Interpersonal Conflict in the Film Spanglish Essay

The film Spanglish portrays many examples of interpersonal conflict between characters. An interpersonal conflict is two or more persons having different views on a specific thought or idea. In the film one of the most noticeable conflicts occurs between Flor, the house keeper, and Deborah, the mother. The movie is based on the struggles of relationships, with others and with the characters within themselves. Flor’s personality and parenting beliefs conflict with Deborah’s, resulting in a personal and cultural minimal battle. The conflict between Deborah and Flor progress over time because Deborah is uptight and her irrational behavior is often upsetting both households. Flor speaks very little English when she starts to work for the Clasky family as their housekeeper on a daily basis. She does not mention that she has a daughter, named Cristina. The family has two children, George and Bernice, the famous chef father John, the alcoholic grandmother Evelyn, and the neurotic mother Deborah. Summer comes and Flor is needed at the Claskys’ summer home around the clock so Deborah asks her to live there with them. Unable to communicate well in English, Deborah finds a neighbor to interpret, Flor reveals that she is unable to maintain these hours because she has a daughter, so Cristina is invited to come stay with them. While living in their new home for the summer with the Clasky’s, Cristina interprets for her mother to communicate. She impresses Deborah, who begins to treat her like a daughter, taking Cristina shopping, getting her hair done, enrolling her in a private school, and showing her more love than she shows for her own daughter Bernice. Flor becomes unhappy when it appears that Cristina is influenced by Deborah, in part because she wants Cristina to keep in touch with her Mexican roots and working-class values, and partly because Deborah is overstepping her bounds. Flor objects to Deborah’s actions to John, who apologizes and explains to his wife that she cannot do these things for some one else’s child without permission. Flor begins to learn English so she can communicate better. She becomes closer to John, who is having difficulty with Deborah’s self-centered behavior. Flor quits and takes her daughter home, upsetting Cristina, who got along well with the Claskys. On their way home, she tells Cristina that she can’t go to the private school anymore either, upsetting Cristina even more; she screams in the middle of the street that Flor can’t do this to her and that her life is ruined. Flor loses patience with Cristina after she asks her mother for space. Flor explains to her daughter that she must answer the most important question of her life, at a very young age: â€Å"Is what you want for yourself to become someone very different than me? Cristina considers this on their bus ride home, and they make up and embrace. The film ends with Cristina as an adult, years later, acknowledging that her life rests firmly and happily on the simple fact that she is her mother’s daughter. Throughout the movie there are many examples of how different cultures have different values, and different people have different morals and ethics, and how two people can clash and have extreme conflict between them, to the point where it can affect others around them. The movie Spanglish is based on the struggles of relationships, with others and the characters within themselves. Flor’s personality and parenting beliefs conflict with Deborah’s, resulting in a personal and cultural minimal battle. One of the most important reasons for engaging in interpersonal communication is to form and maintain relationships, connections, or associations with other people in your life (Sole, 2011).

Genocide and Sexual Violence Essay

The Bosnia, Rwanda, and Nazi Germany Experience Genocide is defined in international law as acts which have the intention of destroying â€Å"in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group . . . † (Genocide Watch, n. d. ). Mass killings have been one of the most controversial events in the world. This incident even plays a more important part in the historical experience of those countries which undergone it. When the idea of genocide is being discussed it is always associated with different forms of violence. One of its most prevalent forms is sexual violence against women. Sexual violence is the most common act by which women are degraded and violated. Referring to sexual violence does not only connote the idea of rape. Rape being the process of forced penetration of the penis or any foreign object inside the anus or the vagina, or placing the penis inside the mouth. Sexual violence also includes other related sexual crimes like prostitution, sexual slavery, forced impregnation, mutilations, and other similar practices (West, 2005). Employing sexual violence especially rape, aids conflicting parties to achieved their desired outcomes or objectives. Its negative social effects help in accomplishing the primary goal behind the idea of violence. The main reason why violence exists is to make sure that coexistence would not continue and rape is considered to be a more powerful instrument than murder that could obtained this end (West, 2005). Being the case, sexual violence is utilized as a tool of genocide because of the social disgrace that it brings. This holds true in countries that gives importance to the idea of virginity and chastity because these symbolizes honor not only for the women but also for her family. Sexual violence humiliates both the women and also the men because if such act took place it gives the idea that men are not strong enough to defend their women (Chenoy, 1997). In connection to that, the process of ethnic cleansing would become easier because these abused women would be forced to leave their home and flee to other areas. Such acts of violence are done to induced hatred coming from the members of the targeted group towards their enemies so that they would no longer come back (West, 2005). However, there are instances that opportunistic sexual violence takes place. This kind of sexual crime is done based simply on the individual desire of the abuser. During times of conflict, violent acts escalate because there are no foreseen penalties or consequences in doing such. But this is not always the case especially in a more organized government or regime. In a more centrally organized and powerful state this kinds of crime are not seen as an instrument to inflict terror and humiliation towards the enemy but simply an individual taking advantage of the situation in order to fulfill ones’ aggressive sexual wants (West, 2005). The Bosnian Experience The end of the Soviet Union has brought significant changes in the structure and alignment of the region. The declaration of independence of states coming from the Eastern bloc started their animosity against each other. Slovenia and Croatia declared independence in July 1991 that brought war between Croatia and Yugoslav state as well as slight conflict between Yugoslavia and Slovenia. During the early parts of 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina achieved independence, this event culminated in a civil war against the Serbs, Croats, and the Muslims in Bosnia. The war lasted for several years, which is characterized by various forms of atrocities (Weitsman, 2006). One of the most disturbing forms of atrocities in the former Yugoslavia was the sexual violence inflicted upon Bosnian Muslim women by the Serb militias. Rape camps were created wherein women are segregated and raped everyday for months. Rape is not only the form of sexual violence that these women have to endure but also forced impregnation and maternity. Based on the Final report of the United Nations Commission of Experts established pursuant to security council resolution 789 (1992), the former Yugoslavia has 162 detention sites wherein people were sexually abused. Bosnian Muslim women were repeatedly raped by various men and then they murdered them or detained them to become sexual slaves. Some women were even raped by 40 men in one night while other were gang raped. Mass rape and forced impregnation is utilized as a strategy in the policy of Serb authorities. Serbs denies such kind of allegations but the identical ways by which the rape camps were established as well as the pattern of sexual abuse tend to proved otherwise. The mass sexual abuses of women as well as men have the primary goal of shaming, degrading, torturing, and violating their victims. Forced impregnation of women was also done with the intent that the offspring will live because the Serbs considered such as their primary goal. This is further proven by the accounts of women who experienced being held in rape camps. They narrated that they were impregnated and detained until such a time where abortion is no longer possible (Weitsman, 2006). Scholars and experts of international politics analyzed that sexual violence such as mass rape, forced impregnation, and forced maternity were strategies employed by the Serbs in order to accomplish their objective of ethnic cleansing and even genocide. Forcing women to bear children connotes the idea they want the offspring to acquire the identity of the rapists being paternally derived and thus, disconnect whatever attachment it might have from the mother. In doing so, the Serbs deem that they succeeded in their idea of ethnic cleansing because they are putting a stop to the propagation of the culture and genes of the Bosnians. The identities of the father are commonly unknown because of cases wherein a woman impregnated has been raped by many men. In such cases, the identity of these children as â€Å"genocidal babies† or little â€Å"chetniks† still continues because it is reinforced by the media and their community. The identity of the babies is already constructed in such a way that they would forever be linked to their Serbian fathers (Weitsman, 2006). The Rwandan Genocide The genocide that happened in Rwanda is a product of ethnic hatreds and rivalries that is rooted in the early parts of this country’s history. The animosity among the two ethnic groups in the country, namely the Hutus and Tutsis goes a long way. During the pre-colonial era these two ethnic groups realized the distinctiveness that they have from each other in terms of economic status, occupation as well as slight variations in their physical appearance. Despite such differences no conflicts were observable in these groups. However, the European colonizers emphasized the distinctness of these ethnic groups based on biological superiority. Europeans allocated more power, authority, and privileges over to the Tutsis due to their tall built and angular faces, which is said to make them superior in the racial hierarchy (West, 2005). The Belgians established a democratic institution in the country that attributed more power to the persistent Hutus. This event started the tension between these two groups that resulted for the Tutsis to flee towards neighboring countries. Animosity between the groups escalated as Hutu extremists continue to perceive the other ethnic group as a â€Å"Tutsi Threat†. The situation is further worsen by the violent acts of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). Hutu extremists were greatly concerned with the threat posed by the Tutsis that they decided to create a policy of genocidal mass killing. They deem that the complete annihilation of the Tutsis is the only way possible to solved this insecurity that they felt because other means are ineffective like the deportation of Tutsis to other countries, which they believe would only allow the continuation of the problem (West, 2005). The government was responsible to most of the violent attacks that happened, which intensified the feeling of terror among civilians. It is also because of fear that the civilians learned to act violently in order to defend themselves (West, 2005). Furthermore, Hutu extremists also used propaganda through the media in order to instil the hatred that the Hutu civilians must feel against the Tutsis. They also make sure that they degrade the Tutsi women by describing them as object of sexual desire (Weitsman, 2006). The participation of the civilians is needed in order for the complete annihilation of the Tutsis to be possible. During the mass killings, many women were kidnapped by their perpetrators and were raped, shamed, and left to die of depression; they did such because it contributes in the humiliation of the Tutsi culture. Sexual violence in this case is a means to deconstruct the Tutsi group of their spirit, willingness to move on and their very idea of life. Violent attacks were experienced by men and women of all ages but the women were greatly susceptible to it because of their gender and ethnicity (West, 2005). Basically, there are two purposes why sexual violence is employed. First, it is utilized in order to destroy the Tutsi race. The women symbolize their ethnicity and by raping, shaming, and lowering their morale they also destroys their ethnic group. Effects of sexual violence also humiliate their families and community. Using sexual violence invoked feelings of fear and humiliation that the Hutus believe would helped in the annihilation of the Tutsis. Second, it makes ethnic power inversion possible. Inflicting harm invokes hatred and a sense of revenge among the Tutsis. This feeling of vengeance only adds to their idea of the â€Å"Tutsi Threat† (West, 2005). The Nazi Germany The genocide that happened in the history of Germany is grounded in the idea that Germans or the Aryan race are the most racially pure and sophisticated people making them superior as compared to other races. Adolf Hitler made sure that the superiority of their race continues by first, eliminating the physically unfit members of the Aryan race like the handicapped and the mentally ill. Afterwards, he proceeded in annihilating the Jewish population, which he perceived as the greatest threat to their race. He disseminates the idea that the Jews are dirty and they are trying to infiltrate and destroy their superiority. Furthermore, he also accused that the Jews have connection in the Bolshevism of Russia and Stalin’s Communism. He succeeded in spreading the feeling of hatred among the Aryan race towards the Jews through propaganda in posters, newspapers, and radio reports. Basically, the perception that Jews are inferior and their connection to Bolshevism led to the conclusion that the only way to save the Aryan race as well as the entire Europe is through the elimination of the Jewish race (West, 2005). Unlike the case of Bosnia and Rwanda, there was very minimal practiced of sexual violence before and during the Holocaust in Germany. It is interesting to note that despite the long periods of incarceration that Jewish women spent in the concentration camps, they were not sexually abuse. Some reports of sexual crimes were more individualistic in nature as compared with the Rwandan and Bosnian experienced of mass raped. Sexual violence was only limited among Germans that hold high position in authority who are often left in charge making it opportunistic in nature. However, there are also instances that women are humiliated inside concentration camps. This is when they are forced to stand naked, be shaven, searched and experienced invasive medical tests. They also undergone psychological fear as soldiers would threaten them of sexual violence. But this merely becomes psychological means to infused terror because there are rarely cases of rape inside the concentration camps (West, 2005). Sexual violence was not employed during the genocide in Germany because of several factors. First, the strong and radical belief of the Nazis about their race. Their belief in the preservation of the purity of their race entails with it policies that prohibits them in engaging in sexual practices with inferior races as it is seen as dirty and they condemned the reproduction of Jewish people. This is proven by incidents wherein pregnant Jewish women are immediately killed. Second, Nazis have a very disciplined military that strictly obeyed the rules of their superiors as well as the ideology of their race. Being the case, they would not subject themselves in acts of sexual violence as this is prohibited in their laws and beliefs. Lastly, their strong hierarchical state which assures that the codes of conduct and laws are followed by the military as well as the civilian members of their population (West, 2005). This served as the strong foundation that holds the people belonging in the Aryan race to act accordingly with regards to their beliefs and objectives. Similarities and Differences The ethnic cleansing and genocide that happened in these three countries have its similarities and differences in terms of how the conflict escalated the usage of sexual violence, as well as their reasons in employing or not employing these violent acts. Bosnia, Rwanda, and Germany’s genocide are similar in the fact that it involves the leadership of political elites who devised ways in order to heighten the feeling of animosity among conflicting parties. In the case of Bosnia, the Serbs made a policy that created numerous rape camps that will aid in the rape and impregnation of women. Rwanda also employed a similar strategy by including the citizens to further aggravate the conflict that is taking place. They propagate the idea of â€Å"Tutsi threat† so that Hutu civilians would participate in the annihilation of the Tutsis. The strong political leadership of the Nazis also reinforced the superiority of the Aryan race and they created the idea of the Jews being a threat to their superiority in order to justify their actions of mass killings. Moreover, all of them used propaganda by means of the media to influence the mind of their fellow citizens and eventually aid them in their desired objectives. This is exactly what happened in Rwanda when they announced the â€Å"Tutsi threat† together with their perception of Tutsi women as sexual objects in their radio stations and newspapers. Similarly, the media also aided in propagating the idea that the offspring’s of the impregnated Bosnian Muslim women are â€Å"little chetniks† which heightened the stigma that these children’s identities would be forever linked to their fathers who are responsible for such violent act. Nazi Germany is also no different as they strengthened the idea of the Aryan race’s superiority and the threat the Jewish imposed upon this dominion through the same method as the two aforementioned incidents. The differences they have are focused on their idea of what sexual violence is and what are its effects to the ends that they are fighting for. In the genocide that happened in Rwanda they employed sexual violence as a means to humiliate and violate not only the women that they raped and their families but also their communities as well. The reason for such course of action is the high regards given to the honor of women because she symbolizes the very ethnicity of her race. Destroying her morale is also synonymous to the destruction of the race she symbolizes. In contrast, even though Bosnia practiced the same mass rape as Rwanda their perception towards it is different. Rwanda used sexual violence as a means to destroy the ethnic race by humiliation unlike in Bosnia wherein sexual violence is considered more as an after effect of their actions of ethnic cleansing. Their forced impregnation of women in their process of genocide was utilized in order to create â€Å"little chetniks† or offspring that would increase the Serbian race. The most unlikely among these three cases of genocide is the Nazi Germany experience. Sexual violence is not utilized by the Nazis to propagate mass destruction of the Jewish race. There are only minimal incidents of rape during those times and it was caused by opportunistic reasons rather than a method of ethnic cleansing. The rationale behind such incident is the fact that Nazis have a more disciplined military and strong hierarchal structure. In an organized government like the Nazi regime violent acts such as sexual abuse is not as rampant as compared to Bosnia and Rwanda because perpetrators are sure to face the consequences and penalties of their actions. Furthermore, a disciplined military would not adhere to sexual misconduct because of the fear of being punish by their superiors as well as their high regards to their beliefs. Sexual violence is indeed commonly used in most cases of genocide. Contrary to this usual practice there have also been instances wherein mass killings took placed but there are very minimal reports of sexual violence. In such cases, sexual violence was not perceived as an instrument in order to accomplish the goals of the perpetrators. This kind of observable discrepancy among the employment of sexual violence could be attributed to the idea that this concept is still very subjective. Its meaning, practice, and usage tend to vary from one person to another and in this case from one race from the other. References Chenoy, A. (1997). Demystifying Terrorism: a War Against Terror & The Terror Of War, US Hegemony & Militarism. ARENA. Genocide Watch. (n. d. ). What is Genocide? Retrieved 22 May 2008, from http://www. genocidewatch. org/aboutgenocide/whatisit. html.

