Myth and Romance in Star Wars :: Star Wars Film Movie Movies Essays

Myth and Romance in Star Wars Pure science fiction is rarely written. Science fiction is often blended with elements of other genres from horror to fairy tales. The movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is one example of this. It contains a combination of science fiction with mythical and romantic elements. Contributing to this combination are the main characters Luke, Leia, Han, and Obi-wan, the movie’s setting in a galaxy far, far away, and Luke’s great quest. Luke Skywalker is a mythical character. Luke is orphaned as a child and is taken in by his aunt and uncle. He is hidden away from his father and his father’s cohorts to protect him from the dark side. Luke is only one of many mythical heroes that are reared by someone other than his own parents. Oedipus, a Greek mythological hero, was hidden in another kingdom and raised by the king and queen there to protect him from his parents. Luke is portrayed as a savior that will bring balance to the Force and will help the Rebellion beat the evil Galactic Empire. He is completely pure and sinless because he is so naà ¯ve about the ways of the galaxy. Luke strives to save the souls of those around him.[1] For example, his friend Han Solo is a greedy man that looks out only for himself. Only by offering a reward does Luke convince Han to do the right thing and help him save Princess Leia. At the end of the movie, however, Luke causes Han to experience a change of heart. Han willingly puts his life on the line to protect Luke and destroy the Death Star, without looking for some reward. This is similar to the stories told in Scripture about Jesus. He attempted to teach the others around him to lead a good life in service to others. Myths generally involve some religious aspect. Myths always tell the story of some god or goddess that walks among the mortals to teach them a lesson, as Jesus and Luke do. Resembling other mythical heroes, Luke is gifted with divine powers. Luke is able to use these powers, called the Force, to influence the actions and thoughts of others and to manipulate his surroundings. This makes him better than the average man because he can use these powers to his advantage against any enemy. These powers make him impossible to beat unless one also has the same powers.

Serving in the Army

She alas about what drives young men and women, to fight in a country on the other side of the world instead of being out partying with their friends. For her own son she thinks the motivation is to be found in the family, and his wish that his younger siblings shall grow up in a more peaceful world. Plain means that, because America is build on the idea that all human beings have a God-given right to be free the American soldiers work for â€Å"a cause bigger than themselves†, when they sacrifice for the military. Therefore she thinks that everybody should support the soldiers, as they work hard to defend the idea of America itself.Tim Sailor, who is the father to former deployed Army Sergeant Ryan Sailor, used to agree with the point of views of Plain and thought that fighting for your country was a patriotic thing to do. But as he expresses in text 2, his opinion has changed drastically after his son has returned from Iraq. Ryan Sailor has suffered from all kind of disorder s after his deployment in Iraq, both physical and mental. He has been diagnosed with P T SD and traumatic brain injury. He has been treated for his EST. in an intensive 65-day group program with other veterans.But although he has now begun to recover, his parents, who encouraged him to join the army in the first place, regret that they ever allowed him to sign up. They do not think that the patriotic aspect in any way makes up for all the problems afterwards. Text 3 is about Nathaniel Pick, who is the author of a book about his time as a Marine Officer. Pick has a very different opinion about what deployment in the army can do for you, than the Sailor family. Pick sees it as a highly positive experience. He joined the army to get adventure and learn about manhood.He thinks being that being a soldier has helped him to understand what words like Serving in the Army – Engel's still duty, honor and love means. In the army he discovered a brotherhood, which means a lot to him, bec ause you it is a very special friendship which is build between men who goes through training and combats together. 2. To engage the reader Sarah Plain describes herself like any other American woman, when she talks about sending her son to war but she also presents herself as the vice-presidential running mate for John McCain, which is use of the appeal form ethos.By focusing on these two aspects she seems like a person with authority but also as a person who it is possibly to relate to. Plain rise to wake a patriotic feeling for America by talking about how America isn't just another country but an exceptional country. † She continues by describing how it is the whole idea of America the deployed are defending. She is very passionate about that everybody should be supporting the soldiers as they live in hellish conditions and she also wakes sympathy for the soldiers by talking about how they have to be away from their families and risk their lives for their country.When talk ing about how her own son, and many other young men and women, join the army to have a chance to do, what they can to make the oral a better place to grow up for their smaller family members instead of being off partying on spring break or working their way up a hedgehopped career ladder she leaves no doubt that that these young people should get all the support they can from the American people and since they are willing make these sacrifices they most feel there is â€Å"a cause bigger than themselves† which they are fighting for.Plain also uses a reference to the old president Ronald Reagan. As he is a much respected former president the use of one of his famous quotations: â€Å"You all knew that some things are worth dying for. , can also help to wake the patriots in the readers and make them more engaged in the cause. 