Effect of Storytelling on Vocabulary Learning For Elementary School Students in Saudi Arabia Schools

Introduction Storytelling is one of the popular forms of learning in elementary schools all over the world. In Saudi Arabia, storytelling is an integral part of the syllabus for elementary school children. It is considered an important tool useful in improving the imagination of learners within the classroom.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Effect of Storytelling on Vocabulary Learning For Elementary School Students in Saudi Arabia Schools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Its interactive nature makes it easy for the teachers to determine the capacity of individual learners. Recent studies have strongly suggested that storytelling is the best way through which learners can have a better understanding of vocabularies. According to Mansour and Shorman (2011), schools in Saudi Arabia are now using storytelling as a technique of teaching learners new words as a way of improving their mastery of the language. It is important to conduct a research to determine if it true that storytelling techniques indeed improves one’s capacity to understand vocabulary. Language is a powerful tool not only in the field of education but also the normal life of an individual. Irrespective of the language that one is striving to learn, the most important process of understanding that language is by mastering its vocabulary. For instance, one most have a basic understanding of basic vocabularies used in English or Arabic in order to communicate effectively in these two languages. It becomes even more critical if the language is used as a mode of communication when teaching other subjects. In this study, the researcher will be interested in investigating the effect of storytelling on vocabulary for elementary school students in Saudi Arabia schools. Literature Review Understanding the concept of storytelling Story telling is one of the oldest forms of passing knowledge, advice, and cultural practices from o ne generation to another through the word of mouth that has remained popular to this generation. Sofi (2015) defines storytelling as â€Å"The interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.† This definition brings out fundamental aspects of storytelling that makes it easy to understand this concept. In this definition, storytelling is referred to as an art. It means that it requires some mastery to tell a good story. It requires some skills, just as those needed in other art disciplines to bring it out in its purest form. Storytelling must be interactive. The audience must stay as active as the storyteller for the process to be a success. In this interactive art, the storyteller will be using words to create images that the listener must interpret in order to understand what is being talked about. Finally, the definition states that storytelling encourages imagination. Both the liste ner and the story teller must be very imaginative for a storytelling session to be successful.Advertising Looking for proposal on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The storyteller must use his imaginative skills to bring out a powerful story that will capture attention of the audience (Eckert McConnell, 2013). His or her choice of words must be carefully selected to bring out the right image in the mid of the listener. On the other hand, the audience must be imaginative when listening to the story. He or she must have the capacity to create the events the narrator is talking about in his or her mind. The events must be live and must closely relate to what the narration is all about. Storytelling still remains a popular concept in elementary schools all over the world. According to Mansour and Shorman (2011), the art of storytelling has been in existence for so many years and in almost all the communities around the w orld. It was and still remains one of the most popular forms of entertainment. It was the primary source of fiction that is currently defining the field of entertainment both for children and adults in the modern society. Jacobs (2010) notes that storytelling in the modern society has become more popular in the entertainment sector than in education sector. However, it is important to note that storytelling has been a critical component of learning process. In the olden days when reading and writing had not been invented, Jacobs (2010) says that the society relied heavily on storytelling as the only way of passing knowledge from one generation to another. It was a better tool compared to proverbs that needed abstract thinking to come out with proper meaning. Impact of storytelling techniques on vocabulary learning According to Soltani, Hamid, and Azizmalayeri (2015), learning English vocabulary is one of the most important aspects of learning the language, especially among English a s second language learners. These learners on what they hear to understand the basic of this language and to be fluent in speaking it. A research by Eckert and McConnell (2013) found out that learning of the vocabulary is one of the most challenging tasks for elementary school children who already have learnt their first language. Understanding the meanings of some vocabularies and how they can be applied in a sentence properly become challenging. Some of them end up using the language in a wrong manner because they do not understand how to fit in the new word into their knowledge bank. For a person learning the language for the first time, especially at elementary level, learning of vocabulary is very important but challenging process.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Effect of Storytelling on Vocabulary Learning For Elementary School Students in Saudi Arabia Schools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The best way of enabling elementary learners to understand the language is to come up with ways of enabling them to understand the vocabulary. Storytelling is one of the best ways of doing this. According to Soltani, Hamid, and Azizmalayeri (2015), storytelling enables learners to understand the meaning of new words in a practical context. Based on the way a given vocabulary is used in a sentence, a learner is able to deduce its meaning without necessarily going to the dictionary. Storytelling promotes imaginative thinking among the learners. As Sofi (2015) says, learning of vocabulary requires some form of imagination. A learner can only deduce meaning of new words during storytelling if they have the flow of the story in their minds. This means that they must be imaginative enough not only to follow the story, but also get meanings of new words by closely relating it to the context under which it is used. Elementary school children always find storytelling sessions very interesting (Soleim ani Akbar, 2013). They, therefore, properly concentrate during such sessions, improving their ability to learn new things. It is at such moments that they should be taught new vocabularies that will enrich their spoken and written English. Saudi Arabia, like most of the other Arabic countries, uses Arabic language in most of the elementary schools as the basic mode of communication. Sofi (2015) says that Arabic is the official language that is popular among the locals. When they go to Madrassas, the language they use is Arabic. They also learn to read and write for the first time using Arabic. This makes English language completely alien to them. Currently, some primary schools have started offering English as one of the primary subjects that a learner must take. However, a good number of the Saudi students are exposed to the language for the first time when they are in high school. They spend only four years learning the language before joining university where English language pl ays a very critical role in one’s own success. Storytelling comes in as an important tool of learning the vocabulary because they have limited time to learn the language. Using dictionaries to improve their vocabulary is still important, but storytelling makes it possible for the learners to know so many things about the vocabulary. It makes it possible for the learner to know its meaning, the context under which it should be used, its relevance in a sentence, and pronunciation. Under normal circumstances, it may take a while for a learner to have all these aspects of a vocabulary when using books. That is why the current curriculum emphasizes on storytelling among elementary school students (Soleimani Akbar, 2013).Advertising Looking for proposal on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research Questions and Hypotheses When conducting a research, it is always important to come up with research questions that will help in guiding the process of collecting both primary and secondary data. The questions help the researcher to avoid collecting data which are not relevant to the study. In this study, the researcher had specific research questions that will define data collection process. The following is the main research question for the research project. What is the effect of storytelling technique on vocabulary learning for elementary school students in Saudi Arabia schools? The above research question will be supported by a number of other research questions. They include the following: How often do elementary school teachers use storytelling technique to teach vocabulary? How effective is storytelling technique when it comes to teaching vocabulary among elementary school students? Based on these questions, the researcher developed the following open and explanator y hypotheses: H1: Storytelling technique has a positive impact on vocabulary learning for elementary school students in Saudi Arabia schools. H2: Teachers are using storytelling technique more often in teaching vocabulary. H3: Storytelling is an effective way of teaching vocabulary among elementary school students. Methodology Participants The researcher will use primary data to address the research gaps that exists in the findings made from the literatures. Primary data will be collected from sampled participants. In total, there will be 60 students who will take part in this study. The first 30 students will be used as control group. The other thirty students will be the experimental group. The participants will be sampled from local elementary schools. The two groups must be in the same class but different streams in order to