Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 15

Case Study Example First, the target to achieve higher scores in already flooded market by using the slogan ‘I will’. Creation of better products with continued innovation that accommodate variety of people enables the brand to stand out. Use of media and retail presentation also account for part of marketing strategy. Main distribution channels for the company have been through regional and national sporting whole sales, special stores, chain stores and institutions. Additionally, sales directly to customers also take place through factory stores in Asia and North America. Third parties produce fine fabrication for company and this production undergoes through collaborative check. Thus, the company ensures usage of only high quality fabrication in manufacturing of their products. Most of the products the company uses are advance technologically through the third parties or on short term to limited sources, which get them from limited suppliers. The third parties provide the company with technologically advanced fabrication used in production. These supplies take place through short term only from limited suppliers. Manufacturing of the products takes place through unaffiliated 14 companies in 65% of the products.Locations of the manufacturing companies are in Philippines, China, Malaysia, Jordan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia Nicaragua and Mexico. Management of the company inventory is through consideration of various factors, which include current orders, sales expectations and delivery requirement by the customers. By December 31 2013, the company had 117 factory houses and 6 brand stores in North America. Meeting customers’ demands form the basic strategy in inventory management that is a continuous process. System in inventory management enables the company to forecast and planning supply process. During the start of the company, funding for its operation came from the owner but growth and expansion of the business

Break Before University Essay Example for Free

Break Before University Essay It goes without saying that people like having the things they don’t have. Students always want to have a break after a long time they were very busy with studying, especially before they come to universities – a new environment with lots of challenging. It’ll be not good for a student to have a year break before going to university because it’s really a waste of time, and they might forget their knowledge. Today, both of adults and children always try to learn hard. Knowledge is unlimited; we never have everything in our mind. We learn bit by bit every day. If one stops working for one day, one eventually loses his knowledge. For one year, people can learn a lot of knowledge and experience, and you’ll be worse than others. Secondly, if you have a break for one year, it will take you more than one year to come back your work. In some case, the inertia is so great that one can’t go back to school.  Last but not least, one might forget your lessons easily when one doesn’t practice. When one comes to a university, one’ll continue learning your program in high school in a different way. One’ll have to learn by himself more than following teachers. It takes a lot of times to learn this new habit. Taking a long break seems like a cool idea, but I will not jeopardize my college education. A student will have to coup with many problems after such a break. One should consult his teachers and his parents before making that decision.

Importance of Life Revealed in Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the

Importance of Life Revealed in Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front       Erich Maria Remarque's classic war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, deals with the many ways in which World War I affected people's lives, both the lives of soldiers on the front lines and the lives of people on the homefront. One of the most profound effects the war had was the way it made the soldiers see human life. Constant killing and death became a part of a soldier's daily life, and soldiers fighting on all sides of the war became accustomed to it. The atrocities and frequent deaths that the soldiers dealt with desensitized them to the reality of the vast quantities of people dying daily. The title character of the novel, Paul Bà ¤umer, and his friends experience the devaluation of human life firsthand, and from these experiences they become stronger and learn to live as if every day were their last.    The killing and death of WW I depicted in the novel desensitizes Bà ¤umer to the reality that death is now a regular and driving force in his life, and that each human life is no longer sacred and precious. Bà ¤umer feels great emotion and sadness when one of his childhood friends, Kemmerich, dies early in the war. Bà ¤umer expresses his emotional despair after Kemmerich's death, stating, "I become faint, all at once I cannot do any more. I won't revile any more, it is senseless, I could drop down and never rise up again" (Remarque 32). Because this is one of the first deaths that Bà ¤umer witnesses personally and because Bà ¤umer and Kemmerich were childhood friends, the emotional impact is even greater. However, not all the deaths of his comrades effect him in such a powerful manner. The fighting gets to a point at which Bà ¤umer... ... him. Death, which he once agonized over, is now a daily occurrence and seems commonplace to him. Life, which he once took for granted, is now cherished beyond belief, and holding on to it becomes his greatest preoccupation. These effects are not limited only to Paul Bà ¤umer, but extend to all the millions of people that are involved, directly or indirectly, in the war. WW I has far-reaching impact. It not only touches those in combat on the front lines, but also those who support the soldiers and help to make munitions and supplies on the homefront. Bà ¤umer, and the millions of other people involved in WW I, learn the difficult lesson that the most trying experiences in life, or in this case death, are what make us the strongest and what drive us to survive. Works Cited Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Balantine Books, 1928.