3. There are just as many different reasons to join the army as there are soldiers.Some Of them get their motivation from the simple wish to get an adven ture that can be found nowhere else and learn about manhood as Nathaniel Pick in text 3. He wanted a break from college and joined the army 2 where he found a special brotherhood and protecting his brothers was as big a motivation for him in the combats as fighting for his country was. Others join the army to make money and some are drover by family traditions.Others again have more patriotic reasons to fight for their country, such as the hope of being able to help create a better world and being able to spread the freedom, which is so important to Americans, to other parts of the world, where there is people who have never experienced peace, democracy, freedom Of religion and all the other things We take as a matter Of course. I think that being able to help making a difference for people in a country ravaged by war must be the biggest motivation for many. It must be an amazing feeling to see that what you do actually helps creating peace in the world. Serving in the Army She alas about what drives young men and women, to fight in a country on the other side of the world instead of being out partying with their friends. For her own son she thinks the motivation is to be found in the family, and his wish that his younger siblings shall grow up in a more peaceful world. Plain means that, because America is build on the idea that all human beings have a God-given right to be free the American soldiers work for â€Å"a cause bigger than themselves†, when they sacrifice for the military. Therefore she thinks that everybody should support the soldiers, as they work hard to defend the idea of America itself.Tim Sailor, who is the father to former deployed Army Sergeant Ryan Sailor, used to agree with the point of views of Plain and thought that fighting for your country was a patriotic thing to do. But as he expresses in text 2, his opinion has changed drastically after his son has returned from Iraq. Ryan Sailor has suffered from all kind of disorder s after his deployment in Iraq, both physical and mental. He has been diagnosed with P T SD and traumatic brain injury. He has been treated for his EST. in an intensive 65-day group program with other veterans.But although he has now begun to recover, his parents, who encouraged him to join the army in the first place, regret that they ever allowed him to sign up. They do not think that the patriotic aspect in any way makes up for all the problems afterwards. Text 3 is about Nathaniel Pick, who is the author of a book about his time as a Marine Officer. Pick has a very different opinion about what deployment in the army can do for you, than the Sailor family. Pick sees it as a highly positive experience. He joined the army to get adventure and learn about manhood.He thinks being that being a soldier has helped him to understand what words like Serving in the Army – Engel's still duty, honor and love means. In the army he discovered a brotherhood, which means a lot to him, bec ause you it is a very special friendship which is build between men who goes through training and combats together. 2. To engage the reader Sarah Plain describes herself like any other American woman, when she talks about sending her son to war but she also presents herself as the vice-presidential running mate for John McCain, which is use of the appeal form ethos.By focusing on these two aspects she seems like a person with authority but also as a person who it is possibly to relate to. Plain rise to wake a patriotic feeling for America by talking about how America isn't just another country but an exceptional country. † She continues by describing how it is the whole idea of America the deployed are defending. She is very passionate about that everybody should be supporting the soldiers as they live in hellish conditions and she also wakes sympathy for the soldiers by talking about how they have to be away from their families and risk their lives for their country.When talk ing about how her own son, and many other young men and women, join the army to have a chance to do, what they can to make the oral a better place to grow up for their smaller family members instead of being off partying on spring break or working their way up a hedgehopped career ladder she leaves no doubt that that these young people should get all the support they can from the American people and since they are willing make these sacrifices they most feel there is â€Å"a cause bigger than themselves† which they are fighting for.Plain also uses a reference to the old president Ronald Reagan. As he is a much respected former president the use of one of his famous quotations: â€Å"You all knew that some things are worth dying for. , can also help to wake the patriots in the readers and make them more engaged in the cause. 3. There are just as many different reasons to join the army as there are soldiers.Some Of them get their motivation from the simple wish to get an adven ture that can be found nowhere else and learn about manhood as Nathaniel Pick in text 3. He wanted a break from college and joined the army 2 where he found a special brotherhood and protecting his brothers was as big a motivation for him in the combats as fighting for his country was. Others join the army to make money and some are drover by family traditions.Others again have more patriotic reasons to fight for their country, such as the hope of being able to help create a better world and being able to spread the freedom, which is so important to Americans, to other parts of the world, where there is people who have never experienced peace, democracy, freedom Of religion and all the other things We take as a matter Of course. I think that being able to help making a difference for people in a country ravaged by war must be the biggest motivation for many. It must be an amazing feeling to see that what you do actually helps creating peace in the world.