enhance the validity of the study. Ensuring that the participants are in the same class was important because the learners were expected to have same capaci ties. The participants will be aged 12-14 years. Language teachers in the chosen classes will also take part in the study. Instruments To facilitate this study, the researcher will use a number of instruments. The research will use questionnaires for the pretests and posttests do determine changes brought about by the storytelling session. The research will involve the use of videos and written materials about specific stories relevant to the learners. Videos will help in testing their listening skills while written materials will test their reading skills. Procedure The researcher will identify a specific local school and seek for permission from the administrators and relevant teachers. The researcher will explain to them the relevance of this study. The language teachers in the classes identified for the study will be allowed to be present when the researcher will be using videos and written materials to tell stories to the learners. Before the test, both the control and experime ntal groups will be given pretest to determine their mastery of the vocabulary. The researcher will use 6 lessons to subject the experimental group to stories meant to improve their vocabulary. After the 6 lessons, the researchers will once again be subjected to posttest to measure the effect of the independent variable (storytelling) on the dependent variable (vocabulary learning). Data will then be collected and appropriately analyzed. Analysis Data collected will be analyzed quantitatively. The researcher will use the collected data to respond to the questions set above. The quantitative data analysis will involve simple mathematical tools such as excel spreadsheet to process the data and present the findings. The findings will be presented using tables, graphs, and charts for easy understanding of the information. Anticipated Findings The researcher has reviewed literatures conducted under related topic in other countries, and from the facts presented it is possible to make some conclusions. It is anticipated that the study will confirm a close relationship between storytelling and improved vocabulary among elementary school students. The study will confirm that indeed storytelling technique has a positive impact on vocabulary learning for elementary school students in Saudi Arabia schools. Anticipated Problems The researcher knows that during collection of data may be affected by a number of factors especially given that the process will involve engaging elementary school students aged 12-14. Some of the students may fail to take the experiment seriously. The control group may also fail to remain neutral because they may end up discussing with the experimental group what was shared with them in class. These two challenges may completely distort the data completely. To avoid these problems, the researcher will promise the participants a reward by the end of the experiment to ensure that they remain focused and disciplined throughout the process. The resear cher will also ensure that the control group does not have access to the materials used by the experimental group. The books and videos used will be unique and will be kept away from access by the students as soon as they have been used. Conclusion Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of disseminating knowledge to learners. It was used in the olden days when writing had not been discovered, and it is still in use today. Studies have shown that storytelling technique helps in learning of vocabulary among elementary school students. When the vocabulary is used in a story, it becomes easy for them to understand its meaning and the context under which they should be used. This enables them to master the language better. This study seeks to determine if this claim is true. References Eckert, P., McConnell, S. (2013). Language and gender. New York: Cambridge University Press. Jacobs, H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World. Alexandria: Association for Superv ision and Curriculum Development. Mansour, N., Shorman. A. (2011). The effect of teacher’s storytelling aloud on the reading comprehension of Saudi elementary stage students. Journal of King Saud University 23(2), 69–76. Sofi, L. (2015). Teaching English in Saudi Arabia Through the Use of Multimedia. Journal of Education 39(1), 1-91. Soleimani, H., Akbar, M. (2013).The Effect of Storytelling on Children’s Learning English Vocabulary: A Case in Iran. International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences 5(1): 104-113. Soltani, N., Hamid, H., Azizmalayeri, F. (2015). The Effect of Pictorial Storytelling on the Development of Vocabulary Learning of Iranian EFL Primary Learners. International Journal of Educational Investigations 2(1) 239-248. This proposal on Effect of Storytelling on Vocabulary Learning For Elementary School Students in Saudi Arabia Schools was written and submitted by user Taraji Michael to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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Analysis of BAELL II Recommendations CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Introduction Operational risk is defined as â€Å"the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external events.† Financial markets in the last two decades have been highlighted by large-scale financial failures due to incompetence and fraud, such as Barings, Daiwa, Allied Irish Banks, Orange County, Enron, along with man-made and natural disasters, such as â€Å"9/11,† Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina. As a consequence, operational risk has been acknowledged to overweigh the importance of credit and market risks. Since 2001, the Basel Committee for the Banking Supervision of the Bank of International Settlements has been requiring banks to set aside regulatory capital amount that would cover potential operational loss. The capital amount must be evaluated on a one-year aggregated basis at a sufficiently high confidence level. 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In order to efficiently face this new challenge of operational risk in risk management, the prerequisites for efficiently facing the operational risk are enumerated as follows : Ø creation of risk culture ; Ø enterprise wide operational ; Ø risk awareness. Proactive steps at all the levels of operation should operate as a safety valve and in the process, may in turn facilitate lower risk capital charge. 1.2. Background Risk mapping is often mentioned both in describing various approaches to operational risk management and, in an audit context, in formulating the key steps to control self-assessment, as the cornerstone of the risk identification process. Yet there is little published guidance on how to perform it effectively and on how to ensure that the resulting map is indeed complete and consistent. In other words, although the term is widely used by bankers, auditors, regulators and consultants alike, and although all these professionals  may even agree on what constitutes an acceptable final product, they will most likely give widely different explanations on how to get such product, the resources needed and the costs involved. Risk mapping is difficult for a number of reasons, all of which can be summarized by reminding ourselves that ‘the map is not the territory. No matter how accurate and thorough our analysis is, what really goes on in the business is never exactly what is written in the manual. Here are just a few of the key dimensions: People: Processes are affected by people, and people, no matter how formalized the process is, adapt, interpret and improvise in response to circumstances. Specialization: Very few people really understand a specific business process and its interactions with other people and systems within the bank. When one of these people leaves or is just absent for a while, the potential for an operational failure appears. Processes: Processes change all the time and any mapping becomes obsolete almost overnight after being completed. In this research, I describe a methodology for the mapping of operational risk with the objective of identifying the risks inherent in the different steps of a business process, selecting the key risk indicators (KRIs) (Hoffman, 2002; Davis and Haubenstock, 2002) and designing the most appropriate control activities. In my approach, therefore, risk mapping is the basis for all the key components of operational risk management identification, assessment, monitoring/reporting and control/mitigation as defined by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (2003). There is more than one way to map risks. The most common technique is probably the mapping on a probability/severity chart (Figure 1) so as to identify the key priorities for management. The result in most cases helps to distinguish between high severity/low frequency and high frequency/ low severity losses, but which in general gives no indication as to what management actions to take in order to change the existing risk profile. Another way is to map the risks to the phases of a business activity where they can occur and identify the key risk factors and drivers in the process. This leads to a somewhat more complex result, rich in qualitative information rather than in quantitative assessment, but giving very clear indications as to which parts of the process should be changed in order to make a difference to the overall risk exposure. It also allows for the identification of the KRIs that are more relevant to each risk exposure. Pursuing the application of KRIs to operational risk assessment is suggested by the need to capture the various issues we find with purely statistical approaches as well as the impact that managerial decisions may have on the operational risk profile. In market and credit risk measurement, the key managerial decisions are taken in deciding portfolio composition, thereby affecting the resulting risk profile directly and in a manner that measurement models have no problem in capturing. In operational risk measurement, on the other hand, managerial decisions may affect the risk profile in a number of different ways (through changes in control procedures, systems, personnel, to name but a few), none of which any measurement model can capture in a simple and direct way. Statistical approaches in particular will be at a loss in taking into account such changes, as historical data will reflect a risk and control environment which by and large no longer exists. The requirement of the new Bas el Accord (Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, 2004) to base risk assessment on 5 years of historical data if taken too literally will have banks generating risk capital charges on the basis of information largely unrelated to the current and, even less, the future risk and control environment. 