Marbury vs. Madison Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marbury vs. Madison Case - Essay Example Some legal scholars have accepted the legitimate reasoning of Marshall while others remain to challenge the decision he made toward the Marbury vs. Madison case. Alexander Bickel question John Marshall ruling, Bickel argued that Marshall Verdict in advocated justice for Marbury vs. Madison case was unconvincing and power-driven interpretation of jurisprudence. Marshall recommended that the Supreme Court had an outright obligation to strike-down every rule it discovers violated the constitution. â€Å"It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is" Bickel foresees that consenting the constitution to mean whatever the Supreme Court perceives to be right might turn the constitution into a mere document in the hands of the judges. Consequently, judges may twist and shape the constitution into any form that delights them rather than giving the legal decision that will facilitate court attaining decision that depict legitimate, fair and just rul ing. Alexander Mordecai Bickel puts evidently that the aim of John Marshall was using federalist tactic to craft a strong central government over the opposition of Jeffersonian who was alacritous to have a resilient state government. Therefore, John Marshal used the case to establish the Supreme Court as center of power, proficient at overruling the legislature, the president, and the state. Bickel believed that allowing Supreme Court to dictate the constitution might turn it susceptible as judges may desire to shape and twist the constitution towards their lusts, personal gains and egotistical interests2. It is important that Alexander Bickel’s notion is taken into consideration to circumvent future judges from using their positions for personal interest. Conversely, Supreme Court remained to be a vital constitutional independent branch, but it has to incorporate other institution such as congress, and the state interest thus fashioning a holistic relationship for sustainabl e governance of the country.

WWII Contrasting view Points Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

WWII Contrasting view Points - Essay Example Lo" by Charles Cawthon. Hughes Rudd began his career for the forces at a very early age of nineteen when he started his training as a pilot in the year 1942. He was a very motivated young man who joined the forces of the united states as a pilot who worked as a spotter and not as a fighter as he had dreamed of. This was because of his imperfect vision. But he pursued his career and after his initial training he was moved from Fort Hays to the Fort Still where the training period became even more difficult with more obstacles. He was again lucky enough and it was his determination which made him graduate from there. After finishing his course he officially became a spotter pilot. He was allotted to work in the 93rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion. He faced many difficulties which included the misconceptions between the navy and the army which could be seen when they were forced to dress in a manner that was difficult for the pilots. He was then finally posted on the field where he worked throughout the wa r and fought against the Germans (Rudd). On the other hand Charles Cawthon was also a soldier who fought during the Second World War. He was in the army of the United States and he was not a pilot but rather a foot soldier. He begins his account directly from his memories of the war and not explaining much about his initial career. He presents with direct events of the war and the inside plans. A clear picture of the events of the war that particularly took place at St. Lo during the war up till the war was over is clearly presented (Cawthon). The spirits of Charles Cawthon do not seem as high as that of Hughes from his initial account when he says that many soldiers were not even aware why they were a part of the army whereas Hughes stated clearly that it was his dream to be a part of the forces. Charles cawthon

