Genre Conventions Essay

How genre conventions are used to raise audience expectations in horror movie trailers. ‘The word genre means ‘type’ or ‘category’’ (Teach yourself film studies) it is really important as an audience member to recognise genres as then things become categorised and easier for them to understand which is more comforting. Sometimes however genres are crossed and categories are broken for example sometimes we have ‘action thrillers’ or ‘sci-fi horrors’ this is known as a hybrid genre. This often intrigues the audience and draws them to the film as it changes their outlook as they have no expectations for the film as they have never been exposed to this genre before. The horror genre was created to frighten/disturb an audience. Cherry (2009) reinforces this theory ‘The function of horror – to scare, shock, revolt or otherwise horrify the viewer’. These are the main conventions of a horror movie often portrayed using fast cuts, heart racing music, flashing images, unknown creatures and darkened places. ‘Horror is an ancient art form’ (www. horrorfilmhistory. com) which is still popular today because of the emotions it evokes, the audience feel comfortable with the horror genre as the generic conventions have not changed drastically over the years, the audience knows what to expect. The iconic symbols of horror such as haunted houses, unknown creatures, darkened places and flashing images are still used in all modern horror movies, although the genre evolves to fit around the era and to appeal to that audience. ‘Genres are not static, they evolve their common attributes change over time’ (Teach yourself film studies), this is because genres need to become more current for example what disturbed/terrified audiences 10 years ago may not effect audiences today. Today most audiences are terrified by the paranormal and ghostly experiences, the trailers for ‘Paranormal Activity’, ‘Insidious’ and ‘Don’t be Afraid of the Dark’ are all based around this theme but use different generic conventions to portray their theme. Paranormal Activity was released in 2007 and is an independent film costing only $11,000 to produce, the trailer proved uncomfortable to audiences as the generic conventions were broken. The trailer was not the usual blockbuster horror that audiences expect to see, it was shot in an average home with a home camera, the camera angles are shaky and unprofessional and the actors are unknown which gives the feel that these are real events. Also the trailer not only shows clips of the movie but the audience reaction to what they are witnessing. This keeps the audience interested in the genre as they are not used to seeing an audience reaction – they are intrigued as to why the audience are so frightened; therefore want to see the film. ‘We derive basic thrills from triggering the rush of adrenalin which fear brings’ (www. horrorfilmhistory. com). Paranormal Activity reinforces this theory as it became a huge hit world-wide although it was such a low budget independent film. Paranormal Activity focuses on a young couple moving into a new home which is supposed to be an exciting time and people can relate to this as everyone has moved house at some point, the fact that the film is based in a normal household immediately alarms the audience. The sounds used in the trailer for Paranormal Activity are very effective as you can hear lots of screaming and fear but it is not in the film its self, it’s the audience that we’re first shown this film. Insidious was released in 2010 and was created by the same director as Paranormal Activity (James Wan) this draws in an audience immediately as people who are familiar with the directors work are immediately drawn to the film. Like Paranormal Activity, Insidious is also an independent film however the budget for this film was a lot higher at $1,500,000. The look the production company gave to this film is also a lot more professional as there are no home cameras and shaky camera angles. However this film does still use unknown actors, since doing my research I have noticed that the majority of horror films use unknown actors to make their film feel more realistic. Insidious is also based around the paranormal theme which shows that audiences in this era are frightened by the paranormal ghostly experience this must be working as insidious took in a gross of ‘$53,991,137’ (http://www. imdb. com/title/tt1591095/). Also Insidious uses children and a family in a ‘normal’ home this immediately effects the audience as they can relate it to their own lives. The horror genre has become more realistic like this as instead of using zombies, vampires and made up creatures the genre has become more based around real life and what could actually happen as it affects the audience in a more psychological way. Also using children in the trailer will immediately effect parents as they start to imagine what they would do if that was their child and how it would affect them which straight away frightens them and evokes unwanted emotions/thoughts ‘I can speak for all parents when I say the loss of a child has to be pretty much the worst thing that could ever happen to them’ (http://www.horror-movies. ca/horror_13935. html) I have also looked at the film trailer for â€Å"Don’t be Afraid of the Dark† which was released in 2011. This film is from a different director to Paranormal Activity and Insidious however it follows a similar plot and has the paranormal ghostly edge. The budget for this film was much higher than both Paranormal Activity and Insidious at $25,000,000 the trailer is very stereotypical and uses the typical conventions of a horror trailer as it consists of multiple flashing images, heart racing music, darkness and unknown creatures. The sound used in a trailer is very important as fast paced non-diegetic music is usually played throughout the trailer which subconsciously makes the audience feel on edge and worried, also the diegetic sounds used such as loud bangs, creaky floorboards and screams make the audience jump. Putting both of these non-diegetic and diegetic sounds together creates tension and an uncomfortable atmosphere. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark also uses a small child within the film; this is quite controversial and usually makes older members of the audience feel uncomfortable as they imagine it as their own child. Also using a small child shows an extreme amount of vulnerability as small children cannot fend for themselves and they are not as strong as an adult. ‘How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film? ’ (Teaching trailers) the speed of what we see in the trailer gives the audience a taste of what to expect in the film. The trailer starts of slowly to attract the audience’s attention and get them interested in what they are watching, then the speed builds up to alarm the audience and frighten them once this has happened the trailers slows back down to an average speed to give the audience time to react and think about what they just witnessed. When comparing the three trailers together they are all very similar as they are all based around a paranormal scenario and they all evoke the ‘scared/frightened’ emotion to an audience. Also two of the trailers use children which takes away the innocence of a stereotypical child and makes the audience feel uncomfortable as the ordinary has been changed. Paranormal activity breaks the boundaries of the horror genre the most by showing the audience reactions within the trailer as this had never been done before which attracted a wide audience and made a lot of money. It also got a lot more publicity and became an extremely famous well known film purely because it took the audiences expectation of a horror film and changed it. However Insidious and Don’t be Afraid of the Dark are very stereotypical horror films using obvious frightening objects in their trailers which have been used throughout the history of the horror genre. The set-up of these trailers is also very stereotypical and expected because of the fast paced heart racing sounds and the fast paced flashing images. I also think it is important that all of the actors in these films are unknown ‘why are we told who is starring in the film? ’ (Teaching trailers) this is because well-known actors with a huge fan base attracts audiences to a film, however with the horror genre this does not work as audiences cannot get a realistic feel as they are familiar with the actor and their work. This is why I think all of the films work well as none of the actors are very well known. To conclude I think that genre is used in all of these trailers to raise the audience’s expectations but in very different experimental ways and this is successful, the ‘horror’ genre is visible throughout all of the trailers and they have all attracted a wide audience using some different experimental or stereotypical expected techniques. Bibliography Cherry, Brigid. (2009) Horror. Oxon: Routledge. Wilson, Karina. (2001-2011) Horror Film History. Available from: www. horrorfilmhistory. com (Accessed: 26th October 2011) http://www. imdb. com/title/tt1591095/ (2011) (Accessed: 26th October 2011) http://www. horror-movies. ca/horror_13935. html (2011) (Accessed: 26th October 2011) Title: Teach yourself film studies Title: Teaching trailers.

Statement of Academic/ Career Goals

Being fond of pharmacy and with a desire to be a pharmacist, I m currently an undergraduate student in College of Arts and Science with my majors in Chemistry. I’ve always dreamt of becoming a pharmacist while studying in USA for which I am eager to work hard and whole heartedly. I was also in Letters Dean’s list in 2007-fall semester and joined the Chemistry school department symposium in 2008. I am also a social servant and have been a lifelong volunteer in Taiwanese Social Organization that took take care of impoverished patients in persistent vegetative state (PVS) suffers in nursing home environment. By serving there I gained experience in cost reduction and acquired leadership and managerial skills. I always wanted to achieve something high in academics due to which I have high spirits and faith in me. The reason for selecting United States among the numerous choices was the excellent learning environment found there which is the only way to fulfill my academic aspirations and for which I am ready to strive as much as possible. The way of teaching and inspiration that comes from United States attracts me the most which unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find in my country Taiwan. The learning environment at United States positively reinforces and encourages the students to think, express and be creative whereas in other countries punishments are used to push students along with cramming studies. In the United States, I believe that EMU is the platform where I can pursue my highly spirited goals and where my skills can be enhanced and polished because of the learned science faculty available there. I’ve been enrolled at this grand institute for more than a year and through my hard work have been able to complete 50 credit hours up till now. Even though I was faced with a lot of problems and financial constraints, I never compromised on my result and attained an overall GPA of 3. 07 and maintained an excellent GPA of 3. 4 in my major. This institute opened me to a new world of science where I saw my dreams coming to be true. This period holds strategic importance in further nurturing my interest and convincing me with the passing time that EMU is the right place for me for providing quality learning. EMU not only played a role in increasing my knowledge and skills but also made me learn other important things. The first thing that I learnt at the place was the significance of honesty. The institute explained me new definitions of cheating and plagiarism which had been never taught before and I eventually realized their importance in building my personality once I began to study at EMU. It made me more creative, self dependent and work harder since I learnt to complete assignments and reports with the help of my own ideas and information acquired through hard work from different sources. This also helped in nurturing my grammar and composition skills which were tremendously improved. Moreover, my interpersonal skills improved drastically in the university’s environment which was previously hidden in the Chinese culture I came from. My introvert nature disappeared and I was able to interact freely with my professors and classmates while