1.3. Research Question: This work to start with will take a step back and ask the fundamental question of why do banks fail? Further the work shall research the recommendations of BASEL II and will try to seek the answer for: Will the BASEL II requirements make the systematic goals of safety and stability more achievable for banks/FIs? If yes, how? If no, how? 1.4. Motivation: Appropriate â€Å"Organizational structure† is a precondition for orderly management of any activity/ group working within the purview of organizational capabilities. Operational risk management is all pervasive in terms of activities of an organization e.g. if ‘people factor in operational management is poorly managed in a bank, other activities of the bank e.g. credit/market risk management, are likely to suffer . Similarly, legal aspects of any transaction/ function, if loosely dealt with, increases the likelihood of loss to the organization. Organizational structure for operational risk management needs to be compact and broad-based. The structure must be compatible with :- an organizations size; complexity of operations and area of operations; in tune with its risk appetite. The area of operational risk management is a matter of discretion which comes under the purview of regulatory authorities/banks. Through my research I have tried out to make out a clear and concise understanding of BASEL II accord for Banks/FIs in operational risk perspective. The work shall also try to suggest the suitable customization of BASEL II recommendations and implications of the same for effectively managing operational risk. It may also lead to forecasting the emerging trends in operational risk and ways to mitigate the same. 1.5. Chapter Scheme The chapter scheme of my dissertation is as follows: Chapter 2: This chapter describes the literature review and the findings. Chapter 3: This chapter describes research methodology and some of the variables included in empirical analysis. Chapter 4: This chapter provides the basis of qualitative research. Chapter 5: This chapter gives details of case studies analyzed for research purpose. Chapter 6: This chapter discuses the analysis and the findings. Chapter 7: This chapter includes the conclusion. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Introduction Until very recently, it has been believed that banks are exposed to two main risks. In the order of importance they are credit risk (i.e., counterparty failure risk) and market risk (i.e., risk of loss due to changes in market indicators, such as equity prices, interest rates and exchange rates). Operational risk has been regarded as a mere part of â€Å"other† risks. Operational risk is not a new concept for banks: operational losses have been reflected in banks balance sheets for many decades. They occur in the banking industry every day. Operational risk affects the soundness and operating efficiency of all banking activities and all business units. We begin our discussion with an explanation of the notion of risk. 2.2. Risk and Risk Management In the financial context, risk is the fundamental element that affects financial behavior. There is no unique or uniform definition of risk: different financial institutions may define risk slightly differently, depending on the specifics of their banking structure, operations and investment strategies. The definition of risk also depends on the context. In the economics literature, generally risk is not necessarily a negative concept, and is understood as uncertainty about future or the dispersion of actual from expected results. In the context of business investment, risk is the volatility of expected future cash-flows (measured, for example, by the standard deviation), and in the context of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is the risk of asset price volatility due to market-related factors and is captured by ÃŽ ². Such definitions do not exclude the possibility of positive outcomes. Hence, for the operational risk we need a different definition.[1] For the purposes of operational risk modeling and analysis, the definitions from insurance are more appropriate, as the notion of risk in insurance has a negative meaning attached to it. Risk is perceived as the probability and impact of a negative deviation, the probability or potential of sustaining a loss, â€Å"a condition in which there is a possibility of an adverse deviation from a desired outcome that is expected or hoped for† [2], or â€Å"an expression of the danger that the effective future outcome will deviate from the expected or planned outcome in a negative way† [3]. As the next step, we need to distinguish operational risk from other categories of financial risk. A comprehensive framework of risk management is applicable equally to all types of bank (Iqbal and Mirakhor, 2007). The process of risk management is a two (2) step process. The first is to identify the source of the risk, i.e. to identify the leading variables causing the risk. The second is to devise methods to quantify the risk using mathematical models, in order to understand the risk profile of the instrument. Once a general framework of risk identification and management is developed, the techniques can be applied to different situations, products, instruments and institutions. It is crucial for all banks to have comprehensive risk management framework as there is growing realization among IBs that sustainable growth critically depends on the development of a comprehensive risk management framework (Greuning and Iqbal, 2007). A robust risk management framework can help banks to reduce their exposure to risks, and enhance their ability to compete in the market (Iqbal and Mirakhor, 2007). A reduction in each institutions exposure will reduce the systemic risk as well. Hence, it is necessary that banks have in place a comprehensive risk management and reporting process to identify, measure, monitor, manage, report and control different categories of risks. 2.2.1. Understanding Risk and Risk Management It is important for staff of banking institutions to understand the aspect of risk in the banking operations and the risks that are inherent and exposed in their business operations. Better understanding of risk management is also necessary especially in the financial intermediation activities where managing risk is one of the important activities. A study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (2001) found that the sole determining success factors is not the technical development but the ability to understand risk strategically and also the ability to handle and control risk organizationally. Secondly, in order to realize a risk based management philosophy, the attitude and mindset of the employees need to be changed whereby they must be brought to understand that managing risk is crucial for success. This implies that there must be intensive training, clearly defined structures and responsibilities, as well as commitment to change. In addition, it was identified that banks in North A merica and Australia concentrate on risk management primarily to enhance their competitive positions. Meanwhile in Europe, Asia and particularly in South America, risk management is considered primary from the perspective of regulatory requirements. Then, Al-Tamimi and Al-Mazrooei (2007) found that the UAE banks staff have good understanding of risk and risk management, which might give an indication about the ability of these banks to manage risks efficiently in the future. Moreover, understanding risk and risk management had positive effect on risk management practice although it is insignificant. 2.2.2. Requirement for Risk Management Risk management framework is important for banks. The risk management strategy must be integrated with its overall corporate strategies (e.g. Froot and Stein, 2004). In conjunction with the underlying frameworks, basic risk management process that is generally accepted is the practice of identifying, analysing, measuring, and defining the desired risk level through risk control and risk transfer. BCBS (2001) defines financial risk management as a sequence of four (4) processes: (1) the identification of events into one or more broad categories of market, credit, operational and other risks into specific sub-categories; (2) the assessment of risks using data and risk model; (3) the monitoring and reporting of the risk assessments on a timely basis; and (4) the control of these risks by senior management. BCBS (2006), on risk management processes, require supervisors to be satisfied that the banks and their banking groups have in place a comprehensive risk management process. This woul d include the Board and senior management to identify, evaluate, monitor and control or mitigate all material risks and to assess their overall capital adequacy in relation to their risk profile. In addition, as suggested by Al-Tamimi (2002), in managing risk, commercial banks can follow comprehensive risk management process which includes eight (8) steps: exposure identification; data gathering and risk quantification; management objectives; product and control guidelines; risk management evaluation; strategy development; implementation; and performance evaluation (e.g. Baldoni, 2008; and Harrington and Niehaus, 2009). 