Ted Kaczynski Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ted Kaczynski - Essay Example The terrorist acts committed by the terrorist known as the Unabomber were exclusively bombs that were very specifically targeted. The bombs were delivered in the form of letters or packages that were designed to detonate upon opening. His targets usually had some connection to technology, and many of them were connected to a university. The Unabomber is blamed for 16 separate incidents that spanned 17 years and included three fatalities. The Unabomber's knowledge of technology, and his activity as a loner, made his identification and capture more difficult. In fact, he was not identified until the FBI gained the cooperation of his brother David Kaczynski (Chase, 2003, p.21). Kaczynski had been a child that was prone to violence, and refused to play with other children, and had significant mental disorders prior to arriving at Harvard. He had an exceptional IQ and was accepted at Harvard at the age of sixteen. At Harvard he was introduced to radical ideas about the evils of technology, the dualistic nature of good and evil, and a belief that he "could find absolute truth through the application of his own reason" (Chase, 2003, p.19). In addition, he would be introduced to radical thinkers and philosophers that would help him focus on his fantasies of revenge. He was also the subject of a lengthy, and controversial, psychological experiment, which may have exacerbated Kaczynski's emotional problems. A psychological experiment by Henry A. Murray tested Kaczynski's psychological response while subjected to extreme stress and abuse. While little is known about the depth of these experiments, Chase (2003) feels that it may have contributed to Kaczynski's ment al problems. 4.) What are the views of Jacques Ellul and how did they influence Kaczynski Jacques Ellul was a French protestant philosopher and lay theologian that had written a book titled The Technological Society (Chase, 2003, p.92). Ellul was a Luddite, who believed that technology was evil and that citizens should actively attempt to eliminate it from society. Kaczynski regularly communicated with Ellul and would adopt several ideas from Ellul's book. He would later incorporate several of Ellul's radical concepts into the Unabomber Manifesto. The Technological Society advocated the "efficacy of revolution" and that "technology and the state were coeval and mutually dependent" (Chase, 2003, p.92-93). While Ellul would renounce much of The Technological Society in his later writings, Kaczynski would cling to them until the end. 5.) Summarize Kaczynski's time as a UC Berkeley professor To what degree did Kaczynski identify with the political leftists on campus Why did Kaczynski leave his position at Berkeley In 1967, Kaczynski joined the faculty at UC Berkeley and at about the same time he became more alienated and isolated. It was during this period that he moved to the Northwest, fled academia, and began building

Persuasive synthesis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Persuasive synthesis - Research Paper Example Other issues contributing to the worsening of cancer’s challenges encompass gender and unstable economic statuses mostly affecting the ailing besides close people. This is especially in the developing states or in regions where culture esteems the male gender to the extent of some experiencing fecal embarrassment when undergoing medical checkups (Consedine et al E410). Unstable economic statuses mainly characterize the developing states whereby numerous states are unable to avail necessary cancer awareness facilities to the natives (Ryder et al 3627). Hence, this leads to severe suffering to the citizens who to some point few cite to have attended cancer screening tests, for instance, women’s Pap smear test (Agunwah et al 364). This is because of utter ignorance that augments cancer severity among numerous citizens though limited by both their individual and states’ unstable economies (Ryder et al 3627). Scholarly studies contacted so far cite ignorance (knowledg e deficits) as one of the challenges hindering effective management of cancer (Van der Rijt et al 1370). Hence, this poses a formidable challenge to the patients, professionals and caregivers whereby the latter two ends up not being of any help to the victims despite their will to offer required assistance (Van der Rijt et al 1371). ... This is because of the latter’s knowledge deficit regarding pain assessment, which could have been leant early via multidisciplinary studies (Van der Rijt et al 1370). Hence, in turn fail to educate patients on how to manage their varied cancer predicaments, which results to painful experiences while away from their respective medical institutions. This is because at home neither the patient nor the caregivers know exactly what to do in alleviating or assessing pain that will alert them to seek timely medical intervention (Van der Rijt et al 1375). According to Van der Rijt et al study, multidisciplinary interventions considerably reduce pain. However, respective authorities ought to ensure adequate imparting of the medical practitioners with this knowledge. Since, they will also inform caregivers who will accordingly apply the knowhow while handling their ailing relatives in the absence of medical personnel. Inadequate level of education is also another aspect worsening ignor ance especially in the developing states, for instance, Enugu in Nigeria (Agunwah et al 362). This is especially among the female gender where most of them due to illiteracy do not see the essence of going for Pap smear tests. Hence, contribute to high mortality rates because only 4.2% of the women’s population in this region contends to have attended cancer screening tests in their lifetime (Agunwah et al 361). However, this percentage does not indicate the attending consistency, which one ought to keep on cancer screening at certain intervals. This leads to people who have gotten cancer resurfacing when the condition is at an advanced stage, whereby the available services for them only work to prolong their lives, but not to prevent or cure the malady (Agunwah

Marketing-Defining a Communication Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing-Defining a Communication Plan - Essay Example Graves Enterprises is doing well in its business activities in the market while it has been focusing attention on business expansion and develop a new customer base for their for their consumer products. However its business operations in particular require the company to adopt far reaching changes to the existing communication strategy and its orientation. Any communication strategy must have a customer retention focus that will ultimately produce the desired results. While this would effectively address the concerns raised by the consumer marketing director, there would be a greater degree of structural changes in communication within and without the organization (Zambardino, 2003). 47% of customers being retained would have a positive impact on revenue and profit related outcomes of the company. However $ 2 per unit in gross profit means nothing in the absence of the breakeven figures. The company may have lot of financial commitments by way of sales cost and therefore the net profit margin can be considerably reduce if the 47% customer retention plan fails. Thus the advertising campaign must be not only focused on the core customer base but also be extended to include the peripheral customer whose retention matters in the long term. As the Marketing Director commercial products suggests the current cash cows of the company would be compelled a carry a greater burden if the slow growth market tend to cash unexpectedly. The company might have a lot of problem children and dogs and as a result there might be a few cash cows and stars. Assuming the communication strategy as based on advertising works out successfully, the net return on the investment must be proportionately higher (Percy, 2008). In other words per unit advertising cost must be much less to support cash cows to move in to sustainable long term profitable stars. Thus the marketing communication plan of the company must be based on a proper alignment of the Boston Matrix with the

Advantages and disadvantages of measures use to protect operating Research Paper

Advantages and disadvantages of measures use to protect operating system - Research Paper Example Operating system being a program is frequently attacked by viruses and therefore need protection so as to effectively and efficiently operate. There are several measures that are used to protect the operating system. However, the measures have certain disadvantages and disadvantages. This leads to differential in efficiency of measures used to protect the operating system. This paper discusses different measures used to protect the operating system and the advantages and disadvantages of each. It basically concentrates on three measures. Furthermore, it discusses ease of implementation and associated security management issues that need to be addressed. It also ranks the measures used to protect the operating system from the most effective to the least effective. Measures used to protect the operating system There are several measures that are used to protect the operating system. These are meant to deny unauthorized access to the system. They include use of strong password, protection of confidential information, making sure that the operating system and the virus protection are updated. It may also be use of supported and secure applications, wary of suspicious e-mails, storing of confidential information in HSU servers only, data should be provided wit a back up and it should be easily restored. Protection of information in all forms, learning security awareness and inquiring on matters that are not clear or certain. Measures used in protecting the operating system are aimed at protecting information from theft, natural disaster or corruption. It also ensures that information is only accessed by the authorized users. It also protects the operating system from collapse that may be caused by unauthorized persons. There are several measures that are used in protection of operating system as discussed above. However, the paper will focus on three measures only. They are use of a strong password, updating the operating system and the virus protection and data back up and ensuring they can be easily restored (Tatnall, Osorio, and Visscher, 2005, p 67). Use of strong password Operating systems are in most cases protected through passwords by most users. This is because this is one of the cheapest and easiest ways of protecting the operating system. Password may be in form of letters or numbers that are specifically known and recognized by the individual user. Furthermore, a password has to be unique to the user and unknown to unauthorized users. This ensures that unauthorized persons do not access data that they are not allowed to access by the respective persons. Password is widely used to protect the operating system by most users. However, it has both disadvantages and advantages (Meghanathan, 2011, p 79). Advantages of use of strong password (1) Guessing possibilit y; generally guessing a password is one of the most difficult things. This is because passwords are not usually displayed when entered. Passwords may be made long or short depending on the ability of the user to remember the password. This makes password difficult to guess and access the information without knowledge of the authorized user (Kim, and Adeli, 2010, pp 56-96). (2) Simple; passwords are simple and easy to generate. This is because anything may be used as password provided it falls within the accepted number of letters accepted by the system or that can be easily remembered by the user. Password may be words or letters or both. Furthermore, password may be in either upper case or lower case depending on the preference of the user (Kim, and Ad

Journal 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Journal 6 - Essay Example The book suggests that the schools of Haiti needs revival as the government need to stop inequality practiced in school in the past. So we can see that Haiti had been having a bad social and economical status which was expected to change after earthquake related humanitarian work. The author states that being a under developed nation, Haiti’s medical infrastructure has been highly damaged and the refugee camps were only temporary relief which had many risks. The misery, causality, lack of proper medical facilities all were matter of concern in Haiti after the earthquake occurrence. He in his book does point out to the impartiality and discrimination in the country and how media and foreign agents restricted Haitian life during the disaster. He argues that the political and military should not interfere with humanitarian work as seen in Haiti. So we can see from the readings that Haiti as a disaster struck nation needs a more comprehensive strategy from their government and