frequently raising questions which was not so in my old country school. EMU has taught me to be individualistic and self-reliant while at the same time made me affluent and interactive. By studying at EMU, I’ve been able to acquire a professional knowledge through the courses and lectures taught by my learned professors. I had to take a lot of science courses since I was in the pre-pharmacy program. This was the point where my interest in Chemistry developed and eventually I became fond of it. Previously, I had an impression that Chemistry is a tough subject but the professors and learning environment at EMU made everything easy for me and my interest in Chemistry was further nurtured. In the initial semesters I learned about the basic principles and laws of Chemistry while in the last semester this knowledge became more profound and in-depth. All this knowledge and courses are adding up to my skills which will make me appropriate to pursue a career in pharmacy. Moreover, at EMU I’ve learnt to collaborate and work as a team. This skill was acquired by working in labs where I gained not only practical skills but also attained the spirit of a team. I am now experienced at handling chemical apparatus and equipments for the purpose of using them in experiments. This demanded considerable hard work because of the language barriers due to which I had to preview lab manuals and practice a lot before coming to the lab. But since I am not afraid of hard work I did everything that it took to acquire complete knowledge. Breaking the language barriers was one of the greatest achievements for me and that built in me self confidence and strength to face challenges. This actually allowed me to help my classmates with their problems related to labs, equations and graphs. The language obstacles instead of serving as a hindrance actually motivated me to strengthen my English skills and communication power due to which I started being careful on every detail. Besides Chemistry, I also focused on Biology and Physics which advanced my researching and citation, and measurements and calculations respectively. I also felt the warmness of American culture at EMU since my classmates understood that I came from a different cultural background and helped me in every way in understanding the language and accommodating into an American culture. Studying at EMU has changed my life, and I truly think that EMU is the right place for me to accomplish my dream of being a pharmacist. The promising environment and the learned faculty encouraged me to take a further step towards my goal. Delving more into my career aspirations I assimilated more and more knowledge which made me more eager to learn. For all these reasons I have made my decision to complete my bachelor degree of Chemistry at EMU and then apply for pharmacy schools. I have high aspirations to pursue what I yearn for and want to live up to my dreams in order to be proud and self-satisfied. I am also aware of the fact that behind every dream there are hardships and I am ready to strive and work hard for achieving what I plan to. My philosophy in life is the belief in hard work because this can earn me what I strive for and I look forward to develop my specific skills and competences for achieving my long-term goals. For this my bachelor degree from EMU is very important for my future. I have financial troubles but your scholarship can serve as a blessing to me and help in fulfilling my long awaited dreams. Statement of Need I am a Taiwanese student working hard to achieve a career in my field of interest. Like all other students, I am also striving to attain the skills and knowledge for expanding my horizons of intellectual abilities. In order to accomplish this, I have decided to shift to US since it is a land of excellent education which can quench my thirst for knowledge. Though adjusting in American culture is difficult but I have tried my level best to handle all the obstacles and have been able to adjust quite well. I want to pursue career in pharmacy so that I can help people in their pain and sufferings which has always touched me. I come from a single family since my dad passed away when I was 13 and my mom was the only person who had to work to earn a living for the whole family. She is now a 70 year old retiree and the whole family has to live on her pension plans. To date, I have completed my education from my previous savings and help from my family. Since I have a younger brother and an elder sister, I cannot use much of the savings of my family and therefore, I am left with a meager amount which is not enough to complete my under graduation. My family income is my mother’s pension plan and her whole life savings which have almost exhausted. She has mortgaged her only house to a bank so that I continue studying in US in order to seek the dream of becoming a pharmacist. I am in a strong need for scholarship which is the only way through which I can make my future. Since I am categorized as an international student I have to pay a higher sum of money than the US residents which further worsens the problem. Moreover, the US government does not permits international students to work and regards it as illegal therefore; I don’t have any source of income at present. My annual tuition fee is around $32000 apart from living, renting, transportation, books, eating etc. Since I am living without my family members therefore, I have no family support and have to manage all the expenses myself. The total expense of tuition and living becomes enormous and cannot be managed with the loaned amount and my mother’s pension plans. This is why I am in a dire need of your scholarship so that I can continue my education and get the degree I promised my mother and myself. All these factors are a hindrance towards my academic progress therefore, I m writing this with great hope and faith in your scholarship program which can help in removing my worries and troubles. I need this scholarship desperately because I have exhausted my savings and family income on previous tuitions in US. My request for financial help is well intentioned and your scholarship can provide me with a relief after which I can devote my maximum attention to my dreams and aspirations of becoming a successful pharmacist.