2.2.3. Risk Identification There are few conceptual studies on risk identification of financial institutions (e.g. Kromschroder and Luck, 2008; Luck 2008;; Pausenberger and Nassauer, 2000; Tchankova, 2002; Barton et al. 2002 ) and few empirical studies that include risk identification of banks (e.g. Al-Tamimi, 2002; Al-Tamimi and Al-Mazrooei, 2007). Risk identification is the first stage of risk management (Tchankova, 2002) and a very important step in risk management (Al-Tamimi and Al-Mazrooei, 2007). The first task of the risk management is to classify the corporate risks according to their different types (Pausenberger and Nassauer, 2000). The first step in organizing the implementation of the risk management function is to establish the crucial observation areas inside and outside the corporation (Kromschroder and Luck, 2008). Then, the departments and the employees must be assigned with responsibilities to identify specific risks. For instance, interest rate risks or foreign exchange risks are the main do main of the financial department. It is important to ensure that the risk management function is established throughout the whole corporation; i.e. apart from parent company, the subsidiaries too have to identify risks, analyze risks and so on. Pausenberger and Nassauer (2000) also state that it is advisable for most corporations to implement early warning systems. An early warning system is a special information system enabling the management board to identify risks in time by observing the development of defined indicators (Luck, 2008). Other instruments that could be used to identify risks are checklists of possible disturbances or breakdowns, risk workshops, examination of corporate processes, internal inspections and interviews, loss balance, etc. It is advisable to make use of the knowledge and skill of external experts, for instance, forecasts of banks about the development of interest rates or foreign exchange rates. There are many other approaches for risk identification, for instance, scenario analysis or risk mapping. An organization can identify the frequency and severity of the risks through risk mapping which could assist the organization to stay away from high frequency and low severity risks and instead focu s more on the low frequency and high severity risk. Risk identification process includes risk-ranking components where these ranking are usually based on impact, severity or dollar effects (Barton et al. 2002). According to him, the analysis helps to sort risk according to their importance and assists the management to develop risk management strategy to allocate resources efficiently. 2.3. Operational Risk Operational Risk is one of the important arms of the risk management triangle -the other two being Credit Risk and Market (Treasury) Risk. Any organization, particularly in the banking sector, is squarely exposed to operational risks emanating within or outside the organization (Levine and Hoffman, 2004). There was no precise definition of operational risk until Basel Accord II came into being in June 2004. Furthermore, for the first time in the history of global banking, operational in capital charge has been made a mandatory requirement in banking. This certainly puts in a lot of stress and strain on a banks management. Operational Risk is also known as Transaction Risk in some countries in order to efficiently face this new challenge in risk management, the prerequisites are -creation of risk culture and enterprise wide operational risk awareness. Proactive steps at all the levels of operation will operate as a safety value and in the process, may facilitate lower risk capital charge (Bagchi, 2006). As it has been mentioned that until the release of Basel Accord II in June 2004, there was no universal definition of operational risk in banking (Anna et al., 2007) . It was generally believed that as ‘risk would mean loss in any event or transaction, any risk other than credit risk and market risk would have to be reckoned as an operational risk, without the need of creating any separate identity for such risk. However this way of looking at operational risks is dangerously vague. Prof Hans Geiger, an international authority on risk management, has viewed operational risk from a direct angle and an indirect angle as under: Indirect Angle: â€Å"Operational risks are all those risks which cannot e classified as credit risk or market risk.† Direct Angle: â€Å"Operational risk is an expression of the danger of unexpected direct or indirect losses resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems and from external events.† Basel Accord II has laid down the following definition for adoption by the countries and hence this should be treated as a standard definition of operational risk: Operational risk is â€Å"the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems or from external events. This definition includes legal risk but excludes strategic and reputation risk.† (Bagchi, 2006) 2.3.1. Reasons for Increasing Focus on Operational Risk Management * On going spate ( sudden trend flow) of financial deregulation procedures due to globalization. * Influence of technology and automation in managing business with other side effects. * Complex organizational structures arising out of re organization of business enterprises (e.g. merger/ de -merger etc.). * Opportunities for business process outsourcing. * Growing complexity of products/services, as banks now provide total business services and employ CRM (Customer Relationship Management) in their business activities. * With liberalization and globalization, banks compete very hard with each other for business. * Capital allocation for operational risks is a prime requisite for todays business organizations. 2.3.3. Operational Risk Vs Operations Risk Operational Risk has a wider coverage wherein process, people, systems etc. of an organization are also considered. In general while operational risk is analogous to operations risk, in the context of risk management, they are not alike as will be evident from the following table: Table 1: Distinction between Operational Risk and Operations Risk According to the â€Å"Kenneth Swensen of Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago†, there is a clear demarcation between operational risk and operations risk, from the viewpoint of relative risk contents. Operational risk should deserve special attention for an organization so that its procedures become fully Basel Accord II compliant. He remark regarding Basel II is , â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ under Basel II, if you are not moving forward, you are losing ground†. The distinctions are clearly mentioned below : Operational Risk Operations Risk 1. Operational Risk encompasses enterprise wide risk of loss arising out of inadequate, failed internal processes, people system or from external events. 1. Operations Risk encompasses risk by loss arising out of back office reconciling processes and does not generally cover front office functions. 2. Integrated risk management is the watch dog of such risk management function in the organization 2. Internal audit Department usually manages such risks. It is the first line of defense. 3. Basel Accord II specifies capital charge computation based on three approaches evolved for the purpose. 3. There is no requirement for any specific capital charge. 4. The organization must prepare and periodically update on operational risk policy mentioning, and should frame a computation method of measurement of operational risk capital. 4. There is no need for any specific policy document since each organization is guided by its manual/ book of instruction. 5. Regulatory Authority under pillar II has the responsibilities to review enterprise wide operational risk management of the organization. 5. Regulatory Authorities do not have any Pillar II responsibility. They may review operation risk as an ingredient of operational risk. 6. Corporate Governance study must take into account operational risk management of an organization especially the effect of any human error/skill deficiency aspects. 6. Corporate Governance angle does no form part of operations risk. 2.3.4. Distinction between Operational Risk and Operational Crisis Operational risk is an all inclusive concept covering :- Ø intra -organizational ( internal ) risks such as those related to people, processes and systems; Ø external events such as natural calamities, terrorism etc. In case of extreme external events such as natural catastrophes, there is no real distinction between operational risk and operations risk since such an event requires crisis management initiative. But a routine operational risk management dose requires operational crisis management to avert serious consequences. The points of distinction are enumerated as under: Operational Risk Operational Crisis 1. Operational Risk includes elements of Expected and unexpected (expected loss such as loss in process errors of say 0.1% of gross income). 1. Operational Crises covers only unexpected loss. 2. The continuity of business is not affected if some operational risk events do not have serious implications on organizations position (say, internal fraud of 0.1% of annual net profit). 2. An organizations continuity may be seriously affected if the crisis event is catastrophic. 3. Operational risk management dose not generally imply disaster recovery. 3. Operational crisis management generally involves disaster recovery. 4. Operational risk factors do not generally trigger off reputational risk (a minor processing error in a customers savings account may not effect the banks reputation). 4. Crisis event may sometimes (e.g. product failure, contamination etc., Union Carbide Gas leak incident in MP) triggers off reputational risk leading to fall in market share, equity share price etc. 5. Operational risk management in generally concerned with two phases: i. incident ii. recovery 5. Operational crisis management generally involves three phase; i. incident ii. recovery iii. continuity 6. Operational risk may not always turn out to be a danger. 6. Operational crisis is generally of a ‘moment of danger. 