Teaching English As A Foreign Language

Teaching English As A Foreign Language The aim of this study is to assess the performance of the teachers of English for the first year of the secondary schools in Missalata in: the new textbook. It also investigates other factors that influence teachers presentation, such as: the time allocated to the teaching of English and the lack of important materials such as tape recorders, dictionaries and other teaching aids. The main tool through which the researcher collected data is checklists adopted from a well known figure in teaching English as a foreign language named Jack Richards. The study consists of five chapters. Chapter one looks at defining some of the concepts involved in the TEFL teaching process as well as emphasizing the role of the teacher. Chapter two examines the background to TEFL teaching in Libya. It also includes a literature review. Chapter three outlines the background to the study and introduces the learning environment of it. It also discusses the methodology of the study and looks at the applied checklist as well as the parameters used as part of the research. Chapter four analyses the collected data. The last chapter comprises the conclusion and recommendations which are thought to be helpful to improve the English language teaching in Libyan schools. Chapter one 1.1- Introduction Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is a complicated process because it comprises a number of elements where the absence or the weakness of any one would affect the whole process. Al-Akhdar (2001: 1) says in this context The success of a course of English as a FL depends on several factors He discusses the issue of methodology in detail as one of the factors influencing the successful outcomes of the teaching operation. Another factor is to be discussed here: it is the teacher. This study examines the important role of the teacher in relation to the methodology employed. The reasons behind the important role played by the teacher in the teaching process is illustrated by the following points: 1. The teacher can compensate for any shortage of material or poor material, either by using other sources, or by tailoring the material to suit his particular class. 2. The teacher can balance the variations of the students levels. It is natural for the teacher to notice this heterogeneity in any class. It is the teacher who knows how to deal with such a situation. 3. He is also the one who deals with oversize classes (i.e. classes with more than 16 students) when it is quite difficult to carry out certain tasks and activities. Harmer (2002: 128) maintains that: In big classes, it is difficult for the teacher to make contact with the students at the back and it is difficult for the students to ask for and receive individual attention. He goes on to give reasons for the difficulty in teaching big classes by saying: big classes mean that it is not easy to have students walking around and changing pairs etc. Most importantly, big classes can be quite intimidating for inexperienced teachers. Ur (1997: 303) also lists some problems in teaching large classes such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Discipline à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Correcting written assignments. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Effective learning for all. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Materials. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual awareness. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Participation. 4. It is the teachers responsibility as well to overcome the problem of the shortage of classroom timetabling. Some syllabus timing is longer than that allocated by the Education Authority. All of the above points encompass the teachers responsibilities and distinguish him as a crucial factor in the educational process. Dubin and Olshtain (1986:31) however, put it well when they said: The teacher population is the most significant factor determining success of a new thinking and what it involves in practical terms are crucial. Alien and Valette (1977: 3) also stress the important role of the teacher. They say that: The teacher is the key figure in the language course. It is the teacher who sets the tone for the learning activities. They add that: The teacher plays a prime role in effecting student progress or lack thereof. The teachers role, therefore, in creating a successful learning environment for EFL secondary school students studying in Libya is of paramount importance to the successful completion of their course. This dissertation examines the teachers role and undertakes an analysis of the complications involved and the possible solutions to these difficulties. This analysis takes the form of an evaluation of teachers lessons at secondary schools in Missalata, Libya. 1.2-Elements Involved in English Language Teaching: Before this analysis is undertaken, however, the process behind EFL teaching in general needs to be examined in some detail. This will place the teachers role in context and illustrate the overall complexity inherent In the EFL process This process according to Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1998: 6) consists of central determinants which include the pupil, the EFL teacher, the method of teaching, the teaching materials and the classroom environment. These EFL learning and teaching elements are briefly discussed from a Libyan perspective in the following section: 1. 