Earthquake in Japan Essay

On March 11, 2011, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded hit Japan’s eastern coast. It killed hundreds of people as it made its way through the streets and fields, sweeping away boats, cars and homes. Its magnitude was 8.9, releasing a 23-foot tsunami and then provoking more than 50 aftershocks for hours. This horrific event resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and devastated entire towns. The amount of damage caused by the earthquake and resulting tsunami was excessive, with most of the damage being caused by the tsunami. Thousands of families were left without electricity. Many nuclear and conventional power plants went offline after the earthquake. Cell phones and landline services suffered major disruptions so many people weren’t able to communicate with their relatives across the country. Japan’s transportation was also affected. Expressways were damaged; cars and trucks were swept away by the tsunami and railway services cancelled. The earthquake was caused by an uplift of the sea floor, where the Pacific tectonic plate slides beneath the plate Japan sits on. This motion pulls the upper plate down until the stress builds up enough to cause a seismic event. Tons of miles of crust ruptured along the area where the tectonic plates meet. Since the earthquake occurred at a very shallow depth, much of its energy was released at the seafloor, therefore causing the tsunami that devastated Japan and causing chaos among the Japanese community. Even though Japan was said to be â€Å"prepared† for a natural disaster such as a tsunami by building protective walls, the large size of the water surge was completely unexpected. The tsunami walls were built based on much smaller tsunami heights recorded in the past. To the surprise of the Japanese people, the tsunami simply washed over the top of the seawalls, collapsing some in the process. The tsunami also caused a number of nuclear accidents. Many electrical generators were taken down, and at least three nuclear reactors suffered explosions due cooling system failure. The tsunami waves overtopped seawalls and destroyed diesel backup power systems, leading to severe problems such as large explosions and radioactive leakage. It has been almost a year since the devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami destroyed coastal communities in northern Japan killing more than 15,000 people. What struck me the most about this tragedy is the reaction of the Japanese community and picturing what it would have been like to be present at that moment. I can simply imagine the terror in people’s faces trying to survive and doing everything they could to save their families and themselves. Even though thousands of people died, those who lived through this horrible experience can count with our total support and help from those who could not do anything at the moment and simply watched as Mother Nature, once again, did its job.

Japan Entering World War II

Japan Entering World War II World War II conflict that consisted of most the globe and was the most costly and intense war in human history.The conflict had started on September 1st, 1939 with the German invasion of Poland with the pacific war presumed to have started on 7th July 1937 with the Japanese attacking china and lasted until the summer of 1945. Due to the overwhelming number of nations involved and the extraordinary number of theatres a great number of people considered World War II to be the only true world war.Japan entered the war in December 1941 and swiftly achieved a series of victories. Their advance had been dramatic down the coast of the Pacific islands. Landing in the Philippines on the 10th December 1941 and reaching Lae salamaua in New Guinea on 8th March 1942. With Bataan surrening on 9th April 1942 and then Corregidor a month later. The US Navy, supported by ships of the RAN, halted a Japanese convoy headed of Port Moresby during the battle of the Coral Sea on May 5th - 8th.Ela BeachDece mber 7th 1941, a surprise air raid was carried out on Pearl Harbor, by Japanese warplanes commanded by Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. This attack resulted in huge loses to the US naval base.The following day, the US declared war on Japan. Around the same time the US air base was also attacked.In March of 1942, after the Japanese defeated the Netherlands East Indies, their southward advance began to lose strength, easing the Australians fears of an invasion. The US took responsibility for the country's defence and provided reinforcements and equipment which brought further relief to the Aussie's. The threat of the invasion lessened as Allies won a series of decisive battles.Allied navies in the battle of the Coral Sea stopped...