2.3.5. Effective way of managing Operational Risk Poor operational risk management, especially in the banking sector, may generate serious financial losses caused by Ø external/internal fraud, Ø system failure, Ø and other related operational lapses. Damage to a banks reputation, even if it is a private bank, may also be severe. Ø Effective operational risk management provides boosts sale by taking care of the following: Ø It tends to minimize severity or frequency of operational risk loses. Ø It creates a mechanism to optimize operational effectiveness throughout the bank. Ø Various business portfolios are better managed if the processes, systems and procedures are sound, together with people strength. Ø Strategic decision making by senior management is supported by a robust risk management system. Ø It ensures business continuity, as there are high probabilities of unexpected operational events owing to changing trends and globalization. Ø Capital allocation can be optimally utilized to the advantage of the bank. 2.3.6. Traditional Vs Modern Approach of Operational Risk Management Traditional Operational Risk Management Banks were managing operational risks in a traditional manner, going by the belief that such risks are really ‘residual risks that remain after the dominant risks of credit risk and market risk have been taken care of .Hence meager attention was extended to managing operational risks. Under the traditional approach, routine operational controls in banking were mainly through Ø internal checks, Ø balancing of ledgers, Ø careful recruiting process etc. Ø Audit and compliance aspects. Ø Insurance against risks was resorted to where necessary. Modern Operational Risk Management Operational risk management in banking took the shape of modern approach with the release of Basel Accord II ( recommendations on banking laws and regulations ) in June04. Modern approach of operational risk management aims at creating and maintaining an effective operational risk management strategy. This approach involves the following elements: Ø Realistic measurement framework on operational risk factors as against sole reliance on internal checks, auditors etc. Ø Operational risk losses calculated and summarized on the basis of past loss data and estimate for the future forms the core of strategic decision making especially for developing a new product or for encouraging a new technology. Ø Quantification of various operational risk factors facilitates optimal capital allocation. Ø Staff skill development exercise on an regular basis enables better output with lesser probability of errors and losses. 2.3.7. Operational Risk: A Challenge to Financial Institutions and Regulators Operational Risk exhibits more severity than Credit Risk, Market Risk Liquidity Risk. Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) has also undertaken a number of new initiatives to educate the organizations about the Operational risk. Operational Risk is capable of eroding the complete organization and can cause huge loss on the reliability factor of the financial company. As per GARP, Operational risk shall be the single largest risk facing the financial industry the world over by the year 2010. The most difficult part in managing operational risk is the fact that the threats and challenges can originate and spread at the speed of thought in operations of a Bank. The financial industry is growing all over the world in spite of the poor economic indicators forcing stricter regulations, policies and thus prompts greater awareness of the various challenges faced by financial industry. Operational risk ( especially for financial industry )should be placed at the highest level of attention in order to ensure smooth functioning of the organization as it can hamper the organizations future growth. Regulators formulating the policies and regulations for effective management of operational risk are faced by the following challenges :- Ø Ever changing requirements of policies. Ø Policies are expensive to start and implement at the workplace. Ø They also hamper the normal functioning of financial organization and requires trainings across all verticals. Ø Employee and customer participation is difficult to managed. 2.3.8. Operational Risk and Financial Organizations Advent of newer and convenient technology for various processes and tasks has made :- Ø our financial system has become more susceptible to attacks by hackers and viruses. The system needs to quarantined ( detained) for all possible leak holes and if found must be plugged immediately because of the following reasons :- Ø The financial system is the backbone of economy for any country or region. Ø It is the system that makes the economy grow and maintain its track. Ø It is of prime importance that the operational risk at this industry must be managed with utmost care. With increasing level of pilferage at the financial system,

Essay examples --

Organizational changes have a potential failure rate of 70%, although this rate has been consistent for many decades there are many organizational changes that are successfully strategized and implemented (Maurer, 2010). An organizational change is when an organization goes through a renovation of altering business strategies (Organization change) to strengthen and expand their services to meet a demand of the economy (Ackerman, 1997). According to the chapter on Development, Transition, or Transformation: The Question of Change in Organization by Linda Ackerman in the book Organization Development Classics: The Practice and Theory of Change, there are three types of collective changes that are among organizations these changes are developmental change, transitional change, and transformational change (1997). In this paper I will further discuss the changes in details and will counteract the changes discussed by Ackerman through other approaches or reasoning for the changes. First, developmental changes in an organization consist of an improvement of a skill, method, or condition ...

Animal Farm by George Orwell Essay

Question 3: â€Å"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.† To what extent does this saying apply to George Orwell’s Animal Farm? The quote â€Å"power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely† made by Lord Acton relates to the novel Animal Farm significantly. This quote expresses the fact that power can be abused and some infamous cases in history has shown that this can end in a tragedy. Power is a way through which authority and control is developed. It can be attained through the form of respect or in some infamous cases, fear. The idea that â€Å"absolute power corrupts absolutely† relates most directly to the pigs who possess the most power over the farm but neglect their duties to the farm and its habitants, leading to a dictatorship. One of the pigs who displays power over the animals was Old Major. Old Major was someone who â€Å"was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose an hour’s sleep in order to hear what he had to say† (page 1). He used their respect for him to persuade them to strive for the creation of a better life. Old Major had power but wasn’t corrupted. His main goal was to create a utopian society in which equity is practised. After the death of Old Major, the responsibility of leading the farm naturally fell on to the shoulders of Snowball and Napoleon. When commencing their leadership, Snowball and Napoleon were focused on helping to develop a better life for all the animals but as the novel progressed, Napoleon’s idea of leadership became corrupted. In contrast to Old Major, Napoleon took actions which were for the sole benefit of the pigs. He abused his power and neglected his responsibilities as a leader. Napoleon first attained power through respect but later maintained it through fear a lot like the infamous Hitler. The animals weren’t permitted to oppose Napoleon as they feared him, â€Å"but suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again† (page 40) . Hitler, like Napoleon, gained power over Germany but later used these powers to enforce his own beliefs onto the people. It was evident to the reader that Napole on was corrupted from when â€Å"the animals(including Snowball) trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest, and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared† (page 18). Snowball was victim to the corrupted Napoleon. One sole reason as to why Snowball was evicted from the farm was due to Napoleon’s hunger for absolute power. Although this is not clearly pointed  out by Orwell, it is evident for the reader. Napoleon, before the eviction of Snowball, did have power and authority over the animal, but he did not have their undivided attention. â€Å"The animals formed themselves into two factions under the slogans, â€Å"Vote for Snowball and the three-day week’ and ‘Vole for Napoleon and the full manger’†(page 37). Napoleon craved for more power and as the quote states â€Å"absolute power corrupts absolutely†, he became absolutely corrupted after he gained absolute power through the eviction of Snowball. Napoleon became more and more like Jones and the humans he once despised. The most significant indication of the immense corruption in Animal Farm can be ascertained through the altering of the Seven Commandments. After the rebellion, the responsibility of following these commandments were given to every animal on the farm. These commandments were what distinguished the animals from humans. They helped the animals recognise the vices of human beings and assisted them in remembering these corruptions so they themselves, would never adopt them. Throughout the book, these commandments were continuously altered to the pigs’ preferences, such as the situation in which Snowball’s followers were executed. As the pigs did not want the other animals to think that the Commandments had been violated, the sixth Commandment â€Å"No animal shall kill any other animal† was changed to â€Å" No animal shall kill any other animal without cause†. â€Å"Somehow or other the last two words had slipped out of the animals’ memory. But they saw now that the Commandment had not been violated.† (Page 66). Additionally, the presence of a corrupted leader resulted in a corrupted government. The pigs placed themselves higher than other animals to whom the author often referred to as slaves. The pigs persuaded the animals through fear of Jones’ return, â€Å"it is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!† (Page 25). They lived in luxury while the other animals starved as â€Å"once again all rations were reduced except those of the pigs and the dogsâ€Å"ï ¼Ë†page 81ï ¼â€°. The Farm has not become the utopian society strived for due to the corrupted government. The pigs regarded themselves to be on a higher tier than the other animals, completely violating the last and most important Commandment â€Å"All animals are equal†. This corruption led to the failure of the rebellion. â€Å"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely† is one quote which  summarises the events occurring in the novel â€Å"Animal Farm†. It expresses the negligence and abuse of power such as that of the pigs. The corruption of the pigs, particularly their leader, Napoleon, expressed the truth behind this quote. The presence of corruption eventually led to the failure of the rebellion.