A Swot Analysis of Starbucks

Introduction Starbucks is a famous coffeehouse. Until the mid-1980s it was only a provider of coffee to fine restaurants. Thereafter Howard Schultz, director of retail operations and marketing, was impressed of the popularity of coffee in Milan while he was in Europe . His idea was born. He wanted to bring the coffee bar culture to the Americans. So Starbucks started to realise his idea and so created a new trend. The clue is not only to sell coffee, but to sell an experience. Today Starbucks has got about 20 million customers each week in about 5500 coffeehouses all over the world . While haunting to increase sales more and more, Starbucks has got a special growth strategy. They open a lot of stores in a very short period of time, expanding numerous food offerings and also getting into new segments, for example supermarkets. They develop new products like bottled coffee or Starbucks-flavoured ice cream. In addition to that, Starbucks tests new coffeehouse concepts, for example with live music. Since a few years, Starbucks opens more and more stores outside America. The important question is, if Starbucks’ growth rate will continue within next years because on the one hand critics say that Starbucks grows too fast and is loosing the focus while on the other hand some critics compare Starbucks’ coffee with Mc Donald’s? hamburger and believe that they will grow up more and more as the dominant player on this market . With the help of the SWOT analysis and the BCG matrix the situation of Starbucks can be analyzed after finding out, why people pay more money for a coffee, than in other coffeehouses. What has suddenly made people across the world willing to pay three to four times more for a cup of coffee than they used to? Starbucks has created a new trend. They do not just sell coffee, they sell an experience. To drink coffee at Starbucks is different from drinking coffee in another coffeehouse according to a Starbucks executive who said, that â€Å"Starbucks is not in the business of filling bellies but in the business of filling souls† . They recognised that they were getting into a new niche, which did not exist before. While having great success, Starbucks grows rapidly to have an advantage according to a bunch of competitors who also entered this new niche. With the high-quality coffee, Starbucks creates besides a new brand a new lifestyle which is known all over the world. Furthermore, they offer a lot of different flavours which differs from other coffeehouses. But coffee is not the only reason why people are willing to pay a lot more there than in other coffeehouses. The mission statement declares that the employees’ job is not only to sell coffee. They should enthusiastically satisfy every customer to give him the special feeling and experience at Starbucks . All in all Starbucks recognised a new niche and satisfied the customers with their special flavoured and high quality coffee. To get an idea of Starbucks’ success, it is necessary to take a close look at the company by using the SWOT analysis and the BCG matrix. A SWOT analysis of Starbucks Strengths The company has a strong presence in the United States of America and a good reputation for creativity and coffee. Starbucks has started a real trend and many people enjoy drinking a Starbucks coffee. However, it is not just coffee but rather an experience Starbucks sells. Starbucks operates in more than 5,500 stores worldwide. This presence provides a wide and strong customer base. It is a global brand and is widely known. Starbucks built up a reputation for fine products and the name is a common brand label and this gives Starbucks a competitive advantage because people connect coffee with Starbucks. Every week more than 20 million customers visit Starbucks to get a coffee once or twice a day. In the last years the company could tripled their earnings. Another strength is that Starbucks has a strategy they follow. These strong principles include that Starbucks looks after their employees and threat each of them with respect. They create a nice and friendly environment that they also reflect outwards. Starbucks offers different flavours through its position as a disciplined innovator and introduces diverse products. They also pay attention to the high standards and want to offer the best quality. Starbucks decided to push into supermarkets because the majority of people bought their coffee in stores before. Therefore Starbucks came to the conclusion to make a deal with the Kraft company. This deal combines Starbucks experience in producing premium coffee with Kraft’s knowledge of marketing, selling and distributing. That was a good step for Starbucks to reach a new channel and to get the entry to 25,000 supermarkets. It makes sense that the company wants to reach the people at home and to include more people into the Starbucks lifestyle. Beyond stores, Starbucks sells its beans to hotels, several airlines and airports. Starbucks sells gourmet coffee, beans as well as gifts and related goods. (Starbucks also signed a deal to operate coffee shops within Waterstones bookshop superstores. Also the homepage of Starbucks has become successful and a ‘lifestyle portal’, where the company sells a variety of products like tea, coffee making equipment, compact discs and collectibles to satisfy their customers needs with different products. Weaknesses One of Starbucks` weakness is that their primary product is just coffee. They are therefore dependent on this main product line. Starbucks is however testing to launch food offerings like sandwiches and chips in combination with coffee. Its goal is not only to expand more and more in its offerings but also to reach further target groups . A problem is that Starbucks has a slow ability to diversify into other sectors which could be fatal because the company believes in being successful not only because it is selling coffee but rather it is selling an experience . This makes them different from other competitors who might only sell coffee. â€Å"Coffee Lifestyle† may vary from time to time due to the fact that the global coffee market is a very competitive sector . Another weakness are high prices of its products. People pay up to $3. 15 for a caffe latte. One supposes that people buy this product only because they think that it is a premium product . But it is especially the brand name which tempts customers to buy the product without taking the high prices into consideration. As already mentioned before, the customer is not only buying the product, he is buying it with an experience. Another weakness of Starbucks is that they are simply relying on the philosophy that coffee is just an experience. There exists no doubt a good marketing strategy but it is questionable if this is helpful to maintain over time on the market with the strategy of only focusing on one product. â€Å"We are not in business of filling bellies; we’re in the business of filling souls† says one Starbucks executive. That shows another very good and appealing philosophy of Starbucks. This makes the product and its uniqueness but it is only a question of time when people are saturated of this experience. You have to point out that Starbucks itself tries hard to achieve this effect by the people through a competent public relationship. Opportunities Starbucks has a widespread presence and practices in about 1. 415 stores and just last year they build up 400 new stores. The company has seen opportunities to open further stores all over the world due to the heavy demand and space to expand. For example Indiana in the US has only one Starbucks. Furthermore, Starbucks has the opportunity to expand its global operations. The company is now expanding rapidly and in 2003 the number of stores has increased in 24 international markets compared to 1996 when they had only 11 stores outside the United States. Starbucks also tests new food which represents that food might be the next step they want to go. With this the company would have the chance to offer food that could be successful as its coffee. They test everything from doughnuts to Greek pasta salads. Starbucks also teamed up with PepsiCo to adopt the brand on Frappuccino drinks and a newDoubleShot expresso drink. Beyond this Starbucks ice cream is nowadays a leading brand of coffee ice cream after Starbucks established a joint venture with Breyer’s. In addition, Starbucks invested in Cafe Starbucks, a European-style family bistro, where the costumer has a wide choice from huckleberry-pancakes too oven-roasted seared sirloin. Alongside, Starbucks is testing Circadia, a new food venture, where the customers have Internet access and listen to live music. Starbucks has always been able to offer new coffee experiences as well as creating new products or opening new kinds of stores. Threats One of the biggest threats of Starbucks is its grand expansion all over the world. When launching a new product numerous customers are visiting the company’s stores world wide each week. It is especially Starbucks growth strategy which stands for a threat for the company. Starbucks especially concentrates on store growth. Almost 85 per cent of sales are generated through its stores. Although they have great success, Starbucks always finds new places for further expansion on the local as well as on the national market with being aware of the fact that the local as well as the national market may be saturated of its product. The creation of new retail channels also shows that Starbucks is not concerned about peoples` rejection or about failing to be successful. Apart from their strong presence in kiosks, several airlines, hotels and the co-operation with Waterstones’ bookshop superstores, Starbucks enters 25,000 supermarkets to sell their products next to their strong competitors like Nestle and Kraft. They also offer coffee, tea and its equipment on its website to be internationally present for a wider target group. To intensify its presence they are not deterred by joining with other companies to have its logo to be seen everywhere. Several ideas should achieve various people. They are full of ideas only of the fact of not wanting to stop their expansion. However, the international growth is remarkable. While having only 11 coffee-houses in 1996 outside North-America, they now launch their products into 24 international markets. The great success of Starbucks has also brought negative consequences for the company because many competitors try to imitate them. These are companies like Caribou Coffee, Costa Coffee, and Coffee Republic. However, it is very hard to maintain on the global coffee market which is a very competitive sector. These days one speaks about an increasingly over caffeinated marketplace. So Starbucks must compete against the offers of restaurants, coffee shops and street carts. A major competitor with substantially greater financial, marketing and operating resources than Starbucks could enter the market at any time and compete directly against the company. Starbucks must be aware of competition on all levels and maintain its operational performance if it is to retain status as the world’s leading specialty coffee retailer. Finally you could say that Starbucks is more concerned about the fact that there are still plenty of local places as well as internationally places which is not taken over by them. Instead of being worried about the fact that their rapid expansion could also lead to a rapid decrease and failure in several markets. The whole marketing strategy of Starbucks may cause to a loss of the main focus through stretching its resources by further expansion. Main focus should be first put on the product itself and not on international expansion in this way. Why not ensure the popularity of the product itself than making it something normal due to the fact that it is present almost everywhere. It can be seen undoubtedly that Starbucks has the potential for development in many different ways but it has to have its growth under control. This may be a challenge for Starbucks. BCG Matrix The BCG matrix is an instrument, developed in the early 1970? s by the Boston Consulting Group to analyze the product portfolio of a company or a business unit. The matrix is based on the product life circle. The matrix is mainly used in the strategic marketing sector. The matrix shows in a coordinate plan the positions of different strategic business units. The interesting categories are on the one side the business growth rate on the y-axis and the market share on the x-axis. The method brings cognitions in three relevant areas: ?Analysis of the strategic position of a company. ?Determine the capital in the several business units with a view on the whole company and therefore the cash flow in the company. ?Every quadrant responds to a norm strategy which could be used as a guideline to verbalize strategic activities in the company . It is also necessary to look after the whole portfolio especially on the statistical financial compensation. The products in the portfolio should be based upon on another and finance one another. To create a long-term value a company should have a portfolio of products that includes fast growing products which need a high input of money and slowly growing products which are creating a high amount of cash. The BCG matrix has two dimensions: relative market share and market growth rate. The idea behind this matrix is: if a product has a high market share or the market of the product is growing fast than it is an advantage for the company. Analysis of Starbucks using the BCG Matrix Cash cows: Benefits from the generation of cash should be high. Because of the low-growth rate capital expenditures which are necessary should be hold low. Often cash cows are the stars of yesterday and build the base of a company . One of Starbucks’ cash cows is their coffee ice cream. This is a relatively risk free investment that doesn’t absorb great amounts of cash. Through the partnership with Breyers, Starbucks doesn’t need to spend money on the production process. With Breyer? experience and the Starbucks name the ice cream was sure to succeed on the market. With it now being one of the market leaders on the coffee ice cream market, Starbucks can â€Å"milk† it and benefit from the sales, knowing that there is not a high cost factor. Another, but quite small cash cow is their bottled Frappuccino drink. Once again Starbucks took on a similar strategy by working with an already established beverage manufactur er. The investments are once again a lot lower than their sales, giving them a high profit margin. Stars: Stars use a high amount of cash. These are leader in the business and hence they should create a high amount of cash. Stars are often in balance with the net cash-flow. The company should do their best to hold the market share on stars because stars will become cash-cows if the market-share is held by the company . Starbucks’ biggest star is the coffee sold and consumed in their coffee shops (stores). With an incredible 85% of sales coming from their stores it is their biggest source of cash intake . Although competitors offering similar products have emerged, the market growth still looks promising. Some states like Alabama and Mississippi don’t have any Starbucks stores meaning that there is still a large market to expand onto. The people living in these states have not been able to enjoy a cup of Starbucks coffee. The revenues from their coffee sales should therefore be used to invest in new stores making it possible to sell their coffee. Another one of their stars is the packaged coffee sold in supermarkets. With the help of Kraft Starbucks has gained quick access to the packaged coffee market. Thus they have been able to quickly increase their market share on a rapidly growing market . Unlike their other joint ventures with PepsiCo and Breyers, Starbucks has done more than just put their name on the product. As they are still roasting and packaging their own coffee they need to invest a lot to further establish their position on the market. Dogs: Dogs are discontinued models of the company. A company should minimize, better avoid the number of dogs. Dogs have to make cash, otherwise they are divested . Starbucks? dog is the sandwiches sold in their stores. Although they experiment with different foods in their stores, they do not make a lot of profit from food sales. Furthermore it can be said that the sandwich market is not growing and Starbucks do not have a high market share. However, this SBU should not be divested immediately as it may help them to draw in further customers who know that they will be able to grab a sandwich to go with their coffee. Question marks: Question marks are the newcomer of the products. The have a high growth-potential. They have the worst cash features of all, because they have a high demand of cash but perform low outcomes because of their low market-share. If the market-share is unchanged are question marks using a high amount of cash. The management has to decide to invest in the product or to give it up. Starbuck’s further attempts to boost their growth such as selling coffee to airlines and hotels can be classified as question marks. At the moment the demand for premium coffee to be sold in airports and hotels might be high, but so far only Marriott, Sheraton and Westin have deals with Starbucks meaning that there are a lot of hotels not selling their coffee . If they want to expand on this market they will need to invest a lot of money into new deals with other hotels. It will take time before they can increase their market share and make a profit. Cafe Starbucks and Circadia, two new store concepts are also question marks. At the moment they are only experimenting to see how customers will react to a different kind of Starbucks experience. Setting up a chain of these new concepts will require a lot of money and time before they can establish themselves on the market. If they succeed in competing with other cafes of a similar style this SBU could be another profitable SBU in the future After positioning Starbucks? products on the BCG matrix it can be said that they have a stable source of revenue. With the majority of their sales coming from the coffee sold in their stores and two profitable, if on a smaller scale, joint ventures they have enough money to invest in other new products or stores to ensure that they will be as successful in the future. Besides investing this money in new stores enabling them to serve an even larger market, it can be invested in their coffee sold in supermarkets. Rapid growth of the premium coffee segment indicates that it won’t be long before a number of competitors force their way onto the market. Investing into this SBU will enable it to develop into a cash cow in the future. Regarding the sandwiches sold in their stores they need to reconsider if this is something they should continue to invest in the future. The prospects for the future look promising as they have two strong stars and other smaller products that can carry the company in the future. Looking at Starbucks as a whole it can be seen as a star. Although there are a number of â€Å"copycats† trying to move in on their market share, there is still the potential for the company to grow. Up until now not all states have their own Starbucks store, an indication that the market is still growing. Although they have tripled their sales and profits over the last 5 years, they need this money to invest in new stores in states such as Alabama and Mississippi and their new store concepts such as Cafe Starbucks . If they are able to expand successfully and the market ceases to grow they will eventually turn into a cash cow.

Involved in finance Essay

A. I’ve always wanted to learn about accounting and all the ins-and-outs involved in finance. My goal was always to be the as best in accountancy as I could be. The only setback to this is the fact that to learn all of the needed knowledge, it would entail my going to a university, spending on tuition and giving up four years of my life to a classroom, rather than be in the practical environment. This is the point where my Boss comes in. He was the answer to my dilemma and the gift to my career that set me forth in learning. B. My Boss is an intelligent and learned man with a doctorate in accounting. He was a man who mastered many skills in his field and had the passion to share his knowledge with all who wished to learn. It is because of his patience and diligence in teaching me that he granted me with the knowledge I needed in accounting. He gave me all I needed in four months of instruction, something that would have required me four years to learn in college. II. My Boss and his relationship with me A. I would say that my Boss, apart from being my superior, was someone I became comfortable with and was like a father to me. He gave me his time like and good father would do to his child. He would stay with me and teach me, and I could see pride in his eyes when he saw me learning. It was as if I was a little bird in a nest and he was the father that was teaching me to fly. Indeed, it was as if he was looking at me as his son, and I to him as my father. He knew I was beginning a journey that he had well surpassed long ago. Now, he was seeing to it that I walked the right path and had the right knowledge to go on my way. I can’t describe enough how good he was to me and how far he went to give me all that I needed to be better. B. Another good thing, or should I say ‘great’ thing, about my boss is that apart from the role of a father, he was also my friend. He was someone that I could talk to and that I knew would listen to me. It is true that he was like a father and he would look on me, instruct me and guide me, as the mentor that he was. However, apart from that, he was someone I could chat with about just everything. He was someone who would be interested in your everyday life and in things you wanted to share. This is believe is one thing that set him apart from everyone else. Others describe bosses as ‘bossy’ and harsh. As for him, he was the opposite. He was a kind man and understanding to all people around him. III. My Boss as the Employer that he was. A. As an employer, due to his good manner and how well he conducted himself to everyone, he was well-loved by everyone. When I interviewed people at his workplace, they said that he was very patient with people and gave you time to learn. His belief is that learning is like an ocean, vast and endless, and it takes a lot of time for a person to keep on garnering more knowledge. Other employees also described him as a very patient man. Even if as a boss, he could have been overbearing, he chose not to be. He was very patient and understood the situations people could be in. He was also very generous and giving, most especially of his time and the information he had to teach. He believed that people must learn from each other, and always pass knowledge on. He believed that mistakes were acceptable and were a necessary part of learning and improvement. IV. My Boss as a Family Man A. As a family man, my boss was just as great as he was in work. If not, he was probably even better, as what he gave to his own family must have been even deeper than to people at work. On speaking to his wife, she mentioned that she was a dream father. One couldn’t ask for more than who he was. He was there for his kids in school. He stood by them when they were sick and took care of them. He listened to them, played with them and was personal with them. B. He was a great husband as well. He had so much love to give everyone, and such devotion and loyalty to his wife. He was always there for her whenever she needed him. C. His family is a success story. Because of the man he was, and the example he brought, his children lived good lives. Two daughters became doctors, one son a lawyer, and one other daughter followed his footsteps into accounting. V. Conclusion Truly, it is not surprising how people reacted to my boss because of the good he brings into the world. He was a man of good heart, open-minded and was there for everyone. He built an empire with love and by helping everyone who needed him. His life anthem could best be summarized by his definition of word T. E. A. M. : â€Å"Together Everyone Achieves More†.

Writing a Nursing Essay

Writing a Nursing Essay Similar to residency essays, a nursing essay is used by nursing school admissions directors to find those students whom theyd like to consider for their program. Thousands of hopefuls apply for nursing school each year, many of whom have similar GPAs and collegiate backgrounds. The essay helps distinguish the individuals from their educational statistics. When writing a nursing school essay (or any personal essay for that matter) it helps to be as candid as possible. Admissions directors want to know as much about their applicants as possible, however, they cant afford to give each and every essay a tremendous amount of time. In other words, dont sugar coat the message. Be unique in your approach, but factual and to-the-point as well. Another thing to remember when writing an essay for nursing is to include points relative to the subject. Offer specific examples as to why you are choosing a career in nursing. The more detailed you can be, the easier it will be for the readers to identify and/or sympathize with your decision. Exercise similar precision when discussing why you are applying to the school in question. Writing a nursing essay is a difficult task that is as much professional as it is personally revealing. For more information about writing admissions essays or if you would like help in writing an essay for a residency program, please dont hesitate to contact me. I would love to use my experience to help you.