2.1-The Pupil: There are two types of English language learners in the Libyan environment; a full time student in an academic institution (school, college or university) and those who are enrolled on private courses which are run by private language centres. The objective behind learning English at these types of language centres is either to fulfil the need of the learner himself or that of his employer for work requirements, or to develop further the learners capability in a specific field such as, English for medicine, English for engineering, etc. The difference between the two can be summarised as follows: A. The syllabus for the learner at the academic institutions is a standard one which is taught all over the country, while the syllabus for the private institutions varies from one organisation to another. B. The learners age at the academic institutions are fairly similar Whereas it can vary at the private centres. C. Private language centres care a lot about the number of learners in one class, but public classes are always oversized which in turn can affect their learning process. 1.2.2- The EFL Teacher: Each job has its own specification or what is called a job description. Accordingly it is necessary, when recruiting a teacher to fill a position in any school to match him against the requirements for the job. But what are the criteria that we can apply in this process? It is quite difficult to base the answer on a checklist of a number of criteria such as a university degree. However, Richards (2001: 209-210) points out that two main factors should be considered carefully in employing EFL teachers: 1.2.2.1- The Teachers Knowledge. In this respect he outlines the following: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ practical knowledge: the teachers repertoire of classroom techniques and strategies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ content of language knowledge: the teachers understanding of the subject of TESOL, e.g., pedagogical grammar, pronunciation, teaching theories, second language acquisition, as well as the specialized discourse and terminology of language teaching contextual knowledge: familiarity with the school or institutional context, school norms, and knowledge of the learners, including cultural and other relevant information à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ pedagogical knowledge: ability to restructure content knowledge for leaching purposes, and to plan, adapt and improvise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ personal knowledge: the teachers personal beliefs and principles and his or her individual approach to teaching à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ reflective knowledge: the teachers capacity to reflect on and assess his or her own practice. 1.2.2.2- Teaching Skills: Teaching skills refer to knowledge or the ability to perform certain skills. A similar taxonomy is provided by McDonough and Shaw ( 1993: 297) who lists the following: Knowledge of the language system Good pronunciation Experience of living in an English-speaking country Qualifications (perhaps further training taken, or in-service development) Classroom performance Evidence of being a good colleague Length of time as a teacher Ability to write teaching materials Careful planning of lesson Same LI as students, or a sound knowledge of it Experience of a variety of teaching situations Personal qualities (outgoing, interested in learners and so on) Publications Knowledge of learning theories Wide vocabulary Ability to manage a team of teachers. In addition to the above points education authorities at all levels (planners, inspectors and headmasters) are asked to follow up and assist English language teachers in order to improve further their ability and make cope with any development that might arise. Richards (2001: 218). Lists a number of conditions to achieve and maintain good teaching standards: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monitoring: in this respect he states that to upgrade the level of teaching, monitoring can play a major role through: group meetings, written reports, classroom visits, and student evaluations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Observation: This can also play a part in upgrading teaching and he proposed different ways to implement this task. He suggests: self-observation, peer observation or supervisor observation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identification and Resolution of Problems: problems that may face the teacher should be identified well in advance and should be tackled immediately in order to be avoided in future. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Shared Planning: This task can be done through the collective work among teachers on planning a course of study. EFL teachers in Libyan secondary schools are prepared to teach a certain syllabus not teaching English. Moreover, they are not taught how to teach the new textbooks. 1.2.3-The Method of Teaching: Before discussing the different methods it is worth distinguishing between the two terms method and approach. Richards et. Al. (1985: 228) give very simple definition. They say method is: (in language teaching) a way of teaching a language which is based on systematic principles and procedures, i.e., which is an application of views on how a language is best taught and learned. They go on to say that these views include: a. The nature of language b. The nature of language learning c. goals and objectives in teaching d. the of syllabus to use e. the role of teachers f. the techniques and procedures to use As with regard to the definition of approach, Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1988: 12) say in this respect: The term approach refers to principles or assumptions underlying the process of language teaching and learning. They give the following clear example to illustrate their definition: one of the assumptions underlying descriptive linguistics is that language is a set of habits, i.e. habit formation which is acquired by the process of stimulus, response and reinforcement. Below is a discussion of the major teaching methods. 