Health and Fitness on nutrition needs for body Essay

Nutrition for athletes Journal of sports science. 22(1): 39-55. (2004) Journal on Timing of Energy and Fluid Intake. The journal I read says physical activity increases rate of energy and fluid loss. Your body needs fluid intake and food intake when you exercise if not it results in loss of fat free mass and it increases dehydration risk. The article states years or research says that a diet high in complex carbohydrate, moderate in protein, and relativity low in fat is best for both health and physical activity. Weight loss, weight gain, and weight stability are a matter of energy balance. It also states that you should consider that the weight of fat is not the same as the proportion of fat. Carbohydrates 7 to 8 g/kg body weight per day. Complex carbohydrates rather than sugars are preferred sources. Protein in adult’s 1-2g/kg body weight per day. Protein in a child is 2g/kg body weight per day. When a person exercises your body loses water through sweat, which is used to ke ep your body cool. That’s why when you are exercising its very important to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated so fluid intake is very important. Water helps regulate your body temp. Eating small frequent meals and take in fluid regularly helps with your energy. The more frequent the eating pattern, the lower the body fat and the higher the muscle mass. Frequent eating with smaller meals reduces the size of within day energy deficits and surpluses, helps to stabilize blood glucose, and also results in lower insulin release than calorically equivalent large meals. Excess weight and obesity are significantly more common among people who consume three or fewer meals a day than those having five or more daily eating/snacking opportunities. In general these finding all imply that the dynamics of energy intake and energy expenditure should be closely matched during the day. Sustaining blood volume is critical for maintaining the delivery of nutrients to cells, removal of metabolic byproducts from cells, and sustaining the sweat rate during physical activity. Everyone loses fluids while sweating. Heat dissipation through the evaporation of sweat is the primary mechanism for removing exercise associated heat. About 75 to 80% of the energy burned for muscular work is loss as heat and can result in a 20 times higher heat production during exercise than at rest. The same exercise done outdoors on a hot and humid day would require even more sweat loss to remove the excess heat because the evaporation of sweat is less efficient with high humidity. It is not uncommon for the fluid requirements of some athletes on such days to exceed 3 liters per hour. A person gets thirsty after about 1.5 l of body water. Thirst is a warning sensation that encourages drinking before body water drops to a critically low level. A person should drink small amounts frequently to avoid thirst. A person needs sodium when they loss sweat. Sodium also encourages a person to drink. My conclusion to this journal is that fluid intake is important while exercising. Your body sweats and fluids are needed. Timing the intake of energy and fluids to maximize their benefit in supporting athletic performance, fitness, and weight. Exercise uses energy and fluids which your body needs.

Review of Scoring Rubric

Review of Scoring Rubric Introduction English language learners’ represents a significant subpopulation of USA students which in the 2006/07 school year were more than 5 million in the PK to 12 grades (Esquinca, Yaden, Rueda, 2008). This is projected to represent 1 in 9 students in the country with 80% of them nationally being native Spanish speakers and overall about 400 different home languages.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Review of Scoring Rubric specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More English language Proficiency tests whether commercial or institutional are used to assess proficiency of limited English proficient (LEP) students. In every state in the country, states, education agencies and schools have an obligation to identify LEP students especially those who come from homes where another language other than English is spoken. These tests are meant to assess the student’s oral proficiency in English also writing and reading skills (The California State University, 2009). In some states, there are already laid out procedures for identifying students who might become LEP students. There are set of questions designed to find out non-English speakers under Home Language Survey program. If discovered that a student is from non-English background, an English proficiency test is issued. In other states, specific English language proficiency tests are used. In other countries such as USA, Australia and UK and others where English is the language of communication, English language proficiency test is a requirement for international students wanting to pursue education in these countries at any level. It is a requirement also in other for immigration, skilled worker programs, and professional titles (Solorzano, 2008). For these students, commercial tests such as TOEFL and IELTS are recommended. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) IELTS was established 21 years ago and was one of th e pioneer tests in English language skills. The test is co-owned by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council, and the IDP: Australia with more than 800 testing centers and locations in 130 countries around the world (Alderson, Krahnke, Stansfield, 2008).Advertising Looking for critical writing on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More IELTS assesses English language proficiency in four skills; listening, reading, writing and speaking. These tests are continually improved to encompass advances in applied linguistics, technology, language assessment and language pedagogy (The California State University, 2009). Test formats and results The IELTS tests are available in over 800 centers and locations in 130 countries of the world, and are accessible internationally. Every year the tests are held on fixed dates and are set in the same conditions across the world. It consists of four parts, w hich reflect the skills in the English language. These are reading, writing, speaking and listening. These are oriented to test candidates in their mastery of English in real life-situations. They are also offered in two formats, the academic format for university and tertiary candidates and general training. They are also used by English medium universities, colleges and professional groups and immigration agencies such as in Canada to test the immigrants English language ability (TESL Canada Federation, 2011). Test Content IELTS test on listening contains four sections of recorded assessment for candidates. This increase in complexity as they progress and contain a mixture of dialogue and conversation. This test contains seven different task categories which include tables, matching, forms, multiple choice, classification and notes. This tests the ability of a candidate to listen and understand contents in English in real-life situations. This section takes about 40 minutes where the first 30 minutes a candidate listens to recorded material and in the last 10 answers the given questions as outlined by Ekbatani, (2010). In reading skills assessment, candidates are presented with three passages, which are derived from authentic books, magazines or even journals, which they are supposed to read and complete ten different tasks. These include multiple choice, short answer, sentence completion and labeling diagrams among others. In writing skills, candidates are required to complete two tasks, which are a one hundred and fifty word report, based on presentations in a table or diagram. This tests the ability of the candidate to describe and explain issues as they seem. The other task is a 250 word essay which could be in response to an opinion or problem outlined in the test.