Free Essays on M505

Palm m505 The Palm m505 is a new PDA that, unlike many PDA’s, comes with a color screen, a Motorola Dragonball VZ processor, 8MB of memory, a 160x160 pixel color display with over 65,000 colors. This PDA is one of the first in a new breed of color displays. Palm has also incorporated two expansion slots, one for memory, and one for extra peripherals. This is one of the first color PDA’s out on the market. The unit is capable of displaying pictures with great quality. The smaller expansion slot is for multi media expansion cards and secure digital SD expansion cards, which are used for backup purposes. Soon Palm will release a SD card that will hold 256MB. These SD cards are only the size of a postage stamp. Programs like a dictionary and games will be available in the small expansion card form. The large expansion slot at the top of the Palm will be for the Secure Digital Input Out put (SDIO) devices. Some of these devices include a modem, digital camera Global Positioning System, barcode scanner, bluetooth module, and an MP3 player. This unit connects links up with a PC using a HotSync cradle, and also uses an infrared port for data and software sharing. The m505 is leading us into the future of PDA’s. Any store or retailer with a barcode system could easily use this device to help calculate inventory. With the camera attachment an insurance adjuster could quickly take photos necessary for processing a claim. With mobile connection, the pictures and any notes could be instantly uploaded to a server at any location. It could come in handy to businesses that send employees on business trips. With the GPS attachment a person could easily find their way around a new area with little trouble. In the picture below you can see some of the SDIO devices mentioned. The Palm m505 has a reflective screen which makes it easy to view outside in sunlight. It also has a backlit screen for visibility in da... Free Essays on M505 Free Essays on M505 Palm m505 The Palm m505 is a new PDA that, unlike many PDA’s, comes with a color screen, a Motorola Dragonball VZ processor, 8MB of memory, a 160x160 pixel color display with over 65,000 colors. This PDA is one of the first in a new breed of color displays. Palm has also incorporated two expansion slots, one for memory, and one for extra peripherals. This is one of the first color PDA’s out on the market. The unit is capable of displaying pictures with great quality. The smaller expansion slot is for multi media expansion cards and secure digital SD expansion cards, which are used for backup purposes. Soon Palm will release a SD card that will hold 256MB. These SD cards are only the size of a postage stamp. Programs like a dictionary and games will be available in the small expansion card form. The large expansion slot at the top of the Palm will be for the Secure Digital Input Out put (SDIO) devices. Some of these devices include a modem, digital camera Global Positioning System, barcode scanner, bluetooth module, and an MP3 player. This unit connects links up with a PC using a HotSync cradle, and also uses an infrared port for data and software sharing. The m505 is leading us into the future of PDA’s. Any store or retailer with a barcode system could easily use this device to help calculate inventory. With the camera attachment an insurance adjuster could quickly take photos necessary for processing a claim. With mobile connection, the pictures and any notes could be instantly uploaded to a server at any location. It could come in handy to businesses that send employees on business trips. With the GPS attachment a person could easily find their way around a new area with little trouble. In the picture below you can see some of the SDIO devices mentioned. The Palm m505 has a reflective screen which makes it easy to view outside in sunlight. It also has a backlit screen for visibility in da...

10 top places to work in 2018

10 top places to work in 2018 When you’re looking for a job, where you land can be every bit as important as what job you’ll be doing. Knowing what employers are leading your field right now can help you shape your job search and figure out what you want your next step to be. Let’s look at some of the best companies to work this year, in some of the fastest-growing fields: tech, food service, retail, healthcare, and travel. Tech CompaniesIf you’re interested in being right on the innovative edge of things, there’s no place like the tech industry. There are always openings for engineers and IT whizzes, but these are also large companies that have massive infrastructure in place as well- so that means administrative jobs, marketing jobs, sales jobs, and other â€Å"non-techie† jobs as well. They also have offices around the country, so you may not even need to pack up and move to Silicon Valley to get the cutting edge tech job of your dreams.FacebookLike millions of America ns, you’re probably on Facebook. In fact, you may have clicked on this article from Facebook. Facebook is a force of nature in the tech and social media fields, continually shaping how we interact with the world and with each other. And as a company, they came up tops on Glassdoor’s annual survey of the best places to work, primarily for the opportunities it affords employees, plus solid benefits.Sample review: â€Å"Fast paced company with high expectations, but incredibly fair. You won’t a place that cares more about its people.† - Anonymous Facebook employeeGoogleThis is kind of the gold standard of working in the tech world, isn’t it? We’ve all heard the rumors of lavish cafeterias and super-casual offices at Google, but the company just might be worth the hype. In employee surveys, Google tends to get great marks for employee culture and work-life balance, but be warned- a â€Å"challenging† workload is a frequently commented-upo n characteristic of working here, particularly in software engineering roles.Sample review: â€Å"[A] huge diversity of work ranging from defending independent journalism worldwide (Google Project Shield) to crisis response during disasters (see Maps during Hurricane Sandy or Tsunamis), to the best machine learning experts and projects in the world.† - Software Engineer at GoogleHubSpotHubSpot may not be as visible as other companies, but in the tech field it’s well-known for creating sales and marketing software. Employees cite the company’s focus on employee development and well-being, as well as its great employee benefits and perks, as a major reason for its continued success in top company rankings.Sample review: â€Å"There’s a reason HubSpot keeps winning best place to work awards. It really is a great place to be. The company truly cares about the wellbeing of their employees and shows that through great benefits and perks, transparency with empl oyees on the direction of the company, and a strong management team.† - Customer Success Manager at HubSpotFood Service CompaniesFood service is an industry that’s perennially growing, no matter what. But if you’ve ever worked in food service (or heard the horror stories), you know that it’s not always the greatest field to work in. Luckily, there are companies that make food service a solid place to work on your career path or your right-now job.In-N-Out BurgerAsk five of your friends for their opinions on In-N-Out Burger- chances are they have strong ones. The menu inspires cult-like loyalty, but did you know it’s also a pretty good place to work behind the counter as well? As a fast food chain that bucks the stereotypes of, well, fast food chains, In-N-Out gets high marks for flexible scheduling and excellent pay and benefits.Sample review: â€Å"Extremely flexible with scheduling, you work with similar personalities so everyone tends to get alo ng, you move up quickly, you genuinely feel appreciated 9 times out 10, free meal every day that you work, great pay and excellent benefits for a rewarding job!† - Anonymous In-N-Out employeeRetail CompaniesIf you’re in the retail field, you know that the quality of the employee experience can vary pretty widely. That’s why when there are rockstar companies that can make your retail career more fulfilling, it’s good to know where those opportunities are.CostcoWhenever there’s a survey of great companies to work for (no matter what the industry), Costco usually pulls in plenty of praise. The wholesale retail giant offers highly competitive salaries and full benefits like vacation time, sick time, retirement plans, childcare assistance, and tuition reimbursement, among others. Costco is also one of the few large retailers that remain closed on holidays, giving employees paid time off.Sample review: â€Å"Costco takes care of its employees.† - A dministrative Clerk at CostcoLululemonFor a company that pins its public image on health, fitness and well-being, it’s good to hear that Lululemon is a popular place to work as well. Employees cite the company’s focus on employee progress and development as one of the top features of working for this athletic apparel retailer.Sample review: â€Å"Above average pay for retail. Great benefits. Opportunity for great bonuses. Doesn’t feel like working retail.† - Assistant Manager at LululemonHealthcare CompaniesIf you’re looking to pick a hot field right now, healthcare is it. Healthcare jobs consistently rank among the fastest-growing jobs according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it’s such a varied industry that pretty much anyone can find a niche, from working with patients to technology to administration.St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalSt. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric research hospitals, helping children who have cancer and other chronic or life-threatening diseases. It scores high marks among employees for its focus on innovative research, and the teamwork atmosphere it cultivates.Sample review: â€Å"The people here are fantastic and welcoming! It feels more like a family career than just a job. The researchers and facilities are top notch, and everything is collaborative.† - Associate Scientist at St. Jude’sTexas Health ResourcesIf you’re a Texan or thinking about relocating to one of its bustling metro areas, and you’re seeking a new job in the health industry, consider Texas Health Resources. This faith-based, nonprofit health system consistently ranks in Glassdoor’s top 50 places to work, primarily due to its generous benefits and collaborative atmosphere for allied health professionals.Sample review: â€Å"Good patient-nurse ratios, great benefits, tuition reimbursement, overall positi ve work environment, diverse staff and patient population, good communication.† - Registered Nurse at Texas Health ResourcesTravel and Hospitality CompaniesAlthough some segments of the travel and tourism industry have been slowing down, air travel-related jobs have been rebounding. But not all airlines are created the same, and the ones that rank high in employee satisfaction are leading the industry.DeltaWhether on planes or working behind the scenes at the airport, Delta employees receive a strong benefits package and participate in a profit-sharing program that encourages good performance all around.Sample review: â€Å"Delta as an airline is top-notch, as all rankings indicate, increasing job security and profit sharing. Safety is a top-tier focus in all facets of the company. Employees have a vested interest in improving reliability and performance of the airline, so teamwork among all departments is standard.† - Department Manager at DeltaSouthwestâ€Å"Companie s that care† may sound like a clichà ©, but according to many Southwest Airlines employees, it’s true for their own company. The low-cost airline provides comprehensive benefits, and focuses on employee development and well-being. Plus, employees get travel perks.Sample review: â€Å"Company with a heart, great working environment, fun teams, fast paced work, leaders who care about employee development, excellent benefits, and an all around enjoyment to go to work each day for the company!† - Business Operations Analyst at Southwest AirlinesNo matter what industry you’re considering (or already working in), the ultimate goal is to find a workplace that checks off a number of boxes: career development, job satisfaction, decent compensation, and a positive environment, among other qualities. If you’re interested in overall employee satisfaction and positive career opportunities, you might want to follow the advice of people who’ve been there a nd check out one of these companies for your own career goals.