Politeness and Pragmatics in the Cross-Cultural Communication Essay

Introduction In this paper, we will examine the Natural Order Hypothesis which was first introduced by Stephen Krashen in the late 1970s and 1980s. Krashen proposed the Second Language Acquisition Theory with five hypotheses. The Natural Order Hypothesis is a part of this second language theory. This hypothesis claims that learners of second language acquire the grammatical structures in a predictable way. It includes that some grammatical structures acquired naturally earlier than the others and this synchronization does not affected by the learners’ native language, age or any condition of exposure. Using a case study approach we will observe whether this claim is valid in Bangladeshi context or not. To examine that how the Natural Order Hypothesis works in Bangladeshi context, we have chosen some Bangladeshi people from different ages. Some the students of first semester and second semester of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. We have asked them to answer some certain questions which have added in the last section. This paper is divided into several chapters. The first section of the paper introduces with the five hypotheses of Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition. The hypotheses are demonstrated one by one because all the hypotheses are interrelated. This part is concluded with some main points of criticism about the Natural Order Hypothesis. The next section of the paper analyses our examinations about the hypothesis. It includes the Findings and Results of the study. The last section of the paper explains recommendations and conclusion where we have given our opinion. Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition is well accepted widely in all areas of second language research and teaching since the 1980s. This theory consists of five hypotheses. These are the Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis, the Monitor Hypothesis, the Natural Order Hypothesis, the Input Hypothesis and the Affective Filter Hypothesis. The explanations of these hypotheses are given below. The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis states that there are two ways to  develop second language proficiency for adult learners. One is ‘acquisition system’ and another one is ‘learned system’. According to Krashen, the ‘acquisition system’ is a subconscious process. In this system, it is claimed that the development of the L2 proficiency goes through naturally. More like the way children acquire their first language. The learners acquire language without knowing about that acquisition is taking place. The main point is that learners develop proficiency through using language in meaningful conversations where the focus is on meaning not in the rules of language. On the other hand, ‘learned system’ is referred to ‘knowing about’ language. According to Krashen, the ‘learned system’ is a conscious and explicit process. Through this system learners learn about the language as a conscious study of formal instructions. That means the two systems are totally opposite. Krashen states that acquisition is more important to develop second language proficiency. Learning cannot lead to acquisition. He adds that conscious rule of ‘learned system’ only performs as one function; Monitor or editor. So the error correction occurs in ‘learned system’ which affects in learning language. But error cannot affect in case of acquiring language because in development of L2 proficiency, ‘acquired system’ only gives learner a ‘feel’ of error subconsciously. To demonstrate the Acquisition- Learning hypothesis, Krashen also denies about Noam Chomsky’s Language Acquisition Device (Device). Chomsky claims that humans are born with the instinct or â€Å"innate facility† for acquiring language. There is a ‘black box’ in every person’s brain and it acquires any language before puberty. Krashen disagrees and says that acquisition of second language can also happen after puberty. He further explains that LAD also works for adult but that does not mean that adult will always acquire second language as native speaker. He claims that LAD function also works for adult second language acquisition. The distinction between ‘acquisition system’ and ‘learned system’ can be seen in the table given below. The Monitor Hypothesis Stephen Krashen explains in the Monitor Hypothesis that how acquisition and learning are used in second language performance. This hypothesis holds the theory that utterance in L2 is initiated by the acquired system at first and after that the learned system works if there is any need of changes. Krashen includes that utterance of L2 happens generally through acquired linguistic competence. The role of learned system is work as a Monitor or editor. To use Monitor successfully, Krashen gives three conditions. These are time, focus of form and know the rule. 1. Time: The first condition explains that the acquirer must have enough time to apply the Monitor. The problem regarding this condition is, during normal conversation one cannot look after the time. If someone tries to use the Monitor he/she will fail to utter in right time or if someone tries to maintain the time he/she will fail to use the Monitor. The important part is that this condition can be applied only in case of advanced acquirers who use Monitor occasionally. 