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Review of Scoring Rubric specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The final skill tested is speaking which is done for ten to fifteen minutes. Here, the candidate and the examiner interact on a face-to-face basis and the former is expected to describe, narrate and give explanations on personal and general issue topics that are asked. These tests have an overall test time of two hours and forty five minutes. Test scoring The listening and reading tests contain 40 items and each correct answer is given one mark with the maximum a candidate can achieve being 40 points. These points are known as raw points and are then put in band scores, which range from 1 to 9, 1 meant to mean no language skills and 9 meaning an expert user of the language. In writing and speaking skills test, detailed performance descriptors are used with each being rated in the 9 IELTS bands. After the marking, and scoring, candidates receive test report forms showing overall test band score and the scores in the subtests. Each of the subtest scores carries the same weight and the final score is obtain ed by calculating the mean score of the four subtests. These results are valid for two years (Hogan, 2005). Band scale Tests are marked thoroughly and consistently and results scored on a 9 band system. This is a unique scale that does not give a pass or fail instead it puts the overall scores in a band system where each band means specific English language competency. These are then reported in the nearest whole or half bands, which are discussed by TESL Canada Federation, (2011) Band 0 means that the candidate did not provide any information while band 1 means the candidate is a non user of the language and has no ability to use it behold a few isolated words. A candidate with 1-3 marks falls into this category. Band 2 is referred to an irregular user who does not have the capacity to communicate in English apart from the essential information where limited words are used in familiar instances and needy situations. This candidate experiences hardships in the use and understanding of the English. Band 3 refers to a candidate who is a very limited user of English. He/she expresses and understands basic meaning in familiar situations and communication breakdown arises.Advertising Looking for critical writing on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Band 4 refer to a limited user of the language and portrays basic competence only in familiar environments. Problems in understanding and articulating issues arise, and complex language use is not possible. Band 5 represents a candidate who is a modest user of English language. This one has limited use of the language where overall meaning is understood although he/she might make a mistake. Communication in familiar field is possible though. Band 6 candidate uses English proficiently and has a valuable grasp, however, there is a likelihood of, inappropriacies, misunderstandings and inaccuracies. In common situations, the candidate can fairly understand complex language. A band 7candidate uses English excellently, since the operational command of the same is demonstrated, however, occasional misunderstandings and inappropriacies are observed. This candidate can cope with intricate language and detailed reasoning. A band 8 candidate uses English very excellently, since he/she demonstr ates unwavering command of the language, however, inappropriacies and unsystematic inaccuracies come about intermittently. This candidate handles intricate in depth reasoning well. This is given to a candidate who has a raw score of 35-39 marks. Band 9 is an expert user of the language where he/she has fully equipped command. He understands the language completely in an appropriate and accurate manner. Has a raw score of 40-41 marks. Scoring rubric reliability and validity The IELTS modules are rated by certified and trained examiners according to Hogan, (2005). They use a set of descriptors made from each key criteria of each module as Hogan continues to say. For example, speaking sub test where the major criteria are ease, consistency, grammatical range and accuracy, lexical resource and pronunciation (Hogan, 2005). These band descriptors that actually are used are confidential, but IELTS have provided a public version of them which are available on their website. These are mainly for the purpose of helping stakeholders know what candidates can do also for candidates to know the level of performance expected from each band score and in each criterion. IELTS examiners have also been put through intensive training and standardization in face-to-face situations so that they can be well positioned to apply the descriptors in a valid and reliable manner (Solorzano, 2008). Also, the production of question papers follows several stages that ensure that the results are reliable and indiscriminative. First, appropriate test content is outlined that reflects the goals of academic and general training modules. The next stage involves trailing the material with a representative group with an aim of determining whether there is a challenge indistinguishing between the more and the less able students. Finally, the questions are introduced to live tests in the standard fixing stage to ensure it aligns with the IELTS metric (TESL Canada Federation, 2011). IELTS scores are v alid for two years, and if for more than that, a valid proof should accompany the scores to show that the candidate has maintained or tried to advance their English. This is because the test shows a person’s language skill at a given time. A person’s ability to communicate in English may diminish in time especially if the language is not in use (Hogan, 2005). Test of English as a Foreign Language-Internet-based Test (TOEFL IBT) According to Hogan, (2005), the TOEFL IBT is an examination that weighs up nonnative English speakers capacity to understand and exploit spoken and written English in environments such as, schools, colleges, as well as universities. According to Hogan, (2005), the test allows institutions to gauge the student’s capacity to communicate in English in academic situations and how ready they are to undertake academic work as it assesses integrated skills. TOEFL IBT was developed and is used by ETS a nonprofit organization that is involved in t he advancement of quality education to all around the world. These tests are based on rigorous research and innovation with more than 5 million in 180 countries and 9,000 locations worldwide people taking them every year. Education Testing Services (ETS) was established in 1947 by the American Council of Education, the Collage Examination Board and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. These organizations gave their testing programs, assets and manpower to establish an educational research and assessment institution that will see advancement of knowledge. This has grown to extend their services to learners worldwide. Besides TOEFL, the organization also offers assessments in TOEL tests, GRE and the Praxis Series (Education Transparency Services, 2009). TOEFL IBT is a version of the English language test that is offered over the internet for assessment in English skills for academic environments. Its core emphasis is integrated communications and communicative competen ce. TOEFL IBT exams are taken in the institutes’ Prometric centers as well as in university and educational centers that use internet based programs. USA was the first to adopt the technology in 2005, followed by Canada, France, Germany and Italy. The use of the internet has enabled the organization to make the test more accessible to many users as well as widening the measure of the English proficiency globally (TESL Canada Federation, 2011). The test does not consist of separate tasks testing different skills as is the case with IELTS but an integrated assessment that tests the four skills; reading, listening, reading and writing at once. The tests involve three approaches as outlined by Buckendahl, Blackhust, Rodeck, (2006); In the first approach, a candidate is supposed to read, listen, and then speak as he/she answers the questions asked, Secondly, a candidate listens and then talk to respond to a question posed, The final approach is where a candidate reads, listens, and then writes down responses to questions. The reading part of the TOEFL IBT consists of 3-5 passages, which are drawn from academic sources and 12-14 questions, based on each passage. The listening skills are tested using 2-3 discussions with two speakers with each having 5 questions lasting 3 minutes. The speaking sub test contain 6 tasks with 2 of them requiring candidates to talk about general topics, two involving listening to a spoken lecture and responding to queries on this while a further two involves reading a brief academic text, listening to the spoken information about this text and then responding to the questions on the two materials. Writing generally involves two tasks. One requiring a candidate to read a short academic text listens to a recorded lecture that is related to the text and answer questions that incorporate the two materials. The last task involves writing an essay about a topic of interest. The whole test takes about 41/2 hours (TESL Canada Federatio n, 2011). Scoring the test The TEOFL IBT is marked out of 30 points for each section, and the total score is out of 120 points. The reading and listening skills are rating that are computer based. In speaking skills, which is done by ETS raters, each task is marked out of four points, and the overall score is put on a scale of 0-30. The writing skills also are marked out of five points for each task and then put on a 0-30 scaled score. The difference between this test and the IELTS is that separate sections do not carry the same weight as they are considered to assess different language abilities (Esquinca, Yaden, Rueda, 2008). Performance interpretation, reliability and validity Performance scores for each section are interpreted differently. For reading performance description ranges from low, medium and high. In speaking