Global consumer culture is a beguiling illusion and a gangerous Essay

Global consumer culture is a beguiling illusion and a gangerous fiction for the marketing manager - Essay Example The Association of Qualitative Research has defined consumer culture as: â€Å"Consumer culture suggests that consumption - the act of buying goods or services - is a cultural activity, one imbued with meaning and driven not just by practical or economic factors. Mapping and exploring the business implications of these cultural meanings is one of the principal functions of qualitative market research.† By reviewing the above definition we can conclude that cultural values directly influence the consumption patterns of buyers. Therefore, in order to create a global consumer culture it is essential to carry out an in-depth investigation and research of the local traditions, customs, language, heritage, norms, values and ethics of target foreign market in order to maximize the opportunities of success and minimize the risks of failure. In this way, the process of globalization will meet the standards of localization. GLOBAL CONSUMER CULTURE: Since late 20th century the world has become a global village. Due to faster means of communication, rapid advancement in technology, easy means of transportation and increased international business transactions; the barriers between cultural and regional boundaries are almost eliminated. Over the years the religious and cultural tolerance among various societies has increased dramatically and people no longer resist living in metropolitan cities where people from different countries, cultures, societies and political backgrounds live together. ... Due to faster means of communication, rapid advancement in technology, easy means of transportation and increased international business transactions; the barriers between cultural and regional boundaries are almost eliminated. Over the years the religious and cultural tolerance among various societies has increased dramatically and people no longer resist living in metropolitan cities where people from different countries, ethnicity, cultures, religions, societies and political backgrounds live together to form one large society which has colors of many sub-cultures. However, on one hand the idea of global village has played an important role to remove the differences among various segments of society and to provide equal opportunities to everyone irrespective of cast, color, creed, sex or background. But on the other hand, the concept of universal culture is very dangerous as it completely ignores the concept of â€Å"nationalism† and the religious and cultural values the sh apes up the national identity of the people in different countries. Therefore, marketers need to weigh the pros and cons of entering the foreign market and the barriers to their success. D. ADVANTAGES OF GLOBAL CONSUMER CULTURE: According to Scott Gay, (2006) â€Å"a global consumer is the product of cultural convergence spearheaded by industrialized nations† because the customer choices are becoming alike due to the phenomenon of global village. Globalization offers many advantages to the manufacturers who have potential to market their products on international scale and give their brands a global presence. However, every product can’t have global impact. For instance; a farmer in Asia can produce wide range of products by full capacity

Obligation in Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Obligation in Law - Case Study Example Jack - he was watching the news at home when a live feed of the accident came on TV and realised that his wife and daughter were among the spectators. He was a nervous wreck for several weeks although he had learned earlier that his wife and daughter left the airfield 30 minutes before the accident. The claims by the five individuals when consolidated into one imposes on the plane manufacturer an obligation in law arising ex delicto, or from the tortuous acts of negligence and recklessness (Classic Encyclopaedia, online; 'Lectric Law Library, 2001). Negligence is in fact one of the five major offenses punishable under the tort law, the other four being trespass on land, trespass against goods, trespass against person, and defamation (Street, 1999). This suggests that the plane manufacturer as respondent or defendant in the five tort cases has civil liability to compensate the claimants for the alleged damages they sustained from the crash in the form of "nervous shock." However, a careful reading of the law, specifically the assigning of civil liability and the circumstances that warrant the awarding of damages thereto, makes that proposition doubtful. Obligation is defined as an act or course of... Negligence is in fact one of the five major offenses punishable under the tort law, the other four being trespass on land, trespass against goods, trespass against person, and defamation (Street, 1999). This suggests that the plane manufacturer as respondent or defendant in the five tort cases has civil liability to compensate the claimants for the alleged damages they sustained from the crash in the form of "nervous shock." However, a careful reading of the law, specifically the assigning of civil liability and the circumstances that warrant the awarding of damages thereto, makes that proposition doubtful. Obligation Obligation is defined as an act or course of action required of a person by law or by virtue of his position, religion or the prevailing custom (Currie & Cameron, 2000). In this case, it is the law that supposedly obliges the plane manufacturer to compensate the five claimants for nervous shock, which amounts to damages difficult to quantify. The inherent difficulty of quantifying nervous shock is the first hurdle that the claimants need to overcome to prove their case against the respondent. As noted by Cabresi & Hirschoff (1972), such emotional pain and suffering, which leads to loss of enjoyment of life, is not easily quantifiable and depends on the individual circumstances of the claimants. Looking into these individual circumstances, it seems hard to believe that Jack was in shock for a prolonged period since he was not on the scene at all and he immediately learned that the family members he was worried about left the air show 30 minutes before the accident. The same question c an be asked of John who lives quite a distance from the airfield, of

Program Budget Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Program Budget - Coursework Example The mission of the waste recycling unit is to be the leader in reducing the amount of waste that is disposed of in our landfill and other waste disposal facilities and to ensure that the environmental effects of waste disposal, treatment and storage are minimized. The mission of the waste treatment unit is to treat hazardous industrial and chemical waste in a way that is not harmful to the environment and in accordance with regulations. The waste treatment unit also seeks to ensure that employees are properly trained and compensated to carry out their functions efficiently and effectively. The mission of the waste disposal unit is to be a leader in ensuring the safe disposal of solid and liquid industrial and domestic waste in such a way that the all environmental laws and regulations are adhered to. The budget for the three service units is presented in a tabular format below in the Appendix. It shows the amount spent on employing people to carry out the duties mentioned. The budget shows that of the total projected expenditure of $1,922,000 budgeted, 23.52% will be spent on waste recycling service, 29.04% on waste treatment service and 47.44% on waste disposal service. In order to ensure quality service it is important to have measures for assessing performance. In assessing performance measures for each service, it is necessary to consideration the achievement of their goals. Therefore, the measures will be based on measurable goals and objectives. Performance measures for each department are as follows. The measurable goals of the recycling unit are to realize a profit margin of 40% and to increase revenue by 20% per year. These measures will determine if the service unit has achieved its measurable goals. Repeat customers can also be used to determine service quality as well as prompt request for service. The achievement of the units vision of reducing GHG’s from recyclable waste is possible. The measurable goals of the waste

CS Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CS Analysis - Essay Example To date, Channel 4 is increasingly challenged to come up with even more effective decision making strategies directed towards effective branding, cross media development, on-going operational matters, diversification as well as channel strategy. However, Channel 4 is favored by high level of investment in the making go programs and it is characterized by high diversification levels. British television is characterized by multiple forces, goals and programming approaches and is keener in absorption rather than redirection as a response to new and ever increasing market demands (Catterall 15). Channel 4 caters for specialist and minority groups totaling to approximately 10% to 20% of British viewers. Stiff competition has been the major factor that has pushed changes in the British television industry since the early 1980's, due to a multi-channeled system. Competition has had a major impact on the direction of Channel 4 in key performance areas.

Nitendo case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nitendo case - Essay Example Barrier to entry is observed due to the requirement of a large user base. ii) Demand and Supply Analysis: The lower the price, the higher is the demand. The achievement of profit maximization point prevails in the suppliers’ minds. iii) Economies of Scale: Difficult to reap advantages from economies of scale due to low selling price of consoles and sophisticated technology. iv) Core Competencies: Modernized console and controller design, marketing and attractive game designs lifted up Nintendo. Nintendo is a participant of oligopoly market and along with few strong competitors like Sony and Microsoft it occupies around 96% of the market. Its three focal competencies: excellent marketing skills, modernized consoles and dynamic game designs, provide it with perennial demand by its consumers thereby, placing it much ahead of its competitors in the market. Nintendo’s expertise in attractive consoles, controller designs, handhelds and games are its tools which are precious to the consumer and can neither be imitated nor substituted. On July 7, 2006, Nintendo opened a South Korean subsidiary in Seoul (â€Å"Nintendo†, 2006). Nintendo’s performance has been appropriately measured by depicting the Net Income and Revenue, the Stock Value, the Net Profit Margin and the Earning per Share. The behavior of the consumer and the industry, the market structure, the extent of competition along with the core competencies like innovativeness, marketing and attractive game designs provide ample scope for evaluating Nintendo’s performance. Financial difficulties need to be overcome. Market to a lifetime consumer should be the target. For Mario game, aim should be to capture consumers of 28 years of age by redesigning it. The Nintendo Revolution is ideal at the moment. Price of the new console should be $ 200 which is much lower than others. This low cost will reap benefits of market domination thereby

CS Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CS Analysis - Essay Example To date, Channel 4 is increasingly challenged to come up with even more effective decision making strategies directed towards effective branding, cross media development, on-going operational matters, diversification as well as channel strategy. However, Channel 4 is favored by high level of investment in the making go programs and it is characterized by high diversification levels. British television is characterized by multiple forces, goals and programming approaches and is keener in absorption rather than redirection as a response to new and ever increasing market demands (Catterall 15). Channel 4 caters for specialist and minority groups totaling to approximately 10% to 20% of British viewers. Stiff competition has been the major factor that has pushed changes in the British television industry since the early 1980's, due to a multi-channeled system. Competition has had a major impact on the direction of Channel 4 in key performance areas.

Nutrition project 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nutrition project 3 - Essay Example Likewise, it is assessed that the cost incurred by my family members to feed me is around 49 BHD. It has been estimated that a newly independent individual can earn around 240 BHD on a monthly basis. This means that weekly I can earn 60 BHD out of which 37 BHD might be allocated for food expenses. Therefore, the total cost estimated to be incurred by me on food items is 37 BHD. However, the current weekly food cost is based on different range of products, which is assessed to be around 32.84 BHD signifying that 4.16 BHD can be actually saved after purchasing weekly food items. The saved amount i.e. 4.16 BHD might be used for other different purposes that include purchasing apparels or other products. The weekly income earned by me is estimated to be around 60 BHD, while the total cost incurred on my week’s food menu is 32.84 BHD as estimated. Henceforth, the percentage of weekly income used by my weekly food menu is 54.73%. I was able to learn that maintaining a healthy diet is quite important for an individual to produce required energy for better growth as well as development. The planning and implementing of the diet plan might assist me in allocating maximum budget towards food items, so that appropriate foods with better notorious value are consumed to live a healthy and happy life. It was quite difficult for me to meet the Super Tracker’s requirement of vegetables to maintain a healthy diet, as the vegetables are not easily available in the food market based on the preferences (SuperTracker, â€Å"SuperTracker & Other Tools†). As per my anticipation, the biggest challenge to meet my nutritional requirements as an adult will be to balance my weekly budget on food items and maintain a healthy