1.2.3.1- Grammar Translation Method: The history of Grammar Translation method dates back to the decades of teaching Latin in the nineteenth century. The objective behind The application of this method includes as Rivers says ( 1983: 29) an understanding of the grammar of the language and training the student to write the new language accurately by regular practice in translating from the native language. It aims at providing the student with a wide literary vocabulary It aims training the student to extract the meaning from texts in the new language by into the native language. Students are taught, according to this method, deductively by having sufficient explanations of the rules as well as long lists of vocabulary and asked to memorise them by heart in order to translate texts. The teachers role however, is exemplified in the use of the learners first language to explain the rules and the vocabulary of the targeted text and then assists the learner to translate it. (Baker and Westrup: 2000). Less emphases is made on accurate pronunciation thus listening and speaking are ignored in this method. The Grammar Translation method is known to be very useful as Baker and Westrup( 2000: 4)) point out: in teaching academic work and for passing written exams . 1.2.3.2- The Direct Method: The Direct Method was brought to existence by the end of the nineteenth centaury in rejection for the ignorance made by the Grammar Translation method to listening and speaking skills. Voices started to be heard at that time for reform and that is why the direct method was known as the Reform method. The method is also known as the Natural or the Psychological Method for the fact that it makes an analogy between the child who learns his mother tongue and the way the learner learns L2. In contrary to the Grammar Translation Method, the Direct Method stresses the need to use the target language right from the regaining and to avoid the use of the mother tongue. In this respect Rivers (1983: 32) says: This renewed emphasis on the target language as the medium of instruction in the classroom meant that correct pronunciation became an important consideration. The classroom teaching concentrates on practising the target language through the use of listening and speaking while reading and writing are considered less important. Students are encouraged to memorise phrases and dialogues. Baker and Westrup( 2000: 4) list the following limitation in learning L2 through the use of the Direct Method: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students may not always understand what they are repeating; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students cannot make their own responses in new and different situations; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Teachers may not be confident enough to use English throughout the lesson; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They are not so useful for advanced learners. 1.2.3.3- The Audio-lingual Method: One of the main reasons for the emergence of The Audio-lingual Method came as a result of the need of the American forces to use and understand the language of the invaded countries in the 40s and 50s. Kara (1992: 82) says in respect of the application of the Audio-lingual the Following: then being used by the American Army to train their men to understand a native speaker and speak a Language with a near-native accent. She goes on to describe the mechanical application of the method by saying: Classes were small and staffed by linguistic by linguistic experts who taught using graded materials based on structural analysis and demanded long hours of drill and active practice with native speakers as models for imitation. This method has based its grounds on the Behaviourist Psychology where the following assumptions are embedded: a) Language learning is primarily mechanical habit formation. b) Language is a form of verbal behaviour. c) Priority goes for mastering spoken first in order for the other skills to be effectively gained. d) Analogy is a better foundation for language learning than analysis, therefore pattern practice in context precedes the presentation of rules. e) Teaching language involves teaching the cultural norms of native speakers of the target language. The major criticism addressed to the Audio-lingual method is represented in Rivers (1981: 47) words as follows: If Audio-lingual training is given in a mechanical way, students may progess like well trained parrots-able to repeat whole perfectly when given a certain stimulus, but uncertain ,;t meaning of what they are saying and unable to use ::^.zed materials in contexts other than those in which they earned them. Student must be trained from the first lesson to apply what they have memorized or practiced in drills in communication situations contrived within classroom group. 