Financial accounting standards Essay Example for Free

Financial accounting standards Essay The income statement, which portrays the financial performance of the company, is also described in the financial statements elements. Income and expenses from ordinary activities are recognized as the main elements of such statement, which when matched result in a profit or loss for the period. Capital maintenance adjustments are also pointed out, which may effect the income statement. This arises from the restatement of assets and liabilities that may eventually influence the equity of the firm (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 61-64). The measurement bases utilized in order to compute the monetary amounts of the assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenditure noted above are also outlined in the framework. There are five main measurement bases recognized in the accounting framework, which are explained below: †¢ Historical Cost – such measurement bases states that assets are recorded at the historical, which is normally the date of purchase. This implies that the value of the asset at the date of acquisition is the one portrayed in the Balance Sheet. For example, if a motor vehicle costing $8,000 is bought. The $8,000 historical cost value will be adopted as its measurement bases. As regards liabilities, the amount of cash obligation arising at the inception of the transaction will also be utilized as the measurement means. Any payments that are eventually undertaken to cover such liability are diminished from that amount. This is most common method adopted in practice by business organizations. However, when the need arises, such measurement bases are promulgated with other methods in order to portray a more true and fair financial picture (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 70-71). †¢ Current Cost – as its name implies, assets are recorded at the current amount of cash and cash equivalents that would be required if a similar was going to be purchased. Under such measurement bases, liabilities are determined according to the undiscounted cash obligation necessary to settle such commitment (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 70). †¢ Realizable value – this method is similar to the current cost one, with the exception that assets value is computed in line with the equivalent price that the present asset can attain if disposed in the market. The value of liabilities under such measurement bases is the same to the historical cost one. That is liabilities are determined in line with their settlement value (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 70). †¢ Present value – this encompasses that assets are recording according to the present discounted value of the envisaged cash inflows that such asset will provide to the organization in its day-to-day business activities. Liabilities are also valued at the present discounted value of the expected cash outflows entailed in the foreseeable future (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 70). The concept of capital and capital maintenance is the last basic principle covered by the accounting framework. The principle of capital under a financial side comprises the invested assets by the owner, which are identical to the equity or net assets value. Under the physical concept of capital, it entails the operating ability. That is the productive power of the organization (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 72). The concept of capital mentioned in the previous paragraph leads to the proceeding concepts of capital maintenance:†¢ Financial Capital Maintenance – profit/loss is computed under such concept as the difference between the financial value of the net assets at the end of the year and the financial value of the net assets at the commencement of the financial year (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 72). The fair value measurement bases, which is a new valuation method abides with such concept. †¢ Physical Capital Maintenance profit in this case focuses on the productive ability of the corporation. That is the excess of physical production at the end of the year when compared with that of the beginning forms up the profit figure (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 73). 2. The principles outlined in the framework do not exercise a direct influence on the intended parties. It holds an indirect affect by affecting the accounting standards issued by the recognized accountancy board. Such accounting standard will then have a direct influence on the accounting treatment of specific items and on the presentation of accounting information. Indeed the framework acts as a yardstick that guides the development of accounting standards. It is a generic document that narrows the range of alternatives that can be adopted during the standard setting process (Foster M. J. et al 2001, p 1,2). Further more, the framework aids the communication process in the Financial Accounting Standards Board, both internally and externally. Through the adoption of a generally accepted accounting framework, the message of the Financial Accounting Standards Board would be more easy to be communicated to accountants in the respective industries (Foster M. J. et al 2001, p 2).