Data Protection Act 1998 Essay Example for Free

Data Protection Act 1998 Essay The data protection Act 1998 came into force in 2000 and aims to protect an individual’s right to privacy in relation to their personal data. This includes things like the person’s medical information, information about their current employees, their address, pay, bank detail etc. Santander has to make sure the information of their employees is kept secret and no one can access it. Businesses like Santander need information about people to increase the chances of people joining them. They also need information about their customers e. g. their address, their home phone number, their occupation etc. so the information stored by business on database must be: Obtained fairly and lawfully Used for purposes stated during collection Adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the intended use Accurate and up to date Not kept for longer than necessary Processed in line with your rights Subject to procedures to prevent unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and damage to personal data Protected from transfer to an area outside the European economic area (EEA) unless adequate protection exists for that data in the area. Santander needs to make sure they follow all these laws or they can get prosecuted and their organisation can be closed down by the government for breaking the law. Santander needs to make sure all their employees obey these laws because if they break them then they are breaking the law. In order to make sure the employees working at Santander don’t break the laws, Santander provide them the information about these laws when they join to work for Santander and keep them up-to-date as the laws change. Freedom of information Act 2000: The freedom of information Act 2000 is a really important law. It provides individuals and organisations with the right to request information held by a public authority. This law came into effect in 2005. The public authority must tell the person asking for the information so the organisation or an individual if they (public authority) have the information or not and if they have the information then they must supply the information within 20  working days, in the requested format. Public authorities are the national, state or local government agency. The freedom of information Act 2000 does have exemptions to it for example if the cost of a request for information exceeds an appropriate limit, the public authority may decide whether a greater public interest is being served by denying the request or supplying the information. This law effect Santander because it can be used Santander to find important information about people, different trends etc. to increase the chances of peop le joining them. For example Santander can demand information about the statistics about people from public authority in order to help them sell their products. This law doesn’t affect the employees of Santander to much. This law doesn’t cause any conflict within the organisation so Santander doesn’t have to address it to much. Freedom of information Act 2000 can help Santander to persuade people to sell their items or what items to sell because they can get information about different trends or other statistics from the public authority which can show them what majority of people are like and what product they buy etc. For example the statistics about people who get life insurance after the age of 50 can help Santander sell life insurances because they will know what age group buy the most life insurance so they can target that age group and try to persuade them to join Santander. This is an important law which Santander can benefit from in order to progress faster as a company and make more profit. It doesn’t affect the customers or employees to much although in a way it does affect the employees, if Santander make more profit then they expected then they might give their employees higher bonuses. Computer Misuse Act 2000: This is a really important law because it prevents a lot of important things. The computer misuse act 1990 is a law in the UK that legislates against certain activities using computer for example hacking into other people’s account/system or misusing software’s to gain protected files. This means if someone tries to take another person’s personal file or hacks into their computer then they are breaking the law and can be prosecuted and jailed. The computer misuse Act is split into 3 different sections and these are: Unauthorised access to computer material. Unauthorised access to computer systems with intent to commit another offence. Unauthorised modification of computer material.  This is one of the most important laws for Santander to keep in mind because Santander has a lot of employees and this law applies to all of them. None of the employees can use another person’s information for their benefit or even look at it without a reason. If they do then they are breaking the law and will be sacked and reported to the police. In order to deterrent employees from looking at peoples information for their benefit, Santander sack anyone caught of committing this crime. It is really easy for people to commit frauds if they have other people’s personal information so this is another reason Santander has to make sure they handle people information carefully and they don’t send people’s personal information to other agencies and companies. If they do send their customer’s information to third parties without the customer’s permission then the customers can sue Santander. Santander has to make sure none of their employees commit any crime especially in regards to this law because it can lead to frauds being committed against their customer. Santander needs to make sure they take serious actions against anyone who breaks this law in order to deterrent people from doing it. This law protects the customers of Santander as well as the employees so it’s important. Health and Safety (display Screen equipment) Regulations 1992: This law is really important because it includes everyone associated with doing work on computers or other display screen equipment in Santander. Santander has a lot of people working on computers so this rule covers a lot of employees of Santander. This rule applies to employees who are a user of displace screen equipment, their work station have to be assessed with regard to the health and safety of the user. â€Å"The minimum requirements of the work station (i.e. display equipment, keyboard, software, accessories, disc drive, telephone, modem, printer, document holder, work chair, work surface or desk, etc. when provided are laid down in the Schedule. The scheduling of the work of a user shall be such that the work on the display screen equipment is periodically interrupted by breaks or changes of activity. Before a person is employed as a user that person has a right to have an appropriate eye and eyesight test carried out by a competent person. Such tests shall be available to users at regular intervals. Where normal corrective appliances cannot be  used when the operator is experiencing visual difficulties which reasonably may be considered to be caused by work on display screen equipment, the employer shall ensure special corrective appliances are provided.iâ€Å" When Santander recruits someone for a role which has the use of computers, they (Santander) should give them training regarding the appropriate health and safety to make sure they are safe whilst they do their job. In this rules a few things are covered such as: Equipment. Environment the person has to work. User/computer interface. Santander has to provide training for people who aren’t sure about how to operate stuff that includes display screens such as computer. This can be a expensive process for Santander because training sessions are expensive. On the other hand Santander can recruit people who are familiar with these regulation and rules in order to cut the costs of training them although it will be harder to find people like these because most of them have jobs. The more trained and experience Santander’s employees are, the faster the organisation will progress and the more profit they will make this is because if people know what they need to do then they will do it faster than people who struggle to do their role and need time to adjust or find the role hard. These laws mostly apply to employees in Santander so it is quite important for Santander to keep this law in mind and obey it. They need to make sure their employees are given proper health and safety guidance before they start and in addition Santander should regularly make their employees go to optician to get their eye sight checked. Santander have training sessions for people who aren’t familiar with these health and safety rules in order to make sure they don’t harm themselves while working.