These 7 Good Life Quotes Teach You How to Enjoy Life

These 7 Good Life Quotes Teach You How to Enjoy Life We like what  Albert Einstein  had to say about life: There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. If you think about it, you are blessed to be born on this beautiful blue planet as a human being. According to the author of Tao of Dating Ali Benazir, the probability of your existence is 1 in 102,685,000 Isnt that an incredible miracle? You are in this world for a purpose. You have the ability to make this life good. Here are 7 unbeatable ways to make life good. 1: Forgive and Move On This may not be as hard as it sounds. If you think about it, forgiveness is all about finding happiness for yourself. Instead of focusing on the whys and the how-could-shes give others the benefit of doubt. Let go of dark thoughts, and give yourself a chance to heal. Move on to a better life, without carrying the baggage of anger, hatred or jealousy. 2:Learn to Love Unconditionally We all give love to receive love. How about just giving love, without expecting any in return? Love, when it takes a selfish turn becomes possessive, greedy, and obstinate. When you love unconditionally, you go with the belief that you did not expect to be loved in return. For instance, your pet loves you  unconditionally. A mother loves her child unconditionally. If you can master the art of loving unconditionally, you can never get hurt. 3:Give up Bad Habits Easier said than done. But think of how good your life can be if you could drop your bad habits. Some bad habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, or doing drugs are harmful to your health. Other bad habits such as lying, cheating, or speaking ill of others can make you a social menace. Have your friends and loved ones help you to give up your bad habits. 4:Be Proud of Who You Are You are what you think you are. So wouldnt it be wonderful if you could also be proud of who you are? Dont underestimate or devalue yourself. Sometimes, people may treat you unfairly or fail to notice your contribution to work. It is their loss that they have failed to understand you. Be proud of what you do and who you are. Life is good, no matter where you come from.   5:Be Less Judgmental Dont point fingers at others. Being judgmental is also another way of being prejudiced. All kinds of discrimination including racism, sexism, and gender bias stem from being judgmental. Give up your prejudices about others, and be more accepting of others. As it is said in the Bible: Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 6:Fight Your Fears Fears are your weaknesses. Overcoming fears take a lot of tenacity. But once you conquer your fears, you can conquer the world. Let go of your comfort zone and explore beyond your realm of joy. Push yourself to accomplish new highs by letting go of your fears. Talk to yourself and control your mind. Life is beautiful at the other end of the dark tunnel. 7:Keep Learning and Growing To stop growing is as good as dead. Dont stop learning. Share your knowledge, wisdom, and insights with others. Learn from everybodys views. Accept knowledge without prejudice or arrogance. Keep improving your skills, and build a wealth of knowledge within you. Here are 7 beautiful quotes that remind you that life is good. Read these quotes about good life and adopt them as your daily mantra. Share these quotes with others and give inspiration to your family. Harold WilkinsThe world of achievement has always belonged to the optimist. Ralph Waldo EmersonThere are no days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination. Carl RogersThe good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.   John AdamsThere are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live. William BarclayThere are two great days in a persons life - the day we are born and the day we discover why. French ProverbThere is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience. Annie Dillard, The Writing LifeThere is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by.

A Study Of How TPRS Can Be Used To Learn Another Language

A Study Of How TPRS Can Be Used To Learn Another Language Using TPRS in Acquisition of Foreign Language TPR Storytelling (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) is a method of teaching foreign languages through reading and telling of stories in a classroom setting. The method was invented by a Spanish teacher by the name Blaine Ray, in Bakersfield, California, in 1990. The method of teaching foreign languages is for students who show disinterest in the exciting process of learning a language from a textbook. TPRS is a method that is more or less the same as the procedure involved when learning the first language. Students learn their second language the in the same manner babies learn their first language. By listening to the second language from a story teller, students acquire vocabularies that are helpful in leaning the second language. (Mason, 2005) TPRS is the most effective way of acquiring a second language since its invention in the 1960s. According to the method, changing from commands to the third person singular allows teachers to tell stories and that makes the procedure a long-term memory technique. One of the effective physical elements that have been so powerful in the classical TPRS is asking students to participate in acting out the parts of the characters in the stories. TPRS combines several physical response methods and language acquisition strategies, thus allowing effective teaching of grammar, reading and writing along with vocabulary. (Enciso, 2011) TPR storytelling is not complete without emphasis on reading. The whole procedure begins with an introduction of vocabulary and the complex structures that is then followed by reading. The acquisition method of foreign languages heavily relies on some hypotheses that are recommended in the reading program. The input hypothesis, acquisition hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis and the monitor hypothesis form the basis of TPR storytelling. In the method, a free voluntary reading program is recommended. Learners are encouraged not to entirely depend on the