Native Language in Foreign Language Learning

Native Language in Foreign Language Learning 1.1 Introduction The debate over whether English language classrooms should include or exclude students native language has been a controversial issue for a long time (Brown, 2000). Although the use of mother tongue was banned by the supporters of the Direct Method at the end of the nineteenth century, the positive role of the mother tongue has recurrently been acknowledged as a rich resource which, if used judiciously, can assist second language learning and teaching (Cook, 2001). Therefore, this research study tries to open up a new horizon for English instructors to find a thoughtful way to use learners mother tongue in second language teaching. The technique in which L1 was used in this study was translation from L1 to L2, a technique which was rarely used by EFL teachers. Atkinson (1987) was one of the first and chief advocates of mother tongue use in the communicative classroom. He points out the methodological gap in the literature concerning the use of the mother tongue and argues a case in favour of its restricted and principled use, mainly in accuracy-oriented tasks. In his article, Atkinson (1987) clearly stated that translation to the target language which emphasizes a recently taught language item is a means to reinforce structural, conceptual and sociolinguistic differences between the native and target languages. In his view, even though this activity is not communicative, it aims at improving accuracy of the newly learned structures. Similarly, this research aimed at investigating the effect of translation from L1 to L2 on the accurate use of the structures. The arguments in supports of using the learners mother tongue in L2 instruction clearly reveal that not only doesnt the use of first language have a negative impact on L2 learning, but it can be factor to help students improve the way they learn a second language. Although the English Only paradigm continues to be dominant in communicative language teaching , research into teacher practice reveals that the L1 is used as a learning resource in many ESL classes (Auerbach, 1993). Auerbach added that when the native language was used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Furthermore, he identifies the following uses of mother tongue in the classroom: classroom management, language analysis and presenting rules that govern grammar, discussing cross-cultural issues, giving instructions or prompts, explaining errors, and checking comprehension. Although the provision of maximum L2 exposure to the learners seems essential, L1 can be used alongside L2 as a complement. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) stated that maximizing the target language use does not and should not mean that it is harmful for the teacher to use the L1. â€Å"a principle that promotes maximal teacher use of the target language acknowledges that the L1 and target language can exist simultaneously (p. 153). Similarly, Stern (1992) stated that the use of L1 and target language should be seen as complementary, depending on the characteristics and stages of the language learning process (p. 285). On the other hand, overuse of L1 will naturally reduce the amount of exposure to L2. Therefore, attempt should be made to keep a balance between L1 and L2 use. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) acknowledges that although it is efficient to make a quick switch to the L1 to ensure, for instance, whether students understand a difficult grammar concept or an unknown word, it is crucial for teachers to use the target language as much as possible in contexts in which students spend only short periods of time in class, and when they have little contact with the target language outside the classroom. 1.2 Background to the problem The Integrated Secondary School Curriculum or Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) was planned in accordance with the National Education Philosophy. The main goal of KBSM was based on the integrated self-development with orientation towards society or nation (Mak Soon Sang, 2003). Four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing are incorporated in the English syllabus proficiency in order to meet their needs to use English in everyday life, for knowledge acquisition, and for future workplace needs (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2000). My personal experience as a learner has shown me that moderate and judicious use of the mother tongue can aid and facilitate the learning and teaching of the target language, a view shared by many colleagues of mine. However the value of using the mother tongue is a neglected topic in the TESL methodology literature. This omission, together with the widely advocated principle that the native language should not be used in the second language classroom, makes most teachers, experienced or not, feels uneasy about using L1 or permitting its use in the classroom, even when there is a need to do so. How do students and teachers look at this issue? Schweers (1999) conducted a study with EFL students and their teachers in a Spanish context to investigate their attitudes toward using L1 and in the L2 classroom. His result indicates that the majority of students and teachers agreed that Spanish should be used in the EFL classroom (Schweers 1999). Inspired by his research and driven by my own interest, the researcher decided to carry out a similar study on the use of the native language (Malay) in the Malaysian context. However, differences exist between Schweers study and mine. 1.3. Statement of the problem Many rural school students have difficulty in understanding English, and they have often found it difficult to read English books on their own (Ratnawati and Ismail, 2003). Students lack of proficiency in English deprives them of the opportunities open to those who are able to use the language well. Recently, the teaching and learning of English has been discussed widely in Malaysia. This is because the low level of English proficiency among students hinders them from acquiring knowledge globally. Students L1 are being use in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area to help them understand English better and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. Because of the students difficulty in understanding the language, teachers need to assist them thoroughly in the learning process. With the using of the L1, this will gain their interest to stay focus in the class and not being de-motivated in learning the target language. The prohibition of the native language would maximize the effectiveness of learning the target language will be a question that we need to find out. 1.4. Purposes of the study The purpose of the study is to determine whether the L1 (Malay language) are use frequently in the rural ESL classroom. The important of this study is to find out whether L1 works as an effective teaching and learning instrument. 1.5. Research questions Research questions for this study are; How frequent the Malay language was used in the Malaysian English classroom and for what purposes? Can prohibition of L1 (Malay language) maximize the interest of using English in the classroom? What are the perception of the students and the teachers towards using Malay in the English classroom? 1.6. Theoretical For this study, the researcher referred to the theory of SLA that interrelated set of hypothesis or claims about how people become proficient in a second language. In a summary of research findings on SLA, Lightbown (1985: 176-180) made the following claims: Adults and adolescents can â€Å"acquire† a second language. The learner creates a systematic inter-language that is often characterized by the same language as the first language, as well as others that appear to be based on the learners own native language. There are predictable sequences in acquisition so that certain structures have to be acquired before others can be integrated. Practice does not make perfect. Knowing language rule does not mean one will be able to use it in communicative interaction. Isolated explicit error correction is usually effective in changing language behavior. For most adult learners, acquisition stop-â€Å"fossilizes†-before the learner has achieved native-like mastery of the target language. One cannot achieve native-like or non native-like command of a second language in one hour a day. The learners task is enormous because language is enormously complex. A learners ability to understand language in a meaningful context exceeds his or her ability to comprehend de-contextualized language and to produce language of comparable complexity and accuracy. The hypothesis will be the first tool for the measurement of how the students in the rural ESL classroom comprehend with target language. Learning is a long life process so the students need a proper guide to lead them in gaining the language proficiency. There are some modifications that need to be made in using these hypotheses so it will be suit to the learners need in the rural area. There are some mistakes that made by the learners that due to interference from their first language and the learners errors should be corrected as soon as they are made in order to prevent the formation of bad habits. The acquisition-learning hypothesis Stephen Krashen (1977) claimed that adult second language learners have two means for internalizing the target language. The first is â€Å"acquisition†, a subconscious and intuitive process of constructing the system of a language. The second means is a conscious â€Å"learning† process in which learners attend to form, figure out rules, and are generally aware of their own process. According to Krashen, â€Å"fluency in second language performance is due to what we have acquired, not what we have learned† (1981a:99). Adults should, therefore, do as much acquiring as possible in order to achieve communicative fluency; otherwise, they will get bogged of language and to watching their own progress. For Krashen (1982), our conscious learning processes and our subconscious process mutually exclusive: learning cannot become acquisition. This claim of no interface between acquisition and learning is used to strengthen the argument for recommending large doses of acqui sition activity in the classroom, with only a very minor role assigned to learning. The input hypothesis Krashens claims that an important â€Å"condition for language acquisition to occur is that the acquirer understand (via hearing or reading input language that contains structure a bit beyond his or her current level of competence†¦..if an acquirer is at stage or level i , the input he or she understands should contain i +1† (Krashen1981:100). In other words, the language that learners are exposed to should be just far enough beyond their current competence that they can understand most of it but still challenged to make progress. The corollary to this is that input should neither be so far beyond their reach that they are overwhelmed (this might be, say, i + 2) nor so close to their current stage that they are not challenged at all (i + 0). Important parts of the Input Hypothesis are recommendation that speaking not be though directly or very early in the language classroom. Speech will be emerging once the acquirer has built up enough comprehensible input ( i + 1). Success in a foreign language can be attributed to input alone. Such a theory ascribes little credit to learners and their own active engagement in the process. Moreover, it is important to distinguish between input and intake. Intake is what you take with you over a period of time and can later remember. Krashen (1983) did suggest that input gets converted to knowledge through a learners current internalized rule system and the new input. The application of these theories will help the study in measuring how effective the use of L1 in the ESL classroom based on the prior knowledge of the participants and in what way the theories will help the researches defines the result of the studies. Motivation Theory Various definitions of motivation have been proposed over decades of research and three different perspectives emerge: From a behaviourist perspective, motivation was seen in matter of fact terms. It is quite simply the anticipation or reward. Driven to acquire positive reinforcement, and driven by previous reinforcement, and driven by previous experiences of reward for behaviour, we act accordingly to achieve further reinforcement. In this view, our acts are likely to be at the mercy of external forces. In cognitive terms, motivation places much more emphasis on the individuals decisions. Ausubel (1968:368-379), for example, identified six needs undergirding the construct of motivation: a. The need for exploration, for seeing the other side of the mountain, for probing the unknown; b. The need for manipulation, for operating- to use Skinners term- on the environment and causing change; c. The need for activity, for movement and exercise, both physical and mental; d. The need for stimulation, the need to be stimulated by the environment, by the other people, or by ideas, thoughts, and feelings; e. The need for knowledge, the need to process and internalize the result of exploration, manipulation, activity, and stimulation, to resolve contradictions, to quest for solutions to problems and for self consistent systems of knowledge; f. Finally, the need for ego enhancement, for the self to be known and to be accepted and approved by others. 3) A constructivist view of motivation places even further emphasis on social context as well as individual person choices (Williams Burden 1997:120). Each person is motivated differently, and will therefore act on his or her environment in ways that are unique. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Edward Deci (1975:23) defined intrinsic motivation: â€Å"Intrinsically motivated activities are ones for which there is no apparent reward except the activity itself. People seem to engage in the activities for their own sake and not because they lead to an extrinsic reward†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.intrinsically motivated behaviours are aimed at bringing about certain internally rewarding consequences, namely, feelings of competence and self determination†. Extrinsically motivated behaviours, on the other hand, are carried out in anticipation of a reward from outside and beyond the self. Behaviours initiated solely to avoid punishment are also extrinsically motivated, even though numerous intrinsic benefits can ultimately accrue to those who instead, view punishment avoidance as a challenge that can build their sense of competence and self determination. The intrinsic and extrinsic continuum in motivation is applicable to foreign language classrooms and around the world. Regardless of the cultural beliefs and attitudes of learners and teachers, intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be easily identified (Dornyei and Csizer 1998). During the classroom observations, the researcher will identify whether the teacher use this kind of method. If the students communicate with their L1, should the teacher give a punishment or give them the motivation to communicate with L1 as long it will help the students to understand the whole lesson. 