2. Focus on Form: The second condition instructs that the acquirers must focus on form of the language. The acquirers must think about the correctness of the form. But the problem is using Monitor with focusing on form is really tough. To maintain this condition one can lose the track whether he/she will Monitor what he/she is saying or he/she will Monitor how is he/she saying it. 3. Know the rule: The third condition is the acquirer must know the rule of language. It is very difficult condition to maintain because everyone does not know about all the rules. Even the best students may not know all the rules of the language which they are exposed to. So, these are the three conditions which drive to use Monitor successfully. But later on Krashen has mentioned only about the focus on form and know the  rule. He did not mention about the first condition ‘time’. Learnt knowledge (Monitoring) Acquired knowledge Output Figure: Model of adult second language performance On the other hand, Krashen has explained about three individual differences regarding use of the Monitor though the difficulties of three conditions remain dissolved. According to him, there are three types of Monitor users. Monitor over-users, Monitor under- users and the Optimal Monitor users. 1. Monitor over-users: This type of people use the Monitor all the time. They always check their output with the conscious knowledge of the language. Krashen claims two causes for this type of Monitor users. Firstly, they acquire language with the restriction of grammar instruction. Secondly, they may have acquired a good amount of second language but can not trust their acquired competence. That is why they always try check and cover their mistakes by using Monitor. So, they speak hesitantly and try to correct their utterances at the middle of a conversation. 2. Monitor under users: These types of people whether acquire language not learning or they do not prefer to use their conscious knowledge. Actually they do not use the conscious knowledge even when the three conditions are met. The self-correction happen only from a ‘feel’ of correctness. 3. The Optimal Monitor users: The optimal users are the people who apply the Monitor when it is necessary and appropriate. They know how to combine their learned competence with their acquired competence. They never use the grammar rules in their regular conversation because it can interfere in their utterances. This type of users most of the time achieve like the  native speaker in writing and planned speech. The Natural Order Hypothesis: According to Krashen the Natural Order Hypothesis deals with the grammar structures. The hypothesis explains that grammatical structures are acquired in predictable order. This order does not follow any rules that the easier grammar rule will be at first and then the complex one. It claims that there are some certain grammatical structures which acquired early by the learners of second language acquisition and then the others and it is for any given language. Krashen explains that the claim does not prove as 100% always, but there are some significant similarities. Krashen actually adopted this hypothesis from the study of Dulay and Burt’s study of what they called the order of acquisition of grammatical morphemes in English by five to eight year old children learning English as a second language (1974). They established a chart of morphemes for their study. So, Krashen adopt the idea of English morphemes and established his Natural Order Hypothesis. Krashen believed that there was no difference regarding the synchronization of the grammar structures. But later on Krashen develops his own idea about the order. He examines the study with both children and adult’s second language and illustrates the natural order of grammar structure according to his point of view. Table: Average order of second language acquisition in English. In further description about the Natural Order Hypothesis Krashen explains three facts. * Krashen claims that natural order cannot be changed. Teacher cannot change the order through drills or exercises. If a teacher tries to drill a certain rule for several weeks the result will be zero. Because the acquirer will only acquire language when it is ready to acquire the certain rule. This fact is very much related to the Affective Filter Hypothesis. * The natural order of grammar structures do not depend on any obvious feature. It can go through complex to easier or easier to complex. Some rules acquired later which are quite simple. On the other hand some rues acquired earlier which seem to be difficult in structures. It shows that curriculum designers might face problem that which one they should put earlier and which one in later. * The third fact is that the natural order is not the teaching order. So, if someone predicts that through learning the grammar structures he or she will acquire language proficiency, he/she might wrong. Because Krashen applied the Natural Order Hypothesis to extend the idea of ‘the Input Hypothesis’. The Natural Order Hypothesis actually helps to know how the comprehensible input can be acquired one by one. So the learners will acquire the language in a natural order as a result of getting this comprehensible input. Criticism of Natural Order Hypothesis: Krashen’s Natural Order Hypothesis faces many criticisms about the predictable natural order in second language learners’ acquisition of grammatical structure. His using of English morphemes as a model also causes criticisms. There are some important criticisms which really force linguists to rethink about Krashen’s Natural Order Hypothesis. These are, * Krashen claims that all L2 learners adopt the same nature of acquiring language to attain proficiency. However there is some individuality between learners. Every learner does not go through the same order of morphemes to  learn grammar rules. Some adopts the -ing form at first and later on go through the other rules step by step. On the other hand some adopts the pronoun case (he/she, his/her