caught by a few myself in recent years. I’ve since been more conscious of my driving habits!

Bilingualism in Children

Bilingualism can be viewed in two different ways. One way of viewing bilingualism is that it is a commendable trait for a person to have, that is alongside the thinking that it is a mark of high intellect. Another way of viewing bilingualism is that it is a negative upshot of Globalism, that it is a degradation of culture. It is undeniable that bilingualism is a prevalent topic in today’s society. Some even consider it as an essential trait for survival in the context of the modern world.This notion of bilingualism is especially prevalent in the US, where immigrants should adopt a second language to be competitive in terms of employment. That is why children from immigrant families are advised by their parents to learn a second language early as early as possible. The problem bilingualism arises when parents fail to consider that children are still in the stage of mastering their first language. Acquiring two language simultaneously is would be difficult for anyone regardless of age. It is a common notion that the children would eventually learn the second language.That is alongside the thinking that, as the children are exposed more to the society speaking the second language, the children would naturally the language. Although, it is observable that children from immigrant families gradually become more and more comfortable with second language through time. But it is also observable that the process that the children have to go through is not an easy one. The difficulty of children’s acquisition of a second language is expressed by Eva Hoffman in her book â€Å"Lost in Translation.† She had thrown in a very helpful query for this discussion: â€Å"†¦how does an individual bend toward another culture without stumbling over? † (Hoffman 209) Hoffman’s semi-autobiographical book is about her struggle to acquire a second language when family had migrated from Poland to Vancouver. The bulk of the book is about her lost of he r sense of place and belonging in her new society. But the fact that the acquisition of the second language would come as natural would not necessarily mean that the children would not be subjected to the consequences of being bilingual.Another book that would be helpful to the discussion at hand is Natasha Lvovich’s â€Å"The Multilingual Self: An inquiry to language learning. † In contrast to Hoffman’s work, Lvovich’s book had taken a more attention-grabbing approach. Lvovich’s work is about the struggles that her daughter had to face when they had moved to America. Although there are some minor differences between the two books, they are both talking the same topic of language acquisition. Both of the books had depicted how a child is subjected to consequences of being bilingual.A common consequence of bilingualism as Lvovich had depicted through the story of her daughter â€Å"†¦she is going through a very difficult period of adjustment a s a teenager growing into adulthood† (Lvovich 101) There was even a point in the book that Lvovich’s daughter became reluctant to speak their first language. Hoffman argued that a reluctance to speak the first language would result to the atrophy of the mother language of the child (Hoffman 98) ConclusionFor children of immigrant families to succeed in being multilingual, their parents should first do careful planning and learning about the nature of language acquisition. The parents should always keep in mind that childhood is already full of challenges as is. They should be aware of the consequence of being bilingual and they should also have at least an idea of how to counter them. Works Cited Hoffman, Eva. (1990). Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language. NY: Penguin Lvovich, N. (1997). The Multilingual Self: An inquiry into language learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Bilingualism in Children Bilingualism is the production and/or comprehension of two languages by the same individual (Cummins, 1981). Many children of varying nationality, acquire this ability of learning two languages through cultural maintenance and educational enrichment. Furthermore, the media continuously bombards children of stimulation of the other language (Cummins, 1981). Cummins (1981) stated that there is a strong tendency among children of replacing the first language with the other. A series of tests were made by Feldman and Shen (1969) about some language-related cognitive advantages of bilingual five year olds.Three tasks for children were made accordingly to gather information. These tasks of increasing difficulty were (1) object constancy, (2) naming and (3) using labels in sentences, respectively . In object constancy, children were primarily shown with objects such as cups, plates, sponge, match and suction cup soap holder. These objects were later physically transformed in front of them. Crushing the cups, burning the match and painting the plates were some examples of transformation. Transformed objects are placed beside an identical pre-transformed objects.Afterwards, the children were asked to identify which among the two was primarily shown. Naming, on the other hand, purposely tests the child's ability to use verbal labels to name familiar objects. The experimenter tried to confuse the children by switching the names of the familiar object and designating nonsensical names to objects. For example, calling an airplane as â€Å"car† and relabeling the cup as â€Å"wug†. The children were asked which among the objects was really an airplane. They were also asked which one was called a â€Å"wug† and then they were asked what it really was.In the third experiment, the child was requested to show his ability of using three sorts of labels in simple relational sentences such as â€Å" The cup is on the plate. † These labels, as discussed i n naming, were common names, switched common names and nonsense names. The principle for using simple relational sentences was that referential word meaning is the simplest sort of meaning. Words like â€Å"cup†, â€Å"plate† and even the part of the predicate â€Å"on† can all be thought of as referring to things. Results showed that bilinguals perform significantly better in the said three tasks than monolinguals do (Feldman & Shen, 1969).Moreover, bilinguals' advantage over monolinguals was more apparent in comprehension than production measures. These means they execute better where nonverbal pointing responses were required. In addition, functions related to labeling would be more advanced by having two languages. Research by Bialystok (2004), on the other hand, has