1.7. Significance of the study It is hope that the study will: Help all the teachers in selecting the best method in teaching the ESL classroom especially in the rural area. Determine the appropriateness of using the Malay in the ESL classroom. Enable the teacher to realize the important of using the L1 in the ESL classroom at the rural area. Help the students to gain their interest in learning the target language by giving them the opportunity to use their L1 while learning ESL. 1.8. Limitation of the study This study was undertaken with the following limitations; The small sample clearly does not represent the whole population of students in SMK in Felda Gedangsa. The sample taken is 40 students from one class in Felda Gedangsa. The reliability and validity of the survey instruments may be questioned. The questionnaire is not based on any existing survey instrument, which had been tested and/ or certified in terms of reliability and validity. The questionnaire is developed specifically for this study. The time constrain will limit the quality of the study. SMK Felda Gedangsa is situated in Ulu Selangor district and about 30KM from UPSI. It will take a long time in doing this study. The students level of proficiency is at the lower level and they will need help in understanding the questionnaires. 1.9. Summary Understanding of English is crucial for every student in the ESL classroom. Without a proper guide from the teacher, they will lose their motivation in learning. Teacher need to be ready with a proper methods and teaching skills and should not ignore the use of L1 in the classroom. With the lacking of vocabulary and understanding towards certain aspects in the learning process, surely the use of L1 in the classroom should be considered to guide the students. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1. Introduction This paper provides a review of the literature on students L1 are being used in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. There are several studies which are significance to the focus of this study. The summaries of previous work related to the hypothesis of the study are listed below. Long (1985, 1996), adapted the input Hypothesis to include interaction. His modified Input Hypothesis (1996) focuses on negotiation of meaning that occurs when communication breaks down. It proposes that oral input that is simplified through interactional modification is more successful than non-interactionally modified input in promoting learner comprehension, which in turn facilitates language acquisition. This hypothesis claims that the modified output produced by learners who are interacting in order to negotiate meaning can also aid acquisition. In this view, which gives importance to input that has been simplified through interaction, there is a possible role for the use of the learners L1 in the interactive input. Modified must give the learner information related to the linguistic form that were problematic and the use of the L1 is a potential source of this critical information (Gillis, 2007). 2.2. Close studies on the Using of L1 in the ESL Classroom Research on the usage of the L1 in the ESL classroom is a vital has demonstrated that L1 are not only effective but necessary for adult ESL students with limited L1 literacy or schooling and that use of students linguistic resources can be beneficial at all levels of ESL (Auerbach 1993). Auerbach (1993), performed a research on the topic of â€Å"Do you believe that ESL students should be allowed to use their L1 in the ESL classroom†? Only 20% of the respondents gave an unqualified yes to the question; 30% gave an unqualified no, (with comments such as, Its a school policy and No but its hard); the remaining 50% said sometimes (with comments such as Usually not, but if I have tried several times to explain something in English and a student still doesnt understand, then I allow another student who speaks the same language to explain in that language; Theyre going to do it anyway; As a last resort). The essence of these comments is captured by the following response In general ESL students should be encouraged to use English as much as possible, but in reality this doesnt always work. Thus, despite the fact that 80% of the teachers allowed the use of the L1 at times, the English only axiom is so strong that they didnt trust their own practice. On the flip side, when the native language is used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Rivera (1990) outlines various models for incorporating the L1 into instruction, including initial literacy in the L1 (with or without simultaneous but separate ESL classes) and bilingual instruction (where both languages are utilized within one class). The first benefit of such programs at the beginning levels is that they attract previously un-served studentsstudents who had been unable to participate in ESL classes because of limited L1 literacy and schooling. Further, contrary to the claim that use of the L1 will slow the transition to and impede the development of thinking in English, numerous accounts suggest that it may actually facilitate this process. Shamash (1990), for example, describes an approach to teaching ESL used at the Invergarry Learning Center near Vancouver which might be considered heretical by some: Students start by writing about their lives in their L1 or a mixture of their L1 and English; this text is then translated into English with the help of bilingual tutors or learners and, as such, provides a natural bridge for overcoming problems of vocabulary, sentence structure and language confidence. At a certain point in the learning process, according to Shamash, the learner is willing to experiment and take risks with English. Thus, starting with the L1 provides a sense of security and validates the learners lived experiences, allowing them to express themselves while at the same time providing meaningful written material to work with. This research had shows us that the usage of L1 in the ESL classroom is sometimes considered as vital because of the students level of proficiency. Tang (2002), based on her studies, â€Å"Using the mother tongue in the Chinese EFL classroom† bear many similarities to Schweers (1999) study in a Spanish context. Both studies indicate that the mother tongue was used by the majority of teachers investigated, and both students and teachers responded positively toward its use. Minor discrepancies exist concerning the occasions when the L1 should be used. Some of these differences can be accounted for by the participants different levels of L2 language proficiency. The teachers participating in this study indicated that the translation of some words, complex ideas, or even whole passages is a good way to learn a foreign language. Her observation of the three classes suggests that without translation, learners would be likely to make unguided and often incorrect translations. This study also reveals that in the EFL classes observed Chinese plays only a supportive and facilitating role. The chief medium of communication in the class is still English. As with any other classroom technique, the use of the mother tongue is only a means to the end of improving foreign language proficiency. She agreed with the majority of student participants (about 63 percent combined) that no more than 10 percent of class time should be spent using Chinese. In her experience, this percentage decreases as the students English proficiency increases. Of course, a translation course would be an exception. Unlike Schweers student participants, the students in the present study are highly motivated to learn English. As English majors in the university, their English language proficiency is regarded as a symbol of their identity and a route to future academic and employment opportunities. Few of them feel that English is imposed on them or regard the use of English as a threat to their identity. Instead, they generally prefer greater or exclusive use of English in the classroom. In their view, Chinese should be used only when necessary to help them learn English better. The research seems to show that limited and judicious use of the mother tongue in the English classroom does not reduce students exposure to English, but rather can assist in the teaching and learning processes (Tang, 2002). Strohmeyer and McGrail (1988) found that allowing for the exploration of ideas in the L1 served to enhance students ESL writing. When students were given the choice of writing first in Spanish, they went on to write pieces in English that were considerably more developed than their usual ESL writing. These findings from practice are supported by Garcias (1991) more formal research on effective instructional practices which found that (a) academically successful students made the transition from Spanish to English without any pressure from teachers; and (b) they were able to progress systematically from writing in the native language in initial literacy to writing in English later. A recent study by Osburne and Harss-Covaleski (1991) suggested that the widely frowned upon practice of writing first in the L1 and then translating into the L2 is not harmful to the quality of the written product. They cite the conventional wisdom that students should be discouraged from translating as this will cause them to make more errors, result in rhetorically inappropriate texts, and distract them from thinking in Englishand that all these factors would negatively affect the quality of their writing. To investigate the validity of this claim, they compared ESL compositions written directly in English with others written first in the L1 and then translated into English; their results indicated no significant difference in the quality or quantity of the written products. They conclude, It seems then that there is no need for teachers to become overly anxious if students choose to employ translation as a composing strategy at times. Friedlander (1990) cited numerous other studie s reporting the beneficial effects of using the L1 for L2 composing; his own study provides further support for L1 use in planning ESL writing when knowledge of the topic has been acquired in the L1. Mirzaei Vaezi (2007), had been conducted the study of the effect of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique on the improvement of EFL Learners Linguistic Accuracy- Focus on form. Based on the results obtained from the statistical analyses in the study, it was discovered that the idea of the effectiveness of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique to improve a group of Iranian EFL learners linguistic accuracy was supported. Therefore, it can be concluded that translating form L1 to L2, using specific structures, can enhance learners linguistic accuracy within the scope of those structures. It also manifests that learners mother tongue is not a useless element in second or foreign language learning. In other words, mother tongue, if used purposefully and systematically, can have a constructive role in teaching other languages. In effect, the purpose of the present study was to join the three vertices of the triangle i.e., first language, translation, an d focus on form. Moreover, it can be claimed that translating sentences form L1 to L2, if selected purposefully, can push learners to use specific structures accurately when producing utterances in the second language. This mental practice in transforming an idea from mother language to the second language helps the learner tackle the psycho-linguistic challenge they have to face in producing second language in real life situations. Nevertheless, when utilizing this teaching technique, the learners should be bewared about the structural differences existing between languages which may cause negative interference from their L1. In other words, learners should be warned that there is not always a structural correspondence between their first language and the language they are learning. To make it short, translation from L1 to L2 is a kind of practice which makes the learners use specific L2 structures accurately in order to express L1 ideas. This transformation—mental translation from L1 to L2â €”is a natural and sometimes inevitable process which is mostly experienced by the learners of lower levels. Consequently, as discussed above, the technique used in this study is a means through which learners can practice producing L2 grammatically correct sentences which enables them to perform accurately in communicative situations (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Translation from L1 to L2 was not a strange process; nonetheless, it might not have been dealt with through systematic and research-based studies yet. Although the word translation and even mother tongue has been abominated by many so-called innovatory-oriented teachers, this study demonstrated that there are judicious ways in which language teachers can use mother tongue, in general, and translation from L1 to L2, in particular, in their instruction with the purpose of improving learners proficiency. In addition, mother tongue is truly a very rich source of linguistic knowledge with which any L2 learner is already equipped, and it does not seem reasonable to deprive our learners from using this recourse at the expense of exercising an English-only atmosphere in our classrooms. Therefore, it can be suggested that teachers be familiarized with advantages of using learners mother tongue in EFL/ESL classrooms and they should be reasonably given enough leeway to use this resource constructively. In particular, language teachers can use the technique presented in this study, i.e. using translation from L1 to L2, as a communicative task to promote their learners linguistic accuracy. Therefore, it seems reasonable to allocate some time to the training of teachers in this regard (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Schweers (1999) had done a research on the attitudes toward the use of Spanish in the English classroom among the students and the teachers in Puerto Rican. A high percentage (88.7%) of the student participants in this study felt that Spanish should be used in their English classes. All of the teachers reported using Spanish to some degree. Approximately 99 percent of the students responded that they like their teachers to use only English in the classroom. Very noticeable is the 86 percent of students who would like Spanish used to explain difficult concepts. Only 22 percent of teachers saw this as an appropriate use. Students also responded notably higher than teachers on the following uses for Spanish: to help students feel more comfortable and confident, to check comprehension, and to define new vocabulary items. Neither students nor teachers saw a use for the L1 in testing. A notable percentage of students would like Spanish to be used in English class either between 10 and 39 p ercent of the time. A sizeable number of students like the use of Spanish because it helps them when they feel lost. About 87 percent of students feel Spanish facilitates their learning of English between â€Å"a little† and â€Å"a lot,† and about 57 percent think it helps from â€Å"fairly much† to â€Å"a lot.