etc.) at first. So, Krashen’s hypothesis does not concern about individuality. * Another criticism explains that all languages do not have the same morphemes. Some languages do not have the function of Copula or definite/indefinite article. So as a result the learners from this type of languages face problem acquiring the morphemes though these are the simplest one. The learners pick up the morpheme according to their first language acquisition. Here, Krashen actually totally overlooked the possibility of the influence of L1 on L2. On the other hand he also ignored the role of negative and positive transferences. * Krashen claims that his model of natural order works for both adult and children. Critics raised questions about this generalization. That how did Krashen judge it as the both applied natural order for adult and children. Did the judgment was from instrument and task specific? A critic named Larsen-Freeman applied Krashen’s natural order model for both the adult second language learners and children second language learners and she found that the model really works but when she put it in some different tasks using different instruments, she could not found any similarity between adult learners score and children learners score. So, Krashen’s claim proved itself as unreliable because it does not work for every situation. So these are the criticisms regarding Krashen’s Natural Order Hypothesis. To evaluate our case study we have taken the help of these criticisms and we also found some problems in Bangladeshi context. The evaluation has given in the Analysis part. The Input Hypothesis: The Input Hypothesis gives the answer of the question that how we acquire language. Regarding this hypothesis Krashen states that, the learners acquire language by understanding input which is slightly beyond their  competence. He also adds that when the learners understand the messages of a language, they acquire language. The main theory of this hypothesis is ‘i+1’. Here ‘i’ is learners’ present competence and ‘i+1’ is the input of the language which can be understood by the learners. Krashen calls this ‘i+1’ as the comprehensible input. He not only states that but also strongly claims that ‘comprehending message’ can help to acquire language and there is no other fundamental process of language acquisition. Another point he claims that listening and reading comprehension are the primary important function of second language acquisition. There is one important point which should be noted that the Input Hypothesis and the Natural Order Hypothesis are interrelated. These two are combined to answer the question of how we move from one stage to another of acquisition. That means, Natural Order Hypothesis works for analyzing the Input Hypothesis that how learners move from ‘i’ to ‘i+1’. The Natural Order Hypothesis helps to decide that which one should be the comprehensible input or ‘i+1’ in the classroom. There are two corollaries in the Input Hypothesis. These are, 1. The first corollary is that speaking is not the cause of language fluency but the result of language accuracy. It cannot be taught directly. It is acquired through comprehensible input. 2. The second corollary is, if there is enough amount of comprehensible input the learner will automatically acquire competence from the teacher. There is no need to use grammar structure. That means there is no need to be finely tuned input which means the exact next grammar structure as ‘i+1’. It can also be roughly tuned input, like the nearer structures from the ‘i’. So, from this hypothesis we can understand that there is no need to use energy in acquiring language. The main important part is just to understand the messages. When we understand the messages of second language, the LAD starts to work. This is how we acquire language. The Affective Filter Hypothesis: The Affective Filter Hypothesis describes us that how people face obstacles to acquire second language. It tells us about a filter named ‘affective filter’ which works as an obstacle in the way of acquiring language. The affective filter does not work directly as a barrier but creates a ‘mental block’ in brain which prevents to acquire language. Krashen explains that if the affective filter is down then the comprehensible input reaches to the LAD and acquires competence but if the affective filter is up then the input does not reach to the LAD and acquisition does not happen. Krashen includes that there are some ‘affective variables’ which control this affective filter. The affective variables include motivation, self-confidence and anxiety. This variables help to acquire second language very easily. But if someone has low motivation, low self-esteem and debilitating anxiety the student will face difficulties to acquire language. Because these low motivation, low self- esteem and anxiety will ‘raise’ his affective filter and form a ‘mental block’ which will become an obstacle to understand the input and acquire language. So, the Affective Filter Hypothesis helps to determine that why a specific learner faces problem in dealing the comprehensible input though he/she has reached a native- like competence. The main point is one should have motivation, self-confidence and low anxiety if he/she wants to acquire second language. Many critics raised question against Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition. Some of them are reliable and the rest of them are from anti- Krashenites. From our opinion, though Krashen has applied many statements to prove his theory but the Natural Order Hypothesis really lacks in reliable informations. The hypothesis could not set with our Bangladeshi context. The discussion has given in the next section.