1.2.3.4-The Communicative Approach: The Communicative approach first emerged in the UK in the mid to .ate 1970s. It was brought up as a result of the dissatisfaction with the structural and behaviourist methods of language teaching. This is the methodology which is currently widely used in text books not only in the West but even in our schools and training centres in Libya. Besides the preparatory and secondary schools text books, most of the oil sector and banks training centres are applying this approach in their teaching of English. The focus, in this approach, is on using language for communication while accuracy is seen as secondary. The function of language, or the way it is used, is considered more important than the form. As with regard to classroom teaching, the communicative approach gives a large proportion of class time to student-centred activities. Students are given the chance to use the language in realistic situations where they must use the language for real communication. The use of authentic materials and realia is encouraged wherever possible. The role of the teacher however, is seen as a group manager and activity leader or facilitator. In this case, he is advised to allow considerable time for the learners to work at their pace and ensures that the learners should proceed from guided to freer practice of language items. The teacher has also to encourage group and pair work. 1.2.3.5- The Eclectic Approach: Some teachers however, prefer to adopt an eclectic approach. The teacher in this case adopts some of the above mentioned methods during one single lesson. The teacher in this situation carries out a certain task in the class using grammar translation methodology and the other task performed through the audio-lingual method. In this regard Al-Mutawa and Kailani (1988: 27) say: Teachers often incorporate features of different approaches in their particular methodology. Most of the English language teachers nowadays think that teaching grammar is the objective of teaching the language. Functions and notions for them are considered as secondary targets or they are used mainly to illustrate or highlight grammar rules. 1.2.4- The Teaching Materials: Teaching materials include; textbooks, workbooks, newspapers and magazines, posters, blackboards, whiteboards, language laboratories, overhead projectors, tape recorders, videos and realia (such as real fruits, Vegetable, Kitchen objects) etc . Teachers can always try to create in the use of these materials. Some schools may lack some of above if not most. The teachers, therefore, can manage this shortage of materials. They can for example use his personal items from home or bf can seek the help of his students. 1.2.5- The Classroom Environment: Most of the classrooms in Libya are built compatible with educational specifications. That is all of the classrooms are large enough to accommodate (between 25 to 30) students in each class. They have enough windows to provide light and fresh air. The physical building itself is not enough, however. There are of course, other things complementing the physical structure such as ventilation, particularly in winter when these classes need to be warm enough, and electricity supply that is just as important. Students and teachers desks as well should be convenient. All of these compose an environment that might help create an appropriate educational atmosphere. Further to the above discussion, it is necessary for purposes of clarification to discuss other terminology that can appear confusing. Terms such as curriculum, syllabus, methodology and teaching materials are interrelated and are sometimes mistaken for one another. Since this study uses these terms very frequently, it becomes essential to define what each one of them means. 1.2.6.Curriculum: Nunan(1988:6) defines curriculum as follows: curriculum is a very general concept, which involves consideration of the whole complex of philosophical, social and administrative factors, which contribute to the planning of an educational programme. On the same line, Lim (cited in Richards 2001: 41) also includes the following parameters as part of the curriculum process: needs analysis, goal setting, syllabus design, material design, language programme design, teacher preparation, implementation of programmes in schools, monitoring, feedback and evaluation. Curriculum can be divided into three different groups: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Planned Curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Implemented Curriculum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Realized Curriculum Nunan (2000) describes these stages as follows: I like to draw a distinction between the planned curriculum, the implemented curriculum, and the realized curriculum. The planned curriculum includes everything that is done prior to the delivery of instruction. The implemented curriculum refers to what happens in the moment-by-moment realities of the classroom. The realized curriculum refers to the skills and knowledge that learners actually acquire as a result of instruction. This study will be mainly dealing with the implemented curriculum. Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1.