† These results showed that in English classes in a Puerto Rican university, Spanish should be used to some degree. Students feel there are clear cases where Spanish will facilitate their comprehension of what is happening in class. A majority also agree that the use of Spanish helps them to learn English. Studying students reactions to the use of the L1 in English classes, Terence Doyle (1997), in his presentation at TESOL 97, reported that students in a study he conducted claimed that the L1 was used approximately 90 percent of the time in their classes. Some 65 percent of these students preferred the use of the L1 in their classes sometimes or often. While the first figure is comparable to the one he found in his study, the second is higher than the percentage in his study. Romstedt (2000) had conducted a research of the effects of L1 Pre-writing discussion on ESL writing. The subjects of the study were thirty five graduate and undergraduate students, both male and female representing six native languages at two different levels of intensive English instruction. The general conclusi Native Language in Foreign Language Learning Native Language in Foreign Language Learning 1.1 Introduction The debate over whether English language classrooms should include or exclude students native language has been a controversial issue for a long time (Brown, 2000). Although the use of mother tongue was banned by the supporters of the Direct Method at the end of the nineteenth century, the positive role of the mother tongue has recurrently been acknowledged as a rich resource which, if used judiciously, can assist second language learning and teaching (Cook, 2001). Therefore, this research study tries to open up a new horizon for English instructors to find a thoughtful way to use learners mother tongue in second language teaching. The technique in which L1 was used in this study was translation from L1 to L2, a technique which was rarely used by EFL teachers. Atkinson (1987) was one of the first and chief advocates of mother tongue use in the communicative classroom. He points out the methodological gap in the literature concerning the use of the mother tongue and argues a case in favour of its restricted and principled use, mainly in accuracy-oriented tasks. In his article, Atkinson (1987) clearly stated that translation to the target language which emphasizes a recently taught language item is a means to reinforce structural, conceptual and sociolinguistic differences between the native and target languages. In his view, even though this activity is not communicative, it aims at improving accuracy of the newly learned structures. Similarly, this research aimed at investigating the effect of translation from L1 to L2 on the accurate use of the structures. The arguments in supports of using the learners mother tongue in L2 instruction clearly reveal that not only doesnt the use of first language have a negative impact on L2 learning, but it can be factor to help students improve the way they learn a second language. Although the English Only paradigm continues to be dominant in communicative language teaching , research into teacher practice reveals that the L1 is used as a learning resource in many ESL classes (Auerbach, 1993). Auerbach added that when the native language was used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Furthermore, he identifies the following uses of mother tongue in the classroom: classroom management, language analysis and presenting rules that govern grammar, discussing cross-cultural issues, giving instructions or prompts, explaining errors, and checking comprehension. Although the provision of maximum L2 exposure to the learners seems essential, L1 can be used alongside L2 as a complement. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) stated that maximizing the target language use does not and should not mean that it is harmful for the teacher to use the L1. â€Å"a principle that promotes maximal teacher use of the target language acknowledges that the L1 and target language can exist simultaneously (p. 153). Similarly, Stern (1992) stated that the use of L1 and target language should be seen as complementary, depending on the characteristics and stages of the language learning process (p. 285). On the other hand, overuse of L1 will naturally reduce the amount of exposure to L2. Therefore, attempt should be made to keep a balance between L1 and L2 use. In this regard, Turnbull (2001) acknowledges that although it is efficient to make a quick switch to the L1 to ensure, for instance, whether students understand a difficult grammar concept or an unknown word, it is crucial for teachers to use the target language as much as possible in contexts in which students spend only short periods of time in class, and when they have little contact with the target language outside the classroom. 1.2 Background to the problem The Integrated Secondary School Curriculum or Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) was planned in accordance with the National Education Philosophy. The main goal of KBSM was based on the integrated self-development with orientation towards society or nation (Mak Soon Sang, 2003). Four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing are incorporated in the English syllabus proficiency in order to meet their needs to use English in everyday life, for knowledge acquisition, and for future workplace needs (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, 2000). My personal experience as a learner has shown me that moderate and judicious use of the mother tongue can aid and facilitate the learning and teaching of the target language, a view shared by many colleagues of mine. However the value of using the mother tongue is a neglected topic in the TESL methodology literature. This omission, together with the widely advocated principle that the native language should not be used in the second language classroom, makes most teachers, experienced or not, feels uneasy about using L1 or permitting its use in the classroom, even when there is a need to do so. How do students and teachers look at this issue? Schweers (1999) conducted a study with EFL students and their teachers in a Spanish context to investigate their attitudes toward using L1 and in the L2 classroom. His result indicates that the majority of students and teachers agreed that Spanish should be used in the EFL classroom (Schweers 1999). Inspired by his research and driven by my own interest, the researcher decided to carry out a similar study on the use of the native language (Malay) in the Malaysian context. However, differences exist between Schweers study and mine. 1.3. Statement of the problem Many rural school students have difficulty in understanding English, and they have often found it difficult to read English books on their own (Ratnawati and Ismail, 2003). Students lack of proficiency in English deprives them of the opportunities open to those who are able to use the language well. Recently, the teaching and learning of English has been discussed widely in Malaysia. This is because the low level of English proficiency among students hinders them from acquiring knowledge globally. Students L1 are being use in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area to help them understand English better and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. Because of the students difficulty in understanding the language, teachers need to assist them thoroughly in the learning process. With the using of the L1, this will gain their interest to stay focus in the class and not being de-motivated in learning the target language. The prohibition of the native language would maximize the effectiveness of learning the target language will be a question that we need to find out. 1.4. Purposes of the study The purpose of the study is to determine whether the L1 (Malay language) are use frequently in the rural ESL classroom. The important of this study is to find out whether L1 works as an effective teaching and learning instrument. 1.5. Research questions Research questions for this study are; How frequent the Malay language was used in the Malaysian English classroom and for what purposes? Can prohibition of L1 (Malay language) maximize the interest of using English in the classroom? What are the perception of the students and the teachers towards using Malay in the English classroom? 1.6. Theoretical For this study, the researcher referred to the theory of SLA that interrelated set of hypothesis or claims about how people become proficient in a second language. In a summary of research findings on SLA, Lightbown (1985: 176-180) made the following claims: Adults and adolescents can â€Å"acquire† a second language. The learner creates a systematic inter-language that is often characterized by the same language as the first language, as well as others that appear to be based on the learners own native language. There are predictable sequences in acquisition so that certain structures have to be acquired before others can be integrated. Practice does not make perfect. Knowing language rule does not mean one will be able to use it in communicative interaction. Isolated explicit error correction is usually effective in changing language behavior. For most adult learners, acquisition stop-â€Å"fossilizes†-before the learner has achieved native-like mastery of the target language. One cannot achieve native-like or non native-like command of a second language in one hour a day. The learners task is enormous because language is enormously complex. A learners ability to understand language in a meaningful context exceeds his or her ability to comprehend de-contextualized language and to produce language of comparable complexity and accuracy. The hypothesis will be the first tool for the measurement of how the students in the rural ESL classroom comprehend with target language. Learning is a long life process so the students need a proper guide to lead them in gaining the language proficiency. There are some modifications that need to be made in using these hypotheses so it will be suit to the learners need in the rural area. There are some mistakes that made by the learners that due to interference from their first language and the learners errors should be corrected as soon as they are made in order to prevent the formation of bad habits. The acquisition-learning hypothesis Stephen Krashen (1977) claimed that adult second language learners have two means for internalizing the target language. The first is â€Å"acquisition†, a subconscious and intuitive process of constructing the system of a language. The second means is a conscious â€Å"learning† process in which learners attend to form, figure out rules, and are generally aware of their own process. According to Krashen, â€Å"fluency in second language performance is due to what we have acquired, not what we have learned† (1981a:99). Adults should, therefore, do as much acquiring as possible in order to achieve communicative fluency; otherwise, they will get bogged of language and to watching their own progress. For Krashen (1982), our conscious learning processes and our subconscious process mutually exclusive: learning cannot become acquisition. This claim of no interface between acquisition and learning is used to strengthen the argument for recommending large doses of acqui sition activity in the classroom, with only a very minor role assigned to learning. The input hypothesis Krashens claims that an important â€Å"condition for language acquisition to occur is that the acquirer understand (via hearing or reading input language that contains structure a bit beyond his or her current level of competence†¦..if an acquirer is at stage or level i , the input he or she understands should contain i +1† (Krashen1981:100). In other words, the language that learners are exposed to should be just far enough beyond their current competence that they can understand most of it but still challenged to make progress. The corollary to this is that input should neither be so far beyond their reach that they are overwhelmed (this might be, say, i + 2) nor so close to their current stage that they are not challenged at all (i + 0). Important parts of the Input Hypothesis are recommendation that speaking not be though directly or very early in the language classroom. Speech will be emerging once the acquirer has built up enough comprehensible input ( i + 1). Success in a foreign language can be attributed to input alone. Such a theory ascribes little credit to learners and their own active engagement in the process. Moreover, it is important to distinguish between input and intake. Intake is what you take with you over a period of time and can later remember. Krashen (1983) did suggest that input gets converted to knowledge through a learners current internalized rule system and the new input. The application of these theories will help the study in measuring how effective the use of L1 in the ESL classroom based on the prior knowledge of the participants and in what way the theories will help the researches defines the result of the studies. Motivation Theory Various definitions of motivation have been proposed over decades of research and three different perspectives emerge: From a behaviourist perspective, motivation was seen in matter of fact terms. It is quite simply the anticipation or reward. Driven to acquire positive reinforcement, and driven by previous reinforcement, and driven by previous experiences of reward for behaviour, we act accordingly to achieve further reinforcement. In this view, our acts are likely to be at the mercy of external forces. In cognitive terms, motivation places much more emphasis on the individuals decisions. Ausubel (1968:368-379), for example, identified six needs undergirding the construct of motivation: a. The need for exploration, for seeing the other side of the mountain, for probing the unknown; b. The need for manipulation, for operating- to use Skinners term- on the environment and causing change; c. The need for activity, for movement and exercise, both physical and mental; d. The need for stimulation, the need to be stimulated by the environment, by the other people, or by ideas, thoughts, and feelings; e. The need for knowledge, the need to process and internalize the result of exploration, manipulation, activity, and stimulation, to resolve contradictions, to quest for solutions to problems and for self consistent systems of knowledge; f. Finally, the need for ego enhancement, for the self to be known and to be accepted and approved by others. 3) A constructivist view of motivation places even further emphasis on social context as well as individual person choices (Williams Burden 1997:120). Each person is motivated differently, and will therefore act on his or her environment in ways that are unique. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Edward Deci (1975:23) defined intrinsic motivation: â€Å"Intrinsically motivated activities are ones for which there is no apparent reward except the activity itself. People seem to engage in the activities for their own sake and not because they lead to an extrinsic reward†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.intrinsically motivated behaviours are aimed at bringing about certain internally rewarding consequences, namely, feelings of competence and self determination†. Extrinsically motivated behaviours, on the other hand, are carried out in anticipation of a reward from outside and beyond the self. Behaviours initiated solely to avoid punishment are also extrinsically motivated, even though numerous intrinsic benefits can ultimately accrue to those who instead, view punishment avoidance as a challenge that can build their sense of competence and self determination. The intrinsic and extrinsic continuum in motivation is applicable to foreign language classrooms and around the world. Regardless of the cultural beliefs and attitudes of learners and teachers, intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be easily identified (Dornyei and Csizer 1998). During the classroom observations, the researcher will identify whether the teacher use this kind of method. If the students communicate with their L1, should the teacher give a punishment or give them the motivation to communicate with L1 as long it will help the students to understand the whole lesson. 