storytellers. Students ought to access books and a quiet, comfortable place to read. Additionally, the second language acquisition method involves reading to students, just as small children are read to while learning their first language for the first time. The most significant element of the TPRS program is the awareness that the focus is on students and not on books or even the story. Maintaining a good relationship with students is regarded as the foundation of a TPRS program. The pace of giving instructions to students should be entirely based upon the assessment by the teacher of how strongly students have internalized the foreign language. Other important elements in the TPRS program are the quality and quantity of the unconditional love, positive feedback, and the appreciation provided by students to their teacher. (Mhathà ºn 2008) Abstract This literature review evaluates the effectiveness of Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) compared to other approaches for acquiring and retaining new vocabulary in a foreign language. The subjects in the review are adult learners with limited literacy and the teachers who use storytelling in teaching foreign languages in the classroom setting. Different scholarly articles are evaluated and reviewed to show the effect of TPRS and grammar translation approaches on the student vocabulary. The articles in this literature review are also a research on the assessment of students’ ability to acquire and retain foreign languages as compare to small children learning their first language. In the review, additional research is needed on how to work effectively with adult students who need to learn foreign languages under challenging circumstances. The students have complicated lives and are struggling to survive in addition to studying on how to improve their language ability. Background information In applying the powerful concept of TPRS in classroom, here is what we know: Studies with Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Russian demonstrate that TPR is brain compatible. It means that the method may imply short and long-term retention that is striking and statistically significant across studies. Retention with TPR is comparable to riding a bicycle. Upon elapsing of years since the years have elapsed, proficiency returns after a few warm up trials. There is no age barrier in using the TPRS method of acquiring and retaining a foreign language. The method seems to work effectively for both children and adults. The only issue is that when the language training starts after puberty, the probability is almost certain that one will have at least some accent in speaking the second language, no matter how long one lives in a foreign country. It is factual that TPR works for most languages including the sign language of the deaf and the language of mathematics. In the U.S.A math education is even more challenging than foreign languages. It is evident that math education is challenging since more time is spent on remedial mathematics than all other forms of math education combined. Traditional programs and foreign languages both share a common flaw; they play to half the brain and usually, it is the wrong half. Studies show that even the adults play the game of learning another language on a level playing field. There is a widely-held belief that children have a linguistic advantage over the adults but studies contradict the opinion. Studies with the Spanish, Russian, and Japanese have it that adults consistently outperform children in acquiring skills of speaking and writing a new language. The only exception is noted when it comes to pronunciation. In a TPR class, it is the students who do the performance while the teacher is the director of the play. It is the same way that children acquire another language so quickly while living in a foreign nation. They are silent but respond to the directions from caretakers and other children hence they learn quickly. Studies at the University of Texas and other institutions indicate that the dropout rate of second language students in a traditional program can be as high as 95 percent. The studies also have it that the stunning attrition can be reversed when TPRS is a central feature of the language program. TPRS builds confidence in students hence enabling the students to experience quick understanding of a foreign language. Most importantly, TPRS is aptitude free. When TPR is applied by a skilled and talented teacher, academic aptitude becomes a negligible factor. Most people get surprised when disadvantaged children who experience difficulty in class at the traditional school enjoy success in a TPR class. The students can then feel the exhilaration of being competitive with the all â€Å"A† students. TPRS is therefore an important method of helping students acquire a foreign language since it facilitates instant understanding of the target language, regardless of the academic aptitude. It also enhances stress-free, high speed long-term retention amongst the students. Thesis Many students experience difficulty in remembering vocabulary and grammatical rules well for future retrieval. Despite teachers’ efforts to make the students remember the vocabulary and grammar, the students have not often been very successful at that. Due to the challenge of students failing to remember vocabulary and grammar, some strategies have been used over time to help solve the problem. For instance, in English classes, teachers sometimes used world maps to increase the students’ vocabulary. These efforts have not been successful in working towards better understanding of vocabulary amongst the students. Over time, learning institutions have gravitated towards the role of stories in teaching and learning foreign languages. There are many benefits that stories come with when imparting instruction and learning. For example, stories facilitate the acquisition and retention of vocabulary. (Mason, 2005) The use of stories is important in enabling teachers to explain relevant vocabulary over a short period of time. This essay reviews the importance of communication skills among immigrants who are normally employed in low-skilled jobs that do not require high levels of communication. The most effective method of acquiring a foreign language is also discussed. The use of TPRS as a method of gaining and retaining vocabulary and grammar of a foreign language is elaborated in this paper. It is very crucial to teach a foreign language to adults who entirely depend on the language for their economic gains. Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) works well with students who apparently do not have a strong academic background. This paper shows how possible it is for students who lack good academic background to compete competently in a TPR class with students who have experienced a proper academic background. (Enciso, 2011) The study in this paper shows the effectiveness of TPRS in acquiring and retaining new vocabulary. Annotated Bibliography Using TPRS in Acquisition of Foreign Language Mason, B. (2005). Vocabulary acquisition through storytelling. TexTESOL III Newsletter, 3-5. In this article, Mason states that vocabulary acquisition is possible from listening to stories but at the same time, listening to stories in an insufficient and an inefficient source of vocabulary. Mason informs us further that listening to stories require direct instruction as well. In the article, a study carried out by Beniko Mason attempts to confirm that listening to stories leads to the acquisition of vocabulary and also determines the efficiency of the vocabulary acquisition. In the study, two experiments are carried out; the first experiment being story-telling versus list-learning. In the first experiment that had sixty participants, all the students took part in both treatments. The storytelling treatment involved a pretest on thirty words. The participant then listened to a story of thirty words. While the teacher told the story, the students pointed at the word they thought were used in the story. In the first treatment the participants retook the vocabulary test but presented in a different order. The second treatment involved the students being urged to work together Experiment two was storytelling plus skill-building versus story-telling alone. In the experiment, the subjects were first year female Japanese female students at a junior college in Osaka. The students were not much exposed aural input in English. For the first group, the 20 target words were written on the board, the participants took a translation test, and the students listened to the story and then took a post-test on the same list of words. The other group involved the use of oral questions that used the target words. The participants also took a translation test and read the written version of the story. The story only group took the translation test twice, but the story-plus group did the whole procedure three times. Weeks later, the groups were given an unexpected follow-up test. Mason notes down his results for the study and presents the mean scores for the two groups as similar. He uses a descriptive statistics on vocabulary test where the final gain for the two groups as a result of the vocabulary test is noted. Another table showing the efficiency of both the two groups is also drawn by Mason. There was no difference in the story method and the list-learning method used in the first study. In the second story, there was also no difference in the in the efficiency in vocabulary learning between the two activities carried out. Mason indicates that the findings are consistent with the results of previous studies, an indication that listening to stories results in vocabulary development. Mason also compares the results with the comprehension hypothesis which states that language development is the result of the comprehension of messages. The goal of the study was on vocabulary development. Mason notes that the whole idea of storytelling as an effective way acquiring a foreign language is encouragement. The author of this article thus proves that stories are far more pleasant and effective than the traditional instruction. He further explains that students can gain other aspects of language from stories, as well as knowledge. In addition, Mason argues that storytelling and list ening to foreign language results leads to the acquisition of vocabularies, and endeavors to demonstrate to determine the importance of the acquisition to the learners. Almost the same research has been done before and Mason’s work is just a confirmation of the previous findings. In a nutshell there is consistency in his research. In particular the finding look to be consistent with Comprehension Hypothesis that argues that of student learning a new language comes from comprehension messages. The article is a good reader for beginners in learning second language. Mà ¡ire Mhic Mhathà ºn.(2008). Supporting Childrens Participation in Second-Language Stories in an Irish-Language Preschool. Early Years: An International Research Journal, 28(3), 299-309 This paper is a consideration of how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during the storytelling sessions in an Irish-language immersion preschool in Dublin. Mhathà ºn note that early educators view children as active participants in their own learning. The author of this article also considers how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during storytelling sessions in Dublin. We are informed that stories were chosen as the focus of enquiry since they are regarded as productive language enriching activities. In the article, a case study method of enquiry was adopted for the research project, focusing on three and four year old children in Dublin. This paper therefore proves that active participation enhances the learning of a second language among the children. The writer of the article kept the detailed observation notes of the story sessions and that allowed recording of a further thirty minutes time of interaction between the practitioners and children. In the study, there were also incidental talk and less formal interaction during the lunch-break. The cognitive and the social aspects of the language learning process are recognized in the paper since the resulting transcripts were analyzed from an interaction perspective. The analyses