- Secondary School Syllabus (Past and Present): 2.1.1- Introduction. The teaching of English as a foreign Language has attracted great interest in Libya since the mid 40s. Imssalem( 2001: 8) said in this context: Since the start of British administration in 1943, English was introduced into the school system and has become the first foreign language. English is also currently a core subject from the first year of preparatory school to the university stage. It is also a core subject in all university colleges. The preparatory and secondary school English textbooks in Libya, however, have seen remarkable developments. These developments fall into two main stages: 2.1.2-Secondary School Syllabus Before 1996. Libya was one of the Italian colonies and it was very much affected by the Italian imperialistic policy, particularly in the field of education. In this regard, Mahaishi (1999: 9) maintained that: education was affected by the policies made by the colonisers, where they had abolished the schooling system created by the Ottoman rule during the last years of their empire. Consequently the colonisers imposed an Italian curriculum from the early education stages in order to Italianise the life of the Libyan Arab citizen through imposing the Italian language. This stage lasted nearly half a century. Afterwards, and by the start of the British administration in Libya in 1943, English language started to take its place in the Libyan school curriculum in a different way to that employed by the Italian invaders. Whereas the Italian curriculum aimed at Italianising the Libyan education system, English language during the British administration was introduced as a school subject. Other subjects such Maths, Chemistry etc, were introduced in Arabic. Moreover, education in Libya, generally, was very limited for many reasons, for example, poverty and the fact that the country was the scene of ferocious imperialistic wars between foreign forces, to the extent that John Wright (1972: 206 ) in his book The History of Libya put the rate of illiteracy at 90%. until 1964 the English Language syllabus was exemplified in English textbooks imported from Egypt. Imssalem (2001: 8) says that: The curriculum for English language teaching in Egypt was introduced into Libya by British-trained Egyptian teachers. In the late 60s, M. Gusbi in collaboration with R John produced a new syllabus, which lasted around three decades as reliable, local Material used in Libyan secondary schools. Mr. Gusbis material (Further English for Libya, Revised edition 1974) was based on the audio-lingual method, which was characterised by concentration on structure and form rather than on meaning as an objective of teaching. This approach has relied on introducing a topic, familiar to the learners culture, followed by some drills and exercises. The lessons were gradually graded in linguistic complexity, aimed at consolidating the rules in order to develop the learners linguistic competence. For instance, if you look at the exercises used in Lesson One (Gusbi and John, Seventh Impression, 1983: 4-5) only section C is different with the introduction of some comprehension questions. One finds them concentrating on grammar, for example, Section D (Make sentences from this table), Section E (Put these sentences into negative etc. With regard to the skills, the focus was only on listening and speaking in the first stages. Reading and writing, however, were postponed to the advanced stages until the first two skills were mastered. This method implies a teacher centred approach, where he/she finds himself/herself taking the big share of talking and directing as well as correcting any type of error that might arise to ensure the development of the learners accuracy. The case of the Libyan English textbook, (Further English for Libya) which was built on structural bases, was almost the same as that in some other Arab countries. Kharma and Hajjaj, (1986 : 60) describe the syllabus in the Arab Gulf States before the mid 70s by saying: With the introduction of the structural approach the syllabus continued to be thought of as materials content in terms of lexical and grammatical items, and particularly sentence patterns. At that time the Communicative approach was introduced into the curriculum in Europe and the USA. 2.1.3-Secondary School Syllabus After 1996: In order to discuss the secondary school syllabus in Libya after 1996 this section highlights the development of the communicative approach since the Libyan secondary school textbooks are now based on a communicative approach of teaching. The communicative approach came into existence by the end of 1960s and early 70s as a result of the dissatisfaction with the then current approaches and methods, such as the Grammar-Translation method, Direct method, Audio lingual method etc, that concentrated on language structure instead of the real use of the language itself as means of communication. Richards (1995: 66) in this context quoted Littlewood when he describes the communicative language teaching by saying: One of the most characteristic features of communicative language teaching is that it pays systematic attention to functional as well as structural aspects of language. This approach has incorporated the teaching of the four language skills besides grammar and vocabulary which according acknowledges the interdependence of language and communication. Thus it supersedes the previous methods in unifying these two concepts i.e. language and communication. This shift however, from merely teaching language structurally to teaching it communicatively met with different views, some in favour and others against. In China for instance, Xiao Qing Liao (10/10/2001) says: In spite of the resistance [to the introduction of the communicative approach in China], there were still many teachers in favor of CLT. Although communicative language teaching was introduced to the Libyan secondary school textbooks in 1997, which is considered relatively late, it can be said that these textbooks are improved for the following reasons: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ They can be described as comprehensive multi-strand textbooks i.e. they introduce in each unit of the books; vocabulary, grammar and the four language skills listening, speaking, reading and writing. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The textbooks content of vocabulary, grammar and the four language skills serve the theme of each unit in a communicative way. The authors (Tankard and Tankard 2001:1) give an example of this point in their introduction to the First year Secondary School Textbook by saying: Unit 5 has the theme Countries and Regions. In this unit the vocabulary relates directly to the theme: the students learn new words and expressions to describe geographical regions. The grammar point covered is comparative adjectives, and the communicative functions are comparing people and things and talking about countries and regions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The variation in the topics included in the course book supports the learners command of the language and can help him to use English in real life situations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Contrary to the previous textbook (Further English for Libya by Gusbi and John 1970 Longman publications), which dominated the process of teaching English as a foreign language in Libyan schools for nearly three decades, the new textbook can also be considered as a dynamic one and not static. For instance, in terms of student participation, most of the tasks were set in order for the students to interact among themselves, to play certain roles or to solve a problem, whereas the old textbook concentrates mainly on grammar issues where there is no chance for group work. The possibility of performing the exercises in the old text book can only be done between the teacher and a student or one student and another. Accordingly, the chance for involving the whole class group work or pair work is not available. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The other advantage of the new textbook is represented in the use of Visual aids. The pictures are very helpful and very motivating for the learner to learn, to understand the task and accordingly participate actively in the class. For instance, in Unit Two (p. 6,7and 8) the topic is about Towns and cities in which the authors introduced the city of Bath in England as an example. At first they present an introduction about the city on page 7, supported by a map of the city using colours (red, blue and green) to show the most famous places like the museum, Post office, car park and recreational park. The objective behind the passage, in page 7, is to provide the learner with necessary vocabulary. In page 8, the picture is used for further drills of the vocabulary in listening and speaking e.g. giving and following directions. These drills are of course, supported by drawings. Besides dealing with vocabulary, listening speaking and reading, it also deals with grammar in clusively (using WH questions and demonstrative pronoun there). Pictures in the old syllabus, however, were very limited and did not serve the theme or any learning activity. In spite of this improvement of the new English Language textbook in Libya, it did not take into account the other elements of the learning and teaching process i.e. the pupil, the EFL teacher, the method of teaching applied in the Libyan schools, teaching material, and the classroom environment. So the questions that should have been posed by the authors of English for Libya (Alan and Fiona Tankard) and the Libyan educational authorities before writing the textbook could have been: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Is the teach

Ethical dilemmas Essay

Any field of study has its dilemmas and nursing is no exception. The dilemmas in question tend to take a higher dimension and involve the nurse educators as well. Their dilemmas range from ethical or legal to moral. Some of these dilemmas involve trying to meet the needs of the community around you. Trying to address environmental issues is another dilemma. Dealing with challenges form your students is also another dilemma, and many more (Foot, 2002,). A close tool at the whole topic shows that the educator in question may be faced with the dilemma of not having enough content for his students. This may make him feel threatened and frustrated, because he may end up teaching the wrong thing to the students who may end up endangering the lives of the patients, they will be handling, after college (Foot, 2002). If contents is not enough the educator may feel threatened by producing half-baked students. This should be well considered and ensure it does not happen. However it is normally common especially when the educator is still fresh with his work (Foot, 2002). The educator in question may also be faced with the dilemma of early preparations. This normally happens when he does not know how to prepare or when to prepare. In the process students end up not getting enough information form their educator (Scott, 1998). On the side of the communities needs is another problem, especially if the educator does not know them. Since the educator is someone with his or her professional then it is very obvious and possible not to understand the needs of the community better. This normally leads to a lot of misunderstanding and frustrations (Cohen, 2003). The dilemmas in question also tend to be challenges, especially form students. This is true, especially when the students come for advice. The nurse educator will normally not know what to tell his students when he himself has no enough knowledge of their needs. It is a serious issue as some students ignore the departments of guiding and counselling and prefer to seek the advice of their educators. Unless the higher authorities know better how to address this issue there will always be a problem (Cohen, 1998). Other challenges that face the most nurse educators are