1.7. Significance of the study It is hope that the study will: Help all the teachers in selecting the best method in teaching the ESL classroom especially in the rural area. Determine the appropriateness of using the Malay in the ESL classroom. Enable the teacher to realize the important of using the L1 in the ESL classroom at the rural area. Help the students to gain their interest in learning the target language by giving them the opportunity to use their L1 while learning ESL. 1.8. Limitation of the study This study was undertaken with the following limitations; The small sample clearly does not represent the whole population of students in SMK in Felda Gedangsa. The sample taken is 40 students from one class in Felda Gedangsa. The reliability and validity of the survey instruments may be questioned. The questionnaire is not based on any existing survey instrument, which had been tested and/ or certified in terms of reliability and validity. The questionnaire is developed specifically for this study. The time constrain will limit the quality of the study. SMK Felda Gedangsa is situated in Ulu Selangor district and about 30KM from UPSI. It will take a long time in doing this study. The students level of proficiency is at the lower level and they will need help in understanding the questionnaires. 1.9. Summary Understanding of English is crucial for every student in the ESL classroom. Without a proper guide from the teacher, they will lose their motivation in learning. Teacher need to be ready with a proper methods and teaching skills and should not ignore the use of L1 in the classroom. With the lacking of vocabulary and understanding towards certain aspects in the learning process, surely the use of L1 in the classroom should be considered to guide the students. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1. Introduction This paper provides a review of the literature on students L1 are being used in the ESL classroom especially in the rural area and find out if it is an effective teaching and learning tool. There are several studies which are significance to the focus of this study. The summaries of previous work related to the hypothesis of the study are listed below. Long (1985, 1996), adapted the input Hypothesis to include interaction. His modified Input Hypothesis (1996) focuses on negotiation of meaning that occurs when communication breaks down. It proposes that oral input that is simplified through interactional modification is more successful than non-interactionally modified input in promoting learner comprehension, which in turn facilitates language acquisition. This hypothesis claims that the modified output produced by learners who are interacting in order to negotiate meaning can also aid acquisition. In this view, which gives importance to input that has been simplified through interaction, there is a possible role for the use of the learners L1 in the interactive input. Modified must give the learner information related to the linguistic form that were problematic and the use of the L1 is a potential source of this critical information (Gillis, 2007). 2.2. Close studies on the Using of L1 in the ESL Classroom Research on the usage of the L1 in the ESL classroom is a vital has demonstrated that L1 are not only effective but necessary for adult ESL students with limited L1 literacy or schooling and that use of students linguistic resources can be beneficial at all levels of ESL (Auerbach 1993). Auerbach (1993), performed a research on the topic of â€Å"Do you believe that ESL students should be allowed to use their L1 in the ESL classroom†? Only 20% of the respondents gave an unqualified yes to the question; 30% gave an unqualified no, (with comments such as, Its a school policy and No but its hard); the remaining 50% said sometimes (with comments such as Usually not, but if I have tried several times to explain something in English and a student still doesnt understand, then I allow another student who speaks the same language to explain in that language; Theyre going to do it anyway; As a last resort). The essence of these comments is captured by the following response In general ESL students should be encouraged to use English as much as possible, but in reality this doesnt always work. Thus, despite the fact that 80% of the teachers allowed the use of the L1 at times, the English only axiom is so strong that they didnt trust their own practice. On the flip side, when the native language is used, practitioners, researchers, and learners consistently report positive results. Rivera (1990) outlines various models for incorporating the L1 into instruction, including initial literacy in the L1 (with or without simultaneous but separate ESL classes) and bilingual instruction (where both languages are utilized within one class). The first benefit of such programs at the beginning levels is that they attract previously un-served studentsstudents who had been unable to participate in ESL classes because of limited L1 literacy and schooling. Further, contrary to the claim that use of the L1 will slow the transition to and impede the development of thinking in English, numerous accounts suggest that it may actually facilitate this process. Shamash (1990), for example, describes an approach to teaching ESL used at the Invergarry Learning Center near Vancouver which might be considered heretical by some: Students start by writing about their lives in their L1 or a mixture of their L1 and English; this text is then translated into English with the help of bilingual tutors or learners and, as such, provides a natural bridge for overcoming problems of vocabulary, sentence structure and language confidence. At a certain point in the learning process, according to Shamash, the learner is willing to experiment and take risks with English. Thus, starting with the L1 provides a sense of security and validates the learners lived experiences, allowing them to express themselves while at the same time providing meaningful written material to work with. This research had shows us that the usage of L1 in the ESL classroom is sometimes considered as vital because of the students level of proficiency. Tang (2002), based on her studies, â€Å"Using the mother tongue in the Chinese EFL classroom† bear many similarities to Schweers (1999) study in a Spanish context. Both studies indicate that the mother tongue was used by the majority of teachers investigated, and both students and teachers responded positively toward its use. Minor discrepancies exist concerning the occasions when the L1 should be used. Some of these differences can be accounted for by the participants different levels of L2 language proficiency. The teachers participating in this study indicated that the translation of some words, complex ideas, or even whole passages is a good way to learn a foreign language. Her observation of the three classes suggests that without translation, learners would be likely to make unguided and often incorrect translations. This study also reveals that in the EFL classes observed Chinese plays only a supportive and facilitating role. The chief medium of communication in the class is still English. As with any other classroom technique, the use of the mother tongue is only a means to the end of improving foreign language proficiency. She agreed with the majority of student participants (about 63 percent combined) that no more than 10 percent of class time should be spent using Chinese. In her experience, this percentage decreases as the students English proficiency increases. Of course, a translation course would be an exception. Unlike Schweers student participants, the students in the present study are highly motivated to learn English. As English majors in the university, their English language proficiency is regarded as a symbol of their identity and a route to future academic and employment opportunities. Few of them feel that English is imposed on them or regard the use of English as a threat to their identity. Instead, they generally prefer greater or exclusive use of English in the classroom. In their view, Chinese should be used only when necessary to help them learn English better. The research seems to show that limited and judicious use of the mother tongue in the English classroom does not reduce students exposure to English, but rather can assist in the teaching and learning processes (Tang, 2002). Strohmeyer and McGrail (1988) found that allowing for the exploration of ideas in the L1 served to enhance students ESL writing. When students were given the choice of writing first in Spanish, they went on to write pieces in English that were considerably more developed than their usual ESL writing. These findings from practice are supported by Garcias (1991) more formal research on effective instructional practices which found that (a) academically successful students made the transition from Spanish to English without any pressure from teachers; and (b) they were able to progress systematically from writing in the native language in initial literacy to writing in English later. A recent study by Osburne and Harss-Covaleski (1991) suggested that the widely frowned upon practice of writing first in the L1 and then translating into the L2 is not harmful to the quality of the written product. They cite the conventional wisdom that students should be discouraged from translating as this will cause them to make more errors, result in rhetorically inappropriate texts, and distract them from thinking in Englishand that all these factors would negatively affect the quality of their writing. To investigate the validity of this claim, they compared ESL compositions written directly in English with others written first in the L1 and then translated into English; their results indicated no significant difference in the quality or quantity of the written products. They conclude, It seems then that there is no need for teachers to become overly anxious if students choose to employ translation as a composing strategy at times. Friedlander (1990) cited numerous other studie s reporting the beneficial effects of using the L1 for L2 composing; his own study provides further support for L1 use in planning ESL writing when knowledge of the topic has been acquired in the L1. Mirzaei Vaezi (2007), had been conducted the study of the effect of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique on the improvement of EFL Learners Linguistic Accuracy- Focus on form. Based on the results obtained from the statistical analyses in the study, it was discovered that the idea of the effectiveness of using translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique to improve a group of Iranian EFL learners linguistic accuracy was supported. Therefore, it can be concluded that translating form L1 to L2, using specific structures, can enhance learners linguistic accuracy within the scope of those structures. It also manifests that learners mother tongue is not a useless element in second or foreign language learning. In other words, mother tongue, if used purposefully and systematically, can have a constructive role in teaching other languages. In effect, the purpose of the present study was to join the three vertices of the triangle i.e., first language, translation, an d focus on form. Moreover, it can be claimed that translating sentences form L1 to L2, if selected purposefully, can push learners to use specific structures accurately when producing utterances in the second language. This mental practice in transforming an idea from mother language to the second language helps the learner tackle the psycho-linguistic challenge they have to face in producing second language in real life situations. Nevertheless, when utilizing this teaching technique, the learners should be bewared about the structural differences existing between languages which may cause negative interference from their L1. In other words, learners should be warned that there is not always a structural correspondence between their first language and the language they are learning. To make it short, translation from L1 to L2 is a kind of practice which makes the learners use specific L2 structures accurately in order to express L1 ideas. This transformation—mental translation from L1 to L2â €”is a natural and sometimes inevitable process which is mostly experienced by the learners of lower levels. Consequently, as discussed above, the technique used in this study is a means through which learners can practice producing L2 grammatically correct sentences which enables them to perform accurately in communicative situations (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Translation from L1 to L2 was not a strange process; nonetheless, it might not have been dealt with through systematic and research-based studies yet. Although the word translation and even mother tongue has been abominated by many so-called innovatory-oriented teachers, this study demonstrated that there are judicious ways in which language teachers can use mother tongue, in general, and translation from L1 to L2, in particular, in their instruction with the purpose of improving learners proficiency. In addition, mother tongue is truly a very rich source of linguistic knowledge with which any L2 learner is already equipped, and it does not seem reasonable to deprive our learners from using this recourse at the expense of exercising an English-only atmosphere in our classrooms. Therefore, it can be suggested that teachers be familiarized with advantages of using learners mother tongue in EFL/ESL classrooms and they should be reasonably given enough leeway to use this resource constructively. In particular, language teachers can use the technique presented in this study, i.e. using translation from L1 to L2, as a communicative task to promote their learners linguistic accuracy. Therefore, it seems reasonable to allocate some time to the training of teachers in this regard (Mirzaei Vaezi, 2007). Schweers (1999) had done a research on the attitudes toward the use of Spanish in the English classroom among the students and the teachers in Puerto Rican. A high percentage (88.7%) of the student participants in this study felt that Spanish should be used in their English classes. All of the teachers reported using Spanish to some degree. Approximately 99 percent of the students responded that they like their teachers to use only English in the classroom. Very noticeable is the 86 percent of students who would like Spanish used to explain difficult concepts. Only 22 percent of teachers saw this as an appropriate use. Students also responded notably higher than teachers on the following uses for Spanish: to help students feel more comfortable and confident, to check comprehension, and to define new vocabulary items. Neither students nor teachers saw a use for the L1 in testing. A notable percentage of students would like Spanish to be used in English class either between 10 and 39 p ercent of the time. A sizeable number of students like the use of Spanish because it helps them when they feel lost. About 87 percent of students feel Spanish facilitates their learning of English between â€Å"a little† and â€Å"a lot,† and about 57 percent think it helps from â€Å"fairly much† to â€Å"a lot.† These results showed that in English classes in a Puerto Rican university, Spanish should be used to some degree. Students feel there are clear cases where Spanish will facilitate their comprehension of what is happening in class. A majority also agree that the use of Spanish helps them to learn English. Studying students reactions to the use of the L1 in English classes, Terence Doyle (1997), in his presentation at TESOL 97, reported that students in a study he conducted claimed that the L1 was used approximately 90 percent of the time in their classes. Some 65 percent of these students preferred the use of the L1 in their classes sometimes or often. While the first figure is comparable to the one he found in his study, the second is higher than the percentage in his study. Romstedt (2000) had conducted a research of the effects of L1 Pre-writing discussion on ESL writing. The subjects of the study were thirty five graduate and undergraduate students, both male and female representing six native languages at two different levels of intensive English instruction. The general conclusi