of such aspects of learning a foreign language are of use when determining the significance of input, the language addressed to the learner, and the modifications made by competent speakers. In the article, the practitioners provided support for the children who were learning the second language through the method of storytelling, development of language, development of a narrative and the method of organization of storytelling sessions. The methods used to support children learning their second language provide opportunities for children’s second language learning as well as facilitating children’s participation and initiatives. The methods of collecting data and their significance are outlined in the article as the views of the staff and the parents regarding the various support methods were required. The writer of the article has shown his statistical knowledge by outlining the methods which includes; use of interviews and administering of questionnaires. The formal staff interviews were significant in obtaining first hand information regarding the performance of children at the learning places. Parents too were advantaged to speak out their ideas on the performance of their children. Direct formal interviews used by the writer also provided the parents with the opportunity to give out their views on how the acquisition of the second language could be enhanced for better results. The parent questionnaire administered to parents was a way of making sure that they monitor the progress of their children when they are at home. The writer has utilized this method of obtaining data to have an idea on the level of ownership of Irish books by parents at home. Research in the study shows that the number of information books was not pleasing implying how books are not effective in acquiring a foreign language. The two methods of collecting data are utilized by the writer of the article to prove how acquiring a foreign language through storytelling is effective. The two methods of collecting data represented the efficiency of the learning methods used in the study. The information in the study illustrates the dilemmas that the immersion practitioners face in the early childhood settings. We get informed of how the children’s interests and initiatives can be facilitated when they are at the beginning stages of second language acquisition, and when an adult is the main source of input. The study carried out also enables us to get deeper understanding of the process of second language acquisition as well as the early childhood pedagogy. This article also shows how the learning of a second language by the children was appreciated. There were observations and Audio†recordings made during the story sessions for a period of six months. The staffs were also questioned and parents filled the questionnaires. The study conducted indicated that the practitioners gave the children support. Difficult decisions had to be made concerning the breadth and type of learning experiences offered when concentrating on the primarily second†language learning.

Organization's financial statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization's financial statements - Essay Example In this way, the success of financial analysis process is depended on the use of accurate information, as incorporated in financial statements of each organization. Due to its role in the development of effective organizational decisions, the financial analysis has been extensively explored in the literature. Emphasis has been given to the different missions that financial analysis can achieve, as a decision making tool. It seems that the need for eliminating risks in regard to investment decisions has been the key reason for the expansion of financial analysis process (Lee et al. 2009, p.2). Indeed, it has been proved that financial analysis is an excellent tool for checking whether the existent capital of a firm is adequate for responding to the needs of a particular investment, either in the short or the long term (Lee et al. 2009, p.2). From a similar point of view Norman has argued that financial analysis is quite important for minimizing risks related to the potential participa tion of a firm in a stock exchange market (Norman 2011). Maitah et al. (2012) refer to the use of financial statement analysis in banks as a tool for identifying effective ‘investment and lending decisions’ (Maitah 2012, p.107). ... ? Financial statements most important in financial analysis (Zager & Zager 2006, p.36) Through the financial statement of each organization figures showing the performance of the organization to specific sectors can be retrieved. For example, reference could be made to Liabilities and Shareholders’ equity, as elements of a firm’s balance sheet, one of the most important financial statements of modern firms (Belkaoui 1998, p.2). The financial analysis process can help managers to check the relationship between their firms’ different financial statements; in this way, the actual financial performance of the firm can be identified. The tool used for achieving this target is the financial ration analysis. The above analysis is developed using financial ratios, i.e. figures showing ‘the expression of the relation between two financial statement accounts’ (Drake & Fabozzi 2012, p.102). The analysis of these ratios helps to understand the performance of a f irm in regard to the sectors reflected in these ratios. The most common financial ratios are presented in Figure 2 below. Figure 2 – Most common financial ratios (Zager & Zager 2006, p.38) At this point, the following fact should be highlighted: Financial ratios reflect different aspects of organizational performance. Other ratios refer to the security of the business, as of its financial strength, while others show the financial efficiency of the organization (Zuger & Zuger 2006). This fact is made clear through the graph in Figure 3. Figure 3 – Financial rations as part of the financial analysis process (Zager & Zager 2006, p.39) According to the issues discussed above, financial analysis is necessary for securing the success of organizational decisions. The close relationship between financial analysis and