shown that bilingual children develop control processes more readily than monolinguals do. They respond more rapidly to conditions that placed greater demands on working memory and carry out con trolled processes more effectively (Bialystok, 2004).On the other hand, Macnamara (1966) argued some studies have reported negative effects of bilingualism (as cited in Bialystok, 2004). In Feldman & Shen's (1969) experiment, it was found out that monolinguals do better in the use of either common names alone or nonsense names alone. Furthermore, Fishman (1967) added that disadvantages commonly associated with bilingualism would not appear in bilinguals whose languages were situation specific (as cited in Feldman & Shen, 1969). It was an accepted notion that bilinguals had deficits compared with monolingual peers.Nonetheless, studies show significant cognitive advantages of children with bilingual capacities. These advantages were dominant in comprehending rather than performing verbal actions. Other research pointed out bilingual advantages in the areas of creativity, problem solving and perceptual disembedding (Bialystok, 2004). These advantages of bilinguals can be uniquely attri buted to an early development in association and labeling skills (Feldman & Shen, 1969). Bibliography: Bialystok, E. , Craik, F. I. M. , Klein, R. & Viswanathan, M. (2004) Bilingualism, Aging, and Cognitive Control: Evidence From the Simon Task.Psychology and Aging, 19 (2), 290-303. Feldman, C. & Shen, M. Some Language-Related Cognitive Advantages of Bilingual Five Year Olds. Retrieved from http://eric. ed. gov/ERICWebPortal/custom /portlets/recordDetails/detailmini. jsp_nfpb=true&_&ERICExt Search_SearchValue_0=ED031307&ERICExtSearch _SearchType_0=no&accno=ED031307 Cummins, J. Bilingualism and Minority-Language Children. Retrieved from http://eric. ed. gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini. jsp_ nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED215 557&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED215557

Culture And Second Language Learning Essay

Through the conduction of studies, it has been discovered that learning a second language, particularly in a situation where second language learning is given particular importance, requires an immersion into the lingua and cultural societies of the native speakers of the second language that is to be learned (Wan 44-45). This requirement is extremely important to be followed as the immersion on the societal components of the second language of the native speakers helps the learner to obtain more hands-on learning benefits when trying to acquire second language abilities (Wan 45). Literature Review Although numerous language specialists do conclude that culture and social groups exercise great influence on the acquisition of second language abilities, these specialists are still bound to not realize that the components that involve this situation are interconnected and are not distinct entities from each other (Wan 46). It is crucial to understand that learning a second language involves factors that cannot exist without the existence of other factors (Wan 47). Most recently, it has become a trend to become immersed in the culture of the native speakers of the second language through the use of the internet (Wan 47). Numerous second language learners browse the web in order to get immersed into the native speakers’ culture (Wan 47). Numerous second language learners can definitely learn through the utilization of this method as the web has got a lot of information from around the world to offer to the browsers (Wan 47). Methodology And Data Analysis Result of the surveys participated in by English language learner students: 3 1. Methodology: They have had difficulty forming friendships due to language barriers. Data Analysis: A little over 65 % of these people have had trouble forming friendships with English native speakers in the United States due to language differences. It is often uncomfortable to form a friendship with people whom you often encounter difficulty in conversing with. An interesting conversation turns sour when you have difficulty conversing with someone. The people who face this difficulty with English native speakers often become lonely while living in the United States if they are not able to find friends that share the same language as them. 2. Methodology: They have had difficulty achieving their academic goals than they would have if their instruction at school were conducted in their native language. Data Analysis: Although non-native speakers of English who are proficient in English are the only non-English speaker foreign students who are admitted for formal academic studies at schools in America, English proficient non-native English speakers also still encounter difficulty in their academic studies than they would have if the instruction was conducted in their own language. This is such the case as the mentioned students still are not used to the English language. These students most usually converse with their circle of influence in their native language, hence, this situation causes them to become awkward in utilizing the English language in their academic studies as well. The most objective advice that can be recommended from this situation is for the students to use the English language often even when conversing with non-native English speakers who form their circle of influence. Or, it would be better if these students would be able to find native English speaker friends who would be willing to practice conversing with 4 them in English on a regular basis. It would also be helpful for these students to practice sharpening their English language writing skills through regularly utilizing writing drills. 3. Methodology: Language barriers often make the students feel a longing to go home to their country. Data Analysis: Numerous students who experience difficulty learning English in the United States are usually not able to adjust to their social environment in the country. As a result they often feel that they are social outcasts and feel that they don’t belong in the community. Because of this situation that they may get into, they may become inclined to go back to their home country. 4. Methodology: Language barriers may have the tendency to make the students inculcate a lower self-esteem. Data Analysis: The students feel that they are not smart enough as they are not able to efficiently learn a second language. This dampens their spirits of good self-esteem. 