class preparations, how to keep in touch with the current affairs, cases of students lying or cheating in exams, dealing with death cases, and also wanting to be a role model (Rodin, Collins, 1991). As for class preparations, this is true when the nurse educator tries to prepare enough or adequately for the classes. It is more serious if the educator is involved with students who normally ask very hard questions. This can always make the educator feel inadequate, and that does not know how to prepare for classes better, it normally becomes another problem (Denhardt, 1988). Keeping in touch with the current affairs is important and enjoyable when the nurse educator tries to keep in touch with the current affairs; there is always the problem of maintaining himself in his profession. This is a very big dilemma; unless the higher authorities address it properly then it is still a major problem for the nurse educator (Cohen, 2003). Another problem is that of trying to be a role model to his students. This is also a big dilemma since it involves knowing at first hand how to go about it. The educator should be provided with enough information about it. This is to say they should be taught early enough in colleges or universities (Scott, 1998). The higher authorities must change their attitude from the non- supportive one to a more positive and responsive one. The ethical dilemma faced by the nurse educators are worrying especially this one of catching a student cheating in the examination. This should always be handled very sensitively. Unless the higher authorities understand the educator’s needs then misunderstandings will always come in even in such a case (Denhardt, 1988). The governments should think hard on how to address these dilemmas. They are serious ones, and should not be allowed to happen in any way. Once they are properly handled this will promote and give morale to the educators in question and also improve the stands of living of people (Rodin, Collins, 1991).

Border Security and Terrorism Essay

The only way that any country can effectively prevent terrorist attacks is by improving the local security on a domestic scale. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, â€Å"the protection of borders and ports of entry are vital to the success of this campaign (Campbell & Flourney 372)†. The issue here, however, is that by imposing stricter immigration laws and beefing up border security, the rich American legacy of legal immigration becomes threatened. As more and more people and politicians alike cite the pressing need to improve border security, that rich legacy comes to mind. According to Dave Camp, former Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Borders and Infrastructure, â€Å"while there is a need to protect the borders and ports of entry, any new policies regarding this matter do not have to intervene with the avowed American history of legal immigration (1)†. What the policies do suggest is that if there are those who violate the immigration and border laws, they will be dealt with strictly (Campbell & Flourney 377). Plans such as a REAL ID act or the removal of certain asylum laws that have loopholes are certainly plans that deserve a serious consideration. The entry of the attackers of 9/11 was greatly facilitated by the lax immigration standards and other legal loopholes. These allowed the terrorists to secure driver’s licenses and other permits that allowed them to move around the country freely and make the preparations that they needed to do (Campbell & Flourney 377). If the border security measures were not as lax those days, it might have even led to the prevention of 9/11. Campbell & Flourney, in their study on measures against terrorism have cited that, â€Å"A large step in curbing the possibility of terrorist attacks lies in improving border security† (372). Many critics have continually cited that the first step in winning the war against terror is by first preventing the happening of any future attacks. As such, airline security in conjunction with border security must be improved. The American-Mexican Border remains to be the largest concern since it remains as the largest security vulnerability of the United States. The porous domestic border could provide much greater problems than that of illegal immigration. It could lead to the entry of terrorist groups into the United States on a massive scale, leading to the proliferation of a large number of terrorists in the United States and possibly the establishment of a network that would make them extremely difficult to apprehend (Campbell & Flourney 372). Current Success of Border Security As earlier mentioned, the role of border security in the fight against terror is crucial. The current government reorganization program that has been proposed places the Department of Homeland Security, the Customs and Border Protection Program and the Immigration-Customs Enforcement agencies under a single operating body (Carafano 1). This move alone signifies that America is serious in curbing these terrorist attacks and that improving border security is a major factor. The next figure shows the attacks that have been prevented. Since the 9/11 attacks, over 19 terrorist attacks have been thwarted. Much of this success has been attributed to the Border Security measures that have been set in place since then. Almost all of these attacks have been intercepted through the careful monitoring of the activities that have occurred at the border. The passage of not only terrorists but also terrorist weapons is a major concern for the Department of Homeland Security and the Customs and Border