ability, performance is rated as weak, limited, fair and good while writing is described as limited, fair or good (The California State University, 2009). This test does not use face-to-face interviews in the speaking section but rather have the candidates record their responses in English. This is said by (Ekbatani, 2010) to eliminate a lot of bias that might be found in face-to-face interviews that are determined by the rapport the examiner and candidate created during the meeting. The recordings together with the other test materials are assessed by between three to six raters instead of relying on a single rater’s impressions. This is said to be fairer for the candidates and more accurate for academic institutions in gauging their students’ skills. TOEFL IBT test has a more improved writing section to the original TOEFL paper based in that another writing task was introduced. The candidate is anticipated to read a small passage, pay attention to a lecture by listening and then put in writing the responses on the computer (Ekbatani, 2010). This whole test takes four hours and is completed the same day which is convenient f or a candidate. Buckendahl, Blackhust, Rodeck, (2006) say that the use of other integrated tasks independently will help instructors to link better teaching, learning and testing in academic environments. Comparison of IETLS and TOEFL-IBT scores and scoring procedures TOEFL IBT speaking and writing modules are graded holistically where the score that is given is an overall assessment of the whole essay in terms of vocabulary, logic, style, and grammar. In IELTS, on the other hand, scoring is done using a checklist where each item in the list is graded individually. The checklist includes grammar, word choice, fluency, cohesion and logic among others. TOEFL IBT generally requires a person with an ability to compose a logical and detailed argument which exhibits clarity, excellent word choice and style. IETLS requires excellence in grammar and vocabulary and generally a candidate who can write a decent essay (Education Transparency Services, 2009). In TOEFL IBT speaking module, scori ng procedures are more complex where the responses are spoken into a microphone, then recorded digitally and ETS is used for scoring. Through ETS Online Scoring Network (OSN), four to six different human raters score the responses. This ensures objectivity and reliability. In IETLS, speaking module test is conducted by an interviewer in the country where the candidate is taking the test, who then scores the response (Hogan, 2005). In the writing module, TOEFL IBT candidates type and then send responses digitally to ETS for assessment. Writing responses are scored the same way the speaking responses are scored. They are rated by four to six raters through ETS OSN for reliability and objectivity purposes. In IELTS, responses are handwritten by the candidate and then forwarded to in-country human raters at the test center for scoring (Ekbatani, 2010). In terms of quality control of the rating procedures, TOEFL IBT, raters are subjected to a calibration test, which they must pass, every time they rate. The scoring sessions are also monitored by scoring leaders to ensure highest quality control. In IETLS, examiners go through a retraining and recertification process every two years to ensure reliability (Alderson, Krahnke, Stansfield, 2008). Conclusion English proficiency is a requirement not only in schools in countries like United States of America but also for immigration, skilled worker programs, and professional titles in English speaking countries. English proficiency tests are used to assess the communication skills of a candidate. IELTS and TOEFL IBT are among the most common tests since they are accepted by many institutions and offered in many centers around the world. These have four testing modules; speaking, writing, reading and listening though the contents of these and their procedures in testing are different. TOEFL IBT is computer based while IETLS is paper based. In the scoring and scoring procedures, the two tests are different in terms of scori ng, scoring rubrics and the way the responses are rated. Moreover, both tests have different procedures of ensuring validity, reliability and the way the test results are interpreted. Reference List Alderson, C., Krahnke, K., Stansfield, C. (2008). Reviews of English Language Proficiency Tests. Teachers of English to Spekears of Other Languages, 358-368. Buckendahl, C., Blackhust, A., Rodeck, E. (2006). Adaptation within a Language: Considerations for Standard Setting. International Test Commission Conference (pp. 1-19). Brussels: University of Cambridge ESOL. Education Transparency Services. (2009). Guidelines for the Assessment of English  Language Learners. United States of America: Education Transparency Services. Ekbatani, G. (2010). Measurement and Evaluation in Post-Secondary ESL. New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. Esquinca, A., Yaden, D., Rueda, R. (2008). Current Language Proficiency Tests and  their Implications for Preschool English language learners. U nited States of America: University of Southern Califonia. Hogan, M. (2005). Something New? Quite a Lot In IELTS, Actually. 18th Annual EA  Education Conference 2005 (pp. 40-58). Australia: IELTS. Solorzano, R. (2008). Review of Educational Research: High Stakes Testing; Issues,  implications, and Remedies for English Language Learners. United States of America: American Educational Research Association. TESL Canada Federation. (2011). Overview of English Language Proficiency  Tests. Retrieved from TESL Canada Federation: https://www.tesl.ca/ The California State University. (2009). Focus on English: English Placement Test  (EPT). California: The California State University. Vecchio, A., Guerrero, M. (1995). Handbook of English Language Proficiency Tests.  New Mexico: New Mexico Highlands University.

Tourism websites analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Tourism websites analysis - Research Paper Example The report also reflects the structure of marketing objectives, is prepared under the accrual, and outputs framework. Yours sincerely, Name: Executive summary The introductory part of this study shows the need for having marketing research. This is through analysis of tourism websites showing that taking a marketing research is necessary in order to formulate decisions and strategies for business success. In carrying out a marketing research, there is need to develop skills needed in seeking information about the market and marketing issues. This helps in assessing quality of information linking it with the business goal to make it stronger. It is also necessary to understand the competitive environment as it helps in seizing market opportunities in places where they exist making the market productive. The analysis shows that every business is analysed by the factors that affect its functions and these factors attribute for the success or failure of the business. In conclusion, hotel s are valued as a strategic community partner due to its mission of enabling people to save money to better their lives. Table of contents Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Background to the problem †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ... †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 Limitation & Future research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦18   Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 21 Introduction Marketing in every industry involves change, as change is inevitable in every business practices, as business people believe that change is able to maintain a competitive position. Hiatt (2010) describes that change is an essential factor to consider for surviving in today’s market. Organisational change involves adding new people or modifying programs it also include change in mission and restructuring operations such as restructuring self managed teams or layoffs, improved new technologies and mergers. Change occurs not for any reason but to accomplish an overall goal and it is usually provoked by outside driving force such as addressing new markets or need for dramatic increases in productivity. The above study shows the impact of marketing in the tourism industry. The study will also show how organizations and among employees undertake the role of human resource in managing change. A review of tourism websites shows that taking a marketing research is necessary in order to formulate decisions and strategies for business success. In carrying out a marketing research, there is need to develop skills needed in seeking information about the market and marketing issues. This helps in assessing quality of information linking it with the business goal to make it stronger. It is also necessary to understand the competitive environment as it helps in seizing market opportunities in places where they exist making the market productive. Companies having the

Client profile Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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