Impact of ELL Inclusion on Teaching

Impact of ELL Inclusion on Teaching CHAPTER ONE Introduction Over the course of time, major laws, policy documents and landmark decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court as well as other federal and state courts regarding bilingual education have shaped educational policy in the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a response to Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), established the constitutional basis for the educational rights of language minority students. Within a decade, Title VI Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in federally funded programs. Subsequently cited in many court cases, it basically stated that a student has a right to meaningful and effective instruction. In 1974 the US Supreme Court reaffirmed the 1970 Memorandum regarding denial of access and participation in an educational program due to inability to speak or understand English. This action was the result of the Lau vs. Nichols class action suit brought by Chinese speaking students in San Francisco against the school district in 1974. There is no equality of treatment by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers and curriculum, for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. The memorandum further affirmed that Basic English skills are at the very core of what public schools teach. Imposition of a requirement that, before a child can effectively participate in the educational program, he must already have acquired those basic skills is to make a mockery of public education (Lau vs. Nichols, 1974). In accordance with what are known as the Lau Remedies, in 1975 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) established some basic guidelines for schools with Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. Although there has been much change in terms of public policy, the ultimate challenge of implementation rests upon the teacher. Throughout the United States public school teachers are challenged to meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of English-language learner (ELL) population. By the turn of this last century, the population of students identified as limited English proficient (LEP) has grown exponentially. From 1995 to 2001 alone, the LEP population grew approximately 105% nationwide (Kindler, 2002). According to recent estimates there are 4.5 million LEP students are currently enrolled in K-12 public schools in the United States. U.S. Census Bureau estimates indicate a continued trend of linguistic diversification in the years ahead (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Due to a linguistic shift the student population is experiencing, the educational community has had to fix its focus upon multilingual classrooms, and research set in multilingual classrooms has risen in importance. While there are specialists who work with limited or non-English speaking students initially, the students integration into a m ultilingual i.e. mainstream classroom is essential. Hence, teacher attitudes are an important consideration in terms of relevant professional preparation. Statement of the Research Problem Despite the amount of research being conducted in regard to bi-lingual education, there is a lack of information in the educational community regarding teacher attitudes toward including English-language learners in mainstream classrooms. There exists a void in the area of research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion. As an array of societal attitudes develop regarding ELLs, so to do teacher attitudes. As members of the communities they live in, teachers cannot help but be influenced by dominant societal attitudes. When teachers internalize dominant societal messages, they bring them directly into their schools and classrooms. School administrators, other school staff and parents all internalize societal messages, creating a school ethos that mirrors that of the community and the dominant order of society at large (Walker, Schafer and Liams, 2004). Of particular interest to this researcher are the experiences of secondary teachers, especially within the Long Island region. Because this area, which despite its cultural diversity has received so little attention from the research community, the design of this study will be driven by the need to help remedy that paucity of research by examining secondary mainstream teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion from a regional perspective. Purpose of the Research The general purpose of this study therefore has been to broaden the existing body of knowledge by identifying teacher perceptions of the impact of ELL inclusion upon their teaching, measure teachers perceived impact of inclusion on the teaching environment, and assess teacher attitudes concerning ELLs. This study also provides data which highlights areas which require attention or resolution. Research Questions Upon review of two studies, one by Reeves (2004), and another by Walker, Schafer and Liams (2004) of secondary teachers experiences with ELL inclusion, questions were developed to examine secondary teachers attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion in mainstream classes. Upon review of these studies four significant themes surfaced. The Reeves study, albeit larger in scale, provided a sound basis for this treatment. Those salient themes became the following research questions which have guided this study: 1. Inclusion in mainstream classes: What are teacher attitudes toward ELL inclusion in mainstream classes? 2. Modification of coursework for ELLs: What are teacher attitudes toward the modification of coursework for ELLs? 3. ESL professional development: What are teacher attitudes toward ESL professional development? 4. Teacher perceptions of second-language acquisition processes: What are teacher perceptions of second-language acquisition processes? (Reeves, 2004) Definition of Terms There are several terms that need to be defined for clarity of understanding. These are: Bi-lingual: The ability to speak two languages easily and naturally ESL: English as a second language ELL: English language learner, TESOL: Teaching English for speakers of other languages Mainstream: Mainstream in the context of education is a term that refers to classes and/or curricula common to the majority of students. Participants and Setting All subject-area teachers were from 3 district high schools within a 25 mile radius of this researcher have participated in the survey by mail. The faculties chosen for participation in the study were from the three high schools with the largest population of ESL students during the 2008-2009 school years. This was determined by use of public domain resources (www.city-data.com). High schools with the largest ESL student populations were identified to enable access to the largest number of teachers who had working with ESL-inclusive class loads. Participants were surveyed remotely via mail during the month of July 2009. CHAPTER TWO As an array of societal attitudes develop regarding ELLs, so to do teacher attitudes. Although there exists a void exists in the area of research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion, this review of the literature will provide a basis for further inquiry. Literature review According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2002), English Language Learners number over five million ELLs in the United States. This number has risen by 57% over the past ten years and shows no sign of slowing. Within the Long Island region (the focus area of this research), schools continue to experience steady growth in the number of LEP students. In 2007 the number of the students having limited English proficiency reached seven-year high. The appearance of these recent demographic changes requires increasingly greater self-examination within the educational community since teaching and learning is indeed a two-way exchange. The proliferation of professional literature throughout the educational community is evidence that the shifting demographic is being explored, and hopefully addressed in a number of ways. According to Ballyntyne, Sanderman and Levy (2008), more and more teachers of mainstream general education classes, who normally do not have special training in ESOL or bilingual education, are faced with the challenge of educating these children. While research exploring the perspective of ELLs is abundant (Cummins, 2000; Fu, 1995; Harklau, 1994, 1999, 2000; Lucas,1997; Lucas, Henze, Donato, 1990; Mace-Matluck, Alexander-Kasparik, Queen, 1998; Valdes, 2001), research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion strikingly absent. This section will examine the insights which can be gained from the existing research as a basis for further research. Attitudes Toward Inclusion Although there has been relatively little research in the area of teacher attitudes toward ELL inclusion, a number of qualitative studies exploring the schooling experiences of ELLs have, at least peripherally, addressed the subject. Those teachers chronicled in the studies were portrayed as holding negative, antipathetic attitudes (Fu, 1995; Olsen, 1997; Verplatse; Valdes, 1998, 2001). There were also some positive, welcoming attitudes noted however (Harklau, 2000; Reeves, 2004; Fu, 1995). Olson (1997) conducted an ethnographic study of a California high school, which had seen large demographic changes in a 20-year period. At the time of her research, the school population had shifted from 75 percent to 33 percent over a 20-year period. The remaining students were 26 percent Hispanic, 14 percent African American and 26 percent Asian. About half the students spoke a language other than English at home. The racial composition of the staff was mostly white. Based upon the study, Olsen concluded that typical to the process of Americanization, newcomers to these United States in our high schools undergo academic marginalization and separation. She asserts that there is pressure to become English-speaking and to drop ones native language in order to participate in the academic and social life of the high school. In his study, Fu (1995) concurs, observing that English teachers and untrained ESL tutors used methodologies and had attitudes which could be characterized as typical. Most showed strict adherence to curricular demands, appeared frustrated by the additional workload or lower standards the students possibly represented for them, and in the field of second language acquisition, lacked adequate understanding. Fu further noted that the teachers had low expectations, gave complicated explanations, lacked sufficient time, and used outdated approaches. Valdes (1998), who reached similar conclusions, observed four students within classroom interactions, interviewed school personnel, and conducted independent, formal assessments of Spanish and English language development at the beginning and end of each academic year when possible. Valdes (1998) argues that English language teaching for most immigrant students in the United States is ineffective because it is rarely meaningful or purposeful; uses outdated methods; is often taught by untrained, if well-intentioned, teachers; and erroneously places blame for lack of progress on the student. Fu (1995) suggests that second language learners from the United States are often perceived by teachers as inferior in comparison to English language students who are of a different class. Teacher perceptions of ELLs can affect educational outcomes in a number of ways. This is supported by Harklau (1999) who conducted a study of about 100 ESL/LEP students in a suburban high school in northern California over 3 years. The research compared their experiences in mainstream content classes and ESL classes. She concluded that tracking of ESL learners into low-track content classes can have serious long-term negative educational and occupational consequences. She concludes that much greater interaction between mainstream and ESL teachers is needed. Although teachers in the above studies, were generally found holding ambivalent or inhospitable attitudes (Harklau,1999; Verplaetse,1998), there were notable exceptions. According to Fu (1995), when some teachers were able to achieve curricular goals by allowing the students their own personal and cultural connections to the material, they were gratified by the results. It has been suggested by researchers that a number of factors that could be influential in how teacher attitudes are determined, whether they be welcoming or unwelcoming in nature. Reeves (2004) notes three categories which emerge as preeminent: (a) teacher perceptions of the impact of ELL inclusion on themselves, (b) impact of inclusion on the learning environment, and (c) teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELLs themselves. In a study by Youngs (1999), teachers cite a chronic lack of time to address Ells unique classroom needs. Additionally there exists an apprehension among some teachers based upon the perception that workloads will become unmanageable when ELLs are integrated into the mainstream classes. Verplaetse (1998) adds that some professionals expressed feelings of inadequacy to work with ELLs. The impact of inclusion on the classroom learning environment, has lead to teacher concerns about the possibility that ELLs will in some way hinder class progress through the curri culum (Youngs, 2001), or may even create inequities in educational opportunities for the students as a whole (Platt, Harper, Mendoza, 2003; Reeves, 2004; Schmidt, 2000). More recently subject-area teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELLs have become emergent topics of research, including an unwillingness to work with low-proficiency ELLs as well as misconceptions about the processes of second-language acquisition (Olsen,1997; Reeves, 2004; 2000). Additionally, assumptions about the race and ethnicity (both positive and negative) of ELLs are cited (Harklau, 2000; Valdes, 2001). It is important to note that all of the aforementioned studies were qualitative in nature. Furthermore, the number of teachers as participants was small; few focused primarily upon mainstream teachers. In their quantitative study of 143 middle school teachers, Youngs and Youngs (2001) conducted an investigated the attitudes of mainstream teachers toward ESL students in middle and high schools. In the mainstream, they conclude the most pervasive attitudes toward teaching an ESL student in the mainstream ranged from neutral to slightly positive. Gitlin, Buenda, Crosland, Doumbia (2003) conducted a qualitative study observed 5 ESL teachers, 10 white students, the ESL program director, and a school administrator. Their interviews centered on how these individuals viewed the ESL program, classroom practices, and cultural relations in the school. They identified and analyzed documents on extracurricular participation by ESL students, on school discipline, and on busing policies. In characterizing teacher attitudes, the researchers concluded that Many teachers equate cultural difference with cultural deficiency, a stance that typically leads them to stereotype students as having problems to fix and may lead to less satisfaction and sense of success in teaching (Gitlin, Buendia, Crosland, Doumbia,2003). In addition to lack of experience and training, matters are compounded by a lack of additional communication with ESL teachers. Attitudes Toward Modification According to Valdes (2001), the growing acceptance of an inclusion model for meeting the needs of ELLs is due at least due in part to an increased emphasis on accountability and standards that has been further driven by what Nieto (2002) asserts is a long history of exclusionary schooling, characterized by programs which are peripheral in nature. Historically, the traditional ESL model placed students in ESL courses where the focus was upon sheltered instruction, and recieved limited access to content-oriented curriculum needed to meet their educational needs or to fulfill graduation requirements. Research however suggests that this approach runs counter to inclusion. Harklaus (1994) study reveals that the ESL instruction which was provided did not match ESL students academic needs in mainstream classrooms and that content-area classrooms were not matched with ESLs needs. Harklau (1994) observes that the curriculum of ESL and mainstream classes was disconnected and that the mainstrea m classes failed to engage ESL students in academic language learning. Echevarria, Vogt and Short (2004) note that programs which are well-implemented, cognitively challenging, not segregated, are key to ESL students academic success. Nieto (2002) adds that education should be adapted or modified to meet the needs of ELLs. For an educational model to be inclusive, it must provide equitable access to curriculum, while simultaneously providing for the multi-lingual array of learners i.e. educational methods must make content understandable for students learning English while remaining effective for English-proficient students. Echevarria, Vogt and Short (2004) however, report that high school content area teachers were seldom found to adjust instruction to make curriculum comprehensible for ELL students. Harklau (1994) observes that ELL students had difficulty understanding certain types of teacher talk: Learners had particular difficulty understanding teacher talk which contained pun s or was sarcastic or ironic . . . Learners were also frustrated with teachers who habitually spoke very fast, who used frequent asides, or who were prone to sudden departures from the instructional topic at hand (Harklau, 1994, p. 249). Youngs (1999) cites that some teachers attitudes concerning modification appeared to stem frustration with lack of time, unclear expectations and lack of collaboration with ELL teachers. Attitudes Toward Professional Development Although ELLs spend the bulk of their time in content-area classrooms, little research has been conducted regarding content-area teachers attitudes toward professional development. Of the research that has been conducted, content-area teachers reported that they had limited experience with ESLs and lacked the necessary training in working with ELLs. This is supported by the findings of Youngs and Youngs (2001) study which concludes few mainstream teachers have been prepared to address the linguistic challenges and cultural differences present in diverse classrooms (Youngs Youngs, 2001, p. 101). In an inclusive model, the majority of the students time during the school day is spent in mainstream classes, with the addition of ESL classes as needed. Nieto (2002) maintains that teachers must possess knowledge of the history of specific cultural groups they are serving in the United States. Additionally adaptation of the curriculum for English language learners is also essential. Nieto m aintains that the teacher must develop competence in pedagogical approaches suitable for different cultural groups in United States schools. Researchers have also reported limited institutional supports such as guidance from the school administrators as well as lack of time and resources. Reeves (2004) study reports most content-area teachers would like to help ELLs but tended to vary in terms of their expectations for ELLs. Research also suggests considerable frustration among content-area teachers, concluding that in addition to lack of experience and