Screening Report - Osama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Screening Report - Osama - Essay Example In days when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, Barmak, who headed the country’s ministry of film, was forced to flee Afghanistan, to Pakistan, where he lived until the Americans post 9/11 arrival and ousting of the terrorist regime.1 It is the director’s own personal history that is perhaps featured in the opening documentary-type moments of the film when a documentary filmmaker’s equipment is confiscated and the filmmaker is later executed.2 This particular scene serves as Barmak’s statement on creative censorship. Barmak knows what it is to be an exile from his country, to have fled in fear for his life, and to have witnessed the refugee camps where countless women and children, displaced from Afghanistan’s long history of war and turmoil, spend endless days and even years in the most horrific conditions of human existence.3 In fact, the Taliban, the terrorists who terrorize women and children in Barmak’s film, are themselves for the most part the product of Afghanistan’s war torn history and history of refugee camps. The members of the Taliban are largely the children of refugee camps during the past 20 years of war in that country.4 It is, then, no wonder that these men, having grown up in the horrors of the refugee camps, so aptly depicted in Barmak’s film, turned into monsters who turned to fundamentalism, just as their own lives had been extremes, and inflicted upon the people around them such pain and misery. This is an emotionally and politically charged film with themes that converge on a single issue of human rights versus the theocratic Islamic state. Very early in the film the theme of gender is introduced to the audience. Gender, male and female, is a dominant theme of the picture, as are family, the philosophy of faith and war, and especially the psychological impact of faith and war on the individual. Each of these themes are so important to the film that

Impact Of Educational Systems On The Creativity Development Essay

Impact Of Educational Systems On The Creativity Development - Essay Example In addition, the reforms are also aimed at ensuring that students are taught in an environment that could promote their talents and creativity and not just be focusing on grades. Kaila (2005) argues that while education systems have been in existence for many years, most of them have been grade-centric with little focus on nurturing the learners’ innovativeness and creativity. Nevertheless, Mantel (2005) reports on new legislation in the education systems that address these needs. Particularly, the No Child Left Behind Act has been seen as being quite instrumental in ensuring that teachers work towards raising the performance of all students. While the legislation is arguably a great move towards raising the quality of education, several critiques observe the legislation’s focus on standardized testing cannot effectively tackle the problems affecting the American education system. It is hoped that there will be more educational reforms that will, among other things, lay emphasis on identifying and supporting unique talents among students. Such a move will create a favorable environment for identifying new talent and creativity among students and will, consequently, help in building holistic students (Geist & Hohn, 2009). The tremendous increase in the world population has led to more problems and demand for more services. In order to provide solutions to these inherent problems, Grazer (2013) observes that there is a need for creative and innovative solutions. The high competition in the workplace also demands creative employees with the ability to tailor their offerings in accordance with the needs of the customers. The challenges facing the society also need creative and innovative solutions. As a result, there is a great demand for creative individuals in almost all spheres of life, hence the need for education systems to focus on churning out holistic students.