Protection Program. The porous and vulnerable American-Mexican Border remains the key element in taking the war against terror to the next level. Without the current border security situation at the level that it is in at the present, most of those 19 attempts could not have been prevented (Taylor 3). According to most experts who are studying this matter, â€Å"the key remains to be in keeping the inflow of people and goods into the United States under close scrutiny (Campbell & Flourney 372). † While there has been much success in this, there still remains the question on what further improvements can be made against such a devious and cunning foe. Future of Border Security It has clearly been established at this point that in order to be effective in the war on terror border security needs to be improved. The government must take a firm stand on the policies that will be implemented in the area of border security. While such policies may threaten certain precepts that America is known for such as the legacy of legal immigration, it must be remembered that sacrifices are sometimes necessary to protect the greater interests of the American public (Taylor 12). If it means that legal immigration may be throttled to a certain extent in order to ensure the safety of the American public, it is certain that there are more than a few Americans who would stand by that decision. As it is, more and more funding has gone into the improvement of border security particularly with regard to airline regulations and ports of entry as well as along the American-Mexican border. â€Å"Laws that have funded the increase in the number of fences along the border have been drafted and stricter port of entry rules have been established,† according to studies done on this subject (Taylor 12). The next step lies in ensuring that these measures push through and that they are implemented effectively. It has been said that increasing the security measures that are currently in place will send the wrong message to the terrorists and instead signal to them that they have won and that America has given in (Taylor 12). Ensuring one’s safety, however, should never be considered as a sign of cowardice or defeat. Instead, it should send the message that the United States and its people will not give up and will not give in to the terrorist tactics of these groups. Concrete steps such as improving border security are one of the many ways by which the United States government can show that they are serious and determined to end the war on terror. Conclusion When it comes to the war on terror, every other person seems to be of the opinion that there is one solution that is better than the next one. Everyone seems to think that there is one sure fire way of dealing with the situation. Truth be told, it would be perfect if that were really the case because it would have meant that the war on terror would already be over. The sad reality is that terrorism still continues to be a growing threat against all civilizations in the world today. While theories abound, success stories against the war on terror are far and few. This is not to say that policies to help improve border security are a waste of time but it rather serves to emphasize a very important point. The war on terror cannot be solved by just implementing one policy or one program. The response to problem will never be as quick or as earth shaking as the event that intensified the problem. Efforts to improve border security are just one of the many things that need to be done to combat the terrorists. Be that as it may, it still is one of the more crucial steps to stop terrorism. References: Campbell, Kurt and Flourney, Michelle (2001). To Prevail: An American Strategy for the Campaign Against Terrorism. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies.

We Should Set Limits On Moral Obligation - 1398 Words

We Should Set Limits on Moral Obligation In The Gift, Ian Parker discusses a personal story of a man named Zell Kravinsky that had given almost his entire fortune and kidney under moral obligation. The â€Å"big question† that will be evaluated in this paper is there important limits to how much do-gooding morality can ask of us? If so, how much can it ask of us to sacrifice for others? This question had placed great influence on Zell Kravinsky story and it is important we evaluate his arguments for moral obligation can ask of us. In this essay I intend to recognize the infraction that moral obligation puts on decisions such as ‘nondirected’ organ donation. The boundary Zell Kravinsky set an moral obligation should be avoided because his actions were not entirely moral, and placed harm on his well-being. Zell does limit to the amount of good deeds that need to be done to live morally. He suggests that he is driven by what he calls ‘mathematical calculus of utilitarianism† which gave him the d rive to be the ‘greatest good.† What he calls his romantic-self, which gives him the urge to make charitable acts excessive. On many accounts Zell is described as depressed. He is not suicidal, but depressed because he has not done enough. When Zell speaks to his friend, he explains that you do not need to feel good in order to be good â€Å"But it’s the other way around: if you do good, you become better. With each thing I’ve given away, I’ve been more certain of the need to give more away.Show MoreRelatedEssay about Obligation to Obey Governing Bodies1427 Words   |  6 PagesI believe it is safe to say that the subjects of any legitimate state have an obligation to at obey their governing bodies. 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