training, there is also a lack of additional communication with ESL teachers. Youngs and Youngs (2001) maintain that few mainstream teachers have been prepared to address the linguistic challenges and cultural differences present in diverse classrooms (p. 101). As cited by Reeves (2004), a study by Clair (1995) documents three teachers views of professional development. All three of Clairs participants (Grades 4, 5, and 10) opted out of voluntary in-service workshops on methods of working with ELLs. Among the reasons given for opting out were as follows: One teacher stated that the workshops presented methods and materials that were inappropriate for her classroom, while the other two subject teachers maintained already well prepared to work with ELLs The two remaining teachers, maintained that as experienced teachers of English-proficient students, they were already well prepared to work with ELLs. One possibly insightful comment by one of the teachers was, As far as teaching goes, teaching is the same no matter what kind of kids you have (Clair, 1995, p. 191). Although Clairs (1995) study, tapped data from only a small group of teachers, it provided a rationale for more extensive studies of educators attitudes toward ESL professional development based upon a larger sample. Teacher Attitudes toward Language Acquisition Research indicates that mainstream teachers often lack knowledge in the area of language acquisition. Nieto (2002) maintains that all practicing teachers need to develop knowledge in the areas of: first and second language acquisition and the socio-cultural and sociopolitical context of education in the United States. The degree to which teachers are informed in this area may indeed shape attitudes in regard to ELL learning rate and capacity. In her study, Reeves (2004) survey queried teacher perceptions of the length of time that ESL students needed to acquire English proficiency. Most (71.7%) teachers agreed that ESL students should be able to acquire English within two years of enrolling in U.S. schools (p.137). Teacher perceptions that two years is sufficient for full-language proficiency is not supported by research; this misconception may lead teachers to faulty conclusions concerning ELLs language ability, intelligence, or motivation. Although the average student can develop c onversational fluency within two to five years, research has shown that that developing fluency in more technical, academic language can take from four to seven years. This is dependent on a number of factors such as language proficiency level, age and time of arrival at school, level of academic proficiency in the native language, and the degree of support for achieving academic proficiency (Cummins, 1981, 1996; Hakuta, Butler, Witt, 2000; Thomas Collier, 1997). The review of the research literature has revealed several important factors which shape teachers attitudes of ELLs: knowledge of the history of specific cultural groups they are serving; competence in pedagogical approaches suitable for different cultural groups; depth of knowledge in the area language acquisition; and the communication with the ESL teacher. CHAPTER THREE Statement of the Research Problem Despite the amount of research being conducted in regard to bi-lingual education, there is a lack of information in the educational community regarding teacher attitudes toward including English-language learners in mainstream classrooms. There exists a void in the area of research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion. As an array of societal attitudes develop regarding ELLs, so do teacher attitudes. Of particular interest to this researcher are the experiences of secondary teachers, especially within the Long Island region. Because this area, which despite its cultural diversity has received so little attention from the research community, the design of this study has been driven by the need to help remedy that paucity of research by examining secondary mainstream teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion from a regional perspective. Instrumentation The instrument used was designed to measure both teacher attitudes and perceptions of the inclusion of ELLs. Its four sections correlate to the aforementioned themes previously discussed. The first section Section A- addressed teachers attitudes toward ELL and ESL inclusion. A Likert-scale was used to gauge teachers extent of agreement or disagreement with 16 statements presented in relation to that focus area. Section Bmeasured the frequency of various practices and activities among teachers with ELLs in their classrooms, in relation to coursework modification . Section C utilized open-ended questions in concerns which focused upon ELL inclusion. The rationale for this was that open-ended questions allow for more individualized responses, but they are sometimes more difficult to interpret. The Section Dgathered demographic information. I chose to remain faithful to the format of the Reeves study (2004), because unlike the study conducted by Walker, Schafer and Liams (2004), this ins trument model utilized multiple statements, rather than a singular item, to gauge teachers attitudes. Teachers strength of agreement or disagreement with survey items was measured with a 4-point, Likert-type scale. Respondents were to read each statement and check the box that most closely represents their opinions, from 1 (strongly agree), 2 (agree), 3 (disagree), or 4 (strongly disagree). The demographic data included such as subject areas, gender, years of teaching experience, and types of ELL training, native language and second-language proficiency. Pilot Study The instrument was subjected to a pilot study utilizing a separate group of 12 high school teachers in summer 2009. The rationale for this was that this group of teachers comprised an appropriate pilot study population because they bear similarities to the subject high school teachers in terms of work environments and scope of responsibilities, yet since they were a distinct group, they would not contaminate the ultimate study population. Because the ages and work experiences of pilot study teachers were similar to those of their counterparts, their reaction to the survey was a useful predictor of the surveys readability and content validity. Definition of terms: Bi-lingual: The ability to speak two languages easily and naturally ESL: English as a second language ELL: English language learner, TESOL: teaching English for speakers of other languages Mainstream: Mainstream in the context of education is a term that refers to classes and/or curricula common to the majority of students. Validity of the Instrument The pilot study was used to assess the surveys readability and as a predictor of content validity. Pilot study participants were asked to complete the following survey. They then answered questions formulated to give them the opportunity to report their attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion accurately and fully. This survey uses a 4-point Likert-type scale, 1 (strongly agree), 2 (agree), 3, (disagree), and 4 (strongly disagree). Did the surveys format adequately allow you to express your opinion? If not, explain. Were any items on the survey unclear to you? Indicate and explain if any. Which, if any, items did you find difficult to answer? Indicate and explain if any. In your opinion, which, if any, items on the survey display a bias on the part of the research? Explain. Provide any additional comments that you would like to make. Analysis of respondents comments to the five survey questions was used to reduce the likelihood of any pattern of misunderstanding for any given item and to assess respondents understanding of, or ability to respond to, survey items. Participants and Setting All subject-area teachers from 3 district high schools within a 25 mile radius of this researcher were asked to participate in the survey by mail. The faculties chosen for participation in the study came from the 3 high schools with the largest population of ESL students during the 2008-2009 school year. This was determined by use of public domain resources (www.city-data.com). School A enrolled 24 LEP (limited-English proficiency) students, School B enrolled 26 LEP students, School C enrolled 16 LEP students . This study included high schools with the largest ESL student populations to access the largest number of teachers who had worked with ESL-inclusive class loads. Participants were selected remotely via mail and/or e-mail during the month of July 2009. Data Analysis Survey data was analyzed descriptively. Univariate analyses of the survey data and analyses afforded an examination of the distribution of cases on only one variable at a time (Babbie,1990, p.247) identified participants attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion according to the strength of their agreement or disagreement with the survey items. The analyses included percentages, measures of central tendency, and standard deviations. To perform univariate analyses, a numeric value was assigned to each response in the Likert scale-1 (strongly disagree), 2 (disagree), 3 (agree), and 4 (strongly agree). Analysis of the numeric data will be performed with SPSS statistical software. Assumptions In the course of the research study, certain assumptions were made. The following are those which were intrinsic to this study: It was assumed that during this study, participants gender would not significantly affect their perceptions. It was assumed that all respondents would answer all survey questions honestly and to the best of their abilities It was assumed that the sample is representative of the population The instrument has validity and has measured the desired constructs. Impact of ELL Inclusion on Teaching Impact of ELL Inclusion on Teaching CHAPTER ONE Introduction Over the course of time, major laws, policy documents and landmark decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court as well as other federal and state courts regarding bilingual education have shaped educational policy in the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a response to Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), established the constitutional basis for the educational rights of language minority students. Within a decade, Title VI Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in federally funded programs. Subsequently cited in many court cases, it basically stated that a student has a right to meaningful and effective instruction. In 1974 the US Supreme Court reaffirmed the 1970 Memorandum regarding denial of access and participation in an educational program due to inability to speak or understand English. This action was the result of the Lau vs. Nichols class action suit brought by Chinese speaking students in San Francisco against the school district in 1974. There is no equality of treatment by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers and curriculum, for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. The memorandum further affirmed that Basic English skills are at the very core of what public schools teach. Imposition of a requirement that, before a child can effectively participate in the educational program, he must already have acquired those basic skills is to make a mockery of public education (Lau vs. Nichols, 1974). In accordance with what are known as the Lau Remedies, in 1975 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) established some basic guidelines for schools with Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. Although there has been much change in terms of public policy, the ultimate challenge of implementation rests upon the teacher. Throughout the United States public school teachers are challenged to meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of English-language learner (ELL) population. By the turn of this last century, the population of students identified as limited English proficient (LEP) has grown exponentially. From 1995 to 2001 alone, the LEP population grew approximately 105% nationwide (Kindler, 2002). According to recent estimates there are 4.5 million LEP students are currently enrolled in K-12 public schools in the United States. U.S. Census Bureau estimates indicate a continued trend of linguistic diversification in the years ahead (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Due to a linguistic shift the student population is experiencing, the educational community has had to fix its focus upon multilingual classrooms, and research set in multilingual classrooms has risen in importance. While there are specialists who work with limited or non-English speaking students initially, the students integration into a m ultilingual i.e. mainstream classroom is essential. Hence, teacher attitudes are an important consideration in terms of relevant professional preparation. Statement of the Research Problem Despite the amount of research being conducted in regard to bi-lingual education, there is a lack of information in the educational community regarding teacher attitudes toward including English-language learners in mainstream classrooms. There exists a void in the area of research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion. As an array of societal attitudes develop regarding ELLs, so to do teacher attitudes. As members of the communities they live in, teachers cannot help but be influenced by dominant societal attitudes. When teachers internalize dominant societal messages, they bring them directly into their schools and classrooms. School administrators, other school staff and parents all internalize societal messages, creating a school ethos that mirrors that of the community and the dominant order of society at large (Walker, Schafer and Liams, 2004). Of particular interest to this researcher are the experiences of secondary teachers, especially within the Long Island region. Because this area, which despite its cultural diversity has received so little attention from the research community, the design of this study will be driven by the need to help remedy that paucity of research by examining secondary mainstream teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion from a regional perspective. Purpose of the Research The general purpose of this study therefore has been to broaden the existing body of knowledge by identifying teacher perceptions of the impact of ELL inclusion upon their teaching, measure teachers perceived impact of inclusion on the teaching environment, and assess teacher attitudes concerning ELLs. This study also provides data which highlights areas which require attention or resolution. Research Questions Upon review of two studies, one by Reeves (2004), and another by Walker, Schafer and Liams (2004) of secondary teachers experiences with ELL inclusion, questions were developed to examine secondary teachers attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion in mainstream classes. Upon review of these studies four significant themes surfaced. The Reeves study, albeit larger in scale, provided a sound basis for this treatment. Those salient themes became the following research questions which have guided this study: 1. Inclusion in mainstream classes: What are teacher attitudes toward ELL inclusion in mainstream classes? 2. Modification of coursework for ELLs: What are teacher attitudes toward the modification of coursework for ELLs? 3. ESL professional development: What are teacher attitudes toward ESL professional development? 4. Teacher perceptions of second-language acquisition processes: What are teacher perceptions of second-language acquisition processes? (Reeves, 2004) Definition of Terms There are several terms that need to be defined for clarity of understanding. These are: Bi-lingual: The ability to speak two languages easily and naturally ESL: English as a second language ELL: English language learner, TESOL: Teaching English for speakers of other languages Mainstream: Mainstream in the context of education is a term that refers to classes and/or curricula common to the majority of students. Participants and Setting All subject-area teachers were from 3 district high schools within a 25 mile radius of this researcher have participated in the survey by mail. The faculties chosen for participation in the study were from the three high schools with the largest population of ESL students during the 2008-2009 school years. This was determined by use of public domain resources (www.city-data.com). High schools with the largest ESL student populations were identified to enable access to the largest number of teachers who had working with ESL-inclusive class loads. Participants were surveyed remotely via mail during the month of July 2009. CHAPTER TWO As an array of societal attitudes develop regarding ELLs, so to do teacher attitudes. Although there exists a void exists in the area of research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion, this review of the literature will provide a basis for further inquiry. Literature review According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2002), English Language Learners number over five million ELLs in the United States. This number has risen by 57% over the past ten years and shows no sign of slowing. Within the Long Island region (the focus area of this research), schools continue to experience steady growth in the number of LEP students. In 2007 the number of the students having limited English proficiency reached seven-year high. The appearance of these recent demographic changes requires increasingly greater self-examination within the educational community since teaching and learning is indeed a two-way exchange. The proliferation of professional literature throughout the educational community is evidence that the shifting demographic is being explored, and hopefully addressed in a number of ways. According to Ballyntyne, Sanderman and Levy (2008), more and more teachers of mainstream general education classes, who normally do not have special training in ESOL or bilingual education, are faced with the challenge of educating these children. While research exploring the perspective of ELLs is abundant (Cummins, 2000; Fu, 1995; Harklau, 1994, 1999, 2000; Lucas,1997; Lucas, Henze, Donato, 1990; Mace-Matluck, Alexander-Kasparik, Queen, 1998; Valdes, 2001), research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion strikingly absent. This section will examine the insights which can be gained from the existing research as a basis for further research. Attitudes Toward Inclusion Although there has been relatively little research in the area of teacher attitudes toward ELL inclusion, a number of qualitative studies exploring the schooling experiences of ELLs have, at least peripherally, addressed the subject. Those teachers chronicled in the studies were portrayed as holding negative, antipathetic attitudes (Fu, 1995; Olsen, 1997; Verplatse; Valdes, 1998, 2001). There were also some positive, welcoming attitudes noted however (Harklau, 2000; Reeves, 2004; Fu, 1995). Olson (1997) conducted an ethnographic study of a California high school, which had seen large demographic changes in a 20-year period. At the time of her research, the school population had shifted from 75 percent to 33 percent over a 20-year period. The remaining students were 26 percent Hispanic, 14 percent African American and 26 percent Asian. About half the students spoke a language other than English