The Amish Way of Life and Culture Research Paper

The Amish Way of Life and Culture - Research Paper Example The first is the pity on a person who would not take advantage of technological advancements to ease the burden of his life and will lack the distinctiveness of individuality and modernization to decide his own way towards progress. The other view is the honesty, integrity and qualities of the saint hood in the Amish culture and traditions that portray them as the only true Christians remained on earth. The stagnant nature of Amish society has turned it into a tourist attraction but by no means neither are an archaeological discovery nor are the relics of a forgotten world. The only thing is that they have evolved their own perspective about the modernization of the other large cultures and have learned their own way to life in homogeneity with the larger society. They exhibit a deviating strategy of modernization than others (Kraybill, 2001). So called civilized ways have as always been in disagreement with Amish ways of life and culture as decades ago. The argument that Amish impos e greater fatigue and stress on themselves and their generations by denying use of modern technology to ease life or that they really want a more simple life needs validation. Survival, increase in life expectancy and transformation of tribes into rural and urban societies has been taught by the developments in the civilizations. However, Amish ways have taught us the cost of human life, when children leave their parents to old homage, people estrange from neighbors and spiritual and traditional life is cast away in paced forward life style (Hostetler, 1993). The purpose of this report is to communicate the Amish way of life and culture to equip reader with the comprehensive knowledge and place him in a position where he can develop an understanding of diversity in human cultures. The reports focuses on the formulation of Amish believes, development of communal life, ability to avoid rapid modernization, and consequences of a slow changing society. The Amish History Hostetler (1993) is of the view that most of the followers of the European history are well aware of religious movement Protestant Reformations in 16th century led by Martin Luther with aim to counter the imprudent and lavish expenses of the church. However, in the same time another significant movement was in place to reform the church based on religious teachings of Christianity in around 1525 originated at Zurich led by Ulrich Zwingli. This group was formally named as Brethren, also known as Anabaptists meaning rebaptizers. The major principle of this group was to baptized volunteer adults rather than children and distance from the worldly desires. The aim of Brethren was to form a church free from any state and political influences. Soon after its formation, the movement grew rapidly and its members were persecuted both by Roman church and by the faction of Martin Luther, who felt threatened by their ideology and radicalism. The consequences of these persecutions were prayers at night and meeti ngs at secret places. This is often viewed as a strong reason of their withdrawal from society. In the beginning there were indeed no influential leaders, thus the movement remained divided among different factions each with their own agenda and path to achieve it. One of the most renowned Anabaptist leaders was Menno Simons, who joined the movement in 1536. He made many efforts to unite all the factions of the Anabaptist movement under one umbrella. His followers are now known as Mennonites (Hostetler,

Fundamental framework of engaging in marketing communication Essay

Fundamental framework of engaging in marketing communication - Essay Example The paper tells that marketing communications entails all the messages as well as related media utilised in communicating with a market. It consists of promotion aspect in the marketing mix of four Ps: place, price, product, and promotion. Marketing communication is the art and science of communicating information, which an organisation wishes to divulge towards the public. Such information could be associated to a product’s marketing, talk concerning the launch of a new commodity, or even the community initiatives that the company assumes. Marketing communications aid in defining the relationship of a firm with its customers. Marketing communication, as an organisational unit, emphasises the strategic significance of such communication as well as its lasting impact upon consumers. The models of communication can assume a predictive guide though recognition of the unpredictability and autonomy of the consumers is the most important outcome. It is essential for effectiveness in the use of the various resources allocated to the tools of marketing communication. For achievement of this, a comprehensive understanding of the process of strategic planning of marketing communications is necessary. The most relevant issues entail the marketing communication tools’ role in influencing the choices of brands and how such brands could be effectively used in delivery of promotional messages. It is also relevant to understand how firms can identity the most effective media strategy to enhance maximisation of the population of the reached target audience and also boost the potential of processing and acting upon such communication messages.... JD retail shop has been supplying the United Kingdom with the greatest as well as the latest branded street style sourced from the leading brands around for more than thirty years. It has thousands of official stocks and JD exclusives from the top brands such as Adidas originals, Fila, Nike, Converse, McKenzie, Fred Perry, Lacoste, Carbrini, Reebok, Duffer of St. George, Goi Goi JD, and Timberland at all times. JD is famously known as â€Å"King of Trainers† and thus strives to supply the best brands in terms of footwear. It has the latest and best trainers for all people ranging from men to women and to kids (JD 2012). Critical Evaluation of Marketing Communications’ Role Effective plans of communication add value to firms as well as regularly make the variation between programs’ success or/and failure (Laric & Lynagh 2010). It is imperative to note that communication is the process of exchanging information between people via a general system of signs, behaviou r, and symbol. An effective communication plan aids in overcoming the obstacles in the market by creating a common language as well as framing the message (Kotler & Armstrong 2009). Such plans help in the organisation of key message hierarchy as well as pinpointing different specifics concerning the audience or target market in terms of delivery and timing (Fill 1999). Marketing consists of the strategising and implementing process of the different ideology, promotion, pricing, as well as distribution of a commodity or service as well as ideas to ensure that the needs, objectives, and wants of the customers and the enterprise from which the specific idea, product, or service comes from are well