5. Methodology: These students become the targets of discrimination pranks in the United States. Data Analysis: Numerous of these students become the victims of prank jokes just because of their limited English language abilities. They are seen as vulnerable group of people as they create a self-image of being dumb or â€Å"not smart enough† due to their limited English language abilities. 6. Methodology: These students become too dependent on an English proficient relative, family member or friend while in the United States. Data Analysis: This becomes the situation as the students may not even be able to convey simple information to strangers (e. g. , giving orders at a restaurant) due to their limited 5 English language abilities. The mentioned family member, relative or friend may eventually feel that these students are becoming a burden on them as time goes on. 7. Methodology: Numerous students are reluctant to learn English as a second language because they feel that learning it would cause them to somehow exhibit disloyalty to their own language and culture. Data Analysis: It now a common trend that people do somehow paint a picture on other people as being â€Å"colonially influenced† if they try to learn a second language. This causes these second language learners to become self-conscious when trying to learn a second language. If these people become too self-conscious to learn a second language, they may also give up the pursuance of a goal to move to another country and other goals that come with it. 8. Numerous people abandon their culture altogether and adapt the culture of the native speakers of the second language that they are learning. Learning a second language ultimately also causes one to get immersed in the culture in which that language belongs. Therefore, there are times that the culture of the learners gets totally abandoned as these learners try to learn a second language. This situation is sometimes viewed negatively by others. Results Learning a second language definitely has its ups and downs. The learners would just have to weigh in whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages as a basis in making their decision to learn a second language. However, we can definitely see that as long as the teaching of the second language is executed properly, numerous students are able to learn the language efficiently and utilize their second language fluency in worthwhile activities and 6 and professions. Discussions Three questions need to be answered in order for specialists to improve second language teaching and learning (Conference Probes Second Language 1). These questions are the following (Conference Probes Second Language 1): 1. What are the strategies on research that need to be executed in the implementation of second language education in America (Conference Probes Second Language 1)? 2. What are the strategies on research on the execution of second language education in the United States that need to be improvised (Conference Probes Second Language 1)? 3. What are these research strategies that are deemed to be effective (Conference Probes Second Language 1)? Reading, writing and speaking fluency of a second language does not come automatically if one has acquired extensive knowledge on the language usage (Swiderski 4). A culture’s main foundation is the official language that comes with it (Swiderski 6). When one first learns a language, he/she automatically first learns its corresponding culture (Swiderski 6). A language mirrors its corresponding culture (Swiderski 6). However, the language and the culture are not exactly similar in every ways (Swiderski 6). Because when learning a language one learns all about its usage, its interconnected component, culture, is also being learned during the process of learning the language (Swiderski 6). Therefore, language and culture are still 7 Regarded as separate entities (Swiderski 6). We can really see that a language tells about what kind of culture it evolves in (Swiderski 13). For example, a classroom where an English language learning class is held comprises of styles and settings that tells about the culture of the country where the school that houses the classroom is located (Swiderski 13). Significant differences in the way that the English language is used among the native and non-native speakers of English are considerably noticeable (Lucas 59). However, there are some questions that arise from this conclusion (Lucas 73). These questions are the following (Lucas 73): 1. Do the students make requests to their professors directly or indirectly (Lucas 73)? 2. Is politeness evident in the way that the students make the requests (Lucas 73)? Conclusions Charles Hutchison, Lan Quach and Greg Wiggan wrote in their article entitled, â€Å"The Interface of Global Migrations, Local English Language Learning And Identity Transmutations Of The Immigrant Academician,† English language instructors who experience teaching students belonging to different cultures, experience the following culture shock situations: 1. Problems in differences in teaching and learning. 2. Problems in differences in curriculum and assessment. In the article entitled, â€Å"The Interface Of Global Migrations, Local English Language Learning And Identity Transmutations Of The Immigrant 8 Academician,† using the social-constructivist (and cognition) theories as references, instructors of English language classes experience changes in the way they view language through the following ways: 1. They may be forced to conform to the students and their circle of influences’ viewpoints and theories. 2. They may experience communication barriers. Furthermore, the authors state in the article that the English language instructors come to realize who they really are and their vocation objectives due to the following reasons: 1. They shape what types of people their students become and their students’ self-esteem. 2. They struggle in helping their students realize their own identity as a minority in the United States. 9 Works Cited Hutchison, Charles, Quach, Lan & Wiggan, Greg. â€Å"The Interface of Global Migrations, Local English Language Learning And Identity Transmutations Of The Immigrant Academician. † Forum On Public Policy: A Journal Of The Oxford Round Table (2006). Lucas, Sigrun. â€Å"Students Writing Emails To Faculty: An Examination Of E-Politeness Among Native And Non-Native Speakers Of English. † Language, Learning & Technology 11 (2007): 59, 73. Swiderski, Richard M. Teaching Language, Learning, Culture. Westport: Bergin & Garvey, 1993. Wan, Shun. â€Å"Second Language Socialization In A Bilingual Chat Room: Global And Local Considerations. † Language, Learning & Technology 8 (2004): 44-47. â€Å"Conference Probes Second Language Research Needs. † Reading Today August 2001.