at home. The racial composition of the staff was mostly white. Based upon the study, Olsen concluded that typical to the process of Americanization, newcomers to these United States in our high schools undergo academic marginalization and separation. She asserts that there is pressure to become English-speaking and to drop ones native language in order to participate in the academic and social life of the high school. In his study, Fu (1995) concurs, observing that English teachers and untrained ESL tutors used methodologies and had attitudes which could be characterized as typical. Most showed strict adherence to curricular demands, appeared frustrated by the additional workload or lower standards the students possibly represented for them, and in the field of second language acquisition, lacked adequate understanding. Fu further noted that the teachers had low expectations, gave complicated explanations, lacked sufficient time, and used outdated approaches. Valdes (1998), who reached similar conclusions, observed four students within classroom interactions, interviewed school personnel, and conducted independent, formal assessments of Spanish and English language development at the beginning and end of each academic year when possible. Valdes (1998) argues that English language teaching for most immigrant students in the United States is ineffective because it is rarely meaningful or purposeful; uses outdated methods; is often taught by untrained, if well-intentioned, teachers; and erroneously places blame for lack of progress on the student. Fu (1995) suggests that second language learners from the United States are often perceived by teachers as inferior in comparison to English language students who are of a different class. Teacher perceptions of ELLs can affect educational outcomes in a number of ways. This is supported by Harklau (1999) who conducted a study of about 100 ESL/LEP students in a suburban high school in northern California over 3 years. The research compared their experiences in mainstream content classes and ESL classes. She concluded that tracking of ESL learners into low-track content classes can have serious long-term negative educational and occupational consequences. She concludes that much greater interaction between mainstream and ESL teachers is needed. Although teachers in the above studies, were generally found holding ambivalent or inhospitable attitudes (Harklau,1999; Verplaetse,1998), there were notable exceptions. According to Fu (1995), when some teachers were able to achieve curricular goals by allowing the students their own personal and cultural connections to the material, they were gratified by the results. It has been suggested by researchers that a number of factors that could be influential in how teacher attitudes are determined, whether they be welcoming or unwelcoming in nature. Reeves (2004) notes three categories which emerge as preeminent: (a) teacher perceptions of the impact of ELL inclusion on themselves, (b) impact of inclusion on the learning environment, and (c) teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELLs themselves. In a study by Youngs (1999), teachers cite a chronic lack of time to address Ells unique classroom needs. Additionally there exists an apprehension among some teachers based upon the perception that workloads will become unmanageable when ELLs are integrated into the mainstream classes. Verplaetse (1998) adds that some professionals expressed feelings of inadequacy to work with ELLs. The impact of inclusion on the classroom learning environment, has lead to teacher concerns about the possibility that ELLs will in some way hinder class progress through the curri culum (Youngs, 2001), or may even create inequities in educational opportunities for the students as a whole (Platt, Harper, Mendoza, 2003; Reeves, 2004; Schmidt, 2000). More recently subject-area teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELLs have become emergent topics of research, including an unwillingness to work with low-proficiency ELLs as well as misconceptions about the processes of second-language acquisition (Olsen,1997; Reeves, 2004; 2000). Additionally, assumptions about the race and ethnicity (both positive and negative) of ELLs are cited (Harklau, 2000; Valdes, 2001). It is important to note that all of the aforementioned studies were qualitative in nature. Furthermore, the number of teachers as participants was small; few focused primarily upon mainstream teachers. In their quantitative study of 143 middle school teachers, Youngs and Youngs (2001) conducted an investigated the attitudes of mainstream teachers toward ESL students in middle and high schools. In the mainstream, they conclude the most pervasive attitudes toward teaching an ESL student in the mainstream ranged from neutral to slightly positive. Gitlin, Buenda, Crosland, Doumbia (2003) conducted a qualitative study observed 5 ESL teachers, 10 white students, the ESL program director, and a school administrator. Their interviews centered on how these individuals viewed the ESL program, classroom practices, and cultural relations in the school. They identified and analyzed documents on extracurricular participation by ESL students, on school discipline, and on busing policies. In characterizing teacher attitudes, the researchers concluded that Many teachers equate cultural difference with cultural deficiency, a stance that typically leads them to stereotype students as having problems to fix and may lead to less satisfaction and sense of success in teaching (Gitlin, Buendia, Crosland, Doumbia,2003). In addition to lack of experience and training, matters are compounded by a lack of additional communication with ESL teachers. Attitudes Toward Modification According to Valdes (2001), the growing acceptance of an inclusion model for meeting the needs of ELLs is due at least due in part to an increased emphasis on accountability and standards that has been further driven by what Nieto (2002) asserts is a long history of exclusionary schooling, characterized by programs which are peripheral in nature. Historically, the traditional ESL model placed students in ESL courses where the focus was upon sheltered instruction, and recieved limited access to content-oriented curriculum needed to meet their educational needs or to fulfill graduation requirements. Research however suggests that this approach runs counter to inclusion. Harklaus (1994) study reveals that the ESL instruction which was provided did not match ESL students academic needs in mainstream classrooms and that content-area classrooms were not matched with ESLs needs. Harklau (1994) observes that the curriculum of ESL and mainstream classes was disconnected and that the mainstrea m classes failed to engage ESL students in academic language learning. Echevarria, Vogt and Short (2004) note that programs which are well-implemented, cognitively challenging, not segregated, are key to ESL students academic success. Nieto (2002) adds that education should be adapted or modified to meet the needs of ELLs. For an educational model to be inclusive, it must provide equitable access to curriculum, while simultaneously providing for the multi-lingual array of learners i.e. educational methods must make content understandable for students learning English while remaining effective for English-proficient students. Echevarria, Vogt and Short (2004) however, report that high school content area teachers were seldom found to adjust instruction to make curriculum comprehensible for ELL students. Harklau (1994) observes that ELL students had difficulty understanding certain types of teacher talk: Learners had particular difficulty understanding teacher talk which contained pun s or was sarcastic or ironic . . . Learners were also frustrated with teachers who habitually spoke very fast, who used frequent asides, or who were prone to sudden departures from the instructional topic at hand (Harklau, 1994, p. 249). Youngs (1999) cites that some teachers attitudes concerning modification appeared to stem frustration with lack of time, unclear expectations and lack of collaboration with ELL teachers. Attitudes Toward Professional Development Although ELLs spend the bulk of their time in content-area classrooms, little research has been conducted regarding content-area teachers attitudes toward professional development. Of the research that has been conducted, content-area teachers reported that they had limited experience with ESLs and lacked the necessary training in working with ELLs. This is supported by the findings of Youngs and Youngs (2001) study which concludes few mainstream teachers have been prepared to address the linguistic challenges and cultural differences present in diverse classrooms (Youngs Youngs, 2001, p. 101). In an inclusive model, the majority of the students time during the school day is spent in mainstream classes, with the addition of ESL classes as needed. Nieto (2002) maintains that teachers must possess knowledge of the history of specific cultural groups they are serving in the United States. Additionally adaptation of the curriculum for English language learners is also essential. Nieto m aintains that the teacher must develop competence in pedagogical approaches suitable for different cultural groups in United States schools. Researchers have also reported limited institutional supports such as guidance from the school administrators as well as lack of time and resources. Reeves (2004) study reports most content-area teachers would like to help ELLs but tended to vary in terms of their expectations for ELLs. Research also suggests considerable frustration among content-area teachers, concluding that in addition to lack of experience and training, there is also a lack of additional communication with ESL teachers. Youngs and Youngs (2001) maintain that few mainstream teachers have been prepared to address the linguistic challenges and cultural differences present in diverse classrooms (p. 101). As cited by Reeves (2004), a study by Clair (1995) documents three teachers views of professional development. All three of Clairs participants (Grades 4, 5, and 10) opted out of voluntary in-service workshops on methods of working with ELLs. Among the reasons given for opting out were as follows: One teacher stated that the workshops presented methods and materials that were inappropriate for her classroom, while the other two subject teachers maintained already well prepared to work with ELLs The two remaining teachers, maintained that as experienced teachers of English-proficient students, they were already well prepared to work with ELLs. One possibly insightful comment by one of the teachers was, As far as teaching goes, teaching is the same no matter what kind of kids you have (Clair, 1995, p. 191). Although Clairs (1995) study, tapped data from only a small group of teachers, it provided a rationale for more extensive studies of educators attitudes toward ESL professional development based upon a larger sample. Teacher Attitudes toward Language Acquisition Research indicates that mainstream teachers often lack knowledge in the area of language acquisition. Nieto (2002) maintains that all practicing teachers need to develop knowledge in the areas of: first and second language acquisition and the socio-cultural and sociopolitical context of education in the United States. The degree to which teachers are informed in this area may indeed shape attitudes in regard to ELL learning rate and capacity. In her study, Reeves (2004) survey queried teacher perceptions of the length of time that ESL students needed to acquire English proficiency. Most (71.7%) teachers agreed that ESL students should be able to acquire English within two years of enrolling in U.S. schools (p.137). Teacher perceptions that two years is sufficient for full-language proficiency is not supported by research; this misconception may lead teachers to faulty conclusions concerning ELLs language ability, intelligence, or motivation. Although the average student can develop c onversational fluency within two to five years, research has shown that that developing fluency in more technical, academic language can take from four to seven years. This is dependent on a number of factors such as language proficiency level, age and time of arrival at school, level of academic proficiency in the native language, and the degree of support for achieving academic proficiency (Cummins, 1981, 1996; Hakuta, Butler, Witt, 2000; Thomas Collier, 1997). The review of the research literature has revealed several important factors which shape teachers attitudes of ELLs: knowledge of the history of specific cultural groups they are serving; competence in pedagogical approaches suitable for different cultural groups; depth of knowledge in the area language acquisition; and the communication with the ESL teacher. CHAPTER THREE Statement of the Research Problem Despite the amount of research being conducted in regard to bi-lingual education, there is a lack of information in the educational community regarding teacher attitudes toward including English-language learners in mainstream classrooms. There exists a void in the area of research concerning mainstream teacher perspectives on ELL inclusion. As an array of societal attitudes develop regarding ELLs, so do teacher attitudes. Of particular interest to this researcher are the experiences of secondary teachers, especially within the Long Island region. Because this area, which despite its cultural diversity has received so little attention from the research community, the design of this study has been driven by the need to help remedy that paucity of research by examining secondary mainstream teacher attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion from a regional perspective. Instrumentation The instrument used was designed to measure both teacher attitudes and perceptions of the inclusion of ELLs. Its four sections correlate to the aforementioned themes previously discussed. The first section Section A- addressed teachers attitudes toward ELL and ESL inclusion. A Likert-scale was used to gauge teachers extent of agreement or disagreement with 16 statements presented in relation to that focus area. Section Bmeasured the frequency of various practices and activities among teachers with ELLs in their classrooms, in relation to coursework modification . Section C utilized open-ended questions in concerns which focused upon ELL inclusion. The rationale for this was that open-ended questions allow for more individualized responses, but they are sometimes more difficult to interpret. The Section Dgathered demographic information. I chose to remain faithful to the format of the Reeves study (2004), because unlike the study conducted by Walker, Schafer and Liams (2004), this ins trument model utilized multiple statements, rather than a singular item, to gauge teachers attitudes. Teachers strength of agreement or disagreement with survey items was measured with a 4-point, Likert-type scale. Respondents were to read each statement and check the box that most closely represents their opinions, from 1 (strongly agree), 2 (agree), 3 (disagree), or 4 (strongly disagree). The demographic data included such as subject areas, gender, years of teaching experience, and types of ELL training, native language and second-language proficiency. Pilot Study The instrument was subjected to a pilot study utilizing a separate group of 12 high school teachers in summer 2009. The rationale for this was that this group of teachers comprised an appropriate pilot study population because they bear similarities to the subject high school teachers in terms of work environments and scope of responsibilities, yet since they were a distinct group, they would not contaminate the ultimate study population. Because the ages and work experiences of pilot study teachers were similar to those of their counterparts, their reaction to the survey was a useful predictor of the surveys readability and content validity. Definition of terms: Bi-lingual: The ability to speak two languages easily and naturally ESL: English as a second language ELL: English language learner, TESOL: teaching English for speakers of other languages Mainstream: Mainstream in the context of education is a term that refers to classes and/or curricula common to the majority of students. Validity of the Instrument The pilot study was used to assess the surveys readability and as a predictor of content validity. Pilot study participants were asked to complete the following survey. They then answered questions formulated to give them the opportunity to report their attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion accurately and fully. This survey uses a 4-point Likert-type scale, 1 (strongly agree), 2 (agree), 3, (disagree), and 4 (strongly disagree). Did the surveys format adequately allow you to express your opinion? If not, explain. Were any items on the survey unclear to you? Indicate and explain if any. Which, if any, items did you find difficult to answer? Indicate and explain if any. In your opinion, which, if any, items on the survey display a bias on the part of the research? Explain. Provide any additional comments that you would like to make. Analysis of respondents comments to the five survey questions was used to reduce the likelihood of any pattern of misunderstanding for any given item and to assess respondents understanding of, or ability to respond to, survey items. Participants and Setting All subject-area teachers from 3 district high schools within a 25 mile radius of this researcher were asked to participate in the survey by mail. The faculties chosen for participation in the study came from the 3 high schools with the largest population of ESL students during the 2008-2009 school year. This was determined by use of public domain resources (www.city-data.com). School A enrolled 24 LEP (limited-English proficiency) students, School B enrolled 26 LEP students, School C enrolled 16 LEP students . This study included high schools with the largest ESL student populations to access the largest number of teachers who had worked with ESL-inclusive class loads. Participants were selected remotely via mail and/or e-mail during the month of July 2009. Data Analysis Survey data was analyzed descriptively. Univariate analyses of the survey data and analyses afforded an examination of the distribution of cases on only one variable at a time (Babbie,1990, p.247) identified participants attitudes and perceptions of ELL inclusion according to the strength of their agreement or disagreement with the survey items. The analyses included percentages, measures of central tendency, and standard deviations. To perform univariate analyses, a numeric value was assigned to each response in the Likert scale-1 (strongly disagree), 2 (disagree), 3 (agree), and 4 (strongly agree). Analysis of the numeric data will be performed with SPSS statistical software. Assumptions In the course of the research study, certain assumptions were made. The following are those which were intrinsic to this study: It was assumed that during this study, participants gender would not significantly affect their perceptions. It was assumed that all respondents would answer all survey questions honestly and to the best of their abilities It was assumed that the sample is representative of the population The instrument has validity and has measured the desired constructs.